Phone covers and other merchandise

February 2, 2015 Matt Bannister

I'm happy to announce that you can now buy all sorts of merchandise featuring my designs, via the Art Rookie website. T-shirts, mobile phone covers, ceramic plates, bags and more. New products will be added as the days go by, but to begin with there is (mostly) a Crystal Palace theme with the current releases.

Comedy at the Cafe

July 21, 2014 Matt Bannister

Whilst flicking through some recent images of the Crystal Palace Overground Festival 2014 on Facebook, I came across these great pics. A bizarre selection of faces smiling and gurning at the audience, from the recent "Comedy in the Cafe" evening of stand up at Brown and Green Cafe, Crystal Palace station. I then noticed that the temporary stage for the evening had featured my framed prints as a little backdrop. The jaunty angles the pictures have ended up at, suit comedy I think! The images were taken by Ally at Stonelock Photography, and has kindly let me reproduce them here. Unfortunately I did not attend the event, but Ally assured me that some of the photos that didn't make her final edit were a bit blurred, as she was laughing so much. For more info and clips of the comedians, their homepages are here: John Kearns, Jenny Collier, Dan Green, Beasts.

If you fancy getting your hands on your own print to tell jokes in front of at home, click here.

The Creatures That Keep on Giving

June 9, 2014 Matt Bannister

Dinosaur Wedding

I was approached last year by a couple - Liam and Nasreen - who asked if they could use my 'Crystal Palace Monsters' image on their wedding invitations. A few email exchanges later (and a fee, of course), the were distributed and their wedding was a great success, I understand. They are both fans of the Crystal Palace area, the dinos and my work. Win Win Win!

New cards and packshots

Some new cards arrived from the printers (available now from my website store or in person from Brave Girl Gifts if you live near Crystal Palace). I decided to take them out for a walk and take pictures of them. Residents of SE19 may be able to identify where I took them.

Brown and Green Café

I also popped into the Brown and Green Café with a mission. I decided to swap one of the prints featuring sphinxes with a nice new version of 'Change Here for Evolution'. I really like the image and I think it's much better than the one I removed. Also the 'story' behind the piece is set on one of the platforms nearby. If you are ever in the area, drop in for some lovely food. Here are some pictures to help you find where the new print is. He he.

twohundredby200 Magazine

March 22, 2014 Matt Bannister

Just a little post to say that I'm featured in issue 9 of twohundredby200 Magazine, at the moment. It's a free design and creative magazine produced by the design studio of the same name. I had to submit some of my work, and they liked it! Download or read your free copy here. There's lots of other stuff by other people to peruse, too. I'm on page 53 if you are too darned impatient.

Change Here For Evolution

February 25, 2014 Matt Bannister

illustration of extinct mammals on a railway platform

It's been rumoured for a good few months, but it's finally here: the follow up and official companion piece to my 'Crystal Palace Monsters' pic - Change Here For Evolution. I knew that I had to do something with more of those lovely Victorian statues from Crystal Palace Park.

Regular users of Crystal Palace Station can now see why that section of the platforms is not open to the public: it's for the animals! For the uneducated (including me, as I had to look them up) the prehistoric passengers to be are (from left to right): Megatherium, Megaloceros at the back; Anoplotherium (Anoplotheria?) milling around at the front. The poser with the big antlers is another Megaloceros. The Megatherium was like a giant sloth and the Anopletherium a bit like a llama/tapir perhaps. Megaloceros is definitely a giant variety of deer or elk. I'm sure they have less formal names, too, but I never asked...

You can also now by A4 and A3 prints of this image in my online store. A perfect companion for the Crystal Palace Monsters.