floor cloth

Just a quick post of a shot of the floor cloth I painted with my dog lying on it.
Literally and figuratively.
Not the best photo, but kinda funny none the less....

Henry Rollins Last Night

Checked out the Henry Rollins show last night, he is on his "Frequent Flyer" tour, so spoken word.
He was really great, super funny and of course, smart. He has this ability to make things funny, but still talk about important topics and drive it home. I guess this is why its called spoken word and not just comedy. I think people went home with lots to think and talk about and thats always good. Pretty clever too, his ability to tell us, "Canadians are no better than Americans so shut it" without being confrontational in any way. In his self depreciating way, he manages to insult his homeland and our homeland, take us all down a notch and make everyone laugh at it.... pretty great. He talked for close to 3 hours straight, I kid you not. And no water. Huh?? At the end of that show he must have ran off that stage and latched onto the nearest water bottle with the force of a shop vac.

My friend and I hung around a bit aprez the show, he does a meet and greet at the bus every night. He came out and was super friendly with everyone. I failed in my groupie endeavour and just took a few shots of him from the crowd. I totally could have hung out to do the hand shake, but I guess I prefer to fangirl from afar. And lets face it, the part of me that isn't too shy, is just weirded out by the whole "celebrity/average people" thing. I am torn.

Anyways, as I "fangirl-ed from afar" I have to say he was so great with everyone, totally engaged with whoever he was talking to at the moment. Impressive. If that were me with people all around, taking pictures, etc. my eyes would be like marbles on a washing machine.....

Problem solved! The painting is of Danae (don't ask me about the spelling mishap, I swear thats what I was told!) by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1612. The painting depicts Zeus having turned himself into gold mist, blows in through the open window and impregnates Danae.....hmmm, the original "golden shower".....?

Hey there!
So the Doxa films were both great. The one, "Orgasm Inc." was shocking and funny at the same time, but mostly shocking. Really takes a good look at the major contenders in the pharmaceutical industry race for FDA approval on FSD drug treatments. Was pretty crazy. Its easy to see that "Female Sexual Dysfunction" is completely manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry.
The second film "Sin by Silence" was really moving. This is the one about the women who are in prison for murdering their abusive husbands. There were tears for sure, and just so you know, I'm not much of a crier. The women in this film, their stories....I think unless you've really been there, you can't possibly imagine what they've been through. Also, important to remember none of these women ever thought for a second that they would be where they are today. Made me wonder (as I often do after seeing these kinds of films) why I'm not doing something more important with my life.

I highly recommend seeing both films.
Check them out if you can!!

So now I have a question for you guys. I need help! I am supposed to come up with an analyses for this painting (see below) by next thursday. I have the name of the painting, but I cannot find out anything else about it. Who did it, when, etc. etc. Anyone out there have any input?? Please? The title of the peice is: DanaA.....

Hi there, just a reminder that the DOXA is up and running, opened on Friday. I have tickets to a couple different shows that look really interesting, "Orgasm inc." a look into the new, and some would say manufactured, phenomena of female sexual dysfunction, and "Sin by Silence" which is about women who are in prison for murdering their abusive husbands. Looks pretty intense. There are a ton of others I want to see, but I'm not sure how much more time I can make...there is one on Buffy Saint-Marie that I would really like to take in, we'll see....
I took a workshop on a material called "Foss Shape" last week, very fun stuff that supposedly is the new replacement for buckram. It can be used for millinery and armour and all kinds of sculptural projects. I will definitely be picking up some more of this stuff to have fun with. My studio mate had a full 2 day workshop on it, and brought back a couple really great pieces and some fantastic information. I'm posting the unpainted and very rough product I put out at the end of my 2 hour workshop, complete with blue pen mark. Nothing too special to look at really, but you can see the potential. It will fuse to itself, and harden into whatever shape you can mould it into just using steam.



Also, I want take a moment to plug the Georgia Strait Alliance, if you love our Straight of Georgia, go to this link and vote for the Georgia Straight Alliance to help them win a grant from RBC. Do it every day. These guys work super hard and deserve all the help they can get. Heres the link:
http://www.rbc-granfondowhistler-bluewaterproject.com/
And heres the link to the Alliance's webpage:
http://www.georgiastrait.org/
On that note, I'm going to post a peice I put together last year, it didn't get great reviews, too didactic, too whatever, but I really enjoyed putting it together, and I feel pretty strongly about the issue. I was inspired by the drastic state of the oceans, and all the issues surrounding it. It is mixed media, paper, paint, wax, rocks, fishing hooks, pocket watch, etc. on panel board.




And on a lighter note: Happy Mother's Day Mommies!!

Bonjour ma chéries,
I just hit up the "Make It!" hand made show at the Croatian Cultural centre, I just heard about it yesterday and today is the last day, but I believe they hold it every year. It was fantastic! Really great stuff and reasonable prices for hand made goods.
I'm sorry to be passing on the info now that its over, but I have posted some pics of the fantastic earrings I picked up for myself and for my friend's birthday. They are amazing, I had such a hard time deciding which pair to buy for myself, I wanted them all! Lots of vintage circus and curio type imagery. The gal who makes them seemed like a real doll too, so always nice to support not just the local artists, but also the nice ones!
Here is her website: www.phaulet.com
The earrings are all are double sided too, which I love. I picked the tattooed woman with the cycling women on the back for myself and the dissected brain and figure with the crazy flower for my friend.
Looks like May will be a busy month full of interesting lectures and fun shows. So I am looking forward to sharing!

terminal city rollergirls...

Went to see the rollergirls last night! Was SO great, and super packed. A really diverse turn out, seemed like a bit of every neighbourhood in the city there. Very cool.
We were pitched against the Atomic City Rollergirls (WA) who we wailed on. In a very sportsman like way. The Atomic city girls were great, but of course, we were rooting for our home team, the Faster Pussycats....who clearly had the superior outfits, even though they could have used a little more elastic around the edges of their shorts....
I took lots of photos, but only these two were usable, I will have to become a little more savvy with the camera for next time. Hard to get good photos with them whipping around the track like that, knockin' each other down and getting sent off to the "Penalty Palace".....
They really are a decidedly tough bunch of bitches.

Now all I can think is..."if I were a rollergirl, what would my name be??"

hand made soap...

Here are a couple shots of my sisters hand made soap in my teacup soap dish. Smells great and looks super pretty too. I will let you know when I know where it will be available.

Gasp, who would do something like this?? Could this be someone trying to intercept the corporate agenda by suggesting that going into debt won't lead to a glamourous jet setting lifestyle....?

Here are a few photos of the show I was working on as costume designer. Italian American Reconciliation, Tara Arnett did the set design (brilliant as usual) Dave Winstanley was lighting designer (also brilliant) and Steven Drover directed. He's quite good I must say, have worked with him a few times now and so far I haven't seen a show he did that I didn't like....

Hey peeps, just a real quick one here to let you all know in case you haven't yet heard, LEGENDS of Main St is going out of business. Very very sad, loved that shop, and have been frequenting it for years. Always the best prices and quality. They are having a closing out week sale that started last Saturday and I can tell you Diane is practically giving it away. Everyday more stock is brought out from the back room, so good to try and go a couple times if possible. Also, there is a guest book at the front desk for you to leave your contact information should you be interested in attending some smaller shows, etc. that she will no doubt be hosting in the not so distant future.
I've posted a photo of the lovely Diane and a couple of the store front.
Try not too feel too guilty walking out with all that loot.......
.....and hats off to the fashionista proprietor who lovingly dressed us (and our casts) for so many years, we will be looking forward to keeping up with you and whatever new adventures you have in store! xo

Things have been crazy busy around here, so hence the belated updates!

I have posted some fabulous photos of a workshop I attended by Kathy Soucie, of Sans Soucie Clothing and Textile Design. It was a fantastic class on what is called Subtractive Cutting, a garment pattern cutting technique developed by Julian Roberts. I won't list all the ins and outs of it, but I will say its an incredibly intuitive process and creates really sculptural unique garments. Definitely worth learning, especially for those of us who dislike the "pattern" in pattern drafting.

Here is Julian Roberts' site: http://www.julianand.com/school/THEBANANAMILKSHAKE.htm

Of course everything Kathy creates is always fantastic and her teaching skills are no different. Was a really fun, relaxing and playful workshop, with easy to understand instructions on what could have been very confusing material.

This is Kathy's website: http://www.sanssoucie.ca/

I highly recommend checking her out. Her stuff is amazing and her success well deserved.

Am heading into tech week for the show I'm designing, so I'll have some great photos of that to post within the next week or so!

Two gorgeous gals swimming in the Colbert sea with a beautiful mountain/cityscape backdrop! Love that stripy scarf.....

Have been out and about checking out some olympic stuff going on around town. Pretty fun, I've got to say, lots off free stuff, which is always good. I also went down to check out the taping of the Colbert Report outside of science world, (AKA the Russian pavilion) I didn't stay for the whole thing, but, he was hysterical as always. I've posted some shots of him and one of him and Michael Bubbles. The interview he did with Ujjal Dosanjh was taped prior to this live taping so he shot the bits in between that and then showed the interview on the screens he had stage left and right.....I couldn't see the screens, but I could hear the interview....Like the moment he asks Dosanjh what caste he's from in India.....there are just no lines that guy won't cross! You could hear in his voice Dosanjh was nearly losing it.... Its like a train wreck, you just can't turn away.....except maybe you don't laugh at train wrecks.....? I can't wait till it airs! Though I have to say as I was watching my friend voiced the same question I was thinking, why aren't we watching Rick Mercer doing something like this? He's always so involved, but I haven't seen or heard anything out of him lately regarding all this olympic business? Weird.
My camera or possibly my computer is screwing with me right now, so I can't post all the photos I took, BUT, I am posting 2 photos of who I like to call "the cat man"...yes, this man walks around town with a cat on his head.....seriously. The cat? The infamous "Cali Nash" who has her own face book page and wears purple mardi gras beads for a collar. Apparently the cat was never coaxed into surfing his noggin, she in fact trained herself......?

PS. As you scroll down know that A) Heidi is not naked! She is wearing a strapless dress, which, B) she looked fabulous in and I should've taken a photo of that!!

Best Coast

Checked out the Vivian Girls show last night, it was great even though they were a little late getting on. They had 2 opening acts, both of whom were a little bit of alright. The first, Cosmetics, had a really nice groove. After her performance she set up shop next to where me and my friend were sitting and began selling what looked like little 45's. Which I thought was kinda cool. The next act Best Coast, were awesome. I will definitely be keeping a look out for them. This is their blog: www.bestycoasty.blogspot.com
Love that mix of pop/punk/surf....
I've left you guys with a couple photos of our lovely Vivian Girls, me and my gorgeous gal pal Heidi (still wet from walking in the rain) and a sample of Best Coast...I'm so running out and buying a cd!!

So, headed downtown last night for the opening of the Da Vinci show "The Mechanics of Man". It was crazy, lined up around the block, moved pretty quick, but once you got inside it was a little too much work to try and get into the Da Vinci section. So, checked out everything else, some pretty great stuff going on, one that I really dug was the Michael Lin: "A modest Veil", pourquoi? Not only is it just beautiful visually, it is hung outside the gallery on the Georgia Street side of the building. I love the idea that anyone can enjoy this. You don't have to pay to go into the gallery, it is for everyone and anyone. Makes it less precious too, which is funny, because it visually is soooo precious! Pink and red and flowery....I love it.
I have to say, while I'm not fond of the olympics (I love the sports, not the politics) there is quite a buzz downtown that I really enjoyed. So many things going on, I don't know if I've ever seen so much action in our city (well, maybe Expo 86). Tons of cultural olympiad stuff going on, so many art shows. I just looked at the schedule for the Candahar Bar on Granville Isl. and wow, some great stuff coming up, Rebecca Belmore, Stan Douglas, very cool. And the amazing Vancouver Light show Vectorial Elevation by Montreal-based electronic artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. You can actually go to the website and design a light show. Heres the site: http://www.vectorialvancouver.net
Heres an image of the Michael Lin exhibit and one of Vectoral elevation.

Ok, I HAD to add Hot in the City to this post...my god, the 80's. Did my mother have any idea what I was watching?? lol
I especially like the chick in the saddle with the riding crop.....and whatever the hell kind of shirt is it he's taking off in the beginning?? Makes me laugh so hard!
(Don't forget to scroll down to the earlier post:)