Can you believe how quickly the year has passed by? I’m already getting bits and pieces ready for Christmas, but I feel like it was only Easter last week.

Anyway, with that said, I thought it was time for a little update on all that has been happening these last few months. I was lucky to get away to Europe for a few weeks, a little lazing about in Greece before heading to London for some inspiration. I found some delightful galleries and stores, like Salon Contemporary and Elphick’s (who have the cutest prints!).

Now, back in Sydney, I have been working on new pieces for the ‘From the Menagerie’ series and also the artwork for Sparkadia’s second album (by the way, how catchy is Talking Like I’m Falling Downstairs?).

There are also a couple of things that you might want to check out…

1. The Libby Edwards Galleries in Melbourne have a couple of the new ‘From the Menagerie’ originals hanging on the wall, if you happen to be in the Armadale area..
2. A lot of people have been asking about the Elephant, unfortunately the limited edition giclee prints have all run out, but I do have poster prints available at the store… I’m also going to be releasing a new flying owl print soon, so keep an eye out.
3. Tomorrow night (Thursday) is the opening for The Happy Tree show at Monster Children in Sydney, I’ll have my work hanging along side other Element Advocates including Courtney Brims, Sarah Larnach and Beastman! Yay!!
4. The ZM925 x Kareena silver pendants have been moving fast, so don’t miss out on your favourite (I’ve kept a couple for myself!)… I’m going to be popping gift cards in for all orders over $40 leading up to Christmas too, as a little treat.

1. ah! melody is opening on thursday night at mart gallery in surry hills, i teamed up with the company we keep to curate an exhibition featuring a mixed bag of local artists, designers, illustrators and photographers that have picked out a tune or two and made a picture about it. with work from 18 artists including james jirat patradoon , mia taninaka, bel johnstone , wil loeng and so many more of my favourites, its going to be a lot of fun! come join us for a grolsch!

2. the sugar glider piece has been selected as a finalist in the brunswick street gallery works on paper prize! if you’re in melbourne, the show opens this friday night…

3. while we’re talking about melbourne, i also have a couple of new pieces on wood hanging on the wall at the libby edwards gallery in armadale, if you visit them sometime i would love to hear what you think!

4. and now, back to sydney, the finders keepers markets are on this friday night and saturday at the carriage works. i’ll be there with lots of new bits and pieces, so please come say hi.

Works will include a selection of framed pieces in pencil, biro, gouache, ink and letraset on archival paper, as well as a series of pencil sketches on pianola scrolls and limited edition giclee prints.

Opening 13 November 2008 from 6-9pm
at Famous When Dead gallery
207 Victoria St, West Melbourne 3003

Exhibition continuing from 13 – 23 November 2008.

Where did you grow up & where do you hang your hat?

I grew up out at Dural, and lived on the northern beaches as a teenager. For the last year I’ve been living in Kirribilli in Sydney.

In your own words, what do you do?

I draw pictures. I work with themes of isolation & escapism to create a bittersweet, slightly unsettling feeling in my pictures.

Where did you learn your craft?

I studied design at the College of Fine Arts, but didn’t do any illustration or painting there, so technically I’m a self-taught illustrator/painter/artist.

Whose work do you relate to most? Who inspires you?

I’m quite inspired by the simplicity of the work of Egon Schiele and Sara Moon, and also their composition and use of white space. But at the moment I love Carson Ellis’ work, for the colours and fine details; as well as Audrey Kawasaki, Cecilia Carlstedt, Edwina white and numerous children’s book illustrators like Eileen Soper, Pierre Probst and Mary Elliot Lacey.

What inspired you to create?

There has never really been one defining moment that has inspired me to create; I’ve always created in one way or another.

Childhood Memories:

TV Show – Astro Boy, The Smurfs and Agro’s cartoon connection.

Hobby – Horse Riding, Climbing trees and swimming at the beach.

Food – Sicilian cheese cake, Ribena and Nutella.

Fear – spiders, ghosts and falling.

People – family and friends

Defining moment – sliding down a fireman’s pole in a playground at a park in Canberra.

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

A bit of both.

Where is the most beautiful place in Australia you have visited?

Blue Lake in Mt Gambier, South Australia… or the Great Barrier Reef.

From the hours of 9am to 5pm, what do you get up too?

I don’t have a set routine, so I’ve gone with a general day leading up to my exhibition. Drink green and peppermint tea. Deal with emails. Draw some pictures. Tape pictures to the walls. Clean up. Package up prints and posters. Go to the Post Office. Go to Yoga. Check the mail. Draw some more. Research ideas. Read a chapter of Bambi. Change the music. Draw some more pictures. Talk on the phone. Take the pictures down from the walls. Paint the pictures. Eat something. Tape the pictures to the floor. Sit in front of my computer. Scan things. Print things. Draw some more pictures. Get interrupted by my sister. Refuse to go for a run. Drink herbal tea. Get back to drawing…

Where can people see your work?

www.kareenazerefos.com or at the moment at the Red Door Gallery in Edinburgh Scotland.

For love or money?

Love. You don’t decide to draw for a living if it’s about money. But you do need money if you want to draw for a living. Everyone needs to eat.

What future endeavors are in the pipeline?

Taking my solo show down to Melbourne and a few group shows, later in the year.
I’m hoping to spend Christmas in Scandinavia, and return all inspired to start working on a children’s book and some new drawings.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Drawing pictures in a bigger apartment, with an Italian greyhound jumping around, preparing for my third solo show in Paris.

If you could invite 3 people to chat over coffee, who would they be & why?

There are so many people I’d like to chat with over coffee, but I’m going to say Jon, Tina and Fiona… because they’re very creative and inspirational people, and to add a bit of cheese, they’re my best friends!

Coffee or Tea?

Tea. Herbal, green or white. No milk or sugar. I gave up my coffee addiction about 10 months ago.

Join Two Flat Whites & our good friend Akina on Friday night as stupidkrap.com presents ‘Kids Today’, an international art exhibition at MTV Gallery, 4-16 Yurong Street, East Sydney from 7.30pm.

The show looks awesome and features a killer list of international artists including Australians Anthony Lister, Ben Frost, Jeremyville, Kill Pixie, Haha, Numskull, Beastman, Trent Whitehead, Jeremy Piert, Kareena Zerefos, EAMO, Love Ariel, Renee Herd, Ant Keogh, Creepy, Reka, Ainslie Fletcher and plenty more!!

Plus there will be live music from the Wahas and Yes Nukes. So bring your wallet down cause there is so much amazing artwork for sale. More information at stupidkrap.com . See you there!