Stories, donkeys and satire in this week's Things

And so it’s Friday once again. The merry-go-round of the weekdays continues and we’re all now riding upon the glittery saddle of the Things pony! We’re taking in the sights and on display is a lovely children’s book, a collection of sartorial memoirs and a bonkers blog-turned-book making a mockery of the 1970s. Keep your eyes big and beedy to spy a book about, well, books and some fine prints too.

Ella Bailey: No Such Thing

One year out of uni with a children’s story published by Flying Eye to her name; congratulations are due to illustrator Ella Bailey. No Such Thing is a Halloween-themed tale in which rosy-cheeked Georgia turns detective tracking down the culprit of some mysterious mischievous happenings in her house. Her prints steer clear of primary colours lending maturity to the pictures and the story itself, yet remain bright enough to be far from boring!
www.ellabailey.co.uk

Richard Littler: Discovering Scarfolk

Honestly, when I first picked up Discovering Scarfolk I grimaced. But this is a book that shouldn’t be judged by its cover because, like the blog it takes its content from, it’s a deliberate and hilarious parody of the 1970s and those Penguin books my parents had on their childhood bookshelves. Scarfolk Council is apparently a great undiscovered (by me) source of entertainment (for everyone from Ian Rankin to Caitlin Moran). In Scarfolk the 1970s continue in perpetuity, providing creator Richard Littler ample opportunity to mock the era he grew up in with craftily photoshopped advertisements, book jackets and food packaging. There’s a storyline stringing it all together but the images are hilarious enough by themselves.
www.scarfolk.blogspot.co.uk

Joe Gamble: prints

It was love at first sight. I fell for Joe Gamble’s donkey immediately. He’s so blue and so mournful and he’s being leant on by a cowboy. Awesome.

Joe draws, cuts and pastes, according to his website but I like his prints (a sample of which he kindly sent through in the post) and charcoal doodles best.
www.cargocollective.com

Emily Spivack: Worn Stories

Deep in a sock drawer, squirrelled away in the back of a wardrobe or bundled up in a box, we all have a treasured piece of clothing stored safely somewhere. Artist, writer and editor Emily Spivack has collected images of and stories about the intimate items of a selection of creatives, from Gretta Gerwig to Marina Abramovic, in Worn Stories. It’s a sweet and unusual insight into unheard stories from public personalities.
www.wornstories.com

Unbinding the Book

The final thing to land on your desktop this week is Unbinding the Book, indie publishers Blurb and visual arts studio Jotta’s collaborative commission celebrating the art of making books. It features the original work of nine artists and designers exploring books, book-making and illustrated storytelling.
www.unbindingthebook.com