If you think looking at art whilst getting your nails done is an impossibility, then you are wrong. Vice lead me to discovering two treasures, one being WAH-Nails: a nail salon in Dalston

and two being Jessica Penfold, the awesome illustrator who held her first solo show there. I had a look through her portfolio and she has done work for people like Ben Rayner and Vice Magazine. I got to asking Jessica some questions about her work, it’s nice to be able to have the chance to ask someone how they work. It turns out we shared many similar views on things. Having studied Graphic Design at Camberwell, she learned she much rather not rely on the usage of a computer and  would prefer to pick up a pen and draw. I admire anyone who can have a simple conversation with someone and visualise an image to the point of being able to recreate it on canvas, or paper in this case. I just can’t work like that. Jessica draws everything freehand and uses the computer for things like layering her text.  This exhibition was for the graphic story Snow Day. The work was based on the events of the February 2, 2009 snow storm that shut down most of London.

I loved the work and I loved the atmosphere at the opening. Usually when I got out on Vice events everyone is beyond the point of intimate conversation. Having your nails done at the same time gave perfect opportunity to get to speak to some very interesting people. There’s a certain aura that surrounds WAH-Nails. It stirred up some excitement. Probably because of their insane amount of success that surrounds the whole shop. The Nails are awesome and the place is adorable.

Have a read through the owner’s blog and you can read about about how the adventure started. Although the main site is under construction you can still have a look through all the cool nails they do here. ALso you can have a look through WAH-Magazine. It has a lot of interesting stuff to browse through.

Best of luck to both Jessica and the people of WAH-Nails.

I feel that this year has started off in the right direction. Inspiration and ideas are generating some exciting prospects for the months to come. It also helps to spend some time with my housemate, the lovely and talented Abigail Box. I decided to camp out at her studio during the snow days. We have always managed to work well in close proximity of each other and sure enough I found myself rather inspired by my surroundings.

I managed to work on some of my own stuff. I started up a new sketchbook, a painting, and these polaroids for fun.

The economic bust up hit everyone but, let’s face it: the poor (literally) North American art school kids living in a foreign country with no funding to pay for school took a real blow.

Or maybe that’s just me and my Canadian housemate.

I would love to reacquaint myself with the likes of sketchbooks, paints, scissors and co. but, working a 9 to 5 doesn’t allow for such rendezvous.

I miss univesity and that was the sole purpose of this winge.

The cool kids at Vice sent me out to a party last Thursday called No Bait Name @ Macbeth in Hoxton. I hit the brandy and Coke pretty hard that night so I’m pretty amused/shocked/proud I even knew what a camera was.

Nevertheless, it was a good party. Here are a couple of the pictures and a few links to learn more about the people who made it happen.

www.bntl.co.uk ( There are more photos on there)

http://www.sweetandsound.co.uk

http://www.dontwatchthat.tv

(And remember to click the 2 after the first set of images to see the second.)

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A+ to whoever assembles the exhibitions at the Design Museum.

Super Contemporary : 03 June – 04 October

Design Museum has joined forces with Beefeater 24 to celebrate the fearlessly progressive spirit of London’s greatest creative minds, past and present. London thinks, designs and makes like no other city; it creates and the world follows. A magnet for mavericks and freethinkers, London has nurtured a creative community that continues to rival all other design capitals.

These creative networks have spurred each other on. This exhibition will illustrate London’s pursuit of new, better and braver, across architecture, industrial design, graphics, fashion and communications alike. Endlessly pushing at the forefront of design and constantly inventing for new worlds, London’s design output is continually Super Contemporary.

At the heart of the exhibition are fifteen commissions from some of London’s most dynamic creatives, as a group they demonstrate the diverse approaches to design in London:

01 July – 01 November

Visit the exhibition blog

The first UK retrospective of Spanish designer and artist Javier Mariscal. Regarded as one of the world’s most innovative and original designers of our time, Mariscal’s rich and diverse body of work spans kooky cartoon characters to stunning interiors, from furniture to graphic design and corporate identities.

Mariscal’s intense relationship with drawing and illustration is central to his career and is the basis for his designs over the last 30 years. He gave Barcelona its graphic identity as it emerged from the Franco era and in 1992 he introduced the world to Cobi, the official Olympic mascot of the Barcelona games. Sketches, designs, films and photographs will be on display alongside furniture and textiles. Mariscal will also design and paint an elaborate mural for the exterior of the museum showcasing his unique vision and signature design style.

I love the Paul Smith rubbish bin.

http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/2009/06/02/new-london-rubbish-bin-by-paul-smith/