Within Papergirl Vancouver vocabulary, there is one word we try to avoid: free. More specifically, we never describe the art we receive and give out as "free art." The reason being that whenever you or I say something is "free," we place it on a ladder of monetary cost. A flight to Mars is near the top and free swag is near the bottom. Think buy 1, get 1 free deals, or pens you swipe from promotional booths at trade shows and conferences then promptly lose. Part of the aim of Papergirl Vancouver is to take art out of the monetary mindset - at least for our purposes - and to see it in a different light, a light many of us might not be used to. One that asks not, "How much was it?", but to open up a dialogue about the art you keep: "That's beautiful. I love the detail/colour/form. Who made it? What's it made of?" And when people ask, "Where did you get that?", we hope you'll say, "Someone gave it to me." Because this is what Papergirl Vancouver is about: the giving and receiving of art. And so many people want to give so much. Since our call-out for art in April, we've received so many gestures of generosity. Artists who signed up for our artist interview series, sharing their creative experience with the GVRD community. Our partnerships with Place des Arts and Draw By Night. Donations from Opus for our workshops in June. The utterly amazing owner of Bird on a Wire, Karen Unger-Strickland, who has donated her storefront window for the entire month of July to Papergirl artists. These gifts are immense. And, of course, to the people who are the core of everything we do: to the artists who send their work in from Canada, Mexico, Finland, and beyond; to my incredible fellow volunteers who put hours and hours of effort to connect Vancouverites to one another; and to all of you who get excited, who come to our events, who spread the word. Thank you so much to everyone who's participated so far and to everyone who will join in the coming months. (We're looking for cyclists, by the by.) In August, we will give all this art away -- and it is a gift, one that comes with no monetary strings attached, and only the weight of love. The price? To receive with joy, respect and gratitude for the kindness of strangers. And perhaps -- if you're willing -- a promise to pay it forward.
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July sure is off to a beautiful sunny start! Yesterday a couple of us Papergirls had the pleasure of decorating Bird on a Wire's front window Papergirl style! This month Bird on a Wire is donating the entire month of July to Papergirl artists! This beautiful arts and crafts store on Main Street will feature a different Papergirl artist and her artwork in the store window each week.
That spiffy bike you see there is on loan from Whoa! Nellie bikes. Whoa! Nellie is right next door to Bird on a Wire and is a full service bike store dedicated to the beauty and timeless function of the classic city bike. They specialize in city bikes and accessories. Chris Quine and Nellie Ziin's inspiration to open a city cycling shop came after a trip to Holland many moons ago. We want to say a big thanks to Whoa! Nellie for allowing us to use this fantastic Kross Army Bike ($650) for the display. Why not have an afternoon of art and bikes and come check out one of the Artists in the Window on Saturday and then drop into Whoa! Nellie afterwards? Sounds like a plan to me. -Tara Welcome back to our Artist Interview Studio Visit series! Leading up to our exhibit and roll-out in August, Papergirl is meeting with some of the talented artists who contribute to our project to find out more about their art practice and their thoughts on being an artist in Vancouver. Studio Visits will be featured on a bi-weekly basis, and we hope you enjoy learning more about artists working in our community! Papergirl met with painter April Lacheur at her home/studio in White Rock. Taking inspiration from our natural surroundings and travel April creates bold and colorful acrylic paintings of twisting trees, long legged birds and other quirky animals. A nurse by trade, April is a self-taught artist and has developed her unique style since childhood through experimenting in her studio. April's whimsical work can be found at art fairs, galleries, cafes and retail locations around B.C., (including Bird on a Wire, our community partner!) and her original paintings are part of private collections in Canada, the US, Australia, Asia and the UK. You can find more of April's work at Yapes Paints and follow her on Twitter here and on Facebook here. Our Q&A with April:PG: What moves you as an artist?
AL: When creating art I want to be able to create something that anyone can find their own meaning in and trees have really been the base of what I paint – I kind of have an obsession with trees! My trees have twisting, exposed roots and are influenced by the idea of taking the the time to think about what lies within our own roots and where you came from as well as where you are going. The roots represent where you came from, the trunk where you are right now and the branches are where you are going. For me creating art is something that has been really positive in my life and I think that is reflected in my artwork. I think that people are able to find positive meaning in my work, even on just a basic level of it being bright colorful work – people often come into my booth at markets and say 'oh it's happy art!'. One of my purposes in creating art is to spread positivity and have people look at it and feel happy in a simple way. PG: Do you remember the first time you created something? AL: I've always been creative, growing up my strength was never gym class! One of the first things that stands out to me as a kid is those coloring contests. I often won a prize because I would go all out with sparkles, stickers and pompoms! I've also always been into painting and I was allowed to take extra art classes in high school. Art was always something I wanted to do but I didn't know how to go about it. When I got to Grade 12 and started facing the reality of “what do I want to do when I grow up?” I thought about getting into graphic design because I thought it was a “real” job you can do with art. But my mom is a nurse so I had a lot of influence from my parents to go into nursing school, and I wanted to help people so it felt like the right way to go. I kept painting throughout school but it wasn't until after I worked as a nurse for a couple of years that I started selling. It wasn't something I necessarily set out to do, it kind of fell into my lap in a way. The owner of the restaurant my husband was working at visited our home, saw some of my work and asked me to paint thirteen large paintings to display in her restaurant. She priced them for me and they actually sold, which helped to build confidence in me. From there I displayed my work in a couple more restaurants and started doing art markets, and developed a line of prints and cards. I jumped in fairly quickly and looking back I had no idea what I was doing! It was a dive head first kind of thing and it has worked in my favor now. PG: What is your creative process? AL: I'm always collecting ideas. If I'm out and inspired by something I'll try and write it down in my phone to remember, and I have a sketchbook as well. But to be honest I don't sketch out my ideas in full detail and often I don't sketch anything out at all. A lot of times there is a theme I'm going with but the idea itself develops as I'm painting. My work is all done in acrylic and acrylic ink, and I start with the background then sketch out what I want to do in ink and fill it in. It's a back and forth process of drawing with the ink and filling in with the acrylic. I then go back over the lines at least 3-4 times to make sure they're really crisp and flowing. From there I may add in some different mediums, like paper or fabric, or my husband Ren will add in bits of metal. My husband used to make jewelry as a hobby and one time he was making me earrings shaped like leaves and I was working on a painting and held up one of the earrings to it and it just fit perfectly so we now collaborate on pieces. PG: Do you think about the relationship between artist and viewer when creating? AL: I do. As much as I'm creating art for myself, I am running a business that I am trying really hard to sustain myself off so I want my work to sell. That said I would never paint anything that I hate painting or don't want to paint. I try to keep in mind things like colors and color trends, and keep size in mind in terms of where people are likely to hang art in their home. I like to paint bigger pieces, I prefer not to paint anything below 16x20. I also do a lot of commissioned work now, probably 60-70% of my original paintings are commissioned. It's a lot of fun to sit down with someone who truly loves your work to find out what elements they want to involve. I've done a lot of really special pieces for people, like an engagement or anniversary present, or in memory of someone who has passed away. I've also done some family trees where we hide peoples names and birth dates in the tree roots. It makes my art personal for people. PG: What does community mean to you as an artist? AL: I've been selling my work at art markets for the last five years and there is group of us who do a lot of the same shows so a really supportive and positive community has developed. For example the Make It show is so positive and there's not this sense of competition like you think there might be between the artists. These kind of events really bring together people who do want to support local artists and it's really inspiring. In White Rock we have a really nice community, people help each other out and I think it's something that can be easier to find in smaller communities. PG: How are you supported as an artist in White Rock? Are there changes or improvements you would like to see? AL: There isn't really a lot of opportunity or places for artists to show their work in White Rock. My cards and prints are sold in stores around Vancouver so when I first moved here I looked for a shop selling local artists and there just isn't one. There is the White Rock museum shop down on the waterfront that does sell some local work but it's very small. As far as artisan markets there are also a ton in Vancouver but there's not really anything out here so I have a vision of starting an artisan pop-up shop on the beach. One of the challenges is finding a venue, but the White Rock/South Surrey area is one where a lot of people from Vancouver are moving to so there is starting to be a lot of younger people and families that a market might appeal to. PG: What interests you about Papergirl? AL: I heard about it and participated for the first time last year, and the first thing I thought was that it's another way for me to get my work out into the world. With my business I've always had the attitude that the most important thing is to get my work out there because no one will know me if it's just sitting in my closet. I think that the way that people are viewing and buying art has really changed and Papergirl is part of that. The other thing that interests me is that I think that giving art is a really positive thing and has the potential to really make someones day or week. When I was when nursing school I was painting a lot and gave my friends gifts of my artwork. I did get emails from people who received my work last year and it was so lovely, and one of those people has bought other work from me and has become a loyal customer. PG: At Papergirl, we are all about the art of giving art. What is the greatest gift you have ever received? AL: I feel like this is a cheesy answer, but my wedding ring from my husband. It's not the actual physical ring itself but the idea behind it. PG: To finish, a fun question: what kind of bike would you be? AL: I'd be a green cruiser with a big banana seat with rainbow streamers! Have you heard our fantastic news? Bird on a Wire Creations has dedicated the entire month of July to Papergirl artists! Located on Main street just off Broadway, Bird on a Wire is a gift and lifestyle store selling art and handcrafted goods by over 170 local artisans. As part of its Artist in the Window series, each week in July a different Papergirl artist and their artwork will be featured in the store window leading up to a live demo on the Saturday. We feel so lucky to have the support of Bird on a Wire's owner, and champion of local artists, Kate Nagel. To celebrate how awesome she is and kick-off our month, Michele, our Project Manager, and Julie, our Photographer, met with Kate to talk about supporting artists and building community. Read our interview below to find out how the store and our wonderful partnership came to be! PG: Tell us about Bird on a Wire Creations and how it began:
Kate: The idea for Bird on a Wire came to me in February 2009 - I had purchased a magazine called Where Women Create and it made me realize how much I missed having a store. I had previously owned a Paint Your Own Ceramics studio in Squamish that I sold in 2000, and I missed supporting artists. Also at the time hundreds of thousands of dollars were cut from the arts, and I clearly remember that I was driving and feeling so mad about it when I realized that I could do something instead of feeling powerless. Once I said "Yes" to the idea everything started to fall into place. I took a class in self-employment in January 2010 and by the time October came around the store was open. PG: What was your idea for the store you wanted to open? Kate: My desire was to open a lifestyle store that supports our local artisans who work within a hundred mile radius of Vancouver. At the time the 100 Mile Diet was becoming more and more popular, and I also had in mind the store Ten Thousand Villages – Bird on a Wire is my Ten Thousand Villages! PG: Why is supporting local artists important to you? Kate: I really believe that if we support our local artists and businesses that we are investing in each other. I really want all chosen professions to be considered a viable and valuable career choice - not just a lawyer or a doctor or a policeman but ALL of them, including artists. PG: How do you connect with the artists that are featured in your store? Kate: When I first opened the store I knew some of the artists from going to markets and craft fairs. I knew others from traveling throughout B.C., and others are my friends. It began with me reaching out to artists but now they are coming to me! I receive about 100 emails a day from artists who want to be in the store. I also get referrals from artists who are already in the store -- it makes me realize that I am doing something right! PG: What are some of the things that you do at Bird on a Wire that are aimed towards building community and helping artists connect with their audience? Kate: I really feel a sense of community on Main street and I'm trying to support that by bridging the gap between artists and potential owner. Making art accessible is really important to me so I wanted my store to feel accessible as well. Something I have had from the opening of the store is Artist in the Window. I think it's really important for people to be able to witness an artist creating in situ, for two reasons - to see the process of creating their work as well as connecting with the artists. I think that sometimes people see art and have the attitude that "oh, I can do that" but really, could you? For Artist in the Window we have their artwork in our smaller window for one week leading up the artist doing a live demo in the window on the Saturday. We have all kind of artists who have participated - letter press artists, leather workers, wood workers and painters. And, of course, for the month of July we are going to have a Papergirl contributing artist in the window every Saturday! We also have the Friday night knitting club and fibre classes. Kim Werker, the creator of Mighty Ugly Dolls, will be teaching a workshop in August, and we've also just partnered with the former owners of Plush who are going to teach felting. We also have weaving and embroidery classes as well! The third way is to spotlight two artists every two months and have their work featured in our big window. PG: How did Bird on a Wire and Papergirl connect? Michele: Connecting with Kate had always been on my radar because some of the artists who have contributed to the project sell work in her store. At Christmas I went to the store because I wanted to get my husband a gift and I saw that Kate was there so I introduced myself and we hit it off immediately I wanted to talk to her because I knew about the work she is doing supporting local artists and I've always thought that it's really important to connect the arts with business. Kate: I actually knew about Papergirl because in the first year my mom received a gift from one of the cyclists that is now framed in her house. When she told me about the project I thought 'I love this!' I wanted to support Papergirl because in a lot of ways we are saying the same message, and I encourage working together in order to achieve community goals. Michele: It's a bit serendipitous! We're both really passionate about connecting artists with their community. PG: Kate, why is it so important to you to support the local artistic community? Kate: I wanted to be an artist when I graduated from high school, and the message I received was that only the really talented succeed as artists. But who is to say that wasn't possible for me? I want to show that it is possible for anyone who has the strong desire to be an artist to succeed. Michele: I think that a lot of the lack of support for artists has to do with the way that we as a society measure and value success. We've put a lot of constraints on ourselves and there is a social concept that success equals financial income. When we hear the word artist we don't equate it with financial success. Kate: I'm so dedicated to supporting the arts that the youngest artist I have in my store is 7 ! He makes crayons, and is being a crafter in order to earn enough money to buy a house so that he can get a dog. PG: One of the challenges of Papergirl has often been the "what is in it for the artist factor". What do you think artists can get out of our project? Kate: Exposure. Awareness. The joy of gifting your artwork to someone else and have them appreciate it. Michele: Something we try to get artists to understand is that they don't have to necessarily create something new to contribute. I think we tend to judge ourselves and not want other people to see the artwork we did three years ago, and Papergirl is trying to challenge that by saying that someone else may really love and enjoy something you don't necessarily value. We're not trying to take advantage of artists -- we know that a lot of artists are struggling but we are trying to build the idea that if you give a little something to the community it may come back to you, whether it is in the form of commissioned work or just the nice feeling of knowing that someone got your gift and have it hanging on their wall. PG: Kate, going forward what are your goals? Kate: I feel like I have more ideas than time! Right now I'm focused on securing my store and making sure that I have a very solid base of artists in the window and spotlight artists. We already have a strong collection of artists but I want to keep building it. I'd also like to bring in more workshops and classes. Eventually I would love to open more stores like Bird on the Wire, and carry my message across Canada. I want to challenge the paradigm of the starving artists. I think we need to no longer pay homage to it, and instead think of artists as thriving. Papergirl is pretty into bicycles if you hadn't noticed, and ever since I got involved with the project I have found myself admiring peoples' DIY flare and unique bike decorations here in Vancouver. As such I have been reevaluating my own boring white bicycle and decided that once the weather gets nicer I would repaint it! However, after looking up the process I felt a little downtrodden, all that work for a plain old coat of paint? So I kept looking for other ideas and eventually came across a picture of a decoupaged bike frame. I thought it would be an awesome project for the summer and being something of a crafter, I already had most of the necessary materials. You could use any old fabrics, magazines or scraps of paper to make your dream bike, and as long as you use the right sealant, it should be rain proof too! Here is a link to a clear set of instructions I found online: http://crafting.squidoo.com/mod-podge-bike! Expect to see a post with a picture of my creation soon, but for now here is one someone else did for a little inspiration: Like this idea and decide to give it ago yourself? Why not send us a photo on our twitter, instagram or facebook!
Stay inspired, -al Welcome back to our Artist Interview Studio Visit series! Leading up to our exhibit and roll-out in August, Papergirl is meeting with some of the talented artists who contribute to our project to find out more about their art practice and their thoughts on being an artist in Vancouver. Studio Visits will be featured on a bi-weekly basis, and we hope you enjoy learning more about artists working in our community! Papergirl met with illustrator and designer Chenoa Gao at her home/studio on Burrard Street. Chenoa's colorful and graphic work is a collection of illustration, typography, and design inspired by classic illustration and animation from the fifties and sixties. Chenoa originally pursued a career in the sciences but soon realized that her real passion is for art. After completing a diploma in graphic design, Chenoa worked in Vancouver's gaming industry creating illustrations for in-game graphics, taught graphic design at BCIT and Langara, and is now focused on freelance illustration and art direction. Chenoa has worked on a number of projects for clients such as Starbucks, Lululemon, and Avandeo, and has recently illustrated a series of posters for the Canadian government's signed treaty with the UN's Rights of the Child. Her work has been featured in art shows in St. Louis, New York, and Vancouver. See more of Chenoa's work at Onedove and find her on Twitter here. Our Q&A with Chenoa:PG: What moves you as an artist?
CG: There are a lot of things that inspire me - there are so many different styles I like, from cartoons to detailed illustrations to oil paintings. But what really triggers me is people who tell a story through their art and who give you some sort of emotional impact. I think that is why I like editorial illustration the most, because you take something that is really abstract and make it visual. Editorial illustration is always different, and it allows me to stay away from having a gimmick to my artwork. In my personal work, I tend to think a lot about context and situation and then break it down into basic elements. I then go online and type in words to see what kind of images pop-up. I look at my favourite artists and see what they may have done with a theme, and from there I start gathering a visual mood board and picking out colors, then start doing sketches. Once I have something that works for me visually I do a final version. PG: Do you remember the first time you created something? CG: I think I was around 3 and I was obsessed with drawing teeth. I would draw stick figures who had giant mouths with huge cone like teeth. I don't know what I was thinking! My sister saved all of them and showed me when I was teenager, and I thought "wow, that is really messed up!" PG: What is your creative process? CG: I am 100% digital. I used to do a lot of traditional work but the time I was spending to digitally correct the work and clean up my images made me wonder why I was still working traditionally when I had all the tools, in Photoshop and Illustrator, on my computer. Plus the cost of my supplies, all the paints, pens, and paper, ended up being so expensive. I also like the portable aspects of working digital -- I can go on vacation or pick everything up and go work at a cafe if I want to get out of the house. PG: Do you think about the relationship between artist and viewer when creating? CG: I am always thinking about how my work might be viewed. I don't want to alienate people -- I want them to enjoy my work and connect or relate to it, and be able to see it hanging in their home or on a t-shirt they would wear. Sometimes I do work that I won't put on my website but that I will put on my blog. I feel like my blog allows me more freedom to speak my personal opinion, and showcase some of my work that is a bit more risqué. PG: What does community mean to you as an artist? CG: When I was living in Austria I found that if you were an artist, or a sculptor, or a weaver you were really sort of revered in the community. It was almost like artists were like doctors, and had a special status. I wish we had more of that approach here. I think that the arts are really important - whether it is dance, music or visual communication - and should be a strong part of community. Art is something that everyone in a community can identify with, in some way. I think that because Vancouver is so multicultural art can be a good way for others to learn about another culture regardless of being able to speak the language. PG: How are you supported as an artist in Vancouver? Are there changes or improvements you would like to see? CG: I have found it difficult to get support in Vancouver. I find that it's not a very open industry here, and that if you don't already know someone in the industry trying to get noticed is incredibly difficult and frustrating. There is also not a single agency in Vancouver that works with illustrators to get jobs. It is so bizarre! Now that I've stepped away from the gaming industry to follow my own passion most of the work I get isn't often from Vancouver, it is actually usually from outside of Canada. I would love for the community to be more supportive and more open here in Vancouver. My dream is to start a large agency/cafe/art space, similar to the hubs that are in Vancouver for web developers where you pay a little bit of rent and have a working space, access to wifi, a shared kitchen etc. I want to do something that would be similar to a traditional agency but different in that we wouldn't dictate who your clients are or what your salary is. We would just promote you, do your social media, help you to find clients and help negotiate fees. We would also have a gallery space where whoever we are working with could showcase their work so that when potential clients come in they can actually meet the artist and see their work. I think it could be a really great space in Vancouver. My goal, once I've become a bit more established, is to do a business proposal and try to get funding and a group of people, like an accountant, a social media maven and an art buyer, together to make it happen. PG: What interests you about Papergirl? CG: There is just something about that I think is so quirky, and so emotional in a way. It makes me think about paying-it-forward. It is so random for someone on a bike to stop you on the street and give you art. I would be so stoked if it happened to me! I think it helps promote artists and art, it gives back to the community and I really hope that wherever the art ends up it is appreciated. PG: At Papergirl, we are all about the art of giving art. What is the greatest gift you have ever received? CG: I know it's kind of cliché, but my husband. Having his undying love and his support for what I do means everything to me. It has been really tough with a lot of ups and downs but he has always remained really positive and is the #1 fan of my work. Without him I think it would have been a lot more difficult to make the leap to being a freelance illustrator and stick with it. PG: To finish, a fun question: what kind of bike would you be? CG: I would be my light blue beach cruiser! In a way I never really grew up. As a kid I was put in advanced placement classes so I always felt like a little adult because I had to leave my school to go to another school and back. My parents also very much treated me that way as well. When I got older I really craved childlike things and just cute things in general. This is why I have a bike with a basket that I can put my dog in! It's simple, it has one gear, and it's great for cruising around the sea wall. It's incredibly heavy and a bit of a pain to maneuver but I can be stubborn sometimes so it suits my personality very well! Lulu, my dog, loves sitting in the basket -- she barks at people when we go by so I guess I don't even really need the (donut-shaped) bell! all photos by Julie Larsen. Interview by Julie Larsen and Tara Galuska. Having written a post for Mother's Day, I think it's only fair to show some appreciation to all the stellar dads out there. I love my dad for his steady personality, how he's worked hard his entire life to provide for his family, and how he always encourages me to pursue my passions.
Which is why I struggle every Father's Day to think of what to do for him. My father is notoriously difficult to buy presents for, as he has very few wants and what he does desire, he usually gets for himself (books), or shouldn't be encouraged (heart attack-inducing chocolate). Then I thought of the 5 Love Languages. In a nutshell, these love languages refer to our preferred styles of receiving love and affection, e.g. some people love to be hugged, while others feel most loved when you spend quality time with them. Most people think of these languages in the context of a romantic relationship, but they extend to children, friends, etc. Why not parents? I encourage you to visit the above link to find out about the different love languages and your preferred style. Then, work out what your dad's preferred language is and come up with a Father's Day gift to suit him! Some initial ideas: Words of Affirmation If your dad most values words of appreciation, write him a letter to tell him all the things you value about your relationship. Thank him for the things he's done for you, the times he's supported you, and all the qualities you like about him. Does he have a great sense of humour? Is he a 'cool' dad? Do you just want to tell him you love him for who he is? Say it in the letter -- or maybe even aloud as a toast. Acts of Service This is the dad who likes it when you go out of your way to do something for him. If you're handy in the kitchen, make him a really excellent breakfast, complete with all his favourite foods. He'll appreciate the time and energy you put into this! The food is also a mega bonus. Receiving Gifts Does your dad like receiving tangible gifts? Aim for something that appeals to his personal interests. As a child, I grew up giving my dad a tie every year until I realized he didn't care about ties. An ideal present for him these days would be a recently published general science book on neuroscience and/or the brain, his latest passion. (Unfortunately, I know nothing about this topic and have no idea which books he has anymore as we live in different countries, so if anyone has a suggestion for me, I'd appreciate that!) Quality Time Maybe your father wants to spend time with you more than anything else. In that case, plan a pleasant day together. Depending on what he likes to do, this could range from anything like go-karting or hiking to a picnic or quiet day at home together (perhaps playing board games?). What's valuable here is giving him your full attention -- so make sure your phone stays firmly in your pocket! Physical Touch This dad gives the best bear hugs in the world. So make sure you give him plenty of great hugs of your own. Kiss him on the cheek, hold his hand, or whatever is appropriate for your family. Since we all enjoy all five love languages to different extents, you can combine a few or all of the above demonstrations of affection to celebrate a really great Father's Day for your personal dad. Happy Dad's Day! Welcome back to bi-weekly blog series, Art Tour Tuesdays! Inspired by art crawls, we thought it'd be fun to take a virtual look inside the homes of some of our team members to see what art they have surrounding them. We're hoping to spark some thoughts about how art is different to every person, as well as reflect upon what we have chosen to hang on our walls or display on a shelf -- and why. Art has the amazing capacity to be whatever a person decides it is, whether it is a painting by a famous artist or a drawing by your child or a found photograph. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into the art that we treasure and take comfort in! This art tour is brought to you by Eryne Donahue, our Artist-in-Residence and Workshop Coordinator: When I moved into my new condo in downtown New Westminster last summer, it didn't really feel like it was my place until the art went up. Not only are there memories and stories attached to this work, but it really gives the space a kind of thoughtfulness. I curate my space to pair artworks with plants, objects of use, books and other items to integrate them into the thoughts or concepts that I like to surround myself with. I feel like this helps me focus when I work from home. I have a collection of art that includes work that has been traded and gifted, purchased and created by myself. It includes works by artists Dan Black, Scott Malin, Derek Dunlop, Dorie Clairmont, Bruno Chouinard and Anne Lapierre, Kristina Lee Podesva, Erin Parker, Nicole Brabant, Kay Heekyung Im, and others: too many works to show here. I try not to hang too much of my own work, as I feel more inspired in a space that has a dynamic collection of the creativity of others. In fact, this is really the first place I have lived where I decided to hang a few of my own art pieces. The rest of it stays boxed in the closet or under my bed waiting for sale or exhibition. You'll notice that most artworks are somewhat related in theme or media. I mostly collect photography and printmedia (lithographs, etching, screen and block prints) as these are media I have studied throughout my life and are the type of work I gravitate toward. My husband, an environmental scientist, and myself are inspired by the outdoors and enjoy hiking, canoeing, gardening, birding and mushroom foraging. It is not surprising that many of the works I have collected in some way reflect our interests. When I hang artwork, I usually have it framed. While this is a bit decadent, it gives the work real weight and the care I feel it deserves. I often custom frame works on paper to fit the dimensions and peculiarities of the work. (Note: slides best viewed in web mode) Hi there everyone, hope you had a great weekend! This morning I was unfortunately suffering from a bit of writer’s block and could not for the life of me decide on what to write about for today’s blog. Luckily, my instinctual turn to learning from art history inspired me to write about a few (legal) ways artists have used in the past to get creating! After all, did you ever wonder how those unusual and evocative paintings of Surrealists like Dali, Ernst or Miró came to be? Well, there were quite a few fun techniques utilized by the Surrealists which I will detail here. Firstly, to give a very brief summary, Surrealism began as a literary movement after the First World War. André Breton, who studied medicine and psychiatry, was inspired to write the Surrealist Manifesto after treating traumatized war veterans in Nantes. He began to see that our conscious self was not a good representation of our entire being, but rather just the tip of the iceberg. Much like Freud’s concentration on unconscious thought, Breton believed that the expression of our underlying desires could be achieved through a focus on dreaming, similar to the soldiers who had flashbacks of war, and ”pure psychic automatism”. Of course using dream as an inspiration to make art is fairly self-explanatory, but you are probably thinking; what on Earth is “pure psychic automatism”? This phrase was how Breton defined Surrealism. Basically it is achieved through a series of automatic techniques, based in Surrealist values, which aim to bring out the “id”, or the unconscious, baser part of our personality, through removing any conscious influence on composition. This includes processes such as the stream of consciousness, also known as automatic writing, and automatic art making. Automatic art making is attempted through various games and methods that you may actually already be familiar with. Firstly there are a few variations on the theme of automatic drawing such as randomly scribbling, shading over an uneven surface, connecting lines between imperfections on your canvas or even drawing in the dark. Splattering ink and paint or letting the smoke from a lit candle produce random lines on a sheet of paper are also methods of automatic art making. Whether you leave your work as just the pattern created or use the lines as a basis for a more complicated image is up to you! Either way, you are sure to be inspired. Other fun techniques influence the work at a later stage of production by scraping away paint, adding collage and texture to wet paint or even cutting up the entire image and rearranging it in no particular order. My personal favourite however, and one that is incredibly entertaining to do with a group of friends, is called Exquisite Corpse. Though the name is a little strange, you might have played this game before without even realizing its historical significance in the art world. Basically, starting with a blank page, you either write, draw or collage something on part of a piece of paper. You then fold this creation so that when the paper is passed around, no one can see what the people before them have drawn or written. At the end of the process, you will be left with a bizarre and often humorously skewed piece of artwork or poetry. The unexpected image or word juxtapositions can be either wholly nonsensical or strangely striking and are often very memorable. After one such session of automatic writing for example, Breton was stuck with a particular phrase in his head, the elusive ”Cinderella ashtray”. After obsessing over the phrase for weeks on end, he found a spoon in a curiosity shop which he believed fulfilled this unconscious connection. This shows truly how inspirational such a simple game can be! Hope some of these techniques will help you get out of a rut as they did for me and berry eight dash cocoon wind duodenum monkey petal. (My attempt at automatic writing).
Stay inspired, -al We are very excited to feature our first Artist Interview Studio Visit! Leading up to our exhibit and roll-out in August, Papergirl is meeting with some of the talented artists who contribute to our project to find out more about their art practice and their thoughts on being an artist in Vancouver. Studio Visits will be featured on a bi-weekly basis, and we hope you enjoy learning more about artists working in our community! Papergirl met with illustrator Suzanne Summersgill at her home/studio on West Broadway. Suzanne has been contributing artistically to the eco movement for the last 25 years. Suzanne began her journey by working with naturally dyed textiles, and now works under the name Pinnstudio illustrating her own line of prints using discarded papers and found bits & pieces. Her favourite materials to work with are cardboard, old documents, charm and humor, keeping in line with her mandate to "craft in harmony with nature". Her work has appeared in several publications, including The Georgia Straight, Mothering Magazine, Momentum, 24, BC Parent, and Canadian House and Home. In her first children's book, Three Green Rats, An Eco Tale, she relates most to Oli the little rat who shares her passion for the junk hunt. See more of Suzanne's whimsical work at Pinnstudio and find her on Twitter here. Our Q&A with Suzanne:PG: What moves you as an artist?
SS: I went to art school (Langara Fine Arts) and then I worked for a textile company, Maiwa, who began moving toward more natural processes. I started learning more about the environment as it concerned the fashion industry and as I started to get into that more and more it became something that motivated me. I ended up starting my own textile company called Some Piece of Work, and I made naturally dyed and recycled children's clothing. That was about 25 years ago, sort of before anyone was really aware of environmental issues. People were starting to become more aware of what they ate, but there wasn't the whole eco movement as it is now. I've always had a love of drawing so eventually, when I got two studio partners, we started doing eco children's rooms with restructured furniture. One of my partners, Michelle Weeks, kept saying to me "you really love drawing, don't you ever think about illustrating?" I said that I did, and I ended up going that way, exactly as she suggested. My true love is basically a pencil. I illustrated my first children's book this year, Three Green Rats: An Eco Tale, which is a dream come true, literally. It was the year of the rat and I was thinking hard about ideas for a book and then I had a dream about 3 little rats, who represent the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), that save the world, and it started from there. PG: Do you remember the first time you created something? SS: I remember loving art and drawing in elementary school. PG: What is your creative process? SS: I try to free myself up from making something "good", I just wreck a piece of paper. I always start out with cheaper paper because I don't want to mess up a sketchbook! I just draw and I've learned to keep working up the drawings. A lot of illustrators use the computer to manipulate their drawings but I still don't. I do need to learn a lot more about using computers so that is my next thing. PG: Do you think about the relationship between artist and viewer when creating? SS: I don't. I make art for myself. If I like it, I explore it and put it out there. If people like it they like it. If they don't, what are you going to do? I learn a lot from other people but I try to stay away from trends. Right now illustration is very graphic, and mine is more old world, like old story books. PG: What does community mean to you as an artist? SS: I've been an artist for a long time and a lot of people want you to give of yourself. They'll say it's really "good exposure" for you but don't believe that! They just want free work. But I do believe heavily in community and I go into schools a lot. I've done huge eco art projects in schools through ArtStarts, and it was great. I joined the Sketchbook Project, and I've contributed to Papergirl. These are the kind of things that I can do for myself but that also help connect people with art. I used to be much more engaged -- I was on the Eastside Culture Crawl committee and I was on the Board of the Craft Association of BC but now, I can't do as much. I try and keep up but I feel that half the time I don't know what's going on! There is a lot going on in Vancouver. I find that the city is allowing more stuff to happen, like pop up shops for example. PG: How are you supported as an artist in Vancouver? Are there changes or improvements you would like to see? SS: I've felt a lot of support in Vancouver. I find that, with my book at least, having it sell in the US has helped because there is a huge wall up against self-published books. Vancouver Kids Books sells it and I was so grateful for that. Christianne's Lyceum has been really supportive and she is going to help me with other publishers. The more things that are you interested in and the more groups you join help to find support. You have to work a lot at that in addition to creating, marketing, social media and everything else. It is hard to find space in Vancouver for small shows. Community centres won't rent you a space if you are selling, so they have rooms but you can't use them. It's so expensive here that to make a little gallery show somewhere can cost a fortune. I would appreciate if somebody could work on finding cheap spaces and helping people connect with them, as well as cheaper studio spaces. PG: What interests you about Papergirl? SS: It's something that is an exercise with no attachments. It's something fun. I also love the idea of riding around on bikes and giving away art. PG: At Papergirl, we are all about the art of giving art. What is the greatest gift you have ever received? SS: I collect rocks and my dad gave me the most beautiful perfect heart shaped rock ever. It's my favourite thing that I have from him. PG: To finish, a fun question: what kind of bike would you be? SS: I am obviously a vintage bike. I have a red Raleigh vintage bike and I love it! all photos by Julie Larsen. Interview by Julie Larsen and Tara Galuska. |
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