fun with ipod

Some hipstamatic photos from my ipod.  Goofing around in the kitchen trying it out.

attic progress

Just had our final energy audit with the hope that our many improvements on air sealing and insulating will make our old home warmer/cooler and more energy efficient.  Have to wait a bit to hear back about all the numbers but looks like we have made a considerable improvement and may be eligible for a few of the last batch of grants.  Such a shame to see this program ending.
With all the work on the attic getting close to completion and the energy audit over, I am very excited to immerse myself back in my studio work full time and actualize some of the ideas that I have been daydreaming about during the many hours of drywalling and mudding.

front and back view... almost done
Also managed to realize a priority of ours this Winter with a new window in the front of the house. Yes, air flow on the main floor!  Why people replaced windows with giant sheets of glass is a mystery to me.  If we were on a very busy street, maybe...

 before

still have to put the framing on and get rid of the paper under the couch, but this is 'after'

work in progress

 Experiential Learning student Sarah Cordeaux helping out with some monotyping in the studio this week. (Whoa, my studio looks messy from this angle.  I need all of these things.  The next photo is a better angle for my studio right now.)

Congratulations Sarah for getting one of the Printmaking awards in this year's juried art show. Also, so happy that she was accepted into the specialized program that she really wanted for next year!  I could not manage to copy an image of her work to post here, but you can see some of Sarah's wonderful work on her website.

 

 

 

 

So excited about all the lovely things I want to build from these prints. (Hopefully some will be finished in time for my group show in June-July at Renann Isaacs).

City of Craft, Spring!

exciting, exciting

City of Craft Spring  (click here to see who will be showing)
Featuring handmade goods, vintage, supplies and rummage from lots of wonderful vendors! 
Saturday, April 21, 2012
11am-6pm
Trinity St. Paul's United Church
427 Bloor Street West
(one block West of Spadina)
Toronto, ON

Busy Day in the Big City

On Saturday my family decided to jump in the car and go to Toronto, see some art, eat some food and visit with a few friends.
Here are a few of the wonderful things we saw.

First Open Studio. Love the entranceway in 401 Richmond and the great prints by Jeannie Thib

Saw Jennifer Linton's intriguing show, Domestikia.

Love this house she has built with so much detail, especially the bed and the snakes...

Had a quick lunch visit with Astrid Ho (printmaker and curator with Open Studio's print sales) and meant to take a few photos of the print sales office and gallery but ran out of time.  If you are looking for some wonderful original works on paper, you should visit Astrid.

like this beautiful print by Susan Collett (please excuse my rough snapshots)

While in 401 Richmond, I was drawn into The Red Head Gallery from a glimpse of some fantastic paper sculptures by Xiaojing Yan for her installation 'A Grasp of Shadows'.
You can view some images from the show on the gallery website or check out Xiaojing's
website to see more of her work. 

a couple different views of Xiaojing Yan's installation

Walked up to Dundas to visit Bookhou.  Have been following their gorgeous shop online for awhile and have been meaning to see the space in person and say 'hello' to Arounna. It seems that some of my friends in North England are fans of Bookhou as well and wanted me to pass on their praises.  Small world with this internet...
Purchased some sweet tea towels and a small bag for special pencils and things so they do not get lost in the bottom of my purse.

some beautiful small works by Arounna Khounnoraj

a detail of one of Arounna's works

Some friends from Guelph were having an art opening at Graven Feather, so we wandered back down to Queen St. to visit and view the work of Lydia Nieuwenkamp and Gillian Wilson

Lydia

Gillian

studio area and presses and people and wine and vegan baked goods. Yay Lydia!

more people and artwork and wine.  I did not get any great photos of the artwork so you should probably visit yourself. Always better in person. Of course you can also check out Gillian and Lydia's links above and view some work online.

Keep Calm and Carry On

Almost everyone has probably seen the WWII posters with the message

'Keep Calm and Carry On' as well as the coffee cups, daytimers and 

other things but you might not know the interesting story behind the poster

and the lovely bookstore where it was found.

Came across this video today and thought it would be good to post here.

click here to watch the video.

 Barter Books in Northumberland, UK is the bookstore where the poster was found