At long last I can share the cover I drew for yet another spoof-of-the-New-Yorker mock magazine, this time about Naples. Depicted is the marvellous, majolica-covered cloister of Santa Chiara, one of my favourite places in the city, if not in the world. The name of the piece was supposed to be "The Chameleon", but I guess I was the only one who thought it was funny...

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It took me a while, but here's my take on @albertvictoria-art 's latest DTIYS. I'm a bit less optimistic than he is about the effectiveness of that mysterious lotion, however...

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I've realized I've never posted this drawing from 2020 that was part of a Christmas card. I still like it!

"The doctor was puzzled as to how both the Bumblethorns caught such nasty pneumonia." This year's Christmas card. Happy holidays everybody!

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What wallpaper are you especially enthused about these days? What are the more subtle wallpaper qualities I should appreciate?

Call me basic, but I do love me a Morris wallpaper. And not just for the designs (some of whom are magnificent, some of whom are… well, less so) but for the entire philosophy behind them: quality over quantity, recovery of traditional printing methods, sustainable work conditions in an era when that wasn't exactly obvious… Contemporary Scottish company Timorous Beasties made me realize (a good ten years ago) that you can bring a sense of humour and a rebellious streak in a wallpaper design - so I'm always enthusiastic about them - but the last designer to pique my interest was Vienna Secession artist Koloman Moser!

I really like the aesthetic of your work. It all has a similar feel to the Triplets of Belleville (which I know if controversial). The Edward Gory piece was very amusing.

Thank you! I don't know about it being controversial, but I LOVE The Triplets of Belleville, and although it's not something I reference consciously, I'm only happy that some of its gorgeous style managed to rub off on me. Glad you liked the Gorey piece, it's one of my favourites too!

Hey!! I wanted to stop by and let you know I REALLY REALLY like your art!! Your artstyle is just eye candy at its finest and I really like the aesthetic you have going on! It makes me think of what autumn must've been like in London in like, 1865

Keep going dude!! I'm in-love!! :))))

Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to write these kind words to me, I appreciate it more than you imagine. I loved how you described my art style: if "autumn in London in the second half of the 19th century" is what it evokes, that means that I'm doing something right!

Meet the Artist: @mattsirach

Hello there! My name is Matt Sirach, and I’m an illustrator, cartoonist, and designer with a degree in Architecture and a passion for wallpaper. I’ve been afflicted since childhood with a particularly stubborn case of Anglophilia—we’ve tried everything from bloodletting to mesmerism—yet it keeps inevitably influencing my art and taste. Most of—if not all—my illustrations are set in a timeframe ranging from the late Victorian Era to the 1930s: I like the clothes, I like the interiors, I like the graphics and the design, and I find the societal affectations of that time endlessly amusing. I gravitate towards humor and comedy always—even when I design wallpapers—and I like my illustrations to be dynamic and tell a story in the most succinct way possible. I work mainly traditionally—with nibs, ink, watercolors, and gouache—with a bit of digital enhancement.

Nice to meet you, Matt! Below are some pieces he has shared with you all.

Check out more of Matt’s work over at his Tumblr, @mattsirach!

New pattern: Fruit Bats and Passiflora!

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Over The Garden Wall Inktober, final drawing: Lorna, Auntie Whispers and Lorna's evil spirit. Plus a chestful of black tortoises to cover for the fact that I miscalculated and I'm one character short... Happy Hallowe'en!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 26-27: EVEN MORE FROGS!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 24-25: even more frogs!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 22-23: more frogs!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 19-21: some musical frogs from the steamboat. I love these guys!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 17 and 18: Margueritte (sic) Grey and Quincy Endicott!

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 15 and 16: the Highwayman and Fred the horse. If something looks weird, horses are friggin' hard to draw, ok? Give me a break.

Over The Garden Wall Inktober, days 13 and 14: the Toymaker and the Tailor. I wouldn't trust that Toymaker if my life depended on it...

I wouldn't trust that Toymaker if my life depended on it...