• 28.10.08
    Our son Magnus was born today. He's amazing.

    From now until early 2009 I'm only available to work on select projects.

    Thanks,

    AJ
  • 02.10.08
    Hello Planet Earth,

    Grain Edit… It's the one site I check out every day. You should too, and as part of their one year anniversary I'm honoured to be interviewed. I simply cannot describe how flattered I am to be part of such a magnificent occasion – this website constantly torments me in that 'I'm a bit rubbish at this whole graphic / illustration / image-making (what a load of shite that is) shebang'.

    You check out what they do. You'll be enriched.

    Ladies and gents, boys and girls, I give you… (drum roll)… GRAIN EDIT! Happy birthday to you.

    grainedit
  • 07.08.08
    The 'Insiders, Outsiders, and The Middle' show at Scion Installation L.A was a huge success- thank you all of the 800+ who turned up to make it a memorable affair. A big shout goes out to Eric Nakamura at Giant Robot firstly for inviting me over to L.A in the first place, but also for being such a hospitable host. He knows where the fine dining is for sure...

    The show is on until 23rd August so if you're in L.A and didn't get a chance to come to the opening night make sure you get a chance to check it out- there's some amazing artwork to be seen including some beautiful abstract paintings by Kami and an incredible portrait of the Dali Lama constructed from knock-off Chinese Rubik's Cubes by Space Invader.

    You can also take a peek at a selection of images I made for the show right here under 'Artwork'.

    To see more from the show, have a peruse around Eric's Flickr site :

    here
  • 28.07.08
    Insiders, Outsiders, & the Middle


    Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, Scion Installation L.A. is a space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. The Scion Space hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge urban artists from across the globe.

    In conjunction with Giant Robot, Scion presents Insiders, Outsiders, & the Middle at its 4,500 square foot Installation L.A. Gallery. At Giant Robot, the definition of art ranges from straight contemporary painting to sculpted figures (which were considered action figures just a few years ago). This exhibition celebrates not the disparate mediums, but the divergent mindsets of artists—as well as the gray areas.

    Although there is no obvious correlation between the artists, they form a powerful cross-section of creative forces that are physically active with their art. They belie the image of the stationary artist and pose the question of how they will co-exist in a restrained gallery setting.

    Scion Space Presents: Insiders, Outsiders, & the Middle

    August 2 - August 23, 2008

    Curated by: Giant Robot

    Original work by: Noriko Ashino, Nao Harada, Space Invader, Adrian Johnson, Kami, Ed Trask, Shinya Yamamoto, ZariganiWorks


    Opening Reception: Saturday August 2, 2008 from 7-10pm

    Free Valet Parking

    Scion Installation L.A.
    3521 Helms Avenue (at National)
    Culver City, CA. 90232
    310.815.8840

    Hours: Wed-Sat 11am-6pm and by appointment

  • 07.07.08
    Ahh, British Summertime... rubbish.

    It's been a while so here's some more stuff. I've been busy working on two animated TV ads for the last few months, the first, another (and alas ill-fated) animation for Robinsons, this time with Aardman in Bristol. Probably a blessing it's not going any further for my sanity's sake...
    The second ad, for Vodafone, is currently getting plenty of airtime aided by a gazillion posters I've done on billboards, tube stations etc. all over the UK. Any way, they're both on the 'animation' page.

    In June I completed a line of five tee designs for Stüssy (two of which are shown here), and I'll be in LA for a week or so beginning of August where I'm taking part in the Scion show alongside the mighty Space Invader and a couple really cool artists from Japan. Eric Nakamura from Giant Robot is curating the show and it promised to be a good'un.

    What else? Oh yeah, one of the ads I did for the Robinsons campaign last year, 'Apple Halo' has won this years AOI Images Gold Award for Advertising, which is nice...


  • 22.04.08
    Is that Spring in the air?

    A cheeky update due. A couple of new illustrations for Monocle and The Guardian in the Editorial section, along with two tee designs for Fenchurch under 'Artwork'. Oh yeah, and another poster for Vodafone under 'Advertising'.
  • 29.02.08
    ****NEWSFLASH****

    T-Shirts are finally available from the store. Just click on the '2ktshirts.com' link on the design you're after and it'll take you straight through. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

    In the meantime, I've added a couple of editorials for Monocle and GQ, and a tote and T-shirt design for Part Of It.
  • 11.02.08
    STORE NOW OPEN!

    ...it's just like 'Are You Being Served?'.

    Apologies for any inconvenience caused. There are now six prints available to purchase with more to come in the not-too-distant future. If you have any questions, just drop me an e-mail.

    Many of you have got in touch asking about purchasing tees. Hopefully 2K's website should be up and running again soon, although I don't know exactly when. As soon as it is, I'll post the news right here.

    Finally, I just wanted to thank all the blogs and portals that have posted news of the relaunch of this site, and thanks for all the kind words. It's nice to be back.

    AJ


  • 01.02.08
    A New Beginning…

    Without fanfare, pomp, or ceremony, I’m proud to announce to the world (that's you Mum and Dad) a new and improved website. It's been a long time coming, hell, too long – I think the last time I updated the old site must have been well over a year ago, which quite frankly isn't good enough. Must try harder…

    First things first, the store isn't open yet- a couple of technical hitches need sorting out. It should be up and running early next week though...

    So onwards and upwards, here we are. If you want to get stuck in to what I've been up to for the last year then haste not, go forth, and take spectacle in a cornucopia of new (and not so new) prints, illustrations and animations. Or alternatively, if you're a nosey parker and wish to know just why things have been so quiet around here then please, carry on reading…

    January 2007 began with three billboard posters for Vodafone (with BBH London). It was whilst working on these posters that I was asked in to have a look at pitching on a campaign for Robinsons, a soft drink manufacturer that's been around in the UK since the dawn of time. After much to-ing and fro-ing, I was very fortunate to win the pitch and subsequently devoted much of the next six months to the campaign.

    Fourteen press and poster ads and five animated TV shorts took their toll. I had to turn down a great deal of editorial work, which I still consider to be very much 'my thing', and also missed the chance to go to Tokyo, where I exhibited a selection of my work for the Happy London show at Paul Smith's SPACE Gallery. The show, however, was a great success and subsequently limited edition prints have been sold through the Paul Smith website and various stores across the globe.

    Back in London with Robinsons, I was incredibly honoured to work with the esteemed, award winning (and devilishly handsome) directors, Smith & Foulkes at Nexus Productions. It was through Nexus that the next project came along, an animated TV ad for MasterCard in the US (with McCann).

    MasterCard signaled a welcome change in direction from the cute-yet-cool-but-slightly-saccharine world of Robinsons – a nice grown-up brief with a cool 50s edge. Again, it was a real pleasure working with Smith & Foulkes. On the back of the TV ad, six press ads and posters have since followed.

    Soon after MasterCard, more work for Vodafone came in. I've now produced nine posters for them in total, and it looks likely there will be plenty more to come in 2008.

    2007 also saw my first range of T-shirt designs launched by 2K By Gingham. It's been a total pleasure working with them, and producing bespoke, self-initiated images has gone a long way to keeping me sane over the last 14 months. Hopefully 2008 will bring much more self-initiated (and good-for-the-soul) work, all of which should grace these pages as soon as the paint dries.

    In November I produced something I thought I'd never would again: a children's book. Commissioned by The Brooklyn Brothers in New York and written by Guy Barnett, 'Gently Elephant' should be published sometime early this year. It reminded me that despite taking more time than I had on my hands to complete it, children's books can be really satisfying to illustrate. I should probably take this opportunity to apologise to Guy and Clarissa for taking so long to get my ass in gear for this one, and hope you guys like it!

    As for what happens next, well, after a much-needed two-month break over December and January, I'm now back in the studio and braced for another campaign for Robinsons that looks like it will be 'different' to say the least. I'm back doing my slots for The Guardian and other regular editorials, and I'm pretty excited by what I'm currently working on for Stussy in LA.

    It's in New York that I'll be a judge at the 2008 Adobe Design Achievement Awards in early May, then back for the awards ceremony in August. A real honour if ever there was one, and any excuse to visit my favourite city is always welcome.

    So that's it. I'll be updating every month or so, and hopefully pushing things on with my work. I hope you enjoy seeing how things have been going so far. Thanks to Radio Design for putting the new website together, and to Zenjiwebworks for all the teccy stuff.

    Over and out.

    AJ