Emily Miles- Artist & Illustrator

2010-09-27T22:36:00.004-07:00

When it rains, it pours! In Vancouver, this is both figuratively and literally true, but I'm talking metaphorically. Fight/Flight opens this Thursday, then The Drift on Main happens this weekend, and as if that weren't enough excitement for one week I will have another exciting piece of news to announce!

I'll give you a hint...

2010-09-19T16:53:00.001-07:00

The wonderful potential of acrylic paint...

2010-09-16T15:55:00.004-07:00

Fight/Flight at Lüt Boutique!

Summer is fading and it's time to fall back in love with the cozy activities of autumn, like ART OPENINGS!

In participation with The Drift on Main, the chic Lüt Boutique is hosting an exhibition of my latest painting series! I've posted few of the bird paintings (here, here, here and here), but have been working on several others. Come see the series in person at the opening on Thursday, Sept. 30 from 6-9pm at Lüt Boutique .
(Photo by Peter Jensen)

The opening will be enhanced with a complimentary beverage and the mad skills of DJ Saucey, recently returned from Taiwan.

As I mentioned in my last post, I will also be at Lüt Boutique during The Drift on Main, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2nd and 3rd from 11am - 6pm. Please come by and say hello!

2010-09-14T10:09:00.004-07:00

The Drift on Main is an annual arts festival, now in it's sixth year, which showcases a variety of artists and art events along Main St here in Vancouver. It will take place Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd. It's a great community and family event. Come one, come all! I am thrilled to be participating this year. Check out this link to learn more about the almost 100 artists involved and see examples of their work. Details of my exhibition coming soon!

2010-09-07T18:18:00.001-07:00

I'm going to miss you summer...

xoxo

2010-08-26T23:34:00.005-07:00

Asterios Polyp

Such an amazing comic! It's beautiful to hold and read, and an expertly modern piece of literature where the style is the content and the content is the style. David Mazzucchelli uses opposite colours very effectively, and the prevalence of purple with yellow is beautiful and unexpected.

What I am enjoying most so far is how much can be imparted about something by the way that thing is drawn. For example, take a look at the variety of drawing styles used to describe the faculty members below:

And the simplicity of the following panel is all the more powerful because the way the two characters are drawn tells so much about who they are and how they are feeling.

It's exhilarating to read something this good!

2010-08-25T11:52:00.005-07:00

Acrylic ink + cat + carpet= temper tantrum

To start the morning, I thought I'd work on my sketchbook. I've been enjoying acrylic ink lately, so that was my medium of choice. Acrylic ink is permanent, water-resistant and quick-drying. It's a gorgeous, sunny morning and a whole family of house finches are fighting over the feeder. I can only enjoy this pleasant view from the table in the living room - the carpeted living room.

Turns out, it was also the perfect morning for being reminded why I chose the little room with both a door and laminate floor as my studio.

Ambrose is a very whiny cat. He whines even more when it's sunny outside. He whines even more still when Josh is away. And he really likes to sit on whatever you are doing that isn't taking him outside. I know all this.

So why, you might ask, did I tempt fate by bringing my lovely bottle of dark umber acrylic ink out to the living room table to work on my sketchbook? Because I was still half-asleep? Possibly. Because it was so nice there I didn't consider the consequences? Yes. Because Ambrose is a maniacal genius who can control my mind and make me do things I wouldn't normally do? Unfortunately, no. This one's on me, as much as all my yelling and swearing and stomping was directed at him. Perhaps scrubbing the spilled ink from the table, the carpet, my foot and Ambrose's paw could be considered therapeutic?

I'm sure I'm not the only one with stories of art-ing and crafting supplies falling into the hands/paws of children/pets. My Mom still tells the story of three-year-old me cutting her in-progress tailored French silk blouse to ribbons with pinking shears! How 'bout you, what kind of stories have you got?

2010-08-23T11:49:00.002-07:00

The Happiness Project

One of the best things about having time off is letting your morning start slow, with really good music. Charles Spearin's Happiness Project was the perfect thing for this morning. If you click on the link above, you can give it a listen. Mrs. Morris is awesome, but I have a soft spot for Vittoria. The video below offers some background and nice imagery.

2010-08-12T19:19:00.004-07:00

New painting, old camera

I've finished another bird painting, this one with a little hermit thrush. I had the luck to see one in the backyard a few months ago and posted a sketch and picture.

I am really enjoying playing with the textures and effects possible with acrylic paint, but do not enjoy trying to get a decent photo of them!

I have been using a cheap little digital point-and-shoot for my web pics, but recently upgraded to a nicer camera. I took these pics before I got the new camera, but I can hardly wait to figure it out and get some decent pics of my paintings.

2010-08-09T15:37:00.003-07:00

I came across something called The Sketchbook Project through a blog I follow. It sounded pretty neat: an international call for artists to participate by ordering a sketchbook, filling it with sketches based on one of the suggested themes, then returning it to be part of a touring exhibition and eventually catalogued at the Brooklyn Art Library. So, I ordered my book and I've started sketching. My theme is "in flight". It's intimidating to look at the wonderful sketchbooks of past years, then look at the blank pages in my book. At least, when I'm feeling cheeky, I'll be able to say I've shown in New York! Hee hee hee...

2010-08-08T00:38:00.004-07:00

It was a secret, so I forgot about it.

I was asked to make this painting by a friend as an anniversary gift for his wife. It was a big secret, so I couldn't post it when I made it, and then I forgot to post it altogether. Anywho, it's based on this little wooden clock from a while ago and playing with flat and perspective painting styles. Happy belated anniversary you two!

2010-08-02T23:12:00.002-07:00

This combines so many of my favourite things: low-tech animation, people watching/listening, and animals. Win, win, win!

The goat is the BEST!

2010-07-17T20:45:00.002-07:00

Summertime= empty studio.

My little studio room is in the darkest part of our little basement suite. No natural light. It's freezing in the winter, but it's even less appealing in the summer. Funny that I haven't posted more work *wink*. Really, all I need is a project I can get excited about. This is part of why I think I'm well-suited to illustration. I really like working once someone has given me a place †o start. When it's all on me, it's not as engaging. Suddenly other things seem more enjoyable, like reading outside does tonight, for example.

2010-07-12T20:55:00.003-07:00

Kickin' it at Kranky!

Four of my clocks are on vacation at Kranky Cafe, on 4th at Main, for the next month or so. Pop by to support a new local cafe/live music venue/mini-gallery, an artist proprietor, and your caffeine addiction! The cafe has a website coming soon and can be followed on facebook (where they keep you up-to-date on fresh baked goods and whatnot).

2010-07-03T19:45:00.002-07:00

Little sketches of random things...

I've also been enjoying India ink...

2010-06-29T21:52:00.002-07:00

Why didn't I think of this?!

Check out this (now complete) brilliant project/blog of artwork inspired by Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.

Terrible Yellow Eyes

I'm not sure I would have the guts to tackle something I see as perfect, but luckily there are many braver (and more talented) artists out there!

2010-06-24T21:48:00.003-07:00

Urban Skyglow 2: Dark-eyed Junco

Here is the third of my bird paintings, and the second related to urban skyglow. It's acrylic on a 30 x 30" canvas. This time, I wanted to use a blue-green palette, much like the cast of fluorescent lights, rather than the warmer tones of the previous canvas.

This little bird is a Dark-eyed Junco. We had many of these birds visit our garden quite frequently in the late winter/early spring on their route north. These perky little birds migrate at night and tend to fly quite low, and are therefore often victims of the host of problems associated with the lights of our cities.

2010-06-20T21:18:00.003-07:00

Simply Read

As part of the children's book workshop course I am taking, the publisher from Simply Read Books was invited to speak to our class. I have admired their books for quite a while. They are a local publishing house and have the most wonderful aesthetic. The books seem to be illustrated and designed to be as beautiful as possible, rather than to pander to a market or what parents and kids are perceived to enjoy. The books are simply as lovely as possible. They publish the charming board books by Paola Opal, including Saffy. Matthew Porter has illustrated a whole series of books, including the beautiful Flowers.

Can't imagine why I'd like that one so much (wink)! They have also published Julie Morstad's books.

One of their authors is Kari-Lynn Winters, a professor of mine from the UBC Education program, a former student of the same children's book workshop course, and an increasingly prolific author.

It is refreshing to see a publishing house put faith in a child's ability to enjoy something modern and well-designed, and to put faith in an adult's desire to read, gift, or keep a well-designed book for children.

2010-06-11T15:12:00.004-07:00

New... to me!

Michael Katz, the instructor of the children's book workshop course I'm taking and the publisher of Tradewind Books, mentioned illustrator Helen Oxenbury to me during class last night. This talented woman has been illustrating for years, and yet this is the first I've heard of her! Check out her charmingly English pencil and watercolour illustrations...

She makes drawing anything seem like the easiest thing in the world - like anyone could do it. That's when you know you've got a real master on your hands. There are so many English illustrators with a wonderfully accomplished line drawing style. Is it their art history, schools, scones and cream? I'll test the scones and cream theory first....

2010-06-03T23:08:00.002-07:00

Hondo and Fabian!

As with any discussion or study of children's books, often the most fun part is being introduced to new (or just new-to-me) books. Hondo and Fabian is a gem of a book illustrated by the very talented Peter McCarty. Check out his website - watercolour and pencil! Mad skills! SO jealous! More exclamation points!!

2010-05-28T11:47:00.003-07:00

Brilliant ideas with brilliant (white board!) animation.

You mean we have to work hard and spend time to get what we want, instead of willing it to ourselves from the comfort of our couch!?

2010-05-24T00:14:00.006-07:00

A little bird told me...

I've mentioned my growing interest in local birds, especially songbirds, and the variety of pressures that contribute to their decline. I've finished another bird painting, this one considering the phenomenon of urban sky glow and light pollution. In my research about birds, I came across some upsetting information and statistics about the effect communication towers and other lit features of the urban night sky have on night migratory birds. A report compiled by the American Bird Conservancy in June 2000 analyzed data relating to the number of birds killed by communication towers, tower lights, and surrounding wires and structures. The report showed that 230 different kinds of birds were killed by the towers and a conservative estimate of the number of birds killed each year is about 5 million. One little songbird, the Tennessee Warbler, has a declining population and is also the third most commonly killed bird at the towers. The understated little bird was also the subject of my latest bird painting.

It's hard to deny the beauty of city lights at night and this tiny little bird seems pretty insignificant compared to our urban centres and the communication of millions of humans. I wanted to emphasize that vulnerability. Much like the canary in the coal mine, I also wonder if these little birds might be trying to tell us that all these lights at night aren't so great for us either.

Hope this hasn't been to rant-y for you!

2010-05-14T18:10:00.002-07:00

Edu-ma-cation!

I had my first class of a continuing studies course I am taking at UBC through the Writing Centre. It's a Children's Book Workshop led by Michael Katz, head of Tradewind Books. Already I appreciate Mr. Katz's honesty about the gauntlet a writer or illustrator must run in order to be published.

Who are your favourite children's book authors and/or illustrators? Mine include Maurice Sendak and Shaun Tan.

2010-05-07T15:10:00.003-07:00

Extended metaphor time!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Vancouver is a bad boyfriend. For most of the year, he rains on your parade. He's cold and moody. You end up feeling trapped in the house and depressed. Just when you muster up the courage to leave, just when you start thinking about all the other exciting options out there, he turns up with flowers. He's hot and cold, but there are beautiful days (like this one) when you wonder why you'd be anywhere else. You start to wonder if it's been you all along. Maybe you should have made more of an effort. As soon as you try to make nice, you get dumped on.

2010-05-04T21:28:00.004-07:00

Jillian Tamaki has the life I want.

Canadian girl, now living in New York, and making a living as an illustrator and comics artist. She's incredibly talented and makes each illustration look as if it poured easily from her pen. I highly recommend the comic she drew, written by her cousin, called Skim. It's a wonderfully thoughtful portrait of a teenage girl in a suburb. Maybe she wants to trade lives for a bit? Underemployed substitute teacher and unknown artist with lesser talents - I should give her a call.

2010-05-02T18:47:00.003-07:00

Haven't had much to say of late - I've been getting quite a bit of teaching work and the weather's been classic Vancouver (lots of rain and wind with little bits of glorious sun to tease me). I can't post a painting I've finished because the weather's been too wet to get a decent picture of it.

I have been getting in the habit of doing a quick, usually terrible, sketch most mornings. Here are a few I'm not too embarrassed to show. I mostly sketch whatever random thing pops into my head or happens to be laying around, hence the cat, octopus, bird feeder, purse and sock on this page.

Ambrose usually only sits still when he's looking out the window. I have a lot of sketches of his back.

An adorable little hermit thrush visited our yard one day. The proportions in this drawing are way off, but the bird was so charming I wanted to try and draw him.

This is how they look:

Such appealing proportions and bright little faces!

2010-04-19T18:40:00.002-07:00

Bird feeder action!

The new bird feeder outside our window amuses me by attracting house sparrows and chickadees. Hopefully more varieties of bird will visit as the bird-word spreads. As a bonus, our cat slides all over Josh's piles of books and papers trying to get a better look at his would-be prey. This is sort of how he looks and sounds, so I get entertained once by the birds and again by the cat! Talk about getting your money's worth!

2010-04-15T17:28:00.005-07:00

Phew! All of a sudden, so much time has passed since my last post! I must admit, I was feeling pretty doom and gloom last week. Between the grim budget delivered by the Vancouver School Board and the inevitable low-points of making art, some poisonous post was probably best avoided anyhow.

Instead, I'm finally feeling game for sharing a new painting. I've been increasingly interested in local birds. I received a bird book last year and have really enjoyed putting a name to the birds I see and hear. Josh also brought home a bird feeder, so there's been some amusing activity right outside our window. While wandering around our local library branch, I picked up the book Grass, Sky, Song: Promise and Peril in the World of Grassland Birds, by Trevor Herriot. Although the birds he describes are specific to a different, and dwindling, landscape, his enthusiasm for each bird as a representative of the spirit of the land is contagious.

So, yeah, I'm interested in birds. Enough blah, blah, blah. Here's the painting...

It's 30 x 30" and I haven't titled it yet. I've been interested in the depth and texture achieved through acrylic mediums and glazes, so the background gave me a chance to explore some interesting techniques. As I learn more about local birds, it was inevitable that I would begin to learn more about how human activity threatens many species. Among other things, I was thinking about the increasing toxicity of a bird's environment. And so, the acid colours against the neutral and natural tones of the bird and it's home.

I always love to hear what people think...

2010-04-04T16:51:00.005-07:00

It's been a while since I posted any artwork, so here are some little sketches to show I haven't smothered my creative impulses completely!

The cottage in England...

The view of our dining room table/Joshy's office...

A Sunday breakfast in the 'hood with Joshy...

2010-03-30T16:40:00.002-07:00

On the subject of me...

I have decided that hot weather is better than cold weather. Here is a list of reasons why, for all you doubters and lovers of sweaters. And no, this is not art-related.

1. Hot weather clothes can be sexy and comfortable. Cold weather clothes can look sophisticated, but it's hard to feel sexy in several layers.

2. Drying clothes on a clothesline. Bonus: white sheets on a clothesline are just plain pretty.

3. No budget space heater rattling its way through the movie you're watching.

4. Quickly slipping on flip flops to go outside. Sluffing off the slippers, adding an extra set of socks, and strapping oneself into boots lacks elan.

5. Humidity = better skin and curly hair (for me, anyway).

6. Getting changed isn't an urgent race to stay warm.

7. Pasta salad, sushi, blender drinks, bbq...

8. The natural world seems like a hospitable place where people should spend time. Being warm, outside, at night is the best.

9. Free fun (bbqs, beach, walks, bike rides, car-free days...)!

10. Commuting by bike (when you're a weather-wuss like me).

11. Fresh air in the house without killing the plants. Yay! No more kitty litter smell!

12. Vitamin D the natural way!

I am sure there are a lot more reasons but, in the name of pseudo-brevity, I'll end it here. Feel free to add your own in the comments!

2010-03-28T11:28:00.001-07:00

So perfect!

2010-03-23T20:55:00.003-07:00

The fun of getting film back!

So British!

We heard Bach played on the giant organs at Westminster Abbey.

Brighton beach - clearly off season. I put my hand in the water, and that was enough. Brrrrr!

Another perfectly English scene at a graveyard in Surrey.

It's actually quite eerie at Stonehenge. It's quite astonishing how little we know of the culture that built this monument. I kept imagining how different the Salisbury plain would have looked.

2010-03-21T19:33:00.003-07:00

Opening at Forsya!

My show at Forsya officially opened on Friday and will be up until April 30th. Big love to those of you that were there, even just in spirit! I spent Friday worrying that I would be the kid with the birthday party no one attended. It's very reassuring that I can still persuade (read: guilt) my friends into turning up! The girls at Forsya did a wonderful job of hanging the show and I'm very much looking forward to the launch of their new clothing line on April 9.

2010-03-18T09:13:00.003-07:00

During my time in London, I had the good luck to visit the Courtauld Gallery. It's a pretty wee gallery by big city standards, but it's got all kinds of heavy hitters. A couple personal faves were Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

The perspective in this painting has been studied and debated. In person, it's strangeness makes it fascinating. The viewer is put somewhat in the place of the person the girl at the bar is serving, but the reflection shows a man in a suit and top hat. So the composition sends you around and around, seeking to resolve the image. Very effective.

I was also excited to see Van Gogh's Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear. An unexpectedly straightforward depiction of an infamous period in the man's life. The thing I found most interesting though was the background - a blank canvas and a Japanese print. I had never noticed these details in reproduction, yet it's easy to interpret them as symbols of his artistic frustration and interest.

Rather unexpectedly, the painting I spent the most time examining was an unfinished work of Degas' - Lady with a Parasol. It's easy to see the surprisingly black underpainting that, it turns out, was characteristic of his work. I've always found his paintings a bit fluffy and saccharine, so it was almost unbelievable to me that he started with black underpainting and was able to build up delicate colour and soft light to such a degree. I had never considered starting with such intense black, and it might be worth trying.

There is really nothing to compare with seeing paintings in person. I have based most of my opinions on reproductions, living in a terminal city as I do, but am invariably forced to reconsider those opinions when I see work in person. I saw so many students in the Courtauld and Victora & Albert Museum, sketching from paintings, sculptures and other objects. That's one of the opportunities I would love about living in an international cultural centre.

2010-03-16T11:32:00.003-07:00

Jolly ol' England

I've just returned from a week in England! I travelled with my Mom and my Aunt Bonnie. We had a wonderful time in our quaint rented cottage in Surrey, wandering Brighton, touring Stonehenge and running around London. I go old school and travel with a film camera, so I will post the pics once I've gotten them developed.

The trip was motivated by my desire to see the Royal Ballet perform Romeo & Juliet. It was well worth the trip! I studied ballet for ten years and my sister and I watched ballet videos over and over again. Even seeing the embroidered velvet curtains of Covent Garden gave me shivers. Juliet was danced by Roberta Marquez and she was wonderfully gamine, with perfectly delicate technique. So jealous. The balcony pas de deux got my Aunt and I all weepy. Even my Mom, who only managed to keep awake during our performances because her daughters were in the show and who could manage about 15 minutes of a ballet video, was engaged.

I'll be writing more about the trip soon. Sorry for geeking out on you!

2010-02-22T13:24:00.003-08:00

It's Spring time!

One last clock before my show in March (details soon!) and before I go on a trip to London with my Mom and Aunt/Eastcoast agent (I'll take lots of pictures!). I really enjoyed making the clock with the paper petals, so I wanted to work with folded paper again. Unfortunately, these glass front shadow boxes don't make for the best photographs.

On the other hand, the sunny weather makes for more satisfying photographs of other subjects - signs of spring! Yay! Woo hoo! Summer's on the way!!!

Snowdrops!

Plum buds!

Forsythia and blue sky!

*Please note: Vancouverites, this does not mean it's time to start wearing shorts and crocs. In fact, it's never time to wear crocs. Just thought someone should tell you.

2010-02-15T17:23:00.002-08:00

This video has all the ingredients of perfect entertainment:
1. It's Japanese
2. Animation
3. Cute little craft animals
4. Ukulele
5. Pianica
6. Catchy tune
7. Free

How awesome is that little video!

I am re-learning to play the ukulele these days (after acquiring some sweet skillz in Grade 5) and have rediscovered my appreciation for any degree of musical ability greater than my own. Of course, my cat currently plays the ukulele better than I do.

2010-02-10T17:31:00.004-08:00

I just got home from the Ravishing Beasts exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver. I've been meaning to go for ages and today was one of my last free days before Olympic "excitement" (read: chaos) "sweeps" (read: paralyzes) the city.

My main reason for wanting to visit the exhibition was to sketch the animals.

Hmmm... can I still call them 'animals' after all they've been through? Is there a more appropriate word? 'Specimens' sounds so unsympathetic. 'Corpses' is a little PETA for my taste. 'Stuffies' is too horribly cutesy. I'm going with animals, unless someone has a suggestion.

So, sketching. The exhibition was smaller than I had expected and unfortunately dimly lit. I'm not sure if the curator was attempting to create a Victorian atmosphere suiting the collecting frenzy of that era or if the animals simply look better in low light. It is always fascinating, in a rather macabre way, to see these preserved creatures up so close. There is a sense of scale and texture not possible with photos or video. I did sketch several of the animals but found it frustrating not to be able to get a better look at the tiny details of bowerbird feathers, hummingbird feet, and so on. I was especially interested in the birds, but (surprise surprise) found that their poor little bodies and feathers simply didn't look quite right. Worth the satisfaction of my curiosity and the reason to sketch, though.

2010-02-07T19:16:00.003-08:00

Hickory, dickory, dock... another little clock!

I wanted to keep things as simple as possible for this little clock. I really like the colour combination of warm grey with unfinished wood. Not unlike the general colour scheme of this afternoon, actually. All these little clocks, and an assortment of other random bits of varying size, colour and functionality, will be part of a show opening in March. Once all the final details are confirmed, you will be the first to know!

2010-01-27T19:41:00.003-08:00

It's just little...

Another teeny painting, just 8 x 6", to hang out with the little guy I finished last week. This one can be called Twig. Luckily, even in the brown mush that is a Vancouver winter, I can find little bits and twigs to paint from for a painting this size. As an aside, is anyone else in full indoor slug mode lately? Given my druthers, I think I'd spend most of this week in a blanket, on a couch, next to a heater. Hmmm, that veered off into a lesson on prepositions. Anywho, I'm trying to keep working and Josh is keeping me from subsisting entirely on chocolate and cheese.

2010-01-25T10:12:00.003-08:00

Look what I made!

I started learning how to knit last summer and have been making a variety of rectangular things ever since. Over the Christmas holidays, since I would have my very helpful Mom by my side, I decided to try and knit something round. A beret, to be specific. The lovely ladies at my local yarn store helped me track down this easy pattern. After much swearing and argh-ing at the double-pointed needles and my uncooperative hands, I have a grey beret! Pay no attention to the pointy face coming out the bottom and marvel at the slouchy beauty of a month's worth of busy hands.

Knitting contrasts nicely with painting. In knitting, the pattern is already there, it's just a matter of figuring it out and following it. If you do it correctly, it will look how you want it to. Sometimes it's nice not to have to follow someone else's instructions, and then I can paint and take the risk that I will have to sand down a terrible painting.

2010-01-21T15:54:00.003-08:00

It's just a little buddy...

I have a few tiny canvases that I have been covering with extra background paint from the big flower series paintings whenever I have been a little over-enthusiastic in making colours. Waste not, want not, right? So here's an itty-bitty canvas, only 8 x 6". Let's call it Leaf - little canvas, short title.

Speaking of another little buddy, I had some help in the studio this afternoon...

Although his lack of thumbs and shedding of fur makes him a lackluster assistant, his relaxation is my peace and quiet. Otherwise it's all ankle bites and sitting on whatever I'm working on.

Clearly unimpressed by the photo shoot.

2010-01-19T17:27:00.003-08:00

How does he do it?!

These two beautiful paintings are by the very talented Sam Weber. He's an artist and illustrator, who trained at the Alberta College of Art and Design. (Canada, holla!) Anywho, I have pored over these pixels, I know he uses watercolour and acrylic washes, but I cannot figure out how he gets the oily, veiny texture in the paintings above! Anybody out there know? I'd love to find out!

2010-01-15T09:33:00.003-08:00

Moomin!

I know I am very late to this party, but I'm a new Moomin fan. After a recent visit to the library, (the library is a wonderful place, you know. I am very glad indeed to live somewhere where comics, including the darkest of Ivan Brunetti's, are readily available) I brought a collection of Moomin comics home. I had always thought they were specifically for children and probably a bit saccharin-sweet. What a lovely surprise! They are charming and clever, while telling stories about things like romance, wandering eyes, and creative blocks. Another reminder that the best books speak to the adult and child in each of us, young or old.

2010-01-13T14:33:00.003-08:00

New Year, New Clock!

Yes, folks, it's another clock! This one's made from a whole bunch of folded paper petals. I think something about my obsessive-compulsive personality draws me to repetitive, careful tasks. It was fun to make something that involved almost no drawing or writing, since I have never considered myself a sculptor. Another bonus? This kind of diorama can't get dusty! *twitch twitch*

2010-01-01T19:02:00.006-08:00

Happy New Year one and all! We are officially out of the noughts!

Here's my last project of '09:

A dear old friend decided she wanted a flower series painting of her own, so here it is! It's 18 x 36" and titled Forsythia. I often enjoy a green colour range for this subject matter, but I find it a challenging colour to work with. Since my little basement nook of a studio has one small window that looks out onto the neighbour's foundation, the natural light leaves something to be desired. I've found I need to check each stage of the painting by taking the canvas outside during the day to make sure the colours look how I'd like them to. Makes me dream of a studio with storage and skylights. A dream for coming decades, perhaps?

2009-12-30T17:00:00.003-08:00

Just returned from a wonderful visit with my family in Kelowna, including my new little baby niece (who happens to have the most squeezable cheeks!). Christmas was lovely, and one of my favourite gifts is the best book ever. For real. Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life. It comes in big, expensive size and smaller, affordable size. I got the lil one and I'm in love.

His exuberant yet minimal design is glorious! Each creature is immediately identifiable but not overworked. The patterns of nature are apparent. So much inspiration here! Yee haw! (Oops, just back from Kelowna, it slipped out)

2009-12-16T13:01:00.002-08:00

The holidays are here again,
My cupboards full of baking
The weather's cold and chilly,
and there's art I should be making
There's a canvas I've painted, sanded, and painted again
Oh, how long this seems to be taking!

2009-12-08T17:00:00.002-08:00

It's that time again (hardy har har)!

Yup, it's another clock! This is a lil buddy on a cradled panel. I actually finished it a while ago, but the whirl of Festivus prep and parties have distracted me from blogging (not to mention the growing piles of cookies).

2009-11-30T14:27:00.002-08:00

YOU CAN HELP!

Gordo's planning to cut arts funding by about 90% over the next two years. Please visit the Alliance for the Arts page for ideas on how you can help stop this nonsense. It's easy to attach your information to a well-written form email to your MLA voicing your concern. Just click the "make your voice heard" link on the right of the page.

2009-11-28T17:50:00.003-08:00

Tick tock, another clock!

I meant to post a pic of this last weekend, when I finished it, but the weekend flew by and I spent this week recovering from the most challenging two days of teaching I have ever had. It's a humbling experience to be bested by a bunch of 6-year olds, lemme tell ya! Anywho, here's the latest clock, and there's another one on the way.

2009-11-15T15:22:00.004-08:00

Went to life drawing again this week. Of all the drawings, I am happiest with this one. I've been checking this great blog called Today's Inspiration and recently the author posted some information about an illustrator named Walter Wyles.

His use of colour is amazing! Such unexpected combinations - lavender and sunflower yellow, pink and red and blue, purple and orange! So, on a much smaller and less-accomplished scale, I wanted to get in on these good times. Sooo, the life drawing sketch is done with lavender, sky blue, fluorescent yellow, and pepto pink pencil crayons. Wheee!

2009-11-09T16:15:00.003-08:00

Tick tock!

Made a couple more clocks, one's a diorama-rama and the other's painted onto a wooden cradle frame. The diorama's 10x10" and the wooden one's 6x6". I'm planning to keep 'em coming. I've also got some exciting plans in the works for the spring, so I'm gonna be a busy lil bee!

2009-11-04T16:21:00.002-08:00

What a great night we had at Forsya! It's a fun little show. I fell in love with these amazing mini-dioramas built inside actual eggshells and decorated with beads. They are hard to describe, but awesome to see! Unfortunately, the artist doesn't seem to have a website, but Josh and I will soon have an egg in our "collection" so visitors can see the real deal. As I had hoped, I also had the chance to meet Ryan Heshka. He's a real-deal illustrator with an impressive, international list of clients. Turns out he's also a really nice guy. We chatted about his work, and he got some of his early covers with the Georgia Straight. It would be so fun to see my work on the cover of the Straight! Mental note - must approach the Straight.

2009-10-26T21:51:00.004-07:00

Sure, you've already got something to do for Halloween... but what are you going to do when the little trick-or-treaters have come and gone, but the party won't start 'til later? Why not join me and many more local artists and illustrators at Forsya Boutique and Gallery for the opening of "Creep", a group show of spooky, quirky works?! Participants include Ryan Heshka and Liane Varnam.

(If you visited the Interurban show in which I took part a while back, you will recognize the two lil' buddies I've got in this show)

2009-10-23T11:58:00.003-07:00

I am officially a teacher-on-call, but I am not getting called much. Rather than spending my days trying to figure out how to pay rent, I have been spending my days in the studio finishing this commission. It's for my old friend Tara and I'm really hoping she likes it. It's titled Linden, and it's 24 x 36". I tried to avoid overworking the piece and to make the most of the texture of the canvas, though I'm not sure that shows up much in the photos.

Josh bought us tickets to Thao Nguyen at the Biltmore tonight, and I'm excited to hear more of her music since I've based my enjoyment of her music on the one song we have. Yay for a little adventure!

2009-10-16T12:08:00.004-07:00

This blogger turned 30 a few days ago and got spoiled by lots o' loved ones. In particular, my darling Joshy got me a lovely present. I've mentioned James Jean before, since I feel moved and profoundly jealous whenever I see his work, and Josh got me Jean's Kindling collection of prints. Click the link to his site for a tour of the set, under the "Bound" heading.

All the images are beautiful, and this is one of my favourites...

This guy kills me... born the same year as me and he's already accomplished more than I dream of. Can't tell if that means I should dream bigger or give up!

2009-10-09T13:45:00.005-07:00

Looking for feedback on this one, so embrace the freedom of the interweb and leave a comment!

At an ECUAD show about a year ago, I purchased a handmade diorama clock. Unfortunately, I didn't write down who made it, gave it as a gift, and now can't acknowledge his/her great idea. Whoever you are - great idea!

Anywho... I often thought it would be fun to try and make one too. Now that I have all the paperwork, but none of the actual work, of teaching, the time seemed right to give the clock a try. I have also been really interested in local birds lately, so I started with tonnes of chickadees (which are all over the yard, all the time, going "bzee bzee bzee"):

I picked up the clock parts, had a frame left over from the two dioramas I made for the Interurban Gallery show way back when, and started measuring, planning, and overthinking. After much fussing and fun, here's the finished clock:

And the clock in it's natural habitat with a couple drawings by Harley Smart:

So what do you think? It ended up being quite fun to make and I'd like to make some more. There's so much potential with dioramas! Is this something you could see people buying if I made a bunch?
Leave a comment and let me know what you think...

2009-10-07T11:33:00.007-07:00

It's three weeks 'til something is a habit, right?

Second week of attending life drawing at Blim, and I enjoyed this week more than the last. The model was more relaxed and chose some very interesting poses, in part because he didn't seem worried about whether he looked good or not, just whether the poses would be interesting to draw. I also felt more relaxed and comfortable experimenting with approaches. The drawings are not a wild departure, but I decided to involve some coloured chalk pastels. I usually steer away from messy media, so it was fun to get dirty (insert double entendre here). The host plays great music for drawing as well. Take a look at the sketches, some are stronger than others, and (as always) click if you'd like to see a bigger version.

Did you notice the classy touch of having my shadow visible on the sketch. Very professional, no?

2009-10-01T09:15:00.003-07:00

I finally dragged my big ol' pad of newsprint and my lazy bee-hind to Blim for drop-in life drawing. It's been a very long time since I drew a naked stranger for a couple hours. I forgot how intense and exhausting it is! We did 10 1-minute poses, 10 2-minute poses, 4 5-minute poses, 2 10-minutes, and 1 20-minute. The fast poses at the beginning feel like an exercise warm-up, with hand and arm swinging over the paper as fast as they can, to capture the basic gesture before the time runs out. I find it a very challenging and freeing exercise, since I tend to make such small, controlled drawings. I'm hoping to make a habit of attending.

2009-09-28T14:42:00.002-07:00

I'm learning to knit and I'm hooked (hardy har har). The garter stitch is sorted and I'm refining my purling ability. I knit a couple wee baby hats a while ago, and now that autumn is officially here, I have knit my first neck cowl. My busy hands will be helping to pare down my Christmas list. Oh how I do enjoy handmade and inexpensive gift-giving!

2009-09-24T12:46:00.002-07:00

I've finally finished a commission for which Robyn has been patiently waiting. She commissioned a buttercup like this one last year and decided it looked lonely on her wall, so it needed a buddy. Here's the buddy! It's also called Buttercup, since it's now part of a diptych. Here's how they look together (except the colours look all wacky because one pic was taken inside last year and the other outside yesterday. I swear they are actually the same colours)...

2009-09-21T11:35:00.004-07:00

I've had a pixie haircut for a couple years and dreaded the thought of growing it out. Well, I'm giving it a go. The reason I dread growing it out is the same every time. Because right now I look unfortunately similar to this guy:

2009-09-16T13:49:00.003-07:00

About a year ago, I received an email from a local artist I had never met. She predicated the email with her concern that I would see her as some wingnut. The email explained that she had stumbled on my website and been moved by my flower series paintings, to the point that she imagined a children's book and line of merchandise. While I can understand her trepidation about sending such an email, I was touched that someone had gone out on a limb to encourage me. Without knowing me, she mentioned children's books (a significant personal goal) and Maurice Sendak (one of my favourite artists). I replied with thanks and hoped that her vision would someday be fulfilled.

Last week, as I was reading through my old emails as part of the daunting and long-overdue process of getting my life and home back together, I re-read her email. Only minutes later, I received her invite to attend the opening of her latest show. At the opening, I introduced myself and Liane was warm and supportive. I look forward to seeing her again soon! It's always refreshing to be around practising artists that are making, instead of talking about, art.

Her work is very interesting and she examines some complex ideas around Canada, First Nations symbols, being a white woman, and the Red Riding Hood story. Her name is Liane Varnam. Her exhibition is on in North Vancouver at the Seymour Art Gallery now until October 4th. The work looks surprisingly painterly online and in person, but is done with ink and pastel on paper.

2009-09-16T13:46:00.005-07:00

I've been working through a book called The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron. It was a gift from a talented friend of Josh's. The idea is that it will rekindle my creativity after a year of smothering it with school. Part of the program is to do something each week to fill the well of creativity. So, recently I went to the VAG to see the current exhibit of Andreas Gursky's work.

Wow. It's only on until the 20th, but I recommend checking it out. I was really struck by the idea that any part of the world (people, roads, trees, islands, rocks, factories) forms a sort of pattern. We amuse ourselves, but, from a distance, people out for a day at the beach don't look much different than rocks on the beach. Gursky's distant random compositions are very thought provoking. The element of pattern interests me in particular, which I especially noticed looking at some of the photos I took during the August road/camping trip Joshy and I took to Big Sur.

Lots of well-filling to be had! Yippee for hol-ee-days and gal-ur-ees!

2009-09-10T18:11:00.004-07:00

When looking at artwork, I spend a fair amount of wondering how the work was made. The Vancouver Art Gallery currently has a show of Dutch Masters, and the photo realistic still lives featured blow my mind. Take, for example, the still lives by Jan Davidszoon de Heem.

I study paintings like this as closely as possible, but simply cannot figure out how they are possible. Whether this type of photorealism has a place in modern painting is another topic. But these paintings are so accurate!

I found a fascinating book at the library by David Hockney, called Secret Knowledge (for an article regarding this book, click here). In his book, Hockney explores some very persuasive evidence that many of the Old Masters, including some of the Dutch, may have used camera lucida or camera obscura to plot the key areas, tones and/or shapes of the objects or people to be painted. I agree with Hockney that, if these artists did use these tools, the artwork produced is in no way diminished. A human hand still needed to draw, compose, collage, and mix and apply paint. The artists seem more human to me and I can comprehend how such work was possible. Although I do not have the skill to reproduce their work, even with a mirror or lens, I don't feel so paralysed by their talent.

2009-09-07T18:41:00.003-07:00

I am officially a certified teacher! Won't be teaching my own class of students for quite some time. I'll be a teacher-on-call, and that's quite alright with me. Now I can get back to making some artwork, finishing off some commissions, and cultivating some recently planted creative seeds.

Spent a couple weeks driving down the coast to Big Sur, CA with Joshy. Lots of beautiful things to get me thinkin'. Here are some of my sketches from the trip...

The blog is back!

2009-07-06T23:15:00.003-07:00

Yes, it's been another long stretch between postings! I've finished my long practicum and had a wonderful time. My mentor teacher was supportive, adept and caring. My students were the best teachers of all. Now I'm back at UBC, dragging my feet through my very last semester of courses. Before my courses got too hectic, I finally managed to finish a commission I've been chipping away at for a while. It's a triptych, each canvas is 8x8", and it's called Dogwood.

Josh and I are planning a road trip in August, once school's done, and I'm looking forward to letting some new creative seeds germinate.

2009-03-21T00:03:00.005-07:00

My oh my... a whole school semester since the last post. Buzz buzz, I'm a busy bee. I start practicum on Monday, and I can hardly wait to spend my work day with Gr. 2 kids again.

One of the most rewarding things of this past semester has been working on an A/r/tography project. A/r/tography is arts-based, qualitative research. A = artist/r = researcher/t = teacher. I am learning that a teacher is all of these things. I drew on my experience with a particular student I taught at an English-immersion preschool in Taiwan. Her story and her drawing were my inspiration. This is her drawing...

How wonderful is that?!
I decided to illustrate and make a book to tell her story, but it's not a conventional binding. The planning process was very complex...

Here's a Quicktime slideshow of the book (as always, the images are protected by my copyright; the music is credited to The Album Leaf). The research and teaching components of this project are ongoing, and I'd love to hear what you think.

2009-01-03T17:07:00.004-08:00

Apparently y'all are rockin the positive thoughts! I posted the last post, watched some inspirational art:21 and marched myself into the studio. Now the painting is finished! Here's hoping the commissioner likes it. Wow, "commissioner" makes it sound like I am a renegade NYC cop. That's right: Serpico, artist and illustrator. Anywho... here's the painting. 9 x 9" watercolour called New Growth, featuring three grandchildren.

2009-01-03T12:05:00.002-08:00

Well, this is the last weekend of holidays for me before the 7 month-long push until the end of my B.Ed. I am looking forward to seeing my Grade 2 class and program classmates again, but always feel like holidays give me a little taste of the way I should be living every day. I finally have some ideas and inspiration for new projects, some new materials I'd like to try and the time to read about other artists, illustrators and people generally more talented than me. I am hoping to finish up a little commission this weekend, but am at the most frustrating point in the project. There is almost always a point where things seem to be going terribly wrong and I should just start over. This is usually the point where I don't want to keep working, thereby prolonging the "magic" of frustration. The piece I'm working on is a watercolour. Every time I work with watercolour I am reminded of how strange it is that, as mediums go, it is traditionally ranked pretty low on the totem pole of high art while being one of the least forgiving painting mediums available. Think positive thoughts for me people!

2008-12-24T15:12:00.006-08:00

We spent an early Christmas with my family in Kelowna. A white Christmas is not unusual, but an average temperature of -20 degrees Celsius is uncommon. The snow was so fluffy and delicate. Then home to Vancouver and the blizzard continues! Snow rarely sticks in Vancouver, but our car is buried and snow has piled up under the windows of our basement suite. The snow here is heavy and sticky. The radio has been full of warnings, transportation issues and airport horror stories. Luckily I don't have to be anywhere today, so it's time to start reading the books and watching the dvds we received!

First, some photos I took in Kelowna...

This reminds me of a moonscape. Trippy, man...

And some pictures from this morning in Vancouver...

2008-12-10T10:27:00.003-08:00

After a very busy semester and a wonderful but exhausting practicum week, I am free until January. Ahhh, the holidays are upon me. Hallelujah! 9 hours of sleep a night and a belly full of cookies...and some sketching, planning and gifting. A couple sketches below where I am enjoying brush and ink. My ridiculous cat posed for the bottom blurry sketches and is now doing laps around the living room. He doesn't seem able to see the pouring rain through the windows and is desperate for me to take him outside, so he can puff up all his fur and walk backwards into the house.

2008-11-24T21:33:00.002-08:00

School continues, busy as ever, but some of my projects have been arts-based. We created visual journals for Art Education class and were given complete freedom, so I thought I'd post some of the pages from my journal for y'all to peruse.

2008-11-11T23:02:00.004-08:00

It's been a very long time indeed since I posted. School has been busier than I expected, though I am also enjoying it more than I thought I would. I have slowly been working away on a commissioned painting in the midst of group projects, papers, and presentations. My friend and former coworker has been very patient, so I hope she feels this painting was worth the wait! It's called Poppies and the 2 canvases measure 16 x 16" each.

One of my courses is an Art Education course, so I have been doing some small sketches and bits as part of a visual journal. When I come up for air, I will post some pics.

2008-09-30T20:46:00.002-07:00

It's been a long time comin', this post, but I have news. A couple unusual pieces of mine will be included in a group show at the Interurban Gallery (map) in Vancouver. The flyer is above and the opening is Friday, October 24 from 8 - 10pm. Hope to see you there!

2008-09-09T10:58:00.002-07:00

I am a full-time student in an elementary teacher B.Ed until next August. I will continue making artwork and posting as much as possible during my studies, but posting will be probably be less frequent. Doesn't mean you can't pop by once in a while!

2008-08-27T18:02:00.003-07:00

This latest piece in the flower series will be included in a silent art auction as part of the Passions benefit for the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. It's called Tumble and measures 12 x 16". As always, comments warm the chattering void of cyberspace!

2008-08-22T15:19:00.001-07:00

Starting work on another painting, this time for a charity auction. Sleeping in like this is the last leg of a holiday, 'cause it is. Looking forward to rousing evening tournament of Cranium. Good times.

2008-08-12T14:37:00.002-07:00

A group show opening in early October at Interurban Gallery in Vancouver will hopefully include these two little pieces. They are each 9 x 9" dioramas made using watercolour, ink, pencil & collage elements. It was a lot of fun to work on something different. The photos are definitely not the best, so come check out the show (details to follow in the fall) or check back here for better photos once the show goes up.

2008-07-29T23:39:00.001-07:00

I just finished another commissioned piece in the flower series. This lil purple one is Honeysuckle and measures 12 x 12".

2008-07-19T17:36:00.003-07:00

I got publicity without being a troubled starlet! Thanks to Jeff Van Geest, the chef at Aurora Bistro, City Food Magazine profiled me and my painting Nodding Onion in their Food & Art issue! You can click on the pics below for the large version and the actual magazine is available at Choices and Capers grocery stores around Vancouver.

2008-07-16T22:41:00.003-07:00

I have returned from a lovely, albeit short, visit with my family in hot south central BC. That's right, I'm from south central. Anywho, here's the second of two watercolours my former coworker/current patron commissioned. This one's for her own little baby who will be here soon if he isn't already. This piece is titled Sunflower and measures 6.75" square.

2008-07-09T23:40:00.001-07:00

Visiting family for a few days, back and posting next week.

2008-07-04T12:45:00.003-07:00

A former coworker of mine has commissioned a number of pieces for new babies in her family, and this is the latest. Such a loyal patron! It's a little piece, 6.75 x 6.75", done in ink and watercolour. I think I'll call it King of the Castle...

2008-06-29T17:32:00.002-07:00

I have been asked to make a couple pieces for an art show that will be touring Cantaloop frozen yogurt locations in California! Here's the pieces I am sending. Let's hope the Yankees like 'em and that the postal service treats 'em gentle.

They are both 8.5 x 11" and done with ink and pencil crayon. It was fun to work with ink again, it had been a while.

2008-06-24T18:14:00.002-07:00

I hoped to post some pics of a couple drawings I recently completed (not cell diagrams, I promise!), but my old version of photoshop doesn't like my new operating system. I will hopefully be sorting this out and posting new work soon! Until then, feel free to check out my website, with some recent updates thanks to Bruiser Design.

2008-06-21T23:50:00.004-07:00

I'm back! I have been taking a biology course as part of the application requirements for a teaching program. Here's what I've been drawing. I'm not joking, but I wish I was.

Yes, it's a diagram of the cell. Thrilling, but I will be posting something self-motivated very soon!

2008-06-09T19:07:00.002-07:00

This blog will be on hiatus until June 21st, when I will hopefully have cleared a bunch of stuff off my plate and be able to draw, paint and blog again. Thanks for your patience!

2008-05-29T10:26:00.004-07:00

I like you... James Jean

I almost feel like I shouldn't put James Jean's work on this blog because he's just so damn talented. There's no way I can follow an act like his. Check out his website, because nothing I can say does justice to his skills.

2008-05-25T00:57:00.002-07:00

Here's the latest! It's called Buttercup and measures 12 x 12". I hope the lovely lady that commissioned it likes the piece.

2008-05-22T22:20:00.005-07:00

I like you... Tekkonkinkreet

Just saw this anime, based on the manga by the same name. Although there was one sequence at the end that lasted waaaaayyy too long, this movie was exhilarating to watch. The backgrounds are intensely detailed while the figures are very simple and angular. The background artists really captured the chaotic skyline of so many Asian cities. The two main characters are twisted street urchins with some heartbreaking lines. I've seen bits and pieces of the original manga and am hoping to track down a copy I can really examine. Exciting stuff...

2008-05-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hopefully just another day or two until I have my latest painting finished and posted...

2008-05-15T23:42:00.002-07:00

I spent this evening listening to Art Spiegelman talk about comics, art, graphic novels and visual culture. It was exhilarating. He has such an amazing wealth of knowledge about the history of comics and a huge variety of artists as well as a keen ability to analyze and relish the structure of a compelling page. It's one of those nights where I feel like I learnt a great deal, the largest lesson of which is that I know very little.

2008-05-08T21:33:00.004-07:00

Note: The Illustrating Democracy feature will become a monthly feature rather than a weekly one since I haven't received any suggestions for the past couple and my schedule is getting kee-razy.

Each week a new feature called "I like you..." will feature an artist, illustrator; anyone that inspires me. Check out the links to see work by people much more talented than I am.

I like you... Craig Thompson

Seriously, could this guy be a more charming comics artist and talented draftsman? His line quality is so intense, natural and rich. I recommend all his books, but Goodbye Chunky Rice is my favourite. I have posted a couple panels below to give you a taste, but you can visit his website for more.

2008-05-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

Illustrating Democracy!

After a little break, I am hoping you are full of ideas. It's time again to submit a comment and see it illustrated by yours truly. First one wins!

2008-04-24T22:36:00.004-07:00

I like you... Maurice Sendak

This is certainly a very strange piece of animation, but I have always loved it. Maurice Sendak draws children, and especially children's feet, better than anyone.

2008-04-22T15:47:00.002-07:00

As if artists don't have a hard enough job...

My heart truly goes out to Luc Latulippe and the other artists and interviewers whose work has been stolen and is now being sold as part of a $100 book published under a phony ISBN number out of Hong Kong. Please visit Luc's blog or Darren's blog to learn more about how you can spread the word about this completely plagiarized book of artwork and interviews and hopefully provide the artists with a little satisfaction, if nothing else.

2008-04-20T21:10:00.003-07:00

Here's my first completed commission in the flower series since my show. This pair of canvases measures 12 x 12" each. I really hope the couple that commissioned me likes them!

2008-04-17T20:32:00.001-07:00

Illustrating Democracy!

Be the first to submit a comment and see it illustrated within the week. It's like Russian Roulette, but without the splatter!