in, around and in spite of my family: spt 21nov13: reward

in, around and in spite of my family: spt 21nov13: reward: spt 21nov13: reward , originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama . Caught up with work, at last, and facing a weekend that I don't have t...

Hexapus Take Down

Hexapus Take Down, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Today the centennial exhibition at city hall is over - last chance to see ...

Vanished part II?

Test posting via Hootsuite of image found in my Flickr stream 

Vanished?

Sweet holiday memories, when all I had to do was pedal.

NB: test post from Hootsuite dashboard

studio portrait thursday: scribbles, doodles, daubs etc

scribbles, doodles, daubs etc, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

On Saturday I booked in, last minute, to Laurie's watercolour class at Colours.
It was a treat to myself for having completed most of my work in the first week of summer vacation and with only one day of camp for he Wee Guy.
In other words, I was squeezing it all in and around the family.
So on Saturday I played.
Well, in reality, on Saturday I woke at 4.30am, couldn't sleep so got up, worked and then phoned for the class.
When I got there I just relaxed totally as Laurie explained and demo'd all the watercolour tricks and tips I should have learned before I cranked open the lid of y Cottman paint pan.
Or should I?
I loved the class. It was incredibly meditative just laying down washes of colour and dripping wet-in-wet, glazing and dry brushing, and making marks under excellent instruction. I could have done this all day ...
... or maybe not.
My eyelids got heavier and I crashed for the afternoon once back home.
Sooo relaxing!

Sweet Rose

Sweet Rose, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

eye.balls

eye.balls, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Since making my carp for the One Hundred exhibition by the Blackberry Artists, I've made nothing. June was a quiet month creatively although I've done some painting and a bit of digital work too. I also started working, on not one but three jobs ... so I have been busy and cut myself some slack.
But back on the horse.
To re-start my creative brain I thought I'd set myself a challenge, to make a pair of earrings every day during July.
These are the first - a couple of eerie polymer clay bead son headpins. Not terribly inventive, but my first pair.
And they're more complete than today's - only one out of the pair is made.
Stay tuned!

bannertime

bannertime, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Oh my word! I made this.
It's a banner, eight foot by two foot to be precise, but it features my lettering and design placement. And I'm chuffed it looks so awesome.

The amazing stylised Morris-esque B is by local artist Vicki Allesia who created it for the Blackberry Artist's Society. It was scanned and then I Live Traced the image in Illustrator to create a vector drawing.

Once the vector was available (a vector is needed so that the image file scales up properly without pixellating when expanded) I aligned it with some text for the society name.

After this my print guru, Sarah Ronald, stepped in to fine tune my thinking and guide me with what I needed to do to take this to the printer.

So, yesterday I sent off the various files, layout guides and screenshots to Brian at Deco Sign ... and this afternoon I picked up one shiny new vinyl banner - all ready for the Port Moody Centennial Parade.

Not just digital!
My biggest project evah.
:)

June's Featured Artist: Jane Ostenstad

June's Featured Artist: Jane Ostenstad:

This month's artist feature in the gift shop is silk painter, Jane Ostenstad.
I'm sure many of you are already familiar with Jane's graceful work on silk but this month is a great opportunity to share the secret with your friends.



Jane hand paints each design individually on silk material stretched over a wooden frame. She's inspired by what she sees around her and isn't afraid to experiment. Currently her colour palette is fresh and lively, just right for accessorizing your summer wardrobe.



On a purely practical note, Jane's silk scarves make excellent carry-on adds to your luggage for holiday wardrobe styling as well as hostess gifts to pack, send or mail since they take up very little room and are so lightweight.
Jane's work can also be seen at Port Moody library this month, in the Blackberry Artist's "One Hundred" show, celebrating Port Moody's Centennial.

let's get the show on the road!

what is one hundred?, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

The Blackberry Artist's Society One Hundred exhibit is live, thanks to a bunch of awesome volunteers who set up this morning.
The work, including seven pieces of mine, is on display at Port Moody library until the end of June.
You should visit!

what is one hundred?

The Blackberry Artist's Society exhibition celebrating Port Moody's Centennial year begins at the Port Moody Library today. Each of the artists featured has interpreted the theme in their own way and in their own favourite medium.

My pieces of jewelry each include a one hundred element, whether it's one hundred beads, the length of wire used or even a number of stitches or time spent.

The exhibition runs until the end of the month. All pieces are on sale through the gift shop.

fibre friday: the daily pussy

Instead of tucking herself under my feet beneath my bench (and getting kicked each time I adjust position), Ms Griz has gratefully accepted my gift of a new basket.

studio portrait thursday: 30may13

studio portrait thursday: 30may13, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

On my desk - a watercolour and ink sketch from one of my Wee Guy's drawings.

A perfect start to a new notebook, breaking the tyranny of The First Blank Page.

Creativity and cooperation and parenting.

wordless wednesday: what is one hundred?

what is one hundred?, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

wordless wednesday: low ebb

low ebb, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

everything's tentacles these days: unfurling fiddleheads

unfurling fiddleheads, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Today's trail walk with the guys.

fibre friday: finished the moebius wrap!

fibre friday: finished the moebius wrap!, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Yes - it's finished (at last). I need to weave in the ends then block the whole darn thing.

Somehow, I've managed to create stocking stitch for a band. I think I might have reversed the knitting direction???

How?

studio portrait 16may13: what is one hundred?

what is one hundred?, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

This excited and colourful jumble is a WIP for an exhibition.

Yes - I'm making stuff again. Slow start. Experimenting. Feeling my way.

But it's a start.

A colourful start.

wordless wednesday: (could be) inspiration

late afternoon inlet walk, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

new toys mean late night play

...  and no, it's not an adult - themed post so quit smirking.
Yesterday the  Wee Guy and I paid a visit to our fave local arts supply store  Colours (on  Lougheed just before  Metro Ford going east ). He was after more cartooning supplies; I was on a mission for more oil bars.

If you've never used oil bars before you are missing a treat. They are expensive but once you dig into their buttery goodness you will be hooked.

They work like a crayon and like paint. You can draw with them. You can scoop them with a trowel. You can thin them with linseed and use a brush. They mix. They smear. They are full contact art. And they are dry within 3-4 days.

Check out the Winsor and Newton product page for more info.

The sketch shown above was created using cadmium yellow light,  cadmium red dark,  ultramarine and soft mixing white, with synthetic linseed as a diluent.

stop what you're doing and pay attention to me

stop what you're doing and pay attention to me, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

at my feet this evening

fibre friday: save Capilano Studio Arts and textile Program!

Facing over $1 million in provincial funding cuts, Capilano University has made the sudden and shocking decision to cut its Studio Arts and Textile Arts programs almost immediately. Teachers and students were warned this week that their classes would not continue, although those already enrolled in two-year courses should be able to complete.

Arts and creativity is an easy thing to cut. It doesn't make anything productive; it's not associated with great wealth generation; apparently anyone can do it, and how exactly does it benefit society? If you're the average person on the street, then this probably mirrors your opinion of funding arts and artists with public funds. However, if you stop and think, then take a look around you, you'll see just how much art impacts your daily life.

Those little icons on the elevator panel, the visual instructions on a wrapper, the font and layout of the timetable you're reading - all created initially by an artistic human being.

The cute designs on clothing you pick out for your kid, or even the packaging it comes home in ...

The upholstery for your tush on transit ...

Amazing infograms, explanatory visuals, display signage at the museum, emergency exits, stores ...

This jar of strawberry jam or another one?

Where do I put my ticket?

Which way do I run to get out quickly?

Art is everywhere, and by cutting down on exposure to learning and development in the subject, we're cutting down on the usability of our world and stunting our human experience.

Remember that amazing Winter Olympics Opening spectacle? when we welcomed the world to our city, showing what we were capable of?
Now try re-imagining it without the art -would it inspire you to visit Vancouver?

Please sign the petition and add your creative voice to the debate.

studio portrait thursday: glimpse

glimpse, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

A photograph of a computer keyboard isn't very inspiring, but it's where I'm doing most of my creating these days.

Likewise, the inside of my head doesn't look inspiring and it's difficult to image without advanced technology.

But my keyboard and my head are where most of the studio work takes place these days.

After a haphazard April I'm looking forward to settling into some kind of a rhythm of productivity for May. Looking back, it seems I've wasted vast amounts of time. If I cut myself some slack, I've been gently moving forward.

Meanwhile, don't forget to sniff the flowers ... or at least notice them.

Happy creativity!

wordless wednesday: design elegance - an aspiration

Pro D day at the art gallery, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Octopus

Octopus, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Digital sketch before heading off to bed. Sweet dreams everyone!

studio portrait thursday: tester

swirls, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Trying out some new oilbars on canvas paper. Mmmmm - I like the result. Creamy buttery soft and mixable, these super-crayons take a few days to dry meaning that art can be tinkered with in passing. Unlike oil pastels, the result is eventually dry to the touch and permanent.

Here I've used the crayon bar, a brush, cotton buds and other sponges to smear, daub and blend. It's a very interactive process.

Only two colours were needed to make the blends above but already I want to add to my collection.

wordless wednesday: classroom in a book

adobe illustrator lesson material, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

learning all about brushes

digital illustration (Adobe Illustrator)

life is rarely black and white

cherry blossoms, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

(tgi)friday

Spring Break weekend 2, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Some soothing greens to look at.

wip: some text

on the bench, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Found this quote - it makes a lot of sense.

#51 – Amanda Maxwell, Vancouver, Canada

from Laura Bucci's blog on the exhibition she is curating - if i can submit a piece, then you can too!

#51 – Amanda Maxwell, Vancouver, Canada:

“lowest ebb” | when I’m at my lowest ebb I know that the only way now is up–this is where I go! | oil pastel, watercolour, acrylic and mixed media

Filed under: All Participants, Canada Tagged: canada, correspondence art, mail art, postal art, Vancouver

studio portrait thursday: carousel horse breaks free

carousel horse breaks free, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

After the excitement of Spring Break, a practicum at SFU's Beedie School of Business and completion (successful, I hope but Continuing Studies is rather sluggish with communications despite the high fees paid for the course) of a Digital Communications certificate, the studio is well and truly back at the bench.

With no clear plan either.

Apart from a general mandate to apply for jobs, I don't have much creative direction and need some projects to keep me busy.

Last night I whipped out my sketch book, grabbed a pencil and captured an image from the screen in front of me.

It felt good - the rough scribe of 2B on smooth 98lb Canson. Carousel horse breaks free.

wordless wednesday: mail art

on the bench, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Spring is indeed springing!

Spring is indeed springing!:

photo credit: Sarah Ronald

Spring is indeed springing, even here in the gift shop.

In fact, come on down before we’re so overgrown that the door won’t open.

The weather, as you know, has been so damp yet sunny recently that our cosy gift shop has taken on the appearance of a greenhouse. Paper artist Joan Marr’s handmade paper cards have seized the moment, and the seedcases she uses to add texture are sprouting luxuriantly.

Although we've seen paper with seeds offered as grow-your-own cards, this is the first time we've witnessed our own stock taking root from their envelopes to our shelves.

Spring is definitely sprung, especially today April 1st ;)

detail from handmade paper by Joan Marr

wip friday

on the bench, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

A very apt piece of text for today's pic, when my nose is flowing rather than ebbing and my sinuses are throbbing.

I sincerely hope this is the last of the winter bugs.

There's always allergy season to look forward to after all!

studio - portrait thursday : spring break teaching

spring break teaching, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Today I finished teaching my last jewelry design class for spring break. I had three lovely young ladies as students who worked their way quietly but enthusiastically thru the different projects I set them.

This will be the last teaching I do for a while - it's getting too complicated blocking off time so far in advance when I don't know what I'll be doing in the future. I have enough savings to complete a few more semesters at college but really I'm hoping for some real paid employment ...

... and soon.

wordless wednesday: spring break teaching

spring break teaching, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

still crafting portabley outdoors

Spring Break weekend 2, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

The studio's still in the great outdoors, and photography the subject.



The Wee Guy and I both had cameras, and spent much of the time taking pics of each other taking pics of each other!



Thanks to Burnaby Village Museum for a lovely afternoon :)

more portable crafting

Spring Break d5, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Taking the studio out of the home.
This photo was taken in the bowels of the Beaty Museum, where the sun doesn't reach and low light protects the specimens.
With my smartphone and my olympus mu, I experimented with capturing the atmosphere while racing around after the little people.



Adjusting the camera was relatively straightforward - i changed the film speed to 3200 and hoped for steady hands. Changing the sensor to cope with the overhead lights rendered the colours more accurately so I'm quite pleased with the results (check out my flickr stream for more images).



There are fantastic views of perspective along the narrow walkways between the stacks, satisfying my geometric longings and taking me right back to days spent researching through dusty archives. The ISO setting, though a little grainy and with an orange cast, accurately rendered what i was seeing with enough exposure to capture the inhabitants of the preserving jars on display.