Author: Rachael Ashe

The Meaning of Poppies

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Poppies

Little did you realize that each and every flower has a symbolic meaning. I rediscovered this recently via Conscientious and a link to an extensive list of the symbolic meaning of flowers. I recall as a teen that roses had different meanings depending on the colour, and girls always wanted red ones because they represented love, while yellow represented friendship.

Poppies

I’ve always been more of a tulip loving girl, with a passion for dahlias and for poppies when they’re in season. At the moment the poppies are out in full force and I’ve been celebrating their yearly appearance by taking a million photos.

Pink poppies

And what you might ask, is the symbolic meaning of poppies? Imagination, dreaminess, and eternal sleep.

More Mixed Media Collage on Etsy

Here’s a few more of my recent mixed media collage pieces that I’ve listed for sale on Etsy.

Mixed Media Collage - On wings we fly
On Wings we Fly, 10″ x 10″
Mixed Media Collage: gel medium transfer, inkjet print, rubber stamp, acrylic paint, and watercolour

This work is listed for sale on Etsy with further detail photos.

Mixed Media Collage - Octopus
Octopus, 10″ x 10″
Mixed Media Collage: gel medium, inkjet print, paper, rubber stamp, book pages, acrylic paint, ink, and watercolour

This work is listed for sale on Etsy with further detail photos.

Mixed Media Collage - Ginko Leaves
Ginko Leaves, 10″ x 10″
Mixed Media Collage: gel medium, paper, Japanese paper, rubber stamp, book pages, ginko leaves, acrylic paint, ink, and watercolour.

This work is listed for sale on Etsy with further detail photos.

Mixed Media Collage on Etsy

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As mentioned many times on the blog, I’ve been exploring mixed media collage techniques with the goal of creating one piece a week in a moleskin sketchbook. I managed to keep this up for about a year and a half and learned a lot in the process. Earlier this spring I decided the sketchbook format was too limited so I switched to using cradle frames (wooden panels) as the base for my collage work. These are some of the pieces I have finished so far.

Mixed Media collage - Little Birds
Little Birds, 10″ x 10″
Mixed media collage, using Japanese paper, sheet music, book pages, rubber stamps, watercolours, gel medium, and a magnolia leaf skeleton.

This work is listed on Etsy with further detail photos.

Mixed Media collage - Black Birds
Black Birds, 8″ x 8″
Mixed media collage, using Japanese paper, paper, book pages, gel medium transfer, acrylic paint, and rubber stamps.

This work is listed on Etsy with further detail photos.

With this new work I decided to implement a new pricing system based on price per square inch. My pricing technique in the past has been random and often resulted in under selling. Going forward t will be nice to have a proper system as reference. This simple idea was inspired by information I’ve been learning in the Professional Visual Arts Career Management workshop I’ve been taking the last two weeks with Chris Tyrell. It’s been the right kick in the pants I’ve needed for awhile to get on track with taking my art career seriously.

Gathering only the influences you want, and shedding the rest.

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Yellow shoes. Red tights.

I love the horoscope from Free Will Astrology this week:

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Dear Rob Brezsny: I really didn’t like a recent horoscope you wrote for me. I’m a Leo, and although your oracle was sort of true, I didn’t want it to be true, and furthermore I didn’t want to lend my belief energy to help make it true. So I went hunting among the other signs, hoping to find a different horoscope that appealed more to the healthiest aspect of my fantasy life. I settled on the ‘scope for Cancer, as it piqued my interest with just the right hopeful twist, and provided a highly motivating kick in the butt. Thanks! – Picky Choosy.” Dear Picky Choosy: I approve of your efforts. These days I would love all of my Leo readers to be as imperious as you’ve been in gathering only the influences you want, and shedding the rest.

On that note, I’d say the horoscope for Cancer also applies:

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The joke goes like this: “Why is a math book so sad? Because it has so many problems.” But of course that’s a distortion of the truth. In fact, the math book loves its problems. Its problems are its reason for being. Besides that, all of its problems are interesting challenges, not frustrating curses. Best of all, every problem has a definite answer, and all the answers are provided in the back of the book. Now here’s the most excellent news of all, Cancerian: I think you’ll be like a math book in the coming weeks.

10 Good Things from the Weekend

Magnolias

It’s Wednesday, the day of the week that rests exactly at the point between the previous weekend and the one to come. I’ve been having a series of awesome weekends and I wanted to write up a “Good Things” list before the next one happened. Here goes:

1. Hanging out with Boris enjoying some excellent quality time and adventures. I couldn’t ask for a more fun person to spend time with.
2. Taking myself on a movie date to see the documentary Earth. The cinematography is stunning and spectacular, and showcases scenery and animals all over the world. I left the theatre feeling uplifted and inspired.
3. Making plans with a friend to get back on track with a long neglected photo project.
4. Taking a day trip to Stevenston where we spent a few hours wandering around enjoying the fantastic weather.
5. A bit of unexpected retail therapy at the Orb & Arson warehouse sale, which was located where we changed buses between Vancouver and Steveston. I picked up some great bargains.
6. Lunch on the Wharf in Steveston at Pajos. Yum. Good.
7. Sitting in the grass relaxing and watching people fly kites.
8. Taking an afternoon nap on Saturday.
9. Making dessert from sad fruits wizened with age and neglect, and turning them into a delicious apple, pear and rhubarb crisp.
10. Talking to my mom and sister at the same time through the magical powers of three-way calling.

(Pola) ‘roid Week 2009, Part 2

These are the concluding shots to my week of shooting polaroid. I took eleven shots over the course of the week, using up the last shot in one pack of film and going through a second full pack. I now have four left out the ten my sister Kathryn sent me as a belated birthday present last August.

'roid week 2009: A gathering of tulips
Friday: A Gathering of Tulips

'roid week 2009: Maggie keeps an eye on the neighbourhood
Friday: Maggie Keeps an Eye on the Neighbourhood

'roid week 2009: As the sky bursts into flower
Thursday: As the Sky Burst into Flower

I really enjoyed shooting with the polaroid this week because despite shooting mostly digital lately I’m still a film camera girl at heart.

(Pola) ‘roid Week 2009

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I’ve been participating in ‘roid week and this is what I’ve shot so far:

Bicycle wheel and tiny flowers
Wednesday: Bicycle wheel and Tiny Flowers

The Gift of Lilacs
Tuesday: A Gift of Lilacs

Birdhouse
Monday: Birdhouse

It’s nice to have a simple little project to work on and shoot for while I’m focusing on the less creative side of my art.

In Memory of David Somers

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Magnolias

A few days ago my mom called to tell me the news of my old friend David Somers passing away. She’d been reading the local paper and came across an article in the Brampton Guardian reflecting on his many contributions to the arts and culture in Brampton, Ontario. It mentioned his recent passing at the end of April. I hadn’t been in touch with David in a few years but I had been made aware through a mutual friend that he’d been diagnosed with cancer more than a year ago.

My mom has been diagnosed with cancer twice in the last twelve years. She went through surgery and extensive treatments and has been in remission for a few years now. Boris’ father was diagnosed with cancer last year and has also gone on to a complete recovery with relatively little effect on his overall health. Sometimes people aren’t so lucky, or maybe we (their loved ones) are the lucky ones not to have lost them. My heart goes out to those David has left behind.

I first met David almost fifteen years ago on my first visit to the Peel Heritage Complex, a public art gallery, museum and archive in Brampton. I was interested in becoming a volunteer and David is the one who interviewed me about my interests. My volunteering eventually led to paid work at the complex in various ways, much of it working closely with David and assistant curator, Judy Daley. I can’t really imagine one without the other because they are both so much a part of my memories there, and they made a great team. They were a pleasure to work with and provided me with great opportunities despite my complete lack of experience working in that type of environment. It was an invaluable experience because I learned what goes on behind the scenes of a museum/art gallery, gave me hands-on experience of putting a show together, and was the first push I needed to start showing my own work in a gallery.

David was more than just my boss at the Complex, he was also a friend. I think that’s how everyone who ever worked under him felt because he was such an engaging person. He was known for his infectious sense of humour and charismatic personality, and always had something hilarious to say. I worked with David and Judy for four years before moving away to Toronto and eventually to Vancouver. I’d been good about keeping in touch with them and would regularly go back and visit, but over the last few years I’d lost touch. It saddens me knowing it is too late to remedy the situation, and I will never get the chance to laugh with David again. He will be greatly missed.

The Art Gallery of Peel and Peel Heritage Complex will hold a celebration of David Somers’ life for friends and colleagues on Thursday, May 28 at 7pm.

Peel Heritage Complex
Historic Peel County Courthouse
3 Wellington St. E. in Brampton

Path of petals

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A path of petals

“Pain and conflict are, to a large extent, the result of a discrepancy between the way we think others should treat us, react to us, and appreciate us, and the way they actually do. Many of our miseries are thus rooted in self-pity, the most worthless of all human emotions.”

–Ann Davies, Qabalist teacher

Too true.

All you can pink

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Pink Blossoms

Pink Blossoms

Five Good Things:
1. Cherry blossoms, especially the pink ones. They are very cheeky with their attention grabbing colour shouting, “Look at me!” And smile.
2. Dinner at Hapa Izakaya on Friday evening with a cute mann. So much good food.
3. Spending all of Saturday outside in the sunshine and fresh air while taking part in Bike the Blossoms.
4. Getting started on my taxes. Getting them done will be EVEN better.
5. Having a really good weekend.