Carly Waito

This profile was exciting for me, because I had the chance to see Carly's process. I was lucky, because she showed me many of the mineral specimen that she paints. I couldn't believe how tiny they were. I would not have the patience that Carly does to paint such detail. Her paintings are so beautiful. And it was very inspiring that she uses water soluble oil paints, and can achieve such great results. Maybe I will give them a chance. And Carly was nice enough to set up her light box and camera/tripod, to show me how she takes her reference photos of the mineral specimens that she uses to paint from. I'm glad she did, because I noticed a big difference. Now I really want to get a nice camera with a good lens. So hopefully you enjoy the profile, and will check out Carly's blog, she posts some really neat stuff, with pretty photos. I will be stopping by Narwhal to check out the group show 'little crowns', on Friday evening. Maybe I will some of you there....yeah winter is finally here!


http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=172847

http://carlywaito.blogspot.com/

Toronto Zine Library

Its December! I cant wait till it snows. I thought I would let you know that I have been volunteering with the TZL for a little while now. For those of you that have never been, or even knew it existed...let me fill you in. Its located in the Tranzac, on the second floor, in a little room. The best part, its full of zines!!! It is not the most glamorous, but its pretty great place to hangout, relax, and read some zines. My fave categories are: perzines/litzines/comics, if you havent read "ghost pine" you should! There are so many reasons to come by the TZL, during staffed hours. One good reason being, to hangout with me...but really, you can borrow zines and take them home with you! all you have to do is come by and sign up for a membership its five bucks. Totally worth it! And if dont feel like forking over the five dollars, feel free to just come on down and browse through everything. Lately during the staffed hours, I bring something crafty to work on, and sometimes I will even bring a snack, and wander downstairs to purchase a lovely beverage from the Tranzac bar. Recently I have been doing staffed hours on Wednesday's 6:00pm-8:00pm regularly. So come by and say "hi" stay a lil while and hangout. And if you make zines, why dont you donate one of yours to be included in TZL. So I thought I would share with all of you the awesomeness that is the TZL, maybe I will your faces there soon...if you cant come by, at least visit the website and blog.

http://sitekreator.com/zinelibrary/main_page.html

http://torontozinelibrary.blogspot.com/

Adrienne Kammerer

I am really excited about this one. I love her drawings! and the style she draws them in. The people are so amazing, and what makes it even better is that they are real. With that hair and their clothes, also how awkward they are(i can totally relate) how can you not love them. I can also relate to Adrienne about her art school experience, and working many shitty minimum wage jobs, and drawing to waste some time. Yup, that was not too long ago....You should check out her blog to see more of her drawings, also read the little interview I did with her.


http://adriennekammerer.blogspot.com/


http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=172650

Brian Donnelly

This one took forever to get finished...it was alot of back and forth emailing. We both finally had a day where we could meet up and do this, then I woke up checked my email, and received a frantic message about Brian from his girlfriend. He had his appendix removed urgently. Once again we couldn't meet. I felt sorry for the guy....he recovered and we got it done! It was posted way too late for when his solo show was up at Show&Tell. Bummer. Lately, I have been noticing that the Artist Profiles for the NOW site arent as tight as before...it seems to me that the photos are posted really sloppy and sized weird. I think I will speak to my on-line editor about it. The order of the photos doesnt seem to make sense anymore either...I guess the whole art section is lacking really...it is really sad. Try to read the interview....


http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=172555

http://www.briandonnelly.org/home.html

The Cult of Done Manifesto

1. There are three states of being. Not knowing, action and completion.
2. Accept that everything is a draft. It helps to get it done.
3. There is no editing stage.
4. Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you’re doing even if you don’t and do it.
5. Banish procrastination. If you wait more than a week to get an idea done, abandon it.
6. The point of being done is not to finish but to get other things done.
7. Once you’re done you can throw it away.
8. Laugh at perfection. It’s boring and keeps you from being done.
9. People without dirty hands are wrong. Doing something makes you right.
10. Failure counts as done. So do mistakes.
11. Destruction is a variant of done.
12. If you have an idea and publish it on the internet, that counts as a ghost of done.
13. Done is the engine of more.

Late last night or early morning, depending on how you look at it(I blame the mice that have been keeping awake to daylight)...I found this, "The Cult of Done Manifesto" I thought it was pretty helpful, with what I am supposed to be working on right now. Numbers 2,5,6,7 & 10 seemed to hit me in face last night. I like deadlines but I always wait till the very last second to start anything. No matter what it may be, or even how prepared I am. I felt like this was something I could identify with and thought I would share it with others in case you are stuck on something. Here is the link to the site from which it came from: http://www.ikiw.org/2009/03/04/the-cult-of-done-manifesto/

Jan Avendano

I had such a good time talking with Jan. I have seen her around and never actually talked to her before the interview. I was mostly familiar with her threadless tees...I also was super impressed with her design patterns that have been used by naked & angry. It was so nice to chat about stuff we are both into, like to-do lists or just lists in general, drawing in crappy sketchbooks and not wanting to use the nice ones that we have. Jan was nice enough to let me see all of her old sketchbooks, and I was really into her doodles and all the crazy fonts she was sketching. We both have the ability to write in different styles. Which can be usefull and a curse...also talking about yummy burgers was great too! hopefully that zine she is working on will be out soon. The interview is really fun, and i took some photos for it, but really her work space is kinda like mine. Really simple, clean and sparse. Alot of her work is computer based(not all), so it was some shots of her desk...so just photos of Jan's work was posted(incase you were wondering what happened). She is such a talented lady, I have way so many more nice things to say about her and her work, just check out her site to see the crazy variety of awesome work she makes.

http://www.janavendano.com/

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=172237

Stephen Appleby-Barr

This is not so much a studio visit, it is just a straight forward interview. The work is so good I felt it didn't really need anything else, really. It was just posted today on the NOW site, because his opening is tonight! I just took a look at the Narwhal site and it seems all of pieces are already sold!!! Which is completely understandable, considering how well received his first solo was. I was so glad I had a chance to get Stephen to answer some of my questions just a couple days before his show...he was so prompt and polite. I know I write this about everyone I interview, but I did enjoy his answers alot. They seemed so honest and casual but also smart. I think the interview turned out nicely. The opening is tonight at Narwhal, I am not one for attending crowded art gallery openings but this one I will not miss out on, thats for sure.
Let me know what you think of this interview: http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=172126

http://www.narwhalartprojects.com/index.php

Anneke van Bommel

This is something new I just started doing with TCA. It is similar to the Artist Profiles...but a little bit different. I am excited to be apart of TCA, and was so happy Anneke agreed to be my first victim for the interview. Her subject matter really intrigued me, and how stunning and simple her peices look. I really want one of her axe brooches (hint-hint). We also talked about her NSCAD experience... She is really busy, I could tell by how many different projects she had on the go at her studio. I was impressed by how tidy and organzied the space was...kinda like my work space. Anneke doesn't have a website, but you can see her pieces on Etsy.
Also read the interview and let me know what you think of it...it's new so any input would be welcome...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5274564

http://torontocraftalert.ca/2009/10/22/questions-for-crafters-anneke-van-bommel/#more-6624

Gillian Wilson

It has been a couple weeks since my previous Artist Profile, again so much is happening right now that I just couldn't get it together in time. I have just moved into a new place, it has taken me a long time to find something. I have so much work ahead of me to make it feel like a home.
Lets just say it feels like a "dude" house. Mostly it just needs some love and alot of cleaning. I do have a few Profiles lined up, so there will not be a gap. Back to Gillian and her lovely artwork that makes me swoon. She is such a talented lady, I saw her website first and that really impressed me. When she sent me her answers, I was really surprised that we have alot in common. I like when that happens. She is one of those artists that I would love to buy one of her paintings, maybe one day, I will. My new place could use some art on the walls (once the walls are clean). So check out her site and the interview, it is really sweet.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=171812

http://gillianwilson.ca/

Eunice Luk

This artist profile makes me really happy, because I met Eunice at Zine Dream 2. We both had tables and really liked each others work. I think all the money I earned that day went towards cute things made by her. Totally worth it! I should have bought the adorable screened print pictured above...what was I thinking? I had such a good time visiting her home and taking pictures. She even had yummy tarts for us to enjoy, and her boyfriend Ted, who is also a talented artist, had a ukulele ( I am jealous). It was so great that I met her, and looked up her website, and feel in love with all of pieces. I am thinking of sending my friend Sarah McNeil
some of her fun things I purchased at Zine Dream 2, I think she will like them as well. I also love how we both enjoy getting real mail. You should read the interview, and see how awesome Eunice's art really is.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=171475

http://www.euniceluk.com/

Nicholas Aoki

It has been really long, since my last Artist Profile. I had been working hard on changing the questions just for this new profile. So that it would focus on Nicholas work for his solo show at Narwhal. I tried to make the questions more serious...not my normal style at all. It seems to have turned out okay. The one thing that made me a little crazy was tiff (Toronto International Film Festival) basically I worked super hard on getting Nicholas profile complete, so that it would be posted in time with his show. Except tiff had top priority, and my piece was pushed way back. Thanks Megan Fox. So I was bummed since it was only posted just a few days before the show is ending. That means you only have a tiny amount of time to run over and check it out.
Also interviewing Nicholas was really fun, I had a good time, we even went on a mini adventure to go get a big box and I enjoyed climbing through the window too. Also Nicholas was working on a little oil study so that was exciting to see, I like it when an artist works in different mediums. Please check out the profile to see what Nicholas has to say about his first solo show.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=171361

Janna Watson

Recently my life has been really crazy...Sorry for the late post.
I have been busy this past weekend, with studio work at the Whitehouse, we just had our show "the blind leading the blind" it went really well. Also the next day was Zine Dream 2, and that turned out to be a good day. It was a total visual overload, in a good way. Okay, back to the studio visit featuring Janna Watson. Basically her work is dreamy, and so is she. When I used to work at the old art supply store, she would come in and purchase all my favourite colours. The space in which she works is stunning, perfect light for painting. I really enjoyed actually talking to her, and getting to know a little bit more about the work. And we both agreed that it is hard to talk about your art. Sometimes you just can not explain how it happens, it just is. Read the lovely interview we did to see exactly what I mean when I say she is "dreamy", and check out her site to see so much more of her work.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=171063

http://jannawatson.com/home.html

Donna Irvine

Donna is such a nice person, and has a sweet dog too. We both have spaces at the Whitehouse, but I had never met her till the interview. How weird is that? Anyways, my friend Brit told me about Donna and her work, I am so glad she did! The materials Donna uses are fairly normal, but the results are stunning. I love all the things she is currently working on. And are mutual fondness of technical pens was funny. She recently started a blog, you need to check it out, full of good stuff that she is working on....and neat videos etc.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170966

http://blog.donnairvine.com/

Braden Labonte

This Artist Profile is so good! I think Braden's work speaks for itself. I noticed his website through friends sites, and could not believe that I haven't seen his work around. Probably because I do not get out as much as I like too...So I sent him an email and got to check out his space and his work in person. So glad I got a chance to interview him and find out more his art and him. Also his girlfriend, Shauna Born, equally talented! So check out the interview and more of Braden's work. You won't be disappointed.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170868

http://www.bradenlabonte.com/

Jarrod Wilson

This weeks Artists Profile, is very special to me (wow that sounds really cheesy). I know Jarrod extremely well, so that puts alot of pressure on me to make everything extra perfect. I think it turned out nice...anyways more about Jarrod's work, what I really enjoy is that he is not afraid to experiment with new techniques and ideas, his work is consantly evolving. Which is exciting to see. He also works in many different mediums, not just painting which is the focus of the interview. He is talented at printmaking and photography, which you can take a little peak at his blog to see what I mean. Jarrod also has a very nice bike that is super fast, and I am kinda jealous, it has a pink wheel!

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170776

http://www.jarrodwilson.blogspot.com/

Patrick Kyle

I am really stoked to share with all of you, Patrick Kyle's work. He is really really talented.
And I learned alot about his process from the interview we did...I had no idea he used matte medium transfers! So now I know. Anyways, you should really head over to his website and check out the amazing comics he has available. Also the show "suicide pact" is coming up at Board of Directors...you should all be there!

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170674

http://www.patrickkyle.com/index.html

Vanessa Maltese

This new artist profile is really exciting for me. I found out about Vanessa and her paintings from the Toronto Outdoor Art Show, her work really caught my eye and I couldn't stop thinking about her paintings. So I was really happy when I got to photograph her work. And she is super easy to talk too. Check out the interview we did, and visit her blog!

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170571

http://vanessamalteseart.blogspot.com/

Tristram Lansdowne

What I like most about Tristram's work, is his use of watercolour, and his subject matter for the pieces he creates. Read the interview we did to see more work and what else he has coming up.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170469

Alicia Nauta

This is a lil photo I took of Alicia in the shop Good Blood Bad Blood. You can find her work there, she does many things, but her posters are the best! In the interview I did with her, she describes her process and other neat things. Also check out her blog.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170368

http://murdertides.blogspot.com/

Toronto Craft Alert Interview

Here is something really exciting, I had a little interview with Jen Anisef from Toronto Craft Alert! How awesome is that?! Normally I am the one who gets to ask questions, so now I know how hard it is to write about yourself. It was really fun, and hopefully you all like it...
Check it out here. And don't forget visit the Toronto Craft Alert site, they have alot updates, and really neat stuff.

http://torontocraftalert.ca/2009/07/07/questions-for-crafters-sarah-titanic-studio-visit/

Anna Pantchev

Anna is a sweet artist, with a great eye for colour, she is obsessed with it! (in a good way of course). She has alot to say in the interview I did with her. Also her blog will give you a good look into what inspires her, check it out.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170268

http://annapantchev.blogspot.com/

Doily Clock

I found this clock on Etsy (of course), it is the sweetest thing. I could just picture it in my bedroom....

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6389884

Alex McLeod

Here is just a little taste of Alex's work. It is stunning! You have a few chances to see it in person, which I recommend doing. Alex is really nice, funny, talented guy. Read the interview I did with him to see what I mean.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170153

http://www.alxclub.com/

Chris Kuzma

Chris is really good at what he does...that's why I had to post more then one image.
He is really nice guy, that makes wicked art. Also he is apart of the Wowee Zonk collective, which is another thing you have to check out (if you like comics, as much as I do) Read the interview we did to see more of his awesome work.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170032

http://www.chriskuzma.com/