Thursday, August 12, 2010

Challenge #8: the reveal

Dear Holly and blog followers,



this weeks challenge was a total flop. what started with enthusiasm and positivity crashed and burned. but, not without an interested story and a good lesson.




stage 1: jen is super excited to do a great big painting. i love love love just attacking a canvas, especially without a real plan, just letting the image grow as it needs to like a tree. so i turned on some music, threw away my initial drawing, set up my canvas, loaded my giant brush with paint, and began.






stage 2: jens painting begins to dance. as i was painting, i kept adding layers, and with each layer the position of the figures moved. sometimes there were 6 hands hands, sometimes just two, it was very exciting to watch as my subject came alive and seemed to do what i was painting.




stage 3: jen keeps having to remind herself the goal of this is capturing happiness. over time the colours start getting a little muddy.... i think my mind started to drift to past memories and get a little sad as it got later in the evening and the music got more mellow.








stage 4: jen decides the painting needs a jolt. and heres where it falls apart. i decide to add black india ink?! shouldve known this was a stupid idea. ink cant be painted on top of, it just bleeds into the colours and makes everything dirty looking. but i did it anyways. for some reason i felt the painting needed to go this destructive route.







stage 5: jen is afraid. the painting is now really creepy looking lol. its dark and sad, not at all like bachata. i attempt to make it better... but realize the painting is over.









stage 6: jen feels better. at this point i stepped back and looked at the sad wreck of a painting. and that sad wreck, now being on an object 5 feet away from me, made me feel better that it wasn't in me anymore. and i realized that the next step of the painting must be moving on.




stage 7: jen starts again. i covered the mess with layers of gesso, and prepped the canvas for a new image. one that will definetly be happier, because i got out the sadness and am ready to start again. with a fresh slate :) not this week though lol.

so holly... lol k let me just say, my intention was not to be rebellious. i really wanted to nail this one. but i think i did. not visually of course. but i did something i love to do, and while i couldnt paint happiness honestly because i just didnt feel it, i think this challenge brought me to happiness by its end: an ending that is followed by a beginning. i feel much much much better, much more at peace. it was wonderful therapy! and im very thankful i have this outlet, even if it results in bad paintings.
thankyou!












Monday, August 9, 2010

happy birthday grandma!


My grandmother asked me to do a drawing of the house she grew up in a little while back. She insisted on paying me, which i thought was rediculous! So i gave her the drawing for her birthday to avoid the issue. I also made it into a stationary set so that she could send it to her brothers and sisters.

updates from sister blog!


Wednesday, July 14, 2010


a birthday present for my aunt! I felted a `lucky dragonfly` and attached it to a card. On the inside describes the benefits of having a `lucky dragonfly,` one being that it eats spiders. (she`s an aracnaphobe.)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

invisible challenge results are up!


here's a teaser, but check out http://www.theillustrationchallenge.blogspot.com/ for more!


(on a side note, I've recently picked up a new craft that i absolutely love! felting! I've given my recent felts away but I'll photograph the new ones!)

Thursday, June 24, 2010

i challenge you updates


newest challenge up! and hollys challenge for next week is posted!

www.theillustrationchallenge.blogspot.com for the full adventure.

Monday, June 21, 2010

totally random


side note, i stumbled across the artist Octavio Ocampo and am in love! isn't this gorgeous? this is the feeling i wanted in my bees project. i wonder what technique he used.

more screenprinting



this image was origionally a photoshop dvd cover design project. the way i executed it however screamed screenprint-me, so when i had shannons screen class i decided to redo it traditionally. this is the result!

Friday, June 18, 2010

'i challenge you' results


Today is submission day for the first challenge of 'i challenge you,' a blog by Holly and i! My post is up, be sure to check it out!
www.theillustrationchallenge.blogspot.com

Thursday, June 17, 2010

small press book fair

Here are the details for the small press book fair. Come check it out!
I'll be there in the morning setting up! (ps: pictures from 69 vintage coming soon!)

THE TORONTO SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR AT THE GREAT HALL ON QUEEN WEST, JUNE 19, 2010

Because the Toronto Reference Library is having construction work done, we’re moving to the Great Hall at 1087 Queen Street West for this season's Toronto Small Press Book Fair. We're really excited about the location.

DATE: Saturday, June 19. (Readers and performers, TBA)

TIME: 11 am-5 pm (presses should be on-site by 10:00 at the latest—doors open at 9 am)

ADDRESS: 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto M6J 1H3
(Directions: Queen Street West & Dovercourt Road. Some street parking. Public Transit: TTC Queen Streetcar.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Sister Site: theillustrationchallenge.blogspot.com

My friend Holly and i decided to launch a joint blog called 'i challenge you.' the idea is that each week-ish, we challenge each other to tackle a new art project in a new medium that we ordinarily wouldn't touch with ten foot pole. it should make for good entertainment. follow the progress at www.theillustrationchallenge.blogspot.com!

the first challenge has been posted :D

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bear Arms



‘Bear Arms,’ 1 of 9 prints, and adaptation of the Hug the Bear logo and a project in Shannon’s printmaking class. While on the subject of bears, the image was originally inspired by my friends dad who recently passed away. He was a man who always had an open heart and open arms.

Nano Nano 5


This is the evite to a show my summer book publishing class has put together! it was a great 3 weeks and it’ll be a great ‘end of term’ party. if you cant make it this thursday we’ll also have a table at the small press book fair june 19th. check out www.ifigrowold.tumblr.com for more info.

illustration by me :D type by mike ellis :D and production by the talented promo/ production group :D

Hungry Little Bee's sample


Here’s the spread of my book cover that i’ll be showing at the Nano Nano 5 show. it’s a poetry book about the sexual encounter between bees and flowers. i have a framed series and a book edition, stay tuned for pictures.