For the last few months I've been working on a new book for Laurence King Publishing to be released September/October time.

I'm excited to reveal that the title is Indie Craft and it features 29 international artists/DIY/Indie crafters who work with craft techniques, i.e. knitting, crocheting, embroidery, sewing, plush characters, needle felted sculptures etc. The book will contain examples of their work, in the same format as my previous books.

The Foreword is written by Faythe Levine author and maker of the documentary film Handmade Nation

Contributing artists include Diem Chau, Jenny Hart, Marloes Dukyer, Misako Mimoko/Eva Monleon, Shauna Richardson, Naomi Ryder, Kate Jenkins, Knitta Please, Knit the City and Howie Woo to name just a few.

I don't think I'm meant to show pics of the spreads yet but here's a sneaky peak of the title page of the spread print outs. The cover is still being worked on, so as soon as that's been finalised I'll post it here. Images shown here are by Marloes Dukyer, Shauna Richardson and Misako Mimoso as linked above. Stay tuned for more info and the full list of contributors!

On Tuesday 2nd February we went along to the Clare Rojas show We They, We They that opened at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham.

This is, to my knowledge the first time Ikon has held such a show, with the UK art establishment being slow to embrace the US artists and aesthetic documented by the Beautiful Losers touring exhibition and film (that Rojas is apart of), and their UK contemporaries. So on the one hand we were excited by the fact that it was happening and on the other slightly annoyed that it had been overlooked for so long! They may have cottoned onto New US Folk Art (as it is being referred to) finally, but they are still unaware that there are artists living and working much closer to home that could be described as part of a New UK Folk Art that share the same urban influences as their US counterparts, and could put on a show (and have done!) every bit as exciting and crowd-pulling as the Rojas show.

Interestingly they also had my 2nd Concrete to Canvas book in the gallery shop, which was nice to see, and features several of Roja's contemporaries and fellow Beautiful Losers. Four of the UK contributors from the two CtoC books were also in attendance that evening, something the gallery wouldn't have been aware of.

Still, it was great to see the work of Rojas in the flesh, and the scale of her work and how she'd utlilised the vaulted ceilings of this former school house was very impressive.

Click 'Continue Reading' below for more photos. I'll post them in two parts as we took quite a few.

As promised, part two of photos from the Clare Rojas show We They, We They that opened at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham on Tuesday 2nd Feb. In the third, circular room was a display of old and antique, painted banjos. Click continue reading below for the rest of the pics.

Birmingham based illustrator Karoline Rerrie (who I finally met for the first time in person at the Clare Rojas show!) sent me details of this Alternative Press event taking place this Saturday 13th February, which she'll be attending. Karoline recently sent me a copy of the latest zine she's put together as part of the Girls Who Draw collective. It's a postcard book called Menagerie featuring many weird and wonderful creatures. Visit the Menagerie blog at www.menageriebook.blogspot.com and click 'continue reading' below to see a photo montage of the book:

This Saturday 13th February is also the date of the next Vintage & Craft Fair in Worcester that I co-organise. So far this week I've managed to get the worst cold-flu-bug I've had in years but have been attempting to plod on regardless and make badges, screenprint tote bags and bake vegan and wheat-free cakes. Not sure what kind of state I'll be in by Saturday, but we'll soon see. Still, it will be a good day, always a great atmosphere and lots of genuine vintage clothing sellers and handmade, DIY crafty goods to be had. It's on at St Helen's Church, Fish Street, Worcester from 10am until 5pm. I'll probably be the one with a red nose drinking lemsip, shivering behind the WAVE (Worcester Arts & Vintage Events) Stall.
For more info on some of the stallholders, there's the event blog at www.worcestervintage.blogspot.com

I only recently found out about this fantastic public art project in Philadelphia. Love Letter is a project by Philadelphia born artist Steve ESPO Powers with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. They enlisted the help of 40 local and international artists to paint 50 murals between 63rd and 45th street on Market Street, Philadelphia. The project also includes:

"...a documentary film with scripted elements, a sign school and shop that will provide training for area youth and free signage for businesses on the market street corridor, and 2 books documenting the project. One of the books will be a small paperback that will be distributed to area businesses free of charge, for them to sell to visitors. The other book will be a larger hardcover book that will document not only the artwork, but the neighborhood and the inspirations of the Love Letter Project."

On Valentine's day last weekend there was a special, slow train ride you could take in order to view all of the murals. Such a good idea as the culmination of an amazing project!

For all the photos of the wonderful, love-themed murals and general bloggings from the project visit the website at www.aloveletterforyou.com

This is quite interesting/preposterous: posters advertising Massive Attack's new album featuring the album artwork (by the band's Robert del Naja) have been banned by Transport for London so will not be allowed on Tube trains (London's Underground) as they look too much like graffiti. More from the BBC HERE