Looking Back to Look Forward

So it’s September. If you live in the UK that means Autumn.  A buffer month between us & Winter. The side effects of this season change already apparent, noticeably it’s getting darker earlier.

As we come to terms with saying goodbye to Summer, albeit rather heartbroken & jaded, at least there’s a bounty of food to console us in Autumn.

However, as the blackberries disappear & darkening days creep in, we have some tips at staying bright during the Winter months - taken  from Woody’s sell out Topshop collection Star Gaze in 2008:

* It’s easier to daydream when the days get darker *
Time to make plans & come up with ideas.  Be inventive & creative.

* More time to watch the stars *
Take up astrology or simply be on the look out for a falling star.

* Be a Trend Setter *
Don’t just wrap up. Dress up!  It’s a chance to wear more of your favourite clothes & style new looks.

* Be musical *
Maybe your Summer was full of Festivals, dancing and singing along. Maybe it’s time you took up an instrument & wrote your own track.

* Enjoy staying indoors *
Without the temptations of the Summer, you can be more productive.  Start writing a short story, take up drawing, knit your own jumper!

Check out all Woody’s artwork for her Star Gaze Collection here

All concepts, images & words © Zara Wood 2008 All rights reserved.http://www.zarawood.com/portfolio/project.php?id=11

Books designed to inspire & cherish

We take a lot of care over Woody products because if you are going to produce something then it should be worth producing.  When you are starting a new sketchbook, sometimes it's rather daunting knowing what you should draw - where to start.  So we wanted to produce a range of well-made sketchbooks with emblems and characters that would inspire and comfort their owner.

The Owl, the Stag and the Ship sketchbooks are books to hold wonders, details and adventures - both imagined and real.  All cloth bound, each one is block foiled with a front design and story on the reverse.  They hold 190 pages for their owners to map out paintings, write stories or sketch out storyboards.

I think one of the biggest complements an artist can receive is when people say you have inspired them.  I hope these sketchbooks motivate all your creative people out there to make your own work...

See full range of sketchbooks here

Mardi Gras Bunny Letterpress Cards

Here's one of my characters being made in to a letterpress card on 1950s Original Heidelberg Press: 

And here's the beautiful end product...

Available now from the Woody Shop online: http://www.zarawood.com/thewoodyshop/ranges/new-mirror-mime-products/mardi-gras-bunny-letterpress-card/515 

Unlimited Studio Pops Open This Saturday

Unlimited Studio in Brighton opens its door for one more day this Saturday. Check out their fab premises and also buy some beautiful goodies, from screen prints to tea towels, antique chairs to t-shirts...woody t-shirts. Hooray!

Check out this link for more info

Open Houses in Brighton this Weekend!!!

Pop down to the sea and see some great Open Houses this weekend in Brighton. You can find Woody artwork: Boxbird Gallery (see below for Keep On Going Print) and Woody t-shirts and other products from Unlimited Studios.

Also check out the gorgeous shop Last where amongst many treasures you'll find the beautiful embroided collars of Amy Phipps.

Portuguese Ladies boxed up and ready to go

Here's Portuguese Lady One all boxed up and ready to go to Charleston House as part of my Cabinet of Curiosities.

Woody's Wooden Rulers have arrived!

38cm of pure wood - oh and a little bit of mental on the top edge so you can cut out your own art. Functional art - wicked.  There's only 90 of them (hand numbered by moi) so get them while you can.  

If I sound ridiculously excited by this ruler, it's because I am ridiculously excited or merely ridiculous.  

I forgot to say it's part of my souvenir range for my current Brighton exhibition Small Wonders.

Buy Ruler here

Woody at the summer Art Junky this Sunday

Come find the Woody Stall this Sunday 28th June at the summer Art Junky Market - at the Phoenix, Brighton.

It’s only a £1 admission and there will be lots of Woody deals on apparel and stationery.

Plus a free I’ve got a Woody badge with every t-shirt purchase! Oooo yeah…

I spy Show Below

A lady called Lisa...

...was today wearing one of my Star Gazer tops.  Lisa - your book looks very interesting - What are you going to make?

Thanks to Catherine for taking the photo and thanks to Lisa for letting me put it on my blog.

Two for Joy Prints

Been hand colouring in the studio today and yesterday. Oooo I love bright colours...

Sample Sale this Sunday in Brighton

Come and find the Woody stall at Art Junky 3 Indoor Market at the Pheonix Brighton on Sunday 8th Feb, 11am - 4pm. It's an great artists' flea market and I'll be having a Sample Sale! There will also be new Woody badges, cards and prints available too! Come along and say hello...

New Badges for Art Junky Market Sunday 8th Feb

It's snowing outside but Woody is inside making new fluro badges!  Life is goood.

Come and get them at the Art Junky Market on Sunday 8th February 11am - 4pm at the Phoenix Brighton.

Woody at Art Junky Market Brighton 8th Feb 11- 4

Come and find the Woody stall at Art Junky 3 Indoor Market at the Pheonix Brighton on Sunday 8th Feb, 11am - 4pm.  It's an great artists' flea market and I'll be having a Sample Sale! There will also be new Woody badges, cards and prints available too!  Come along and say hello...

Happy reading

Just a little note to say that some of the letters from the vinyl biography that accompanies the Star Gaze Exhibition are missing.  I was considering filling them in but the Topshop Crew and I felt it was far more intriguing and entertaining to leave the gaps.  'It maybe co d' also seemed to fit well with the sea theme... 

Star Gaze Exhibition - Setting Up

This Sunday under the cover of darkness I set up my Star Gaze exhibition in Topshop Oxford Circus.  I had the extraordinary experience of being in this huge Topshop store 'after hours'. Thank you to all the Topshop staff that helped me find cleaning products and ladders, as well as feeding me words of encouragement during the 4 hour set up.  The night security guard had this to say about the piece:  "It is beautiful.  It is also engaging."  Thank you...  The exhibition is on the right hand side of the lower ground floor (near the changing rooms and Style Advisor), Topshop Oxford Circus until 28th December 2008.  

Woody for Topshop Brighton

Hurray!  My local Topshop in Brighton on Western Road now has my Star Gaze Collection.

Check it out online.

New Star Christmas Cards

Limited edition christmas cards.  £2.50 each or £8.50 for a pack of 5.  Get them while you can.

Buy New Star Cards

New Star Gazer Badges

In this season of less sun and colder climates (well if you are in England)  take up a new hobby - why not be a Star Gazer?

Every Star Gazer needs their own set of Star Gazer badges.  Exclusive to the Woody Shop.

One month before Woody for Topshop

Only one more month to go before my 8 piece collection for Topshop is launched.

I'm doing an special in store exhibition in  Topshop Oxford Circus from 8th December.

More photos coming soon...