Work in progress

Now that we're well into January I thought I'd show you what I've busily been working on. For ages now I've been wanting to work in encaustic but I've been too intimidated by the process and the expense to try. It always seemed so mysterious and potentially toxic. Alas, I couldn't shake the interest in was and started researching it more.

This January after having realized that I had double-booked myself for art shows, I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to create an entirely new series of work based around encaustics. This new series will continue with the mushroom theme I've been doing but it will incorporate linocuts, encaustic paintings, monotypes, drawing and watercolors. I will be tackling many new techniques that I've never tried before and it's gotten me wishing that there was some way I could get rid of sleep and work so I could work in the studio more.

Above are a couple of photos of a encaustic painting in the process. The second one is of painting being carved with my linocut tools to help me create details. The wax really is magical and it's always on the verge of being out of my control. I love that kind of creating. So what do you think? Do you work in wax? Do you have any hints or tips for me? I would love to hear them.

Wordless Wednesday

Amanda Atkins

Isabella's Art

Elloh

Timor

The Pikapackage Project and Give-away

Woohoo! It's finally here!

The Pikapackage Project 'zine edition has been released and I'm so happy to have been a part of it. My 'zine "True Stories of Honcho Bluesephy" is one of the many 'zines created for the project by numerous illustrators. To purchase a package for your own 'zine collection, you can click here. To view and download a free 'zine of all the participant interviews, click here.

I had been wanting to participate in the Pkiapackage Project for a long time and with the opportunity to create this 'zine I was able to try my hand at illustrating a "book". What a great challenge.

Be sure to visit the Pikaland site for your chance to win one of two sets of 'zines being given away. Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win. I'm interested to hear what you say.

Wordless Wednesday

The Nightjar

Dadaya

Pretty Random Objects

Jess James Jake

Opening night at the Firehall Arts Centre

With the first week of the year finished, I'm happy to say that my show opening at the Firehall Arts Centre went really well last Friday. I haven't regularly gone to show openings in ages (read: since before kids) and I felt a little out of place. Once I had a glass of wine in hand and was able to take some photos of the work up, I felt a little more comfortable.

Roz Maclean, the other artist showing with me, had a great set of small pieces displayed and I was really taken with her pen work. Layered with paint, paper, ink, the pieces were evocative in their illustrative style. Each piece seemed to talk about a story and their size really captured the feeling of perhaps being whispered personal thoughts. I am really pleased to be showing with Roz. Please click on the highlighted link to see more of her work.

I know I've said this before but seeing artwork online versus in person is just not the same and I wish there were more venues in Vancouver in which artists could showcase their work in person. Alas, online is less risky and less expensive and I'm glad to be able to show my work in a format that exposes me to such a huge audience. I do wish people would be aware that what you're seeing on the screen is just a portion of what's actually there. More often than not, I think that when you buy any artwork online you will be pleasantly pleased at how much more that piece is once it's in your hands. That's when you get to see its' soul.

If you would like to see the Firehall show it will be up until February 26th. Gallery hours are Wed-Sat. 1-5pm.
Thanks to everyone who came out that night. Stay tuned for news about some shows I have happening in the spring.

Showing at the Firehall Arts Centre

 I have an invite for anyone in the Vancouver area to come and say "hi" to me and Roz at our opening on Friday Jan 7th.

Happy New Year! Calendar give-away

Well hello everyone! Another full year has passed and we're into 2011. I hope you all had a wonderful and restful Christmas season.

I don't know about you but I enjoy starting the new year as it always looks full of promise and big ideas. I've got so many ideas that I want to work on this coming year and to make sure that I stay on track I use several different calendars at the same time. I have my family day planner, my daily Etsy journal, my studio calendar, my iCal on the computer and our family photo calendar.

Being such a big calendar fan, I thought it would be nice to give-away one of my own art calendars to one of my readers. Leave a comment below for one entry and retweet this post for another entry. I will draw the winner on January 7th. Good luck and feel free to stay updated by "liking" me on Facebook.