Laundromat

This is amongst a few new pieces of work up on my portfolio at www.hollywales.com

Face Bake

While teaching down in Falmouth this week, I met lots of interesting people & talented students. But one project which really caught my eye was Face Bake. Claire Burns and Imogen Rockley are two illustration students currently living in Cornwall who have decided to put their illustration skills to good use in a new and innovative baking venture. In their own words "the idea is simple, we create bespoke biscuits and cakes with any face on" - and its true, they do! From Elton John with glasses made of jelly beans to a shortbread version of Jedward, and romantic cupcake-duos, if it can be drawn, it can be eaten.

Here is some of their work! Be sure to check out the Face Bake site.


Having a long history of baking silly cakes for special occasions, I was really sold on this. Here are some of my own baked goodies made for friends.

I'm So Excited dir. by Pedro Almodóvar

I love how every one of Pedro Almodóvar's films looks like a series of ten thousand over-saturated vintage postcards joined together.

Inverse Black Holes

I am warming up on some new projects in my studio. Here are some inverse black holes I have made.

I am looking at shapes, spaces & their interactions. Using chance & surprise with new materials as active tools.

Lisbon II

Part of a collection of tile designs I found in Lisbon.

Azulejo (Portuguese: [ɐzuˈleʒu], from the Arabic word Zellige زليج) is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. It has become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries. There is also a tradition of their production in former Portuguese and Spanish colonies in Latin America and in the Philippines.

In Portugal, azulejos are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even railway stations or subway stations. They constitute a major aspect of Portuguese architecture as they are applied on walls, floors and even ceilings. They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control at homes. Many azulejos chronicle major historical and cultural aspects of Portuguese history.

Lisbon, Portugal

I've been living & working here for the last few weeks. New colours, shapes and places are so important.

"The Journeys I commit are nothing more than just bits of The Journey. Right from the start, I wander nomadically between more or less impermanent "encampments". I reach the summit and then descend again. I replenish myself and climb again. It matters little whether the summit is different or even which one it is; it is always 'IT'. Perhaps I climb merely to enjoy a better view, for a few moments, from a unique viewpoint. In general, when I reach the top, the overcast sky prevents me from seeing beyond my silhouette projected onto the surface of the clouds. If I believed in what I saw, I would not continue to want to see beyond what I can see, and I would give up moving. But a strange phenomenon means that I never wholly believe in what I see." Mattia Denisse



New reads.

V&A Jazz & World Music Series

"From the Russian Steppes to the Gypsy Campfires" was my brief for the illustrations for the jazz & world music promos at the V&A this month.

Spring Breakers dir. by Harmony Korine

And my all time favourite Korine film, Mister Lonely...

Venice Beach, CA

Last month I was lucky enough to be invited to speak at Semi Permanent in both Portland & Los Angeles on 13 & 22 March. I was staying at a friend's house on Venice Beach for a few days in between so I had a chance to document some of the locals who make up the boardwalk from Marina Del Ray to Santa Monica. Shot on Olympus XA2 35mm.

Fashion illustrations

These are some samples from a quick test I did recently for a job which went in a different direction. They're really fast montages intended to bring some life to black and white line drawings. I don't often work with figures so this was a fun job.

Jamie Magazine

The illustration I did for Jamie Magazine in this month's issue is also out now.

Esquire Big Black Book

New illustration I did for Esquire Magazine's Big Black Book.

Howitzweissbach in Paris

The new collection by www.howitzweissbach.com

SEA - PDX

East-facing train window mapping, riding the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Portland. Light industrial meets heavyweight cousin for shoot-out and clapperboard home.

Aphrodite for NYT

A drawing I just finished of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty & pleasure for The New York Times. It reminded me how much I love drawing from sculpture.

Node launch at The Design Museum

My all-time partner in crime Neasden Control Centre has designed a rug, hand-woven by talented and beautiful women in Nepal with Node and it is launching this week at the Design Museum in London.

"Node aims to connect a worldwide network of designers and artists with traditional Nepalese carpet makers to create beautiful handmade rugs."

5th March 6-9.30pm in the Design Museum, London
RSVP to info (at) madebynode.com

NODE: fair trade rugs

There are a limited edition of 10 rugs by each of these fantastic artists.
Beatrice Alemagna | Sanna Annukka | Lesley Barnes | Petra Borner | Chamo | Benji Davies | Chris Haughton | Clayton Junior | Jon Klassen | Micah Lidberg | Joe Magee | Geoff McFetridge | Neasden Control Centre | Patternity | Craig Robinson | Serge Seidlitz | Marcroy Smith | Kevin Waldron | Donna Wilson

There will also be a Pecha Kucha about fairtrade and the rugs on Monday 4th March at the Design Museum, details here.

AHD Paper Co

These cards I illustrated a few months ago for AHD Paper Co are now available from their store!

Crowd Talks

I am speaking on a panel at the next Crowd Talks event 'Designing a Design Career' this Tuesday 26th February at Brewdog Shoreditch in London. Other panel members will include;

Ben Freeman, Ditto Press http://www.dittopress.co.uk/
Vicki Hayward, Jaguar Shoes http://www.jaguarshoes.com/
The Entente http://www.the-entente.org/
Represent http://www.represent.uk.com/