curator | lesley frenz + found gallery

hey ladies! on thursdays i've been featuring various "creators" that i find and love. today i'm switching it up a bit and featuring a "curator" (say it quickly and it sounds the same!). 

lesley frenz has an amazing art blog entitled artsy forager. but now she's taken it one step farther and created "found gallery." for the inaugural exhibition, "city mouse | country mouse," frenz has featured a juxtaposition of artists and artwork. i love the concept, the title and all of the pieces! despite the casual contrast, both bodies of work give me a distinct feeling of serenity. 

the first pieces are by christina baker, and feature soft brushstrokes, multiple layers of colour...and a hint of cezanne blocking. the other works are by deann hebert and have more of a representational feel - but only minimally. with more of a focus on the paint and canvas itself, hebert gives us her view of southern fields, farmhouses and flora (fittingly in all of the classic "country themed" acrylic colours). 

all works are available for sale and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the nashville zoo! lesley...you are too cool for words.

learn more in this cool video!

art | curiouser exhibition

last friday i went to two art exhibitions. the first was "romancing the squirrel" - a solo show of works by  renowned 'squirrel artist' carollyne yardley. there were so many people at that one that i couldn't even take pictures! suffice to say it was a neat atmosphere and and were it not for the sheer amount of people i would have been convinced i was in some sort of woodland setting. i even picked up two beautiful little pieces...which i'll share with you later!

as a nice segue, my friend and i traveled across town to another show with a work by yardley - laurie luck's curiouser exhibition. the show was inspired by alice in wonderland themes and many of the artists had there own modern take. from surreal photography to detailed paper cuts, the exhibition did not disappoint. 

musings | spaces & places

there are certain places that reverberate on your heart. places in the world that feel like home even though technically they're not (though, really, what is the definition of 'home'?). spaces that are no longer a part of your life but sit inside of you, right next to that place where nostalgia lives. spaces and places which are partially affected by bad memories but the physicality of the thing itself brings you immense comfort.

for me there are many - most of them art galleries. that moment before and after everyone has arrived and left. when the lights are dim and i can feel the serenity and magic of the place. the kitchener-waterloo art gallery, the legacy art gallery, the gallery at matticks and above all else - the ted harrison studio. these are places where the silence, the smell and the surroundings make my heart feel at ease. spaces are easy for me - i find it's not difficult to connect to them. and i often wish i could visit all of my homes and see if i could capture the memory of what it was like to be there, at that age.

there aren't many places that have had the same affect on me. possibly because i am a nervous traveler, and partly because i haven't been much of anywhere at all. but victoria - victoria is a place that feels so different to me than anywhere else i have been or lived. even when i am walking down a street surrounded by buildings - i can feel that i am on an island. i can feel how close the water is - and smell it in the air. there is an energy about this city. there is a vibrance and a love for the arts that i haven't seen anywhere else. how could you not love this?

do you have spaces and places like this?

snail mail | unexpected valentines

i think probably the best kind of snail mail is unexpected. it's so hard not to text or email a friend and say "i've sent you something adorable so watch the mail!" and then they are expecting it...

but this week i received two surprises in the mail - a valentine note from kait of miss kait online, and a lovely heart themed card and teabag from michelle. thanks ladies!!

creator | jamie milk

last night i held my first volunteer meeting for the integrate arts festival in victoria, bc. we tossed around some really amazing ideas. and i left feeling inspired and super excited. jamie milk is based in britain but i saw these images and loved what they seemed to represent in my mind (when your head is somewhere in particular you can't help but fix outside entities to suit your own ideas!). in the first image, it feels to me like a community has come together in conviviality - ready, set lift off! in the second and third i see the natural side of this island being celebrated. and in the fourth...well i just love it because whenever people ask me about victoria, i tell them it's the perfect mix of rugged landscape and city living.

musings | reading

when i was little i loved to read. i read all the time and have distinct memories of my parents telling me to stop reading at the dinner table (i sigh when i think of that because my future children will likely read at the table too but i suspect it will be emails and text messages not novels). i've never thought of reading as an "escape" as some others describe it (my life was good, no need for escapism), but rather an alternate reality - one that was usually far more interesting than my own!

to this day i can't fall asleep without first reading a little something. and generally when i find a really good book, i'll forsake all other activity until it's finished. below are some of the books i read last year and my thoughts on them (spoiler, i recommend them all!)

me before you by jojo moyes
this story snuck up on me. it begins from his perspective and it is a prologue of mysterious characters and a sudden accident (not a spoiler, that's on the back of the book :) but then in the first chapter you're in a little english town and she's talking about how many steps it takes to get to her front door. and all i could think was "who cares?? what happened to the dashing young man from before?"
and then suddenly, the plot is on fire! in a slow burn, can't stop turning the pages, are they gonna kiss yet kinda way. it's a love story, but in the most profound way as they both have life changing decisions to make.

gone girl by gillian flynn
this novel...my goodness! it's the story of a woman who goes missing and most of it takes place back at home with the husband. but don't think for a second that you know what's going on...or what's going to happen. flynn never once lets you assume you've figured out her characters. i'm sorry, but that's all i can really tell you without ruining any of it. it's twisted and surprising and feisty and you should definitely read it. if only to feel superior about yourself and confirm that you are not in fact, a sociopath.

what alice forgot by liane moriarty
the thing about this one is that the summary sounds really really numb. woman knocks head at gym, forgets 10 years and thinks she's 29 instead of 39. i don't think that could scream silly beach read any more if it tried. but it actually really resonated with me because i'm a big believer in "you Never know what is going to happen in life, or who you will become as a person." and let me tell you...the main character has changed so immensely you can hardly believe she is the same woman! and the whole time you're rooting for her and her husband who are on the rocks. cause really...he seems awesome so whats the problem. and then she gets her memory back and suddenly in ONE chapter you understand everything. and you understand the power of time and relationships and love. also it's set in australia which is cool.

a fine balance by rohinton mistry
omg saddest book ever. but that doesn't mean it isn't amazing and you shouldn't read it - even if you spend the whole book rooting for characters whose lives will never truly come to fruition. the plot focuses on two indian men who carry the skill of sewing and an endless supply of optimism. the story is set in the slums of india - a theme i am obsessed with lately and have read at least four books about (the space between us, secret daughter). something about the frightening descriptions of it really opens your eyes to the realities in other parts of the world.

midwives by chris bohjalian
this one is a little blurry as i read it almost a year ago now but some stories just stick with you. there are a lot of midwifery themed books nowadays (rock it old school at the very beginning and read the red tent!), but this one was really well written. its about a middle aged midwife who experiences a birth gone very very wrong and the legal consequences. it's a fascinating look at the comparison of home births vs hospital births - and the comfort and safety of both.

snail mail | owl and squirrels

last week on my way out i checked the mail and saw a really cute packet - it was from suki from the owl club. i knew immediately that it was her craft it forward gift to me and i couldn't have been more excited! i opened the packet to reveal a bundle of gifts including stickers, a fabric covered button, a vintage owl playing card, a note and a beautiful handmade owl pin which i wore to the craft fair last weekend.

this week i've also included pics of my latest letter from riley, and a pile of postcards i recently received from the uk, cancun and alberta.

patience made | united eclectic craft fair

in october i sold stationery as a vendor at the united eclectic craft fair. and when i learnt that they would be having a valentines fair...it seemed too perfect to resist! i invited my friend bonnie who makes the most beautiful coptic bound books to share a table with me and the photos below show our little set up!

it was a great day, i sold tons of valentines and got to chat with lots of people about my stationery. and the united eclectic ladies put on a wonderful show as usual with musicians, card making, a valentines photo booth and even a cakewalk!

p.s. i just got a job at the new victoria version of this place to supplement by income (craft fairs aren't that successful!!) it's going to be fun :)

creator | sabina karnik

i recently bought a bunch of craft supplies and papers from a woman who had closed up (the best) shop. i grabbed some quilling supplies even though i had never tried it before. and for awhile i forgot about them. and then i saw these amazing paper quilled typography pieces by sabina karnik! they are exactly my aesthetic and i can't believe how unique each letter it. truly, i could stare at them for hours. see the whole alphabet here.

art | ugallery's "what makes good art?"

while working in galleries, i've been asked one question over and over. the same question, in different ways...at times more hostile than others!

is this supposed to be art?
how is this art?
if this is art, i could do this!
my five year old daughter could do this type of art...
how is this considered art?
what makes good art??

and before today i've always given really general, optimistic answers -
"art can be anything you want it to be!" (anyone seen r. mutt's urinal??)
"some pieces are less about representation and more about colour or shape or line"
"i'm sure your daughter could create something similar, you should have her give it a shot because kids love art!"

but now it seems i have a valid answer to the question. when the folks from ugallery first sent me this link i was actually a bit scandalized! "what makes good art" is a highbrow question that floats around the art world but nobody really has the guts to answer it. except for ugallery that is. in this article on their website, they use various pieces of visual art (mostly paintings) and discuss what makes them "good" or "worthy." you'll notice that there are no over arching themes, but rather they've expressed the general properties and exceptional qualities of each - providing the pieces with their own unique validity. i'm including one of my favourites here because it's hard to explain why abstract art is great...but they've hit the nail on the head! (i also discuss it in the first chapters of my e-course).

p.s. and props to the team for first stating "if you love a piece, you love a piece." because truly, that is what really matters!

musings | a new project

so i'm taking on a new project and since it's going to be a large portion of my life for the next seven months i thought i would write about it here. since 2007 victoria, bc has celebrated the arts by hosting a giant city-wide art crawl. last year i acted as gallery coordinator for the integrate arts festival and brought twenty-nine venues on board. it was amazing...there was so many participants that even i could only make it to twenty (maybe i shouldn't have stopped for dinner? lol).

this year i'm directing the festival...and i'm nervous but so darn excited at the same time! it's going to be bigger and better than ever. more like nuit blanche in toronto or swarm in vancouver. while every arts organization will be invited to participate, this year my goal is to take the art out of the galleries and onto the street. the whole city will come alive with art, culture and surprise performances. #canthardlywait.

art | barbara de vries

i signed up for the saatchi online newsletter last month - it's a great way to brighten up your inbox! when the latest one arrived, i was absolutely stunned by the work of barbara de vries. these ghostly images of little girls are hauntingly beautiful.

musings | stalemate

i've been getting a little bored with what i've been reading and who i've been following online. every once in a while i'll come across an incredible blog or receive a follow from a really cool, creative person. and then i am reminded of the amazingness that can be found on the world wide web. and it's a surprise that something so cool can exist! then it occurs to me that i'm reading the same old things online and not feeling as inspired as i could be.

so this is a shoutout to you - what are you reading online? what's your favourite blog? who do you like following on twitter? which creator's facebook page should i "like" and who's etsy shop should i add to my favourites?

help me switch it up!

snail mail | correspondence club

you know what the best thing about checking my mailbox is? the suspense. the hope. the twinkle of possibility at the end of my day. last year i worked noon to five so i usually checked the mail on the way to work....and that was fine.  but now that i'm working ten to six it's great because after a long day...there's the chance i'll find something awesome in my mailbox!

i'm currently participating in the star crossed smile correspondence club. it's a great idea - nnenna sets you up with a penpal for three months and mails you inspiration at the beginning of each month so that you're not at a loss for what to write. this is especially helpful in the first letter because the other person is a stranger!

this is the piece i received in the mail from my new canadian penpal felicia. i love love love the little postcard gifts she sent me!!