My shop front

I shall be selling my stationery collection (highlights below) and uploading some new work in the coming months so watch this space!

Star of Bethlehem card set

Flora and fauna, black on pink coptic bound notebook

Baby blue stork coptic-bound book

Blue tit stationery set, 2nd print run

I want to convey a subtle tonal range and strong contrast yet still retaining the elegance and character of my previous work. I also need something that will translate from page to scanner to possibly silkscreen and back to paper again. Hmmm.

With this in mind I’ve been experimenting with an old drawing technique that I first played around with at art college (quite a while ago). Here are the results.

Little owl

Redshank

So here’s my little round-up, I have to say it was a real pleasure looking at all the rather fabulous stuff available through my Folksy friends. Take a look – links to individual items are at the bottom…

Folksy love

Left to right from top right: Mwah Papercut Valentines Card from Storeyshop. Rock Valentine I Was Made For Loving You by Sam Ossie. Love you Earrings by Canny Belle. Red Made With Love Ribbon by Jodie Wells. Vintage-Love-Heart-Confetti by Paper Heart. Heart Wedding-garland by Bookity. Lovers Kiss by A Resin Revival. Love is all you need Letterpress Print by Print for the Love of Wood. Wings-of-Love-Necklace by Cherryloco Jewellery. Heart-Necklace by Rosie Jo. Love Tokens by Tea & Ceremony. Lovebird Valentine Cards by Ella Johnston. Felt Love Cushion by G & B Interiors. HUG me KISS me LOVE me cushions by Karen Hilton Designs. I Love You Garland by Teapot Lane. Love it Keyring by Do it Momma. Heart-in-Hands art work by Becca Young Stitches. Hello I Love You Screenprint by Mengsel

Elphick’s is one of my favourite shops on one of my favourite roads – Columbia Road in London – a marvelous place if ever there was one. It’s run by artist Sharon Elphick who is not only gifted with artistic talent herself but can also be credited with having fabulous taste, selecting charming, captivating pieces that genuinely make me smile, warm my heart and force me to part with my cash (which isn’t difficult)!

Anyway in praise of this I thought I’d do a round up of animal-based prints that Ms Elphick is selling at her Columbia Road shop (open on weekends) and also available at her rather nifty online outlet too.

Sally Elford: Safe in the Burrow

Maria Hatling: Swan

Jen Franklin: Rabbit with Bow

Marcus Walters: Cat

Charley Harper: Upside Downside

Lisa Jones: Early Bird

The first Stylist Emerald Street newsletter of 2012 featured an Ella Johnston stationery set – look here it is…

Here I am featured on Emerald St

I’m really pleased – I love Stylist magazine’s selections and so it’s great to be noticed by its editorial team. And I’m glad someone has noticed that saying it with stationery is a classy way to communicate. Also, within minutes of the email going out, I’ve sold out of the set and my grey on white Woodland and Garden bird card set pictured below.

Stationery set

Stationery set detail

Stationery set detail

Woodland and Garden Bird card set

Woodland and Garden Bird card set

Ella's Christmas joy!

I’ve been fascinated by the Letterpress process for some time now (print, ink, paper and typography – what’s not to love?) and I’ve clearly been boring everyone with my latest design crush – so much so that someone’s put their money where my mouth is. Now armed with this fab piece of kit and some gorgeous metal type blocks (I’ve resisted making swearwords when I’ve been playing with them), I’ve enrolled on a workshop with Turnbull Grey and am looking forward to making some new designs.

To whet my appetite I’ve spent all of this morning looking at some great Letterpress practitioners; here’s a round-up of what I’ve been gawping at.

Letterpress brilliance

1: Harrington & Squires. 2: Old School Stationers. 3: Pearl & Marmalade. 4: Papermedium. 5: Albertine Press. 6: Hand & Eye. 7:Sesame Letterpress 8: Thoughtful Day.

Whether it’s a trusty notebook to jot down thoughts, a well thumbed-through photo album full of  memories, the piece of magic that is a work of fiction or a treasure trove of facts and figures of the beloved history or reference book – books are without doubt my favourite objects and I believe they make a home .

With the advent of the Kindle and iPad you may think that books have had their day but I’m not so sure. Publishers and retailers have had to consider why you may opt for pages rather than pixels and have returned to the sense of event that’s tied up with a book. The touch, the feel, the smell and interestingly, in relation to books with words in, the design and typography that captures the period in which that particular edition was published.

Below is a little book-related celebratory moodboard – for all you book lovers out there…

Books glorious books

Clockwise from top left: A selection of decorative book lining paper from Shepherds Falkiners fine paper and bookbinding supplies. Random Spectacular – a collaborative exploration of the visual arts, literature, nature, travel and much more compiled by St Jude’s (Again! But they are brilliant). Penguin Classics Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Jane Eyre (gorgeous), available at Waterstones. New York Vintage Postage Stamp Accordion Album from the Brooklyn-based Campbell Raw Press. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath A1 Poster from The Literary Gift Company. Ella Johnston Handmade, coptic-bound book with two-colour stork motif available from Folksy.

Black and white is brave too. For me it positively shouts confidence – the whole less is more thing really speaks to me. Personally,  I think some of my best work has been produced when I discard my colours and get down to these stark brave basics – like in my Bluebell drawing seen below.

Bluebells, pencil on paper A1 drawing

The amazing thing is the retail world seems to share my joy too – and why shouldn’t they, it is so powerful and strong. Just  take a look at this wonderful Henri Matisse- Petit Bol 1 Framed Print, available to buy at John Lewis… Simple yet completely beautiful.

There are a whole host of stunning black and white design-led products you can buy – here’s a round up of my favourites. And it’s not too late to snap these up before Christmas.

A selection of black and white gifts

1: Miller Harris La Fumée Eau de Parfum£60 – £85, available at John Lewis. 2: Ella Johnston Art handmade A7 screenprinted notebook £3, available from Folksy. 3: Aesop ‘Animal’ Cleanser £23, available at Liberty. 4: Grey Hera Silk Scarf £95, from Liberty. 5: Velvet Hand Lotion £28, from Diptyque Paris. 6: Boy and Girl pillow cases (double set), by Jenni Desmond at Etsy. 7: Nana De Bary ‘Green’ Eau de Parfum £100, exclusive to Liberty. 8: Ella Johnston Owl T-shirt £18, from WeAdmire. 9:  Edward Bawden Billingsgate Fish Market Ltd Edition Lithograph £225, from St Judes. 10: Star Print Silk Scarf by Sonia Rykiel £90, at Liberty.

Me with my wares

On Friday I took part in a Mercy&Pearl Present’s craft fair at the Arts Depot in Finchley. I’ll be doing one on Friday February 3rd, so pop in and say hello…

And if you can’t wait till Feb to buy, come and peruse my Folksy shop, www.folksy.com/shops/ellajohnstonart to view…

My books

Cards and stationery sets

Mercy&Pearl Presents
Arts Depot

Fab Four Robins

As the festive season comes ever nearer I wanted to do a set of cards that you could send over the holiday period but equally have fun with all year round. And so the Fab Four Robin set was created.

All the images are taken from my original felt-tip drawings and have been digitally printed on a limited run.

Mr J Robin

Mr P Robin

Mr G Robin

Mr R Robin

They will be available on my Folksy shop shortly.