Long time no speak

Greetings friends!

I have been MIA for a while and it's mainly because things have been picking up for me that I haven't had the time to stop and think, let alone write. Between my part time job, freelance gigs, and several creative projects ... also the added stress of Christmas being around the corner ... I am pooped!

Recently I have been splitting my time between painting and digital work. In December I am participating in a group show called "By The Pound" hosted by the wonderful gang at the GoodFella's Gallery in Toronto. This show not only allows for great exposure for the artists but gives people a chance to purchase great art work at a very reasonable price.

This is the piece that I have been working on for the last month that I'm entering. I have never done anything quite like this before and has certainly proven to be one of the most frustrating. I'm not a "fine artist" so trying to create an image that actually looks like something you recognize is a challenge for me. However I'm nothing if I don't take risks and put myself out there.

I like it a lot... considering that I'm at the one year mark since I started my journey as a painter, and thinking back to the very first painting I did, this is quite a growth.

I'm very proud of myself.

What's In A Name?

Something very interesting happened to me today. For the first time ever, I came up with the title of an image first and worked backwards.

More often than not, it is quite the challenge to name a piece once it is finished. Sometimes it's almost as much fun as creating the image itself. However on this particular day, I was working on something when this name "Blue Thumbs Up" struck me and wouldn't let go. It certainly wasn't going to work with whatever I had been working on so I stopped and wrote the name down. I resumed working on the current image but I had completely lost interest so I thought, let's try and give this name an image.

In no time I came to the final product you see here. This kind of thing has never happened to me. It was quite an experience and I look forward to similar experiences in the future.

While I'm on the subject of titles, I feel the need to share some thoughts I have on something I read at a Jackson Pollock exhibit. I usually never read the blurbs written throughout any art exhibit but this one in particular really intrigued me and I still think about it. It said that there was a point in his career where Pollock stopped naming his pieces and just giving them a number because he didn't want to put any predisposed impression into the viewers mind before they saw the piece.

I think this idea is great when it comes to abstract art. This is an art form that is so experimental that the name really affects how a person will react to it. By using the number concept, Pollock gave the audience no choice but to garner their own interpretation and feelings about it. In a way, they have no choice but to participate in the process.

However, I'm too much of a title nerd to do such a thing. I love conjuring up names. It's just too much fun!

Why The Number 6?

You may or may not be aware that a common thread associated with me and my work is the number six. It's everywhere. It's in my email address, my online handle, my business card, and it was my booth number at the Queen West Art Crawl. I'd like to take a moment and try to explain why I incorporate it into my image as an artist.

There are several levels associated with my reasoning. My first reason comes from the child within. I was born on the sixth of the month... and when you're a kid, that automatically makes it a special number. A good luck charm in some way. As I grew up, I started to notice this wasn't the only place it existed. I soon realized that there were six letters in my first name and six years difference between my sister and I.

... Still not convinced?

Three years ago when I began my artistic life, I noticed the number creeping into my work. I would like to point out two specific examples to show how bizarre it is.

Exhibit A: The very first piece I ever created. It was a photo I manipulated of the traffic on the 401. Seems pretty standard right? It was nearly a year later before I noticed the sign in the image read, "Avenue Rd. / Bathurst St. / Keale St. / 6 km". I think that's pretty spooky. I certainly didn't plan it and when it was revealed to me, I took it as a sign that I was headed on the right path.

Exhibit B: A black and white photo I took on valentines day of a white rose given to me which I posed on top of my remote control. This was a rare occurrence where I decided to leave as is. I loved it so much that I made no enhancements to it. All the numbers on the clicker are upside down ...and what is a nine upside down? SIX!




Stuff like this continues to happen and it makes me feel safe. Perhaps it's childish and stupid but it's comforting to know that it's always there for me when I need it.

QWAC Wrap Up

With four pieces sold, my second Queen West Art Crawl was a great success. I have to admit though, the one piece I thought was sure to sell, just sat there looking lonely. My feature piece ("Flat Iron") got some mild attention but didn't end up finding an owner. This really surprised me. I guess it just goes to show you that you never know what people are going to like. 

As well, my word series got a fair amount of attention which pleases me greatly. Though it might not be everyone's taste, it's a series that I absolutely love and will continue to create.

In the end, I am happy to have finished my sophomore year with QWAC. I feel like I have really grown since last year and I look forward to the new work I come up with for next year!

New Start, New Blog

It was approximately three years ago when I started my first blog. I had just gotten into photography and needed a place to put the images I was creating. It was also a great way to express the joys and frustrations involved with the creative process. Over time though, it became an image based platform and I stopped writing. That will no longer be the case.

With the launch of my website, I'd like to start over and get back to what I started. Whether it is a mental block or an update about an event, this page will be where I come to verbally express myself.

So I welcome you to my world, whoever you may be.