HIGH PARK IN TORONTO!

Happy Thursday!
I have been super busy getting this new piece ready.
This was a request.
As you can imagine, people always ask why I haven't immortalized "their neighbourhood" in a painting........and I always ask, what is special about your area? What can I paint that would really tell the story of your 'hood? Sometimes it is not an easy answer!
But in the case of High Park, it was really a no no brainer!
Sit back and lemme tell you a story......

High Park opened to the public in 1876 and is about 400 acres of park land right in the middle of the big smoke. It is the LARGEST park in Toronto, and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and even a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology. High Park was and is based on a bequest of land from John George Howard to the City of Toronto.

WORTH capturing in a painting.........like so......

First - I started with the subway tile backgound of High Park Station.
The poster part (in blue and green here) is illustration of the Hillside Gardens. 

THEN I forgot that you guys like to see the progress and didn't take photos for a day.....and THIS happened:

As you can see, the Hillside Gardens have a formal garden area - it was IMPOSSIBLE to
illustrate ALL the kinds of great gardens....so I chose this one!

 BAM!

The High Park Subway tile is in - with a bit of sheen!
ALSO there is a vintage map of the City of York on the bottom!

Finishing up the map at the bottom of the piece!

This is what I LOVE about these paintings......I was able to include the FAMOUS peacock!
If you don't remember the story ......check out this:

If you want more on this infamous bird.........just follow his twitter feed!

ANYWAYS, I wanted to make sure he was included in the painting - I painted him as though he is just popping into the frame - like only for a day - he was free again.

More progress on shadows, and the addition of the Train!
If you have kids, you most assuredly have been on the trackless train!

Adding in the words and more washes of colour - and the tape!

The quote "The earth has music for those who listen" is a nod to Shakespeare in the Park
Which if you haven't done - is a real TORONTONIAN MUST!

AND HERE IS THE FINAL IMAGE!

It has a bunch more finishing touches that make it really look swell!!
Lots of washes and highlights and shadows added!

I am super happy with the final look! I think it is the perfect addition to my series!

Yes.......I will have merch of this SOON! AND YES I will blog about it! ;-)

Also.....If you want to make a difference, try making a donation to http://www.highpark.org/donate/

Honestly, the fact that we have such a great place in the city, is AMAZING!

Go out today....and also feel free to sent a little dough their way!

Thanks guys!

WW194: MILDRED'S TEMPLE KITCHEN, KIMMY SCHMIDT and Harry Potter Remixed....

Okay.....I KNOW that it is not Wednesday, but I just couldn't get this together fast enough.....so......here is TERRIFIC THURSDAY!!!

1.) Mildred's Temple Kitchen.

Okay, I went here for brunch a few years ago, and truthfully, the pancakes were not my favourite......but then we went back last week......for dinner and MAMA LIKE!! Here is why:

Buttermilk fried (boneless) chicken thigh with crisp rye waffles, rhubarb gastrique & sour cream. -- and a side of coleslaw!

OH

MAH

GAWD!

SO GOOOOOOD! And yea, all the meals that my companions ate that night were also DEEELISH!

It is a very chic urban vibe....if you like that kinda thing:

So, if you are looking for a nice treat, go and check it out in Liberty Village!
It isn't the cheapest dinner ever, but it was top notch nom nom nom!!!!!
Check ou their site - their tweets - and on the book of faces.

2.) Blossom Dearie. I keep hearing her at my chiropractor's office and each time - i love her!

Blossom Margrete Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist, often performing in the bebop genre and remembered for her light and girlish voice. One of the last supper club performers, she performed regular engagements in London and New York City over many years.

The album I keep hearing is "May I Come In?" but they all seem to pretty awesome!!!! Check her out:

and this MEGA post of songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrklFJ25z2w

Great huh?

3.) Jeremy Miranda. Found him on the Jealous Curator. His work is haunting. Don't you think?

Ok...so his website tells you NOTHING about him, but you still need to GO CHECK IT OUT at:

http://jeremymiranda.com

or his blog at: http://jeremymiranda.blogspot.ca

4.) "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" YES! It is race-y and yes it is quite inappropriate.....but I LOVE IT! If you liked 30 Rock....you're gonna love this one too!!! Bless Tina Fey!!

(or https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=34&v=mNKEKlXY3Z4 )

I love Ellie Kemper in this, and ALSO love Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane and Jane Krakowski! Great casting. Honestly, so good! AND I CANNOT GET THAT THEME SONG OUTT MY HEAD!!

(or go here if it doesn't load)

LOVE IT!!!

So get your Netflix tuned into this one!

SO DARN FUNNY!!!

5.) This is a suggestion from my hubby today......enjoy nerds......I especially like the use of the Harry Potter theme.....midway through the song.....

(or go here! - if you can't see it)

Check out the other parody songs from https://www.youtube.com/user/KFaceTV

FRIDAY - LET'S DRINK!!!

HOWDY!
If you are a regular reader........you will know that I am in the thick of:
The Artist Project
(you can read more about that big show HERE!)
But here are the deets one last time:

The Artist Project, Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Tonight (20th) from 11am to 8pm
Saturday (21st) from 11am to 8pm
Sunday (22nd) from 11am to 6pm

See me in BOOTH #502

Also.....I wanna share the last NEW NEW painting I will be showing:

"Drink Like a Fish", 12" x 12", Acrylic on Wood

I LOVE THIS ONE!

Come out and see it in person!

There's nothing like the real thing!!!!!

Have a great weekend -- I hope to see you!

TORONTO STREETCARS - "KING OF THE ROAD"!

Good Wednesday!
But NOT a "Wonderful Wednesday".
Sorry!
If you are a regular reader you will have noticed a lack of #WonderfulWednesday posts since I have been back. The truth is, it is super time consuming creating a post about 5 things that are interesting enough to me to promote and blog about (those posts take me about 4 hours to craft)!
I am still playing catch-up from being away for 3 months.
So you will have to wait for another 2 weeks for #WW to return! :-(
So to apologize......I give you this piece:

"King of the Road", 40" x 30", Acrylic on canvas

BLAM!
So this piece is just me playing with theme of repetition.
For you streetcar nerds.....you'll notice it is mostly the Canadian Light Rail Vehicle (CLRV) -- The one us non-streetcar-nerds probably know the best - and see the most often! There is also a Presidents' Conference Committee Car (the retro one) that is my fave! But there is also a Bombardier Transportation Flexity Outlook (the brand new vehicles rolling out over the next few years).
I had troubles deciding what quote to use. Eventually I decided on "KING OF THE ROAD".
Although, I was almost gonna use "HATERS GONNA HATE".....

So this piece will be exhibited for the very first time starting TOMORROW at The Artist Project:

READ MORE ABOUT The Artist Project....read more about that big show HERE!
Also this "King of the Road" will be available (in 2 weeks) as a giclèe.
It will be available as a 16" x 20" print and a 8" x 10" print.
It will also eventually be available as a postcard.
STAY TUNED FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT!

OTTAWA - a new painting!

Good Friday, friends!!!!
As you know (of you are a loyal reader - and hey…why wouldn't you be??) I have been working on new works for The Ottawa Art Expo

The Ottawa Art Expo opens with the Gala on Friday Oct 24th, then runs from
SATURDAY OCTOBER 25 and SUNDAY OCTOBER 26 from 10 am to 5pm

It all happens at the ST. ELIAS CENTRE at 750 Ridgewood Avenue, Ottawa

(Free Parking and Admission)

Well….here it is….the centrepiece of my booth. It is one of my 'Sign of the Times' paintings.
I wanted it to be about Ottawa, in the same way that my Toronto neighbourhood paintings are about my city. But I have to admit I really struggled with it at first.
You see, my work is very authentic to me.
What I mean, is I ONLY paint things that are part of my world, that affect me, that interest me and that I LOVE. But, I haven't been to Ottawa in 30 years, (see the photos HERE of my last trip) so I honestly know NOTHING about the city. YIKES!
So I started by asking a client (THANKS MARY) about the city, then I hit the Book of Face to get my 'friends' takes on the city. Then I hunkered down and did some research and some drawings.
What I found was that I couldn't just sum up the whole city with one piece.
DUH.
So I went with the obvious…..

"Ottawa", Acrylic on Canvas, 36" x 24"

Yes, I know it may seem a little overdone, but the focus of my piece is the Parliament buildings.

They are iconic, and beautiful and worth celebrating! I just thought they would be fun to paint, but I wanted something else in the composition. Something that 'softened' the architecture a bit…so I added the tulips. For those of you who are as ignorant as me…..get hip to this bit of Canadian history….

The Canadian Tulip Festival is a tulip festival, held annually in May in Ottawa. The festival is the world's largest tulip festival, displaying over one million tulips!

Why?? 

Well, in 1945, the Dutch royal family sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa in gratitude for Canadians having sheltered Princess Juliana and her daughters for the preceding three years during Second World War. The most noteworthy event during their time in Canada was the birth in 1943 of Princess Margriet to Princess Juliana at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The maternity ward was declared to be officially a temporary part of international territory, so that she would be born in no country and would inherit only her Dutch citizenship from her mother. In 1946, Juliana sent another 20,500 bulbs requesting that a display be created for the hospital, and promised to send 10,000 more bulbs each year.

CRAZY story, huh? And there are LOADS of interesting little historical facts about the area!

The more I researched the more I was consistently discovering fascinating bits of history - that I had no idea about…..let's face it -- I am not exactly book smart! ;-)

So that was the reason that I put the tagline 'who says history is dull' on the bottom!

It summed up my feelings about how cool all the Canadian history in Ottawa is!

Initially my painting was going to be fairly mono-chromatic - like it was an antique……but after I realized that dull can also refer to colour - I decided to eject a LOT of colour into the piece.
I also added some Canadian geese!

At the end I gave it some 'aging' which as you know, is my FAVOURITE part!

The results are pretty great, I think!!

What do you think?

Yes….I will eventually be creating prints of this…..but for now, let's enjoy this original composition!

Well Ottawans and former Ottawans? 

What say you?

(You know I am actually only looking for compliments here, right? ;-)

WW185: RUTH OOSTERMAN, CLEAN BANDITS, and DISNEY BOYFRIENDS

Welcome back!
Here are 5 things that I think you should LOVE this week…..

1.) I really love this one. I am not a mommy….but I am really drawn to these great collaborative works… Ruth oosterman has painted a bunch or FANTASTIC watercolour painting using her 2 year old's doodles as a framework for the pieces!

I was sceptical at first - because they are SOOO GOOD….but check this out…..

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vKB33rK-to)

Ruth says…..

‘just as my painting forms, I make sure to follow her outlines and leave some of her drawing visible, keeping it a collaboration. it is a fine balance that I am continuing to learn from.’

I love them!!! I REALLY DO!

Please give her a little support on her BLOG

or buy prints of her stuff on Etsy

NOW I GOTTA GO GET MYSELF A TODDLER!!!!!

2.) I love a good toe tapper - you KNOW I do!!! I have been listening to Clean Bandit's "Rather Do" on repeat for a week now…..here is the official music video…..prepare to tap your toes…..

(GO HERE more of their videos)
Here is the wiki explanation of this group…..

"Clean Bandit is a British electronic group from England. The group consists of Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto, Milan Neil Amin-Smith. Clean Bandit's music has been described as "fusion" music, mixing electronic music with classical and deep-house elements. Most of their music intertwines classical compositions, such as those from Beethoven, Dvorak, etc. (most typically, Mozart for their song "Mozart's House"). Some of their music also has a lot of humour and a bit of tongue in cheek at times."

I really enjoy the whole album "New Eyes"……

……yes…..it's chock-a-block full of "disco-y" goodness…....Preview it on iTunes….

THEN BUY IT - and prepare to have your toes tapped!

3.) Dear Toronto. Let's ALSO think outside the box - or rather the highway……

Recently, plans have been unveiled for an aerial gondola system that would connect Brooklyn to Manhattan, bringing commuters over the river in just three and a half minutes. The ‘east river skyway‘ is viewed as a relatively inexpensive and quickly deployable solution. it is believed that the scheme could accommodate over 5,000 individuals an hour in both directions!!!!

Is this brilliance??? YES!!!!!!!!

Check out more details on designboom.com
4.) Ok….I am not sure WHY I love this so much…..but I do…..COOL MATERIAL brings you the Lighter Cufflinks.

Perfect for camping or for a night on the town or the formal-dressed pyromaniacs out there.
(Wait….I think I may be confused about what "camping" is!)
Still…..cool, right????

5.) Thanks Buzzfeed for this……you Disneyphiles will especially love this one….

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct-CdyT4HkM&feature=youtu.be)

WW183: PROFANITY POP, FUZ DESIGNS, and the FLEDERHAUS

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday!!
Here are the 5 things I want you to LOVE this week!!!
Check these out:

1.) José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros’ latest works which just showed at La Luz De Jesus Gallery are still amazing! I love seeing Disney characters doing very unDisney-like things. Uncouth, corrupt and compromising Disney Princesses, Princes, Villians and Mickey et al are featured in "Profanity Pop".

“With Profanity Pop, Rodolfo pays tribute to specific historical works that have inspired many generations. Universal themes are once again narrated by beloved animated characters, but in the guise of the divine and with all the fragility of martyrs. Away from the paradise of happy endings, the pastel sprinkled drama takes on a vulnerability that juxtaposes subversively with situations never similarly interpreted. The Monarchy of prejudices and taboos crumble in this story. The disenfranchised reach beyond discrimination, and in this narrative no union is sinful or suppressed.”
Below are the paintings photographed from the actual exhibit at La Luz De Jesus Gallery.

So great.
Check out  La Luz De Jesus Gallery
and of course go to José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros’ site too!!!
SUPER FUN!!!!

2.) The 'Noke' from FŪZ Designs looks like a supper cool padlock!!!! I need it!!!

No you b*tches…..not for the gym…..just cause it is cool!!!
You use air the Noke lock with your phone using bluetooth and their app. When your phone is in range (you can also generate guest keys for friends etc...), just press the shackle and it will unlock. You don’t even have to take your phone out of your pocket to unlock!!!!!!!!

AH MAH ZING!

And if there is a  battery failure (most likely your phone because Noke has a year long battery), you can also program a Quick-Click code to unlock it.
COME ON!
HOW COOL IS THAT?
Go to  Fuz Designs to see more!!!


3.) I WANT TO GO TO THERE……..The Flederhaus is an awesome structure in Vienna designed by architects Heri & Salli….

It is for hanging out - LITERALLY!!!!!! The open building, situated in the Museum Quarter of the city, houses 28 hammocks on 5 floors that offer great views to one and all at no cost. The inviting hammocks are arranged to allow for meeting and interacting with neighbours.

HONESTLY!!! How great is this??

Let's go!
(thanks to http://collabcubed.com)

4.) I posted about this one in March of last year, but they swung by my booth at The Cabbagetown show and bought this print…..

So I thought I would mention them AGAIN!!! Rashers. an amazing little eatery in Leslieville is delightful for a takeaway nosh!! (If you LOOOVE some bacon, like I love bacon.)

I have been in a number of times this year and have had the bacon sliders, the Brioche and a few of the grilled cheese sammies!!

Yummers.

A snippet of the menu!!

I like the "wall of bacon" GO SEE MY PIECE HANGIN HERE!!!!

You should go! AND give a little 'like' to them on Twitter and Facebook too!!!
(and thanks for the support guys!)

5.) I leave you with this…….I cannot help but watch it over and over again…..I think it is the elaborate score!!!!

(HERE IS THE LINK PHONE PEEPS!)
Thanks Cindy for this!

WW156: WHERE COOL CAME FROM, SHE PLAYS HOCKEY and DANIEL ST-AMANT

Hey folks…….you know how this post works….each Wednesday I post an image of FIVE things that I LOVE…….

1.) I LOVE a good success story. As I wait patiently for mine (hee hee) I can't help but be THRILLED for Dave LeBlanc! You may know him from his columns at The Globe and Mail…..but his new project…..I REALLY FREAKING LOVE!!! "Where Cool Came From" is a super great web series that explores the nature of the "cool things" we know and love! Well….maybe not ALL of us….but if you like my work…..you're gonna LOVE:

Seriously…..it is so enjoyable!!!!! Don't believe me???? Check out this:

Where Cool Came From Video Preview from Where Cool Came From on Vimeo.

(or try this link)
Way to go Dave!!!!! I LOVE this web series!!!
You can give "Where Cool Came From" some love on Facebook too!

2.) THANKS CINDY FOR SENDING ME THIS ONE (She gets her knickers in a knot if I forget to thank her!) This is fantastic!!!! Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and singer Miche Braden bring you the most FANTASTIC remake of classic Guns N’ Roses!

http://www.openculture.com/2014/02/guns-n-roses-sweet-child-o-mine-retooled-as-1920s-new-orleans-jazz.html

3.) She Plays Hockey. Ok…I know what you are thinking……Normally I am NOT a sports person….let alone the hockey……BUT….in the spirit of Woman's empowerment……..I give you THIS:

She Plays Hockey is a website dedicated to providing products to girls and women who play hockey. The female game is growing every year and we have decided to say it loud and clear, whether you are a daughter, mother, sister or grandmother who plays or you’re a doctor, teacher, banker or stay-at-home mom – SHE PLAYS HOCKEY! And remember, you are never too old or inexperienced to start playing the game of hockey
SHE SHOOTS SHE SCORES!!!!! (Am I saying that right??)

4.) I really enjoyed this work at TAP this year! Daniel St-Amant's work at first glance is very attractive wildlife studies…..truthfully that is not normally the kind of work that really gets to me….BUT there are so many great things happening in these paintings!!!

I don't wanna ruin this for you…..but you should GO TO HIS WEBSITE and see how he creates these works. It is super cool……..yes…they are painted very well - but I love the flip of the middle finger to big oil…………(the phone number for an offending company is on each piece!!!!)

Here's his artist statement:

In an era of mass consumption, poverty, pollution and war, it's difficult to avoid being alarmed by the abundance of negativity and hopelessness that surrounds us.
My work explores some of these issues, specifically our destruction and exploitation of the natural environment. As our population grows, so does our consumption as a species with increasing pressure to meet quotas and profits. Humans are driving deeper and deeper into the wilderness. My latest paintings discuss this pressure we are putting on the natural environment and the adaptation that the animal kingdom is forced to undergo.
Using modern surfaces such as major road ways to emphasize our global footprint, I have managed to capture the density within our city life. Laying my canvas on the road I capture physical traces of climate affecting technologies “tire tracks” to which I use as a landscape for my animal compositions.

GREAT JOB DAN!!!!!!!!
You can also follow him on the Twitter…and on the Facebook!

5.) This is for my crazy cat ladies……you're welcome Cindy….see all these cats…….then hit the link and see 19 more……...

http://www.boredpanda.com/funny-wet-cats/