For the Wanderers and Wonderers.

04Nov09

In process work for my Typography class.

I cannot take credit for the poetic genius that is the lemon curd excerpt, from a lengthy poem called, “Tomfoolery”. This poem was a collaborative work by a primary writers’ workshop of which I have the joy to be involved with every week. Fantastic stuff. Those kids are brilliant.

Filed under: Preliminaries, Rhythm of Production   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: design, graphics, Inspiration, making things, poetry, process, typography, work

Time to get sassy for SAS

29Oct09

Every summer my plans are a no go and I never accomplish what really needs to be done. The biggest strain is not prepping products to sell at the ECU Student Art Sale (SAS). So, it’s that special time of the season again! Three weeks to produce handcrafted objects to be purchased and loved. Let’s see if I can get that website up too. Oh ambition, don’t fail me now. As for a preview of products, I’m going to spice up my usual clock and shadow box collection with some magnets and cards (that baby card gave me hope that my card making skills aren’t completely awry).

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Tags: cards, clocks, craft, ECU, magnets, making things, shadow boxes, student art sale

Spookies

28Oct09

Filed under: Feeding me, Feeding you   |  2 Comments
Tags: bandaids, cookies, food, gore, halloween, making things

Welcome, Little Sprout

22Aug09

I’m a fan of bartering. A handmade card for expecting parents in exchange for cookies and a crochet lesson sounds pretty darn good to me.

Filed under: Rhythm of Production   |  1 Comment
Tags: craft, making things, sleepless

Late night crab attack.

21Aug09

I’ve just spent the last two or so hours trying to make an “underconstruction” page for my website on dreamweaver. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the program, and I think I’m sort of – not really- understanding bits of it. Uh, yeah. I carry very little confidence in my abilities at this point. And after all that struggle, it looks like my web host has decided to not connect. So, I’m crabby right now. Crab attack.

This is all part of the process, I’m quite aware. All I want to do is stomp around and break plates though. Grrrr. To redirect my frustrations, I’m reminding myself that everything has to begin somewhere. Right, little owl?

Filed under: Rhythm of Production   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: frustration, process

Summer owl says, hellooo.

20Aug09

Cornelia is the my smallest lantern with the fastest turn-around (completed in three days) to have participated in the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. I made her upon my return from London with the intention of making a small lantern. Huge emphasis on the scale because of last year’s wolf which was perhaps 4x the size of this gal.  I dedicated more time to the papering aspect, which paid off quite well. I was going for a Ukrainian feel, but according to some Folkfesters it looks Westcoast inspired and possibly Japanese. Hmm.

I attempted to bring her to the Illuminaries at Trout Lake only to be drowned out by rain and a magnadoodle of lightning. Cornelia had to be plastic sacked for fear of her paper feathers becoming soggy. However, the evening was a gorgeous orange spread across into grey punctuated with sudden squiggles of light and cracks of thunder. Nature at its most astonishing.

Filed under: Rhythm of Production   |  1 Comment
Tags: art, making things, weather induced awe

Tsk tsk, lazy artist.

20Aug09

I’m slapping my wrists for not having posted in over two months. This summer of productivity has lapsed into a season of lost days… a path oh too familiar. I’m trying to make amends with my mental capacities and commence forth. I’m going to blame my partial absence on my month long escapade to the UK and Ireland where I unplugged myself from my responsibilities and my attachment to my computer. The month departure welcomed new inspirations and discoveries that will hopefully elevate my work in due time. I wish I was among those quilted green fields at this very moment.

Once I gather my thoughts more cohesively, I’ll post more crafty makings. For now, here are some paper-cut creatures I developed for the windows at work. I feel like I should give them names.

Along with the paper-cutting, I also sewed the speech bubbles, each letter hand cut and carefully stitched in place. Hanging those fabric bubbles was ever so satisfying. The windows have been revamped several times after this initial creation.

Soon after,  more pupil-less animals joined our ambiguous canine and scarfed bunny. They’re arms in salute mode in order to yield fact sheets. I’m not really sure why these guys are naked as opposed to their predecessors, but they have accessories!

Filed under: Rhythm of Production   |  2 Comments
Tags: art, making things, work

Computering in the Great Outdoors… of my backyard

16May09

I wasted a good chunk of the morning loafing around the web (still in bed, under the covers) filling the Scott Pilgrim void in my heart with some behind-the-scenes filming of the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie (it’s always intriguing to see the creative processes for other art forms like film, very cool). It’s been overstated, but I will still say it anyway: Michael Cera is miscast for this role. I like the guy, but he’s no Scott Pilgrim. Kieran Culkin on the otherhand will make a kickass Wallace Wells. Oh, how I anticipate! <3

Today was pleasently spent sprawled in the backyard with summer heat looming close to toasty, and a coffee milkshake within reach. Taking my computer outside seemed like a bad idea seeing as it’s where things can crawl into the keyboard and unexpecting things can fall from the sky.

I did it anyway.

I tackled some sewing projects that have been haunting my mindscape for some time. So far, the overall look for a proposed messenger bag and a passport pouch (commissioned by my aunt and uncle’s travel agency) is complete with illustrative details and the fabric is ready for a pattern. Tonight, I shall have the patterns completed. I hope to have both pieces complete by midweek next week. I’m only reiterating this because I know that if I don’t set deadlines, I never get anything done. By plotting this down in blogverse, I feel more compelled to keep my word.

baggage to make & use

chosen pouch from a selection of three

And so my word is law. To me.

Filed under: Inspiration, Preliminaries   |  2 Comments
Tags: concept, contemplation, design, fabric, Inspiration, making things, personal acheivement, process, sewing, tracking deadlines

Culinary Adventures

15May09

In other news, I’ve been in this culinary mood whipping out new delicious things! Earlier this week, there was Chicken and Sweet Leek Pie feasting with a tasty impromptu scallop ceviche, and the Mother’s Day eating fest consisted of a Sausage and Spinach Cannelloni with a Caprese Salad and a Sunken Chocolate Cake. The cake was a panic dessert after my sister asked if I bought a cake for our mother. Luckily,  it’s fast (with only three ingredients), and super yummy straight from the oven with some ice cream!

The greatest acheivement was Eggs Benedict for post-Mother’s Day brunch. Marvel at my attempts of eggs benedict with a legit hollandaise:

After thinking about my knitting night friends talk about Carbonara (like two weeks ago), I think I’m going to make some for lunch.

Filed under: Off Track   |  3 Comments
Tags: food, personal acheivement

The Fate of Art after its Creation

15May09

As much as I enjoy creating art and the chaotic process which follows, there’s always a question of what happens next. Space becomes limited, and art pieces join the dusty destiny of projects before them. If not thrown away, they are piled somewhere out of sight. It’s the the tragic truth.

This statement rings particular honesty especially in my house where every family member has a stash of work in every corner of the house. My Sleepscapes project is inhabiting my still-to-be-redone room (I repainted my room last winter, and still have not slept in it since because I still need to sand the wooden floorboards after scraping off the gross carpet of my childhood; it is added on my list of summer task, one to be completed before I venture away for a month in mid-June). I’ve been pondering what to do with it everytime I pass my room, and I fear that I may have to toss it for lack of space.

However, I’ve received an email from a former high school teacher of mine, requesting artwork for the annual community show. Yes, my high school has an art gallery- the greatest benefit to having attended an arts mini school in my teenage years. Sleepscapes will be featured amongst other alumini, staff and local artists at the Lord Byng Community Show from May 21st to June 11th, the opening is May 28th (not that expect anyone to be there).

I was hoping to post up some pictures of my previous work in that gallery, but I can’t seem to find any pictures from my moss phase in high school. I created a moss environment inspired by a moss bed (aptly named, Nest without the Ikea) I created in my experience through the Buschlen Mowatt Teen Scholarship Program. Darn. I’ll have to check the other computer archives.

I don’t know the fate of my Sleepscapes after this showing. I’m hoping I can just store it in the studio garage until they become ghostly remains.

Filed under: Fate of Art   |  1 Comment
Tags: art, goals, making things, process, set backs, summer commitments