Julia's Art Mark

Don Nace is Back!

2012-02-06T11:47:00.005-06:00

Image by Don Nace.
I want to point out that Don Nace, who I previously mentioned in my blog here and here has started up a drawing-a-day again. I signed up on his email list to get a new drawing emailed every day. He is the artist responsible for the painted strawberries in the film Across the Universe (among his other artistic endeavours...). The new drawings have the same kind of scratchy honesty that drew me in originally, and the biggest difference I can comment on is that colour has been introduced with some.
Check out his drawings at his website: http://thefloor.org/

Dadaism

2012-01-25T22:52:00.002-06:00

"Dilemmas may be rebutted in more than one way."
A collage. I think it's dadaist.

2012-01-23T17:32:00.004-06:00

A Dragon Postcard. I'm rediscovering oil pastels lately. When I first used oil pastels years ago it was for a poorly set up still life, and I was very frustrated with the results. I have since given them another try, and I'm starting to like their "messy" qaulities. There is a smoothness to oil pastels that are nice to work with. This particular piece was done with a pencil crayon background, a drawing collaged on top, and then oil pastels worked into the background. Markers were also used on the dragon.

Navigation to the Jungle

2012-01-22T20:49:00.006-06:00

Using an old book about flight paths and flight calculations I made this a few days ago. It seems I eventually go back to some kind of creepy thing to make. Collage work can be really satisfying. I'd like to experiment with silk screening some collage layers. I think it would work out well if I tried laying the silk screen colours in the same way I would collage elements.

Temperatures this week were dipping around the minus forty mark, which had me cold to the bone at times, and dreading going outside. When Winnipeg's winters become 40 times colder than my freezer I start to get a bit cranky along with a bad case of cabin fever. To soothe this state of mind, I went over to the Assiniboine park conservatory today with Jay, my boyfriend. The conservatory has a nice indoor pathway that winds through layers of tropical trees and Tiki-inspired rock carvings. I brought my sketchbook along to make me sit and enjoy the "jungle" with Jay. Today at least the outside temperature rose up to -4 degrees, making the quest for tropical temperatures a little less necessary.
Here's what I ended up with. It is a marker drawing with water wash.

Prepare- Illustration Friday

2012-01-18T12:08:00.003-06:00

An illustration Friday Drawing for Prepare. I find my drawing rather bland, yet I like it at the same time...

Door to Door

2012-01-11T00:18:00.008-06:00

Alright just a couple of things I wanted to note about some really cool things on Colossal Art and Design. First my friend sent me a link to some photos of South Korean artist Choi Jeong-Hwa.artist named who created a massive door installation. My friend really likes old doors, and I actually do too. There is a scene in the opening of West side story where the background has a row of multicoloured doors and I just love it(at least in my memory it is in the opening...) This new installation reminded me of that.

Read more and see more pics here.

Second, also found on the Colossal Art and Design website is this fantastic stop motion video by Sean Ohlenkamp and wife Lisa titled "The Joy of Books." It was found here.

Grounded- Illustration Friday

2012-01-08T22:30:00.003-06:00

Ok, so this isn't my best work, but here it is anyways. I recently adopted an adorable dog, and he was the inspiration for this work. I'm not sure why I put grass on the ground, when there is snow all over the place currently. I guess it's wishful thinking.

Highlights

2012-01-04T11:23:00.003-06:00

There are times when all those end of the year reflections are annoying to me when I see them in the paper, or on TV, but I put together a set of highlights of my last year. I just had my 29th birthday on the second, so the timing of the new year and my birthday makes it easier for year-long resolutions and contemplations.

'Lovejoy' survives encounter with the sun

2011-12-19T00:52:00.003-06:00

An Illustration for an article about a comet that flew into the sun, lost it's tail, but kept going... From the Winnipeg Free Press, Weekend Edition.

Illustration Friday:Separated

2011-12-15T16:25:00.005-06:00

It's been a while since I've done anything for Illustration Friday, and here it is. An ink drawing with oil pastels. The word is separated.

Check out other illustration friday drawings here.

Scientists search for signs of life on Mars

2011-12-05T20:27:00.004-06:00

Alright so here's the truth: I have already fallen ridiculously behind on my headline a week project. But here is an image to show that I'm still trying to follow through with it. The headline read: "Canadian Science will help search for signs of life on Mars." From the Winnipeg Free Press, Sat November 19th, 2011 by Pepter Rabowchuck, The Canadian Press. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/canadian-science-will-help-search-for-signs-of-life-on-mars-134170363.html

Art shows and Sales

2011-11-23T15:35:00.004-06:00

I have art included in each of the following art shows and sales. Come check them out, especially if you are in the market for an original piece of art.

Movember Art Auction
Hosted at Cre8ery and officially titled: "With Great Mustache come great Responsibility". This is a true silent auction style art show and sale with all proceeds going to Prostate Cancer Research. The exhibit is only up for three days and the auction finishing with a closing party on Friday night that goes until 10 pm. Wednesday and Thursday open from 12-6, and Friday 12-10. Cre8ery is located on the second floor of 125 Adelaide Street.

Winter Warmer at Aceart
Ace Art is hosting it's LAST EVER WINTER WARMER! The show runs from Dec 2nd until December 15th. All sales go to the artists. Opening reception is December 2nd from 7 until 11or 12 pm. Ace Art is located on the 2nd floor of 290 McDermot Ave. The gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm – 5pm.

Vineyard Craft Sale
Hosting it's third annual craft sale this event has trendy crafters of all kinds selling hand made goods including honey, art, hats, fibre items, and baked goods. It is my third year participating in the event and it is always well attended and the hosts do everything they can to make sure that this event is a success that has people wanting to come back. The event is a fundraiser for the Arts programming at Winnipeg Centre Vineyard Church and also a women's co-op in Nepal. I have some new silk-screened items going in this sale and I will be selling photographs, cards, and prints of my work. Check out the well designed Vineyard Craft Website here: http://www.vineyardcraftsale.com/

Movember Art Aution

2011-11-13T23:34:00.006-06:00

Createry is hosting a Movember art auction from Nov 23rd to Nov 25th. Proceeds go to prostate cancer research. I have donated a new silk screened image to the cause(pictured above). Here is the facebook event page for it: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154685121295267 Createry is located at 126 Adelaide Street.
Winnipeggers go check it out!!

Vineyard Craft Sale Round #3

2011-11-07T23:55:00.006-06:00

I am once again a part of the Winnipeg Vineyard Church's Craft sale that is happening on November 26rh. This year they are opening up the second floor which means more vendors, and I'm told will open up the space a little bit so there will be more breathing room. Previous years had an amazing turnout of people who came through to support the cause. It was great for the sellers as well as the Women's coop in Nepal that they are raising money for. I've got some new items going in the sale this year because I have been learning how to silkscreen my images over at Martha Street Studios. Silk screening is a process that is amazingly satisfying. I had no idea I would like it as much as I do. It is quite process-intensive and there are a lot of essential supplies to it, but I am really enjoying the process.
The Vineyard craft sale has some great vendors lined up and there is a reason that I only go in about one or two craft sales a year, and it's because this one is actually worth going to!

The sale is happening November 26th starting at 10 am,and running until 4 pm.
They have a really great site with photos up that you should check out here: http://www.vineyardcraftsale.com/

Editorial Cartooning with Dale Cummings

2011-10-24T22:24:00.005-05:00

I attended SAGE this past friday which is a Manitoban inservice day for teachers to get special instruction in their subject matter. I went to a talk by Diana Thornycroft on her most recent tableau works, then attended a workshop on creating a classroom mural, and then attended a session with the Editorial Cartoonist from the Winnipeg Free Press. Dale Cummings has been working as an editorial cartoonist for 30 years and says that he'll hold onto that position until he dies. He showed us some of his original works, and it became a question and answer period about his work. Given my recent dedication to illustrating news headlines, this really interested me. After answering questions about his work he took us through a basic tutorial as a line for line drawing Stephen Harper and Jean Chretian(pictured above). Mine isn't stellar, but it was interesting to get myself thinking of the style that he draws in. It was a really good exercise.

Gadhafi Dies, Libya is liberated...

2011-10-23T23:46:00.006-05:00

"Libya's new leaders to declare liberation Sunday amid questions over Gadhafi's killing"
Image # 2 from my new challenge, to create an image a week based on a news article. This one is from the Winnipeg Free Press.

Operation: Headline Deadline

2011-10-11T22:24:00.013-05:00

"Zombies Hurt in Film Set Accident"

With my image a day challenge behind me I decided to begin a new challenge for myself: to complete a piece of art based on a weekly news heading of my choice. I decided to just keep the challenge well within reason and so that I would try to focus my attention on one piece for longer. The image a day for a year was actually really great and I still sort of have that mentality that I need to be sketching every day, but it's a bit of relief to know that if I don't draw I'm not disappointing myself, and also won't have as much to catch up on if I slack a little. I found the image a day challenge really great to stimulating spontaneity, creativity and great ideas. It would really help to loosen me up and also helped me to be more ok with a drawing that was simple. It also made me appreciate sketchbooks so much more. With my new idea challenge I want to push myself a little more stylistically and also technically.
The rules for my new project are as follows(it's fairly straightforward, but I like making clear guidelines for myself):

I will take any news headline and illustrate it any way I choose, except if it has already been illustrated.
I must post weekly, and complete each drawing by Sunday night.
The starting week is the week of Oct 10th to Oct 16th.
I am allowed to make more than one image per week which can count towards future weeks.
In the event of disaster, death, a large commission, moving house, or major illness I can excuse myself from image making without penalty(in my image a day project I stated a clause that if I took longer than the time frame to complete it, I got a one week extension with an extra image tacked onto the pile). Yeah, ok I know that it's a bit silly to make deals with oneself, but that's the only way it's gonna get done, set a definite goal!
I will complete 52 images.

This week's Headline is from BBC News: "Zombies Hurt in Film Set Accident" (just an FYI, on the linking page the headline was shortened to this, but the full headline reads "Zombies hurt in Resident Evil Film set Accident" In Toronto some zombie actors were hurt on the movie set and when the ambulance arrived, the paramedics initially thought the injuries were a lot worse because of all the zombie make-up. Read up on it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15268321

Draw, Cut, Paste, Draw

2011-10-11T22:15:00.007-05:00

"I looked after her as long as I could see her, a tall, stooping figure in unfashionable clothes, walking slowly out of my sight, and out of my life forever."

"I am assured that after life there is death and after death a more enduring life in a happier world."
Here are a few collages from the past week. It's been a while since I sat down to make my own collages. The text from both are some tweaked lines from an Agatha Christie novel, and the rest of the images were also made from pages of that book. Ah it's so satisfying the way old nearly newsprint pages take ink...

Inclusion Drawing

2011-10-02T15:27:00.005-05:00

School started again for me, which unfortunately continued to push blogging onto the back burner. I've been struggling to come up with consistent themes in what I make, because I finally feel ready to make connected artwork, instead of things here and there that don't have an underlying theme. Here are two pages of my notes from an inservice day I attended on Friday with inclusion specialist Jennifer Katz as the keynote speaker. Being able to draw while someone is speaking helps me to pay attention, even if it makes me look like I'm not listening. I have an illustration coming up that I need to finish titled, "Things I Did With My Summer." This may shed some light on my lack of summer blogging. Will fall here and cold weather approaching I think my internet presence may be pumped up a bit because blogging fits perfecting with whiling away Winnipeg winters. I recently started taking a silk screening class at Martha street studios and I'm very excited about learning how to do this art form, I've already got some ideas swimming around about what to do with my first few screens It is very process-based, and I think I am going to really like it.

Illustration Friday- Swell

2011-08-18T21:22:00.002-05:00

It's a bit late in the week, but still Thursday, so here is this week's Illustration Friday: Swell.

The Bridal Shower

2011-08-13T17:15:00.014-05:00

I have recently been reminded that I have not been blogging lately! It's nice to know that someone noticed, and so here is a set of images that I actually did back in June, that tells the story of a very extravagant Bridal shower I was a part of(I'm one of the bridesmaids...). To be honest, I wouldn't say it's my best work, it's really just a set of sketches, but there are elements to it that I like. It could be worth reworking with more details and a little rearranging.(Part two of this series may be called "the Stagette")
I was talking to my friend Keira, a fellow blogger and we were talking about how it's hard to maintain a former habit when your life gets uprooted. In the last 4 months we have both moved and despite our schedules allowing freedom, somehow the groove of blogging has been worn away and I'd like to get it back. Anyways, here is a set that has long been waiting to be posted:

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640478894519748770" />

Folk Fest Drawings!!!

2011-07-18T21:46:00.007-05:00

The 2011 Winnipeg Folk Fest has come and gone, and this year I made a point of doing more drawings. At certain times I tried to sit close to the stages so I could see the performers' faces. Drawing the eyes of people on stage was the most difficult aspect of this type of drawing. People watching at Folk Fest is hard to beat, so there was a great assortment of subjects for my sketchbook. All my drawings were done as marker washes.
This was a guy from the Band Dawes:

This is a singer/songwriter named Chuck Prophet. I saw a very enjoyable solo set at Little Stage on the Prairie.

This is a member of the band Jaune Toujours- they are a really fun Folk Rock/Roots/Balkan band that in some aspects reminds me of Cat Empire.

Gesture-Illustration Friday

2011-07-18T21:16:00.002-05:00

Gesture drawing done at the Winnipeg Folk Fest. People watching(and Drawing) is extra fun there. It is done in markers with a wash overtop.

Craft on the Loose!

2011-06-28T22:44:00.010-05:00

I have been accepted as a participant in Craft on the Loose, which is an event hosted here in Winnipeg by the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library. The goal of the exhibit "is to adorn an outdoor space with works of craft, to celebrate local craft and craftspeople, and the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library." Wayward craft items will be placed or hung along Corydon Avenue and will be displayed for a three week period. I'm kind of stoked to have something I make out as a public display. I am really looking forward to seeing what other crafters have come up with. For some reason there is a little apprehension on my part that somehow people won't appreciate what's out there that they won't "get it"... Really I should have much more faith in my fellow Winnipegers to believe that they could come up with some great things to exhibit that will at least make corydon pedestrians smile.

I did a search for knitting art and found this pretty fantastic tree cozy. Also I would say that it's worth an image search for Yarn Bombing, there's some great collaborative work out there.

Here is a brief article on guerrilla knitting: http://flickamag.com/fashion-and-gear/knit-grafitti-guerilla-knitting/
Also this doily covered tree is rather striking and lovely, made by Canadian Crafter Wooly Fabulous

Oh yes, and here's a preview for what I will be displaying. This is only a sketch of my plan. I am embroidering a fabric lantern that will be hung along the avenue. I'm happy with how it's turning out so far. I'll post more details about the event at another date.

May leads to June and June leads to freedom

2011-06-28T00:26:00.006-05:00

It has been a long time since blogging, and finally have a bit of time to think about blogging. I have still been drawing, I haven't forgotten about that, but the blogging has been put on the backburner due to lots of business with life. I have moved into a new house, and I'm sitting in my new art room which makes me really happy as it is a definate upgrade from the last artroom that I used. There have been so many weddings or wedding-related events in the past two months that it has slowed down my production and art-making time. I am somewhat behind on my images, I'm going to have some catching up to do once school is finally over(3 more days!).
Here are a couple of drawings that I've done recently.
Falling.

These next two were inspired by a doctor's office waiting room.