Chemistry, Biology and Life Sciences

In keeping with my Garden State project, I made a sailor inspired shirt last week and attempted to photobooth wearing it. (Yes, I do use the word “photobooth” as a verb.) The first booth I visited is in the Halifax Shopping Centre, it is often out of order and has produced both incredible and horrible photos for me in the last 8 months. Unfortunately it was an off day for the booth and my photos came out overexposed and splotchy.

I re-took my photos yesterday at a different booth (in Scotia Square) and was delighted with how they turned out. Despite being oddly teal, the images are sharp. This makes me wonder about wet chemical photobooths and what makes them vary this drastically. Both of these booths are a model 17 and are serviced by the same person. There’s still a lot I don’t know about photobooth chemistry but I’m intrigued to learn more as I do plan on buying my own within the next decade… as soon as that jar of pennies labelled “photobooth” reaches 500,000 coins.

This week I also put together my first little terrarium. This was a low-risk endeavour because I used an open container and only one plant species. I don’t have much of a green thumb but I do daydream about making a large enclosed terrarium filled with orchards. I obviously still have a thing or two to learn, as my cactus seems to be exasperated in its humid bubble in my humid bedroom in this humid city. Sorry new cactus friend.

Last month I didn’t record an ambidextrous drawing video because I simply didn’t practice enough for there to be improvements from the latest video. This month I’m happy to report that I’ve been practicing and hope the August video will be epic. It will also be my last video for the Writing Right project for a while.

Autumn is going to bring a whole lot of thrilling change! I’ve decided to do a one year Post-Baccalaureate program in Graphic Design at the Nova Scotia College of Art + Design University. It will certainly be a bit of an adjustment to be a student again but I’m really keen to learn and build up my portfolio. Currently I’ve got four illustration/design commissions on the go that I’m trying to finish before I delve into school assignments in just 2 ½ weeks. Wish me luck and stay posted for the many updates to come!

Passport Photos

In the springtime a friend and fellow photobooth lover, Marco from Northern Italy, sent me three strips taken in his own booth. (His original photos are below.) He sent them without instructions but with an understanding that he’d get something back. I like the idea of sending these once upon a time passport photos across international borders for bit of a cultural exchange.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I came up with this idea which allowed us to each have a few of our own and a few of the other’s pictures.

Speaking of sending photobooth mail, my Photobooth Drawing Swap is still in full swing. Over the last six months I’ve gained a few trustworthy penpals who I’ve been swapping drawings for pictures with on a regular basis and had the occasional exciting one time exchange. Email me if you want to get some art in the mail!

Summer of Crafts & Kids

In a few days time I’ll have completed my 4400km journey from the Eastern Coast to the very middle of Canada. Yes, I’m going to Northern Saskatchewan. Why? Because, my nieces, nephew, eldest sister and her pregnant belly (who all live on the exact opposite side of the world from me) are making the 12,500km trip, so the least I could do is to meet them there.

Playing the role of Aunty Meags is a pretty great gig. I get to spend all my time reading out loud, making crafts, and for one week I will scarcely check my email inbox and not feel bad about it.

Each time I see the kids I come up with some handmade gifts and some craft ideas we can make together. The girls love playing dress-up so I made each of the kids (including the one yet to be born) a gender neutral mask of a Canadian animal.

In the last month I’ve also rekindled an old favourite past time that I’m excited to pass on to my nieces and nephew. With a dedicated friend in Halifax I’ve relearnt how to play Cat’s Cradle! If I search back far enough into my memory I think I may have learnt this classic game at my grandparent’s cabin on this lake in Northern Saskatchewan and I’m happy to pass the tradition on.

A Garden State of Mind

Many readers will recognize this film still from the iconic scene in the 2004 film, Garden State. Zach Braff’s character is trying on a shirt his aunt made with the material left over after she upholstered her bathroom walls.


In a blog post from mid-June I mentioned some summery and floral prints I bought to make a few items out of. Inspired by this scene in Garden State and the general joy of summer, I used the left over material from the shirts I made as backgrounds in some photobooth strips.


I plan to make a few more shirts and dresses in August and continue with this photobooth series.

Writing Right: Five Months In

In June my ambidextrous lessons took the backseat while more important projects (ie. paid work) took priority. I scarcely practiced for about the first three weeks of June. Last week, in a panic I tried to get in enough practice time so that there would be noticeable improvement in this month’s Ambidextrous Drawing Lesson video. One of my strategies was to draw an X on my left hand in the morning, to serve as a visual reminder to sometimes let my right hand dominate. It really worked, despite the few odd looks I got in public.

This month I made two videos! First, the expected Ambidextrous Drawing Lesson #6, I’ll let you be the judge as to whether or not I have improved. And second, a wee video called Ambidextrous Advancements, compiling the last six drawings so the progress can be seen all in one place.

View all the videos here on vimeo!

Four for the Day

I’m pleased as punch to be this week’s guest artist on Four for the Day. Visit the site daily to see the new collection I’ll post every day this week!

I’m also delighted to have received the help of my friend (and photographer) Krista Leger. Krista gave up her Saturday to help me document the collections that I’ll be showing on Four for the Day. Here’s an “action shot” she snapped while I was arranging today’s collection.


In other news… I was not very attentive to the blog in June because I’ve been knee deep in professional and personal projects. In about a month’s time a fun and frenzied storm of updates should hit this blog as the projects are completed and can be shared. Stay tuned and enjoy the sunny days!

Summer Photoshoot

Some shots from a shoot with Nathan Boone!

Copyright Nathan Boone 2011

 

Roses in my Eyes

I have many items on my to-do list right now but I have no complaints because it’s all stuff I love to do! Firstly, I was a little over zealous when fabric shopping for some summery prints. I have very good intentions of making some shirts, skirts, dresses and bags and now all I need is a free weekend to sit at my sewing machine. In the meanwhile I have put some floral prints in cross-stitch hoops and hung them on a wall to brighten up my room.

The time I usually allocate to my personal projects has been in short supply because I just accepted a job at Napkin Works, a trendy design firm in downtown Halifax. I’m working on a handful of various illustration projects right now, some of which I will be able to share on the blog shortly. I still can’t wrap my head around the idea that I get to make drawings for a living.

I’m also working on a talk that I’ll be giving this Tuesday (June 14th) at the Fuller Lecture Series on the theme of “Things I Used to Be”, with a handful of other presenters. Here’s a description of my talk:

A lecture about a truly unfunny person’s accidental rise into the world of comedy, including stories about incredible luck, being in the right place at the right time and what happens when you always say yes.

Click here to link to the facebook invite, if you’re in Halifax please do come!