January 2019 - Update

  • Art on Demand 4.4 - Documentation

  • Judy Chicago

  • Art to Dine For

Art on Demand 4.4 - Documentation


This is the last week to check out my solo exhibition at the Reach Gallery in Abbotsford (ends January 6, 2018). I’m sad to be taking it down on the weekend, but I’m looking forward to new projects and future exhibitions in the coming year. Below are documentation photos of the exhibition.

Judy Chicago

I powered through my cross-stitched portrait of Judy Chicago this past month. Now that I have a series of three completed for my artist portraits, I’m excited to submit these for exhibition. I’ll be taking a break from the portraits to work on Glitch Series 03 which is also coming along nicely (stay tuned).



Art to Dine For

Save the date! My friends and I from We Are Pie Art Collective will be hosting an art market on Friday, February 8, from 5pm-8pm, at Art to Dine For, a fundraising event for the Abbotsford Art Council. Tickets for the event are $35, there will also be a Silent Auction, Mucho Burrito Bar and live music! Art to Dine For will take place at Highstreet Shopping Centre in Abbotsford, follow this link to purchase tickets ahead of time: www.abbotsfordartscouncil.com

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December 2018 - Update

  • Art on Demand 4.4 - Opening Reception

  • Glitch Series 03

  • Search & Rescue Fundraiser

  • Mainstreet Mixed Bag

Art on Demand 4.4 - Opening Reception

“When I Cross-Stitch I Feel Like a Machine” is now open at The Reach Gallery & Museum, for the Art Demand 4.4 exhibition and will run until January 6, 2019. Below are some installation photos from the night of the opening, stay tuned for high res images of the exhibition.

Glitch Series 03

I’ve been working on Glitch Series 03 and finally finished Crop 2 out of 9. Below are photos showing the progression of how it all came together. In total this cross-stitch took 25 hours to complete!

Search & Rescue Fundraiser

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Over this past year, I’ve been part of an art collective called “We Are Pie”, that meets once a month to discuss various art topics and support our art practices. In November, a few of us participated in a fundraiser for Search & Rescue at the Reach Gallery & Museum in Abbotsford. The theme was “Nature”, but a couple of us decided to put a little art collective flair into are paintings and put “Pie in Nature”. Below are process photos showing the step by step progression of the painting I did for the fundraiser. The painting was not sold at the fundraiser and is still looking for a home. I personally think that a baker needs this painting in their kitchen, what do you think?

Mainstreet Mixed Bag

I set up a booth for Mainstreet Mixed Bag in November, which was my second market! I also participated in the first Holiday Mainstreet Mixed Bag market today.

November 2018 - Update

  • Inktober

  • iAD Anonymous Art Show

  • Maker Market

  • Mainstreet Mixed Bag

  • Art on Demand 4.4

Inktober

This past month I participated in the Inktober challenge and I created a new drawing with ink every day (with the exception of the last couple of days). Below are images of the new work I created throughout this challenge.

iAD Anonymous Art Show

This past month I submitted a painting to the Anonymous Art Show in New Westminster for International Artist Day (iAD). Over 100 artists created work on 12”x12” canvases and pieces were sold for $150 with $50 going towards the New West Arts Council and $100 directly to the artist.

Maker Market

Last week I did my first market, the Maker Market at the Ellis Building (1024 Main Street). My inventory is fully stocked and I’m ready to keep getting my name and my art out there for people to see!

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Upcoming Market - Mainstreet Mixed Bag

That’s right, I’m signed up for my next market! This one is called Mainstreet Mixed Bag, at the Ellis Building, 1024 Main Street, Vancouver, on November 11, from 11am-6pm. Don’t miss out on killer deals on my art, who knows you might find some holiday gifts for that special someone or maybe just treat yourself.

Art on Demand 4.4

My solo exhibition at the Reach is coming up this month! Art on Demand 4.4 will be up from November 15 - January 6th at the Reach, Abbotsford, BC. The opening reception will be on Thursday, November 15th at 6:30-8:30pm, be sure to stop by and see some of my most recent work in person. Below are images of the work that will be on display, featured projects from my MFA Thesis and Glitch Series 01.

October 2018 - Update

I’m finally blogging again! After a much needed break from art and life, I’ve been working on my mental health over the past few months. Being an artist is a gruelling practice, you have to go through constant rejection and heaps of doubt. People are always telling you that you aren’t going to succeed and there are moments when you believe them. It can be difficult to stay motivated, but in the end it’s worth it. I can say with every cell in my body that I am an artist and I will always be passionate about making art and sharing it with others. This passion is what keeps me going and when I listen to my heart I know I’m doing what I should be.

It’s a bit delayed, but please read the rest of my blog for an overview of what I had been working on earlier this summer and what I’m up to right now!

  • Neither Here Nor There

  • Diane Arbus 

  • Paint by Numbers

  • Glitch Series 03

  • Upcoming Art Market: Maker Market, Friday, October 26th, 5:00pm - 10:00pm

  • Upcoming Solo Exhibition: Art on Demand 4.4, The Reach Gallery, Abbotsford, Nov. 15 - Jan. 6

Neither Here Nor There

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Glitch Series 01 was part of a group exhibition, July 7-20, Neither Here Nor There, at South Main Gallery, Vancouver, BC. I'm so happy to have been a part of the exhibition, showing with several other emerging artists in Vancouver. See below for photos from the opening reception and documentation of the whole exhibition. 

Diane Arbus

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I've finally finished my Diane Arbus portrait and I've decided to take a bit of a break on my Women Artist Portraits for the moment. I'm trying to figure out the direction I want to take the series before I continue any further.

Paint By Numbers Series

Still continuing to work on more Paint by Numbers quilted paintings, but I've been starting to think of how I'm going to frame this series. I'm also thinking I might start another set of larger paintings! 

Glitch Series 03 

After showing Glitch Series 01 and getting lots of positive feedback on the work, it's inspired me to keep working on more pieces like this. I finished a mini set of cross-stitched glitch images titled Glitch Series 02 and now I've begun another Glitch Series 03 that will be larger than Series 01 and 02. See photos below for the first complete piece from Glitch Series 03. 

Maker Market

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Some awesome news! I’ll be selling my art at the Maker Market, at the Ellis Building (1024 Main Street, close to Science World), on Friday, October 26, 5-10pm. Now is the time to start thinking ahead of the game and find something unique for your holiday gifts! Also it’s a chance to see me with my art, my true passion.

Art on Demand 4.4

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Even more exciting news! Art Demand 4.4 is an upcoming solo exhibition at The Reach Gallery, in Abbotsford, BC, November 15 - January 6, 2018. I will be showing Glitch Series 01, When I Cross Stitch I Feel Like a Machine, as well The Machine: Knitting Ouroboros, which will include the video and installation. The challenge with the “Ouroboros” installation has been trying to figure out a way to mount the piece onto the gallery wall. Through trial, error, and many discussions with my peers and the curator, I’m still working on a solution. All in all, I know we’ll come up with a way to show the piece even if we have to change the format slightly.

July 2018 - Update

  • Upcoming Show: Neither Here Nor There

  • White Rock Youth Mural Complete!

  • Paint by Number Series - Progress and more videos

  • Diane Arbus - Almost done

Neither Here Nor There

So excited for this upcoming exhibition which features an all female roster of artists! The artists showing include the following: Madison Tyrell, Sara Khan, Marzieh Mosavarzadeh, and myself.  I'll be showing work from Glitch Series 01, as well as potentially a few other works. The opening is next Saturday, July 7th at 3pm. But don't worry if you aren't able to make it that day, the show runs until July 20th. Plenty of time to go check it out! The South Main Gallery is located in Vancouver at Main Street and 6th East Ave. 

White Rock Youth Mural

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Great news! I'm happy to share with you the finished photos of the White Rock Youth Mural. It was a long process to get this thing completed, but it's finally done. This residential area between Finlay and Victoria street just got a little brighter. Take a gander when you're visiting White Rock Beach this summer and be sure to see it in person.

Paint by Numbers Series

Still trucking away on my Paint by Numbers Series of quilted paintings. I even made one while I was camping last weekend! It's a bit of a tedious process, but I'm starting to slowly see this body of work come together. The next step will be to start framing them! I'll continue posting videos where I will reveal the squares for each painting, if you haven't watched any check out the videos below for a peak behind the scenes of the selection process.

Watch me choose the next set of squares for Pattern #3, which is part of the "Paint by Numbers Series". The series of quilted paintings, further explore ideas from my thesis "I Come From a Long Line of Machines".
Watch me choose the next set of squares for Pattern #4, which is part of the "Paint by Numbers Series". The series of quilted paintings, further explore ideas from my thesis "I Come From a Long Line of Machines".
Watch me choose the next set of squares for Pattern #5, which is part of the "Paint by Numbers Series". The series of quilted paintings, further explore ideas from my thesis "I Come From a Long Line of Machines".

Diane Arbus

Stayed tuned for final photos of my cross-stitched Diane Arbus portrait, it should be completed by the next month's blog update!

In the meantime, here's a close up photo to show some of the detail in her face. 

May 2018 - Update

RAW: Vancouver

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Thanks to everyone who showed up to support me at the RAW: Vancouver showcase back in April. For those of you who couldn't make it, don't worry there's always next time! The event was a success and I definitely learned some valuable business skills while preparing for the show, setting up, tearing down, and of course throughout the night while interacting with lovers of art and newbies alike! I love hearing everyone's opinions and reactions to my work. It is especially interesting getting feedback and unique perspectives outside of an academic setting (this is still fairly new for me). Please check out a selection of photos from the event below, taken by the official photographers, Mike Chen Photography and Evan Chen Photography.

Paint by Numbers Series

Watch me choose the next set of squares for Pattern #2, which is part of the "Paint by Numbers Series". The series of quilted paintings, further explore ideas from my thesis "I Come From a Long Line of Machines".

Settling In to My Vancouver Apartment/Studio

A week or so ago, I finally hunkered down and spent a day hanging my art onto my walls. My apartment now feels like a mini gallery of my work and it feels a lot more like home. It's also starting to feel more like a studio and a space where I can be inspired to continue to create on a constant basis. Instead of looking at blank walls, I look up and I can see a timeline of my art over the past several years. This inspires me to keep going and to assess where do I go from here? What do I want to make now? 

There are days when I'm not sure what project to work on and sometimes I question why I'm spending every spare moment of my time on art. But when I look around my space and remember how far I've come and how hard I've worked on my art, it pushes me to keep on moving forward. I've been reading "In the Company of Women" by Grace Bonney and it's reminding that being a creative individual is hard work, and it takes time, patience, and perseverance. These are things I struggle to often remember, but I'm doing my best to be present in the moment and enjoy the journey. I have to keep reminding myself that every artist starts somewhere and I'm just at the cusp of being an emerging artist. Patience doesn't always come easily to me, but it's something I'm working on. Like a muscle, I know it'll get stronger with more exercise. 

March 2018 - Update

Sorry for the lack of blogging and art updates lately, balancing a full-time job and an art practice is not an easy task. I'm doing what I can and I'm happy to say that I'll be in an exhibition this month. It's an exhibition celebrating women in history, in conjunction with International Women's Day. 

 
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“International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It commemorates the movement for women’s rights. The earliest Women’s Day observance was held on February 28, 1909 in New York.

The Celebration of Herstory Art Exhibition is Thursday, March 8 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. It will be held at the White Rock Community Centre at 15154 Russell Avenue, White Rock.”
 

I'll be showing my new cross-stitch piece "Yayoi Kusama: The Queen of Dots", a portrait of an artist who has always been source for inspiration for me. Kusama is known for her obsessive practice that utilizes the simplistic form of dots. The cross-stitch piece took a total of 45 hours hours to complete and was framed using resources I had on hand in my studio. The wooden frame was from an old canvas painting and was repainted with the Kusama's signature dots. The window matte was cut from black paper and the cross-stitched canvas is fixed to recycled cardboard. This process of recycling and repurposing old materials connects back to my goal of a $100 art budget for 2018. 

I have also been hired as an Artist Mentor throughout March and April, for a mural project with 8-10 high school students from Elgin Secondary. Along with Rachel Kirkpatrick, we will be leading this group of AP Art students in the creation of a mural to be painted in White Rock (East Beach Residential location).

Rachel and I scoping out the mural site during our first meeting discussing planning and preparation for our upcoming studio sessions with the Elgin Park students. 

Rachel and I scoping out the mural site during our first meeting discussing planning and preparation for our upcoming studio sessions with the Elgin Park students. 

The planning for the mural will take place over the course of three studio sessions where the students will collaborate, brainstorm, and pitch a mural concept/sketch. They will be presenting their idea/concept to White Rock City Council for approval. Once the mural has been approved, Rachel and I will oversee the painting of the mural until it's completion. The plan is to have the mural completed by the end of May at the latest. Hopefully, the weather will improve and we can get it thrown up in April.

That's all for now, stay tuned for updates on the #WRYouthMural!