emerging artists

we visited the vancouver art gallery yesterday & i must say it completely renewed my interest in and appreciation of their curated exhibitions. we signed up for a membership hoping that we will visit often & it will be somewhere that baby boy continues to enjoy (yesterday he was completely mesmerized for 2 solid hours & didn't even nod off)...

we hit two floors - i loved the amazing & accessible collection of mostly canadian abstract art in "enacting abstraction" (the weirdest thing was my husband kept saying "hey that was in my first girlfriend's living room" & it turns out at least 8 of the pieces were donated by her dad). i also liked the exhibit called "how soon is now" (a selection of recent art from b.c.).  someone that stood out for me (which means he made me smile as well as pulled off some quality work) was brendan tang: 

bokek baby

i'm almost half way through my year & though i have been living differently without even trying (thanks baby boy).  i have been thinking about the stuff i thought i'd get done & just haven't, like 'make something tuesday's"... last week i (again) vowed to start a weekly create something day (tuesday seemed the most likely target) - but i've slipped right through tuesday and alas - have created nothing (oh there is a pile of dishes in the sink - but i was thinking grander & slightly more artsy than that).

i will concede that i spent baby boy's morning jolly jumpathon on flickr following some convoluted paths to some new favs... i have always had a thing for macro (thanks dad) & depth of field photography & these days am crazy about bokeh! 

Main Entry:	bokeh
Part of Speech:	n
Definition:	a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image

 so in lieu of creating something myself - i have put together this group of mostly bokeh / dof favs (yay me):

1. untitled 2. the dizzy heights of my mind 3. what's left of me 4. umbrella 5. cha roof tiles  6. cuppa cappuccino 7. rain  8. melting frost 1 9. departure 10. #02 stand in a row11. untitled 12. urbangarden 13. untitled 14. untitled 15. autumn-winter-sish bokeh16. ~~*~~ 17. untitled 18. bokeh wednesday 19. untitled 20. a handful of wishes

10 cents

part of my new inspiration file: a growing list of photographers who are designers - or is it designers who are photographers? i've searched far & wide (how wide is the internet?) & down the proverbial rabbit hole (hmm - is there a proverb about a rabbit hole?) & found the 10 cent designer. her photos kept popping out at me - making me smile & reminding me of what i still love in design: warmth, simplicity, fun, quirkiness:

laurie is talented & is canadian & she also has a fun blog  (the more i peruse creative blogs and photos - i see that people seem to know each other...) 

chick pea

i was pleased to find some sweet pictures of a sweet local baby store called chick pea (yay they've opened on 1st & commercial too). they've described themselves as a european style baby store (i'm not sure what that is - i guess i will have to wait till after my next trip to europe to comment on that). but trevor brady's photos caught my eye & everyone know how i love beige (or white on white).

this is not an ad...

old crows

that was kinda fun... i've been playing with some old photos (because i can't upload anything new due do the sudden and complete expiration of all usb ports on my pc) & new textures from pareeerica on flicker (i used caramel sandstone glow & dna)...

it is only slightly  amusing that these images look alot like my paintings - i guess there is a reason for that...

baby boy has learned to squeal & is entertaining himself with said noise - i hope he gets over it quick & moves on to something sweet like mama or dada! 

eeny meeny miny moe

 

growing up in a small town too many hours on a northern highway from any decent shopping, had us waiting impatiently for the arrival of each seasonal sears catalog! it arrived in brown paper packaging (wow that is a little weird) and once stripped of it's cover - my sister and i would sit close together in the middle of the couch with the hallowed pages opened on our eager laps. we used to play a game, like eeny meeny miny moe: "which one is your favorite?" on each page a new and different selection of coats, or bedding, or bikes, or cutlery etc... 

the now sadly defunct upcountry made me crazy with eeny meeny miny moe happiness

to this day when i see an article that lays out design elements: rows of couches or antique cabinets or lamps or cribs i cannot help but play that same game (my husband humours me on occasion - but i am not adverse to playing by myself). we have learned a little bit more about each other in this way: taste, style and sometimes what makes us laugh. 

 

211 days & counting

baby boy is 5 months old today! and we're celebrating with a new lens (Canon EF 50mm f/1.8). this is my first shot with it (inside with light from one window) & compared to the stock kens (18-55mm) he is still CUTE!

i've been thinking about the joys (so numerous) and not so joyous (sleep deprivation aside - i just wish i understood what he really needs when he cries sometimes) things of having baby boy. i have also been thinking about the great baby things that we use every day & have made our lives easier (keep in mind we are trying to parent with the utmost of simplicity)...
this is my early list:

• carriers - for me the hot sling worked for 4 months & now we both use our baby bjorn
• duck undercover blanket - we use this every day - over the sling & carrier & in the car, on the mat at the community centre (it is beyond me how they went out of business)
• touque - i love the hunter touque that we got from knittles on etsy (besides it is named after our dog - how could we not love it?)
• Natursutten Pacifier - we didn't use one for the first several months but sometimes i just like to have all my fingers free!
• Sophie la Giraffe - she has a lovely story & now that teething is upon us she is being put to the test (just don't take her to any baby meeting places or she will get mixed up with the sophie herd)
• stonz boots - i love love love these boots - warm & comfy & so easy to put on. i would get more if they made them in my size