Monotype printmaking

This weekend I got a great chance to use Ottawa's largest etching printing press.  (Although I did not print any really big prints or any etchings I had fun getting used to the press!)  This press is located in the print studio at the Nepean Creative Arts Centre - I will be teaching classes here in the Spring/Summer session, stayed tuned for more information in the coming months!

Anyways, thoroughly enjoyed the printmaking facilities - here's a couple prints I did: (Monotype using soy based inks)

New Artworks and they're up for sale!

Hello!

I've been working on some new work in the area of children's illustration.  I decided to experiment with different medias and this is what I've come up with!

This is done using graphite on Mylar, placed on a texture I made on wood board using gesso and acrylics.  The colouring was done in Photoshop. 

Also, as mentioned on the upcoming shows links to the side of this blog, I currently have works for sale at holiday art shows (three pieces at each location).  The work above will be for sale at these events.  Come to the exhibits if you want to see them in person!  Here are the details:

26th Annual Holiday Fund-raising Art Sale 
(2 locations):

1) Byward Market OSA Gallery: 35 George Street, Ottawa, ON
Show runs from: December 2 -19, 2010
Opening Reception: Thursday Decempber 2, 5pm - 8pm

2) Shenkman Arts Centre OSA Gallery: 245 Centrum Blvd. Orleans, ON
Show runs from: November 29 - December 18. 2010
Opening Reception: Sunday December 5, 2pm - 5pm

Artwork up for auction at Gallery 101 this Saturday Night!

Saturday, December 4, 2010 
240 Bank Street
Doors open at 7pm – 1am
Featuring: DJs The O’Malley’s and Jas Nasty
MC: Rob Clipperton
Tickets:  $10 or $15 at the door
or at After Stonewall- 370 Bank Street, Collected Works – 1242 Wellington St. W., Mags & Fags – 254 Elgin

Mad about the arts: 101 Frames gets a little bit ‘wrath’ful
101 FRAMES, Gallery 101’s largest annual fundraiser, is thinking outside the frame with its 7-year plan to shake things up in downtown Ottawa.  On Saturday, December 4th, 2010, Gallery 101, with title sponsor Knowledge Circle, will host this highly respected and anticipated event–the third of its seven years of THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS. Each year, we ask artists to interpret a different deadly sin. Last year’s event, PRIDE, followed year one’s LUST, and while we don’t want to get a swelled head, it was an outstanding success, with pride-worthy artworks, performances worth boasting about, uppity DJs spinning bold tunes, and a bar to brag about. This year, G101 invites artists to make art that engages with the most vicious sin in the bunch: WRATH. You wouldn’t like us when we’re angry, so please help us spread the word that Gallery 101 is proud to support the arts community in Ottawa for over 30 years.

This year, 101 FRAMES has invited local and regional artists to open up a can of whoop-@$$ by creating artwork with a central theme of WRATH for this year’s silent art auction, which is to be followed by a raucous dance party.

Other sinful features of the event will include door prizes to fight over, smoking hot appetizers, vicious beats, and some surprisingly sinful entertainment and performances. Our over 400 guests will gratify themselves with a night of arts and culture which showcases the talent of Ottawa’s arts community and also supports G101, a local, non-profit artist-run centre.

Proceeds from the auction help Gallery 101 maintain its services to artists and the community. This event is supported and made possible by our local artists, volunteers and friends.

Matte Painting Project - The progress

Matte Painting: scene for the design document
My photo reference for the matte painting:

Changed it a bit in photoshop (got rid of the people, bus, changed the colours, etc):

Painting the foreground (in photoshop):

Finished matte painting:

Design Document: Characters

Illustrations: Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby (Waterfairy character), Mr. Dragonfly (Narrator/Tom's moral guide).

A bit more about my adaptation and tone of the film:  I would like to center this project around themes of fantasy, magic, Victorian England, and the golden rule...

Charles Kingsley's The Water babies ... my adaptation

For class we had to create a Design Document.  I decided to pitch a film adaptation of Charles Kingsley's "The Water Babies,"  a children's novel completed in 1863.  The story is about a young chimney sweep named Tom. Tom lives a rather harsh life in the city under his abusive master Mr. Grimes.  One day they receive a job to clean the chimneys of a large estate in the countryside.  During this job Tom frightens a young girl and is chased outside of the house into the nearby forest.  He stumbles and passes away from falling off a cliff into a stream.  However, he has actually been turned into a "water babie."  As a water babie, Tom goes through various adventures which have to do with good and moral conduct.  In the end he makes a decision to do something that "he does not quite wish to do," earning a return to human form.

So that's the idea in brief.  I will be making changes to the original plot, but my plan is to keep the original theme in tact, which I've interpreted as the Golden Rule.  First thing we have to draw are the main characters.  Here is my finished character drawing of Tom:

"Soundscape" Artist Statement

Soundscape: a melange of musical and sometimes non-musical sounds. - Merriam-Webster Dictionary

This series of work is a study on how to communicate visual and musical concepts such as space, tension, movement,and emotion through figurative drawings.  The larger figurative works in particular are meant to draw attention to those moments in time when listening is crucial, special, or perhaps emotionally difficult.

The overall goal is to create "listening" environment for the viewer.  Although the pieces are technically "soundless," I hope that sound can be evoked from the imagery occupying the space - a soundless soundscape so to speak.

Maya

[My statement for the show at Blink Gallery, see previous posts for details]

Setting up for the show tomorrow

A sneak peek at what to expect at my first Solo exhibit in Ottawa.  (I was still setting up at this point)

Solo show this month!

Title: Soundscape

Location: Blink Gallery (Header House in Major's Hill Park - Downtown, across from the National Art Gallery)  Click on the promo card to see it enlarged with map.

Opening: August 26, 2010
Time: 6 pm - 9 pm

This show runs into the weekend.

I hope to see you there!

WaterCan Embassy Dinner

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let you know about a great fundraising event on Friday, May 7th - the annual Embassy Dinner hosted by WaterCan, in support of their projects in eastern Africa.

For those of you who have never attended, the Embassy Dinner is a great event where 600-700 people (including many dignitaries, business owners, NGO workers, and politicians), gather to taste culinary creations by 30+ embassies, participate in live and silent auctions, and get a chance to mingle and network, all while supporting a great cause.

This year I have donated a monotype print to the auction. 

If you are thinking about attending but haven't bought your tickets yet, this is to let you know that you only have a little bit of time left - the tickets are almost sold out!!!

For tickets visit:
Watercan Embassy Dinner Tickets

Happy Chinese New Year!

For the third year I am participating in the International print exhibit hosted by Proof Studio Gallery in Toronto.  Each year they have a call out for print makers to celebrate the next zodiac sign and Chinese New year.  This year, it is the year of the tiger:

 

It is a traveling exhibit.  Currently I am only aware of the main show in Toronto and participating artists from Ottawa are also represented at the Ottawa School of Art in the Byward Market.  Prints are for sale.  

Happy New Year:)

Promo

Two invitationals to shows that I am participating in. Thought I would share them.  For more information, please visit the links on the right side.

Gallery 101's annual 101 frames - deadly sins show.  This year the theme is PRIDE.
I have one artwork up for silent auction (December 5th).

Holiday Fund-raising Art Sale in the Byward Market and the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans:

I have sold a piece so far at the OSA in the Byward and also at the Shenkman Arts Centre.  Thank-you very much to those who bought my artwork!  It really means a lot to me.

Replacement pieces are on the walls (3 artworks available for sale at each location), and many amazing pieces by local artists.  If you can, pay us a visit!

November - art packed

Well, this month has been exciting in the arts community in Ottawa.  I have been back in the capital for almost 3 months now and happy to have seen and participated in exhibitions, here are the highlights thus far.

Last weekend, Ottawa's 2nd Timeraiser was held at the National Art Gallery of Canada.  An event which supports local volunteer organizations and artists simultaneously.  (To backtrack a bit, earlier this year I had applied to their jury to be a participating artist and was chosen.)   I thoroughly enjoyed the event. The atmosphere was quite the mix: music videos on a big screen, music blasting from speakers, islands of walls displaying artworks, many booths with great volunteering representatives, artists, organizers, guests, press, and not to mention it was a catered event;)

I must mention that just two days before Timeraiser my friend and local artist opened a beautiful show at the Lee Matasi Gallery called "Colourgraph" - a print making exhibit.  The show runs until Nov 24th.

In the next couple weeks I will be participationg in various art fund raising events:

• Holiday Art Sale at the Ottawa school of Art in the Bytown Market and at the Shenkman Centre for the Arts in Orleans (Four four time and Three four time will be up for sale)
  
• SKETCH at Saw Gallery
• 101 Frames "Pride" at Gallery101.  

For more information, please refer to the links on the right.

In terms of new art making, I have recently finished a small series of watercolours - again musically inspired.   Abtract in a sense, but most are grounded in some notational reference.  I finished these works in Ottawa.  It is an adjustment from having a studio space (left) to working in the apartment.  Subsiquently my "studio" consists of a yoga mat from the dollar store next to a newspapered covered-carpeted section of the living room floor (parts of my computer desk fit into this master scheme as well).  In the end I am happy with the results, here are some samples: (I will post the rest on my website.)

The Breath Mark, 2009
The comma refers to singers to take a breath or to make a slight pause.

Piano Pedals, 2009
Ever notice how cool the release sustain pedal symbol is?

Timeraiser!

Hello everyone,

This year I was picked to be a participating artist for Ottawa's 2nd Timeraiser!

For more information please read/forward the information below:

(Note: Due to the ongoing labour dispute at the Canadian War Museum, the 2nd Ottawa Timeraiser will now take place at the National Gallery of Canada, in the Great Hall.)

2nd Ottawa Timeraiser

Saturday November 14th

Doors open at 7:00pm

at the National Gallery of Canada, Great Hall

Buy tickets now!

To view a short video about how the Timeraiser works, check out this You Tube video.

You can also get more information by joining the Timeraiser Facebook Fan Page and have your Facebook friends join too- www.facebook.com/timeraiser.

Timeraiser 101
"We know that getting involved in the community isn't always easy, so we've made it simple for you to find relevant and meaningful volunteer opportunities that fit your busy lifestyle.

The Timeraiser is part volunteer fair, part silent art auction and part night on the town. Throughout the evening meet with different agencies and match your skills to their needs. Once you have made your matches, you are eligible to bid on artwork. The big twist is rather than bid money, you bid volunteer hours. Once the auction is over we announce the hours raised and then celebrate our contribution to the community.

It is our hope that the evening is the beginning of a life-long journey for you and your friends. A journey that plants the seed to make your civic footprint - a contribution of your time and money to causes that are important to you - as big as possible."

At Timeraiser.ca, you can:
1. Preview agencies and search through volunteer opportunities
2. Preview all the cool artwork from emerging artists
3. Invite your friends and colleagues to attend
4. Get additional information about the Timeraiser

To buy tickets go to http://www.timeraiser.ca

Visit our FAQs if you have any more questions.

Contact Information
If you have any questions about the Timeraiser please email jgrebel@timeraiser.ca or 1 (800) 263-1178 x232.

Current Show

Somebodies

Independent Residency Program Exhibition

(September 9th – 20th)

Toronto School of Art presents, Somebodies, a group exhibition featuring works by artists participating in the school’s Independent Residency Program. Participants share an interest in the human body in all it’s aspects from the visceral, to the poetic, from the social to the metaphorical and even the rhythmic. The body is depicted in some work, while merely implied in others. The pieces often acknowledge how encounters with artwork occur in a physical, bodily way as much as a visual way. The range of media includes drawing, painting, print making, collage and assemblage.

The Independent Residency Program is a 13 week self-directed summer residency program at the Toronto School of Art. The program is designed for practicing professional artists who have completed their formal training. Participants have access to a semi-private studio with five other artists, group meetings, critiques, a workshop and an artist talk. This year’s participating faculty artists were Gretchen Sankey, Luke Painter and the guest artist was Ginette Legaré . Meetings with program co-coordinator Lyla Rye included visits with Mary Sue Rankin, Edward Day Gallery; David Liss, MOCCA; and visits to Olga Korper Gallery, Peak Gallery and Christopher Cutts Gallery.

LISTEN exhibit: That's a wrap ... for now.

It seems my solo show went without any troubles.

Thank-you to friends and family that came. Here are some pictures I took the night before the show opened (click to enlarge). Also, a thanks to unfamiliar faces that visited (although I have a suspicion the free food and drinks may have contributed to this select crowd...)


Before I sign out, I want to mention that a portion of the works in the "LISTEN" show will be presented at a group show at Launch Projects:

Title: "Somebodies" (title created by yours truly...there was a vote and apparently mine was picked)
When: September 9th - 20th
Opening Reception: September 12, 2-5 pm
Location: 410 Adalaide St. W (northwest corner of Spadina and Adalaide St, beside Century Graphics.)

LISTEN

2009 International Juried Print Exhibition

Opening Night:
July 9, 2009, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free to the public – Everyone welcome!

Works will be on display from:
July 9 – August 30, 2009

OSA, Orléans Campus Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre: 245 Centrum Blvd, Ottawa, Ontario

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(One of my woodcut prints got into this show)

Pictures from the show

I just came back from the student art show/open house at Artbarn School. There was a good mix of artwork from watercolour to encaustic work. So, if you are interested in taking some art lessons in Toronto, this is a nice place to start. They are very friendly!

I submitted a quick drawing I did in one of their drop-in life drawing classes.
Here are some pictures:

Mine is the bottom one in the light brown frame:


Photos of other artist's work:

Website facelift

Fyi, my website has changed its look a bit. Hope you like:)