She is currently working for a company in New York on some artwork that stars Farley the dog. They are looking to market dog beds using Farley’s likeness.
That made remember that Lynn Johnston went to SURTEX, the big fabric design show in New York that she went to in 2016 and 2017. I looked it up and sure enough, she was there.
https://surtex.a2zinc.net/surtex2018/public/eBooth.aspx?IndexInList=18&FromPage=Exhibitors.aspx&ParentBoothID=&ListByBooth=true&BoothID=712172
I will discuss it after the cut.
Here is what Lynn was presenting. If you were wondering if any of them were Farley the dog beds, the answer to that is “No.” It’s hard to imagine anyone getting the idea that Farley was a possibility based on last year’s booth. You look at that booth and you see a lot of large pictures that would be difficult to imagine being used as a pattern for any fabric. Lynn appears to have learned since then, because her art presentation is more marketable.
Lynn Johnston Productions Inc.
North Vancouver, BC Canada
http://www.lynnjohnstonproductions.com
Booth: 2638
“Bringing Character to Your Creations!” Lynn Johnston, creator of the widely syndicated comic strip, For Better or For Worse, is bringing her wit and comic drawing style back to Surtex for the second time. After over thirty years in the comic art business, Lynn is now drawing outside of the box. With the help of her design team, she has created a fun and colourful portfolio, which she debuted at Surtex 2017. Lynn’s work is cartoony, fresh and fun. It is light-hearted, whimsical, and engaging. Best of all, her work appeals to a wide range of ages and audiences making it’s applications endless. Lynn’s collections include: Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Robots, Fish, Fairies and more. Her work is currently available for license in all categories. For more information, please visit our website:
- Fairies & Bugs
The inspiration for Lynn's Fairy collection came from her five-year-old granddaughter, who has a fairy door in her bedroom and believes that she has her very own fairy living with her. This fun collection includes bubble-blowing fairies, tooth fairies, an elaborate fairy village, and more. The variety of characters and colours make this collection suitable for boys and girls of all ages!
My comment: Lynn still cannot draw decent fairy wings and seems to think fairy outfits = jester or clown outfits. Nevertheless, the outfits have a much greater variety and these fairies are definitely multi-ethnic. Also, Lynn's granddaughter is 6 years old. My guess is this text has not been updated since last year.
- Tossed Farm Animals
This fun pattern is one of many new LJP patterns for 2018. It is part of Lynn’s new Barnyard collection. Vibrant and refreshing, this collection offers a bit of everything—from cow print to cow pies, this collection will have you smiling ear to ear (of corn)! Best of all, this collection has endless expansion potential!
My comment: I don't see any cow pies. This is an example of Lynn at her worst. The sheep and the pig in particular look creepy and demented. There are a lot of animal butts.
- Sleighs and Reindeer
Before we know it, Christmas will be here. Why not add a little extra joy to the holiday season with Lynn's Sleighs and Reindeer! Christmas is a favourite time of year for us here at LJP—we love searching for that perfect gift, then wrapping it up with matching paper and ribbons to transform it into a beautiful, irresistible package. But, let's face it...people are getting harder and harder to shop for these days, so what could be better than the gift of laughter? These joyful reindeer are sure to put a smile on Grandpa’s face! But reindeer are not the only jolly characters in our Christmas collection…What would (commercial) Christmas be without Santa, Mrs. Claus, angels and elves. Not to mention, Christmas trees, candy canes, gifts, wreaths and more!
My comment: Reindeer with antlers like no deer has ever seen. Take that and those bizarre harnesses and neck gear and you have a lot of creepy reindeer.
- Spaceship Parade
Inspired by high-school robotics students, and the changing world around us, Lynn has created a series of Robot characters that make up this cheerful collection.
My comment: The text does not match the picture, as there are no robots in the drawing. Lynn's drawing of an alien appears to be straight out of the 1950s and she seems to have an obsession with eye stalks.
- Easter Nesting Boxes
Spring has arrived…(finally), and with it came the Easter Bunny. Every year the Easter Bunny busily prepares and delivers beautifully decorated Easter eggs, and this year was no exception! Ever wonder how he makes all of those eggs? Well, in Easter Nesting Boxes, of course! Hop on down to booth 2638 to see the rest of this perfectly perky pastel collection at Surtex this coming May.
My comment: How does he make all of those eggs? Apparently he poops them out or one of them implies rabbit-like reproduction. This one may raise interesting questions from the kids for whom they are intended.