Long Time, No Post!

It's been ages since I've update and you're probably wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. Almost. I am hanging on by a thread. I became quite ill just over 9 weeks ago and have been either in bed or off having specialist's appointments, MRIs and blood tests ever since. This week alone I had 6 appointments in 3 days. It's still up in the air what exactly is wrong and how it's going to be treated and no one is more anxious to get this figured out than me, so I can recover and get my life back. This is the worst attack I've ever had, whatever it is and it's been brutal.

 As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."

Let's talk about other things, shall we?

Okay so here are the things that are rocking my world right now:

Listening To:

Spotify! First of all, why didn't anyone tell me about this!?! You guys have been holding out on me! I am late to the party, but I am loving it. It replaces what was Pandora for Canadians. (I had Pandora years ago till some bright light decided to block it in Canada. We still don't have access.)

My go-to play lists include the wonderful Mandolin Orange. Worth checking out if you enjoy mandolins and folk music. (I love both.)

Little Words

 Rounder

Jump Mountain Blues

 Of Which There Is No Like

Wake Me

 Clover Tune

Haste Make

 Bird of a Feather

Daylight

Little Worlds

I will be adding more of their music when I get a spare minute because honestly, it's all wonderful. Great tunes to make art to. I listen on an endless loop and never get tired of it.

I also love acoustic guitar and there just happens to be a play list called "Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals" that I've subscribed to. That one is also really good for getting into my creative groove. When my husband heard one of my other play lists that I compiled myself he said "You were meant to be born in the 60's." I laughed. He's right. 60's & 70's music is what I tend to listen to the most. Probably not too surprising, since I was named for a Donovan song.

Artsy Inspiration:

I've known about Brian Andreas' art for some time now, but lately, I've rediscovered it through Instagram. He's been posting such beautiful, uplifting work in the face of all the ugliness that's we've been bombarded with as the world seemingly goes off the rails. If you need a break from all that, I recommend following his feed.  (@brainandreas) It will make you feel better. We need more people like Brain in the world. Love needs to be louder. Let's get LOUDER people!!

Brian posted about this project he's started where you order a print of Help Wanted and he will also send you small packet of 3x3 mini prints to give away, as a way to put some love and inspiration out into the world. When I saw the print, it spoke to me so strongly. It was the perfect way to commemorate my 40th year of volunteering. I totally understand what this magic is he's talking about-when you open up your heart and say "YES!" to the ways in which you can serve, the universe will keep presenting you with amazing opportunities. It's the law of attraction. I have experienced this over and over throughout my life. Volunteering has both enriched and informed my life in countless ways.

Yesterday, I covertly gifted my first mini print to one of my specialists who has been working really hard to advocate for me. I put it on her desk and then just tucked it under a bit of her paperwork so she wouldn't find it till after I was gone. I want to leave one for her receptionist who has been very kind to me too, but I didn't get the chance to leave it secretly yet. Next time, hopefully!

I need to see if I can get my hands on some of Brian's books. I'll have to see if our library system has any of them.

Dawn DeVries Sokol has a new instructor video out via Creativebug. I watched it the other day and I just loved how she not only talked about, but showed all the colours, shapes and textures she encounters in her every day life that inspires what she creates as an artist. The video is so infused with colour and I thought it was a really smart way to share what she does.

Later that day, I had time between appointments, so I popped into the big book store downtown and came across three of Dawn's books on the shelves. I always like to try and get photos of friend's books in the wild. I know if I had a book out there in the world, (someday!) I'd love to see it on shelves in cities far away. I also "face" the books, if they are spine out on the shelf so others will notice them. (Shh! Don't tell! I volunteered in the library growing up, so old habits die hard.) It was nice seeing they had a copy of Artists' Journal Pages, which I have work published in.

I had a $20 gift card which was was a thank you gift for consulting on a study UBC is doing about patients who have participated in the medical grant review process. I didn't expect a thank you, so it was a very nice surprise. After seeing Dawn's video, I was inspired, I treated myself to Year of the Doodle. It's got a sort of zine-like vibe and I think it would be a good thing to keep in my bag to help pass the time when I am sitting in the waiting room for medical appointments. All I need is a pen of some sort and I'm good to go. I'm just going to jump in at this point in the year and carry on. It cost me a whopping 94c after the gift card. That's a deal any way you slice it!

Watching:

Since I have been stuck in bed for weeks, I've watched a lot of good stuff on my iPad. The list is long...here goes:

Game of Thrones-The last two episodes were jaw dropping. It was more like watching a movie than a tv show and it deserves all kinds of awards. It was absolutely epic. The music, the story lines, the multiple moments of shock. WOW! Tyrion made me cry. He is my absolute favourite because he just tries so hard and there is always that sense of him feeling "less than". The vulnerability of that character played so beautifully by Peter Dinklage tears at my heart. If George R.R. Martin ever kills him off, I'm DONE.

Orange is the New Black-I watched the newest season, but somehow I can't remember parts of the previous season, so I need to go back and review. A few of the story lines had me confused about what came before. The snoring girl cracked me up and all the references to current TV programs were killing me. They made a comment about Monopoly that had me in stitches.

Wentworth-It's like an Aussie version of OITNB, but not funny-it's very dark in the most delicious way. That's all I'm going to say about it. Watch and see.

Wayward Pines-This is a post-apocolyptic series that is filmed right here in Coquitlam and also out in the Fraser Valley. One of the places they film at, Riverview Hospital is a place I drive by regularly. It's a decommissioned mental hospital, which is used in all kinds of TV and movie filming.The driver of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary medal bearer van, (whose blog I started following back then and then eventually met) is a driver (teamster) on Wayward Pines. He's been blogging about the series here. (There's a bunch of posts.) The premise of this show is interesting, especially in season one where they have you wondering what's really going on. M. Knight Shyamalan is the producer.

Alone: Seasons 1&2 were filmed on the northwest end of Vancouver Island. The premise is they drop 10 people off, each on an isolated beach with film equipment and they have to survive and film at the same time. There are bears, cougars and wolves. There is also weather. Weather is always a factor in Canadal The last one wins half a million dollars. Season 1 was hilarious-the whole time people are complaining about the rain. People! You are in a temperate rain forest in the late fall. Of course it rains. I guess no one told them. They really should have named it "BC Weather Kicks Butt"! 

The Last Alaskans-This is filmed up in the northeastern corner of Alaska on a wildlife reserve where there are only a handfull of families whose cabins have been grandfathered in until the current owners last child dies. The people are really interesting.

Port Protection-Another Alaska series about a remote port where the community members rely on one another. 

Bering Sea Gold-Mostly guys and one woman prospecting for gold on the sea out of Nome, Alaska. I watch to see how someone is almost going to kill themselves every episode. It's pretty silly.

Life Below Zero-Yet another Alaskan series set in Northern Alaska. (Are you sensing a theme here?) Everyone lives off the grid and subsistence hunts. There is an Inuit family on the show and I enjoy seeing how they are passing down their traditions to their children. The girls are all learning how to hunt and trap. It's really cool that this young girls will have survival skills most of us will never have. 

The Amazing Race Canada-Because I love TAR and the Canadian version is just as good. Plus it's hosted by Jon Montgomery, 2010 Olympic Gold medallist in Skeleton and a fellow Manitoban.

Master Chef (US version)-Because Gordon Ramsey amuses me and I've watched every season since it started. I am glad the grumpy chef isn't on there anymore. 

 I haven't watched too many movies in the last while-I just don't have the energy to stay awake for them at the moment, but I did see Concussion which was unbelievably good. I will never watch football or any contact sport the same way again. It explains a lot about how much brain damage athletes are suffering and many of them don't even know it. It sure opened my eyes. Well worth watching. (I rented it via iTunes.) I have rent The Witch and I need to watch that one in the next couple of days. A couple friends have seen it and enjoyed it. I love creepy movies!

Tomorrow my best friend and I are going to see a new Viggo Mortenson movie, Captain Fantastic. It will be good to get out for a bit for sanity's sake, hang out with my bestie and of course eat popcorn! It looks like a really great movie. 

Reading:

Reading has been tough. I am having both blurry and double vision from side effects of the medications I am on, so most of the time, it's pretty impossible. I have small windows of time where I can manage. Right now in the queue on my bedside table are Robert Dugoni's In the Clearing and Linda Castillio's Among the Wicked. I am hoping to be able to make my way through both of them before they are due back at the library. The last pile I had, I had to return unread. I've put them back on my Goodreads "want to read" list so I don't forget about them. 

A number of people have suggested audio books, which I am authorized for at my local library, but to me, reading is an active, not a passive thing. My brain likes to read, not to be read to. I did try it out the last time this happened and I find sometimes the person narrating can be really annoying, which is distracting. In a perfect world, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, John Corbett, Jeffery Dean Morgan would narrate books for me. (Harrison Ford would always be my first choice!)

Okay, I think that's it for now. I have art to share-yes, I've actually been working on some art when I've felt up to it and doing some photography in my travels.
I'll save that for my next post. 

Rocket Man

Saturday night I got to experience something really special. My friend Isabel invited me to the symphony and it wasn't just any symphony, but the VSO with CMDR Chris Hadfield! Being a huge fan of space exploration and this exceptional Canadian astronaut as well, I jumped at the chance.

I have to say this goes down as one of the most amazing experiences of my life. First of all, there was the music. Having lived with a hearing impairment my entire life, when I listen to music, it's very one dimensional to me. The Orpheum where the concert was played was built for sound so it felt like I was enveloped in the music. Usually I am all about the strings, but the epic scores they were playing really made the percussionists shine. I was fascinated by the endless variety of sounds they could produce. I couldn't take my eyes off them!

The highlight for me was hearing John Williams' score for the closing credits of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His music is unmistakable in the way he layers sound and hearing that piece performed by classically trained musicians was incredible. My other favourite piece of the night was something I'd never heard before, but instantly fell in love with Holst's The Planets: Jupiter. Such a gorgeous piece! They paired it with photographs from outer space that were projected onto two big screens. It was really cool. Here's a link to a sampling of it. (The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is performing this version.)

CMDR Hadfield performed a number of songs from his album, including I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) which is my personal favourite. It was originally recorded with The Barenaked Ladies. Here's the video:

 

At one point, he was singing a new song, Beyond the Terror and I was sitting there thinking "Why is he singing about terrorists? That's a little harsh." The next day I was reading through my program guide and saw the song was"Beyond the Terra". Uh...yeah...okay that makes more sense! This is what happens when you have a hearing impairment. Fun times! 

CDMR Hadfield also performed David Bowie's Space Oddity. He talked about the emails he exchanged with Bowie leading up to the video and cover he did while aboard the International Space Station. He said that Bowie expressed such joy that this song he'd written about how he imagined space travel to be was being recorded in the very place he he'd written about. CMDR Hadfield said it meant so much to know that he'd given Bowie joy in the final weeks of his life, when no one knew he was dying. Very poignant.

The UBC Opera Ensemble performed a piece from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace that was super creepy and dark. It was pretty powerful. I had no idea that UBC had an opera ensemble.

I had such a good time with Isabel and I feel so lucky to have seen this concert. It allowed me to cross two things off my life list-1. To hear CMDR Hadfield play live and 2. To hear John Williams' music played live by a symphony. Two things I will treasure forever. THANK YOU Isabel!!

Things I Am Diggin'

Gratuitous photo of a palm tree from my trip to LA. 

I am kinda diggin' shooting trees on this funky angle.

Other things I am diggin':

-I'm signing up this morning to take Roxanne's class as a birthday gift to me. If you're not familiar with her work, you seriously need to check it out. It reminds me of NYC graffiti, which is probably why I like it so much. I am intrigued by her use of black and I'm looking forward to adding to my mixed media layer-making knowledge. Playing with paint makes me happy. Signup begins at 8 am PST. Can't wait!

-Tim Horton's frozen lemonade. It's the perfect blend of cold and tart.

-Starbuck's almond croissants. YUM! They did away with the almond tart, which was my favourite, so this is the next best thing.

-My new Onyx stainless steel bento box from Delish General Store. The container actually holds (for me) enough food for both a lunch and a snack. I love how compact it is and it's a great way to practise self-care on days when I am having to spend a lot of time at the hospital. It saves me sugar crashing and getting a whopper of a headache.

-The new Atom Egoyan movie, Remember starring the brilliant Christoper Plummer. So, so good. (You can rent it for $5 via iTunes.)

-This song, Say Something by Great Big World & Christina Aguilera.

-Jonathan Kellerman's latest novel, Breakdown, which I just finished. He's far and away my favourite writer. I started reading his Alex Delaware series back in 1997. It's a crime serial and if you've never read any of his books, I recommend starting from the beginning- there are 31 books in the series and they are *so* worth it!

-Star magnolias! They are blooming here in now and they are my favourite thing about spring in western Canada...well that and all the cherry trees that are also blossoming. Vancouver is so pretty in the spring.

Catching Up!

Creating: 

I am currently working on my December designs for Paper Artsy. In case you missed the first 9, you can find them here. What am I making? Well you'll just have to wait and see!

Reading: 

I've been on a book-buying binge in the last month.

 Right now I am reading Make it Mighty Ugly by Kim Werker. 

In the queue are: 

The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry by Rachael Joyce

I wanted to read this one because it's about a man who goes out to mail a letter to a dying friend but then decides to deliver the message in person. He begins walking 600 miles. 

Inferno by Dan Brown

I love Dan Brown! I own everything he's written and this is the next instalment of his Robert Langdon series. Can't wait to dive in!

Granny Chic by Rachell Blondel & Tif Fussell 

The Granny Chic book was bought solely as eyecandy. I couldn't resist when I saw it was only $12.95. I love it because it's sort of zine-like. 

Syllabus: Notes from an Accidental Professor by Lynda Barry

The Lynda Barry book is just *SO* delicious and I spent 3 weeks rabidly trying to track down a copy. (My friend Penn actually helped me find one in the end-all hail the mighty Pulp Fiction! Gotta love independent book stores for their fantastic customer service!) If you want to know why I wanted this book so badly, this blog has a good peek inside. Am I right or am I right? I love her books! I also own What It Is and Picture This: Nearsighted Monkey .

Watching:

So I am late to the party, but I am currently binge watching 8 seasons worth of Big Bang Theory. I'm almost through season 5. It's hilarious! I noticed that a piece of of Anahata Katkin's work hangs in one of the apartments!

I have also been watching season 5 of Downton Abbey. The writing, acting and costuming of this series is impeccable. 

Then there are my usual shows-Ice Pilots NWT (Which sadly is in its last season! *weeps*), Alaska the Last Frontier, Mountain Men, Life Below Zero, Ice Road Truckers, (Are you sensing a theme here?) The Amazing Race, Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, Grey's Anatomy and a new show called Stalker.

Geez, when I list them out like that, it looks like alot, but I really spend very little time watching TV. I read more than I watch.

Listening:
Heart's on Fire ~Passenger
Broken Arrow ~Robbie Robertson
'Till the World Ends ~Andy Brown
The Scientist ~Willie Nelson

The Scientist was the final song from the movie The Judge with Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Junior. It was THE best movie I've seen in a long, long time. If you haven't seen it, GO! When it comes out on DVD, I am going to buy it. It was that good. I will be surprised if it doesn't win some awards. It was a beautiful piece of work.

Anticipating:
I received an email yesterday afternoon saying that a new book that my art will appear in is going to be released in short order! Yay! Two of my friends, Seth Apter and Penelope Harris are also being published in this book, but other than that, all the other artists are new to me. I can't wait to flip through it!

Here's a sneak peek of the cover:

If you're interested in adding this to your collection, you can pre-order here.

I am also looking forward to going to the Little River Band concert this weekend. My husband bought tickets for our 24th Anniversary which was just last week. It's his favourite band and has been the soundtrack of many a road trip together.

Dreaming:

I have some other exciting news, but I am just waiting for the okay to share it. It's pretty cool!!

10 Years Come & Gone!

Creating:

Right now I am working on a top secret project, which I will be able to share with you come the fall. It's a good one!

I whipped up some more envies over the long weekend using pages from old Stampington publications and I posted them to Instagram. Stampington saw them and invited me to submit them for publication. I'd better get on that! It's been awhile since I've written an article for them or submitted art. No time like the present!

Speaking of publishing, Vancouverite author, artist & instructor Leanne Praine's new book Strange Material: Storytelling Through Textiles is due out in October. I just saw the cover and I'm excited to get my hands on a copy-it looks yummy! I am so pleased to have a small written piece included in this book.

Watching:

My friend Deb and I were chatting last week and she asked me to check out this new HBO show called The Leftovers. It's a really odd show, edgy as most HBO shows tend to be, but strangely compelling. It's hard to describe-it takes place after a post apocalyptic type event happens and the people left behind (the leftovers-hence the name) struggle to make sense of it. I would recommend checking out the official website and watching the trailer first because I don't think it's for everybody. It's pretty hardcore and graphic in places. (Typical of HBO series.) That said, I am enjoying it because you really don't know where it's going and I love all the twists and turns.

Oh and here are a couple screen captures from the show I was in. One from my one-on-one interview clip. (I am speaking so that's why my mouth looks funny.) 

The other is a shot with me with the cast in Ft. Langley. We did a ton of location shoots over 5 days.

I am also pleased to share that I will be doing some more filming for the UBC Faculty of Medicine's new program, which I have been consulting on. It's for medical professionals already in practice to learn about patient-centred and collaborative care. I did some filming for these courses back in January and I'll be filming as a presenter for the module they are working on now. 

It's really rewarding to know that this will have a direct impact on the future of health care in our province. I love advocacy work-it feels good to be making a difference and I learn so much about myself and from others in doing it. I'm also going to be doing some interviews for the Health Mentors Program over the next couple of weeks.

Listening:

I recently downloaded James Taylor's version of The Water is Wide. It's a favourite of mine for sentimental reasons and his cover is beautiful.  I love James Taylor.

I also saw the movie Begin Again with Keira Knightly. If you saw Once, you will enjoy this one. I downloaded A Step You Can't Take Back from the Soundtrack. It's my favourite track from the movie.

And lastly, before I sign off for now, it seems only fitting to note that as of August 1st, this humble blog turned

10 Years Old!

Hard to believe it's been that long or that when I began, most artists didn't even have a blog. So for those of you who've been along for the ride, whether in part or for the whole 10 years, thank you for your company, your comments and your friendship! Here's to keeping the home fires burning for another 10!

Currently

Creating: 

My creative time is taken up with designing workshops right now. Yes, you read correctly-after a long hiatus, I am excited to announce that I'm about to return to teaching mixed media workshops! An opportunity came along that works perfectly for me, so I decided to go for it. I've missed teaching-I really love seeing the joy my students experience when they embrace their own creativity. I'll be sharing more about where and when I'll be teaching once I have all the details ironed out. Stay tuned!

Reading: 

Right now I am working my way through James Patterson's Murder Club Series. I caught up on his Alex Cross series over the winter and this one is equally as good. I've been reading it as e-books, which I love because it means less running back and forth to the library.

Watching: 

In between books, I am watching Game of Thrones, (which is deliciously good!) Nurse Jackie, Deadliest Catch and I just started watching Orphan Black. I tend to do more reading than TV watching in the summer-I find the summer is a TV wasteland. 

I have also been watching lots of documentaries. The best one I've seen lately is called Mile...Mile & a Half. It's about hiking the John Muir Trail and the scenery is spectacular. If you are an artist, a journaler, a photographer, a hiker, a musician or an adventurer, this documentary is for you. You can find it on Netflix.
Here's a peek at the trailer:

Listening: 

New on my iTunes play list rotation:

A House is a Home-Ben Harper & Ellen Harper

Details in the Fabric-Jason Mraz

Hearts on Fire-Passenger

Maybe-Ingrid Michaelson

Dreaming:

We're planning a trip to Whistler in the fall. A few months ago, I won a weekend stay at our favourite hotel, Summit Lodge & Spa. We're celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary at the end of October, so this is going to be an early anniversary trip. We're going in the early fall because we're working around weather-we want to be there while it's still warm enough to sit out on restaurant patios to eat and to have good hiking weather, since we're taking Indy with us. I am going to look into what adventures we might do while we're up there. We've already ruled out zipline and Peak to Peak, since my husband is not a fan of heights. I am sure we'll be able to agree on something exciting to do. I adore Whistler-I love being right in the heart of the mountains. It feeds my soul.

Good Things!

I thought I would do a quick catch up before the holidays. I've been scarce around here, not because things aren't happening (they are!) but because typing is quite uncomfortable right now. The incision in the heel of my hand hurts, alot. I am taking some special neuropathic pain medication to try and calm the nerves so my hand doesn't feel like raw meat all the time. (I know that's a rather ugly description, but try living with it-it's the kind of pain that forces you to think about it every second of the day. Not fun.)

Anyway, in the good news department, I have the following to report:

My husband and I attended his company Xmas party. Prior to the party, the boss sent a note home asking that the men submit their wives' wish lists and maybe they would receive something from it. Less than half the guys read the note and did this. When the boss called those that had to come get the gifts for their wives, my husband came back with two boxes for me. As I started ripping the paper off the first one, I realized that it contained an iPad mini. The second box held a wireless keyboard for it. This was the only thing on my list and I had hesitated to let them know-it seemed like just too big an ask. We both got teary over their amazing kindness and generousity. This gift makes a huge difference in my life in terms of accessibility. I can now take notes at meetings-something that was impossible for me to do before. It will make the work I do much, much easier. I am so very grateful.

This week I won a box of turona chocolates from Purdy's, a BC chocolate company. When I was 16 and lived in Barcelona, I tasted turona for the first time and instantly loved it. It's a special chocolate that is sold during the holiday season in Spain. They are shipping it to me, so I am looking forward to a good mail day soon!

I also got an email about the work I submitted for a book, which was accepted a couple months ago. The author told me which pieces are going to be included in the book and I am really pleased with what she chose. The pieces were made using antique photos of my extended family. Yay! The book will be on shelves in the spring of 2015.

In January, I'm going to be doing some filming. I am going to be part of an educational video for a new medical program at UBC. I've been serving on a Health Mentors' advisory committee since September. The program is to help established health care professionals develop and strengthen their skills around patient-centered and collaborative care. I'll be filming my thoughts and experiences on this subject. For the first time I'll be using a teleprompter-I wrote the "script" (my answers to three questions on the subject) and it will be run to remind me what I want to say. This should be interesting, since I usually just speak without a speech or notes when I am presenting. Hopefully everything will go smoothly!

Before I sign off for now, I wanted to share with you a song I downloaded from the Indigo Girl's new Xmas album, called There's Still My Joy. I'd never heard this song before. It's wistful, sad and hopeful all at once. 

Here are the lyrics to give you an idea of what I mean:

I brought my tree down to the shore

The garland and the silver star,

To find my peace and grieve no more

To heal this place inside my heart.

On every branch I laid some bread

And hungry birds filled up the sky.

They rang like bells around my head

They sang my spirit back to life.

One tiny child can change the world.

One shining light can show the way.

Through all my tears, for what I've lost

There's still my joy,

There's still my joy for Christmas day.

The snow comes down on empty sand,

There's tinsel moonlight on the waves.

My soul was lost but here I am

So this must be amazing grace.

One tiny child can change the world.

One shining light can show the way.

Beyond these tears for what I've lost

There's still my joy,

There's still my joy for Christmas day.

There's still my joy for Christmas day.

Go download it from iTunes. I promise you it's beautiful.

I wish each of you a beautiful holiday season, however you choose to celebrate. 

This Week's All About Colour

We had a beautiful weekend for our 23rd anniversary. It was warm (17C) and sunny. My husband and I, along with Indy hopped the False Creek Ferry to Granville Island. It was the perfect day for a leisurely cruise and lunch in the courtyard.

The trees are spectacular this time of year. Everywhere you look, it's a colour feast for the eyes. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Autumn is so incredibly beautiful in this part of Canada.

Over the weekend, I picked up some new stencils and some new shades of paint, so I made some prints on my gelli plate. It's always fun to experiment with colours.

This week and next are going to be busy and then things will slow down for a bit as I have surgery on my wrist and arm on Nov. 19th. NOT looking forward to having bones sawed (I am actually a bit freaked out at the prospect) but it's been almost 8 months since I broke my wrist for the 4th time and it's not healing on it's own, so surgery's a necessary evil. I am hoping everything goes smoothly and at the very least, it will relieve the pain. I am tired of being either in a cast or splint after all these months. I'd like full use (such as it is) of my right hand back!

I saw this last week and I wanted to share it with you-I found it uplifting. I hope you do too! 

Zaac Pick: Bright Ideas

 I wanted to share this new song & video by the amazing Zaac Pick. I had the pleasure of meeting Zaac in August when he played a free concert in a park not far from my home. This new song was one he played that day.

Now that you've watched this beautifully shot video, head on over to Zaac's website where he's posted a behind the scenes peek at the making of Bright Ideas. I *love* that he shared this-it's so interesting to see how someone's creative process unfolds. As an artist, I have a deep appreciation for the artistic vision that went into this project.

One of Zaac's songs, Drifters was recently featured at the end of the season finale episode of Rookie Blue. Gotta love it! 

If you liked Bright Ideas, check out Whitewater, another of Zaac's videos which I find so charming.

I also really love this video from the Green Couch Sessions. It was filmed in my beloved Stanley Park. The way they combined the music with the wildlife that lives there is lovely-it's so beautifully west coast. It would be so wonderful to be walking along Lost Lagoon and happen upon musicians doing their thing.

Truth be told, if Zaac's albums were in fact albums (LPs) I would have long since worn deep grooves into the vinyl. Fierce Wind and Whitewater are my go-to albums whether I am working in the studio or stuck in the hospital having infusions.

Penn and I were listening to Zaac's music on Sunday while we were creating and I was telling her about this video (which I love because hello! Strings and bokeh!) and how when I saw it, I wished Zaac could come play in my living room and in the crazy way my life works, the very next day he posted to Twitter about  looking to play someone's living room while he's on the road between Kelowna and Toronto. He actually does this! Who knew?!? He's made of *awesome*. Truly.

Good Things

Copyright Lelainia Lloyd 2013

1. Friends who recommend good iPhone photo apps. After admiring Roben Marie's Instagram pics, I finally had to ask her what apps she's been using. AremaC does pretty things like I did to this simple photo I took at the PNE a few weeks ago. Love it!

2. Online art classes. After finding an unexpected windfall in my email yesterday morning, I decided to treat myself to Roben Marie's You've Got Mail Art class. I've been wanting to take it and decided now was as good a time as any, especially with the prospect of hand surgery looming. I doubt I'm going to be able to do much once that happens, so I'd better get my art fix NOW. I'm diving in today!

3. This video, by a local artist Bodhi Jones, shot at the corner of Granville and Broadway in Vancouver as one single, continuous shot.  If I remember correctly, he said in a recent interview he stood out there for 14 hours straight. It's amazing- see for yourself. (Be forewarned there's the occasional f-bomb in this song if you're easily offended.)

3. The gift of blue plums. We have friends who have a tree and last night my husband came home with a bag full of them. They are one of my most favourite things. YUM!

4. Volunteering. I decided to volunteer for the annual Terry Fox which is being held at Blue Mountain Park at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15th. (This Sunday.) For those of you who don't know who Terry Fox is, the short story is he's a beloved Canadian hero. The long story is here. My husband knew Terry and his siblings-they went to school together. I am volunteering in my husband's honour. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer a year ago on September long weekend. My husband will be walking as a survivor on Sunday. If you are local please come join us-you can run, walk or wheel or just come to honour Terry's memory and legacy. Terry's sister Judith will be speaking. Need more details? You can find them here.

11*11*2012

In remembrance of our Canadian Armed Forces veterans 

and the men and women who are serving still. 

Thank you for your sacrifices and those of your families.

And for my Grandfather,
Kenneth George Chick,
RCAF Home Guard, WWII.

Lest we forget.

"On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us. 

 Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable. 

 When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect. 

 Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream."

Three Things

Three things I am digging right now:

The Dreamy Photos e-book by the beautiful & talented Vivienne McMaster. She is the gift that keeps on giving in my artistic life. Truly. You can tap into her magic for an astonishing $5! That's a steal!

Delish Magazine's e-magazine, which is chock full of good stuff and is FREE! Yes, you can download all 7 issues gratis! That's just amazing. I love their design and style sensibilities. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter too, so you don't miss out on the good stuff.

This lovely video, Modern Times by local Canadian singer-songwriter Zaac Pick, who is a favourite of mine, especially when I'm working in the studio. If you're not familiar, watch it and then go download his albums Fierce Wind and Whitewater from iTunes.

I love how he chose to feature all the string instruments in his band-the shots are so pretty. Also, he used a bunch of white Xmas lights on the floor that makes pretty bokeh, especially at the end. I could watch this over and over again. In fact, I already have. There's something very soothing about it.

And you? Tell me your three things!

Good Food & Good Music

So I'm on vacation and it feels like things are just as busy as they were when I wasn't. Not complaining-just an observation. Thursday, we attended the second Al Fresco dinner of 2012. I had my first taste of elk.

The secret location this time around was at the Roundhouse. There's this big metal structure (I think it's supposed to be art) in the courtyard area and we sat right underneath it. It was a really nice evening.

Saturday, through a stroke of luck, I got a free ticket to the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival out on Deer Lake. I arrived around 4:30 pm and it was smokin' hot out. Really, too hot for me, but I had a good reason to be there.

Jimmie Vaughn, brother of Stevie Ray Vaughn played. He's really every bit as good as his brother. At one point, he played an entire song with his guitar behind his head, backwards. Crazy!

THIS was the real reason I went though. I adore the Indigo Girls and though I've been a fan for years, I've never seen them in concert!

They are so incredibly talented and gave a great concert. Every time they finished a set, we'd clap and they'd say "Thanks Y'all!" So charming! When they play here again, I am most certainly getting tickets. They're touring the US soon, playing with local symphonies in several cities. I imagine that's going to be fantastic. I wish they were coming here.

Sadly, the Olympics are over. I watched hours and hours of events while it was on. I didn't manage to make it through the closing ceremony though. That was ridiculously long. I fell asleep during the part with Russell Brand. They re-aired it in the evening, so I picked up where I'd left off, but by the time 7 pm rolled around, it wasn't even close to being done and Breaking Bad was coming on, so I gave up. I think any ceremony longer than 3 hours is too long. 

Now there's the 2 week changeover for the Paralympics. The opening ceremony is on the 29th. I am hoping we get good coverage, but if not, the Paralympic website will be live streaming events. I plan to watch as much as I can and cheer for team Canada!

Oh and one more thing before I sign off-I haven't forgotten about the giveaway. I'll be contacting the winner later today!

The Post O'Many Links

Tools of the Trade

Reading: 

As I mentioned in my last post, I finally got my copy of Seth Apter's The Art of Mixed Media and read it cover to cover. Good stuff people!

 I also just finished Jonathan Kellerman's latest novel, Victims. If you like crime/psychological serials, this is my favourite. I've read everything he's written. His stories are delicious.

On a side note, Seth Apter & Jonathan Kellerman share some curious connections: they are both Psychologists, both authors and both artists. They also both hail from New York. Spooky! Seth, do you also play guitar?

Watching: 

I rented The Way from iTunes on a recommendation from my friend Michelle. I think it's one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. The story is rich and multifaceted, the scenery is breathtaking and I was misty eyed through the entire thing. It's the kind of story that sticks with you long after it's over. Oh and if that's not enough to entice you, it stars Martin Sheen and was directed by his son, Emilio Estevez.

Listening:

Weighty Ghost by Canadian band, Wintersleep. Love this!

Also getting frequent play in the studio are the following tunes: 

20 Years by the Civil Wars, 

Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morissette, 

and Amos Lee's new album As the Crow Flies.

Anticipating:

The entire month of May-it's going to be chock full of cool things: 

-Seth Apter will be here in Vancouver for his book tour for The Pulse of Mixed Media on May 3rd. I can't wait to finally meet him!

-The following weekend, May 12 & 13th, The Sketchbook Project is coming to Vancouver. I have a Sketchbook in the project. Looking forward to seeing sketchbooks from around the world.

-Around the 18th of May, (still waiting on the final details) I'll have the honour of carrying the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay medal, as a Difference Maker. That's going to be really exciting! 

Dreaming:

Mulling over ideas about photos I want to take for round two of Swan Dive, which begins tomorrow. (YAY!)

Doing:

-I'm getting ready for my first city council meeting this week, as a newly minted member of the Access-Ability Advisory Committee. Should be interesting!

-Working on lots of writing and HTML for the Papergirl Vancouver project. I participated as a contributing artist last year and decided it was such a great event that I wanted to support it this year by getting involved with the organizing committee. I'll have more info about how YOU can participate soon!

Creating:

Mainly I've been working on photography, which has stolen my heart over the last year. I've now been shooting for the last 14 months and will likely shoot straight through to the end of 2012. (By that I mean I'll keep taking classes and will be actively taking photos every week and working on them.) This is the first time I've worked so consistently in one medium, ever and it's really gratifying to have so much to show for it.

WHEW! That was alot of links!

Some Things I Want to Share

Legacy

Only 2 more weeks of Getting Through the Grey! The weeks weeks have whipped by so quickly. I feel like my time in this class has been really productive. I leaned that I love taking still lifes and in playing around photographing some of my mixed media artwork I've discovered another signature element of my work. Little by little I am finding my voice.

Speaking of finding my voice, I wanted to share a couple of tracks that are getting alot of play in my studio right now. One is this cover of Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love. Madeleine Peyroux did a beautiful job of it and now the Civil Wars have also cut a pretty track.

Have a listen:

Another tune I am loving right now is The Wood Song by the Indigo Girls. Last week I was randomly playing music on my iTunes and this one came up. It's been in my library for a very long time, but for some reason, it was like I'd heard it for the first time. It stopped me in my tracks-it was a very "What was that?!" moment. I played it again and then again..and again...The Indigo Girls have long been a favourite of mine-their harmonies are so achingly beautiful and their lyrics are always so thoughtfully crafted.

The other thing I wanted to share with you is that Seth Apter has posted a whole host of events that will be taking place over the next few months in relation to the release of his new book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets & Passions of 100 Artists Revealed. As one of the artists who appears in Seth's book, I'll be participating in some of those events and I'll fill you in when I have more details.

The book will be released at the beginning of March, (which is less than 2 weeks away!) so if you haven't pre-ordered a copy yet, now's the time to do it!

iLike: Things To Inspire

Frosted Oak Leaves (which iLike too!)

It's been awhile since I've done an iLike post, so let's get to it!

First of all, the fabulous Zaac Pick of Vancouver, BC has just released his second album, Whitewater today. I've already purchased it and I'm sitting here listening to it on an endless loop. LOVE IT! I posted the video for the title track last week which is worth watching, if you missed it-it's beautifully shot and so charming. You can download the new album here for a mere $4! If you get it now, you'll also get a bonus Xmas track Finding Christmas.

Secondly, I got my library to order Catherine Anderson's new book, The Creative Photographer, which was had so much useful information, I renewed it twice so I could take it all in. I like it so much that I am going to buy myself a copy. If you're someone who has caught the photography bug then this is a good book for you-in it she talks about what to DO with all the photos you've been taking. She covers a ton of techniques as well. It's a great book to have as a resource and with the coming winter days, it's the perfect publication to curl up in a favourite chair with.

Thirdly, Seth Apter's The Pulse of Mixed Media is now available for pre-order on Amazon. YAY! (Canadians can pre-order here.) My copy has been ordered and I can't wait-I have some work in Seth's book. It's always exciting to flip a book open and see my work on the pages. It just never gets old. The Pulse of Mixed Media is going to be a juicy read with 100 artists featured! It's due out in early March, so it should arrive just in time for my birthday!

***

In other news, we had one heck of a wind/rain storm here overnight. It woke us at 11:30 p.m. and raged all night long. It was so loud, it sounded like a freight train roaring through the house and the rain was being hurled at the windows. We get pretty good winds here because they come straight up off the water. It's a wonder we didn't fall off the grid-there were tons of people who lost power overnight. We got lucky, I guess! Finally at 4 a.m., we gave up trying to sleep and got up. The storm finally subsided at about 7 a.m. It's supposed to be windy and wet for the foreseeable future, so that's going to make Grey Cup festivities interesting. Stay tuned!