Summer Class Session Starts Soon!

Hello!

Registration for my children's arts camps is still open for the Summer session.  Week long camps start as early as July 4th through into the end of August.  Visit the teaching section of my website for full details.

Thanks! Maya

New Art Festival - That's a wrap!

Just finished up the New art festival last night and the weather held up!  I just want to give a BIG thank-you to everyone who came to see the artwork, those who made purchases, and my friends and family for helping me make it all happen! 

The New Art Festival

I will be exhibiting my art at #30 on the north pathway of the park! June 4-5, 10am - 5pm
Here is the info poster/invitation (click to enlarge)

Lakmé - Works in Progress

I have been working a number of drawings/paintings for the New Art Festival coming up very soon (June 4-5th!). Here is a sample of one of the series I've been working on.... not too sure about it yet.
They were inspired by the opera "Lakmé"  (the flower duet - look it up you will most likely recognize the tune instantly!)

What I used: Graphite, Prismacolour pencil, and watercolour.  Surface: Vellum and Masi Paper.  It is slightly translucent (hard to tell here) and I plan to place them into suspense frames (between two sheets of glass).

China town Remixed 2011 opens THIS Sunday!

This year I got into China Town Remixed, where art, food and performances take place in Ottawa's China town! Exhibits are taking place in unexpected and diverse spaces, with original art appearing in restaurants, grocery stores, hair salons, opticians, laundromats, and more.

My artwork will be on display at Ju Xiang Yuan- 641 Somerset St. West:  # 16 on the map (click to enlage)

I will be showing an interesting diptych painting which comments on the "Eastern" and "Western" relationship:)


Again, the opening is Sunday May 15th, from 2 pm – 5 pm (My piece will be up until June 15th, 2011)

I hope to see you there!!

My Orchid/ Asian Inspired Paintings

My experimental project, here's an example:

"Something Different"

This was done on stretched canvas.  I experimented with Golden's gel mediums, specifically their  fiber paste and coarse molding paste.  So far I like using these products.  They add some nice texture to the pieces, which also create a decent tooth on the surface to catch colour pigments.  I still need to work with the material to get more comfortable though.  Anyways, this and 2 other pieces were displayed in the Orchid show.  They each ended up involving acrylic paint, chalk pastels, india ink, AND watercolours :P

Orchidophilia!

Hello! If you are looking for something to do this upcoming long weekend come check out the 30th Annual Orchid show at the Nepean Sportsplex.  There will beautiful orchid displays and orchid vendors.  Furthermore there will be a gallery of artwork.  I have three paintings that will be on display and up for sale. And if you are a photographer it is a great opportunity to get some great shots!  As photographers can bring their tripods Sunday from 9 -11am.

Here are the details:
Saturday, April 23rd: 12- 5pm
Sunday, April 24th: 9-5pm (picture takers with tripods welcome from 9-11am)

At the Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario.

Admission fees:
General: $10
Seniors: $ 8
Children: $8

I hope to see you there.

Recent interview with Metroland media

I just wanted to share this article where I have a brief interview about my participation in Lemon Jellow's "Camp" art show.
The online article can be read here: Art Interview

Drawings on Display at the Nepean Sportsplex

Last month I was asked if I could display my work at the Nepean Sportsplex.  I am very happy for this opportunity and said yes!

Here is the display:

My works will be up from March  28th - April 18th.  If curious, please take a visit.
Happy Spring!

I am teaching art classes this Spring!

As mentioned in a previous post, I've been asked to teach for the City of Ottawa this year and I have 2 Adult classes lined up for the Spring ready for registration!  The classes will be held at the Nepean Creative Arts Centre, 35 Stafford Road.

If you or someone you know are interested please sign up!  Here are the details:

1. Drawing Introduction: registration # 635521
Tuesdays 7:00-9:30pm $163.50
April 19 - June 7
Learn simple tips that make a big difference in the way you see and draw.  Observational skills are built while studying perspective, values, understanding mass, line, contour drawing, shading and more.  Beginners and intermediates.  Pencil and minimal colour medium.

2. Printmaking: registration # 645669
Thursdays 7:00-9:30pm $226.50
April 21 - June 9
Explore different printmaking techniques easily done at home! Monotype, relief prints, and their use in collage and mixed media work will be covered.  A non-direct art form, unlike any drawn or painted mark.  All levels welcome!

For registration and information about the Creative Arts Centre please visit:

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/arts/courses_workshops/nepean_creative/index_en.html

Hope to see some friendly faces this Spring!

Campy art show this month!

Hello everyone,
I will be participating in a fun art exhibit this month: "Camp" Charlevoix.  It's a fun "non-serious" art show (which I am all for!)  Here is the promo card.(click to enlarge)

Opening is March 26th, 7pm. Come by if you can!

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!