Catell Ronca and Emiliano Ponzi were invited to contribute art to Chronicle Books’ newly released The Exquisite Book: 100 Artists Play a Collaborative Game by Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski and Matt Lamothe, with an illustrated foreword by Dave Eggers.

The book is based on a modified version of the Surrealist game, The Exquisite Corpse, played by one hundred contemporary fine artists, illustrators, designers and comic artists. Each artist contributes one page to the book, having only seen the page preceding their own. Each page must have a horizon line that starts on the left side of the page and ends on the right. Where the horizon line on the first artist’s page ends, is where it begins for the next artist.

The book was designed by ALSO, with each of the book’s ten chapters printed on a ten-page accordion pull-out, allowing the reader to view the art as a continuous piece.

Other contributing artists include Esther Pearl Watson, James Jean, Simon Peplow, The Heads of State, Calef Brown, Juliette Borda and Mike Perry, among others.

The book is available through Amazon.

Bella Pilar’s debut line of fabric is now available from Studio E as part of their Winter 2010 line. The appropriately named Girly Girl collection consists of 18 100% cotton fabrics, including tossed, repeat and allover patterns.

Studio E is a wholesale retailer but you can find the collection at most fabric stores. It is also available online from River City Quilts.

Visit the Studio E website to download their free Glamour Girls quilting project, using fabrics exclusively from the Girly Girl collection.

Andrew Hem illustrated for the Fort Worth Opera’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. The story centers around Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum, two young lovers struggling against the powers that be to become husband and wife. Fort Worth Opera’s version of the comedy remains true to the original, featuring some of the best-known Gilbert and Sullivan tunes, but with the fun twist of setting it in modern day Japan.

It shows May 14th, 22nd, 27th and June 4th, 2011. Tickets are available now.

Fort Worth Opera 1300 Gendy St., Fort Worth, TX

Catalina Estrada, Emiliano Ponzi and Red Nose Studio illustrated posters for the 15th Annual Croquet Ball benefiting the Penfield Children’s Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Croquet Ball is the signature fundraising event for the center that helps infants and children, both with and without disabilities, reach their full potential through education, therapy services and family programs.

Held annually at the Milwaukee Country Club, the event includes a cocktail reception, exclusive croquet match, gourmet dinner and silent auction, where guests are invited to bid on the illustrators’ posters. Past illustrators that have contributed to the event include James Jean, Josh Cochran, Travis Lampe, Frank Stockton, Jon Han, Ronald Kurniawan, Eduardo Recife, Pomme Chan, Laura Plansker, Sam Weber, Jessica Hische, Chris Buzelli and Chris Silas, just to name a few. Nearly $310, 000 was raised last year.

The 15th Annual Croquet Ball takes place on Saturday, September 11th, 2010.

Hennie Haworth recently illustrated for Link’s premier product, The Furoshiki. Link is a Los Angeles and Tokyo-based collective that aims to cross cultures and generations by bringing beautiful and functional products from Japan to the world, and from the world to Japan.

The Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese folding cloth used to wrap and carry almost anything from books and clothes, to a picnic lunch and bottle of wine. It is made from 100% cotton and printed in Tokyo using traditional Japanese printing techniques, limited-edition designs by Hennie and Los Angeles-based designer, Lucinda Newton-Dunn, add a contemporary twist.

Visit www.thelinkcollective.com for purchasing information and tips on how to use and care for the product, including step-by-step instructions for simple wrapping and tying techniques.

Ana Bagayan is exhibiting a piece in Get the Lead Out at Ronin Gallery in Los Angeles, CA. The show, which is being presented by swoongallery.com, features the work of more than 40 artists with a percentage of all proceeds going towards the purchase of blankets for The Lunch Bunch. The Lunch Bunch is a Los Angeles-based charity started by Ana and a friend that delivers homemade meals and other necessities to the city’s homeless.

Saturday, August 28th, 2010 6-10pm
Get the Lead Out 4210 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Emiliano Ponzi’s cover and opening illustration for Middlebury magazine’s Spring 2010 issue received two Awards of Excellence from the University and College Designers Association. The magazine won five awards in total. Congratulations go out to Emiliano and everyone at Middlebury magazine!

HOW magazine recently blogged about Red Nose Studio and the great cover he illustrated for the magazine’s 2010 Self-Promotion Issue. The cover was inspired by Chris’ early encounter with a very famous illustrator who accused him of strutting like a peacock in his own self-promotion efforts. I guess that strutting has paid off as this is his fourth cover for the magazine since his first in June of 1999, trumping design legend, David Carson, in number of HOW covers. This issue also features over 100 winners from the magazine’s Promotion Design Awards and loads of tips and ideas for finding new clients.

Bella Pilar’s illustrated character, Fleur, is the spokeswoman for Italian beauty retailer La Gardenia. She recently made an appearance in Italian Vanity Fair to promote one of her favorite beauty brands – Lancôme.

Catalina Estrada’s checkbook wallet is part of Poketo’s new collection for Target. The exclusive line also includes bags, umbrellas, water bottles and keychains illustrated by top international artists like Marco Cibola, Mike Perry, Camilla Engman and Pietari Posti, just to name a few. Since 2003, Poketo has been taking art off of gallery walls and making it part of everyday life with their fun and accessible wares – and this collection is no exception. Although the line just launched, items are already flying off of shelves so hurry down to your nearest Target store because they’re only going to be available for a limited time.

Check out Catalina’s recent interview with Poketo.