whodunnit?

Hey blog followers (so that will be the weird ‘web admin’ people and my bestie then. I am so cool.)

I need a bit of help locating an artist. Having done Art at school I have always had a keen interest in the subject. And maybe I should have pursued this in life. But let’s not get into that now. Maybe  ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’ needs to be my tagline for another blog.

Anyway, I have been searching for the artist who painted the cover of my favourite notebook. This book brought me a lot of luck and I have had it with me when good things have happened. When it became full I decided I simply HAD to have another by the same person.

I thought the artist was Paul Greenwood, having seen his illustrations in WHSmith. I felt SO pleased with myself – ‘a true artist always recognises the work of another’- I smugly thought to myself. I wanted another book with the same sort of design and after much googling for his products (and no joy) decided just to e-mail him directly. His e-mail was easy to find, such is the power of the net. He seemed thrilled his work had touched me. ‘I am so pleased you like my work Layla, can you describe the picture?’ I thought it would just be easier to upload a photo of it so took a quick snap on my Apple i-phone (Steve Jobs I love you) and then attached it to an e-mail. I felt so excited to be talking to the artist and finally finding some more of his work.

Now, if it’s possible to have an awkward silence in cyberspace, then we were about to experience it.

The e-mail I received made me cringe.

Mr. Greenwood politely told me that the picture I had just sent bouncing out of his laptop screen wasn’t in fact his work (oh it’s awkward) and then suggested I look at Roger La borde for ‘that sort of thing’ and that his work wasn’t ‘nearly as good.’

Oh dear. Talk about Faux pas. I felt terrible. I wrote back; ‘oh how embarrassing! Thanks for all your help!’

Stone cold no reply.

In hindsight I realise that I had just dissed him by inadvertently comparing him to another artist (suggesting he was ripping her off maybe? I wasn’t – but he may have interpreted it that way) and then dropping him like a hot potato when realising he wasn’t the guy with the goods.

Oops.

I got over it pretty quick though because I then decided to check out this ‘Roger La Borde’ he had mentioned. Greenwood who? Maybe the crumbs of his broken artist heart were leading me to the cookie jar of resolution!  Ha. After more long-winded searching – EUREKA – I had found the artist! Mary Claire Smith! It was her surely; same spindly people drawing – yes of COURSE. I then had the arduous task of finding stationery that she had illustrated that wasn’t bloody wedding cards (ick) and finally found a notebook on an American website.  I duly ordered it from America (Hollanders) as no-one in the UK seemed to stock it. When I received it I still wasn’t 100% convinced it was the same artist but thought it simply had to be.

Now, this second notebook is almost full and I must say it doesn’t feel as lucky as the other. Tonight I found myself on a mission to find another one. I couldn’t really be arsed to go through all that again but still have some basic requirements:

*It needs to be A6 as I like to carry it around with me.

*I like it to be hardback so it doesn’t flop all over the place (hate that)

* stiff spine or spiral bound so I can rip the pages out if I like.

* Ruled.  

* A fairly nice cover.

You would think that would all be easy to find, but actually, I can’t find one pissing one that fulfils all my needs. Ridiculous. I won’t bore you with the irritating books I did find -one that was half ruled, half blank -what?, another that had stupid fussy illustrations on every page, am I ten? – urgh.

oh, apparently I will bore you. Anyway, with my hours of searching, I came across another artist – Laura Stoddart. Somehow I was led to her illustrations in the way that you are with the Russian-dolls nature of the google search experience.

And blow me, if I don’t think, that in FACT, it is this Laura person’s work adorning the pages of my favourite notebook. Same style! same spindly people. If I could only find the same pic then we would know for sure!

Naturally I then googled her work and I reckon it’s definitely her. (Am I the girl who cried Notebook?)

Anyway, I have been trying to find some notebooks that are illustrated by her and I can’t find any (of course- why would it be that simple?)

Now that I know (er, think) it’s the same artist, I am desperate to purchase another. Can you help me find the stationery? And can you tell the difference between their artistic styles?  It’s a tough one.

Pics to be added when the damn things decide to upload..