Kristin Cofer - Design That Kills

yesterday i received a phone call from my old sacramento friends, agent ribbons, asking if i could update a poster i designed for them a year ago for their upcoming UK tour-

before they had an official record design- natalie and lauren used to create individual album covers by hand- which is why i designed their materials using a similar collage style-

i wish the girls luck and look forward to a new, updated agent ribbons photo shoot when they arrive back home this fall!

i have a new favorite electronic shop lou lou loves you a sweet heart filled lingerie and bow emporium out of the UK. today i purchased my first hair/brooch bow and am excited to receive and adorn it! also expect an interview with loulou, a crimson haired beauty and mastermind behind the emporium soon!

found this etsy seller, the black apple from another dear one, am in lust with this image-

i would do anything to hug a giant bunny rabbit! the latest issue of N.E.E.T. magazine is here again and like always, someday i hope to be able to photograph anything for my favorite electronic fashion rag.

in honor of my grandmother’s passing, i am listening to flamingo’s radio on pandora radio, currently frank sinatra is spinning, which makes me think of her in the kitchen, singing, “i left my heart in san francisco-” which was her favorite old blue eyes tune-

since i am the graphic design girl in the family, i was given the job of creating her funeral program- which is both an honor and difficult- but it did allow me to scan a bunch of old grandma photographs, see below what a glamour darling she was and you can see where i get my tastes!

in the world of flickr, motionid inspires me daily- in which this week i photographed christopher salon with nothing but my 50mm lens and available light!

and in daydream photography land, check out canon’s new creation, EOS Canon 50D, which someday will be mine.

i am so ecstatic for future photographic projects, including a new photo shoot with my old friends the agent ribbons girls, who contacted me again and are currently on tour in the UK, in which i hope they can meet the darling loulou-

my honey is on a creative roll and drew this adorable mustache graphic, in which we went and designed 4X6 postcards, i can’t wait to see them!

i miss my grandma, but i am happy that she can be in peace now, and i like to imagine death is like the end of the movie, “the big fish” and she can be young again, somewhere beautiful with my grandfather and all their friends, dancing to swing music, smoking a cigarette and wearing high heels. i will always love you grandma, you influenced me so much, every day when i get dressed i look at a photo i have of you as a young woman and try to emulate your style- thank you for giving me a love for all things classic and pretty.

i hope everyone is enjoying their monday off and being productive, i am living in photo edit land, i have the hair salon shoot to finish, a wedding i photographed last weekend to look at, go go girls to do final tweaks to, and a jazz singer’s album design to finish, busy lady! (but that is how i like it) looking forward to a week of beginnings and new clarity. it’s time to live and create all these things i dream about.

xo.

I will never forget you grandma, you have always been a woman that I admire for your intelligence, strength and fashion sense. The woman I inherited my love of high heels, Frank Sinatra, New York, and red lipstick-

Ruhe in Frieden liebe Oma, Ich liebe dich immer.

san francisco soul singer, amy surrata photo shoot-

my little darlings: dee larsen, styling and nina markoff make-up, behind the scenes one sunday afternoon.

many things to look at, listen to, salivate over- so much visual stimulation! during the last two weeks i met a really beautiful and inspiring artist, anjali lee, you can see her hand drawn type and illustrations at her portfolio site, the floating garden.

came across a lovely flickr, where found vintage photos are posted- i spent two hours looking through all the pages- so many good images! a few of my favorites, here, here, and here.

i was in bodega bay last weekend and saw the schoolhouse that was used in alfred hitchcock’s, the birds- so now i am again obsessed with that film and tippi hedren- in my image searches this week came across this poster design by corey holms and marian bantjes-

then along my searches, came across this designer and his poster work- the below being poignant in my life right now, “go west young man, go west.”

agent lover’s photos make me giggle- i want to hang out with her and the ladies! she seems just my type- look at that fashion sense and see how adorable she is!

if you are in the san francisco area, the red verse is having their listening party at blowfish sushi on tuesday, i am so proud of them and can’t wait to see the finished album!

my ears have been listening to my friend stephen, “bluegrass-inspired country rock musician” and his music project, hang jones, which is great for driving around california, which i did this last weekend!

just bought these not rated shoes, and am about to buy these gingham ones, kind of a gift to myself for starting new life chapters.

the weekend is here and i have been thinking a lot about where i want to go, planning new photo projects, working on freelance and putting my energy in the world towards finding a job i can go to where i am appreciated and happy- watching a few leaves flutter to the ground from the park across the street and drinking blue bottle out of a white ceramic mug, i am thinking and hoping that everyone is well in their lives and dreams.

“practice and practice and practice and draw what you see in your dreams.”
-Caitlin Shearer

Name: Caitlin Shearer
Occupation: student and illustrator
Location: australia

Ten words that describe you:
curls, quiet, milk, pale, doll, swan, sharp, imaginary, secret and dreaming.

Do you remember the first thing you ever drew?
no, not my very first. it was probably a bunch of messy circles and lines. but i remember early in kindergarden there were plenty of drawings of a house and a tree and a sun and the family all standing in a little row.

Any particular artists that influence you?
i really love klimt and j.w. waterhouse. oh, and charles anastase.

How do you come up with your ideas?
they just appear in my head. some are from dreams and some are just visions that i get from thinking about things too much.

How would you describe your personal style?
shirley temple meets anne frank meets a french clown.

Is the dark haired girl seen in a lot of your work a self portrait?
i didnt start out to make self portraits, but when i look back at some of the dark haired girls, i think ‘oh my, shes got my face.’ it freaks me out a little, because its never intentional. maybe its subconcious and my hands are more truthful than my brain?

I love the paul banks portrait, where did that come from? How come you didn’t paint the other members of Interpol?
ah, well, interpol came to sydney back at the beginning of the year and the day after the show i was feeling really inspired and decided to paint paul banks. i had interpol on constantly, so it just seemed to work. i didn’t paint the rest of the band because i didn’t have any more canvases that size.

Favorite musicians?
marlene dietrich, patrick wolf, the grates, cocorosie and cold war kids.

What is your dream job?
being able to draw all day and sew dresses all day, and be my own boss and not have to catch a bus to work in a black commuter uniform.

What do you see yourself doing in the future?
dressing all my best friends in dreamy dresses and painting pictures on the walls of my dream home.

I found Caitlin’s art on flickr and am constantly impressed by her beautiful paintings and illustrations. Artists who can draw out of their brains inspire me- Caitlyn takes her dreams and makes them tangible. You can see more of her work here and buy prints from her etsy shop.

hair showcase of colorist sarah northrup of cowboys & angels, san francisco ca
models: model: danielle, lesley, kristin

august has arrived and in the mail i am starting to receive magazines with fall fashion spreads: impending cold weather, leaves, scarves, and oxford shoes all make me happy!

i have been newly inspired by all things design and photography related- two weeks ago i had a real gig with a san francisco go-go group the devil-ettes, who rented a studio and all the pro gear i could dream of- the devil-ettes are all lovely ladies and i look forward to receiving their proof choices for me to make pin up pretty.

tomorrow, i am going to be photographing a gypsy themed hair show at the san francisco salon, cowboys and angels, for my colorist friend sarah northrup, (i designed the flyer for this show too) feathers, dancing, tarot cards, black magic women- i can’t wait!

some other things i’ve been looking at in this electronic world have been: my dear friend erica’s new music and art blog, keep feeling fascination which she named after a human league song! (lady of my heart)

this image posted for the fall collection of fashion designer minna parikka is influencing me so much in my daily wear and her new designs are amazing! (as usual)

this teacher’s pet skirt on modcloth is just making me drool as well as these hayworth heels modcloth just finds the cutest things! nice laser cut necklaces from brookadelphia which excites me not only for their adorable designs- but their company represents what i have been obsessing over lately (brooklyn, ny and philadelphia, pa!) hearts!

busy updating life, new resume, new business cards, and looking for freelance work (back on the i want to move to the east coast as soon as possible dream) and just breathing, living, loving, working, little black hearts trailing my heels life-

xo

my photo of san francisco devil-ette cherry bomb in this weeks issue of the SF Bay Guardian!

model and styling: sarah northrup
shot for gypsy themed hair show at cowboys and angels salon, san francisco, ca