Visible/Invisible

Scary Christmas Illustration for The Walrus

2011-10-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Essentially, I have all the same things to say this time around: I had an amazing time making this illustration and had a really fun time working with all the usual brilliant folks, namely Brian Morgan, Paul Kim, Meredith Holigroski and the piece's editor, Alex Molotkow. The article by Derek McCormack explores the connections between Halloween and Christmas and is a really great read.

I had the privilege to work with the wonderful photographer, Jaime Hogge. Not only was he fun to sit around and chat with, I felt totally confident with him and tried my best not to be one of those hovering art directors. I probably was anyway, but Jaime humoured me expertly, and I'm really happy with the result.

Everyone always asks how long these paper illustrations take me. A long freakin' time. Anything worth making takes work and paper is really finicky to manipulate. This one was no exception, but I was really pleased with the way everything seemed to click into place. All in all, the time and effort was well worth it.

This is a case where the screen really doesn't capture all the little details, so go buy a copy of The Walrus' December issue when it hits newsstands, already!

Illustrations in The Walrus Magazine

2011-09-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

I'm very lucky to love my job and on most days, I love it quite a bit. Part of my job last month was to create these illustrations for the October issue of The Walrus. Take a look! Yes, they are handmade and yes, they are paper (and glue, along with some elbow grease).

I promised myself that I'd enjoy the process as much as possible and I did: these were really, really fun to do. I worked with a loose theme of the city from which to create the subjects. On reflection, the theme turned out okay. It was nice to work within parameters that had lots of give. Half the fun was collaborating with the talented, supportive and hilarious Walrus staff, especially Brian Morgan, Paul Kim and Alex Molotkow. Thanks, guys!

If you like what you see, you can download a free desktop wallpaper version of one of the illos, here.

If you love what you see, consider donating to The Walrus Foundation. It's tax deductible and you'll feel like a better person. Or, treat yourself to a subscription and you'll feel like a smarter person. Do both and you'll feel better, smarter and secretly superior. Promise.

Miscellany section header: illustrated type

Editor's Note: reflections on political revolution

Contributors section head

Letters section head

Factoid spots

Baby's First Commission

2011-06-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

The good people at Webcom, a book publishing/printing company in Toronto, recently asked me to make three pieces for their Game Changers event. They were awesome to work with mostly because all my fears about not being taken seriously as an artist were very quickly squelched. The Webcom folks were supportive and challenged me in the best ways possible.

I have an amazing day job that allowed me to take time off to dedicate to the project. More than a couple of times, I experienced the joy and freedom of being able to walk down the street to Ezra's Pound in the middle of the morning for a coffee that I got to enjoy sitting down, in a proper mug and everything. I was that person. It was great. (I might've also ordered a pastry to celebrate being that person.)

Of course, that freedom was accompanied with all the regular angst that goes along with creating stuff for a client. I'm used to that, but my paper work is usually something I only do to suit my own taste. In this case, I worked from detailed concepts created and approved months before, so veering too far off track wasn't really an option. It was really great to have an opportunity to practice such discipline. I'm happy to report that even though it was a week of very little sleep, I actually finished early! Installation/delivery day was quite calm, so I actually enjoyed the process. Imagine that.

All pieces were created out of paper and glue and constructed by hand. I think that Webcom was happy with the results and I'm pleased to say that I am, too.

Webcom logo composed of four pieces of paper.

Within each piece of paper, I cut out tiny logos.
I won't tell you how many exacto knife blades I used.

3D paper sculpture of Webcom's BookFWD Arrows.

The arrows were constructed from 50 folded paper prisms of various stock.
The circular frame was a single piece of card stock, jigged to be 3D.
I'm glad I paid attention in packaging class.

Mobiüs strip paper wreath created from paper remnants.
Each entwined Mobiüs strip was surrounded by hundreds of
smaller Mobiüs strips. It's deep, I know.

It was a happy accident that the paper remnants
Webcom sent for this piece had CMYK swatches on them.

P.S. Any frustration I ever had with just-okay photos of artwork on other's sites is now explained and forgiven, because:

Thinking of the best way to photograph one's own work is the very last thing on one's mind, post-installation.
Sometimes the lighting sucks, even if the camera is fancy.
The digital photography standard taking many pictures of every possible boring angle (though smart and helpful in hindsight) seems daunting when all one wants to do is go grab dinner.

Installation Love

2011-02-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

I had such joy this past weekend, with my paper fire escape sculptures in Come Up To My Room at The Gladstone. By nature, I don't like being the centre of attention, so I was really overwhelmed by all the attention I received from friends and strangers, alike.

It sounds incredibly naive, but I was genuinely not expecting the positive reactions I received. In fact, since I do this type of thing for myself first, I really wasn't expecting much from the weekend beyond having an excuse to bring lots of lovely people from different corners of my life together in one, happy place.

On top of all the lovely, kind words from lots of folks, I got tagged by DesignLines as one of their many loves for the design weekend in Toronto. So flattering!

There's also been some neat blog love over at MocoLoco, NotCot, Design Upcomers and SOS Design.

Last but not least, I got to meet really amazing artists and designers throughout the weekend. I have my favourites, but truly, the calibar of the show this year was fantastic, so I don't want to single out any one to your attention, but encourage you to check them all out.

Come Up to My Room 2011 | Jan. 28–30

2011-01-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

I'm crazy-excited to be in the heat of preparing for this design show! I have a small paper installation to contribute and am incredibly honoured and nervous in equal parts to be participating in Come Up to My Room 2011 at The Gladstone.

If anyone is in town, please come by because I want to see your lovely faces!

{Room by Allyson Mitchell.}

Escape wrapping paper

2010-12-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

I still have an amazing amount of joy whenever I wrap a present for, well, almost anyone. But, the sober understanding that most people throw wrapping paper into landfills has squelched my wrapping joy (but not my card fetish, that will never go away). Consequently, I haven't had to buy wrapping paper in many, many years. I do miss going to the store and picking out a pattern that someone has lovingly designed. Here's some fictional wrapping paper, based on some fire escapes I made quite a while ago. Cute repetition always makes me happy.

Wedding Invites

2010-11-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to be in the wedding party of two dear friends who got married (to each other!) this summer. I had a tonne of fun making their custom wedding invitations and all the other little things that come with. Not only are these two a lovely couple, but they also have great taste so I was extra-excited to collaborate. We decided on a type treatment and muted palette because the two are amazingly well-read and also embody understated elegance without ever being snobby.

Hand screen printed, two-colour cover.

An imperfect heart shape gave the cover some extra depth.

Main invitation.

Info. card: the bride has a way with words
so the copy was adorable!

Thank you cards that were tied to homemade sugar cookies,
which were gobbled up before I could take their photo!

Detail of the type pattern.

The Walrus Illustration

2010-09-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

I had the unique privilege of illustrating an article for The Walrus magazine. The piece, "The Indie Rock Swindle" is beautifully written by the talented Alex Molotkow. She examines the Polaris prize and the so-called indie Canadian music scene. You can read it in full here, but might I suggest you support your Canadian writers, illustrators and artists and buy a copy? It's on newsstands now. Or better yet, subscribe!

Conceptualizing and crafting the image was an amazing process, skillfully guided by Paul Kim, senior designer and Brian Morgan, art director at The Walrus. Once I worked through my angst and heeded the wise advice from a friend to "enjoy the process" I was pleased with the result. The experience reminded me of the importance of allowing freedom to explore and play with ideas while they solidify.

The three-dimensional illustration is composed of paper, string, glue, one knitting needle and several late nights.

Found

2010-06-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

I found this scrap of a street poster the other day. To me, it's a rad policital statement about mental illness.

For all people, no one is ill.

Vintage Buttons!

2010-05-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA from here but, I assure you, not missing from action in general. There is a lot happening that is exciting and new! Right now, I'm researching and starting to play with some ideas for a brand redesign that has brought me, of all places, to vintage buttons.

How freakin' great are these? I'm likely late to the party of appreciating these stupidly amazing pieces. If I ever come across one of these precious little fasteners, I promise I will proudly make it into a necklace charm that I wear at least once a week because, seriously, I never knew I needed a shirt with cigarette buttons until I found this wonderful book. (Source to follow.)

More Chicago collage

2010-03-30T05:21:00.000-07:00

I've continued to play around with my Marina City building images from last year. As with most things that I do, the process seems very slow. Unlike the rest of my life, which seems to move quickly at times, I take full liberty to move as slowly as I feel like my personal projects deserve. I'm at a bit of a standstill right now, as I've been working through translating the photo to a collage to a screen print and now am not quite sure how I should finish.

I've learned a tonne about screen printing so far, though! Right now I want to introduce the right amount of depth to the final images so that the image sits comfortably on the plane between real and abstract. Hopefully I'll make some more progress in the coming months and if I happen upon a solution I'm really excited about, I'll be sure to share.

Source photo taken in Chicago last year.

Resulting collage that took what seemed like forever!

Rubylith stencil based on shapes inspired from the collage.

A screen print done with three layers of Rubylith stencils and doodles over the ink.

Brain on the brain

2010-03-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

I'm so funny! But seriously, I've been thinking about the brain lately. The band An Horse has a great song (I don't remember the title, I swear that my ipod actually makes me less aware of what and who I'm listening to) with the lyrics "I've had too much to think," which perfectly characterizes my over-analytical nature. Being able to think things through a bit too thoroughly can be inebriating. It doesn't always leave room for free and simple doing. I digress, of course.

One of my more profound thoughts? The brain looks neat. Case in point, this beautiful anatomy book I borrowed from the library and never want to return.

source Human Anatomy by Rifkin, Ackerman and Folkenberg

PS Somewhat unrelated but amusing: My first date was with a boy named Brian when I was in grade six. We went to go see Look Who's Talking, Too with another "couple" and did not touch eachother for the entire movie. Whenever I wrote notes to him, as 11 year olds do, I always spelled his name as Brain by mistake. It really pissed him off.

Comings and goings

2010-02-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

The winter in Canada has been strangely mild, thanks to our good friend global warming. For the first time, I decided to experiment and not buy a TTC metropass. Instead, I bought tonnes of tokens.

I'm trying to save money and walk more. I definitely walk more than I ever have but, let me tell you, it's much, much easier to convince myself to take a cab to work when I'm running late when a token costs $2.75. So saving money? Probably not. It's likely worked out evenly. But, thwarting the monopoly the TTC had on my winter travelling in past years made for happier cold months filled with discoveries I never would have had if I'd succumbed to the pressure of buying a monthly pass.

Another bonus? I have new material for yet another project. I found myself with layers and layers of paper transfers lining my coat and purse pockets. To paraphrase from a woman in a promotional ad for Hoarders, "I don't consider myself a hoarder, I consider myself a collector of things." It's a fine line, sister.

All these little pieces of paper serve as an interesting record of my city routes and I'm excited for bike season to start so I can complete my jar of winter TTC transfers and get started on turning them into something.

Medusa

2010-02-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

One summer when I was 18, I saved every penny I got my hands on, then went to Europe for three weeks. While there, I did a bunch of things including going to the Anne Frank museum slightly stoned. What can I say? I was 18 and in Amsterdam for only a few days. I wanted to pack everything in; some things don't change.

I also saw Medusa by Caravaggio

I was in awe of the anguish on her face because she looked so much more raw than the cartoon version that lived in my mind.

I'd forgotten about my childhood obsession with the myth of Medusa until I got the best gift I've received in quite awhile in the mail on Monday. I love the idea of a woman being so powerful as to be able to turn people to stone from a mere glance. Fitting then, that I finally own a jellyfish necklace that I remember eyeing at City of Craft in 2008. The Meduse necklace by mynta, a jewelery designer from Montreal who I met at this year's show. She made me a version with brushed silver tentacles and a longer chain, which I absolutely adore. Who knows? Maybe wearing it will give me superhero powers.

The photo is from mynta's etsy shop as it turns out the jellyfish is really difficult to photograph!

UPDATE: Did you know that Meduse is the latin word for jellyfish? I learned something new today!

Fighting the winter blahs

2010-02-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

My grandma, for as long as I can remember, gives all the women she knows Amaryllis bulb-growing kits for Christmas. She's more egalitarian now; the whole family gets them, regardless of gender. Amarylisses are strangely phallic flowers with long stems, massive blooms and no scent. Each year, the blooms are a welcome burst of brightness during the gloomy winter months.

I'm extra happy that this one turned out not only to be fuschia has multiple blooms!

Procrastination

2010-02-23T18:31:00.000-08:00

My brother always sends me the best stuff.

Procrastination from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

source apartment therapy

Picture Files

2010-02-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to the picture files at The Toronto Reference Library (TRL) last year and the first time I visited I immediately fell in love with the idea of an entire department dedicated to collecting magazine clippings and filing them in a system that sometimes makes sense but mostly doesn't.

Not only is The TRL gorgeous, it has special meaning for me because it's where my mother learned English when she first came to Canada almost 40 years ago. (Not to mention that my parents first met in a library, but that's a story for another day.)

I had the treat of visiting the picture files again because one of my friends is currently in love with The TRL for it's amazing calm energy and sense of community. After poking through the files I found a thick folder dedicated solely to trees.

Here are some quirky finds that I'd certainly never come across on a Google Image search. I just adore how someone has taken the time to write the category and source on each image—it tugs at my heart.

I've had trees on my mind lately because I've been trying to think through a logo using a tree to represent the inner workings of the brain.

Something like this, perhaps from Canada Post.

I appreciate the successful blend of colour and how the illustration is hopeful rather than macabre.

Block

2010-02-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

The much-discussed creative block is to me, actually just anxiety induced fear. But, everyone is delightfully different, even in the ways that our creative blocks manifest! Not to mention that creativity is a process and we all go through phases where we're more productive than others. Here's a wonderful collection of designers by ISO50 who share what they do when they face some sort of creative standstill.

source swiss miss

J.K. Rowling on Failing

2010-02-16T23:22:00.000-08:00

I'm all about inspiration these days, no matter how cheesy. In fact, the cheesier the better! I love this talk for many reasons but mostly because it comforts me in this time of risk taking. I'll be speaking cryptically of these risks I'm taking for the next little while. It's an exciting time of plunging into the unknown and chasing things I love.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

Heart day

2010-02-15T22:28:00.000-08:00

Usually I can't be bothered with Valentine's Day regardless of what box I'm currently occupying in the relationship status section of my life. But, this year, I'm obsessed with hearts! So much so that I must've cut out about a hundred to make valentines that I sent to loved ones. I was a bit late in sending them out in the mail, but I figured, it's so rare to get a valentine in the mail these days that no one will complain when they finally do get theirs.

I drew imperfect hearts and cut them out with my trusty exacto knife.

I found lots of colourful paper in my stash and taped up the holes. Then, I glued pretty paper on the backsides and cut everything to size.

I found some red paper amoung my things and cut lots and lots of teeny hearts with scissors.

I placed each valentine face down and sprinkled with a generous helping of my heart confetti that will fall everywhere once the envelope is excitedly ripped open. (I tested this in person with a friend, it works!)

I sealed everything with amazing tinfoil duct tape that I cut into hearts, of course!

On Lee

2010-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

I remember McQueen when he first started appearing on my television screen. I remember his surliness and reluctance to conform. I remember he used to wear large union jack t-shirts and compared to the pristine beauty of the models surrounding him, looked downright crazy.

I remember loving him, though I didn't know why back then. Now, I think it was because I saw my own eccentricities in him. Knowing that he's no longer with us saddens me a great deal, but I hope he's no longer in pain.

I remember watching this with my mouth gaping wide open, then smiling.

I'll remember him most as a shy, nonconformist artist who had an uncanny ability to poke fun at the very industry that fueled his creations.

More fire escapes

2010-01-29T01:49:00.000-08:00

I took this photo on Sunday and I couldn't believe my luck! I've walked past this unassuming sign dozens of times and never noticed it. I've been walking around the city much, much more than I normally do. I must say: I'm beginning to understand what all the fuss is about in regards to walking. Walking has long gone hand in hand with meditation and I also remember reading somewhere that there are important energy meridians at the soles of our feet. Not to mention all the nerve endings. Makes sense then, that walking should feel so good and maybe it also explains why I hate wearing socks? No matter how awful my day, walking home always at the very least, brings me back to neutral and at the most makes me legitimately happy.

The fire escape obsession continues...

New tree collage, Australia-bound

2010-01-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

I did a swap with Kylie and am months tardy on sending my side of the bargain. Though, I finally sent off my piece last week! (And really, I'm such a master procrastinator that it only got mailed because I asked an extra-helpful girl at work to do it for me.) It should arrive on her side of the world soonish. I blame part of my lateness on the piece itself: it hung up in my hallway for months begging to be finished but I just couldn't figure out what to do with it, despite it being mostly complete. In the end, I added little pink dots and cut the tree out of the paper, so that it was free from the confines of the paper edge. I hope she likes it: I remember her mentioning once about how much she loved trees.

I made this little tree out of random bits of paper I always have laying around. The trunk is made of amazing tin foil duct tape I found at Active Surplus, one of my favourite stores in Toronto for absurdity and practicality. Where else can one purchase yo-yos, dental equipment, hologram paper and mini light bulbs under one roof? Rarely do I leave there without a strange procurement that inevitably comes in handy in ways that I never imagine at at the time.

A brighter shot, mostly just to show off my nail colour.

Happy

2010-01-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

Sagmeister on happiness and taking strategic time off. Needless to say, this made me smile happily.

source weareplural

New Zealand Book Council: Going West

2010-01-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

I loved this incredibly haunting, well-thought, paper cut, stop/go short film. I hope you do, too.

source The Heart of Papercuts

I ♡ Ira Glass

2010-01-21T05:21:00.000-08:00

"I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I've ever met." —Ira Glass

I adore Ira's view on being a beginner and dealing with, well, sucking hard. ♡
source lunele

Watertable

2010-01-01T01:38:00.001-08:00

I experienced this piece tonight in a completely serendipitous way! (That's spiritual talk for unplanned.) It made the start of 2010 extra special for me. It's a permanent installation of LED lights beneath the Gardiner Expressway that illustrates what water levels looked like in Ontario many years ago. The flashing lights are accompanied by recordings of waves crashing on Lake Ontario's shore. It was a little piece of peace in the middle of condo zombie land. Magical, ambitious and clever: my favourite kind of art.

by Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak
photos via spacing

Resolve

2009-12-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

Usually, I look down my nose at New Year's resolvers who clog up the machines at the gym and crowd the yoga studio. This year, I find myself at an exciting crossroad and am using the uncanny timing to reflect on the year past and look forward to my desired achievements for 2010 and beyond. I've done the requisite list-making and day dreaming, of course, and the main goal for the new decade is to live a connection between my heart and mind. I decided to make something that symbolizes how I want the aforementioned achievements and actions to feel like.

I started by creating a foundation: coating an old board in black, shiny acrylic paint. It's rough around the edges, because I do love my grit.

I found myself with lots of leftover pink paper that I cut into squares and rectangles, then folded them into little cones. Paper is so resilient: the little guys stay shaped like that on their own! (Update: I did end up using double-sided photo mounting tape on half of them.) I imagined I was rolling dozens of massive pink joints: for those of you who know me, I hope that makes you giggle as much as it I did while doing it. I digress...The pink is my heart: fun, playful and intuitive.

I painted a few symbols with black acrylic on white paper and again folded them into cones that illustrate strength and balance. (Lately, I've been viewing lots of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.)

Then, I pasted all my paper cones on the board in a fluid way, drawing on the flow I'll continue to tap into. I'm not exactly sure what I've ended up with, but I do know that making this and having it around is going to help me stick to my resolve of uniting my mind and heart.

If you look closely, you'll see little squares of mirror rescued from a smashed disco ball I found in a dumpster (long story). These have been kicking around since the summer and I'm so excited that they finally found their place! I used them here because I think they represent the small doses of reflection that we all need to help make life a little more potent.

Happy twenty ten!

Subway Sign Marriage Proposal

2009-12-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

Makes my cold heart melt. If it must happen, this is a rad way for it to unfold...

Toronto artist Posterchild recently took a break from installing art in NYC phone booths to propose to his girlfriend. He popped the the question by appropriating a sign reserved for ad space above a Manhattan subway stop. Posterchild writes:

She thought she was just helping me out with another street art project; I kept this covered until after it was installed and after the unveiling I was expecting some kind of reaction- but it took a little while to convince her that this was a proposal for real, and not just some art project!

And she said yes! Congrats!

source of my puddle-heart condition: urban prankster

Ingenius ways to save printed magazines

2009-12-26T17:12:00.001-08:00

"There is no box."

2009-12-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

outside the box from joseph Pelling on Vimeo.

Escapes installed, check. Taken down, check.

2009-12-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

The short but sweet installation Escapes went really smoothly this weekend at City of Craft. It was an exhaustive joy to finish the piece and see people interact with it. The most satisfying part was talking with strangers about work and understanding that the concept makes sense to outsiders, too.

The most fun was seeing the lovely community in Toronto where art meets craft. There are insanely talented and supportive people who occupy this space and I'm happy to be a part of it in a small way. The entire experience has given me even more fuel to keep producing.

The fly by the seat of our pants strategy that Laurie and I employed throughout this process worked really well for us! I was really proud of the results and even happier with how we reached the end product without a major catastrophe throughout the collaboration. In fact, the experience has given me lots of confidence to keep on.

And, even though the idea of cutting out another fire escape silhouette makes my hands hurt, I'm fairly certain that my obsession with fire escapes has not nearly been satiated. We'll see how it all unfolds.

Here are some shots of the installation. Trying to explain how everything was situated makes my head throb, but hopefully this shows a bit of how it actually looked. I saw many people taking photos of it, so hopefully someone got at least one shot that pulls the components together.

I ♡ my projector

2009-12-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

Reasons why I love my overhead projector:
1. It makes a loud humming noise that reminds me of a plane flying high overhead.
2. It has an on/off switch the is really large and makes me feel like I'm using a kid's toy camera with all those extra large buttons for easy use.
3. It emits warmth (I'm always cold).
4. It feels really low tech.
5. It has a compartment where the cord lives when not in use (I hate power cords).
6. It projects with a rounded frame that reminds me of photos from the 1980s.
7. It only has one basic function: to project transparencies. There's something comforting about a piece of technology that is uni-functional.
8. It was free and delivered to my door by a loved one.

Here are some shots of my lovely projector doing it's job very well onto my pink paper.

Home and Away (and In Between) show

2009-11-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how excited I am about this particular happening! A small part of me thinks that during the opening someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and explain that they are very sorry but a terrible mistake has been made and I'll be escorted quietly from the premises. But, thankfully, most of me is just happy to be able to interact with other, wonderful artists.

There's something potent about deadlines, huh? Now to get to work to produce my piece for the show.

Image by Gillian Wilson

A thematic group exhibition brought to you by City of Craft

Opening Reception:

Friday, December 4^th. 7-10pm

Exhibition runs December 3-13, 2009.

City of Craft takes place December 12-13^th at The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen St. West

Location:

Cream Tangerine Café At the Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto

Artists:

Lizz Aston, Fiona Bailey, Amy Borkwood, Leah Buckareff, Marta Chudolinska, Heather Fagan, Meags Fitzgerald, Sara Guindon, Genevieve Jodoin, Serena McCarroll and Tyler Brett, Laurie McGregor, The Misanthrope Specialty Co., Jen Spinner, Gillian Wilson and more.

The Exhibition:

Craft processes and acts of making have a way of rooting people to their surroundings. People make or purchase craft items to enhance their domestic spaces and make themselves “at home.” Alternately, people take comfort in craft and art making when they find themselves in unfamiliar territory or when situated in transitional spaces such as on planes and buses and in waiting rooms. Home and Away (and In-Between) is an exhibition that strives to explore how the act of making enables us to relate to where we are.

Home and Away (and In-Between) is a thematic group exhibition of selected vendors, organizers and installation artists involved with this year’s City of Craft event. The exhibition also includes a few invited special guests artists. Home and Away will serve as a pre-fair party as well as a public preview of the wares in store at this year’s City of Craft. Please join us in celebrating our third awesome year!

About City of Craft:

City of Craft is a collective of craft-engaged locals who aim to build community in the Toronto craftscape, support independent craft businesses, and encourage the larger community to get involved with crafty happenings in the city. City of Craft is also a community-based craft culture event where community-arts groups, craft based initiatives/projects, studios, and other organizations are invited to do outreach to the public alongside a curated craft fair and craft-based installations. City of Craft is a place to buy, observe, experience, chat about, share and re-imagine all things handmade. This year’s City of Craft event takes place December 12-13^that the Theatre Centre. Don’t miss it!

My first interview!

2009-11-25T06:53:00.000-08:00

My friend Laurie and I were recently interviewed about our upcoming installation at City of Craft. You can read it here.

Laurie and I wrote our answers in two parts and I think they reflect our voices really well. It's strange to tell people about all of this, but I figure that no one else is going to do it for me.

A part of me wishes that we'd sat down with an old tape deck and pressed record for an hour, then handing in the transcript, though what a verbose product that would be! You know when you read those rambling interviews between artists who are also friends? I love them because I always feel a part of their multi-layered relationship. I read one between the musician Bjork, and a creative director of Interview Magazine, Mathias Augustyniak. They discuss collaborations between Bjork, creative directors Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak, and photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin to produce any and all imagery related to Bjork's musical career, including album covers. Check it out here.

Do you remember this album? When it was first released I was enthralled by the cover and the alien-like music.

Bjork, Homogenic, 1997

2009-11-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another...

Feeling the snap

2009-11-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

Up until this weekend, I was feeling a bit bogged down and was not really making an effort to be inspired. I constantly view websites that showcase the work of many, many talented artists that often motivate me to keep working. But, there's no substitute for the authentic snap I feel when I find something wicked in the flesh.

I treated myself to these promotional booklets for an offset printer from the 1960s because they reminded me why I keep doing what I do. Even though the designs are bit dated, there's something precious about how much thought and care when into a promotional item such as this. Compared to present day where one can digitally print any old thing for a nominal fee, these booklets are works of art unto themselves.

Oh, and I like the pretty paper.

Man is a designer.

He designs for the betterment of his lot in the universe. He may design well or ill, feebly or powerfully. What he makes of his life depends on his vitality, his reason, his good will, his sense of responsibility to the whole and his individual integrity, his imagination and his spirit of adventure. The good designer, whether in art or architecture, engineering or advertising, will not be satistfied with the old moulds. He will be alive to all the discoveries and inventions, all the drives and ideals, of the contemporary world. Using the materials and methods of today, he will serve the needs of the world today, and he will lead the way tomorrow.

Understanding the past, serving the present, he will strive to see the patterns he creates as part of a larger greater pattern, the desing for living, the greater democracy, the richer, fuller life toward which all intelligent, responsible men are striving.

Pink escapes

2009-11-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

I stumbled on fushcia craft paper on the weekend and completed my first large(r) scale cut out. I'm enamoured and also ready to roll up my sleeves and start cutting many more.

Received: one, much needed, kick in pants

2009-11-15T18:48:00.000-08:00

After cutting out countless mini paper cutouts of escapes, hemming and hawwing over colour and size and talking incessantly about what I want to do, I finally starting cutting the larger escapes for City of Craft. (Side note: I'm in love with overhead projectors. Who knew projecting imagery onto a wall would make me giddy?)

As per usual, I'm way more interested in the other space. Consequently, the negative shapes created by the fire escape silhoettes are being carefully saved. For what? I think I know, but I'll have to see. Planning too much is just...lame.

Things that are wild

2009-10-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

What I loved: the muted colour palette, lack of pandering any particular demographic, voice actors, Jim Henson muppets, decidedly un-CGI (looking) effects, Catherine Keener looking her age (looking great, I might add) and Jonze's interpretation of a fantastical, beloved children's tale.

My favourite part? When KW swallows the king: The child hero is faced with death and his female counterpart saves him by temporarily swallowing him whole. It's a tension-filled scene that symbolizes the sheer uncomfortableness of genuine growth. True growth is often smelly, annoying and yet, incredibly surprising and comforting, all of which is conveyed from the perspective of being inside the beast's belly.

Working away at escapes

2009-10-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Things are truckin' along with the installation. I'm trying to document most of the process, because well, you're talking about a girl who still has relics sitting in her closet from childhood. Digital pack ratting is the best kind there is because storage is never a real problem. Here's another image that I worked on this week that I hope to incorporate into the larger piece. I'll record bits and pieces of the process here, but I don't want to reveal too much! My favourite work gives the audience credit and care: hold my hand to the water but allow me to drink it in when I feel thirsty.

Paper paintings

2009-10-20T07:23:00.001-07:00

I'd love to one day see these in the flesh by the Brooklyn based artist, ELBOW-TOE because the insane details are lost online. These are not paintings, but collages. That's right: tiny pieces of paper glued together to create mind-boggling, traditional portraits. Most of his full figure subjects have strange finger configurations that remind me of cat n' cradle string games I played as a little girl.

source myloveforyou.typepad.com

DIY Chanel

2009-10-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

I love this post that outlines how to make your very own Chanel logo tee. As I was reading it, I kept pronouncing Chanel as "Channel" in my mind like in that oh-so-bad yet oh-so-good movie (can't be called a film, really) Showgirls when Elizabeth Berkley calls her Versace dress "Ver-sas".

Love.
source theshapesofthings

Make something great. Tell people about it. Do it again.

2009-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

Here's an excerpt from an article I just read about the evils of paying the internet to market for you. I should probably like tech talk much more than I do, but then I wouldn't be me. This talk makes me happy: I wish all tech articles could be so inspiring.

Make something great. Tell people about it. Do it again.
That’s it. Make something you believe in. Make it beautiful, confident, and real. Sweat every detail. If it’s not getting traffic, maybe it wasn’t good enough. Try again.

Then tell people about it. Start with your friends. Send them a personal note – not an automated blast from a spam cannon. Post it to your Twitter feed, email list, personal blog. (Don’t have those things? Start them.) Tell people who give a shit – not strangers. Tell them why it matters to you. Find the places where your community congregates online and participate. Connect with them like a person, not a corporation. Engage. Be real.

Then do it again. And again. You’ll build a reputation for doing good work, meaning what you say, and building trust.

It’ll take time. A lot of time. But it works. And it’s the only thing that does.

source Derek Powazek

Hurry less

2009-10-12T17:10:00.000-07:00

I adore this one because I'm remarkably slow in my natural state. Hurrying upsets me. Hurry-less should really be a word, like fearless.

source To Do: #263

The Making of Decoding the Undertow

2009-10-12T16:43:00.001-07:00

This documentary reminds me exactly how much plain, old-fashioned toil goes into making good work. The film shows strange and compelling performances that marries a style of dance called contact improv with skateboarding. The piece is performed by three dancers and three skateboarders and filmed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Choreographer and creator Sally Morgan, who is also in the film, makes me want to dye my hair red.

Decoding the Undertow-Documentary

Colin MacKenzie|MySpace Videos

"It's a brave film to make."

2009-10-11T08:22:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonze and Shane Smith talk about Where the Wild Things Are, my most anticipated Hollywood film release of the year! I usually could care less about big box movies, but this is a grand exception to the rule.

Who's with me on October 16?

source vbs.tv

think-make-think

2009-10-07T13:48:00.001-07:00

think-make-think (2009)
by Clifton Burt

COMBO by Daniel Szymanowski

2009-10-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

via Wooster Collective

The Walrus

2009-10-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

Why We Need The Walrus from The Walrus Magazine on Vimeo.

Funny, that.

2009-09-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

There's a question in The Vanity Fair Proust Questionnaire that asks Which words or phrases do you most overuse? It's by far my favourite question in the questionnaire. For me, it would have to be "It's funny..." which is my inarticulate way to express fascination with one of my strange observations or thoughts, of which there are many (fascinations as well as strange observations).

A friend once called me out on saying "It's funny..." so often because she found herself using it constantly and could not for the life of her figure out where she picked it up from. I just looked at her guiltily. But, I secretly gloated: I'm usually the one who spongily starts talking like my friends, so knowing that it works both ways made me happy.

It's funny, then, that after a few weeks away from blogging (which feels like eons in blog time) that it is this very space that connects me to an exciting opportunity. I'll be collaborating with a dear friend, Laurie McGregor to produce an installation at City of Craft! My obsession with fire escapes continues to pay off creatively; Laurie and I will be using the escapes to explore links between craft and urban space. It's going to be a lot of work and also very exciting. Did I say exciting? It's exciting.

Here are a few photos that will likely be incorporated in the installation. Did I mention that I'm excited?

Happiness

2009-09-14T18:40:00.001-07:00

This image is coming at me from a few angles and I had to share it. Simple enough; now live it.
source typecut.com

Now that you've learned how to speak, what will you say?

2009-09-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

I found the above quote somewhere in the broad, murky sea, just off the shore of Internet-land via a blog called togetlost. I don't know who wrote it, but it stuck with me.

An interview with Ze Frank on Imaginary Audiences got me thinking about the purpose of being here in this space. He speaks of the nativity of creating only for oneself without considering audience, which I'm not completely on board with, but find intriguing.

I like to tell myself that whatever I choose to post here is complete self indulgence: I'm just regurgitating things I love in a way that's (hopefully) not too diary-esque but revealing nonetheless. And, maybe sharing some of my humble interpretations of my experience. Yet, I get a thrill when people tell me they like what they see here, or one of you leaves a comment. And, truthfully, if I didn't want to share, I'd stay cocooned in my own world. Revisioning my purpose here, I see that it's morphed into a sort of breathing. Once, I heard a street artist characterize her ad jams as breathing out: we breathe in messages everyday, consequently, her art is a natural reaction. It's impossible to estimate, but sources say anywhere from 150-3000 ads per day are read in some shape or form by the average Northerner.

Breathing out sounds better than self-indulgence, yes? Yes.

Lisa Romero

2009-09-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Isn't it lovely? by Lisa Romero
source myloveforyouislikeastampedeofhorses

take picture dont steal

2009-09-10T20:18:00.001-07:00

Here's a wonderful conceptual photography project by Matt Greenwood, a local designer and artist. If you find one of his installations around Toronto, consider yourself lucky. I won't take away from the project by blathering on, except to say that I love the simplicity of the idea and execution, so please go visit the website to learn more!

Archetypes / Insomnia

2009-09-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm inscribing these found pieces of wood with a story from Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales using vinyl letters and lettraset. These stories from around the world feature atypical heroines starring in tales with not-so-happy endings. The fairy tales I grew up with were gruesome and gritty in their own rite before they were Disnified. Sleeping Beauty? The prince is romancing a corpse. Snow White? The princess is living with what is reputed to be slaves. Little Red Riding Hood? The woodsman murders the wolf. These tales are rich with clues of a complex subconscious struggling to come to the surface. Tapping into our collective subconscious using stories that have been passed down through generations utterly fascinates me.

Ingenious pinhole mouth photography

2009-09-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've been devouring the Art: 21 documentary series on DVD lately. Here's my latest crush.

Ann Hamilton
"Untitled"
2000
Pin-hole mouth photograph from the series "face to face"
Courtesy the Artist
Only “fair use,” for personal and/or educational purposes, of artwork is permitted: Art21 Copyright Notice

smrt

2009-09-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

source Joie de Vivre

Brian Dettmer: Book Autopsies

2009-09-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is incredible. I love the playful take on intended meaning that Brain Dettmer creates when he cuts away redundant paper to reveal multiple layers of beauty.
source Centripetal Notions

I will...

2009-09-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

via PaperTissue.

dreams aren't linear

2009-09-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Words of wisdom from The Sartorialist

Exquisite corpse

2009-08-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, in the middle of a heat wave, I had the distinct luxury of taking an entire week to work on collage with other artists who were interested in doing the same. As tends to happen, the results were nothing like what I expected; I thought I'd breeze in, learn a few techniques, finish an existing project or two, maybe finish a new one and in the end feel refreshed, renewed and leave everything in a neat and tidy, collaged pile.

Instead, I was introduced to insanely talented contemporary collage artists (famous, infamous and otherwise) who are making it. Really making it.

I was surprised by the comradery, generosity and support shown to me by my fellow classmates and instructor. I continued with current ideas that I think might take years to fully develop and explore. I recognized that yes, this is fun, but it's also work.

I was wowed by our collective talent and power to express. We completed a round of exquisite corpse collages. I played this as a child, all the time and once, as an adult at a dinner party. Invented by the surrealists, one makes a portion of a figure with the rest of the paper folded (hidden from view, save for the portion one is currently working on), then trades with the next person; the group keeps going like this until all corpses are complete.

When we hung all the corpses on the wall, I was overwhelmed with their simple beauty and amazed by how they seemed to be composed by the same person. This exercise demonstrates to me, proof of collective consciousness and the importance of play in artistic expression.

I've reproduced them all here as a photo collage, but please don't use this image for anything else because it really isn't mine. (Anyway, it's such low resolution that you couldn't do much with it if you tried.) The actual size of each piece is about two by four feet, so try to imagine their beauty, grotesque power and loveliness. Perhaps then you can understand why I got teary when I saw them all hanging together.

2009-08-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

"Most people are much more unusual and complicated and eccentric and playful and creative than they have time to express."
—Oliver Herring

digital c-print photographs, museum board, foam core, and polystyrene by Oliver Herring
translation: amazing, life-size sculptures pasted with collaged photographs of the figures.

Eleanor Roosevelt

2009-08-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

What good have you done today?

2009-08-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

I found this post and here's what Benjamin Franklin used to use to motivate himself to create each day. A simple schedule and a question posed in the morning: What good shall I do this day? And in the evening: What good have I done today?

It comforts me to know that even this wonderful genius tackled his tasks by placing one foot in front of the other.

source Maria Kalman NYtimes blog

work escape

2009-08-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Work is slow right now, which I'm doing my best to be thankful for. I'm trying to use my time wisely so, I decided to keep going with my fire escape paper cuttings. I'm toying with the idea of using the laser cutter at the workroom to cut multiples because each one done by hand takes about 30 minutes and strains my hands like a mofo. We'll see if it's worth the time/money. I think that if I resort to the laser cutter the cuttings will lose their preciousness, because isn't anything done by hand exponentially better? On the other hand, worlds will open up if I can automate the process. (Somewhat similar to printmaking.)

By now, people at work are used to me cooking up what they deem as strange projects. The questions tend to go like this:

Them: What are you doing?
Me: I'm cutting out fire escapes.
Them: Why?
Me: Just because. For me.
Them: Oh. It looks cool.

Though, the best comment by far was "everyone needs a fire escape." I agree!

death as change

2009-08-24T08:35:00.001-07:00

Here, I’m exploring death as symbolic of change. Death tends to be viewed negatively in Western culture; however, death can mean the end of a cycle and mark the beginning of new chapters. The haunting, beautiful image of Vivien Leigh reminds me that defining oneself with purely outward successes such as beauty and status is an empty, constructed definition. Much more productive, though often the more difficult path, is to take time to reflect and focus on how we react to change.

NB: I continue to be surprised at the darkness that I express. Despite the haughtiness of this post, don't fret: I still have lots of lighter, superficiality in me. I won't stop wearing bright pink lipstick anytime soon.

Best garage sale sign

2009-08-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

I was excited to find the best designed garage sale sign I've ever seen in real life today! I wish I'd had time to actually check the sale out because there's something thrilling about being able to legitimately nose through strangers' unwanted wares. Extra points to the rad residents of 486 Clinton for making the effort with this sign. I'll forever hold other garage sale signs up to their high standards.

Randal Ford

2009-08-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

A collection of curious street people signs by Randal Ford. Such a great idea!
via sharesomecandy.com

Andrew Bush

2009-08-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Part curation, part photography, part collage, all inspiring and wonderful. See more of Andrew Bush's work here. I found Andrew via Aprile Elcich's lovely blog.

Aprile Elcich

2009-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

I was thinking that I seem to be posting only male artists and would like to highlight female artists as well, but the idea of specifically seeking out great artists who are women seems wrong. I'd way rather be attracted to work that I love just because I love it than focus on gender.

Then, magically, Em alerted me about Karyn's interview with Aprile Elcich who works in collage and produces these wonderfully poetic pieces! Aprile is going to be at the workroom's Kids Trunk Show this weekend. I'm planning on swinging by, so I'll have to do my best not to drool too much on these lovely collages.

source youarewhatyoulove

New form

2009-08-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

What I love about collage is its ability to transform found objects in new and completely surprising ways. Last week, we found paper on the street to play around with. Here's what I did.

The worst trip ever

2009-08-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

No matter how lovely the hotel room, or how nice the new place is that I'm visiting, traveling is inevitably stressful. Almost every trip I've been on has its ups and downs. Ultimately, I remember the good parts years later and somehow, even the horrible parts become hilarious. Here, I recall every time I wanted to push my travel companion(s) under a bus for having to pee at inopportune times or tear up the map out of frustration of getting lost, again. (Somehow, I can read maps with ease but still manage to get lost even in my hometown. Let's just say I'm directionally challenged.)

Leandro Erlich

2009-08-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

Surreal installation by an Argentinian artist. Stunning: all I want to know is what those bricks are made of.

source leandroerlich.com

Lucky, lucky me

2009-08-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, I let myself take five whole days away from work so that I could play! Ah, it was so refreshing. I ended up making things that I didn't know I had in me and began all sorts of new ways of thinking about fire escapes.

A frottage of an escape I found recently, I got messy and added some chunky acrylic medium mixed with black acrylic.

Stencils of negative space from an escape drawing on delicate rice paper.

Cut paper escapes lying on top of the prints I did a while back.

I closed last week a bit weary from working on this stuff everyday, but more importantly, I'm inspired and rejuvenated.

Chris Dorosz

2009-08-17T14:12:00.001-07:00

Sculptures composed of acrylic paint drops. I love peeling dried acrylic off of palettes. Do you think Chris feels the same?

source chrisdorosz.com

Keep calm

2009-08-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Certainly we've all already seen this well-considered WWII slogan poster in numerous places and in various forms. I think it's intriguing that a phrase originally intended to illicit a feeling of order amongst the chaos and uncertainty of living in Britain during WWII has been appropriated in the 2000s in many different contexts. This further proves to me that appropriation is part of the creative process. I'm a bit of a stickler for giving credit where it's due, but thinking macro, dissemination is truly king.

source wikipedia

Snapped in front of Trimurti on Queen West.

source current Toronto Life cover

source black belt jones' flickr

heart sleeves

2009-08-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

Know Hope's strangely beautiful, lanky figures tell me of forlorn aliens searching for connection and meaning. I'd like to meet one on the street one day. See more here.

Love

2009-08-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've been somewhat obsessed with the idea of love (in all forms) lately. To avoid triggering your gag reflex, I'll save the corny rhetorical questions for my own musings. But, here's something I found which, well, I love.

source thingsweforget.blogspot.com

Mark Bradford

2009-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Please AGO, will you buy this for me? I'll take care of it, promise.

Mark Bradford / "Disappear Like a Dope Fiend"/ 2006
Mixed media collage on canvas / 47 3/8 x 61 1/8 inches

la roux oiseau

2009-08-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

All pillows, all the time.

Vintage love

2009-08-09T23:09:00.000-07:00

The vintage goddess was smiling on me this weekend. I don't think I can completely convey the high level of adorableness this jacket/dress combo emits. I can't wait to find a place to wear it once I source beautiful buttons for the bodice and shorten the hem just a tad. Before then, I'm excited to wear the jacket open, hanging off my shoulders with a simple white tank and jeans.

Pink escapes

2009-08-09T20:14:00.001-07:00

Exploring the idea of unused, secret spaces. But, pink! I had to paint it pink. I was in a bit of a hurry and couldn't document the process...Next time, promise.

Visible/invisible

2009-08-03T04:43:00.001-07:00

Another journal

2009-08-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

I finished another fabric covered journal from reclaimed materials. I still haven't perfected how to bind the pages together, but it's functional at least.

Crooks, est 1982

2009-08-03T03:58:00.001-07:00

Found in an Annex alley: interesting use of back parking lot space. I hope that this installation was created just because he/she felt like it.

Guerilla gardening

2009-08-02T21:18:00.001-07:00

I spotted this on Queen Street West this weekend. What a brilliant idea! I hope I see more and more of these around the city. Incidentally, this ivy is the only type of plant I can keep alive in my apartment.

In progress

2009-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

I've been screen printing my escape drawings on these Moleskins for the past two weeks and generally messing around.

Here's some more. I might end up cutting these up and using them for something else. I like the idea of overlapping these in between lines with other shapes/things and seeing what happens.

epic fail joy love

2009-07-28T19:06:00.001-07:00

C'est tout.

Marina City collage, check

2009-07-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

Finally finished! It took some time because
a) I've been filling my time with other projects;
b) The paper pieces are minuscule and the work was too physically tiring to do for more than an hour at a time;
c) I was resisting finishing.

Now that's it over, all I want to do is keep running my fingers over the teeny, crispy, glued pieces of paper.

Bank on Art

2009-07-25T07:06:00.001-07:00

Bank on Art is an upcoming project by Kelly McCray where art will appear before and after banking transactions on ATMs. There will also be an accompanying online directory to promote the artists' work. The first ATM will be in Edward Day Gallery in August 2009.

Neat concept: I like the merging of currency and art. I wonder if there's a way to siphon money to the artists whose work appears on screen?

source: mercerunionhall.blogspot.com

I love this project

2009-07-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

via To do

I could help but post this.

2009-07-23T18:18:00.001-07:00

via thedirtythirties.tumblr

Oh Ands

2009-07-22T22:00:00.001-07:00

I can always count on A. Warhol for pithy quotables.

via flickr Tracey Sawatsky

Pink ones

2009-07-22T20:22:00.001-07:00

My favourite colour as a kid was pink, but then I became a tomboy and thought pink below me. I gave my attention to blue. Well, now I'm back to the original choice. Full force. I want it painted pink.

I used magenta ink on my escape drawings tonight that was so vibrant, it stained my spatula.

Wicked marketing

2009-07-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Say what you will about Aritzia, but damn. They've got smarts.

Cooking escapes

2009-07-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

I figured out something to do with my fire escape fixation. Part of the appeal for me, is the space in-between and the interplay between that space and things like darkness and secrets.

I love these little in-between rectangles.

Things that are wild

2009-07-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

Normally I despise books from my childhood being made into Hollywood money-making machines. But, after swooning over this trailer in the theatre on Friday, I'm eating my words. Jonze has somehow managed to capture Sendak's grotesque, whimsical magic.

Regrets

2009-07-18T20:58:00.001-07:00

I have very few real regrets in my life. But, not buying this lone roller skate a few weeks ago is one of them. Whoever found it after me is one lucky bastard.

Alien trees

2009-07-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

A few people told me once that I should keep making trees because I seem to be good at it. So, I tried to make some new ones, screen printing-style. They're a bit strange and remind me of crawling aliens. What to do with them?

My favourite is the broken one, below. I made it when the paper kept slipping off the table and I think it works because it looks like the cute little trees are going into orbit.