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I illustrate contemporary folk art masks. Last Thursday I took them out and about for some experimentation. Many monsters on display here!

As previously mentioned, Gemma Correll has started a fab Flickr group called 'What I Wore Today'. It already has over a thousand members and has had a big-up from Grazia magazine (there's no such thing as bad press, right?). I drew my first contribution today, in my specially made 'WIWT' yearbook (an old cloth bound hardback that I will add a drawing to each day). Gemma has also started a blog for WIWT, so please do check that out too: 'What I Wore Today' blog.

Here is my first entry

DesignTaxi recently offered me some portfolio space at their site www.designtaxi.com.

It's a wonderful arts hub full of creative individuals. Please do go and have a search through the portfolios to open your eyes to some very talented folk.

Here's my submission for Amelia's Magazine illustrated art card quilt. It's a brilliant, fun idea and also it's for charity - Shelter to be precise.

To find out more information please visit Amelia's Magazine. If you'd like to see all the best entries then trawl through this lot, there's some great ones in there!

I have been asked to show some masks as part of the rather exciting Carnival of Darkness Festival in California. Carnival of Darkness is the creation of Alex Bram and Leah Ann Cevoli, "showcasing the very best new work from independent horror filmmakers around the world. Carnival of Darkness will culminate in a one hour panel discussion featuring Godhead guitarist Jason C. Miller and Buffy/Angel darling Juliet Landau."

The masks below will be shown by Alex Bram during the panel discussion. If you're going to be in California at the time of the festival, you should definitely book in advance. Although I wish I was going cause it's going to be aces, I'll be in Edinburgh for August, doing many fun illustration things...more on that later!

I was contacted a while back by Finroo who asked for some t-shirt designs. The first one is up for sale on their site now.

Ink & Mess at Finroo.

Here they are, the wee beasties. Hope you enjoy them. It was my first try on this particular set of dolls. I have another set at home from a different company, I'm hoping the quality of the finish is a bit better...less chips and grain marks in the wood. Any feedback much appreciated!

Quite a long interview but it's fun. There's some of my mask work down the bottom too. Any feedback appreciated!

Click the mask below to get to the interview:

Some creepy masks for your delectation. Masks are my favourite thing to illustrate right now, and I have decided to keep venturing forward in this vein. You can see all of the mask photos in the Ink & Mess set on my Flickr or on my website.

As advertised a couple of weeks ago I recently took part in the very fun Artoscopic experiment in St.Leonard's railway tunnel, part of the Innocents Railway in Edinburgh, Scotland. Here are some photos from the event, please look at my flickr account (in the exhibitions folder) for more!

This Friday (22nd August) Ink & Mess will be taking part in the very exciting Artoscopic experiment in Edinburgh.

To see what pitch-black creepy plans I have in store come to St. Leonard's railway tunnel (The Innocent Railway) at 7pm on Friday. The show is on the road (literally, in the tunnel) from 7-9pm.

Be warned, I will be despatching Ink & Mess fiends for the occasion, and these creatures bite!

Read the history of Innocent Railway Tunnel here.

Images below by Sandy Christie from last Artoscopic event

Ape, copycat: someone who copies the words or behavior of another

It's been one crazy week. Has anyone else experienced pure craziness? Last week our beloved car, Mama, kicked the bucket. This was quite hard for us since it was our only car after Bill' s car got totalled by an obviously blind grandmother. We were faced with a dilemma--how to get around, but more importantly, how to get my paintings to the gallery take-in! The Universe in its wacky way steppped in. Our neighbors decided to sell their old mini-van--an 85 Toyota--that looks very much like Scooby Doo's Mystery Van (I LOVED that show). We grabbed up the van and somehow made it to the take-in all the while singing the Scooby Doo theme. Now I have one big issue to tackle--it's a stick shift and I'm clueless how to use it. Never a dull moment at the Hall house, but at least our lives make good storytelling. :)

Anycow, Jess had her 13th bday (probably an odd one for her), and I finished this portrait of THOR the cute little bulldog for Carlene, who draws these fabulous little meditative drawings. Hi Carlene!

And if you are into that kind of stuff, it's been one weird week psychically.