Classic Car

I'm not really sure what inspired Classic Car's creation. Perhaps a case of various things coming together.

I first thought up the idea of an old car being a good image to suggest to participants in a past pen and ink art workshop I taught last year. I guess because an image in black and white has the potential to bring with it a feeling of nostalgia. The use of abstract "textures" offers a neat contrast of a modern touch to the black and white colour scheme and classic car subject area.

Or perhaps drawing a car was some sort of tribute to my late dear father, who loved driving, and with whom we'd go on various road trips growing up. The license plate is a mix of numbers and letters from old cars we rode in as a family from the "Apple Victor Bob" blue Tercel from the early 80s to the most recent "Dad's Cruise Mobile".

Or perhaps a tribute somewhat to my sweetheart, Cam, who owns and operates a successful business all about driving cars safely: Sea to Sky Driver Training, based in Squamish, BC.

Either way, or all ways combined, it's a piece I'm quite happy with and am pleased to have the opportunity to donate it to an exciting cause: Pandora's Collective.

This piece will be displayed and auctioned at an event on August 20, 2010 that is part of the Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival, and event brought to you by Pandora's Collective. For more information, please visit this previous blog post or you can visit the news page on my web site. Perhaps you'd like to attend this great event and place a bid on this piece to have it for your own!

Classic Car
Pen and Ink Drawing
9x12 (11x14 with mat and frame).

The Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival

Vancouver's most anticipated summer literary event is back, and you're invited!

The Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival is an annual event established to raise public awareness regarding the on-going literary events, programs and resources available in the community. The event is brought to you by Pandora's Collective.

Pandora’s Collective, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is dedicated to promoting literacy and self-expression in the community.

Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival
August 13-21, 2010
FREE!

On August 20, 2010, a selection of my art will be displayed and auctioned during an event at the Jacana Gallery, honouring the accomplished writer, Susan Musgrave. For more information, please click here.

If you are interested in viewing and/or bidding for a selection from my most recent ink drawings, please come to the event!

BESA Exhibition at SFU Teck Gallery

Just got back from hanging out with a good friend and fellow local artist who works at SFU. As we were downtown she took me to the SFU Harbour Centre campus to take a look at the current art exhibition titled BESA: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II. BESA is an ancient Albanian principle of offering protection to those who need it. I was quite taken by it indeed as it depicted stories of Albanian individuals and families of Muslim belief as they recall housing and protecting Jewish people in World War II. This is an incredible exhibition telling a little-known piece of history. Each individual story gives a recollection of the Jewish people that were housed and protected, what it meant to protect them and their reasons for doing it often tied back to principles from the Quran.

Click here for more information on the exhibition. I highly recommend it.

The hands of Atlin Qeleshi holding a snapshot of Shalom Adixhes and her daughter Nina, a Jewish family rescued in Shkoder, Albania.

Roadtrippin' Wyoming

As a submission to an artists' call for an exhibition this fall called "Window Views" (no, I don't know if I'm going to be in the exhibition yet), I created this painting, inspired by a photograph taken by, Jennifer Puddicombe:

“Roadtrippin’ Wyoming” is a view through the windshield of my best friend Jennifer’s car as we took a very memorable roadtrip across the United States two summers ago. This particular view was just outside of Shell, Wyoming as we were just about to enter Bighorn National Forest to search for our next campsite. This roadtrip is very special to me because it was with a friend I’ve known longer than I can remember, accompanying her and taking turns driving her car, as she moved herself and her belongings from Vancouver to Toronto to pursue a new career path. Our journey between big cities took us South of the border through several states. Wyoming was particularly memorable - a state of amazing beauty and diversity where we took our time enjoying the sights and colours throughout, including Yellowstone National Park.

The submission to the call was of the following image of my painting (Acrylic on canvas 16x20):











After some time of deliberation, having this canvas still sitting on my easel, I decided I wasn't quite done, even though I had already submitted the image to the call. Today, I made a few tweaks, and now I'm much happier with the result. As soon as the paint dries, it'll find a home on my walls here at home: