LIMITED EDITION PRINTS
I release prints every so often — each one is hand-signed, numbered, and part of a super limited run of just 10. You’ll also find a few extra prints, and the occasional one-off framed piece or embroidery, popping up in my Etsy store.
Love these prints but want your own special place drawn? Head to the Commissions page — let’s make it happen.
London Court, Perth
Did you know the upper floors of London Court once had private apartments?
Right above Perth’s iconic Tudor arcade, people lived among the specialty shops in the heart of the city. I first illustrated London Court for my Building Nostalgia exhibition, and since then, I’ve been curious about what life was like here back in the day.
Thanks to the State Library of WA and the Museum of Perth, I’ve found some old photos and cool details about the eclectic residents who once called this place home. ✨
The construction of London Court began in August 1936, and local businesses like Claremont painters and West Perth timber suppliers helped bring this unique spot to life.
The ground floor was filled with boutique shops, cafés, and even a tea room, while the flats above quickly became home to a colourful mix of tenants. Rix Weaver, a writer, Jungian psychologist, and celebrity graphologist, lived in Flat 9 while managing the Book Box bookshop. 📚 🖊️
Margaret McGilvray, a world traveler and dressmaker to Aussie celebs, furnished her Flat 10 with 17th-century antiques from her London Court Antiquities store. 🛋️ 🌎
There was also Dr. A.H. Humphrey, a country doctor turned Commonwealth Quarantine Officer and later Director of Health in Queensland, and Colville Parslow, a yachtsman who tragically lost his life rescuing passengers off Rottnest Island. ⚓
In those early days, a caretaker would let residents in after hours, and meals from the basement tavern could be delivered straight to their door!
With rents starting at just £1/15 per week, the flats were popular with career women and later, war widows.
While the flats are no longer residential, the stories behind the leadlight windows still echo the rich past of this iconic place.
Maylands, Perth
Whatley Crescent in Maylands was one of the first spots I illustrated when I moved to Perth. This cute row of Federation-era shops and residences was built between 1902 - 1924 and it’s lived a lot of lives.
All the buildings are original on this block, except for 186. I’ve been researching for another project and stumbled across a giant heritage assessment report of this block (14896) that shares pages and pages (34 to be exact) of history on this special block between 8th and 9th Avenues.
✨🧀 186 Whatley Crescent – Originally home to Lingard, Wright (ironmongers) in 1916, this spot later housed Miss M. Osborne & Miss F. Chambers (drapers) in the 1910s and 1920s, then Albert E. Kenny (drapery) in 1949. Demolished in 1992, the site is now @smoultslarder, my favourite deli in Perth (and my old downstairs neighbour!)
🔧🪴188 Whatley Crescent – Built in 1900, this building first housed George D. Griffin (plumber) in 1916, followed by Griffin & Truscott in 1919. It was later home to Don Sandeman (electrician) and Shearn Brothers (estate agents) by 1925. Today it’s @daisyandrowe
🍞🥐194 Whatley Crescent – Starting in 1916 with Albert Rose’s boot-making and Miss D. Lidstone’s millinery, it later hosted Miss Annie Batt’s refreshment rooms, Mrs. E. Morgan’s confectionery, E.J. Kenny’s furniture shop, and a delicatessen in 1973. Now, it’s home to @thewoodfiredbaker
🛒🍵196 Whatley Crescent – A grocery store run by Maurice J. O’Donnell in 1916, followed by James Knox and Black & Co. by 1927. In 1949, it became a furniture shop under E.J. Kenny. After hosting an electrician in 1973, it became Chapel Funerals in 1997. Now, the name @chapelsonwhatley continues, but as a tea house
💇♀️🍸198 Whatley Crescent – Ernest Longbottom’s hairdressing and tobacconist in 1924, followed by Mary Kenny’s fancy goods and Miss J. McKenzie’s confectionery. It later became a ladies’ hairdresser under Miss Phyllis Bailey. Today it’s @volare.bar
👗🧁206 Whatley Crescent – Originally home to Mrs. Ivy Rigg, a dressmaker, in 1929, it later hosted a bicycle dealership, dry-cleaners, and Maylands Pawn in 1997. Now it’s home to @sherbetbakeshop
The Gresham, Brisbane
If these walls could talk… they’d probably order a whisky. 🥃 Welcome to The Gresham.
This bar isn’t just a bar—it’s a time capsule. The building dates back to the 1880s, originally designed as the Queensland National Bank. Built from Murphy’s Creek sandstone, New Zealand limestone, and local cedar, it was all about making a statement—because banking back then was a little more dramatic than just tapping your card.
Above the fireplace? That’s Edward Robert Drury, the banker-slash-soldier who ran the place. A bit of a loose cannon—handing out huge loans, making risky deals, even hiding accounts from his own board. The bank’s HQ was so over-the-top, people called it Drury’s Temple.
So why The Gresham?
It’s named after The Gresham Hotel, which once stood just behind here. Built in 1890, it had 77 rooms, a massive bar, and was one of Brisbane’s first buildings with electricity. But it wasn’t all long lunches and fancy drinks. In November 1942, during WWII, the hotel became the backdrop for The Battle of Brisbane—a full-scale riot between Australian servicemen, civilians, and U.S. military personnel. Over two chaotic days, tensions boiled over, leaving hundreds injured and one Australian soldier dead.
The Gresham Hotel didn’t survive the 1974 floods, but its name lives on in this bar—and now in my illustration, too. It’s one of those places where you can feel the history, whether you’re here for a whisky, an incredible cheese toastie or just the atmosphere. So settle in, soak it up, and raise a glass to the past. 🍷✨
Happy Valley, Melbourne
🎶📍294 Smith Street, Collingwood. If these bricks could talk… well, they’d probably sing or at least hum a few bars of something pressed on vinyl. Because 294 Smith Street has some serious history.
Before Collingwood was Collingwood, Smith Street was already doing the hard yards. It started as a dusty track carved by settlers heading to Heidelberg (pre-GPS, obviously). In 1838, surveyor Robert Hoddle formalised the area and gave Smith Street its name.
294 Smith Street is thought to have been built around 1852–53, making it one of the oldest surviving retail shopfronts in Melbourne. By the 1850s, things were picking up, fast. The Grace Darling Hotel (just down the road) opened in 1854, and the rough early buildings gave way to confident Victorian shopfronts.
In 1887, it became home to Leviathan Furnishing Co. Then in 1908, the Anglo-American Art Co. hosted a fire sale—offloading purses, books and hair combs “regardless of cost.” In 1949, it turned into a recording studio for Australasian Radio Productions. From carpets to crooners, this place has always kept things interesting.
In more recent memory (well, a decade ago), it was the beloved Travellers Bookstore—a chaotic, wonderful haven for local book and travel lovers.
Today it’s home to Happy Valley and the creative spirit lives on. Since 2013, it’s been one of the most beautifully curated indie shops in Melbourne 🥰
Owner Chris Crouch is a true creative all-rounder. He started Candle Records in 1994—an indie label focused on lyrical, local bands. He also ran Fitzroy’s cult favourite Polyester Records from 1999–2010. That love of music, design and community lives on here.
Happy Valley stocks 9000+ titles, plus art, books, and a dangerously good online catalogue. When I finally write a book, I hope it ends up on those shelves. Until then, I’ll be ordering vinyl from afar 📦
Rothwell & Rowe, Brisbane
If these walls could talk… would they whisper about elegant ballroom dances or shout over the $2 Saturday night drink specials? 🍸
Side by side in the heart of Brisbane, Rowes Arcade and the Rothwells Building have seen it all. Built in 1885, these two heritage-listed neighbours started as commercial buildings—offices below, warehouses above—but their stories took some unexpected turns.
🏢 Rowes Arcade
Originally Rowes Building, this Edward Street landmark became the place to be when Rowes Café moved in. Patrons would step past uniformed doormen into a 380-seat dining hall, where lively conversations bounced off the walls. Upstairs? A grand ballroom where feet glided across the floor to a live big band. It was thespot for Brisbane’s well-heeled crowd.
In 1958, the building changed hands, swapping waltzes for window shopping as it became Rowes Arcade. Fast forward to 2014, and the space got another glow-up, welcoming fresh tenants like Jamie’s Italian while still holding onto its historic charm.
🏢 Rothwells Building
Next door, Rothwells was originally home to drapery powerhouse Allan & Stark, a key player in Brisbane’s golden age of retail. By the mid-20th century, it housed financial institutions—until the basement took on a much wilder identity. Enter The Underground, later Rosie’s Bar & Nightclub, a late-night institution where cheap drinks, loud music, and questionable dance moves reigned supreme.
Today, Rothwells has traded sticky dance floors for refined dining. The ground floor is now @rothwellsbrisbane , a European-style steakhouse serving seafood and steak under chandeliers, surrounded by marble tables and plush green booths. It’s a serious upgrade from the old nightclub vibes—but we’re betting you can still catch a bit of eavesdropping over dinner.
Through every reinvention, these two buildings have remained part of Brisbane’s heartbeat—proof that history isn’t just about plaques and dates. It’s the stories, the people, and the ever-changing rhythms of city life.
Ellington Jazz Club, Perth
The Ellington Jazz Club is more than a music venue—it’s a cultural institution, a slice of Perth’s history, and a cornerstone of Australia’s jazz scene 🎶🎷.
Dating back to 1896, the building was originally home to the Lung Cheong Laundry and Manchester Dye Works, businesses run by Chinese immigrants who were foundational to Perth’s early commercial landscape. These laundries provided essential services like fabric cleaning and dyeing, reflecting the important contributions of Chinese workers to the city’s growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
By the 1980s, the building had become Argus Office Supplies, and in 2009, it found new purpose as The Ellington Jazz Club. Founders Graham Wood and Bernard Kong saw its potential as a dedicated jazz venue and transformed it into an intimate space for world-class live music while preserving the charm of its original architecture.
The Ellington is recognized as Australia’s premier jazz club and features a lineup of local, national, and international talent.
From jazz and jazz-influenced music to experimental genres, the club curates an impressive variety of performances. It’s committed to inclusivity, valuing gender equality, racial diversity, and representation across its performers, staff, and patrons..
One of the venue’s standout moments was in 2014, when Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones played an impromptu set with WAAPA student Harry Mitchell, a performance that brought global attention to the club.
Today, the Ellington is internationally recognized as a must-visit destination for performers and audiences alike. Whether you’re enjoying a show by emerging WAAPA students or renowned jazz icons, it offers an unparalleled experience of music, history, and hospitality.