Spring has finally arrived, I saw the first signs of it this weekend ... the crocuses are sprouting ... and lots of puddles, which were enjoyed by this little guy - he has the bumps, bruises and scrapes to show for finally being able to play and explore outdoors!

{photograph courtesy of Blair Marie}

I tried a craft project, found in this month's Martha Stewart magazine ... I improvised a little and used brightly coloured retro material to make these three pin on flowers ...

Inspiration: Terrariums ...

These are the cutest mini-terrariums from the Botany Factory. Designed by Katie Goldman MacDonald in her San-Francisco studio, she aims at bringing plants to small indoor spaces. See more of her terrarium designs here.

{image courtesy of the Botany Factory}

Apartment Therapy lists the top 10 succulents and cacti and succulents for interiors.

This article Gardens in glass: make your own upcycled terrarium by Stephanie Rogers for ecosalon is helpful if you are wanting to make your own mini-terrarium. She offers different options for receptacles too ...
Mason Jar Terrarium – Craftzine
Inverted Jar Terrarium – Design Sponge
Wine Bottle Terrarium – Dr. Vino
Light Bulb Terrarium – Instructables

{light bulb terrariums by tiny terra}

Check out L.A.-based Machine Project's terrarium ...


I like the philosophy behind their gallery ... Machine Project brings "together artists, architects, designers, makers, scientists, programmers, plant enthusiasts, poets, and gaming nerds. Far from being a traditional gallery, Machine project could be described as an art-gallery-turned-mad scientist's laboratory used for collaboration, experimentation, classes , lectures, and for play. Perhaps what stands out the most is that no matter how serious the subject matter, Machine brings an air of effortless fun to the equation, making the work accessible to a large audience without needing to water down the ideas." (dwell)

Two more pictures from this past week ... one more from the Sirena series and the other from a new series I have been piecing together over the last year or so, inspired by botany ...

This afternoon I had a portrait session with Carolina. She is from Chile and spent some time growing up in Brazil as well ... She loves the beach and ocean, which was the inspiration behind this series 'Sirena' ... Here are some of the proofs from this afternoon's session ...

My first week in Toronto has been fun, spending some time checking out the city, shops and galleries ...

I checked out a show featuring Saskatchewan artists at the York Quay (Harbourfront) Centre, here is the show's write up ...

COMBINE situates the works of 18 artists from Saskatchewan throughout York Quay Centre. The title joins two iconic references - the image of the prairie farming machine and the assemblages first created by Robert Rauschenberg - to provide a hint as to where the artists are from and what they are up to. Participating artists were selected for their mutual understanding of how the amalgamation of disparate objects and images can create new stories and meanings.

Here are some photographs I took at the show ...

At the harbourfront I was impressed by this wave boardwalk for children to play on ...

Another show I briefly saw was Christina Leslie's photographic series (MISSED) PERCEIVED at the Gladstone Hotel. It showcases multiple portraits and deals with satirical representations, for example the portraits reference the sambo character and representations of othering in media and popular culture. Leslie juxtaposes the sitters actual portrait with their 'caricatures'. Here are some photographs I took at the show ...

Some more fun finds on Queen West + Ossington ...

Finished my mother's portrait with her hands on the piano ...
She choose to play F, G sharp and B ...



Last post for awhile ... we're vacationing as a family for the first time!!! On our way through Saskatoon ... summers look much different than winters there ... so excited to be on the prairies for a week ...

(Saskatoon Winter, 2003)

Inspiration: Flowers, oh flowers galore!!!

I have known Elli since I was a kid, well over ten years now ... I have worked for her off and on throughout those years ... It was Elli who first really inspired me with flowers and who taught me how to be creative with flowers. When someone loves something so much, it catches ...

Lovely Elli owns a flower shop, a lovely shop, with lovely flowers ...

Here are Elli's portraits, just some of my favourites ...

p.s. we leave on vacation in a few days, through Saskatoon and then onto Toronto ... I am bringing my computer and scanner along for the ride, so any ladies wanting to have their portrait done, just let me know!!!

Yesterday afternoon I had a portrait session with Blair Marie ... Blair is a photographer ... so we looped film through her dark locks as she posed with some of her favourite cameras ... I love how you can see glimpses of her face, but it is her hair, hands and props that mostly make up the portraits ... Here are some of the ones I like most ...

Inspiration: old photographs, family and memories

I had another portrait session this evening, this time with lovely lady Kate ... She brought with her family snapshots ... These old photographs capture a fleeting moment in time, of loved ones young and vital, but now passed ... and so are these portraits of Kate a symbol of vanitas, capturing herself young and full of vitality, but at the same time remembering generations of her family in a dreamy type state amongst her portrait.

Inspiration: nature and tattoo

I have started another series of portraits, more specifically portraits of women in my life. Today I had the privilege to scan my good friend Kelly ... Showing is her back tattoo and foliage (including tiny green tomatoes) reflecting the meaning of her tattoo "There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth" ... I also included a few extra scans that I think turned out beautifully ...





You can see this portrait is fabricated in the same manner as my vanitas series - scans (whole and parts) pieced together to form a portrait. However, my vanitas series was personal. And this go around, I would like the portraits to reflect personal stories of each individual woman. The portraits will feature face, hands, etc. and objects relating to her life's stories, memories, etc. Think of these items as a still-life making up a moment or defining who these women are.

Quite possibly, I can do a sitting a week, so please email me or message me if you are interested. I plan to have a showing once completed, so portraits will be made public, but you will of course get a copy of your portrait.

Last weekend we went to the lake. It is always nice to get out of the city, and anything to get out of the house when you have a little one is especially nice!

Check out this post by Blair Marie Photography ... pictures of my little man at the cabin! Here is a sneak peek - one of the pictures she took of Leo.


I was really taken by this post by Lisa Solomon (her blog: Lisa's Musings) She is an artist and a mom, and her post on the subject put everything I have been thinking and feeling for the last year and a half in words. Here is an excerpt from the post:

people sometimes ask me what it's like to be an artist and a mom. this was something that i thought about - A LOT - before deciding to have a child. i knew that being a mom would become the most important thing and that i would have to learn how to juggle and struggle in new ways. in all honesty - it wasn't even possible for me to fathom how this would all work - even on my best days of guessing. there is no way to know what temperament your child will have [on a day to day basis let alone overall] - there is no way to know how you will respond to demands of parenthood. i was determined from the get go that i would still make art. and i'm managing to do that, but it feels like it's by the seat of my pants and the skin of my teeth.

She doesn't paint motherhood as rosy. She is telling it how it is and I feel for the first time some relief that I am not alone.

It is amazing to witness a baby grow before your eyes. Leo and I have had three photo shoots, all being very different. Here are some of my favourite photographs from them. I love seeing the changes between them ...

(sleeper is Marimekko)

Christine Jordan wrote this about Leo about two months after he was born. Check out her blog Growing Up Toronto

Little Leo Walker

He’s Little Leo Walker
He’s got a shiny quarter
For helping out his Mommy and his Dad
He really thinks it's awesome
This isn’t his first one
He’s even got a special place for his change

On top of Leo’s dresser
Is a majestic tree
It’s made of glass from the beach
And the salt from the sea
It’s a lovely thirsty green and it's almost see through
And when he drops his change in
It’s like he’s planting tiny seeds

When it fills right up
He’ll have his first money tree
And there are lots of great things he can supply
A chicken for his coop
Or some candy for his tummy
Or a bell for his little doggie's collar
Maybe groceries for families who really seem to need it
Or some paint to create-another something great
Or new tires for his really fast bike-might be nice
Or nothing is quite alright too!

He can give, he can share, or just save some more
Since this world is his planet
There's nothing good he will ignore