I started this piece for Day 7 a few days earlier because paper stitching is more involved than some of the other techniques I’ve used so far. This is French knot embroidery, which is a bit trickier when done in paper.
28 Days of Hearts – Day 6
For Day 6 I introduced another technique into the mix with paper weaving. I cut different sections of the red card stock heart into attached strips, and then wove gorgeous 1/8 inch wide pieces of chiyogami through those cut bits. The woven ends of the paper were shaped and folded around the edges of the heart, and then glued at the back.
Working this small was a bit too fiddly, but I do love the paper weaving technique.
28 Days of Hearts – Day 5
Day 5 is a pattern drawing with metallic copper gel pen on white paper. I shot a hyperlapse video of the drawing in process which I will eventually share on Instagram.
28 Days of Hearts – Day 4
Day 4 is a collage made with Cuban tile patterned paper made by Pepin Press. I made this in a bit of a rush and wish I’d shaped two of the pieces slightly differently. It’s too similar to the first day collage I made.
I think I will use more paper crafting techniques as I go through the days. I have so many ideas.
28 Days of Hearts – Day 3
For Day 3 of 28 Days of Hearts I created a hand-cut piece of a Japanese pattern. I left it partially uncut, and really like this interplay of negative and positive space.
I forgot to mention this previously, but the hearts are roughly 5 x 3 inches at the longest and widest points. This is much smaller than I’ve been working on in long while, but it’s part of the challenge.
28 Days of Hearts – Day 2
Day 2 of 28 Days of Hearts – metallic blue gel pen on red card stock
28 Days of Hearts – Day 1
For the month of February I am working on a new daily project by revisiting 28 Days of Hearts, which I originally did in 2018. The intention is to create a small heart-shaped piece of handmade art each day. It can be a collage, a drawing, or a cut pattern.
Day 1 is a collage composed of three different red and metallic papers.
I haven’t been making or creating very much lately. I’m looking forward to working on this, and flexing the creative muscles.
How To Mix Patterns at Coup Salon
I’m pleased to present a small show of pattern mixing collages on display at Coup Salon until the end of March. The show is titled, How To Mix Patterns, and features seven small collage pieces, and two paper cut pieces.
This series of collages initially came about after a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in my hands in early September 2021. They have been a way to continue creating but with a lighter impact on my body than the extremely intricate hand-cut work I typically produce. I came across these collections of beautiful papers, and it inspired me to think about turning them into collaged versions of my pattern mixing focused paper-cut pieces. I wanted them to relate but be their own unique body of work.
All of the pieces are available for sale and can be purchased through my online shop.
How to Mix Patterns
Location: Coup Salon
Address: 524 Shanghai Alley, Vancouver BC
Dates: January 21st to March 31st, 2022
2021 Year End Review in Twelve Photos
I started last year strong, working away on a large scale installation for my solo show in mid-May. It was challenging, absorbing, and wonderfully colourful. Working on it got me through a difficult winter. This solo show and producing work for it was my focus for the first half of the year, but once it was over I was struggling with what to do next. In the last few months of the year I switched things up and began a series of pattern mixing collages using gorgeous paper from Pepin Press. It helped to end on a good creative note.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Another great year of colour and pattern.
Mobi Art Bike Design
In November I entered the Mobi bike share Art Bikes contest for artists participating in the Culture Crawl, and I found out two weeks ago my work was selected as a finalist. How exciting is that?!?! Mine is one of five new designs you can ride around town. They were released into the wild two weeks ago, and I could not be happier with how the art looks on the bikes. (Even better than my photos).
The patterns looks more three dimensional in real life because of shadows giving definition to the work. The designs are created from photos of three of the eight hand-cut paper pieces that make up the installation, Endurance of Strange Times.
If you spot one of my Art Bikes, please tag and share a photo with me over on Instagram or Twitter. Apparently the ones with artwork are the most highly ridden of all the Mobi bikes.