Preview time

Detail for a painting that I'll show you later.

It was a good day

Post-crafty-market after a craaaazy weekend (there are multiple reasons for that one) and I feel great! Mostly because I finally got around to cleaning The Cave. I can be very prudish when it comes to throwing things out, especially since I started making collages. Today I forced myself to throw away the scraps of my NYC scraps. Destroyed brochures from museums and galleries, pieces of religious tracts and various other debris found in subway tunnels went in the recycling. It speaks to me of closure. It happened, it was great, now its time to move on (with exception to a gallery show? But who knows when that will happen).

The cleaning frenzy must have sparked something inside me because I was finally able to solve a visual problem in one of my larger paintings. Hallejulah!

Enclose

Enclose, textile on canvas, 2011

Boyz with gunzzz

If you come to Muster Studio's 'Crafty Art Market' the first weekend of december you have a chance at purchasing these beauties!! See info in following post.

Shoot-out, found object/mixed media, 2011

ASAP, mixed media, 201

1

'P' is for 'party', mixed media, 2011

Endnotes, mixed media, 2011

Something found

I found this piece of skull in an antique auction house over the summer. A few years ago I did a watercolour/ink painting of a skull with colors very similar to this one. I could come up with a romantic statement about how life prevails over death, and how this painting is a symbol of hope (which may be true). But when it all comes down to it, I just really like painting animal skulls.

Found Fragment, mixed media on panel, 30''x28''

Momma T

The Saint of Darkness, assemblage on wood

"If I ever become a saint - I will surely be one of darkness. I will continually be absent from heaven - to light the light of those in darkness on earth." -Mother Teresa

This is a contemporary icon for Momma T, the woman who taught us that even broken people can change the world.

Complexities visualized

Found Object Collage, mixed media, 2011

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday. Since moving to the DTES, holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter take on a whole new level of meaning. To be honest, I don't think I ever seriously observed this day before. After serving two fabulous Easter meals at the mission (where I work) I went on a walk around the neighborhood to the stations of the cross. The procession ended at the beach, where we each made our own crosses. Mine is the ghetto version, as someone commented today. But perhaps its more accurate. Rawness and self expression trumps the anatomically correct human form any day.

I had a beautiful conversation with my friend in the picture below. Earlier today he struggled to drag the life-size cross down Hastings Street as a part of the Easter procession. While he vocally processed (How did Jesus carry that thing? He was pretty beaten up, well I guess he didn't carry it the whole way. But wow- its like he was digging his own grave) I was overwhelmed with emotion- something between sadness, elation and hope. God's heart for the marginalized is so apparent in this season. No one suffers alone.

The Cave

This is where the magic happens... appropriately named 'The Cave' because it is wet and cold. How I love Vancouver! (I'm only half sarcastic)

Broken Ground

Coming up on March 18 I have a solo art show at the Inscape Gallery in Redmond, Washington. I am learning that being an artist in the post grad world is not that different from university. I still have deadlines-- and yes, I still procrastinate.

The series entitled 'Broken Ground' explores the tensions between addiction and healing. It isn't until one hits the lowest point that they are finally ready to contend for and receive freedom. It is also the ground, or the hard soil that must be broken in order to allow for new growth.

Humbly Asked, ink on mylar, 5'' x 3''

Fell Fallow, ink on mylar, 3''x2''

Loose Dark Earth, ink on mylar, 5''x3''

Sought After, ink on mylar, 5'' x 3''