The Shenkman Art Centre’s Significant Contributions Installation (detail views), June 2014, Ottawa, Canada
Significant Contributions Project
This Friday I had a chance to visit Significant Contributions, an installation and public art project I’ve been blogging about, organized by artist Karen Goetzinger. This breath-taking series of towering structures is located in the main lobby of the Shenkman Arts Centre. Composed of thousands of origami flowers and decorative paper objects made by the general public (including yours truly), the installation is a testament to what can be accomplished when a community comes together to create art. Equally moving are the heart-felt messages integrated into the work by contributors reflecting on the vital role art plays within the community and their lives.
Krystyna Sadej’s Selfie
Krystyna Sadej, Self-Portrait, Digital Collage, 2014
CYW member Krystyna Sadej recently shared a beautiful digital self-portrait she made for a current exhibition at the Shenkman Arts Centre with me. The original “selfie”, self-portraits are a wonderful way to capture reflections and attributes of ourselves. Krystyna’s portrait strategically features the artist in front of a glittering disco-like ball which perfectly suits her dynamic, glittering star personality! Surrounded by images of her work and inner reflections, she reveals a candid portrait of her artist spirit. If you’re interested in experimenting with electronic collage, with a little bit of practice, imaging software such as Photoshop will allow you to easily compose work in a grid-like format. If you’re not technically inclined, this can also be accomplished through your local camera shop (ie. Black’s, here in Ottawa) at kiosks or on-line in a fairly straightforward manner. Thanks for sharing and inspiring us, Krystyna!
An electronic Instagram collage from Black's Camera Store
Decorate-it-Yourself Knapsack
Last fall I spotted a young girl at the bus stop sporting a hand-decorated knapsack. Covered with beautiful graffiti-like drawings and words it was further embellished with duct tape – totally enthralled by it, I wondered where I could get my hands on one. Well it wasn’t long before I was browsing through an art store and stumbled upon one. This paper bag-coloured knapsack is produced by Miquelrius, a company which also makes other eco-friendly products. Wondering what mediums would be best suited to decorate it with; I questioned a store clerk who recommended using permanent pen or felt-tip marker (ie. Sharpies, Pigma Micron, Faber-Castell Pitt). So I’m ready to take the plunge and give it a go. It’ll be awesome walking down the street with my own custom designed backpack. I’m not sure what it’ll end up looking like but I do know it’ll involve some Zentangling… I’ll play it by ear.
Glue Gun Stencils
This week I ran across a fantastic stencilling idea from Artists Network. Inspired by Traci Bautista’s Printmaking Unleashed Kit, editor Cherie Haas suggests drawing shapes or designs with a glue gun, letting them dry and then using them as stencils – such a quick and simple idea… the design possibilities are endless! See A Simple Tool for Printmaking to learn how to design fabulous glue gun stencils to add to your mixed media work.
Wendy helps me rescue a turtle...
Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?
Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a soft spot for turtles. I sadly remember discovering the dead body of one on a beach just after it had laid its eggs. In my new neighbourhood, there are turtles galore. It’s always heartbreaking to see baby ones crushed by cars along the roadside during my walks. A few weeks ago I found one asleep in our parking lot and carried it back to the river. This week, from my balcony window, I noticed several people come to aid of a turtle who kept on trying to cross our busy road. Every time someone would place it the direction of the river, it would stubbornly continue to attempt to cross the road; it was as though it was on a mission! Watching anxiously, as it inched its way yet again, I hurried down and with the help of a stranger, Wendy (who volunteers at a nearby wildlife conservation centre), safely escorted it across the street. She (pictured above) informed me that the turtle was going to lay its eggs and needed to be allowed to follow its chosen path. It’s exciting to be living in a place that provides inspiration on a daily basis. Seeing this drama unfold me made me realize the fragility and power of nature; it’s a theme I’d like to capture in my future work.
Other Related Links:
Significant Contributions: An Origami Project Unfolding
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