Spring Art Supply Giveaway

It’s spring cleaning time in the studios of many East Van artists, and we’re getting together on May 9th to swap or giveaway unwanted supplies.

It’ll be exactly like a garage sale but everything is free.

Untitled

Drop by AMP studio located at 800 Keefer Street in Strathcona, and help us find new homes for unwanted (but still viable) art supplies. At this time I have no idea what type of supplies will be available, so please drop by in person. You’ll get to meet local artists too!

Art Supplies Giveaway
Address: 800 Keefer Street
Date: Saturday May 9th, 2015
Time: 12pm to 2pm

Exquisite Lines at Katami Design and Gallery

Katami Designs is a gallery and working jewelry studio on Broadway west of Main. For the next few weeks they have a small collection of my work on exhibit in their space.

Exquisite Lines at Katami Designs

The show includes a selection of my large laser cut wood pieces, paper cut designs, as well as recent drawings.

Join us for a reception on Thursday May 7th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

The work will be up for several weeks if you’d like to drop by and check out my work at Katami Designs, located at 138 East Broadway.

Exquisite Lines at Katami Designs
Reception: May 7th, 2015
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: 138 East Broadway

Creative Paper Cutting Techniques Demo at Opus

I will be on location once again at Opus Art Supplies Hastings Street location giving an in-store demo of paper cutting techniques next Sunday. The demo is FREE but you must register by phone (604‑678‑5889) to reserve a spot as space is limited.

Work in progress installation

When I give these demos at Opus I do a thorough run down on knives, paper, techniques, and different ways to use paper cut elements in artwork. Read more details about the demonstration on the Opus website.

Opus Artist Demo: Creative Paper Cutting Techniques
Date: Sunday May 3rd, 2015
Time: 11pm & 1pm
Cost: Free
Location: Opus Art Supplies, 100-207 West Hastings Street

Concentric Circles with lines and more lines

I’ve played with the idea before of making a piece of work with both paper cut designs and drawing, but they were both smaller and simpler. Last week I sat down at my easel with the idea of creating something more complicated, and so I dove into making this new concentric circles piece.

WIP - paper cut and drawing on paper

I outlined the circles first and then worked on creating the alternating cut paper circles, leaving the drawing until last. As I worked on the drawing I really struggled with seeing the piece through to the end because it felt like it wasn’t working. While in process, I thought the drawings and cut designs were fighting against one another and the piece was far too busy overall.

paper cut and drawing on paper

paper cut and drawing on paper

I forced myself to keep going, and when I reached the end I could finally see that it all does work together. Now I view it as a powerful piece of work that is full of energy.

paper cut and drawing on paper

The full size of this paper cut & drawing is 14″ x 17″ on archival drawing paper.

Artist in Residence at The Leeway

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I’ve got exciting news to share, so make sure you’re sitting down while reading this. Ready?

This summer I’m going to be spending lots of time at art school, just not as a student. I’ve been chosen as the Artist in Residence for the summer term of The Leeway at Emily Carr University.

This means I get a studio that is located away from my home (for the first time ever), and I have access to the space and all sorts of wonderful resources for four whole months!!!! I’ll be working on a big new project and getting to do community outreach events from The Leeway, including a talk, an open studio, and maybe even a workshop.

the-leeway

I’ll be sharing what I’m up to in the studio here on my blog as usual, and also over on The Leeway blog.

The residency begins on May 1st and ends August 31st. I can’t wait to get started!

Magnificent Paper Work by Peter Combe

San Francisco artist, Peter Combe, has a show at Back Gallery Project for the next few weeks. I attended the opening last Thursday and was completely mesmerized by the work.

He creates a mix of portraits and abstract work from hundreds of small circles punched from colourful paint chips, which are placed at an angle to the surface of the piece. The pieces look completely different depending on the angle you view it from, and the colours and tones shift. They are fascinating to look at, and each viewer moves around in front of the work.

Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project
Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project

Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project

The portraits are subtle and the full effect doesn’t come across in photos as it does in person.

Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project
Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project
Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project

Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project
Peter Combe at Back Gallery Project

The show continues until May 9th at Back Gallery Project, so don’t miss it.

Spiral Line Drawings Continued

A few days ago I found myself feeling unproductive so I decided to lay out all of the drawings from the last week across the floor. It was a good check in to do because I’d produced a lot more work than I’d realized. And now this work is making its way to my Etsy shop for other people to enjoy.

Circle line drawings
Circle line drawings
The Etsy listing for this drawing »

Circle line drawings
Circle line drawings
The Etsy listing for this drawing »

These two are my favourite of the group of drawings I’ve created to date. At the moment I’ve just started working on a piece that will combine paper cutting and drawing. I’m curious to see how well this will work.

Spiral Line Drawings

The drawing obsession continues (of course it does!) but now things have shifted to longer lines flowing around a circular area. The first two drawings I completed are spiraled lines around a central point working towards a finished circle on an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper.

Spiral line drawings
Spiral line drawings

I am kind of amazed I can do these because I’ve often struggled in the past to maneuver a pen smoothly across the page. I think my hand has been made steady and skilled by working with a knife the past few years.

Spiral line drawings
Spiral line drawings

These are two of the five drawings done in the last week. I’ll share more in another blog post. I’m enjoying the process of these because they are being done for their own sake, and I’m happy with the final results.

Patterns of Space at Mary E Black Gallery, NS

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Patterns of Space opens this week at Mary E. Black gallery in Nova Scotia. It’s an exhibition of my paper cut work alongside the crocheted lacework of Catherine Thompson.

The invite created by the staff of NSCCD looks pretty cool with the combination of our two very different types of work together.

Patterns of Space invitation

I won’t be at the exhibition in person but I’m hoping the gallery will share photos once the show is installed. Patterns of Space opens April 9th and continues until May 24th, 2015.

Patterns of Space
NSCCD – Mary E. Black Gallery
Halifax, Nova Scotia
April 9th to May 24th, 2015
Opening reception on April 9th at 6pm