You're a Gem - Dutch artist Anook Cleonne (and it's a give away!!)

Anook

The "You're a Gem" pin for you to win!

Flower Drawing by Anook

Flower Drawing by Anook

SORRY dear blogger friends! I know there are promises from my side to report more on Paris and notorious Queensday, but today I make space for wonderful artist Anook Cleonne as I had lunch with her last Saturday. Actually it was supposed to be just a coffee from which we moved to lunch and then to a bottle of white wine :).
Anook is a wonderful artist who graduated cum laude from the prestigious Dutch Art Academy "The Rietveld" and her work is in the collection of various museums. We had great inspirational talks and we could have gone on forever (and we probably will).
Anook recently started the initiative "You're a Gem". A very original gesture/gift to say thank you. She handcrafts wonderful gem pins: a porcelain pebble glazed in real gold, mounted on a silver pin. None of the pins are identical.
And guess what! She has donated a pin as a give away!
Here are the details to ENTER the GIVEAWAY:

• Visit her website Je Bent een Kei  and take a peek (she also has a website on her work but it is in Dutch only)
• Leave a comment in this post letting us know that if you were to win the gem pin WHO you would give it to and WHY

The winner will be chosen on Monday May 10!

To illustrate that Anook is more than the Gem girl I have included 2 images of her fabulous flower drawings which are on my wishlist!

The Talented Mr Wiltshire

 

aerial view of Los Angeles skyline

Central Park New York

Hong Kong

Picadilly Circus at Night

                          

Usually when I am watching TV  I am easily distracted and divert to other things. But Friday evening my attention was caught by an interview on Dutch television where TV host Ivo Niehe talked to artist Stephen Wiltshire (36). As a child Stephen was mute and diagnosed as authistic. He communicated through drawing and learned to talk at a later age. His work is simply amazing. He draws and paints very detailed city scapes. He is nick-named "The Human Camera".  Besides some images of his work I have included a video, but there is so much more on his own website. I really recommend you to watch his creative process. It is mind blowing and inspiring. Stephen has a gallery in London which will be on my to do list next time I go there!

http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/london_gallery.aspx

Soul for my art

I am excited as I have signed on last month with UK publisher Soul, a "boutique" publisher that have now created a range of single greeting cards for my label "Mariska Meijers Amsterdam", with notebooks, wrapping paper and gift tags to follow shortly. Here is a design of one of the cards.

Stars, food & art

There are days that I get more little stars in my eyes than usual. I designed 10 culinary greeting card illustrations for 3 Michelin star chef Jonnie Boer and his sommelier wife Therese of restaurant the Librije. This picture was taken last Saturday (after a divine 5 course lunch!). Next to me in the picture is my culinary" partner in crime" Lise Goeman Borgesius.