Saturday, July 21, 2012

Summer Show

We had a fun time tonight at the opening of our summer show at Bohemia. It's great to have friends and acquaintances show up and support your hard work. The work will be up until August 12. Hope you get a chance to go see it.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Artist Statement

Incubation of Ideas..... I am often asked "where do you get your ideas?". My ideas come from all facets of life. Unfortunately ideas don't come fully formed, they have to linger in one's mind or memory bank. Often it is an interesting observation which is stored in the imagination. These observations will occasionally rise to the surface or consciousness, be thought about and then restored. They will then mix with other concepts to create a new interpretation. When starting a new body of work it usually involves a new questioning of a perceived viewpoint which is then imprinted by thoughts from the memory bank. An artist doesn't want to echo what has already been said they want to make their own voice heard. Ideas are changed over time by influences in culture, social circumstances and the basic human condition. Some ideas take a long incubation before becoming a fully finished work others are quick. In my working life I start on my basic concept and I'm open to the changes which will inevitably come.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sunburns and Other Ideas

Derek, Alana and I set up our show tonight. Alana is the curator, install technician, sales staff and head cheerleader all rolled into one.
Incubation of Ideas

Sunday, July 8, 2012

It Was A Rollercoaster Weekend

I'm back home from the show a day early because yesterday was exhausting. We parked the car in the lot yesterday morning and started pulling boxes out to take over to the show when Derek realized we didn't have my 2 clear plastic boxes with all of my jewellery and the cash box. We took what we had over to the booth and I set up while Derek went back to the apartment where we stayed over night. He checked the apartment, asked at the parking lot kiosk and traced every step he made the night before. When he came back to the booth he was so upset he could hardly see straight. We didn't know what to do next. Most of the items I was showing were gone. The booth looked empty except for the big red knitted ball. Soon after Derek filed a police report, he notified a board member of the show committee and told some of the artists around us what happened. The day mercilessly ground on. By 5:00 pm we wanted to go home and just as we started to pack up a couple of board members and a photographer came by and told me that I had won the best sculpture award. How bittersweet. There was a reception in city hall with drinks, hors d'oeuvres and speeches. We left right after. Sunday morning I checked the phone messages and couldn't believe my luck when I heard Hugo the parking attendant's message. Someone had handed in 2 clear plastic boxes and he had found my phone number on a business card in one of the boxes. We immediately jumped into the car and headed to Toronto. I was overjoyed to get all of my jewellery back. I was telling everyone how humanity hadn't let me down. Back home I started going through everything in the boxes and discovered approximately 1/4 of the work was missing. Who ever it was that found my jewellery box must of rifled through it and picked out some favourite things. So this weekend has been very bittersweet. I got validation of my sculptural work and someone didn't steal all of my jewellery.

Friday, July 6, 2012

It Was A Hot One

Up at 5:00am is not my idea of a good start to the day but that was me this morning. A little bleary eyed and ready to go. After a stop at Tim's we hit the highway and I was back asleep. Thank goodness I wasn't driving. We arrived at Nathan Phillips square with lots of time to set up. My sister Ruth showed up with drinks and we were happy as ants at a picnic. Some exhibitors must have skimmed over the hours of operation part of the acceptance letter because several people didn't show up until 11:00am. The big red knitted ball "A Life's Work is Never Finished" attracted a lot of attention. There must of been 30 photos taken of it today and more questions asked of me. People were very intrigued to know if there was something inside the ball. As the TOAE show goes today was a very slow day. It was just to hot for many to venture out. As southern Ontario, Canadians we just aren't use to weather this hot. Let's hope it's a little cooler tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A Relaxed Day Before The Day Before

I had a wonderful day today. It's the day before the day before my show and I am almost all ready. Derek painted my shelving unit while I filled preserving jars with yarn. Yarn that was knit, crochet, felted and wound into balls. It was so enjoyable sitting at the kitchen table, BY MYSELF, thinking and working on the Big Knitted Ball project. The house is usually busy with kids, both young and old, and Derek going back and forth to the studio asking me questions. The show for which the preparations are for is the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. It starts at 10 Friday morning so that means a 5 am start down the highway. With the preparations going so well I think I'll be able to get to bed early tomorrow night. Not something I'm use to doing. Almost every other show I've been to I've worked on things right up to the last minute. I think this is going to be a good weekend.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Photo Shoot Today

Derek and I spent the afternoon at Bohemia Coffee shop.
Derek photographed my new clothing line for my web site. I will be selling the clothing on line, at select shows and at my home studio. The fabrics are organic cotton knit jersey, rayon mixes, linen all from Montreal, the city with such style.
I kept looking at the cakes but didn't have any. I have had a nosh of those delectables before and they are remarkable.
I was hoping they didn't want me to help mop the floors when they pulled out the yellow bucket.