For the last few weeks, I’ve been working on my portfolio. I decided a while ago that I need to pivot when it comes to my career and how I pursue art.

I painted some mountains for Cailin! Well actually.. It was for Cailin to give to Jordan. She commissioner me to create an image of his favourite mountain range. One that held a lot of positive memories.

When you’re an artist and use social media, there is a lot of advice out there that says one should show their work in process, to show what happens behind the scenes, and to show uncompleted artworks. I don’t do this. I don’t like to and here’s why.

The past two months have been tough ones for me personally, I almost moved apartments. Left one job and started another, and failed my G test (the 3rd of 3 tests on Ontario’s graduated driver’s license system). It felt like nothing was going right.

For a long time, I have been working a day job that is only loosely associated with the kind of artwork I want to create. I like working on paper or on screen making drawings and designs. Working things out on paper. I have been working in the costume department for film and television. I have about 10 years of experience in this field. I’ve tried every job the department has to offer; from being costume designer to costume ageing, to leatherworking to dressing background performers. All had their plusses and minuses but none of them had drawing as the main part of the job.

Restrictions here in Toronto have been slowly lifting, and because of that one of my favourite activities has started up again. Life drawing!

The other night I woke up to a bang! It sounded like fireworks, like a gunshot! Loud enough to wake me from a full sleep. My cat cuddled close to me, scared by the sounds. Then there was another flash of light and another bang. It was a summer storm!

So I’ve been learning to make repeating patterns. This is something I’ve wanted to learn for years and Im really glad that Im finally doing it. I would love to one day know that my patterns are in peoples homes as wallpaper and it would be amazing to see them printed on products in stores.

Since 2015 I have been implementing minimalist ideas into my life. There have been a lot of positive effects because of this lifestyle change but the one I want to talk about today was how this helped me to develop my art style.

The lockdown is ending, it’s been more than a year. It took time to adjust to it. Mostly to adjust to the anxiety and uncertainty of what would happen next in my life.

Now the lockdown is ending and I feel so glad it is. Again mostly because the blanket of anxiety that the pandemic caused is lifting. Businesses will run again, my day job is secured, I can apply for illustration jobs at companies that are still running.

So I made a pattern based on avocados. And you might be wondering, “why avocados? Is your millennial heart so drawn to them that you now need to venerate them in art?” And partly yes, but the real reason is that I want to make art accessible to anyone who wants it! And avocados are a common favourite of many.

When I at down to paint this painting it had been 7 years since i last touched acrylic paint to canvas and I was scared.

As I have been working to build my new website I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to put my energy. There are so many things I want to do but I know that If I spread myself too thin none of them are likely to work out.

I have worn so many hats and had so many jobs. I’ve been a server, a cigarette test subject, a promotional rep, a costume designer, an industrial designer and lately an artist. It took me a really long time to build up the confidence to pursue art as a career path. But it has been a secret goal since I was a teenager.