Toronto the Grey

 

This piece was for my alternative painting mediums... or (something like that) class with shirley Yanover (she is the woman who did those cat sculptures at the entrances to kensington market)  ... AWESOME class... LOVED it, favourite of the whole year, totally my cup of tea.  Also... she was just really cute and sweet.

 

I believe this piece is roughly 4 feet by 5 feet?  canvas, uv active acrylics, spray paint, granola box + matchstick = buildings, scrap metal scavenged from the metal shop, a black bird lovingly donated by a friend, sticks berries, etc.  Hydro poles are made from matchsticks and dowels. Attached everything with fishing line and white glue.

certain details like the hydro lines are hand sewn into the canvas

ACCIDENTAL BEAR

 

This was a project for my LGBTQ (queer) studies studio.  The project was something about redesigning an institute, and intervention or something...  I had seen on tumblr that Mr. Mike Enders was looking for a piece of art for his blog.

 

ACCIDENTAL BEAR  ... so I figured... why not?  He had mentioned that he wanted a likeness of himself wearing a bear skin hide/ rug...  my initial thoughts were some kind of neo shamanistic mononoke sorta thing.  HOWEVER I knew that he really liked this vintage photo of Burt Reynolds.

 

So I decided to redraw this vintage image with a likeness of Mike Enders (seen below)  I sent the preliminary drawing to him, and he seemed to really love the idea.

 

Sent him this final image... currently waiting on feed back.   Its mostly watercolour, a little bit of ink on the tattoos and some acrylic in the background (i chose orange green and brown, because he seemed to wear alot of these colours in the photos I had to work from)

 

life size self portrait

              As many artists, I struggle with a duality within my personality, and wanted to create a self portrait as an expression of this.  Though I try to be a happy, confidant person, and I praise myself on being able to look at the bright side, I have always struggled with inner negativity.  As a teenager I was diagnosed with an eating disorder, clinical depression and anxiety disorders, since that time I have constantly struggled to keep this under control and not to let it effect me.  Like everyone, I have days that are better than others. These past few months have been a bit of a struggle for me, but I feel with the coming Spring there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully a renewal of confidence, and I look forward to spending time outdoors where I feel the most positive and connected.

            In this near life size self portrait, I wanted to paint a less confidant self, greeting a more confidant self.  The confidant version of myself is seen in a looking glass, which serves as both a mirror and a gateway to a different place.  I included a pair of red-winged blackbirds, which to me symbolize where I grew up.  They remind me of car rides, dirt roads, visiting relatives, and that orange glow seen at sunrise and sunset.  I included a pair of mice who symbolize my birth year as the Wood Rat, and were painted in the likeness of an old companion of mine named Sylus.  Growing up in the country I have always had a connection with foxes. I have had many one on one close encounters with foxes, each encounter felt magical, and I felt blessed by the experience.  I used these animal pairs to represent different symbolic meanings as well as to emphasize a union between the dualities within myself.

            I used acrylic paint, as well as spray paint, and combined a realistic approach, with a messy dripping technique, to portray the contrast between confidence and solidarity and instability and loss of self. I struggled with the self portraiture technically and  even more so mentally.  At a time when I am feeling very insecure and unconfident about myself, it is a struggle to look yourself in the face.  Do you see the real you? Or the You that you want to see?  Which one is which?   One thing that I have learnt so far in life is that we learn the most through struggle.  I may not be 100% sure about how I personally feel towards this painting, but I did learn more about certain techniques and composition, and hopefully a little bit more about myself.

some randoms

here is some random outside of class stuff i have done in the last week or two. 

this is sewn onto linen, who doesnt love cute guys and pandas?

 

this is graphite and gel transfer on wood panel  i think about 8x10

 

print from last year, but dont think i ever documented this series.  the knotwork was crazy hard for me.. almost mathematical

Random stuff

here is some random stuff i have done/ am working on.  the city scape is huge... 5 feet tall or more.. i forget at the moment... its for a coming assignment and has alot of work to be done. 

this is a glass fusion piece i did at my sisters studio just for fun

 

Acrylic/ ink drawing of my friend Daniela... again just for fun

 

another glass fusion piece i did at my sister's studio for fun

 

glass fusion robot

 

teen goth self portrait.  also just for fun

same painting as first image via REGULAR light

 

full view via BLACK LIGHT

 

REGULAR LIGHT

the opinions expressed may not be those of the artist

 

Appropriation is currently a very controversial topic, particularly when it involves First Nations art. It is no longer acceptable for artists of non-native descent to use aboriginal themes in their artwork.

Land rights concerning First Nations is also a current political hot topic, as well as environmental concerns and exploitation of natural resources relates to much of the land in question. I wanted to produce a piece of art in response to this.

I am highly influenced by Emily Carr’s work; I think that she was crucial in the documentation of aboriginal culture.  Emily Carr, despite being a Caucasian woman has gained the respect of many critics for her brave efforts in creating visual documentation of totems poles, at a time in which Europeans were relocating many poles. However, nearly a century later Caucasians using native themes in their art are highly frowned upon.

I decided to use her piece Scorned as timber, beloved of the sky, as the basis for my piece, replacing the single freestanding tree with a Haida totem pole.  To accentuate the exploitation of First Nations people, I placed a red native Jesus on the totem pole reminiscent of Paul Gauguin’s Yellow Christ.  As an early expressionist painter Gauguin broke from European tradition and took the liberty of painting whatever he chose to paint, however he felt like painting it.  His brave departure from socially acceptable art is a source of inspiration for the piece that I have created.

            My intention for this piece is to make an outsider commentary on the exploitation of both First Nations’ art, and the exploitation/deforestation of the land, which once belonged to them. 

            I think that Dr. Seuss’s tale of the Lorax, and the destruction of the truffula trees is a well-known source of wisdom that correlates with environmental issues such as deforestation, as well as political issues such as the exploitation of Native cultures.  The Lorax is intended to be a grounding point and an entrance for the average non-native viewer to partake in a commentary that they would not normally be invited to participate in.

 

efukt

not such a new painting its from last semester but it never really got the attention it deserves cause i didnt have the ability at the time to photograph it properly.
  so here it is in regular light, regular light plus black light, and just black light.   no photo manipulation.

Crystal Tree Castles

so... finally have some new stuff to post. had a critique today.  I think it went well, the prof seems really into my stuff, and i have to say i fucking love this class (alternative painting mediums)  the prof is Shirley Yanover ... she did those cats on the poles in kensington market.

anyways.   I painted with fluorescent paint on agate rock slices, then did nettings for all the rocks and wove them between branches...  its pretty fun.  awkward mounting it though.
and taking it on the TTC was sort of a nightmare, not so bad getting it to school but getting it home during rush hour was AWFUL  people have very little respect.  i took the subway up to st clair that was so awful i decided NOT to bother with the street car and walked the rest of the way in the rain.   Had a giant umbrella my mom bought me (pretty much the only cool thing she has ever gifted me) and awkward walked home.   GOOD TIMES   ... the piece got so wet that it lost some paint and i had to retouch when i got home.
all i well now, its on my wall.

 

super mario orgy porno party

These were for my making gender studio class.  

We were supposed to do a piece about a contemporary influence or something like that.

So i decided to do joey as mario. costume left over from halloween. took some pictures made gel transfers, since he is a textile artist i wanted there to be a strong textile component so its all stitched, many places are painted as well, added modelling paste for bulge etc.  yoshi pikachu and buttercup (note the hidden bambi pillow as well) are all regulars in my bed, and childhood icons.  Thought it'd be a fun juxtapose to use some of his actual hair as well.

The critique was today.  seemed to go fairly well.  But i mean...  who doesnt love nintendo and pokemon?

Toronto outdoor art exhibition

so i applied to TOAE... i hope  i get in, sorry for no new art pics have a few on the go so next week will have stuff to share, this is what i submitted in the portfolio for TOAE

 

“The music was like wind in her hair” 18”x24” – acrylic on wood. 2011

 

“The Golden Girls” 36”x24” (24x24 + 12x24) – acrylic on canvas. 2010

 

“Electric Medusa” 12”x16” – fluorescent acrylics on canvas 2005-2011

 

“Efukt” 24”x48” (regular light) – fluorescent acrylics on canvas. 2010

 

“Efukt” 24”x48” (black light) – fluorescent acrylics on canvas. 2010

 

“Lorena II” 24”x60” (24x24 + 24x36) – acrylic on canvas. 2010

 

“Dream of the fisherman” 48”x48” – fluorescent acrylics on canvas 2010

 

“Ocean of my heart” 20.5”x20.5” -polychromatic screen print on canvas, acrylic, sewing. 2010

 

“Forest”- Approximately 36”x46”- acrylic, watercolour, found objects, bone, sewing, crochet, hemp. 2011

 

“Forest” (detail)- Approximately 36”x46”- acrylic, watercolour, found objects, bone, sewing, crochet, hemp. 2011

wish me luck i will cry if i dont get in.  Trying to pick 10 images to submit was crazy hard.  Trying to pick 10 pieces would have been hard enough.

I dont think i find out until like may.   booooo.