Handmade With Love
Nan Lawson is one of those artists whose illustrations can bring a smile to anyone’s face. Her work is inspirational, quirky and cute, created out of a little studio space in her California apartment. Working in digital, Nan seeks out pop culture for inspiration with characters stemming from fictional films, fashion, novels and songs she hears. Peek inside the studio of one of our favorite artists — filled with drawings and equipment — and check out her creative process, how she gets out of ruts and her tips for illustrators/artists, after the jump.
We first fell in love with Emma Block’s work after discovering her Style Icon illustrations, and since then have become obsessed with her vintage-tinged art. Under the influence of old photos, 1950s illustrations, jazz and vintage fashion, her work carries a warm, retro feel with pieces that depict teatime, everyday life and fashion drawings, while others are drenched in nostalgia like her illustrated ode to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s childhood staple, The Secret Garden. The London-based illustrator also dabbles in stationary with a lovely range of greeting cards and to-do list templates. She collects her tools in teacups and jam jars, has sketchbooks piled on window sills and looks to an inspiration wall covered in postcards and photographs. Peek inside her adorable book filled studio after the jump, and visit Emma over on her website and Etsy.
Based in Mexico City, Rosie Music creates whimsical illustrations and apparel. Her work is drenched in rainbow hues and features drawings of couples — some of whom are in love, others who are shy — along with a batch of classy animals decked-out in Sgt. Pepper-esque jackets and Elizabethan neck ruffs. She collects an abundance of reading material, which she seeks for inspiration — contemporary art books like that of Yoko Ono’s and fashion and music magazines line her bookshelf — as well as vintage treasures. Peek inside Rosie’s studio, neatly filled with books-galore and walls painted with film posters and fashion clippings, and check out her favorite tools and the artists she holds dear, after the jump.
Verónica de Arriba lives in a world full of imagination and color. Working under the handle Depeapa, she creates illustrations, accessories, screenprints, and home flourishes out of her studio in Spain. Her work is often brightly-hued, with a playful air, depicting dancing couples, bearded men, clothing clad animals, and mesmerizing geometric patterns, to give a few examples. She turns bland objects — slabs of wood, pieces of felt, fabric, paper — into whimsical, delicate works of art that can’t help but make you smile upon first glance. Have a gander inside Verónica’s lovely studio, adorned with plants, art and embroidery tacked up on the walls — some of them her own pieces — and markers galore, after the jump.
We first discovered Jacqueline Bos through her colorful, illustrated ode to the Golden Girls, and quickly fell for her killer collection of original mini-books soon after. Her imaginative zines take readers on a trip through nature and beyond, whether it be with true-to-life depictions of cacti, abstract drawings of the arctic, or psychedelic, illustrated collage work commemorating her time living between Brooklyn and Portland. And that’s not all! She is also an accomplished textile artist and graphic designer, with work being featured in a dozen galleries and an impressive client list to boot. Jacqueline let us inside her Portland studio, covered in magazines, plants, and markers, and told us a bit about her workspace, fave tools, and more. Have a peak inside her space after the jump, and check out her website and shop for some amazing artwork.
As her bio says, Patricia — the mastermind behind the whimsical felt jewelry and hand-carved stamps of Memi The Rainbow — is truly “an Italian girl living in Paris.” She looks to the city of Paris for inspiration, peeks outside of her window at the sun setting over rooftops across the way, and travels to flea markets for vintage children’s toy treasures. Patricia’s playful attitude, adoration for Parisian life and love for vintage toys and collectibles bleeds through to her art, with an array of stamps and felt mascots that pay homage to the City of Lights, pop-culture, childhood, and retro goodies. Patricia allowed us to glimpse inside her charming studio and gave us some insight into what influences her work — from walking the streets of Paris to her adorable “Lamp-Lapin.” Check out her lovely craft room overloaded with vintage collectables, hand-carved stamps, and jam-jars filled with fabric buttons, after the jump, and don’t forget to drop by Memi The Rainbow.
