Alison Jardine

Artist Alison Jardine grew up in the UK and spent a considerable amount of time traveling around the country and throughout Europe, working primarily as a writer and editor. It wasn’t until 2004 when she moved to Texas with her husband and twin daughters that she started to seriously pursue art. Since the early days, Alison has exhibited her work in a number of galleries with a core interest in nature, inspired by the idyllic setting of her childhood and the Chinese and Japanese philosophic traditions of the Sublime in nature.

Over the past few years, pixels and the effects of digitalization on imagery and perception have become an additional inspiration for her work:

“Whether stored in our biological memories, or stored as a photograph on a computer, our memory is changed by a complex interaction of our physical biology, as well as our emotional reaction and our personal narrative. In addition, the method of storage enacts its own changes, whether pixelated and compressed, or made hazy and indistinct by time.

Any artist’s work reflects their own environment, and mine exists exactly where I do: within nature, and inevitably within the digital media that surrounds us, and both these worlds are made of light, the unifying motif of my artworks.”

October 2, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Coralie Bickford-Smith

Bookworms and design blog aficionados have likely all come across the gorgeous cover art of Coralie Bickford-Smith. The senior cover designer at Penguin Books has thoughtfully and beautifully interpreted a slew of classics into modern cloth-bound book covers that appeal to both the modern eye and the literary diehards. Indeed, her reinterpreted classics have captured the hearts of many. Of course, her work extends beyond the clothbound classics and a run through her website is a testament to her talent.

It’s clear that her work is imbued with a sense of fun and joy. Recently, Coralie’s been sharing her experience as a book cover designer with students at the London College of Communication, encouraging a sense of play into the design processes.

Coralie’s book covers have been recognized by the AIGA (NY) and D&AD (UK) and have featured in a numerous international magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, Vogue and The Guardian. Her work with Penguin Classics on the clothbound series attracted worldwide attention and harks back to the world of Victorian bindings and a golden age of book binding.

September 12, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Kate Forrester

Artist and illustrator Kate Forrester has developed a unique and striking style of hand lettering that has earned her a bevy of work creating book jackets, packaging and advertisements in addition to a variety of other commercial applications. Her lovely hand drawn lettering is abundantly dynamic as Kate’s process has her “manipulating typefaces and intertwining words with illustrations to create a flowing, organic image.”

With no intention of sticking to one style, Kate constantly experiments and explores new mediums including chocolates, jewelry, tattoos and gorgeous laser-cut paper illustrations.

Selected clients:
Tiffany NYC, John Lewis, Victoria’s Secret, Harvey Nichols, Random House, Penguin Books, Waitrose, Unilever, The Guardian, Little Brown, Pan Macmillan, The Art Group, Grand Central Publishing, Walker Books, John Brown Publishing, Moonstruck Chocolates.

September 6, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Angie Wang

Angie Wang is an illustrator and cartoonist based in Portland, Oregon. The young Angie recognized that she was an artist when she created a mural on her bedroom wall with her snot. While her tool set has evolved over the years, it’s her sense of wonderment that makes her work stand on it’s own. Publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times and Nylon Magazine have snapped up her beautiful and surrealistic illustrations as well as galleries and comic book publications around the world.

Additional clients: Cartoon Network, Escada, Wired Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Ms Magazine, Bitch Magazine, First Second (Macmillan), Dark Horse Comics, Koyama Press, Image Comics

August 14, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Ian O’Phelan

Ian O’Phelan creates breathtaking patterns, meshing realism with hints of whimsy and humor. From textiles to gallery shows, logos to websites, he creates designs in a unique style indicative a vibrant inner life. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati, where he pursued a Frankenstein curriculum of fine art and graphic design classes.

O’Phelan’s clients include: Truth, Friends of Oliver, Frontiers Magazine, Jardins en Fleur, John Douglas Designs, KAISERIN, LA Record, Michael B. Pressman Productions Inc., Monterey Concessions, Pisszine, Russian Esquire, Digital Arts, Belle Chasse Home, West Third Brand, Spank Magazine, CLIIT.ORG, Further Products, Rings On Our Fingers, Riot Bear Recording Co.

July 26, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Catalina Estrada

Catalina Estrada’s otherworldly designs are nothing short of captivating. Color, shape and Latin-American folklore are paramount interests for this notable Colombian-born, Barcelona-based artist. By injecting a dose of European sophistication into folk-influenced themes, she’s created an elegant yet whimsical style filled with nature and enchanting characters, all bursting with color. Her lush and lively layouts have earned her a bevy of fans and a legion of clients, as her work touches the world with a wide scope.

Her designs with thousands of colors and chromatic technique link Catalina’s name to clients such as Paul Smith, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Camper, Nike, Levis, Smart / Mercedes Benz, Paulo Coelho, Unicef, the municipalities of Barcelona and London, and the Government of India, among others. Her products have captivated Europe and the entire world through a distinctive style present in numerous collections in various formats, including wall paper, bed linen, cushions, handbags and travel goods, umbrellas, school products, and many others.

July 24, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik