New Art: Miranda

My friends are prettier than your friends. Just sayin'.

New art: Kate

I haven't been very creative lately. Between working a lot and other recent events, I just haven't had the time or the inclination.

Then I saw a photo of my friend Kate that inspired me to make a portrait of her. It was fun, and now I'm raring to go on more creative projects.

The Haiti Poster Project

We all remember the devastation that the earthquake in Haiti caused only a few months ago. We all remember the outpouring of support, financial and otherwise. I think it made those of us who are lucky enough to live in safe, wealthy, first-world countries good to give something back to those in need in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It made us feel connected, made the world a little smaller. Maybe some of us even learned about the amazing culture of the people of Haiti, unique and varied as the country's long history.

Unfortunately, the need in Haiti did not disappear with the news coverage. There are still thousands of people left homeless, thousands of children orphaned, and a crumbling infrastructure in desperate need of overhaul. Kirk and I sponsor a little girl in Haiti. Her name is Marguerite, she's nine years old, and her favourite subject in school is art. I'd hate to think of her struggling for food, water and shelter because the people who are able to help have forgotten.

There is an easy way that you can help: The Haiti Poster Project. Hundreds of beautiful limited edition posters have been donated by artists and designers from all over the world, and are available for purchase online. The proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières to support their work in Haiti.

Here are some of my favourites. I wish I could afford to buy all of them!

 

Untitled by Miki Iwasaki - $25

 

A New Beginning by A. Kwasi - $25

Hands of Hope by Kathy McGraw - $50

L’union fait la force by Cassie Cormier - $25

i. am. haiti. by Michael Thompson - $500

We Awake from Yesterday by Shawn Stucky - $25

The Rumi Racer

At Save the Brains this year I've decided to hold a silent art auction. My contribution will be a painting of a 1954 Rumi Racer. Kirk and I got an encyclopedia of classic motorcycles at London Drugs (of all places!) a few weeks ago, and the Rumi motorcycles really stood out to me. The racer is unusual in that the motor is actually part of the frame. Here's the progression of my sketches for the painting, which will be acrylic on a 16" x 20" canvas.

 

sketch 1: rough ideas

sketch 2: placement and some details

sketch 3: ready for transfer to canvas

I'm still looking for donations of art for the silent auction. All of the proceeds from Save the Brains events go directly to the BC Cancer Foundation for brain cancer research in memory of Kevin Rushton. If you're interested in donating to Save the Brains, whether art or funds, please contact me.

My Favourite Blogs, Pt. 3: Wonderful, Inspiring and Weird

You may have noticed, perhaps, that I am a bit of a blog-fiend. One of my favourite things to do every morning is to open up my blog reader and see what's new. I might find an inspiring piece of art or design waiting for me, discover a new vegan recipe, or hear a great story from a friend. Maybe there's a craft fair or fun event happening in Vancouver next weekend. Whatever it is, I want to know!

To finish out My Favourite Blogs series, here's an alphabetical list of some more standout blogs that I follow regularly that didn't make it into the previous two posts. Thanks to all you fabulous bloggers out there who inspire me on a daily basis.

3627 Design Tricks

It's nice to be reminded of ways to shake up your work. This blog is full of great ideas and inspirational design.

art = love = life

Melissa Sue Stanley has so much talent! I'm always thrilled to see one of her new monsters or sketches.

Caustic Cover Critic

A nearly daily dose of one man's incredible book collection. It's hard not to get excited over all those fabulous retro paperback covers!

Domestic Affair

Vegan recipes, product reviews and all-around goodness from cookbook author Jae Steele.

ftw//tcb

Matt Brotka is really bad at updating his blog, but really good at painting and tattooing. His paintings simultaneously make me want to get better at painting myself and to throw out my brushes and never try again.

Missed Connections

Artist Sophie Blackall scours New York Missed Connections websites for inspiration for her fabulous, poignant, and often humourous paintings.

My Zoetrope

Michelle paints the cutest critters out there. She also has fabulous taste in food!

Pink Tentacle

A fantastic source for Japanese ephemera of all kinds.

The Non-Consumer Advocate

Katy and her family are rejecting consumerism by trying not to waste money on anything new. This is a great resource for those trying to lessen their debt and their environmental impact.

The Urban Housewife

No one makes me drool on my laptop like Melisser! Her blog is full of vegan recipes and ideas, as well as restaurant reviews and travelogues.

U-Create

Kari has transformed her love of crafting into this amazing resource for online tutorials. I have bookmarked SO many pages from this blog, with every intention of making everything!

Vegan Dad

I love this blog! His recipes are simple, inspired and fabulous!

My Favourite Blogs, Pt. 2: Friends with Blogs

I have so many wonderfully talented and creative friends who blog. As we are all scattered across the world and unable to talk on a regular basis, it's really wonderful to be able to keep up with their work, thoughts and adventures through their blogs.

What the Coma Girl Designs and The Streets I Know

 

My friend Melanie is a graphic designer and crafter in Toronto. She is also a blogger extraordinaire, keeping up two great blogs! What the Coma Girl Designs is a celebration of all things vegan, crafty, DIY and artsy fartsy. The Streets I know is a fabulous vegan fashion blog that I'm pretty sure Melanie started just to try to ruin my carefully planned budget!

Simon & Fran's Andalucian Adventure

Just over a year ago, Simon and Fran followed their dream and and moved from busy North Vancouver to rural Spain. This blog is a chronicle of their Andalucian adventure: learning Spanish, finding a place to live, and adjusting (rather nicely!) to life in the Spanish countryside. I only wish they had more regular access to the internet so we readers could get updates more often.

Gearing Down to First

Another of my globe-trotting friends is Jill, who has been traveling through Australia and Asia for most of the past year. This blog is worth reading for so many reasons: the adventure, the gorgeous photography, and Jill's beautiful writing style. I really think she has a future in travel writing!

Dobell Designs, The Tales of s*dOwG and Caps 'n' Cannons

 

  

Chris and Stu Dobell are two of the most talented people I know. They're musicians, sign painters, designers, fine artists, muralists and graffiti artists. They're also two of the nicest people I know.
Dobell Designs is a showcase for the art they produce together in Victoria, mostly sign painting, with a few barrels and beer fridges thrown in for good measure! The Tales of s*dOwG is all Stu, who is currently in Australia trying to convince the Canadian government to let him back in. Caps 'n' Cannons is a collection of nomad Stu's photographs of street art from all over the world.
Also, check out their crazy-talented Dad's work on his very own blog, Bill Dobell Artist.

Work the Angle

Matt is an artist in Victoria and his blog features his sketchbook pages, awesome finished paintings and lots of his favourite music.

Clock & Compass

This is a chronicle of Chris' tattoo apprenticeship in Victoria, and features paintings and drawings, as well as musings on tattoo art and history.

My Favourite Blogs, Pt. 1: Top 5 Desert Island Blogs

Tonight, after spending WAY too much time on the internet, I feel the need to give props (Can I pull off using that phrase? Sure, why not?) to some of my favourite blogs.

1. Design*Sponge

This is one of the first blogs I started following regularly, and is still my favourite. It's chock full of art, craft tutorials, DIY projects, cooking, interior design, basically anything creative. I absolutely love the Before & After series, which features photos of refinishing and redecorating projects sent in by readers. Another great feature on D*S is Small Measures with Ashley English (I also follow Ashley's own blog), which is comprised of fantastic articles on living simple and green while still living fabulous.

2. Poppytalk

Poppytalk is a Canadian (based in Vancouver!) design blog dedicated to collecting inspiration and promoting emerging design talent. I've made more than one print purchase because of their Affordable Art feature! I am inspired by (and sometimes intimidated by) artists featured on Poppytalk on a daily basis. Also check out the related online marketplace, Poppytalk Handmade, which showcases an amazing rotating roster of beautiful handmade goods.

3. Creep Machine

If you're interested in keeping up with alternative, underground, outsider, lowbrow or pop surrealism art, Creep Machine should be first on your list. It features daily updates about new original and print releases and upcoming gallery openings from amazing established and up-and-coming artists.

4. Twig & Thistle

Kathleen at Twig & Thistle compiles an amazing and inspiring collection of graphic design, art and craft projects. I like to think of it as all the stuff on the internet that I would like to find if I spent all my time surfing around. Thanks for finding it for me!

5. Print & Pattern

Print & Pattern gives me a daily dose of inspiration. It's awash in pattern, textiles, paper, any surface that can have a design on it. I only started reading it recently, but already I have so many ideas swirling around in my head! Now, to put some of them into action.

Merge

Vancouverites! If you have yet to discover Ayden Gallery, you're missing out. It's a fantastic contemporary gallery hidden away in International Village on Pender @ Abbott. Kirk and I always check it out when we're going to a movie at Tinseltown.

Ayden showcases emerging and more established fine artists and fashion designers. It's definitely the place to go in town if you're looking to pick up some fabulous contemporary or lowbrow art and clothing. They always have a huge silent auction going with super reasonable prices.

Tonight is the Opening of Merge, which features art from my friend Matt Andres. It's his first Vancouver show, and he did the poster! Come on down after 7pm, check out the art, meet the artists, feel pretty cool because you're at an art opening, and maybe buy something to liven up those walls of yours!

Hum Drum New Year

I'm feeling a little blah today. It's raining. The frenzy of the holidays is over. My brother and sister-in-law are back in Toronto. Kirk is back at work. I took the Christmas decorations down this morning and the bare tree is standing in the corner, waiting to be taken to the chipper tomorrow (which kind of makes me feel like a jerk). I'm sitting alone on the couch.

I need a new project, so I've decided to do a portrait of a very good friend of mine. I'll be painting it with acrylic on a 11" square piece of watercolour paper. I'm not going to say who it's supposed to be, in case it ends up not looking anything like her :) Then it'll just be a portrait of a pretty girl.

The Giant Guestroom Painting, Pt. 4

My goal for the giant guestroom painting was to finish before Christmas, as we have our first house guests over the holidays, and I did it! Woohoo! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, especially considering I've never attempted anything of this magnitude before. Sorry about all my crappy photography. One day I'll learn how to take a decent photo.

 

 

 

Here are some shots of the other bird art I currently have in the guest room:

4"x4", by Cara Sheppard

4"x4", by Cara Sheppard

5.5"x6.5", by Minimum Wage Art

5.5"x7.5", by Michelle Maule

 7.75" x 10", by Kirk Sheppard

both 5"x7", by Cara Sheppard