Commission for a friend. Designed this logo for a newspaper article in an outdoors magazine.

Hawk

Hawk returns to the Ether
colored pencil sketch - 2015

Thunder Bay - Screenprint & Watercolor

This project which began as a calligraphy ink drawing, became a one, then two color print in a homemade silkscreen basement studio. Later upgraded to the University art studio as currently a 4 color print. With help from Aaron Veldstra the screen printing teacher on staff, teaching me the tricks and demanding I persevere through the technical difficulties. All the while using custom built tools and squeegees.
Each print is hand pulled and varies. After the printing process each landscape is hand water-colored, a time consuming and old technique used on prints and plates.
In this way no two prints will be alike, each is hand touched with sky tonalities as unique from each other as spectrum's in a given sunset.

I titled the work simply "Thunder Bay".
An overt way of making a statement to the viewer.

New prints will be available in the new year.

If you are further curious on the process and research behind this work, I have an earlier post from the beggining stage.
http://slantedfallingsunlight.blogspot.ca/2015/10/anemki-wikwed-screenprint.html

UPDATE: Was added to the Decolonial Atlas Blog!
 https://decolonialatlas.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/thunder-bay/

99 problems

While studying for winter twig identification .

Herbarium Collection

As part of my Environmental studies I was to make a Herbarium collection, which is a standard for a collection of pressed plants with identified qualities. I collected these fifty plants of trees, shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens from my Boreal Forest region. Part of what led me into this program was that I have been studying local plant medicines and foods for a number of years. I used this large project as a way to further learn the medicines and with the aid of my books I documented interesting uses for each plant on their I.D. cards. Received a very high mark.
Used some artistry to create the outside box cover for some forest bling, which you can see here.
 

Bunchberry - Cornus Canadensis

Anemki Wikwed Screenprint

A year in the making, and still counting.
What began as a trail map of the mountain where I grew up, based off of an electronic trail map my neighbor made. Theses trails that I have been hiking and snowshoeing up my entire life, trails that connect homes, families, landmarks, and even mythology.
Very early in the project, it came time to write in the common name for an inland lake, which was named by a Scotsman after a lake in Scotland. It was immediately apparent that I would not be continuing the propagation of colonial name's with my Art.
Through my Art I can make a criticism of the actions of people who cemented a certain idea of history through their influence. And possibly create a positive pathway.
I began researching documents from the 1600-1800s. A simple trail map snowballed into great curiosity and a winter of research into the history of my home. Drawn in calligraphy and ink.

This undertaking led me down a river of research, and history, quite literally, the paths I followed were waterways; the original roads. French fur trading maps from the 1600's, with titles, Bay du Tonnerre, Lac Tracy Superieur, and Caministigoa, or Kaministigouian ou les trois rivieves. 
The "Kaministiquia" river, was consistently given title on every map dating back to the the oldest.
The spelling changed, but unlike many other landmarks that held translated Ojibway names (Lac Du Superieur), or entirely new names. The Kaministiquia held strong its Ojibway namesake to this day.
 Documented in a number of texts translated as, "River with islands", "where the rivers meet", "River of many mouths"
This was of added symbolic interest to me as I grew up between the Kaministiquia river and Anemki Wajiw, swimming in the waters and climbing the mountain. 

Regarding the language being of the oral tradition, many different spellings exist to this day.
Frederic Baraga`s, ``A Dictionary of The Ojibway Language`` from 1853, has been a great resource for cross checking the words and translations.

With thanks to Mary J. L. Black, who was a Librarian of Fort William in the early 1900's. Through her interest in the topic, research and interviews it is that these names exist in documented form.

Reference Material: 

http://www.transportsourcebook.ca/thunder-bay-historical-society/yr1926-place-names-in-the-vicinity-of-fort-william.php

Me and my Dad then began building large silkscreens in the garage wood shop. I burned through many screens and variants of the final map, which is now a two color screen.

Thunder Bay in Ojibway. <Anemki Wikwed>Using information documented by the Local Librarian Mary J.L. Black, almost a Century ago.
16x20 Silkscreen and Watercolor.

Version 4 (final version) two screen print with watercolor

Version 4 two screen print with watercolor

Version 3 : one screen print

Version 2(Thunderbird Version) ink drawing 16x20

Trial prints hanging in the basement work-space

(Fishing) Flies to the Flame

Cascades Sign

Completed and installed another swimming hole sign for possibly my favorite spot. I wanted to find the right words to describe my impression of the landscape; "Our Wild Paradise", had the right feel.

*Unfortunately sign was stolen within two weeks. My name was burned into the back with "return to".

Handstitched Sample

Printed off two copies of my book, hand stitched them and have been showing them around town. Amazing response!

Unpublished Picture Book

This possible cover could be the last painting I paint for my Children's Book. I left the cover till last, and here we are over a year later of working on this book, and two years in February since the day I found the Moccasin. Meticulously painting with tiny brushes on my desk a few feet from where I sleep. From first light to last.

If anyone finds this who knows a publisher let me know!

Many months before.
My work bench.

Copper Penny (Watercolor) 2012/14

Sweater Scenery - Colored Pencil

Oil Painting

Husky Hockey - 2014

Squitti's Jewelry - 2014

Suitcase of Paintings

Caught a flight inside the steel eagle to Ottawa, with a suitcase of paintings and a story. Looking for a publisher who will take a look at my work.
For over a year now, I have been painting during daylight hours in my bedroom/studio, as if it were a full time job. Paintings that are pieces of the pages in a story book.
This is something that I mostly kept secret until it was near completion.

            The story is inspired by my experiences in North-Western Ontario, and the First Nation Culture here. Following a single Moccasin Slipper lost in the Canadian Woodlands, the wildlife who find it, and the surprise ending of the young dancer with the matching pair. (A hint, she does not get the pair back)

It is a story of gratitude and sharing, with an inspirational female protagonist who exemplifies the pride and love of her culture. A contemporary piece without Prince's or Princesses'.

            The artwork has been created with ink and watercolour, and is stylistically familiar to antique lithographs. Similar to the Audubon bird prints. Reading category is ages 3 to 7, or bedtime story. The writing is in short versed poetry.

            Each painting was roughly a week to complete with some as many as three weeks.

This time was spent to create a work that children and adults would appreciate.

            The idea for the story came from real events in which I discovered a hand beaded moccasin slipper in the snow one evening,(it was actually Valentines Day). This real life story adds a sense of wonder and is included as a post-face.

Temporal Globe (2011)

Sanded down globe with burned in points locating positions in which Nuclear warheads were detonated.
It was exhibited over top of an entire year of my photographs which were cut up. Creating a personal mandala.

In the collection of Zoe & Shayne