~What I do~

So I  have been all over the map with my "focus" ever since I began thinking I could try to make a go of this artist thing. Because I cover a lot of different mediums I find it's taken me a while to gather enough to show what I do. I now have enough paintings, sculptures, prints, jewelry and accessories available to actually do shows I think. I still want to expand my product line I always loved the clothing and accessories that I have drawn in my work, wanted to wear it myself, so that will also eventually be part of my creations as well. So this life style will be a fun ever expanding adventure of exploration through all sorts of exciting  mediums!

My main work right now I suppose is wearable wings, which I've sold more of then any other works I've created to date. I mostly make butterfly inspired wings but I've also made dragonfly and bee wings. I am trying to branch out my method of producing them, I am looking to try stretched paper wing construction as well as trying different wires and fabrics to get different feel and effects. But for now I'll continue on the way I'm going.

Then there's fimo! I love fimo and I've been working with it for ages, it's a polymer clay (acrylic clay)you bake in the oven, you can paint it after it's baked and it's just such fun stuff! I have been creating little elves, gnomes, faeries, dragons.... out of this stuff! It's so fun to watch little characters come out of the clay and become more defined with clothes hair and accessories! It's such magic! I would really like to get into puppet making as well! Also claymation, would be so magical! I have been thinking about doing workshops in sculpture of little beings, in the days to come that's one of my goals!

Then there is painting. I love to paint i's probably one of my favourite things to work with although I think i need to practice as I feel it's one of my weaker focuses. It is such a rush to cover a canvas in bright glowing colours and movement you can capture is incomparable and the ground you can cover in one stroke so satisfying! I guess it's more of the instant gratification, not that a piece is finished quickly, but each stage is more satisfying, you could keep going forever layer after layer or stop whenever. Although one of the other things about painting that drives me nuts is I never feel the work is done. Now that might be because I'm more used to working in 3d as opposed to 2d but I'm not sure. Any painters out there have a word on that?

Then we have pottery one of my newest ventures, I can spend hours upon hours in he studio working away without realizing the whole days gone by. The work is so meditative and grounding, working with dirt and your hands how refreshingly messy. Every time I leave the studio I am absolutely covered head to toe in mud it's delightful and makes me feel like a kid again, I suppose art does in general but there is something powerful to creating something useful for basic necessities like eating, we need to eat and it's not good to eat off the ground so we need dishes! Something very powerful to creating something so essential. This made me feel very delighted to know I was being creative doing something of need! Not to say artistic expression is not needed in other mediums, though I questioned it for years. Torn as to whether I believed it was good to create needlessly. Now I understand and know it's not needlessly for if it was, it wouldn't happen, and I use art as a form of therapy, a voice, a way to share truths with people on a deeper level then they may even realize. Art is needed to evolve communities  to help people see where to go and what to do for the betterment of self and the planet we call home.  

~My Inspirations and Aspirations!~

I feel people are always inquiring to artists of any genera (music, sculptural, writers...) what inspires them? What truly drives them to create what and how they do... For me I always feel as though it's not such a narrow spectrum. I mean I could say my mum inspires me, but I mean I find it difficult to narrow it down like  that, I find that everything inspires me from the look on my kittens face in the morning to the sound of the wind blowing in the trees. I suppose life inspires me everything in it, I find people and their quirks very entertaining and they do tend to influence my work, the little things I suppose hold the most magic to me not what is done but how. How someone expresses love, gratitude or compassion the way they have come to be as a human is fascinating so many influences make up every living being, it's most obvious in humans I suppose but I must say my kitty cats definitely have distinct personalities. Sometimes I think about the stories Keiko or Juniper (my kitties) might tell if they had a chance to speak in english, would they talk about the spider that was mocking them earlier that day or would they tell stories that go back centuries in cat history so ingrained in their dna they can't help but share the tails. Life is such a intriguing  thing I mean there is so much going on all the time I often get overwhelmed with the beauty and magic that we are constantly surrounded by. The cycle of life and death are very curious too I mean the circle seems endless, life and death through and through I wonder if there is a way to get off that train? Or is this one existence our only chance to enjoy this planet and everything in it and on it and around it? Life purposes so many questions.... I suppose I'm inspired by the unknown, having the understanding that everything I perceive is through my own lens of perception, I guess I am trying to  understand life through my own appreciation of it's beauty. I believe art is a journey and creativity is at the heart of every soul, it is a tool we can use to help each other see through each others eyes to help the planet be loved and respected and help us be compassionate to others experiences and beliefs. I am inspired to help people appreciate their own beauty and magic.

Something that often breaks my heart is when someone says they are not artistic or creative... I believe that every soul is creative for our very existence depends on it, the way one views the world is a creative process the way one moves is a creative process any form of communication or interaction or lack there of is creative, they way you say hello the way you wear your clothes. I suppose my biggest aspiration is to help those realize that we are the creators and whether you feel as though you are artistic or not, to come to the realization that everyone and every living thing is and has the power to change thats the magic of the physical world we can take anything and turn it into something useful or beautiful, whether  it be our experiences or a piece of wood. I hope to help people realize their own godly nature, as I believe we are all powerful creators with more potential then we have yet to exude, to the future of empowered creative beings on earth!

~My First Show!~

So I've been creating for years now but finally got enough stuff together to feel as though I could at least fill a table! I decided to start small just as a trail to see how I liked markets and what have you. Now I could have probably started with something more up my ally as I took part in the Fernwood Swap n' Shop in Febuary. Not only was it more of a flea markety type venue and set up (people coming to spend a few dollars and get arms full of stuff) it was also the big football weekend (not being a crazy sports fan I didn't even realize until I got there and started chatting people up). Although dispite the fact it wasn't exactly the ideal market I managed to make it out ok due to my last minute plans to whip up cupcakes and cookies which were an amazing success. So after that realization that it wasn't an ideal market for me I decided I would wait for more fitting events. But all in all it was still a fun experience and all the people who organized the Swap n' Shop were good people  and I have more of a feel for sitting at a booth with all my stuff and it's still and interesting experience selling things you make directly to your customers, magical and intimidating. I am excited for more future experiences!

  My first set up! didn't turn out too badly? I did get a lot of really flattering feedback too which is pricelessly inspiring! There was this darling little girl who told me " You are reallly good at your art!" "Did you make all of those yourself?" I was just beside myself I almost wanted to cry!

~A Litttle History~

Ever since I was a little kid I was into nature collecting bugs, investigating animal tracks and getting lost in the forest. This was my inspiration, I was always creating something ever since I was wee, I loved painting, drawing and playdough, I mean who didn't. I know in my heart of hearts art and expression of emotion, soul and other worldliness is an important part of my job in this life, so I will give it my all and see where it takes me!

 I recall my first introduction to fimo my main medium these days, I was probably 7ish, and my mum wanted to make christmas elves! I am so lucky to have such a magickal mum! But my first real inspiration with fimo happened much later in grade 5, I was going on the french exchange to Quebec and I was going to meet my partner finally after months of writing back and forth. One evening while chatting with her family she pulls out this enormous bag of little clay figures and pendants and all sorts of magickal things and I was awe struck! So my partner Cynthia showed me how she made some of her pendants and little critters, and let me tell you I was hooked! I was soo thrilled with this medium that I ended up making plenty of little critters. When I went to school I would perch myself on the highest part of the bleachers and use it as a booth for my little shop! I would place all my little creations along the benches and sell them to the other kids at recess! I was an entrepreneur in grade 5! So that was the beginning of my obsession with fimo! I feel like the business aspect came more naturally and freely when I was younger now I find myself struggling to feel okay with the concept and the morals behind business today. But all I know for sure is that I would rather be making my art then working for the man in some other way so here goes, let's see if i can fly!

I was always enchanted with mythical creatures and magickal realms, I don't know whether it was escapisim or just seemed too real to not be real. So I spent my days dreaming of finding dragon eggs or being stolen into other worlds by little winged people, the good people. I feel in some ways I was captured, I mean I've never been able to function in one of those normal everyday jobs, I just cant wrap my head around it especially on a set schedule with the same people and the same actions and duties day in and day out, everyday. I need more creative freedom I need to beable to be on my own schedule. I find it to easily feel trapped by others rules expectations and beliefs. So that being said I believe I finally have found a path I think I can follow, at least for now.