My Friend John...

One of my oldest and dearest friends, John Ekonomakos, never ceases to astonish me as the years go on. Just when I think I know him, and his art practice, so well, he throws me for a loop. During his artist talk today he did this once again! His talk was great. Very fluid. Well articulated. And then, bam! He had me scurrying to grab my phone and make note of two of the deepest and most complex quotes that I've heard recently from someone explaining the intent of their work.

"In order to be innocent, you have to suffer." - John Ekonomakos 

"If you stay static and don't act you will rot from the inside." - John Ekonomakos

Visit John's website to view his work at johnekonomakos.wordpress.com/

Visit John's blog at crescentbeamshower.blogspot.com/

Mumford & Sons - Bookshop Series - IV

Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man

Bookshop Series

Train And Transport: A Collector's Guide

This book, curated by The Ephemera Society, is a great book on printed ephemera from Britain during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Everything from train tickets, matches, flyers, stock certificates, movie stubs and more are included. They are really beautiful examine.

Train And Transport: A Collector's Guide

Janice Anderson and Edmund Swinglehurst

Photography 2008

Revisiting some old photographs from 2008 for my artist website.

Mumford & Sons - Bookshop Series - III

Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds

Bookshop Series

Thesis Matches

CMYK Screenprint of my collection of matches

It's amazing how photographic this print looks, and how close in colour to the real object they ended up being. They are a perfect representation of one of my favourite collections.

A print from this edition has been folded and bound into a miniature book.

1 Thesis book done! Yes!

About 70 more to go...

Krystina Plante. Matches, 2011. CMYK Screenprint.

Thesis Nail Polish

The next group of images to edit the backgrounds out of will be the endless photos of my nail polish collection. The mini book will contain one nail polish per page, along with a square swatch area to paint in a sample of each colour. What medium will I use? Screenprint, plate litho, or digital?

Just a sample...

Thesis Clocks

Editing out the backgrounds of photographs I took, of my collection of clocks, so that they can be used to create printed representations next semester.

Look out thesis...I never sleep!

Jazz For Cows

One of my professors, Rudolf Bikkers, sent me this video and I haven't stopped showing it to people since. 

It's amazing how attentive they are and how much they are obviously enjoying it!

Grapefruit - Yoko Ono

One of the most inspiring books ever written. If you can even call it a book? It is an art piece on its own!

Relational art practice at its finest.

27th Annual Book Arts Fair

A Great Success!!!
Thank you to all of our vendors, all of our advertising partners, Aboveground, the volunteers, and everyone who came to visit us! Can't wait until next year!

Mumford & Sons - Bookshop Series - II

Mumford & Sons - The Cave

Bookshop Series

Kitchen Lithography

This is a pretty incredible option for at-home printing. Perfect for small scale editions, like cards! 

I can't wait to try this!

I wonder if it would work with a burnisher, rather than having to use a small press? Time to experiment!

Note: You can buy Marseille soap at L'Occitane en Provence in Yorkville on Bloor Street. 

Janos Starker

Watch this performance all the way through. It's unbelievable! He has the fastest fingers, never falters, and his eyes aren't even open during the performance! I am in awe...

Mumford & Sons - Bookshop Series - I

Mumford & Sons - White Blank Page

Bookshop Series

They play will so much emotion, the way that music should be played. It moves me tremendously!

City Of Craft 2011

City Of Craft 2011 is coming up on December 10th + 11th at 1087/1093 Queen St West

Saturday 11-6

Sunday 11-5

It's a great place to find completely unique and innovative locally made goods. You never know what gems you may find. Just in time for your Christmas shopping too! I am not a vendor, but I hope to be next year!

Acid Tinting On A Lithographic Stone

Last year, I did a demonstration for my Intermediate Printmaking class at OCAD, on how to do acid tinting on a lithographic stone, along with handing out small hand bound instructional booklets.

My suggested layout for materials

Acid tinting in progress...

The finished print!

Acid tinting is a really great way to achieve a painterly quality when working in lithography. It's a slow process as you gradually lighten each tone, and one that is very satisfying in the end.

Canadian Art Magazine

Canadian Art Magazine has always been of such inspiration to me. It's inspiring to read about all of these amazing Canadian artists making great work out there. When I can't afford to buy an issue I will sit in Chapters with a large coffee and absorb it from cover to cover.

Go out and get the fall issue.

Read articles online at www.canadianart.ca/