Journal: “Docendo Discimus”

This is from my summer journal; this page is from a while ago, but I finished it recently.  I got these great markers that have brushes for the ends, and they are great!  Before the school year ended, I traced the hands of my students, and then colored them in.  I like how it turned out.  I called it “docendo discumus” which is latin for “in teaching we learn”– which coincidentally is a tattoo I have.

I’ve been trying to think of what I could do for the background, but I ended up leaving it white.  I might add to it later.

Art of another kind

I spent my weekend on an art of another kind.

On a trip to an out of town flea market, we dug around and found this loom.  It was broken and missing a piece, but we bought it anyways.  The best thing I’ve found about doing art almost everyday, is that I am always full of ideas on how to make and/or fix things.

To fix this, I made another arm out of a yardstick and some dowels I had left over from making canvasses.  And it worked!    So now I’m using some wool and weaving a scarf out of it.  Wearable art!  I love the colors of this wool, and how its working up in the weaving.

I am still working in my journal, layering away.  Nothing that I think is finished enough to show… Soon though!

 

Street Art: Hamilton Tunnel Mural

At MacNab Street Tunnel

I was on a walk with my partner D, and I took him to my favorite mural in the city.  I can’t believe  forgot to take him here until now:  The art I take for granted!  Well, I made that right yesterday, and showed him.  It is amazing work!  This tunnel was just gray for the longest time.  There was some graffiti, mostly tagging which is not my favorite unless it is really cool.  Now its a great (and colorful) rep of the city.  I think my favorite part is when you are coming up the stairs out of the tunnel, and there are arrows showing you to all the great parts of Hamilton.  The project was completed July, 2010 by two Hamilton artists, Laura Zajacz and Becky Katz, and about 30 youth volunteers.

Journal: “More fun than a barrel of monsters”

I bought these really cheap watercolors (you know the dry kind kids use?) at the dollar store for my students, and I had one at home.  I decided to try them out on a bunch of doodles I did in my journal. They were pretty ok, actually!  I like how muted the colors are, it let me use as many colors as I want without it looking really busy.  I am torn for which my favorite monster is… I think I like the flying toast dude the best.  Especially because he ha duck feet.

Painting: Heart Hommage

8"x 8", mixed media on canvas

I found out that I have high blood pressure.  Apparently, I don’t handle stress well- but does anybody?

I thought it would be nice for me to paint something that showed my heart that I do care about it; and I hope it won’t crap out on me because I’ve been stressy.  This painting kinda grosses my partner out.  But I like it.  I like that if you look closely, you can see that there is an image of a heart under all the veins and stuff.

I am art!

My good friend Shira painted this portrait of me for the AWOL square foot show this August in Toronto.  She is a great painter, and photographer.

I’ve never felt like art before, Thank you so much Shira!

Street Art: Peace Stencil

I came across this little dude completely by accident:  I was walking down the street in my neighborhood, and this dog was sitting on the sidewalk.  As I stopped to take a picture,  I didn’t realize that the dog was off its leash… at some point the dog came over to me.  As I was taking a picture, I didn’t see the dog and– with a yelp (from me and the dog) I fell over on the sidewalk.  I was okay, the dog was ok, but as I tried to get up, I noticed a little stencil near the ground.  And there was “the little peace dude” (at least that’s what I called it when I showed it to my partner later that night.)  This stencil is really small, probably about 5 inches high, and right on the bottom corner of a huge building.  There are other stencils on the wall, which is probably why I never noticed it.

 

Art: “Swept”

16"x 20", Mixed Media on canvas

Here’s what I’ve been working on this month instead of my journal.  I was working on it to finish it for a friends birthday present.  She’s been wanting something I’ve made for a while, and I finally had the time to make it for her.  I wanted to make something calming for her, and so I chose blues and greens.  I’ve been on a weird Picasso-esque cubist faces kick lately, so that made its way into the painting too.

Its hard to give something away that you’ve made.  I knew it was going to be a gift, but now that its done, I’m attached to it.  I can’t keep everything I make, but it never gets easier when I sell or give something away as a gift.  I don’t know if it will ever get easier either…

From the Antiques Market

Yesterday, my partner and I went to the Aberfoyle Antiques Market.  I had never been before, it was great!  Besides getting the worst sunburn I’ve ever had(!) I also picked up these great wooden crates and these printing press stamps.   The stamps are so cool, they come from a 1930’s printing press (which wasn’t for sale).  They are solid metal, and super heavy.  I’m going to use the crates to organize my growing collection of epherma, and paints.  I’m not sure what I’ll use the stamps for yet.  D was really sweet when we bought them, he was like, “you could use those stamps in your mixed media!”

Journal: “Do something epic”

This page was made when I was inspired by some “motivational graffiti” I saw spray painted on a wall.