

October's inspiration
September was a busy month - the 17th marked ten years since I moved to the UK, my parents were visiting London at the end of the month, and the new academic year is starting which means work is fairly hectic, but also exciting. Halloween decorations One of my favourite things about October are my kitschy Halloween decorations. A lot of these were bought when we visited the U.S. last September. Some of my favourites, like the sequin Mardi Gras masks and the St James Infirmary


London's dead
Despite having lived in the UK for eight years, I still can't really deal with the lack of sunlight this time of year. It seems like all of the sudden, our short summer is over, and the days are rapidly shortening. Perhaps this is why I'm drawn to Halloween, because it makes something darkly dramatic out of an otherwise depressing time. This season marks the end of nature's growth period, and the start of death and decay. It's easy to see why many different cultures have a ce


Egon Schiele and Wally Neuzil
As mentioned in my last post, I recently visited Vienna for the first time. I was looking forward to seeing the work of major Secession artists such as Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in their hometown. During our short stay, we saw the Beethoven Frieze at the Secession Building, major works from Klimt at the Lower Belvedere, and the world's largest collection of Schiele's work at the Leopold Museum. The Secession Building The Lower Belvedere The Leopold Museum The Leopold Muse


Cherry blossoms
I recently wrote about a trip to the Japanese gallery at the British Museum. Besides seeing some lovely prints, I was also inspired by a beautiful wedding sash with weeping cherry blossom design. I had been thinking of creating a cherry blossom print, but something was missing from my early versions. I love the way the blossoms pour down from the top of the sash, and the metallic thread elevates the natural designs to a level of elegance befitting a wedding. My photos didn't