Our Neighbour, the American Robin is the second of a two-panel painting (also known as a diptych). Created using oil paints on a 18″x24″ canvas, this piece took me about 1 week complete. And since this is the second panel, I started off by drawing a rough sketch of the Robin’s nest just so that I have an idea of its placement in relation to the subject in the first panel.

After observing robins for a few years, I’ve come to appreciate how resourceful they are. For example, the nest depicted in this painting was built on the downspout of my neighbour’s house and stood intact for four years – until the home owner finally decided to take it down after it was abandoned. I’ve seen this nest withstand wind gusts of up to 90 km/h and weathered many storms – while the female robin was sitting on it! Each year a robin returned, she would add new twigs, and grass to it, in preparation to lay her eggs. After the babies have hatched and left the nest, sparrows would take bits and pieces from it to build their own. I’ve seen three generations of robins hatch in this nest and was I amazed with each experience.

This work is part of the Wild Imperfections series.

If you want to see how I painted the first panel, check out my previous video.

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American Robin – May 2020

I’ve posted my first video documenting my painting session of the work titled, American Robin. During this time I learned about the editing process: camera, music, voice over, titles, the whole deal. There’s so much more to learn.

This work is part of the Wild Imperfections series.

Watch the video on my blog.

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American Robin took me about 30 hrs to complete and has gone through quite the evolution. The bird in this oil painting was inspired by an actual Robin that nests in my backyard.

My vision for this painting was to have the Robin perched atop a tree. I want the painting to have a feeling of movement and colour. Imagine being out on a walk in the morning, the sun has already risen, the air is warm, but slightly breezy. The world is awake. Sounds of Cardinals, Finches, Starlings, Chickadees and Sparrows fill the air, but it’s the American Robins greeting that gets my attention today and is my inspiration for this art piece. Having observed Robins for a few years, I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate these industrious birds from their nest building skills to how they nurture their young.

This is my first video, so I’m still trying figure out the ideal set-up for film and editing, so there will be some instances where I’m blocking the shot – but I sincerely tried my best and I’m still learning.

This work is part of the Wild Imperfections series.

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Plastic Dreams, Broken Promises exhibition, Feb 2020

We live in a culture where consumption and waste are common habits. Plastic seems to be everywhere, and while it is useful we need to recognize the effects it has on our environment and daily life.  In Conversation (Red) and In Conversation (Green) are two soft sculptures, crocheted using recycled and repurposed shopping bags. Featured earlier in February in the exhibition entitled Plastic Dreams, Broken Promises at The Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, the pieces stand 102” high and approximately 51.5” to 74.8” diameter, each sculpture is self-illuminated and fitted with an electronic brain which scans the surrounding environment. When a viewer is in close proximity, the electronic brain, through its motion sensor, causes the sculpture to come to life.  The lights “dance”, alternating colours (depicting an emotion) for as long as the viewer is nearby. Effectively, the viewer becomes part of the “dialogue” between the sculptures.

Below is a series of photographs documenting the process of their creation – from prototype to final form.

It took around 4 months to construct In Conversation (Red) and In Conversation (Green). During this time I’ve experienced a range of emotions – from excitement to anxiety and then finally a sense of calm. And so these emotions have also been embodied within these sculptures.

Once the sculptures were completed, the transformation of the throw-away bags gave them a new life, taking them out of the context of mundane everyday objects we all take for granted. The process forever changed my approach and relationship to this material.

Nesting, November 2019

Cocoon, January 2019

With a heavy heart, October 2019

Illumination, February 2020

Babel, February 2020

In Conversation- at rest (Green), February 2020

In Conversation (Green), February 2020

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From February 15-27, 2020 fellow artists Zoraida Anaya, Lisa Fox and I will feature our latest work in an art exhibition entitled Plastic Dreams, Broken Promises at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre.

As part of the Cedar Ridge Gallery Contemporary Exhibition series, the collaborative installation centers around the themes of a throwaway and wasteful culture in an effort to raise awareness of its impact on the environment.  Ordinary plastic bags, crocheted into sculptures, photography on acrylic sheets and transparency lanterns transform the space to create a visually interesting exhibit.

The exhibition is part of the Women’s Art Project (WAP) Collective initiative, where the artistic intention is to make experimental work in a supportive, inspiring and collaborative environment.

Cedar Ridge Creative Centre is nestled within lush gardens enjoyed by the public and often rented for weddings and special events. Discover Cedar Ridge Gallery, home to contemporary and classic visual, and folk art exhibits. The upper floor of the main house and the adjacent carriage house contain working studio spaces that offer hands-on creative arts programs for visitors of all-ages. The refurbished pottery studio is located in what was the original carriage house.

Exhibition Dates: February 15-27, 2020
Reception: February 23, 1-3pm.

Cedar Ridge Creative Centre
225 Confederation Dr, Scarborough, ON M1G 1B2
Phone: 416-396-7378.

Hours:
Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Thursday to Sunday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Closed on Statutory Holidays
Entry is free.

For more info visit The Cedar Ridge Creative Centre.

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Thanks to everyone who showed their support for Women’s Art Project (WAP), art exhibition Wild Imperfections at S. Walter Stewart Public Library. Works from the exhibition are now posted to the Paintings gallery. Here are some photos of the show just after set-up.

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From the Sketchbook (July 2019 – ) features preliminary drawing and painting studies on paper.  One thing I believe is there is always something new to learn and the sketch book is where everything begins – ideas for future paintings, new techniques, inner thoughts and ramblings. For me being a fine artist is a vocation in life, one where you are continuously learning – about life, yourself and how you visualize the world.

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From July 3-30, 2019 fellow artists Zoraida Anaya, Lisa Fox and I will feature our latest work in an art exhibition entitled Wild Imperfections at the S. Walter Stewart Public Library.

The multidisciplinary exhibition features work in mixed media, painting and photography and is part of the Women’s Art Project (WAP) Collective initiative. The artistic intention of the collective is to make experimental work in a supportive, inspiring and collaborative environment.

Exhibition Dates: July 4 to 30, 2019

S. Walter Stewart Public Library
170 Memorial Park Avenue, Toronto, ON  M4J 2K5
Phone: 416-396-3975

Hours:
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday, 1:30 – 5:00 PM

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Mere Bodies or Something More? (July 2018 – August 2018 ) In life, we think of our experiences thus far, and what the future holds for us. But when faced with our own mortality, we think of things we took for granted, and what else we could’ve done better. Health is often the catalyst for change, leading us to question life, death and thereafter.

Regardless of lifestyle, the body seems to have a language of its own which manifests through physical, changes. And our transformation takes us from where we were to what we become.

We also share an emotional connection through indirect experiences. Events such as bearing witness to the birth of one life, or grieving the death of another are indirect experiences which allow us to explore the meaning of body as a vessel. “Can we fully comprehend that which makes a body more than just a mere body without the direct experience of its absence?

Mere bodies or something more? is an introspective look at the human body as a physical and spiritual vessel. An interpretation of how one may experience health changes while contemplating mortality and spirituality.

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Thanks to everyone who showed their support for Women’s Art Project (WAP), art exhibition Mere Bodies or Something More? at The Red Head Gallery. It’s been a tremendous experience. Works from the exhibition are now posted to the Paintings gallery. Here are some photos of the show just after set-up.

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From August 20 to 25, 2018 fellow artists Zoraida Anaya, Lisa Fox and I will feature our latest work in an art exhibition entitled Mere Bodies Or Something More? at The Red Head Gallery. 

Mere bodies or something more? is an introspective look at the human body as a physical and spiritual vessel. The multidisciplinary exhibition features work in mixed media, assemblage and photography. Through the art we aim to share our understanding in dealing with health changes while contemplating mortality and spirituality. The exhibition is part of the Women’s Art Project (WAP) Collective initiative, where the artistic intention is to make experimental work in a supportive, inspiring and collaborative environment.

The Red Head Gallery, is a professional artists’ collective committed to exhibiting the work of established and emerging artists and to encouraging work that is critically engaged within a wide range of contemporary discourse. Visit Red Head Gallery for more information.

Exhibition Dates: August 20 to 25, 2018
Reception: Friday, August 24, 5:00 – 8:00pm

Red Head Gallery
401 Richmond Street West
Ground Floor, Suite 115, Toronto, ON
Contact: 416.504.5654  |  [email protected]

Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Extended Hours: Monday to Tuesday, (August 20-21), 12:00 – 5:00 PM

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