Lady Lucy

Many years ago (hmmm let's say it was about 5 or 6) I helped put on Ladyfest Bristol. Lady Lucy and I were responsible for the visual arts side of things, and these photos are from when we sat in the garden of a cafe after visiting the gallery space we were going to use. I treated LL to lunch and she popped out to get money and came back with Karisma colour pencils for me. We drew each other in her sketch book using each others materials- I used her brush pen and she used my pencils. My picture of her says 'Live to skate, Sk8 to live' and ' I've forgotten how to draw'. Her picture of me says 'crunchcandy' and 'I have four diaries'. On the journey to the cafe, from the gallery Lady Lucy's skateboard had gone in the docks, never to be seen again, and I had told her about how I had multiple on-line diaries.

I found these photos the other day and scanned them in- just in time for me to let you know that Lady Lucy has just completed her MA at Chelsea and her show opens on the 18th September, running til the 21st.

L is for

It's been a while but here we are back in the middle of the ABC of art with L is for...

L is for Laura Normandin

I came across Laura's work really pretty recently, and was instantly taken by the glass bottles with images painted on. When I delved further into her work (via her website and her blog) I discovered more to make me swoon. I particularly like the way she works with human hair, something that I tried to do but was pretty unsuccessful with, and a range of symbols that hold meaning for her. I would love to see her work in real life- if you are in the US you might be able to catch her show at Tinlark.

L is for Lady Lucy

Lady Lucy and I go way back- back at least 10 years to the time I got a copy of her 'Independent Heroines' zine and then later met her and worked with her on Ladyfest Bristol. Lady Lucy is everywhere, doing a million projects at once, illustrating things for Plan B, making books, working at Spike Island and utilizing a million social networking tools to spread the message of Lady love. Find LL here, here,here,here, here, here and here.

L is for Screaming Lulu

I very recently came accross Lulu's blog and via the medium of flickr we have been starting some mutual appreciation for one another. I love the embroidered pieces of work she has been making recently and am enjoying delving into her Flickr pages to see what else she has done in the past. I am particularly keen on the embroidered sanitary towels that she is currently working with- rather her than me as it seems these are not the kindest of things to put through your sewing machine. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Lulu's work and hopefully one day getting to see some in person. Visit her blog and her flickr page for more.

I is for

I is for Misako Inaoka

I came across this artist via Lisa Congdon's blog, and I really don't know very much about her, other than the images charmed me and I fancy she would get on well with Tom Bugs if they ever met up. I am a sucker for birds (isn't everyone these days) but what I really like about this work is the way that technology such as motion sensors combines with bird forms and fake moss to create work that is both natural and artificial. Yet another artist who I would love to see 'in real life'. If you live in the US you may just get a chance to see her work as she has a residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts and in September will be showing at Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco, CA

I is for Ileana Rodriguez

Ileana (aka India*Romeo) is a lovely-thing-maker, and a super helpful nice person too (she offered to track down some unreturned items from a show that I took part in that was held in her home town). She has a shop on etsy (click on either of the images above to buy them), a collection of photos on flickr and is one of the people behind the NC craft collective known as the Handmaidens.

I is for Independent Heroines

Independent Heroines started life as a zine by Lady Lucy (here or here) and in 2003, along with Lisa Brook (who made the film Two Girls Kissing, which the b/w image is from), it became a film festival as part of Ladyfest Bristol 2003. In 2005 it became a fully fledged feminist film festival in it's own right, and Lisa and Lady went on to take the festival on tour.

ps- Lady Lucy used to be my nemesis but not any more.


I was actually a really hard letter to find artists for, so if you have any suggestions to add to the list i'd love to know them!