Times-a-flyin', Dreamlands float by, Nightmares don't knock me down but they sure do get my heart-beating faster.

Later in my life, when wiser and seasoned, I'll write a country song about the sorrows and joys of periods of change. I'm such a newb to it all right now; overreacting at the smallest upset! Change is tough, guys and gals! My Grandma agreed rather knowingly when I mentioned how I was feeling. "Transition is difficult, Dear", she said, faint remains of her British accent audible in certain words. She came to Canada on a ship in her mid-Twenties with an infant and a bun in the oven, leaving her family and friends to start a new life; she knows about periods of transition.

As you may know, my performance anxiety has been getting to me. Vivid nightmares in which I am forced to create or a big, bad man will fly down at me and bite off my legs...

It's only been a few weeks since my last contemplative post but much has changed since then, I feel. I'm seeing more clearly. And frankly, I'm happy that I had that little down to put me in my place! I'm young - the downs and confusion and ego-bursting moments are necessary in order to show me the way to the next level, my next peak.

I'm settling into my job, settling into the level of creation, settling into my first fall since I was four years old that I am not in school. My gosh, I do yearn for more schooling. I had a few days of feeling as though since I am done school, the learning is complete and this is the level of design that I will be at for the rest of my life. Hahah, so ridiculous. I've snapped out of it. Now, I'm just trying to go with the flow. It's a joy to have some free time to focus on my development - I just need to get used to the happiness of it all.

For a little while there, I felt as though I wasn't creating anything interesting. It all seemed so blah to me. After having brainstormed some ideas with my bosses and close friends, I realize there's something interesting in the majority of my ideas. I gotta have faith! It's all coming together, I feel myself relaxing into it.

So, what's next?

Well... I'm conceptualizing and designing a promotional journal for Surface Jalouse. The release of the book will coincide with a huge reopening of the Surface Boutique! I have to design displays for the interior of the boutique (vinyls, showcase boxes, pieces of furniture) and a line of t-shirts. We're also going to develop the winter season window installations for the Boutique and for several clothing stores. And all this for only a couple of months from now. Wow - seems I'm a little out of my league with all this stuff! Lots of inspiration though... so things will roll :)!

Here's some inspiration for you now:

A great, long episode of The Strombo Show on CBC Radio:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Radio/1447825254/ID=2127808266

The first in a series of short films called Made by Hand, promoting hand-made, local artisans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfuGWT8alT4

I want to start embroidering on photos:

Vibrant artwork by an artist whose name I can't fully remember... Francis something. Sorry artist! Who didn't love Darjeeling Limited?! Watch for gorgeous patterns in every scene!

Love this kind of symmetrical illustration, using a strong white space and simple, unhesitating, lines. Mingo Lamberti

Great new tune to enjoy:

Feist - How come you never go there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h65YIvjIV7E

And I'll leave you with something to consider... I've been mulling it over for a while now. Why not be a part of your community by making it more beautiful? Positive vandalism, if you will. It takes little effort and goes such a long way in brightening your environment and neighbours' lives.  And in a city like Montreal - pot-hole filled and such - who wouldn't love a little ironic, colourful addition to their surroundings?

Til next time everyone! Enjoy the change, layers of clothing and fall colours...

Wall Mural-ing

Unfortunately, I haven't got any higher quality photos of my work just yet, but here are a few shots from a wall mural I did for a resto bar in Quebec City called Jack Saloon!

As Irene pours down.

A self-indulgent piece to clear my thoughts and sulk on a rainy day. Apologies for the run-ons and at times, difficult to follow trains of thought. I'm a little all-over the place today but sometimes you just gotta get it out.

I've had this post in my mind for a few weeks now, since I completed my Graphic Design diploma, actually. The fear of the "real world" has quickly set in, especially without any time off to collect my thoughts after a whirlwind ending. (I started working full-time the Monday after my Friday evening graduation). Negative, defeatist feelings have been rolling through me and developing into more concrete thoughts - and some, developing into realities. Excuse my tangents as I feel there will be a few throughout this entry -- rainy days just kind of do this to me. "The winds of change are blowing through, the rain washing the slate clean. My accomplishments behind me, new ones must take their place". Ya, those sorts of daunting, melodramatic lines are common for me on rainy days.

I've been on a major high. The highest high of my blossoming artistic career. I feel pretentious calling myself an artist but I'm not solely a graphic designer, so I'll use the word and take the title. With the title, comes the realization that as an artist my creations are not solely for personal pleasure and release, they are for the bread and butter, the dollars, the advancements. I have always been faced with the desire, nay, need, to be creative but never like this. Never as a career, never to make the rent. These days, the pressure to create does not solely come from my internal monologue; I now feel I must appease others' who patiently await my next creation - my Facebook friends, family, teachers, and as the added kicker, my employers. Important people around me expect greatness from me. I expect greatness from myself. So, what's the next move? How can I keep up the success?

Strange feelings for me since I began working full-time: being directed, producing for the sake of money and creating for the benefit of others. I have to acknowledge however, that it is a new feeling. Things will fall into place and the pressure won't be as numbing and intimidating - I will give myself time and attempt to relax into my current position. But for now, I'll just panic and ponder a little...

As a "professional" artist, my employment could push me in one of two directions; I could sink or swim. Continued success: breast-stroking onwards into the unknown, skill-testing tides or, the worst possible outcome, artistic apathy: soaking in murky, brown, semi-creative/semi-productive waters that hint at my past successes. It's the beginning of this stage of my life and I'm allowing myself to get into the darkness and unfamiliarity of it all, so yes, I am afraid. Afraid that creating for others who lack inspiration & are often tacky, will drag me down into an innovation-less life zone, without drive or vision of places I want to be and the person I can become. I don't want to be a designer at the median of creativity - reproducing what's already been done for the sake of rapid output or simply to finish the boring job off and put me out of my misery. Frankly, I'm afraid I will loose my motivation. I'm afraid I will spend crucial career development years working for the wrong company or working for the wrong end goal. How can I know that I am where I should be? How can I know I'm taking the steps I'm supposed to take so that my bank of ideas never runs dry? How can I stay at the forefront of my design abilities? I don't want to become a lackluster designer/artist who repeats themselves.

I want to feel the way I have felt this past year, for the rest of my days. I want to ooze inspiration for myself and those around me. I'm realizing now that this takes practice and effort. When you're a student, the projects are based around developing your brainstorming and conceptualization - the inspiration comes easily. You are constantly surrounded by curious people who have yet to be jaded by the underwhelming projects that lay ahead. I need to be involved in my growth because my employment and my work projects cannot be the heart of it, they can only be a part of it - on the sidelines.

To only way for me to keep up that drive is to constantly look for new, encourage myself to research, brainstorm deeply instead of settling on the first idea. I need to remain at the heart of the action: living in metropolis cities, going to vernissages, museums, listening to new music, following interesting blogs, being attuned to European artistic developments, having arts and crafts days with creative friends. Luckily for me, I have all those things readily available to me... and I have a deep want to move forward.

After all this fretting, having written out this worrisome post has done me some good. For the sake of relaxation and perspective, I think it would wise to look at the big picture. I guess storms just do strange things to the designer in me or oops, should I say artist?! Professional artist? Creator?? Won't worry about that just yet.

I'm busy,... so so busy!

Hi!
I'm living the dream right now world wide web! This job at Surface Jalouse is opening so many doors and allowing me to create some crazy stuff. (Ie. neons lights and mirrors inspired by the artist Zilon for the Festival Design & Mode in Montreal---- ummmm, is this real?! Am I dreaming?)

I'm also finishing up my final projects and still working as a creative assistant to a marketing professor at the John Molson School of Business. I honestly don't know how I'm finding the time! But I'm loving it.

Here's a peek at my magazine:

Front and Back cover...





Spread from the article "Tripping on Fireworks" -- Photo cred to Hisham Eid


Illustrated spread "HIGHWAISTED Accesories in Space"


Article on art in abandoned Mtl buildings

Portfolio coming together as I get a job!!!

YAAAA! I was just hired by Surface Jalouse as their new designer. An awesome design company focused on custom interiors (furniture, wall fixings, murals, window displays). It's an incredible opportunity and such a cool place. I'm soooo excited to start. I'll be doing 1 day a week until I finish school in August!

In the mean time, I have to get my excitement under control and focus on the now --- a never ending pile of projects.

Here's a look at my portfolio cover:

Business cards -- Testing testing!

Working on new business cards. What do you think?
Do the words I've chosen to describe myself suit me?

A Travel Notebook...

For those who want to see a different side of themselves, their environment and the people around them while they travel: A travel notebook based on 20 challenges that include taking a photo with a disposable camera during the challenge.

This project has been massive and taken up lots of time and energy but I'm so so happy with the results. I feel very attached to this project since I took all the pictures and drew everything in the journal. Going to get it all printed later today.

Here is my moodboard and initial inspiration:



Here are some shots from the notebook layout:
(PLEASE ingore the text/picture boxes that mysteriously showed up in the screen shots of it all... bummer but I'm too busy to re-screenshot everyhing)











The notebook comes with a disposable camera, picture corners (sticky corners that you slip pics into) and 3 postcards.

Here are the postcards! Love them so much...

Art Deco does Osheaga Part 2

Hi Internet World - writing you from an exhausted, over-worked, and creatively stimulated state.

The poster I showed you all last week (inspired by A.M. Cassandre) focused on the crowd and the sickeningly cool people that go to Osheaga. This poster emphasizes the preforming acts and their grandeur/star appeal as they reign over Mtl during the Osheaga weekend.

Inspired by Herbert Matter, photographer, teacher, designer, and so much more, from the art deco era. Not as proud of this one as I am of the first I posted but I think the duo is great! Very much what I envisioned.

Here's part 2 of my Art Deco inspired Osheaga poster project:



And here's my inspiration by Herbert Matter:

ART DECO OSHEAGA!

I showed you all the beginning of this poster in a post a couple of days ago...
Here's the (possibly) final version. I'm sure I'll be back to edit it many times. This is what usually happens when I get a project done a few days in advance!

Oh and BTW!

I don't think I posted this last semester but I finished a personal website for my web design class!

Obviously there are still glitches....
But here it is!!

http://www.monlienweb.com/portfolio/erin/

An honest moment and a catch up on my design endeavours...

Thanks to a few disgruntled followers (who knew I even had followers?!), I've been faced with the reality that I am letting this blog and myself (and hey, why stop there, the internet and even the world) down by not posting more often! Let's face it people, the world is a better place when I'm blogging... obviously...

Ya, ok. Back to reality. The fact is that this blog just makes me feel good. And on top of that, this blog allows me to organize my thoughts and track my progress. Maybe I don't touch anyone with my posts. Maybe no one gets me. My motivation is purely selfish. Truthfully, I've felt extremely guilty about falling behind on my posts.

If I wasn't completely submersed in school, in something that I am truly passionate about, I would feel horrible about not blogging. But hey, my life is hectic right now. All I do is create everyday. Yes, I love to create but creation on demand is something different. Over and over, day after day, with teachers telling you that your work is lacking in originality and your colleagues critiquing your every move. At the end of the day, I just want to zone out. All my energy has been going to focusing on school, keeping my head out of the summer clouds and in the sunless classrooms. It's starting to get draining.

But I know it's all worth it. My work is thriving! Anticipation for a new job in design is rising! I want to be out there. I want to show the design world what I've got. The design world can wait though, first I'll show all of you, oh loyal followers, honest and critical followers, thought-provoking followers. Let me know your thoughts!

We started the semester off with a massive illustration project for La Maudite beer by Unibroue. I wanted to push myself for this one. I spent hours on the illustration. We had one accordion style booklet (which you can see both sides of) and two stickers for a beer bottle! I was inspired by the 50's-60's, kitchy horror film posters and the damsels in distress that were definitely beautiful but not always the best actresses...


Stickers for the bottle


Both sides of the accordion booklet


Booklet detail


One of the incredibly exciting things about this semester is the fact that us design students get to work with a photography student. We will be their clients and art directors and in turn, they will be our clients and we need to guide them through the design process while still respecting their wants and needs. The collaboration that allowed for some incredible photoshoots and idea generation!

Tomorrow I am shooting pictures for my portfolio! Here's my inspiration:



A snippet of the photoshoots and branding that I've aided in to promote the photography student I'm working with will be up soon. For now, we're keeping it a secret so we can blow all the other students away... :)

I have a bunch of projects going on at the moment but here's the last I'll be giving you a taste of... The beginning of a poster for Osheaga in Montreal. Inspired by A. M. Cassandre, designer of the Art Deco era - all about patterns, geometry, adornments, style and perspective. Can't wait to see the final results.





Hope this appeases any of you out there that are interested in what I've been up to. It's definitely felt good to give my blog some loving!

The Joys of HTML and CSS

As I've said in a previous blog post, I'm presently learning web design in school. I'm actually really enjoying it since it's so mathematical and logical. Connecting irrational and dreamy designs with a rigid code and structure has been a welcome challenge!

Unfortunately, the Prof who teaches this class is not really interested in the design aspects and tends to give us assignments that are dull or extremely masculine (especially since our class consists of 11 women and only 1 man). During our last assignment, 8 out of the 12 students got stuck making websites on sporting good companies. Luckily for me, I got Playstation! I am nowhere close to even being a nube but the subject matter was inspiring none the less. I found a playstation symbol font and the project just rolled right on from there...

N.B. Please don't read the body content... I am so not a playstation type of girl! It's just weak people, so weak!

Here's a screenshot for the Playstation 3 console



And here's one for the PS3 games...

A Milestone!

Guess what,.... I reached 100 views on a blog post last week! This has never happened!

In fact, I'm feeling pretty good right now because every post I've made in 2011 has gotten more views than the last. This is wonderful news for me considering I started this blog over a year and a half ago and I'm only now getting some momentum. It's even better news due to the thought, heart and soul that I poured into that last post - I'm so proud that's the post that got me to my 100th view...

This experience that has really taught me the benefits of putting yourself out there and not worrying about others' judgments but rather, being open to their criticism. Yes, I know I'm just talking about my personal blog and the life lesson does seem rather weighty considering the medium, but it's so true. I'm blown-away by the affect this blog has had on me.

Anyways, this is just a short thanks to all those that have supported me along this journey!

The Issue with Specialization in a World of Systems

For years, I was told, the only way to succeed in this day and age of buy and sell and push and produce and create, create, create is through specialization. You cannot be a jack-of-all-trades, otherwise, you’re good at lots but great at little.

I’ve spent some time now, out of University, on my quest for specialization and creating my perfect niche between marketing and design. Now that I’ve stepped out of my university bubble and have continued my education in another domain, I see how misleading this push towards specialization can be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful to be great at something but…. Well, just stay with me and we’ll get to the point.

I’m presently reading “The Mysterious Island” by Jules Verne; The story of 5 men who are stranded on an island after a tumultuous hot-air balloon escape. These men have the physical and more importantly, mental, resources to not only survive but thrive on this island. It seems no matter what issue they are faced with, one of them has the solution. Yes, this is a fantasy, but it’s gotten me thinking – If I, the sustainable marketer/designer, were stranded on an island with 4 of my peers, how would we do? Would we have a kiln built and dinner in bowls only 3 weeks after our arrival on the island? It’s laughable really, how greatly we would struggle and probably fail. Being the specialized modernists that we are, we lack the essential knowledge that was, not so long ago, essential to survival.

In this day and age, university graduates are all being pushed towards specialization. If you study a little bit of everything, you are a floater, unfocused and simply have not yet found your path (but you’re the type of person I’d love to have on that island with me). The issue with this mentality is that students feel the need to specialize so strongly, that they close their minds to the nuances and connections that are around them in every direction. Everything is connected! Yet, on our quest for a niche career, we forget this. How does chemistry relate to philosophy, art to business, relationships to the economy? Why don’t we ask ourselves these questions more often?

Didn’t Leonardo Da Vinci say something along the lines of - The world is a complex system of simple things? A system… Functioning together and affecting everything around it, whether we acknowledge it or not. Recently, I made a connection with a sustainability expert – Michelle Holliday. (For those of you who know me or read this blog, you know that I want to work in sustainable design, so this chance encounter was a great one.) I heard her speak of her notion that all things in life, your body, your company, your community, is a living ecosystem. Working together towards a goal. Again, this notion of system arises. Systems and connectivity, both are filling my thoughts these days.

I see now that on my quest to focus my knowledge, I am in fact broadening it and connecting the dots. Yes, we must specialize in order to become valuable members of society but as we do so, we must remember to take the time to step back and see how everything connects. How does what we’re doing affect the people around us, our community, our environment, our economy, the system we are a part of?

This year, I’ve delved further into my passions of marketing, design and sustainability and, I see it all so clearly now, marketing, business-2-business, design, sustainability, service… it’s all connected and all of it affects the living system that we are a part of.

To go off on a tangent:
The only way that businesses and inevitably, the human race, will survive is to start considering their impact on their ecosystem. They must understand that all efforts are connected to either their existence, or their demise. Sustainability people! It needs to become a way of life. After all, what is sustainability other than simply striving to last long? Don’t we all want this?
I digress.

So, specialization isn’t a bad thing, as long as you have the intelligence, curiosity and observation skills to step back and understand how this all relates to the bigger picture. This intense focus on the bottom line, be it monetary or a career goal or the picket fence, is the reason our lives, our communities and our planet are in such shambles.

Teachers For Hope!

I'm working on another project for my loving mother. She is always so incredibly supportive of my artistic and graphic endeavours!

This is a poster for a fundraiser called the Teachers For Hope being put on by Bishop's University School of Education.
A great event: delicious meal, live entertainment, silent art auction. Proceeds go to supporting the Bishop's/Champlain Refugee-Student Sponsorship Committee and the Kibena Women's Association of Njombe, Tanzania.

This isn't the final draft (Yes, I'm still living in 2010 apparently...), but you'll get a good idea of what the final version will look like!

If any of you are in Sherbrooke on the weekend of the 26th - treat yourself to a great meal and some beautiful art to support a great cause!

Moleskin Retrospective - Journal #2

So, as I've indicated, this project is taking up a great deal of time... It's a huge piece of work. I'm submitting the website for my web design class this week but it's definitely a diluted version of what the final one will be.

For the diluted website, I chose only 3 entries from my journal to indicate major moments throughout the trip... May 10: Our first drawing class and the sense of settling into our Italian life; May 17: The Pugnalone Festival, the sun finally comes out, the group joy, inner-tensions with certain group members; and May 27: A stop in Orvieto before Florence, We are in heaven, I am more content than I've ever been.

In the larger website that I'm envisioning, all entries will be compiled along with the sketches of the day, things I picked up, pictures I took,... It will truly demonstrate the day to day of our drawing trip.

Here's journal entry #2 from the smaller site...

May 17 -
Yesterday was incredible. Finally a little sun, heat, energy, balance, positivity.

Needed to be away from the roommates and the regular people. Went to the city with Eliza and Sophie. The Pugnalones were displayed in the piazza. Beautiful colours and breath-taking artistry. So much more than I expected it to be. Art made from nature, petals, leaves, dirt, bark… Enjoyed a delicious pastry and caffe latte. Why does everything taste so much better here? Maybe it’s the lack of stress, the increased focus on my senses.

I’m enjoying things from all angles, all aspects.

We sat in an arch looking out over the piazza and sketched. The piazza slowly filled with people as they prepared for the festival to begin. The procession was led by drummers and brass. It filled my heart and my body was beating along with the rhythm. Flag throwers, amazing costumes, pride, culture, belonging, family, heritage. INCREDIBLE. I’ve never experienced anything like it.

The other girls and I were all buzzing from the passion, crowd, dedication of the performers and village.

The festival lasted a few hours but I could have sat in that crowd for days.

The Pugnalones were walked back into the piazza… shortly followed by the Virgin Mary and another band, more somber music but so fitting.

As she was carried by, ppl “crossed” themselves and fell in walking behind her. So much belief and culture. I was part of something so big and so deep. I felt incredibly privileged and was reeling from the excitement all night.

Two of the teams had dinner at Buonhumore. The energy was everywhere – cheers, yells, beats, smiles, yelling, laughing! So amazing! We sat at our table amidst it all and joined in to the beating. We were again, incredibly privileged and welcomed into this amazingly rich community experience. We drank LOTS of wine, maybe too much… We were invited to the piazza for the “younger” team members’ post-Pugnalone congregation/celebration.

SO MUCH ENERGY! SO MUCH EXCITEMENT AND SO MUCH HISTORY. We Canadians laughed and joined in as much as we could. Amazing day.

My eyes and soul are open to Acquapendente. The people and their traditions are incredible.

Woke up far too spinny and hungover… many dreams of Sophie. She’s so amazing and so real. Compassionate and empathetic aswell. Qualities I need to work on in myself.

We went to Bolsena and drew from the main piazza, the medieval town and the archway that leads into it.

I feel the progression in my art. Learning to feel less frustrated with inaccuracy and lack of precision and enjoying it for what it is. It always ends up more interesting when I abandon what I’m doing. I’ll never be able to more forward and develop unless I do.

Some people are starting to drive me a little crazy. Forming opinions of ppl that I know will eventually be revealed to them. I’m opinionated and don’t give a shit. If I hear/see something I don’t like, I’m going to say it.

I’m coming to that limit with certain people. Annoyed with their lack of consideration, lack of passion w/ class and Michele and their lack of willingness to let go of old habits and allow this experience in. I need to say something to them because their negativity is starting to affect my experience…

Maybe this in an opportunity for me to learn how to disconnect from ppl around me and their emotions.

Focus on my drawing, an open mind, soaking up the experience and focus on not allowing others' downers to bring me down.

A sketch of the crowd waiting for the Pugnalone Festival to begin.

Moleskin Retrospective Website is Advancing!

I am so so excited by this project. Granted, it's taking up so much of my free time and I'm becoming rather obsessed by it, but nonetheless, it's coming along wonderfully!

Here's a screen shot of the website from the section "Personal Sketches"!

Moleskin Retrospective - May 6, 2010 - June 6, 2010

For a while now, I've been forming an online project in my mind but haven't had the opportunity to bring it to fruition.

I've wanted to create an online collection of my journaling from my Italy 2010 drawing trip. By packaging my journal entries, photos, personal sketches, course sketches and scans of all my random pamphlets, tickets and handouts, I believe I could recreate my experience.

Evidently, my own ego will be satiated by putting my work out there... but It's way more than that. It's about creating a digital snippet of a journey. An art project that took almost a year to come about - a month of intensive drawing, observations, emotions and exploration and a subsequent 9 months of contemplation and growing awareness of the impact this journey has had on who am I and where my life is going.

In my web design class, I have recently been given the mandate of creating a website - the topic is ours to choose and really, we are only fulfilling a few html requirements - so it could be extremely general and simple. But, I want to make this project personal. I have already completed half my design diploma, which means that I have only 4 more months to come up with a portfolio of pieces that truly represent me. I don't just want to meet requirements, I want to pour my heart out.

So my web page will be step one of my online Italy journal. The beginning of my Moleskin Retrospective.

For the sake of opening myself up to the internet world (as if I don't already do it) - here is an entry from my Italy moleskin.... Uncensored (apart from a couple of names), unedited. A review of my first drawing class in Italy.

May 10, 2010

Today was definitely step one in embracing the positive and accepting the negative, but more importantly – MOVING on & FORWARD from it!

Woke up feeling extremely crappy after it took me a long time to get to sleep and was woken by a fly buzzing by my ear. Two extremely weird nightmares:
1 – Woman (anorexic) wearing red leather dress and black zip up leather heals to her thighs. Beating Edward against another cat and she killed him.
2 - ***** wanting to leave ***** and refusing to listen to reason. Acting like an adolescent with her IPod earphones in.

Was slow to get into it but was quickly rejuvenated by Michele’s first drawing class. We walked down a country path. Old wooden broken down fence lining the way, trees surrounding us, creating a canopy of green foliage.

I sat attentively, soaking up her passion, love, wisdom & SENSUAL sentences. She feels everything she says. She breathes art. She wants us to experience art w/ all 5 senses. Drawing w/ an open mind, drawing in the present and walking the thin line connecting what we can depict in a 15 min sketch with reality. The drawing becomes our reality of the situation.

She expects passion from us. A constant connection between ourselves and the drawing. We need to submerse ourselves.

I am ready. I am completely ready. I want this experience and what I learn to define me and shape the rest of my life.

We drew four sketches – each time I took in what she said to improve. I want to show my passion to her, not for the grade and not for her respect but for me - In order to not do this half assed. I will benefit most if I’m a nerd about it. A shameless drawing nerd.

We showed our drawings for critique from Michele. Mine were mentioned twice as very strong. But I have a long way to go. It needs to be less about drawing it and more about feeling it – putting my feelings about what I’m seeing down on paper. Feeling what I’m seeing and interpreting it. Understanding the skeleton and structure and building up around that, less “exactly” what I’m seeing and more what I’m experiencing.

I loved every second. Classes only this morning, wasn’t enough. MORE MORE MORE PLEASE. I felt relaxed, I felt whole and good with myself.

Drawing makes me feel alive, connected to what’s happening around me.

It was good for my soul and I can’t wait for tomorrow.

As usual, missing Peter, my lover, but feeling more attached to the people around me, especially specific aspects of them. Connected to the good and trying to avoid the negative.

Rich personalities, warm people, interesting conversations. We’re already a strange little family.

A few observations short of a socially intelligent being

Disclaimer: There's really no point to this blog post other than to vent (without naming names) of those close to me who truly lack awareness of their social impact.

What makes someone socially intelligent? Is it part of their genetic make-up? Is it their parents' influence? Is it their ability to observe?

What makes some socially unintelligent (The S.U.'s of our society)? I've been thinking about this one alot lately. Recently I've come in contact with a wide array of socially inept - from the forgivable loud walkers to the punishable biggots. The open-mouthed chewers, the young kids with their music blasting in the metro, the middle-aged who feel justified and attempt to embarrass the up-and-comers around them (jaded nurses, professors, that one woman who constantly walks into classes at Interdec College), people who invade others' space with their negativity; the list goes on and on.

Evidently, I'm a little annoyed about all this S.U. behaviour. Frankly, it irritates me to the point of altering my good moods. (I know this is something I need to learn to externalize).

I blame it on being observant. I notice the faces, postures, groans, retorts of those who have been in the presence of someone who is S.U. To be honest, there are times that I'd rather not notice it at all, I would be a much less annoyed individual and I would not be so privy to the awkwardness of certain interactions around me. However... let's face it, much better to be aware! I'll take the ability to observe over being selfish and inconsiderate, any day!

And to those around me who have irritated classrooms, metro cars and friends with their selfish behaviour, I say: open your eyes! You are negatively impacting the people around you!!

Rant over.

Delicious Recipe #2!

It's cold, it's snowing, take-out is crappy and expensive. And... btw loyal followers (if you're out there :)), my first recipe post got me the most page views I've gotten since I started this blog in 2009 - so here goes Recipe NUMERO DEUX!

A delicious soup that is filling, tasty, acidic, different, and quick to make! Always amazing to try out new recipes that actually surprise you. Peter and I will undoubtedly be making this one again. This recipe was found in Issue 51 of The Donna Hay Magazine that included 25 recipes for simple soups! I'm sure I'll be posting another one of the recipes soon considering how great this one turned out.



Without further ado -

Chicken, Risoni, Lemon Soup!
4 medium sized servings


1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over high heat.
2. Add 1 chopped brown onion and 1 sliced clove garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add 4 chicken thigh filets, 1 litre chicken stock and 2 cups water and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Remove chicken, shred and set aside.
5. Add 1 cup risoni to the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes.
6. Add the chicken with 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves.
7. Sprinkle with finely grated parmesan and lemon zest to serve!

Enjoy it and please let me know what you think of the it!

Inspiration EVERYWHERE - Some recent finds...

I've always been a curious person I suppose, but my recent leap into a design career and increased internet surfing has seriously peek my curiousity. I mean, come on people, how amazing is TWITTER?! Compelling content that I ask to hear about. What more could you ask for from a social media website?

Sure does beat the 30 posts a day from that one facebook friend who spends all their time on Farmville...

And Reddit?! Granted, I don't have an account and am not the most frequent visitor, but my bf sends me all the links I'd be interested in. He's like my personal Twitter filter for Reddit :).

And on the subject of inspiration, did any of you head out to the Igloofest in Montreal this month? What a visual trip! The lights, the ice sculptures, the people, the music... and the brilliant event marketing. Igloofest = My Heaven = Marketing+Design for the 20 somethings.

ALSO, TEDxConcordia - Feb 19, I'm there, Baby!

I'm bursting with excitement from all the stimulation and inspiration I've gotten from 2011 so far. I'm hungry for more.

Here are a few items to spark you're curiousity as well:

JOOZE - The sweetest juice box packaging I've ever seen.


http://lovelypackage.com/student-work-yunyeen-yong/

A still from Amelie - exceptional film and the inspiration for my newly acquired haircut :)



3-D Crayola Chalk??!?!? Light years beyond my childhood art tools



Igloofest scene! This shot doesn't do it justice but it gives you a tiny taste...



I dare you not to love this song! Janelle Monae, thank the universe for you. Faster, off her lastest album Arch Android.



Vibrant floral patterns... I'm a sucker for them.



On the topic of floral patterns.... William Morris, Pattern God. (My new title image is a William Morris pattern)



Art by Gordon Reid of Middle Boop



Marian Bantjes -- she must be on the verge of insanity... Her work is insanely beautiful and insanely meticulous



Ink in water.... I am fascinated.



A final image to ponder over: Space colonies. Ya.... sit on that one for a while.