Mermaid Farts and AI Embroidery

Yeah, a newsletter. Don't @ me... or do actually, it might give me something to think about.

Hello, am I fashionably late?

This is going to be unpredictable and I’m probably only going to send something when I get to critical mass for arts and art tech cross over material that I want to share.

If you’re new here, so am I! Let’s do this together.

I like art, I’ve just finished an illustration MA. I like AI, I have a degree in that too. I also like seeing how they cross over, how culture can influence all of this and working out what to think about it all.

I’ll start with some cool stuff I have been looking at that you might like too and then not so smoothly segue into my own stuff and some thanks.

I made some paper polygon birds recently for a project. Remind me to tell you about it sometime.

Ready? Here we go.

Visual stimulation

I use Instagram as my own personal gallery of envy inspiration. There are so many artists there it’s in turn - a real driver to continue to make art, and sometimes a bit overwhelming and an amazing source of imposter syndrome. I handle it with care.

Here’s a short list of artists I have either been lurking at for some time or crushing on right now -

J.A.W. Cooper If you’re not aware of this artist’s work, where have you been? It’s so beautiful it makes me sick. I don’t think I have seen a sketch I don’t like. This drives me to do better.

lb.illustrates Brilliant and funny. Lauren has lovely projects to follow, is running a MerMay event, is not afraid of a fart-joke and my goodness she can draw. Right up my street and I have learned a lot from her process videos while I covet her t-shirt collection.

Boring Friends - It’s safe to say my graphic design skills are questionable, so I like to see what cool people are up to, especially when they are very encouraging, share great tips and have a new podcast!

Artwork By Emily Tull This poor woman has put up with me crushing on her work for a long time. Those who know me will know I like to make embroideries. Julie’s work is astonishingly beautiful and creatively inspiring. I love it.

There’s a million more, but I’ll stop here and save some for the next newsletter.

News

Here’s where I get to be unbearable for a moment and share my news.

Exhibition - I’ve just shown an embroidery piece at the Friends of the Royal Academy of the West of England show. Last year I was Best in Show, which I am still a bit gobsmacked about but mostly I am just really pleased to be part of something with such an incredible range of talent and styles to explore.

‘Pixel Murmuration’. Embroidery on printing screen. 2023. Shall I make prints? I should probably make some prints.

Master. Yep, I got my Masters with Distinction in illustration with Falmouth University. I feel pretty good about it, but I worry about momentum now that those deadlines are done with. If you make stuff, do you feel like you’ve dropped off a cliff when the deadlines pass? I tend to need structure and deadlines - years as a journalist has probably put this in my blood. Any ideas for keeping up momentum are gratefully received and I’d love to share some here too so let me know if that’s ok if you write me.

Book - Yeah, not my book, I’m not that smart. Thankfully Xander Cansell is though and one of my AI illustrations is in his latest publications - ‘An MBA in a Book’. I’ll probably let rip about better images of AI in a different newsletter but for now, it’s nice to see AI represented by something that is not a weird glossy robot.

Right there in a book! If you want better images of AI, let me know, I know where there is a stash you can probably use for free.

Site - I did some illustrations for Alfie Dennen’s gorgeous project ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’. There’s some beautiful stories there about this familiar form of physical contact and better still - you can share your stories too.

Ok, that’s enough. Self-promotion is starting to make me feel queasy. Luckily my art is slow so you won’t have to relive that experience too often.

This news letter is likely to be unpredictable, won’t arrive on a schedule and is open to suggestion. I’m keeping it short because newsletters should be something you look forward to - not homework.

Before I go, I want to thank Laura Kidd who encouraged me to give this a try. Not only is she a wonderful musician, she knows her stuff when it comes to being creative online. I recommend her YouTube channel if you’re on this path and well everything else on her website if you like music and thoughtful creative discussion. Thanks Laura!

Hugs to everyone trying to make something.

Until the next episode -

JKx

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