Wednesday, May 2, 2012

My French Dad

























These drawings come from memories and stories told to me in my youth. They were done quickly and with a great deal of enjoyment; simply pulled from my head and delivered with a brush to the page.  I hope, if you can, that you'll come to see all the images at Graven Feather Studio & Gallery. It's in Toronto, ON at 906 Queen west (northwest corner of Crawford). They will be up through the month of May, 2012.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Show MAY 3rd-30th at Graven Feather Gallery
























From the series Empty House at Graven Feather Gallery: 906 Queen St. W, Toronto ON, M6K 2V2

I'm having a show in May!
Come see the work at Graven Feather Studio, and if you can make it Thursday May 3rd (5-10pm), you'll hear some amazing stories by writers and performers on the theme of Home (7:30pm). The address is 906 Queen west, Toronto ON, M6K 2V2.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Adieu, Layton...

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.



-- Dylan Thomas

Friday, June 3, 2011

Graven Feather : a new studio and art space !

I'm delighted to announce that I have a beautiful new studio!!  Lucky lucky me! I can invite friends, family, and everyone I know to come and see my work, and the work of my two co-conspirators Pam Lobb and Jessica Bartram, in a gorgeous, bright, and beautiful new studio and gallery space!  Thanks to Artscape and all our supporters, we've just moved in and we're getting ready to rumble!  It's an absolutely amazing and energizing opportunity for us, and we're super excited to show it off. hee...

We're going to call the space and our collective The Graven Feather, and we invite you all to come check us out over the summer, as we'll be working and creatively scheming on how to take over Toronto with our art and ideas. You can look forward to workshops, artshows, artist talks, and cool and creative get-togethers of various kinds. Get ready!!!!!!!

I don't have many pictures yet, except of the table in our beautiful courtyard (thankyou Arianne), which we share with the residents of 900 Queen street, in Toronto. More info and images soon to come. Such an honour to have this space!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Sugarrama!

Hey! Here are some more recent drawings. (They also include elements of photo transfer). Some of these are up right now at this great little shop: Freedom Clothing Collective, on Bloor st. near Ossington. Check them out. There are beautiful clothes, jewlry, art and other amazing locally produced craft.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Cannonier: Kingston C-Battery

A new series of my drawings using ink, graphite and photo transfer are up at the Tranzac this week (292 Brunswick Ave below College). Go check them out!! :) My friend Jamie Veeneman also has work up; some beautiful pencil drawings filled with objects and animals and a whimsical airiness.

Also, if you go, go in the evening when they have great live music and drinks. It's a cool place with lot's of talented community members.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Susanna Moodie

Canadian literary character, real life woman, pioneer, writer and guiding voice to those women back home on Canadian frontier life. Her husband was a drifting dreamer with little ambition and even less physical ability to survive in the wilderness.  Suffered starvation and sickness alone with her children, learned to hunt for herself, learned to appreciate what her native neighbors taught her and brought her, and burnt letter after desperate angry letter to her husband when she had no one to talk to. To her sisters, to the women of England, and to her publisher she sent words of jolly stiff-upper-lip practicality, friendly tips on how to preserve wild strawberries, and documented the botanical wonders of the "new" world.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Omar Khadr is still (t)here...

Have you been reading the news lately? Omar Khadr is still in limbo. He's in court, finally, and if you don't know this crazy story, it's worth checking into.He may still be representing himself. I don't know where this is going to get him.

A Canadian citizen, he was arrested and sent to Guantanamo Bay Cuba, military prison, for something he did when he was 15 years old. Only 15!!! We don't put most Canadian kids (he is still Canadian) in prison at this age without a trial, but he was deported to the most contested prison in North America.  I believe he was 17 when sent to Guantanamo and has been begging for a just hearing ever since. He's been there almost 10 years, and one can only imagine what that does to you, to grow up in a place like that. If he wasn't a terrorist at 15, he certainly has reason to be anti-northamerican now. 

It's an extremely complex situation.

What does the government of Canada do with this citizen of theirs...?



























This guy may have been able to re-habilitate when he was younger, but after  years in this prison (which has been extremely contested by human rights groups around the globe) I wonder if he will ever be sane again.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Deerscapes...

Something I was working on with such pleasure today.... small deerscapes.  It was so satisfying to tear and glue these mini-dreams, little idle fantasies where deer go and play amidst the blue wormy woods.



 I made this blue-jean paper myself, under the watchful eye of my dear friend Habiba Smallen



(currently in Korea giving love and instruction to the young). These mini works of art will soon go up for sale at my favourite flower and gift shop, Coriander Girl. Coriander Girl is doing better than ever, and for those of you who haven't seen it yet, please do yourself a favor and go check out her dreamy little den of petals and colourful joys. Her blog is here (it's so fun to look at and read...go ahead! She's so great!) and the website is www.coriandergirl.com for any inquiries.  She is such a kind and happy person, everyone should go and say hello. (She is nice enough to sell my cards and artwork at her store, too!)  Thank you and love to all my little deers xx e.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Square Foot Show!

The Illustrious: General Wolfe
Mixed media on wood
12x12'' 












 Hey! Have a look at a drawing I just submitted to the Square Foot show at AWOL gallery today.  It's part of a series (yet to be completed) called The Illustrious. It's featuring famous Canadians with fabulous names. For example, here you have General Wolfe...and what is that hanging about his head? ha ha! Watch for more to come...I've been thinking of a few people who need drawing: Michael J FOX, Marilyn BELL, Bobby ORR, Douglas CARDINAL and so many more. If you think of anyone with a particularly drawable name, let me know. xx e

ps. See that wolf skull in the upper right corner. Apparently, General Wolf had a regiment named after him at death, the 17th Lancers. Their badge, which i found kind of cool, is a skull and crossbones. I've adapted it a bit for the drawing. :) e

Friday, July 30, 2010

Lithography Prints Winter 2010



The Biennal Miniature Print Exhibition : BIMPE


I just found out that I have been chosen to be one of the many artists of the Biennial Miniature Print Exhibition, a.k.a. BIMPE. I'm super happy about it, as I've just started doing Lithography in the last couple of years and feel honoured to be chosen along with a number of great printers. It's a traveling show, which is really cool, and it will be traveling through September, October and November to different galleries in Vancouver and Edmonton. These galleries are the Federation Gallery and Dundarave Printmakers Gallery in Vancouver, and SNAP gallery in Edmonton.

Some recent printing experiments with drawing and stamping have been chosen. I've done a few series of prints which I will then draw on with pencil, felt, stamps and watercolour. The images are from this past 6 months, working with my friend and instructor Pam Lobb, who has gorgeous work of her own, and an amazing website to check out (click on her name or go to www.pamlobb.com)


I hope if you're on the west coast that you'll get a chance to see the show. It should be an extremely interesting and varried collection of affortable prints. :) e

Friday, June 4, 2010

Northern Flowers








In preparation for a show at the Smithers Art Gallery this July, I've been doing some botanical drawings of northern wildflowers. Yay for wildflowers! These, as you may easily recognize, are the Northern Colombine, Dwarf Dogwood, and Heartleafed Arnica . More to come soon!



Saturday, May 1, 2010

Keep Going Mutha-fckr!!!


1.Red Goat Tree: watercolour, ink and graphite on paper.

This goat seems to be becoming a central figure in a series that has yet to really coalesce in real life, but which has been growing in my mind like a forest.The one I drew first now lives with my friends in Montreal. That's the one with the giant tree, and the goat is eating a huge map of Canada. I'm hoping the series will just keep going and going.

Right now the Young Goat Image below is up on the wall at Belly Cafe at 1574 Queen, for anyone who'd like to check it out. This one is full of Canadian figures...you can see David Suzuki there in the back, Margaret Atwood, and Louis Riel.



2.Young Goat Pool: watercolour, ink and graphite on paper.

It's funny how your feelings about a certain piece can really change over time. When i first started this latest drawing I kind of hated it. Even when it was mostly done, I was still really unhappy about the way it had turned out, and I had basically decided not to show it but re-do the entire thing a different way.

After a few months break, I went back to it to tweak a few things. Suddenly I find that I'm enjoying the piece more and more. I'd still like to do it again anyway (always a good exercise) but suddenly it's one my favourite drawings to show people. I'm so glad I worked through the problems to get to a point of resolution and satisfaction.

So that's my reminder to everyone today. Don't forget that you can keep going, and re-try and erase and do-again, until you are happy with a piece of work. It just takes a bit of time and effort, which everybody has. You don't have to give it up. Sometimes it really pays off to keep going.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Under The Guns
























Hey folks! Over the last month I've been working under a small degree of self-imposed pressure in order to make a bunch of new work for a show going up in Montreal. The show, for you Montrealers interested in visiting in person (!), is being held at a lovely little resto-bar called Bistro In Vivo, located a few blocks east of Pie IX on St. Catherine street. I've also been working with a new friend and amazing local artist Pam Lobb, to improve my printing skills and try out some new techniques on the press. Sometimes working ''under the gun'' can generate some unexpectedly successful results, and I feel like this month has done just that.




These images are examples of the prints that came out of the past month's hard work. They're done with a brand new (at least to me) type of Litho technique, with something magic called Prollo Paper. Amazing stuff!! These pieces are printed, painted, and drawn on. Each one is unique. Hope you like them as much as I have enjoyed making them.



I also have a few pieces up at Belly Cafe & Catering on Queen West, for those of you in Toronto. I used to work at Belly, and they have the most AMAZING coffee and treats on offer. The ladies who work there; Luciana, Paulina and the delightfully spicy owner Nicole Kruzick, are so great to visit with and will always treat you right . I owe them a big thank you for all the good times, and for putting my work up in that cheery little spot. Check it out, and get yourself some zucchini cake.


























Titles: Red Coyote & Bees; Bear, Gun & Snowberries; C-Battery II; Black Bear & Clover I; Bear, Gun & Light Clover. Mixed media drawings.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Animals & Nature: recent drawings


Wild animals hold a special power over us humans. We don't just acknowledge their existance on the fringes of our own constructed worlds. We, positively or negatively, are affected emotionally, psychologically, and perhaps spiritually by their wildness.





When we see them we may be afraid of them, but there is something fascinating and awe-inspiring about witnessing their living presence. We seek to aquire information regarding their lives. We delight in their movements, their habits and their remarkable physical bodies. We wonder what they think about. We speculate about why they do what they do. And we gaze and we watch. And we wonder.



I think that sometimes the world of nature, and the beings that belong to it, can exist as a kind of real-life magic for us. It is both sacred and natural. I hope we never lose that, and that our children will always scream with excitement when birds come and eat crackers from their mitts!