Stop and smell the flowers

July 4, 2011

The Lilac Swing Coat is a new addition to my Weedrobes Collection. It reminds us that the olfactory senses are a basic element in nature used by plants, animals and mammals alike. Here there is no need for manufactured artificial scent, the redolent flower itself entices our nostrils. On the day of the photo-shoot in front of the historic Marine Building, passersby stopped and took in the garment’s aroma. This manteau parfumé of fresh scented Lilac flowers epitomizes the perfume industry, in particular the seductive ads of Chanel No 5 featuring Catherine Deneuve who stood for luxury and sophistication. The coat …

IceShifts Feb 2011

February 7, 2011

I have been continuing my exploration of frozen garments in blocks of ice. This new piece is a turning point for me where I have begun to incorporate plant materials into the mix. Julie Taymor’s scene of Lavinia in her film Titus has stayed with me for a long time; her hands cut off and turned into branches. In my artwork though, the organic elements symbolize a redemption of sorts, where nature regenerates itself and life continues despite tragedy.

False Creek Bride 2011

February 7, 2011

If you missed our show last year, then this is the perfect opportunity to come and see our all ages performance on Granville Island. 3 shows per day for 2 days. Free with wrist bands, which are allocated from at 11am on each day. Space is limited to 25 per show. Concept and design by Nicole Dextras and storytelling and choreography by Naomi Steinberg. Click HERE to see photos of last year’s show Dates: Saturday, February 26th and Sunday, February 27th, 2011 Time: Daily, 12 – 12:30pm, 2:15 – 2:45pm & 3:30 – 4:00pm Venue: Railspur Alley Park on Granville Island The False …

Ice-Shifts

November 28, 2010

A recent unexpected cold snap in Vancouver BC gave me the opportunity to try out some new work that I have been thinking of for several years now. This is the beginning of a new series entitled Ice-Shifts, where I freeze deconstructed garments into blocks of ice and then photograph them. This is a further development of my previous pieces, Iceworks, where I began to randomly freeze clothing when the weather permitted. This winter i will continue this new series with the aid of my chest freezer and plan the composition and colour of each piece to create a cohesive series …

View Project

November 3, 2010

I am very proud to have been selected for The View Project, curated by Joyce Tenneson, a photographer who’s work has inspired me for many years. This is a traveling group exhibition of photographs that reveal something about the photographer’s inner life – images that are personal and powerful, yet perhaps not clearly understood, even to the viewer/photographer. The View Project will be an opportunity for each viewer to ask themselves what views, places, and moments in their own lives have left an indelible mark on them. Tenneson has also assembled a digital slideshow which will accompany the exhibition and will be projected in the galleries. …

NAVIGATE, night of all souls

November 1, 2010

On October 30th 2010, I created an installation for the Night for All Souls at Mountain View Cemetery to honour my father who passed away this year. My father loved sailing and so I made a boat and four sails which were installed in the Celebration Hall courtyard. The boat hung from a concrete wall; the bow faced the pond and the stern could be seen on approaching the building. It was at once, floating in the air and piercing through the wall. The basic form was constructed from Willow branches (grown in my yard) and covered with handmade paper …

Mongolian 360 National Gallery Exhibition

August 26, 2010

The trip and installations in the Gobi were followed by a 3 day symposium and exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in UB, where we were put up in a 4 star hotel. This was an extreme contrast to the camping situation we had in the desert but many of us were happy to have warm showers, electricity and green vegetables! The exhibition functioned mostly as a review of the installations in the Gobi and consisted mainly of photos of the work. Some of us had additional work installed in the gallery. I for one brought my felt …

Modern 360 Mongolian

August 21, 2010

My second project was derived from the first one. The empty circles cut out of the felt spoke to me about the inevitable modernisation of Mongolian life; how the traditional Ger is being replaced by modern houses and apartments. This felt piece was purchased at the market and it was used, that is, it was once a ger covering. I hung it on the rocks as a temporary installation and then i had an artist, Megumi Shimizu wear it as a sort of house/cape. Megumi is a performance artist and she participated in several artist’s pieces on top of her …

Land Art project

August 17, 2010

My first project: East/West Fir This project was conceived in Canada and then adapted to the Mongolian landscape. It consists of three rings, which represent the diameter of old growth Douglas Firs. The smallest ring represents the size of Douglas Firs today and the second and third outer rings serve as a reminder of the giant forests, which were logged a hundred and fifty years ago when the white man first set eyes on the shores of Vancouver. By contrast the smaller the Siberian Fir tree native to Mongolia is symbolized by a series of circular felt pieces in the center. My …

Mongolia 360, first impressions

August 17, 2010

I arrived in Mongolia about two weeks ago but it seems like ages already. For a Westerner like me it has been quite a culture shock. First of all the language is so complex, with many clicks and sounds that resemble more Inuit than anything i have ever heard. Most Mongolians are hesitant to even tell you there name because they know you will make a dog’s breakfast out of it! The artists who arrived early like myself stayed in a Ger (yurt) camp outside of the capital of Ulaanbataar. the Gers are very beautiful but i was not well …

Mongolia 360 invitation

August 1, 2010

You are invited to join us in Ulaanbaatar for the 1st Land Art Biennial- Mongolia 360˚ Symposium August 16 – 19 Opening Reception Thursday, August 19, 5 p.m. at the MONGOLIAN NATIONAL MODERN ART GALLERY Sukhbaatar square-3 / Central Cultural Palace “B” / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia visit the Land Art Blog for more info on the installations in the Gobi Desert and the Symposium

HOPE PROJECT

July 8, 2010

The HOPE Project is comprised to 2 separate installations that relate to the glass half full/ glass half empty concept. The first installation is a “Grass Burn” of the word HOPE. Letters were place on the grass for a couple of weeks and then removed to reveal the dead grass underneath. It will take several weeks for the grass to grow back and the process will be photographed daily to become a time lapse video. This represents the HOPE-full part of the project. The HOPE-less segment will be done with ice, similar to my past projects- See Justify. This project …