SALE
Guys! Guys! Guys!
Today is the 25th of November, which means that there's exactly ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
*No sh*t, math whizz!*
To celebrate this v.exciting nugget of information, this Christmas-nut is pulling on its ugliest holiday jumper AND taking 20% off everything in the shop for one week* only!
Simply head to www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com, make your selection(s) and then enter code word XMAS2015 upon checkout to apply the discount.
As an added bonus, all prints ordered between now and December 14 will come with one FREE Christmas card. Huzzah! Gift sorted.
Happy Shopping x
*Ends Midnight Tuesday, 1st December*
DECK YOUR PHONE
So excited to announce that my 'Kissing Santa Claus' illustration is now available - for a very limited time only - as a phone case via The Dairy to smother your calls in Christmas kisses for the holidays.
Because, on the eleventy day of Christmas my true love gave to me...a giant candy cane and a bunch of mistletoe!
Matching cards are also available.
Purchase cases: www.thedairy.com
Purchase cards: www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com
150 YEARS OF ALICE
My favourite of favourites.
As a child Walt Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' was one of approximately 5 movies we owned on BETA video. Remember BETA? It came before VHS. Remember VHS? It came before DVD. Remember - never mind. You get the picture.
Along with 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Pinocchio', and 'The Wizard of Oz' I watched it over and over and over again. I read the story books, I devoured the mini-series' (fun fact - there's a slightly terrible but kind-of-amazing 1980s adaptation of both 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' that stars Sammy Davis Jr as the Caterpillar!)
I've been Alice-obsessed for most of my life, and I have still yet to meet a print edition that I didn't buy. Friends have even lugged precious copies back from overseas travels. See image above.
So, of course there was no question that I would need to pay homage (again) to the most curious of dreamers, Alice, on this, the 150th anniversary of her very first publication.
A Very, Very Un-Birthday to you Alice, darling, dear.
If you would like your very own Alice, I have added her to my print shop, in two sizes.
Limited editions of 40 A3 prints, and 15 A2 prints only.
Click here to purchase.
TITANIA
While I was in the USA, the 'Les Petit Fours' exhibition opened in Sydney at Friends of Leon Gallery, in conjunction with Beautiful Bizarre magazine.
It looked like such a beautiful show, including pieces by some incredible artists such as Kelly Thompson, Pippa McManus, Ruben Ireland, Kate Zambrano, Emma Leonard and more...
I had only shared snippets until now, so here is my final piece.
Taking inspiration from some of my favourite collections by Giambattista Valli and John Galliano, along with the character of Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, from William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' I created an ethereal beauty, surrounded by the fluttering creatures of the forest and a swarm of gilded couture.
'Titania' can be viewed in the exhibition until November 8.
CHRISTMAS CARDS
This year's Christmas cards have arrived a little bit early (although, when it comes to Christmas is there even such a thing?!) due to my being currently overseas.
To get a head start on the silly Santa season, and because I'm feeling festive after seeing all of the Christmas displays in NYC, I decided to put these beauties up in the shop now.
Taking inspiration from one of my favourite Christmas jingles, 'Kissing Santa Claus' is a play on the song made famous by Motown and the likes of Jackson 5 and The Ronettes. You might also remember Elaine crooning it out on Ally McBeal back in the 90s. Remember Ally McBeal?! The dancing baby?! Barry White?! Sigh...
It's just a super fun, flirtatious carol that I thought would be the perfect accompaniment to Christmas this year.
Available to purchase now in packs of 3 here: www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com
As always stock is limited so be quick to avoid missing out.
Please note that any orders placed on or prior to Friday, October 30th will be posted on Monday, November 2nd.
AMERICAN WOMAN
Just a quick post to say 'Ta-Ta' as I'm about to head off to America for a much anticipated holiday!
There will be a few updates here and there (some exciting things on the horizon) but for the most part I'll be taking a few weeks to zone out, have fun, and soak up all that the good ol' U-S-of-A has to offer. No doubt I'll come home full of inspiration and many a Yankee-inspired post!
If you have any tips or suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments section below! I'd love to hear them.
ALSO - my shop WILL remain open while I'm away, however please note that any orders placed after October 5th will not be posted until November 2nd.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
For now, though, it's FAREWELL from me!
You can keep up with my adventures on Instagram where I will (try) to post highlights of my trip.
'LES PETIT FOURS' INTERNATIONAL GROUP SHOW
Posting a sneaky detail of my piece 'Titania' [pencil, Copic markers, & digital colouring | Framed 50 x 50 cm]
for the upcoming 'Les Petit Fours' International Group Exhibition co-curated by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Friends of Leon Gallery Sydney.
The show opens Oct 22 from 6-8pm at Friends of Leon Gallery Sydney and runs until Nov 8.
I'll be posting more about my piece later, but if you would like to receive the collectors preview, please email: leon@friendsofleon.com
Full artist line-up and opening details: https://www.facebook.com/events/976022045787150/
THE BLACK SWAN
Last week I went to my first ever ballet performance (of Swan Lake) and it was so magical!
The dancers make it look so effortless, but when you see the principals come out - in particular the Prima ballerina (Lina Seveliova of the Imperial Russian Ballet) in the title role of Odette, The Swan Queen - you realise just how disciplined, skilled, and incredible they are. The way that their bodies bend, curve and twist. It's stunning. I was also blown away by the mannerisms the Prima adopted, such as shaking her bowed head slightly as she emulated the preening swan.
Because I was too scared to attempt a photograph in the theatre (which you shouldn't do, anyway!) I used the above illustration from a 2011 commission for InStyle UK to accompany my post on Instagram. The stunning Mila Kunis as she appeared alongside Natalie Portman in Black Swan, the film based on a cast of dancers performing Swan Lake. I've no doubt that most of you would have already seen it, but if not - hop to it! With costumes by Rodarte and the most amazing performances, it's so beautiful (albeit creepy) to watch!
Of course, if you can catch a live performance you should definitely do it. I think I'm hooked.
Due to popular demand via Instagram I've decided to release the Mila illustration as an extemely limited edition print. Only 25 available worldwide.
If you'd like to purchase please visit my store here: www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com
Bottom image from The Imperial Russian Ballet's Swan Lake captured by Jared Taylor.
THE PINK DOOR
One thing I have always loved looking at when I'm walking around are people's front doors, and nowhere is a pretty door more prevalent than in Europe where countries like Italy, France and Britain abound in beautifully ornate architecture.
Huge oak doors - in a variety of shapes, sizes and molds - stand before hidden gardens and courtyards; some delicately covered in blooming wisteria, others standing boldly in lacquered sorbet colours.
I'm forever taking photos of them and have none-so-subtly begged my husband to let us paint our front door pink. He's semi-agreed to "raspberry" but, hey, it's pretty much pink. I'll take it.
While I patiently wait for said raspberry door to arrive, I decided to draw my idea of the perfect pink door and bring it to my print shop. And here she is! A culmination of all of my favourite elements from the doors I've shot on my travels.
I can only imagine the beauty that lays behind it...a spiraling iron staircase extending from a parquet floor, perhaps?
Limited to an edition of 50 A3 prints only, you can purchase 'The Pink Door' from my store here:
www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com
I hope you like it!
Photographs all taken from my overseas travels in Paris, Carpentras, St.Emillion, and London.
BEAUTIFUL.BIZARRE MAGAZINE
"In a splendor of style, elegance, and surreal botanical wonder, sinuous graphite lines and contrasting pops of color awaken a feminine beauty unlike any other. In this alluring paper space a pencil is more than lead and wood. It is the captive instrument of the creator, shaping the story of each delicate subject peering out from the page.
This is the work of Kelly Smith."
The extremely lovely/flattering words above come from the new issue of Beautiful.Bizarre magazine, in which I am very fortunate to be one of the featured artists.
Featuring 12 pages of illustrations and a little article from the lovely Bella Harris, Issue 010 of BB is available NOW both in printed and PDF format.
Visit beautifulbizarre.net for purchase + stockist info!
Thanks Danijela + Bella for the wonderful feature.