canadian artist

July 2022 - Update

  • City Centre Opening Weekend - Recap

  • Grant Project Update - Becoming Pixel (Portrait 3/5)

  • Glitch Streak (Work in Progress)

  • Vancouver Cityscape (Work in Progress)

City Centre Opening Weekend - Recap

Studio selfie from day 1 of the open studios at City Centre.

A little corner of the studio, showcasing framed works.

Congrats to Harvey + Miu who were the lucky winners of my weekend giveaway of an original framed artwork: Glitch Series 02 - Crop_2.jpg.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the City Centre Open Studios last weekend! It was a whirlwind to see so many people out in public, enjoying the beautiful weather, and engaging with the art community in such a positive way. There was pretty much steady traffic passing through my studio all weekend long and I’m so happy that I was able to share both finished works, as well as works in progress with so many new people!

I spent several days prior to the event prepping the studio by hanging more works and rearranging some of the furniture to help showcase as much as I could. I made some sales and by far the best sellers of the weekend were my pins. The 1.5" Glitch pin was the most popular and lots of people were surprised that I had square pins! In case anyone is wondering, I get all my pins made locally at Six Cent Press, right here in Vancouver.

This week I updated my website shop, so if there's anything from the weekend that you missed or changed your mind about you can find it there! Feel free to reach out and arrange a private studio visit if you want to see works in person again or for the first time. If you are local I have the option to pick up from the studio so that you don't need to pay for shipping!

Grant Project Update - Becoming Pixel (Portrait 3/5)

Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 3/5, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches, 31.25 hours of labour

Last month I finished the third portrait from the Becoming a Pixel series. It’s the least detailed portrait of the three and at this point it’s becoming much harder to identify the image as a self-portrait. The first portrait from the series started with five shades of grey and this portrait is simplified down to only three colours of embroidery thread. The next portrait will be two colours and the final portrait will only be one. I can’t wait to share more progress as this series continues to unravel!

 
 

Glitch Streak (Work in Progress)

Glitch Streak (WIP), 2022, embroidery, Aida cloth

During the open studio event last weekend I was live stitching on this beauty! I felt a little bit like a broken record letting people know that “I’m just over half-way done this piece and I’m about 100 hours in”. My favourite part was seeing people react to how much time I’d spent working on this piece and them realizing that I’m not even done yet!

Glitch Streak (WIP detail), 2022, embroidery, Aida cloth

Vancouver Cityscape (Work in Progress)

I’ve been low key working on some cross-stitched “building” strips that will be added to the Vancouver Cityscape, mixed textile piece that I’ve also been slowly working on in the background (amongst my other higher priority projects). Here are some photos of the process, I hope to be done these in the next week or so!

Becoming a Pixel

Last month I finished the first portrait from my series Becoming a Pixel so I thought it was time to share a little more about the project:

Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 1/5, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches, 36 hours of labour

My multidisciplinary practice explores the intersection of digital art and embroidery, through processes rooted in traditional craft. I’m interested in the dichotomy between fast-paced digital technologies and the time-consuming practices of cross-stitching, knitting, and other needlework. Through my laborious approach to making art, I mirror society’s obsession with technology and its ability to both connect and disconnect. My project Becoming a Pixel will be a series of cross-stitched self-portraits that visually demonstrate how digital technologies are impacting the way we view ourselves and engage in the world.

(Detail) Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 1/5, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the world to evolve and adapt more towards digitization. The most convenient way to stay connected has been through our computers and devices. On the one hand, technology has been the glue that has held us together and it is how we have been able to express our frustrations, triumphs, and hardships through this new “normal”. Digital spaces are where we now spend most of our time. This means that our existence is almost always mediated through a screen or some form of digital technology.

On the other hand, the loss of physical connection has also caused us to feel more disconnected from each other. It can be hard to feel connected to others and have meaningful interactions through digital spaces. But it can also be challenging to stay truly connected to yourself. While using technology we are constantly being bombarded with advertisements and content that often become difficult to ignore. Algorithms curate most digital content, which means we have very little control over what we are being exposed to daily. With this loss of power, we begin to lose our sense of self, and our individuality can get lost in the void of virtual space.

Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 1/5, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches, 36 hours of labour


The Becoming a Pixel series will emphasize the loss of self through virtual space, each of the five cross-stitched self-portraits will become progressively more pixelated from the previous one. The same black and white self-portrait will be used to create the cross-stitch pattern for each piece in the series. Now that the first pattern has been cross-stitched, it has been scanned and converted into a new cross-stitch pattern (which will be used for the second portrait). For each new pattern the number of pixels are reduced by fifty percent, but the number of cross-stitches in the patterns remain consistent. This will result in portraits that become increasingly devoid of detail, and increasingly devoid of my own identity. The final portrait will appear as a solid square (pixel), symbolizing loss of human identity through digital technology. 

(Detail) Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 1/5, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches

 
 

March 2022 - Update

  • Canada Council for the Arts project grant 2022 - Becoming a Pixel

  • Inside the new studio/prep for upcoming exhibitions

  • Work in progress

Canada Council for the Arts - Project Grant 2022 - Becoming a Pixel

I’m very excited to share that this year I will be receiving my second Canada Council for the Arts project grant for a new cross-stitch series titled “Becoming a Pixel”. Through my laborious approach to making art, I mirror society’s obsession with technology and its ability to both connect and disconnect. The “Becoming a Pixel” series of cross-stitched self-portraits will visually demonstrate how digital technologies are impacting the way we view ourselves and engage in the world.

I will be starting this project in April, but for now I’m currently working on grant applications for the next deadline. I can’t wait to share more about the project and process along the way!

Inside the new studio/prep for upcoming exhibitions

I’ve been spending the past couple months getting things set up in the new studio and I finally feel like it’s coming together! I created two mockups for a couple of solo exhibitions I’m planning for in October 2022 and February 2023. This is a very important stage of the process to make sure that I stay on schedule to complete works that haven’t been made yet.

The first show “Back to the Future: Digital Art Through Embroidery” at the Doris Crowston Gallery at the Sunshine Coast Arts Council in Sechelt will be on display from October 14 - November 13, 2022. The second exhibition, “Womanmade: Crafting Architecture and the Mundane” at the Morey Family Gallery at Art Reach of Mid-Michigan, Mount Pleasant, MI, is scheduled for February 3-27, 2023.

Work in progress

I’m currently restraining myself from getting too involved in new projects while I focus on grant writing. So to keep my creative juices flowing I recently stitched all my loose threads onto the ongoing “Stitching Loose Ends” project. I’ve also been slowly working on my 23 inch embroidery hoop for a conceptual project tentatively titled “Stitching, Unstitching”.

Work in progress, Stitching Loose Ends, 2018-2022

Work in progress, Stitching, Unstitching, 2022

August 2021 - Update

Pre-ordering now available for Funded Art Book Project

Throughout July my focus was on finishing my art book project funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. I’m happy to announce the book is finally complete, titled “Invisible Labour: Cross-Stitching, Feminism, & the Collective Strength of Women”.

I’ll be accepting pre-orders till the end of August. The reason for this is so that I have a better idea of how much demand there is for the book before I make a bulk print order. The book will be printed as a limited edition of 50, all books will be signed, numbered, and dated. In addition, the book will also be available for download as a pdf. Head over to my shop to get your pre-order in before the August 31st deadline!

(Cover) Invisible Labour: Cross-Stitching, Feminism, & the Collective Strength of Women, hardcover book, 12 x 12 inches, 2021

(Cover) Invisible Labour: Cross-Stitching, Feminism, & the Collective Strength of Women, hardcover book, 12 x 12 inches, 2021

 
 

Vacation - Kelowna Wine Tasting Trip

Now that I’m wrapping up the art book project, I’m doing my best to take it easy and relax for the rest of the summer. Over the August long weekend my best friend and I visited several wineries in Kelowna for a much needed vacation. Until next time, cheers!

July 2021 - Update

 
 
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Work in Progress - Funded Art Book Project

After three months of hard core cross-stitching and laborious unstitching, I’ve completed the final cross-stitch piece for my art book project funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. July will be spent reviewing all of the stories submitted through my open call and carefully curating/selecting which ones to include in the book. I will also begin the design and layout of the book using InDesign. It’s really rewarding to see months of work come together and I can’t wait to show off the book when it’s all done!

 
 

Recording: Feminist Craft of Care in Times of Crisis

Back in May, I was one of three artist’s that presented and participated in a panel discussion as part of the public programming for Cinevolution’s Digital Carnival Z. Now there’s a recording of the full event available to view on youtube!

Moderated by Minah Lee, Associate Curator.

How have the labours of women artists been affected by the challenges of the ongoing pandemic? By centering feminist understandings of time and intergenerational connections, can we resist normalized and privileged cruelties practiced by capitalist patriarchy in these unprecedented times?

This panel invites you to the works of Lena Chen, Mallory Donen, and Sarah Shamash, three women artists who are crafting "care culture" in their communities through their art practice and subverting the expected outcomes of feminized labours. Lena Chen is a Chinese American writer and artist creating performances and socially engaged art in live and virtual contexts. Mallory Donen is a multidisciplinary artist residing in Vancouver, exploring processes rooted in traditional craft passed down by generations of women in her family. Sarah Shamash’s projects often underline geopolitics, feminist thought, and historical difference as a marker for understanding the world and worldings in media histories. Threading together realities of gender, labour, and surveillance, the artists' dialogue will expose gendered bodies in resistance, woven into the textile and tactility of the digital world and beyond.

This artist panel is part of the public program series curated by Minah Lee for Cinevolution's Digital Carnival Z, featuring UNION by Featured Artists Nancy Lee 李南屏 and Kiran Bhumber ਕਿਰਨਦੀਪ ਕੌਰ ਭੰਬਰ.

Discover the rest of the events in the series at www.DigitalCarnival.ca.

Society Reboot: A Guide for Humans

I’m excited to share a new video work that I created as a response to the pandemic. The work is intended as comic relief from the anxieties that someone might be experiencing now that state of emergency restrictions are being lifted. How do we start functioning as social human beings again, after such an extended period of isolation? What is normal?

Society Reboot: A Guide for Humans is an instructional video created for humans starting over in a social setting. Have you been quarantined during a pandemic? Do you need a guide for social interactions that use to be second nature? Then, this is the video for you! Or maybe existing in society has always been awkward for you? If so, this guide will introduce you to the social basics and help you learn how to be more “normal”.

This project provides a serious reflection of society's ever-changing definition of “normal”. Humour, irony, and sheer ridiculousness are used as tools to confront discomforts and fears, as individuals are re-introduced to societal interactions.

June 2021 - Update

  • Inside the Studio

  • Video Sound Archive

  • Work in Progress - Funded Art Book Project

  • Open Call for Anonymous Stories - Deadline June 30

Inside the Studio

Last week I took some long overdue portraits in my studio. I wanted to photograph myself amongst my art and some of the tools I use while embroidering/knitting. On the walls you can see works from my thesis exhibition, Glitch Series, and System Failure series. On the floor is Ouroboros (which I like to refer to as my big ball of yarn) and to the left is the wooden French Knitting loom that I use to re-knit finger knitted strands of yarn.

I have two embroidery stands in my studio. The first one has a rectangular frame and currently holds my ongoing work in progress Stitching Loose Ends. The second one functions more like a clamp stand, which means it can hold various types of frames. In the photographs, you can see it is clamping an embroidery hoop for cross-stitching the handkerchief patterns for my art book project. In another photograph, I am sitting in a wingback chair with a granny square afghan and arm rest covers that I crocheted myself (with a little help from my mom for the covers).

Video Sound Archive

Starting on June 4 @pm ET my video project Part 2: What Happens to a Stressed System? will be part of the first season of featured artists for a virtual video exhibition Video Sound Archive.

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Work in Progress - Funded Art Book Project

Last month I continued to tirelessly cross-stitch patterns of handkerchief scans for my art book project. I have completed cross-stitching six of the nine patterns. Only three more to go and I should finish them by the end of June! Then I will begin working on the layout of the art book using InDesign.

Open Call for Anonymous Stories - Deadline June 30

Reminder that I will be accepting submissions for stories till the end of June. Everyone is welcome to submit their experience of having to hide their emotional/physical pain in order to avoid pity or shame for being too sensitive. Please also feel free to share!

 
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May 2021 - Update

Feminist Craft of Care for Times of Crisis: a presentation panel

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On May 13th @6:30pm-8:00pm PST, I will be presenting at an artist panel “Feminist Craft of Care for Times of Crisis”, alongside Lena Chen & Sarah Shamash. The panel is part of Digital Carnival Z an annual festival run by Cinevolution Media Arts. I’m very excited to be part of such a well run event and to be presenting with such amazing and talented artists. Register online through Eventbrite to attend the event for free.

I will present works from the past several years which investigate notions of labour, productivity, and the value of art in relation to craft and women’s work. Instead of becoming reliant on computers and other advanced technologies that are accelerating the speeds of production and consumption alike, I choose to look back to centuries-old practices that have been passed down through generations of women. I explore the parallel between repetitive processes and computer programming by taking on the role of a machine.

By embracing time-consuming processes such as hand-stitching, I emphasize the importance and value of women’s labour. As a female artist, my labour is feminized and inherently connected to women’s domestic work. I challenge expectations of traditional craft by introducing conceptual layers and experimentation with new media. Throughout my artist talk, I will bring awareness to the value of feminine art forms and the connection between craft and fine art.

A WAY Online Art Gallery

GlitchSeries04 - Crop_1_crop.jpg, Archival inkjet print and embroidery, 11 x 14 inches, 2019

GlitchSeries04 - Crop_1_crop.jpg, Archival inkjet print and embroidery, 11 x 14 inches, 2019

Glitch Series 04 is available for sale at A WAY Online Art Gallery for the next couple months, check out their website for my work and art by some other amazing artists!

Open Call - Submit your Story

Women’s stories surrounding pain will be chosen to be part of a conceptual art book project, mirrored with images of delicate handkerchiefs and embroidery.

Submit your anonymous stories and experiences of when you felt the need to hide either your emotional/physical pain in order to avoid pity or shame for being too sensitive.

Let us contradict the stereotype of women as pure and fragile by demonstrating the perseverance, dedication, and strength of women. 

Work in Progress - Funded Art book Project

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The past month has been jammed packed with many hours of cross-stitching, as I begun working on my project funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. First, I received my new embroidery stand and hoops in the mail. Second I fully prepped a piece of Aida cloth by securing the edge with stitches, to prevent fraying. I even marked the vertical and horizontal middles with stitches, which is something I rarely do!

For this project, I am creating an art book consisting of scans of my Ama’s original handkerchiefs and corresponding cross-stitched replications of each pattern.

I have chosen and scanned nine handkerchiefs, which I am converting into cross-stitch patterns. Using the patterns, I am cross-stitching nine embroidered pieces (approx. 6x6 inches each), which are scanned once completed.

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After each cross-stitch piece is completed, I will mirror the cyclical structure of a woman’s existence and allude to the concept of invisibility, by recycling the same piece of Aida cloth and the same strands of embroidery thread for each new pattern. I will unravel each completed cross-stitch replication and re-stitch the next handkerchief by reusing the same material.

The art book will consist of pages with a scan of a handkerchief on the left and a scan of the corresponding cross-stitched piece on the right. It will also include stories selected from an anonymous open call (Submit your story to be a part of the project). The stories will be examples from women who have had to hide or pretend that they were not in pain in order to avoid pity or shame for being too sensitive.

Throughout April, I completed three of the nine cross-stitch pieces. Each piece took an average of 25 hours to cross-stitch and 14 hours to unstitch. It’s weird to think that the only evidence of these works will be the final scans/images that will be included in the art book. Although it may seem unusual, it adds to the conceptual aspects of the work, by emphasizing the invisibility of the labour. This connects to the idea of women’s labour and pain as invisible.

I acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

 
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