Recently Enjoyed.

It's been such a busy summer so far, with long patio nights under the stars, outdoor cooking, and more time with friends and family.  I've been taking time for escapes and things that matter. Here's some photos of things recently enjoyed....

Happy Canada Day!

The winter of 2005 seems oh so distant and alien on this muggy Canada Day eve.
I stumbled into the gallery of Mercer Union, which, at the time was just around the corner
from my gallery on Dovercourt, south of Queen.


That was before the neighbourhood had gentrified, before my studio building was sold off as the new "art condos", which pushed out the actual practising artists, set designers, and dancers who occupied the building.


On an extra snowy day, I found myself staring at an amazing portrait of the Queen, rendered entirely in fur, by artist Marianne Corless. 


Sharing common thematic conceptual explorations, in our work, I felt a kinship of interest, and I loved the humour in her work.


Her work incorporates quite literally the "spoils of the colonies", vintage furs of various species, alluding to the materials that were covetable in Europe which led to the exploration and eventual settlement of much of Canada and the north. 


Happy Canada Day, everyone...

http://www.mariannecorless.com/

Sweet Summertime Rolls.....

Some amazing images to roll you into the weekend....Venice Beach, in the 1970's.
Happy Long weekend...Canada Day and the 4th of July!

Delft Blue Dutch Tattoo.....

I am so indecisive about permanent body modifications....for years I've flip flopped
on design ideas for tattoos that have inspired me.


I think I've found the solution in these stunning temporary tattoos....perfect for the summer,
without any of the pain and commitment.


Designed by Wilma Boekholt, these feature traditional Dutch delft patterns and motifs.
She also designs custom pieces, and simple, geometric pieces.
See her full line here:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Tattoorary

White Wedding Wednesday: Adina and Lukasz

It happened quite by accident that I found out about this weeks White Wedding Wednesday couple, Adina and Lukasz.

Their photographer, the extra talented, Brittany Esther, from Canmore, Alberta  was purchasing a piece from me and casually mentioned doing a photo shoot with a couple who were using one of my pieces in their secret wedding ceremony, beside the Kicking horse river.

I was pretty interested to see the photos of the wedding, but was floored by what Brittany sent along....I've been meaning to post this for a while, but things get oh, so busy.

A huge thank you to Brittany for sharing her stunning work, and a big congrats to Adina and Lukasz! 

The whole photo set can be viewed here on Brittany's website:

http://brittanyesther.com/adina-and-lukasz-canadian-mountain-elopement/












































 

Spring and the Peony Express...

Whew! What a weekend.


It's been a busy Spring, and I've been trying to squeeze as much garden time as possible into the weekends.  This weekend was an annual plant sale in my neighbourhood, so I picked up a lot of plants that I am curious to see grow up.  Some bearded Iris, Peonies, White Aster, Tiger Lilies, a rose of Sharon tree, a trailing blush rose and lots of native flowering grasses for the front of the garden as a natural privacy screen.


When I saw these photos by photographer, Donatella http://instagram.com/donatellase,
I was so excited...terribly beautiful, rich floral shots that express so much abundance.


Have a great week everyone, hope it's beautiful and abundant~!

















All photos by: http://instagram.com/donatellase

Mother's Day.

One afternoon, on the end of a phone conversation over 3000 km away,

my brother muttered,  "Maybe she just loved us too much".
If any words were possible to capture the impact of the loss of our mother,

and the awful aftermath of that loss, I think this statement sums it up.

 

She just loved us too much.

 

And her death was impossible to take.

 

It is impossible to take.

 

And yet, she is still here, but not quite, in every moment, a chance to remember.  I keep expecting her to show up, casually, at my door...and I wonder if that feeling ever goes away.

 

Her greatest fear is that we would forget her….and during some moments, that might be easier.

 

She would treasure and speak highly of her friends who took time for her in her final years on this earth.  I knew who loved her, and who brushed her aside, and it was staggering and heart breaking.  I knew who stood by her side, who listened, who took the time.  All she ever really wanted was time. 

 

She wasn't willing to stop caring or quit trying to help others, often doing astounding things, like running over 60km in a day, with her friend, Henny, in his fight to bring awareness of racism and inequality, mentoring a child in her community with Big Brothers Big Sisters, volunteering during her illness, bringing soup to a friend suffering with the flu or a cold, or just lend an ear to those who needed it at the end of a terrible day.

 

Through her experience, I learned a lot about what matters, who matters and when it is important to care.

 

It's a tricky thing, that caring and loving part. 

 

This is my favorite photo of my mother, taken in 1973...sitting on the beach, outside of Amsterdam, by the North Sea, with her friend Ellen, Ellen's sisters and father.  She was on a student exchange, with her whole life ahead of her.  She's in the middle of the group, wearing the long scarf, Ellen, is sitting beside her, wearing glasses.

 

I love the confidence and strength in her face, and what Ellen wrote on the back of the photo:

"You look like you are wanting to say, don't undervalue me babe, as a Canadian, wait and you'll see something you've never seen before."

Happy Mother's day to all, those near to us in our hearts, new mothers, mothers far across the ocean, and next to us, in the same room, and to the mothers lost and found.