A few weeks back, my hubby and I took a drive out to the valley to see the annual tulip fields. Although we’ve lived in Vancouver for nearly 30 years, this was the first time we made the trek and we weren’t disappointed. Acres of every size, shape and colour of tulip you could imagine, […]
Recently, a friend introduced me to the idea of Artist Trading Cards and asked me if I’d like to swap some. ATCs (as they’re known), are original bits of artwork that measure precisely 2.5 by 3.5 inches and are widely traded amongst artists in the know (one of whom I now am, and you are […]
I’ve been exploring colour, shape and texture my entire adult life. Long before I picked up a paintbrush, I filled my creative cup through fibre arts. Knitting was my first love, learning from my grandmother at the age of six, exploring more complicated patterns and techniques with a best friend through my teen years, making […]
Ever see a painting and immediately know who the artist was, without having to look at the gallery tag or their social media handle? Chances are that’s because the artist has developed a strong and identifiable visual language. For me, slightly off-circular, wonky organic shapes and bright, saturated colours and transparent layers are three of […]
Recently, I opened my studio doors for the first time and invited local friends and art lovers in to take a peek. It was a low-key and small-scale affair by design, but provided me with many insights and lessons about the value of showing my work in person. Below is a list of seven surprising […]
The open mode is a mood in which curiosity for its own sake can operate, because we’re not under pressure to get a specific thing done properly. We can play. When you’re curious you find lots of interesting things to do. Creativity is like fitness. The longer you’re away from it, the more difficult it […]
There is a voice that doesn’t use words: listen! Rumi For me, painting is primarily an intuitive process. The colours I choose and the marks I make seem to come from somewhere deep inside. The less intentional I am when I’m creating, the more energetic and satisfying the experience is. (And hopefully the more appealing […]
Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever. Amy Poehler Art-making is typically a solitary endeavour. In order to create and refine our work, artists need blocks of time without interruption or distraction. An afternoon to ponder a work […]
The first draft reveals the art; revision reveals the artist. Michael Lee Good stories are not written. They are rewritten. Phyllis A. Whitney Nothing feels better than beginning a new painting. Some painters find the white of a blank canvas intimidating. I don’t. For me, the easiest time to be free and loose and just […]
I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired by Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods […]