Stickin' Ideas Together

Over a year ago my husband & I decided to take the plunge into the Vancouver housing market. By housing I mean house. We currently own a loft-style condo but it seems to be shrinking as the years go by. We have a 7yr old daughter so space is a precious commodity within our four walls. Since we have purchased our 1928 East Van house, we have gutted it, hired a draftsperson, a contractor and purchased stocks in Valium. But it's been worth it. In the above photo you can see my family last summer tending to the weeds that overtook this neglected lot. In this fab aerial shot, you can see the new metal roof and front windows (sills are yet to come). The stairs are staying where they are with new tile cladding and rail work. Of course the house will be painted once complete -- maybe a misty North Shore blue-gray. Time will tell. In 1928 rooms were small.  Since we are coming from loft-living, we decided to maintain that sense of space by keeping the main floor as open ...

OH YEAH!! Check out this inspiring book by  Betsy Greer  that I just purchased. I discovered it in a promo catalogue by local Vancouver publisher  Arsenal Pulp Pres s.  The write-up describes craftivism as follows:  Craftivism is a worldwide movement that operates at the intersection of craft and activism;  Craftivism  the book is full of inspiration for crafters who want to create works that add to the greater good.  To me, creating for the greater good is what creating is all about. I am keen on using many of the ideas in my work with school children. Encouraging them to dream, to express and "craft" their own world is are important human awarenesses. Sometimes those acts get lost in the shuffle of chores and responsibilities. I'll keep you posted on how this book plays out in my life. In the meantime, get the book. You'll love it! Keep creating. Keep craft-ivisming ~ Kathryn

Sea urchins teach 'discernment' My beloved gifted me a spectacular 'Vale' gold necklace, by the Bai sisters, for Christmas. What I first thought was a tooth-like shape, turns out to be a sea urchin spike. Needless to say I LOVE it. Of course I couldn't help researching any meaning attributed to sea urchins. In my world, there are no coincidences; therefore, there must be a mystical reason for said species to be decorating me right now. Here's what I discovered (abbreviated text. Source forgotten.. so sorry!!): Teaches discernment and the art of underlying circumstances. Slow and methodical, she shows how to maneuver with tenacity and patience.... Do you have tough exterior and soft inside? Urchin will teach this balance of rough and tender. Evolution, metamorphosis and new developments are highlighted with Sea Urchin medicine... Listen to the color of the Sea Urchin for this will aid in understanding. I found the last line curious, " listen t...

Happy New Year! I am once again embarrassed that so much time has elapsed since we last chatted. It was quite a year, that 2015. I cannot say that I'm sad to see it go. However, one bright spot in the year was that my daughter, Ruby, & I participated in the Anonymous Art Show  - the North Vancouver Community Arts Council's annual fund raiser. I have attached a few snaps of our submissions. My painting can be seen on the group photo of Those-Who-Make-It-Happen (top row, second painting on the left). We had fun getting our paints out and spending some quality art-time together. Ruby was thrilled to use acrylics, as opposed to mom-friendly washable paints. If you have a hankering to gift art at Christmas, make sure you check out their site in early November to get the dates of the 2016 show. Not only will your family & friends be thrilled to receive an original canvas, but the local art community will thank you too (each canvas is $100 with $50 going to the art...

I am reading Austin Kleon's really super book, Show Your Work. I was hesitant at first because the "get discovered" part of this tag line made me feel like a blend between a narcissistic punk and a used-car sales person. Turns out my gut wasn't on the mark; Kleon writes about creating our own connected group (I hesitate to say network because it has negative and over identified connotations) for the purpose of both self-promotion and "others-promotion". When we promote or celebrate or honour other people's work, we are creating an open environment for others to inquire about what we create too. The more we share, the more we learn. The more we authentically share, the more we magnetized like minded people to us. As a result we have helped to populate our world with more happy, supportive, connected, creative people -- like you & me. So if you're as unsure as I am of how or where your place in the world is, give Show Your Work a read. If noth...

Each spring or early summer, Maiwa sends out their catalogue of classes for their fall symposium . It's an exciting time for we art-types. This fall I'll participate in Bonnie Adie's The Art of Embroidery 3-day workshop. I am a novice embroiderer but I'm good with my hands, so I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep up. Last fall I was to listen to  tilleke schwarz  speak about her work but my plans changed due to a sick child. However, I purchased one of her books so with my soon-to-acquire stitching skills, I hope to incorporate stitching into my art world. If you get the chance to take a class through Maiwa, jump on it. It's so worth doing so. Kind regards, Kathryn

Hello art friends; Last night ArtsAlly hosted its public launch in the Grand Ballroom at the Vancouver Club. The very blurry photo above is of Michelle Martin, a founder of the ArtsAlly, standing beside yours truly. It was a well attended event directed at business professionals in our community advising them of this company's art rental option. This service is an affordable option that empowers businesses to support the local artist community while avoiding the higher cost and commitment of purchasing art. And of course, any option that excludes mass-produced prints must be a good one : ) I'm glad to be part of this new addition to the Vancouver art world; I wish all of us success in this collective endeavour.