Who's Your Doctor?

“I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams” - Eleventh Doctor

I am a huge believer in making Christmas gifts for my loved ones. I try to never even step foot in a retail store after mid Nov. This Christmas, my dad and I put our heads and skills together to create this awesome Dr. Who Tardis bookshelf for my son Raine. And like the real Tardis, it is of course, bigger on the inside.

The process began when I handed off conceptual sketches and dimensional measurements to my dad. Fifty hours later, my sketches became reality (because my dad is a genius).

Now, it was my turn. I spent 15 hours priming and painting the Tardis to get it just right.

On Christmas morning, my dad and I will deliver the Tardis to Raine's room, where he will fill it with his massive collection of graphic novels. And then after that, who knows?

“Books! The best weapons in the world!” - Tenth Doctor

F.Y.I 

Pantone 2955C - BBC Approved "TARDIS" blue

The Way Of Crow

"The way of crow

shook down on me

the dust of snow

from a hemlock tree.

Has given my heart

a change of mood

and saved some part

of a day I had rued."

Robert Frost

The Way of Crow

10" x 10" gelatin print

$100

(also available as holiday cards)

The annual Stinking Fish Fall Tour begins this weekend. I would love to see you!

I will have small whimsical paintings for sale,

lots of knitting...

and a few books as well.

So if you haven't already marked the dates down in your calendar, you better do it! You want want to miss all the Stinking Fishers under one roof.

Nov 14 and 15 @ West-Mont School

4075 Metchosin Road

Cahooting In The First Degree

When Efren invited me to participate in his "In Cahoots (Synergy) Art Show", I knew exactly who to call. For years, my dear friend Kathy and I had pitched ideas of collaborating with each other. And of course we wouldn't dream of doing so without our partners in crime: Kathy's husband Selby and my mom, Bonnie. And so, cahooting in the first degree began in earnest.

Kathy and I, about midway in our process. 

Kathy brought her extensive knowledge of quilting and manipulating textiles to the tables. Here, you can see the acrylic painted nude figure I created as a jumping off point.

When we first met, I had the broadest sense that I wanted to design a piece about motherhood; about the fear of the unknown future; about aging children growing up and flying the coop. In the back of my mind, always lay the quote by Virgina Woolf, "Fear no more, says the heart." The foundation for our project "Fear Not" was laid.  Rough sketches of a woman climbing a wall of motherhood memories and looking towards her future, quickly evolved into a richly layered and subtly exquisite journey in fabric collage.

Original concept sketch.

My acrylic painted figure emerging on muslin fabric.

Over the next couple of months, Kathy and I worked to distress, manipulate and hand sew tattered layers of fabric into a background. Selby took our Virginia Woolf quote and hand lettered versions of this alongside my personal observations of motherhood throughout. We just couldn't get over the artistry of his penmanship!

Selby, getting started on the lettering.

Detail of the lettering. 

Selby kept notes over many a cup of tea and plate full of brownies and captured some of my ramblings in ink; such as "I get the stuffing hugged out of me (every day)."

My mom, who works in mixed media and assemblage art, had some fabulous ideas for copper and metal inclusions. Not to mention, she was our constant source of humor and quick thinking  problem solver.

Bonnie, knitting with copper, and keeping us  quiet introverts entertained!

"Fear Not"

22" x 30" acrylic, fabric and metal stitched collage

$950.

Angela Menzies

Kathy Saluke

Selby Saluke

Bonnie Coulter

You are invited to see this piece in person at the Slide Room Gallery this Friday night.

The Opinionated Dinner Guest

“A magpie can be happy or sad: sometimes so happy that he sits on a high, high gum tree and rolls the sunrise around in his throat like beads of pink sunlight; and sometimes so sad that you would expect the tears to drip off his beak.

This magpie was like that.” 

― Colin Thiele, Magpie Island

"The Opinionated Dinner Guest"

10" x 10" acrylic on wood

$100

When the weather turns

When the weather suddenly turns to Autumn, I knit faster than I did the moment right before I felt a chill in the air. With a sense of urgency, I knit more than I could ever layer upon woolly layer on my chilled body. These are for you.

I am insanely proud to be featuring the photographic art of Jenna Davis, who is also modeling my knitting, in the following blog.

"Fireside Blanket"

Merino wool, reversible, ribbed

$350

"I Have All The Time In The World"

Green Infinity Scarf . Merino wool/linen blend

$65

"Time Traveler"

Cowl and wristlet set. wool/silk/linen blend

$80

"Haida Octopus"

Hat. Merino wool.

$65

"Hippy Chic"

Purse. wet and needle felted merino wool

$65

"Chilly Bones" head edition

Fair Isle Hat. Merino wool lined with knit organic cotton

$85

"Chilly Bones" hand edition

Fingerless mittens. Hand dyed wool, lined with knit organic cotton.

$40

"Western Wind"

Ribbed Cowl/caplet. Merino wool.

$75

"A Complicated Girl"

Cabled cowl. Wool.

$40

"Afternoonified"

Messenger Bag. Wool felt, lined and pocketed in linen. Pottery button.

$100

"When the weather turns..."

Arm warmers. Hand dyed wool.

$85

"Theo"

Octopus with beaded tentacles. Felted merino wool.

$65

"Paul the Psychic Octopus"

Merino wool hat with Octopus.

$65

"Cosmic Boxer"

Merino wool cabled mittens, cotton cabled lining

$50

The Melancholy Dinner Guest

when i am painted

in the colors of sadness

will you love me still?

Tyler Knott Gregson

The Melancholy Dinner Guest 

acrylic on board  6" x 18"

$150

She's whiskey in a teacup.

"She's whiskey in a teacup."

Tom Waits

"Labels"

acrylic on paper and wood

18" x 18"

$325

"Juicy Fruit"

acrylic and paper on wood

18" x 18"

$325

Two new paintings I am preparing for an art exhibit on International Women's Day. I'll keep you posted.

The World's Greatest Art Table

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."

Jim Valvano

Me and Dad, 1972

I have the world's greatest art table. And that's because I have the world's greatest dad, who built it for me. My favorite part is his brand. In all my years growing up on a farm, I don't ever remember an animal being branded. But every dog house and picnic table he built wore his rafter KC with pride.

I love the removable top with built in tool box!

This gorgeous table is 10 feet long and was created with teaching art students in mind. He thought of every little detail, including using his old framing squares for each corner.

See what I mean? The world's greatest art table created by the world's greatest dad. I would love to know what your favorite thing is you were ever given by your dad.