Gemma O’Brien
@gemma-i-obrien.bsky.social
Artist specialising in fashion and figurative painting. Glamorous nerd. Books and music. Art online: www.gemma-obrien.com
Still time for me to get to the post office to send you these A5 notebooks (set of 3) with covers illustrated by me including Maison Margiela and Saint Laurent. They make for original and affordable Christmas presents! gemma-obrien-artworks.myshopify.com/products/fas...
December 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Still time for me to get to the post office to send you these A5 notebooks (set of 3) with covers illustrated by me including Maison Margiela and Saint Laurent. They make for original and affordable Christmas presents! gemma-obrien-artworks.myshopify.com/products/fas...
Got Lauren Bacall’s memoir ‘By Myself and Then Some’ from the library and couldn’t put it down. A wonderful read - an antidote to the short days. Going to watch Bacall and Bogie films for the rest of the winter.
November 29, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Got Lauren Bacall’s memoir ‘By Myself and Then Some’ from the library and couldn’t put it down. A wonderful read - an antidote to the short days. Going to watch Bacall and Bogie films for the rest of the winter.
Set of 3 A5 notebooks available on my site with illustrated covers. 16 sheets (32 pages) recycled plain paper, ideal for sketching, journaling or writing notes. £8 +pp. tinyurl.com/35392b9u
Fashion notebooks - set of 3 (A5, 16 sheets plain)
Stationery set of 3 A5 notebooks with different fashion illustration covers including those from Saint Laurent (2023) and Maison Margiela ('23 and '24). Ideal for fashion and art lovers. Recycled pap...
tinyurl.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Set of 3 A5 notebooks available on my site with illustrated covers. 16 sheets (32 pages) recycled plain paper, ideal for sketching, journaling or writing notes. £8 +pp. tinyurl.com/35392b9u
R.I.P. Pam Hogg. It was always a memorable time drawing backstage and watching her shows in the last couple of years. I’m glad I went to her final installation and had a chat with her; she was always friendly. She did things her way no matter what was in the way. Thinking of all who knew her well.🤍
November 27, 2025 at 2:06 PM
R.I.P. Pam Hogg. It was always a memorable time drawing backstage and watching her shows in the last couple of years. I’m glad I went to her final installation and had a chat with her; she was always friendly. She did things her way no matter what was in the way. Thinking of all who knew her well.🤍
@danielrachel.bsky.social joined by Billy Bragg in conversation with Miranda Sawyer at Rough Trade East discussing Daniel’s book ‘This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll - Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich. A very open and candid discussion. Thanks to Daniel and all.
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 PM
@danielrachel.bsky.social joined by Billy Bragg in conversation with Miranda Sawyer at Rough Trade East discussing Daniel’s book ‘This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll - Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich. A very open and candid discussion. Thanks to Daniel and all.
Paolo Carzana and Maison Margiela S/S ‘24 featuring at the ‘Dirty Looks’ exhibition at The Barbican.
November 22, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Paolo Carzana and Maison Margiela S/S ‘24 featuring at the ‘Dirty Looks’ exhibition at The Barbican.
Gary Numan on home turf in Hammersmith playing the Telekon album. Synth heaven. We also got to hear ‘Down in the Park’. V emotional gig for him after losing his brother a few days ago.
November 22, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Gary Numan on home turf in Hammersmith playing the Telekon album. Synth heaven. We also got to hear ‘Down in the Park’. V emotional gig for him after losing his brother a few days ago.
A fave from today’s trot around the National Gallery. Jacob van Oost the Elder’s ‘Portrait of a Boy Aged 11’ (1650).
November 18, 2025 at 10:50 PM
A fave from today’s trot around the National Gallery. Jacob van Oost the Elder’s ‘Portrait of a Boy Aged 11’ (1650).
The blue dot is an addition by an unknown person. A sort of beauty spot. Procured from the book shelf at St. Bride’s. Elizabeth didn’t seem to lament the loss of poor scarf-wearing George much!
November 14, 2025 at 11:25 PM
The blue dot is an addition by an unknown person. A sort of beauty spot. Procured from the book shelf at St. Bride’s. Elizabeth didn’t seem to lament the loss of poor scarf-wearing George much!
Great talk by Malcolm Garrett at St. Bride’s Foundation last night - taking a refreshingly critical eye on his early record sleeve design work.
Here, a cover for The Polecats, as well The Members, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Visage and loads more.
Here, a cover for The Polecats, as well The Members, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Visage and loads more.
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Great talk by Malcolm Garrett at St. Bride’s Foundation last night - taking a refreshingly critical eye on his early record sleeve design work.
Here, a cover for The Polecats, as well The Members, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Visage and loads more.
Here, a cover for The Polecats, as well The Members, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Visage and loads more.
Halloween season reading. Lots about the supposed Highgate Vampire plus some interesting background about Bram Stoker. Also the less common vampire bat regurgitate some of its meal to not only feed their immediate clan but also other bats who are strangers.
November 5, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Halloween season reading. Lots about the supposed Highgate Vampire plus some interesting background about Bram Stoker. Also the less common vampire bat regurgitate some of its meal to not only feed their immediate clan but also other bats who are strangers.
Guaranteed winter blues buster: youtu.be/QjG40dWe81Y?...
Sticky Moments with Julian Clary - Episode 1
YouTube video by GCB Music
youtu.be
November 1, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Guaranteed winter blues buster: youtu.be/QjG40dWe81Y?...
Joined here with my lovely niece Yasmine at the opening of a photo exhibition ‘Photo Album of the Irish: England’ celebrating the stories of 25 families of which ours was one at the @londonirishcentre in Camden.
October 29, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Joined here with my lovely niece Yasmine at the opening of a photo exhibition ‘Photo Album of the Irish: England’ celebrating the stories of 25 families of which ours was one at the @londonirishcentre in Camden.
Moving and joyful evening at the launch of @danielrachel.bsky.social brave new book that delves into the motives behind why musicians have flirted with problematic fascist imagery. Great discussion between Susie MacDonald and Daniel and beautiful music by the Oysland Klezmer Quartet.
October 27, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Moving and joyful evening at the launch of @danielrachel.bsky.social brave new book that delves into the motives behind why musicians have flirted with problematic fascist imagery. Great discussion between Susie MacDonald and Daniel and beautiful music by the Oysland Klezmer Quartet.
I really enjoyed this novel. Brilliantly crafted characters and the careful attention given to the story was very satisfying. Very amusing in parts too.The mix of post-war Eastend characters with those who are considered culturally ‘high brow’ communing and finding soul-ties in a classless utopia.
October 26, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I really enjoyed this novel. Brilliantly crafted characters and the careful attention given to the story was very satisfying. Very amusing in parts too.The mix of post-war Eastend characters with those who are considered culturally ‘high brow’ communing and finding soul-ties in a classless utopia.
Wordle 1,590 6/6
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Not keen on this 3 day 6-try streak 😨
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Not keen on this 3 day 6-try streak 😨
October 26, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Wordle 1,590 6/6
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Not keen on this 3 day 6-try streak 😨
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Not keen on this 3 day 6-try streak 😨
Church Row, Hampstead yesterday evening. One of my favourite streets in London.
October 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Church Row, Hampstead yesterday evening. One of my favourite streets in London.
More watery wordy adventures via Albert Durer and Thomas Mann in ‘Albert and the Whale’ by Philip Hoare.
October 17, 2025 at 7:09 PM
More watery wordy adventures via Albert Durer and Thomas Mann in ‘Albert and the Whale’ by Philip Hoare.
Bought this book about the Blitz club after seeing the exhibition at the Design Museum which was v good! An invigorating and uplifting read as well as realistic. Particularly liked his breakdown of were New Romantics Thatcherites - a view that Dylan Jones subscribes too. He argues absolutely not.
October 15, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Bought this book about the Blitz club after seeing the exhibition at the Design Museum which was v good! An invigorating and uplifting read as well as realistic. Particularly liked his breakdown of were New Romantics Thatcherites - a view that Dylan Jones subscribes too. He argues absolutely not.
I enjoyed this book - I returned it to the library before I could take a picture - An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth. This is Chris Hadfield the astronaut who sang ‘Starman’ in space. Lots of wise words. A memorable read.
October 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I enjoyed this book - I returned it to the library before I could take a picture - An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth. This is Chris Hadfield the astronaut who sang ‘Starman’ in space. Lots of wise words. A memorable read.
Southwark Cathedral Sunday eve. Sermon denouncing politicians who appeal to the baser instincts of humans.
September 29, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Southwark Cathedral Sunday eve. Sermon denouncing politicians who appeal to the baser instincts of humans.
Lots of interesting and progressive ideas in this book (1996) - a written conversation between the authors. Interesting to consider (not talked about in this book) how Christianity has been used by the Far Right to promote insidious ideas, most of which have very little to do with Christianity.
September 27, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Lots of interesting and progressive ideas in this book (1996) - a written conversation between the authors. Interesting to consider (not talked about in this book) how Christianity has been used by the Far Right to promote insidious ideas, most of which have very little to do with Christianity.
And for something entirely different, the materialist Christopher Hitchens’ autobiography. Not difficult to imagine what his stance would be today about the Middle East.
September 20, 2025 at 6:58 PM
And for something entirely different, the materialist Christopher Hitchens’ autobiography. Not difficult to imagine what his stance would be today about the Middle East.
Attended a talk recently by Rupert Sheldrake. This is one of his more recent books. He talks of ‘morphic resonance’ an unconfirmed theory of collective memory as well as more tangible ideas of collective singing and walking to name a few things.
September 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Attended a talk recently by Rupert Sheldrake. This is one of his more recent books. He talks of ‘morphic resonance’ an unconfirmed theory of collective memory as well as more tangible ideas of collective singing and walking to name a few things.
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s... Supporting the Jam, sausages with the Bay City Rollers and defying skinheads: post-punk girl group Dolly Mixture look back | Music | The Guardian
Supporting the Jam, sausages with the Bay City Rollers and defying skinheads: post-punk girl group Dolly Mixture look back
The all-girl trio gave punk a playful spin and drew admirers in Paul Weller and Captain Sensible – but, singer Debsey Wykes recalls, faced confusion for being out of step with era’s noise and anger
www.theguardian.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:11 AM
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s... Supporting the Jam, sausages with the Bay City Rollers and defying skinheads: post-punk girl group Dolly Mixture look back | Music | The Guardian