A visit at bookhou

There is something really wonderful about meeting people you know you are going to like before you've even spoken or met in person.  My visit with Krystal and Arounna was just that- we greeted with hugs and it was as though we'd always known each other.  Here are a few pics of the bookhou shop with Arounna's beautiful textiles and silk-screened designs.  Arounna graciously showed us around her studio, introducing us to her family and talking about how they are able to make a living from the shop!  It was amazing to see her store-front studio/shop, along with a glimpse of her family home upstairs, in the heart of Toronto.  There is so much to be said for having the vision for a creative life and being able to bring it all together under one roof! 
Krystal and I are hoping to have a 'show' (part of the featured artist series they run) together sometime next spring at bookhou- both of our work speaks a similar language in clay, while at the same time having it's own voice.  And while planning the show was the main purpose of our visit together, we couldn't stop from talking about so many other things- we could have talked for a few more hours!  It was too bad I had a train to catch and just made it to the station with 5 minutes to spare.

Last Year, This Time

Do you ever think to yourself, last year this time I was... Well, this week I am thinking about last year this time, because I was off to Toronto for the Toronto Artist Project right around this time. I had shipped my paintings off, crossed my fingers it would all get there on time and in one piece, and boarded a plane to stay with people I didn't know in a city I had only been in one other time to be a part of the inaugural Artist Project. It was a great honour to be included in the first show. They had hundreds of applicants and the jury only chose about 200 of us for the show and it was generally a good show. But as these shows go, there is a lot of money, time and energy put into them, and when you don't get that all back during the show, you really have to reconsider doing it again. That is part of the reason I won't be there this year, the other part is that I physically couldn't have kept up with my ceramics this spring and would have missed out on Portobello West here in Vancouver and in Calgary. And I would have missed out on the On The Rise Show too.
Nonetheless, I do have some great artist friends going to the show: Fiona Ackerman will be there again, this year with a brand-new 3 month old baby boy in tow! and Emily Cooper will be back at the show again along with Vancouver painter Kerensa Haynes. New this year from Vancouver will also be mixed media painter Arleigh Wood. I wish them all the best this weekend and if you are in the Toronto area, do stop by and see the show- it will be great show, guaranteed! The Artist Project Toronto, March 5-8th, the Liberty Grand, Toronto.