Medicine Bottle Drawings

I've been bottling small creature drawings for a while now. These little specimens will be available at the Barbican Art Market, from 2.30-9.30pm today, along with a selection of prints and some special screen-printed Christmas cards (inspired mostly by Frozen Planet.) Pop along and check out the Curio stall, you'll recognize it by the huge deer skin rug!

These specimens aren't up on my shop yet, so if one of them tickles your fancy or if you wanted to commission one - drop me a line at jennie@jenniewebber.com

'Specimen' at the Dead Dolls Club

'Specimen' went down a storm - thanks to everyone that came to see the show and is still planning on doing so! Had a lot of good reactions to the work and the space it was in. Many thanks to Adam and Daryl of The Dead Doll's Club and you can follow their many adventures in interiors and forays in food here. I will be doing some more wall drawings for some of their interesting pop-up restaurants in the coming months. Nice little reviews from Creative Review and Amelia's Magazine, plus mentions on the VNA and the Inkygoodness blogs.

For the two pieces above ('Bouquet') and below ('Cyclopic') I concentrated my efforts on original drawing. This was a little strange for me as I work predominantly in print. Nevertheless, they completely absorbed me for a few weeks, though in reality I'm not sure that they worked within the context of the space. But, you win some - you lose some. And I'm pretty sure I honed my drawing skills, so all was not lost. I'll be doing some print work in the next few weeks using these drawings so keep one eye out.

I also did something I have been thinking about for a while, little drawings in old glass medicine bottles. These were really fun to do and really effective. This photograph doesn't really do them justice. They'll be up on the Dead Doll's Club shop when the exhibition comes down at the end of this month.

Polly Alizarin Harvey absolutely smashed it, with two blinding bits of large scale collage, plus two smaller pieces. She also created a piece especially for the glass coffee table in the room.

Rebecca Hiscocks screen printed an entire wall of wallpaper, with her hand drawn cartouches, plus exhibiting two hand-made (well, dad-made) lightboxes illuminating screen prints onto X-rays (that show her friend's gall stones). She also exhibited 'St Barts', the super screen-print onto plywood that was part of her Camberwell MA degree show. Lovely skeletal stuff.

'Specimen' is on at The Dead Doll's Club, Hackney until Sunday 27th November. Open Thursday - Saturdays and serving delicious stew and a variety of teas. Any other time - by appointment. Just swing me an email.

Sneak Preview #2

Print, original drawing, installation and even a spot of sculpture. Come see Specimen at The Dead Doll's Club this Thursday 3rd November. They'll be a well stocked bar (reasonably priced for First Thursdayers) and fine homemade stews and a lovely late license. So as well as all the interesting work to feast your eyes on, you'll be able to make merry all night long!

Sneak Preview #1

Intense detail stuff for Thursday's 'Specimen' exhibition at the Dead Dolls Club. Don't forget to RSVP

'Specimen'

The third of November sees the opening of 'Specimen' at the Dead Dolls Club. The second exhibition we've done under the Curio name. The absence of a 'white cube' space has meant a whole heap of freedom, I'll be doing wall drawings and strange little sculptures plus original drawings and getting back in touch with my old friend, screen-print. I'm at the point at the moment where everything and nothing is finished, so my eye is doing a little twitch now and then. BUT I'm really excited about this show, the Dead Doll's Club is a great space and Adam and Daryl (the managers) are a talented two and bags of fun. So please, come see the opening next Thursday 3rd of November. It's only a stone throw away from Vyner Street in Hackney, so you'll be getting your First Thursday Fix, plus we're offering delectable canapes...

The Craft Off

Two of my favourite Nottingham creative crews; Merrimaking & Spinsters Emporium have joined forces to get cunning and crafty this Sunday at the Malt Cross. Don't miss the opportunity to get glittery for a good cause!

Expect live music, drinking, dancing and general frolicking in a jungle of decorations. As for the crafting, they are keeping the competition brief secret until the night. But the Jungle theme suggests rain forests, giant snakes, birds of paradise, tigers, man-eating flowers, sunshine Gods, totem poles, Tarzan, monkeys and more.

All craft materials are provided and there are prizes up for grabs including:

Merrimaking hoods

Spinsters Emporium goodies

Home-baked cakes

Twisted Hearts Club tickets

More T.B.C

If you don't live in the Nottingham area, don't be sad! Check out Spinsters Emporium and MerriMaking websites for lots of gorgeous creative goodies and wonderfully unique Christmas gift ideas.

The event is £5 to working folk, £4 with student card!

What is the plural of foetus?

Embryo Etching

My first etching! Stroking the plate with a pheasant feather in a bath of acid has to be one of the most enjoyable parts of all of the printing processes in the world.

Spend a Penny

At very long last my online shop is now up and running, with my screen prints for sale! So if you fancy a hand-pulled original for your wall or as a gift, give my online shop a glance. If you swing me an email beforehand I can gift wrap, or write a little message, pun or limerick to accompany your purchase.

Have a look, just here: http://jenniewebber.bigcartel.com/

Totem Totem Totem

Just a week to go now before the totems are released into the Zellig Gallery, Birmingham along with a menagerie of new work from international artists and illustrators (myself included). There are some great names involved, especially BILLY and Ian Watson. I wish I could attend the Private View as it looks like it's going to be pretty colourful and jam-packed with visual splendour. Best of luck to everyone involved, have a drink on my behalf and massive thanks to the splendid folk at Inky Goodness.

Here are a few sneak previews of my totem piece, exploring bizarre biology and the cell development that forms characters from mere microscopic strands of DNA. Hugely enjoyable and verging on obsessive, these line drawings are the way my work seems to be going at the moment. Go and see them in the flesh! Totem Homecoming Show opens Thursday 21st July at the Zellig Gallery, Custard Factory, Birmingham. Runs until July 30th. Don't miss it!

Inky Goodness // Totem Homecoming

Very pleased to be included in the upcoming Inky Goodness exhibition. Their triumphant Totem Homecoming show will be at the Zellig Gallery in the Custard Factory, Birmingham (the birthplace of the totems). Opening on the 21st July! More info on the way soon. (photo courtesy of Inky Goodness.)

Little mention in Digital Arts

There's a little mention of yours truly in this months issue of Digital Arts magazine. Sharing 'Illustrator's Secrets' along with a rather good bunch of like minded fellows. So if you see it in WH Smith perhaps, have a little peek. Well, its actually wrapped in plastic. So you might need to purchase it first.

Tea Party

A recent private commission; a twisted rock legend version of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Quite a big job, this piece is about 120 x 200 cm. Took over my living room with it, spilled ink everywhere, listened to the Adam & Joe podcasts on 6 music. I hope there isn't too many flecks of spit from when I've burst out laughing. Loads of good fun, this one.

Urban Outfitters: Exhibition

In a stroke of luck, a friend put in a good word and my work is now on display at the Kensington branch of Urban Outfitters! Magic! Unframed versions of all the prints will be available to buy in store for the sum of £40. It's a great store, brimming with treats. AND it introduced me to the wonderful world of WHOLEFOODS. Their Kalamata Olive Bread has changed my life.

'Curio' Exhibition Photos

Here are some photos from the many I took from the 'Curio' show. Please see the artist's websites & blogs for more details of their fine illustrations. An absolute pleasure to work with them all.

I wish I could speak Russian like Maria Vladimirova.



I like it when Ian Watson drinks too much coffee.

Becki Hiscocks knows how to use a drill. She even taught me.

Polly Harvey loves a bagel. And doesn't have a plastic face, contrary to popular belief.

All of my prints will be up for sale REALLY SOON on my Big Cartel store. Thanks for looking.