Seagull Patrol Badge: Citizens Against French Fry Thievery

Hot One Inch Action is a one-night-only button show where artists have one wonderful inch to showcase their artwork. Selected artists receive 20 copies of their buttons, guests can purchase bags of buttons, and everyone is encouraged to trade and collect all their favourite pieces.

Hot One Inch Action chose my submission for their Portland show, but since I cannot attend, I received my 20 buttons in the mail today.

This button certifies that you are a member of the Seagull Patrol and that you are a committed citizen against french fry thievery (this is a big issue in Vancouver, I swear.)

Here is unbuttonified image:

Some buttons:

 

If you happen to be in Portland, check out the event on November 2nd at Hand Eye Supply. More information here and here!

… And the 17th!

A sneak preview of this year’s Christmas card…

Card Season

For the past 16 years I have been creating the covers for my family’s Christmas cards. This is the time of year when I start putting things in motion so that I can collaborate with my dad who always thinks up the message printed on the inside.

Here are some samples from the past few years…

Colourful Forest, disperse dye heat transfer on cotton, Christmas 2008

Steller’s Jay, digital drawing, Christmas 2009

Chapel in the Woods, digitally altered linocut print, Christmas 2010

Dance Lessons

For my first experiment with polymer plate printmaking, I created a silly 32-page mini book.

No, no, I don’t really suppose to teach anyone anything about dancing.

The book was printed using two 8.5×11 polymer plates. The prints are double-sided and cut down to size.

Here is what one of the pages looks like:

Dance Lessons was printed in an edition of 8 of which a few copies remain. Leave me a comment or e-mail me at wrightsuzanna [a t] gmail [d o t] com if you are interested in collecting your very own!

Double/Double (And film exchange!)

When you’re working with film, you never know what might happen. A lot can go wrong: You set up an elaborate photo shoot only to discover that the camera never advanced the film; The developer doesn’t coat the film in the developing tank; You experience a light leak somewhere along the way; A scratch appears…

Or you can embrace the mysterious nature of film and play around with it!

I ran my last roll through the camera twice but it was misaligned the second time around. The result is 3-ish separate exposures on every frame.

Would YOU like to do a film exchange with me?

Here are the guidelines:

1. Shoot a roll of film.
2. Rewind it most of the way (don’t forget to leave some leader!).
3. Give/mail it to me.
4. I’ll give/mail one to you. Shoot on that roll of film.
5. Get the film processed and printed.
6. Mail me one set of prints and I’ll do the same for you!

If you are interested, please e-mail me at wrightsuzanna [ a t ] gmail [ d o t ] com

Abstract Planimetrics

An early attempt at woodcut printmaking using a piece of burnt and discarded plywood.

Wood… wood… wood?

I have done a bit of woodworking in the past but I wanted to explore the materiality of wood in a new way. A friend found a chunk of oak in Queen’s Park and he took it home for me. Marveled by the beauty of the rings, I leveled it then used a wire brush to raise the grain. I began printing the rings by hand onto newsprint.

I decided to push the project towards sculpture. What products do we manufacture from wood? Paper, cardboard, plywood, particle board, veneer…? Is it possible for these materials to imitate their parent?

Tkaronto: The Place Where Trees Stand in Water

This piece of street art (installed last fall) is a response to the geography and naming of Toronto. While there still seems to be some discussion on the origin of Toronto, one common interpretation is that the name originates from the Mohawk word Tkaronto, meaning “the place where trees stand in water”. (Any Mohawk elders or linguists out there?)

When the settlers came along, they thought the city’s intricate ravine system would make a great sewer and as a result most of these waterways were covered over. Today the rivers can be heard through storm drains across the city. You can learn more through Lost River Walks.

This piece was installed along the east side of Grange Park, where Russell Creek once flowed. I imagine McCaul Street as a place where birch trees might have stood along this waterway.

As people come to rip off my postering, it only adds to the effect of the “birch bark” peeling away.

The piece even made it to BlogTO ! As you can see, one pedestrian decided to record their positive feedback directly onto the artwork.

All Wrong

Art-making (like many endeavours) seems to work best when I am completely in the moment – where my mind is still and clear and calmly focused. I have seen too many art students (including myself at times) succumb to frustration, deeming any little line they create as ‘wrong’ or unworthy. This rotoscoped animation (which is intended to loop) is about getting caught in this destructive and self-conscious cycle.

Offset Swimmer

I went swimming in the Pacific today and enjoyed being knocked around by the tide coming in quickly as the full moon rose.

I thought of my first attempt at a multiple colour lino print. My plates were probably not quite square and so they ended up a bit crooked on the bed of the press. Anyways, I went with it… (see title)