Forwarding Address

I've just launched a new portfolio website, and have integrated blog posts into it, so from now on you can find my blog at www.bessharding.co.uk/category/blog. Please do pop on over!

In The Stars

I've just started illustrating a horoscope for my portfolio, using a sort of new collagey style. First up, Leo:

AAF

Yep, it's that time of year again, Affordable Art Fair time, and I'm not even going to go into how soon it seems to have come round! I went to the private view last night, and here are my favourites...

 

Andrew Squire

 

 Shirin Tabeshfar

 

Alison McWhirter 
 

 

Patrick Edgeley

Red Carpet Review

I seem to have a burgeoning tradition of illustrating actresses from Oscars night. Today I got straight on the case, and here's this year's effort (with two older ones below, just because). I'd be tempted to offer a prize to anyone who can name all the actresses!

Poser

Now that I'm a full time freelancer, I've been trying to make a quick image every morning, using different materials, and drawing whatever comes to mind, as a sort of exercise (no pun intended). Yesterday I had a yoga class at lunchtime, so my morning picture was of me two hours in the future. And I couldn't help laughing when in the actual class we really did do this pose! I might turn it into a bit of a series, with different people doing different poses...

In-scent-ive

(Excuse the pun)! I wasvintending to draw some perfume bottles to add to my portfolio today, but hadn't chosen which ones, then the Emerald Street daily email came through with an article musing on which perfumes different female writers would have worn. So I thought I might as well illustrate the ones they'd picked out...

Art Attack

I know I say this every time... but I can't believe another Affordable Art Fair has been and gone, six months always flies by so fast! I visited with my sister last week, and we both agreed that it felt a bit fresher than it had done the past few times, and I found a few artists whose work I hadn't come across before and that I really like. In no particular order:

Millie McCallum

Phil Johns

Janey Sharratt

Kareem Rizk

Floral Tribute

I've been working on these speculative card designs and am quite pleased with them... a bit of texture, a bit scrawlier than usual...

There Is No Path...

Last week I had a papercut commission from a lovely lady I met earlier in the year on my yoga holiday on Silver Island. This is one of her favourite quotes...

Made In London

My latest papercut commission was this giraffe and elephant for a little baby boy (his heritage is cheekily explained in the speech bubbles!)

AAF

I was at the late view of the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea last night, and had been planning just to wander around and enjoy it without taking any notes about which artists I liked... until I saw some work I liked and before I knew it out came my phone and notes were taken! Here are my favourites, none of whom I'd heard of before which was a bonus (click on images to go to artists' websites):

At Last

My latest papercut - this one with the lyrics from Etta James' At Last - was for a first wedding anniversary. Apparently the jury's still out on whether the first year is paper or cotton though...

Tip Top

Months ago I bought a bargain 50x70cm Habitat frame from the local tip for the princely sum of £4. Of course I was thrilled with it, but ever since it has been propped up in my small bedroom, getting in the way. I've been umming and ahhing over what to put in it until this week when I finally decided what it needed. Here's the result - a new chandelier paper cut design. There's gold leaf on the candle flames although this photo doesn't show that very well. Finally, up on the wall where it belongs!

Girls

I had a couple of commissions just before Christmas for papercuts - one for a 30th birthday, one for a 1st birthday... apparently girls of any age appreciate a bit of pink, orange and gold!

When in Venice...

A couple of years ago a friend bought one of my bears as a present for her boyfriend. They call him 'beeb' (after my old label), and he's really become one of the family. So much so that they took him on holiday to Venice last year. And it sounds like the three of them had quite an adventure... I'll let these lovely photos speak for themselves...