A little sailor told me....

Hi all,
I would like to share with you all A LITTLE SAILOR TOLD ME.... a BLOG full of anecdotes of my father, Drew Launay, who, until now, has told me little of what he was up to during the fifty years before I was born. Author, playwright, humorist and broadcaster, he writes under his real name, André Launay, but also Drew Launay, Andrew Laurance and Drew Lamark.
To view please click HERE 
Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

February 2012 Exhibition!

Dear Friends,

Please join us at THE FRAMERS GALLERY for our upcoming  Show! 

I will be exhibiting some of my work together with very talented artists:

Belinda Syme, Rosalind Richards, Hannah Battershell and  Rebecca Merry.

17th - 24th February 2012

Hope to see you all there!!

Best, 

Melissa

Hanging my paintings in the gallery with Belinda Syme

My side of the gallery

My side of the gallery

Belinda's side of the gallery

Hannah's side of the gallery

Rosalind's side of the gallery

Rosalind and Hannah's side of the gallery

Rebecca's side of the gallery

 My paintings

 More paintings

Rebecca  Merry and me at the private view on Friday the 17th

Kids Company room at Holmleigh Primary School

 

 































Mural at Holmleigh Primary School, North London.
This is the last mural I have done for kids company last weekend.
Just yesterday I had a meeting with another school that I will be painting during half term when the kids are not around and I'll get 2 whole days!
 I usually have to paint all these murals in record time as the rooms are being used all the time, this one up here I did in 1/2 day, sorry the photographs aren't that good, only had my iphone and completely forgot to take my camera with me!
Hope you enjoy!

Kids Company office mural

This is another mural that I completed for one of the offices at Kids company head office in November 2011.
The whole building is covered with beautiful murals.
Kids Company

Kids Company, therapy room

BLOOSOM ROOM
I did this mural in October 2011.
It was painted for Kids company, for one of their many therapy rooms.

Kids company "GREEN ROOM"

Last September I had a very special call from Camila Batmanghelidjh (she is the founder and director of Kids Company, a wonderful charity that works therapeutically with vulnerable children and young people) it was a lovely surprise as she asked me to join her arts team and paint some murals for her New Kids company center in Pekham, London.

I have since then done a few murals for the Charity.
The rooms are used as therapy rooms, play rooms with all sorts of educational, artistic workshops.

 THE GREEN ROOM or "sheep room"
Kids Company
1 Kenbury Street
London SE5 9BS

DECEMBER COMMISSIONS

Last December I finalized two commissions!

IN THE WOODS is a commission I did for my accountant, Nick. He is a lovely gentle man and has been doing my accounts for the last 3 years. He suggested a commissioned painting for his collection in exchange of his services this year, I obviously was very happy to trade and this is the result!

 IN THE WOODS
Gouache on Fabriano Artistico 640 gsm HP Paper
30 x 30 cm ( 50 x 50 cm framed) 2011

This second commission was for Theresa, my gorgeous friends Steph and Nat's mum.

She came to my solo show last June at the Coningsby gallery and bought WHERE THE LITTLE CREATURES LIVE, one of my favorite 2009 paintings.

She wanted a second painting of mines to complement and enhance the first one so they could share the hanging space in her house, but none of the ones exhibiting at the show gathered all the little forest creatures she was looking for, so we agreed that the best thing would be for her to commission me a painting.

ALL IS CALM WHERE THEY LIVE is the result, where owls, foxes and little creatures of the forest live a very peaceful calm life. 

ALL IS CALM WHERE THEY LIVE
Gouache on fabriano Artistico 640 gsm Paper
30 x 30 cm (50 x 50 cm framed)
December 2011

TRAPPED AT HOME

I recently sold this very special painting! 

Thank you Axel and Anuschka for purchasing it for your lovely home!

TRAPPED AT HOME

Gouache on Fabriano Artistico 640 gsm Paper. 

70 x 50 cm ( 90 x 70 cm framed lime oak)

I've always found the tales of Alice in Wonderland fascinating, this painting was inspired by one of them in particular where she drinks a potion that makes her grow so much she can't fit in a house.

Trapped at home is, I guess is a little bit autobiographical, I spend quite a large amount of time on my own at home working and painting. The church and the  buildings represented in the painting are inspired by the view from my studio.
I don't have cats, owls or talking insects to whisper in my ears but I do have plenty of tea!

HIDE & SEEK

Last November I sold HIDE & SEEK, a painting I did in 2009 that I absolutely love for it's intricacy and enchantment.
Inspired by a little poem I wrote and by the colours and feel of one of my favorite children's books: "My Very Own Sister" Illustrated by Hans Arnold and published by Methuen Children's Books.

Thank you Mark for purchasing "Hide & Seek" for your lovely home!

HIDE & SEEK
Unspoken rules we know so well
we play, we flirt for months
we don't talk
just hide and seek
I hide and then
you found me

HIDE & SEEK
Gouache on Fabriano Artistico 640 gsm HP Paper
30 x 30 cm ( 50 x 50 cm framed)
2009