Moths + Flames

You can also follow on Instagram to see more.in progress, finished pieces, F-Ups and everything in between!

Much more abstract than I usually do, but that's what sketchbooks are for. Fallen in love in paint pens my partner got me. If I remember It was last concert, there was a moment where she looked so childlike and scared. Had to pause the documentary and grab it. I also got a beautiful book of flowers the top sketch is from.

Inktober hint. My partner has a tattooed octopus n his shoulder from long before we met. No such thing as coincidence. This ended up becoming an acrylic paint that sits on my wall.

I've spent so much of my life painting the people I see around me. More and more I realize the need for varieties of people. Representation is so important. I didn't see little me, in anything but my brothers and fathers and a few friends called names I shan't utter. So I'm trying to learn to paint different skin tones. Definitely not easy to start, but nothing is gonna stop me!

A sad loss.... Don't really know what to say about this one. It's an old piece.

Mindless, interesting to really look back and document all the non pet portraits I've made. Growth and faults will always align.

Un.Finished.Biz.Ness

More sketchbook findings. Again, Embrace imperfections.
What do you do with your loose paper? I've done a stupid amount of art in the last 8ish years... Thankfully most of it's paper not canvas or I'd be a mess. Maybe a solstice burn?

Again, inktober got me again. Be gentle with your loved ones

More sketchbook art. Rarely do I share these. They're flawed, mistaken, and many don't make sense. But I am learning to embrace the learning. Funny enough one of my favourite sketchbooks is a giant black sketchbook from high school art class! Handles a few layers of gesso so I can paint with acrylics. Working on over painting backgrounds. Ended up loving it.

You can also follow on Instagram to see more.

Again, 2019 Inktober. It's always been a struggle for me. I have learned to love the inability to go back and mess with your work. No adjusting. No changing. What's there is there. Need it lighter? Add water. For a control freak, this is what I thank Inktober for!

This is an Inktober Challenge from 2019.
Every year I try to make, every year I give up. Got further last October than I have since I started trying years ago.

Making news around Canada, Island Health has installed Care and Connect Kiosks at Emergency Rooms in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Campbell River. These machines, act as a vending machine that allows the dispensing of harm reduction supplies, such as pipes, needles, smoking kits, narcan, drug testing kits. Island Health not only took bid for artists who identified themselves as PWLLE, but took feedback wonderfully. This allows dignity for those accessing supplies to mitigate risks due to toxic drug supplies, but can be essential for those who need supplies like needles for at home medical injections (insulin comes to mind), but cannot afford cost of needles. A wonderful step forward! I made the art on the side for Nanaimo's machines that are up and made the news on the Times Colonist!

https://sites.google.com/view/openheartcollaborative/projects .od4pvoxw6vn5

Sorry guys, I and some family members have been dealing with some pretty severe health problems. Some getting better, some getting worse. Lots to do with racism, politics, stigma, and other socioeconomic barriers.

So I figured I'd post some sketchbook drawings. A hugely talented, hard working, endlessly engaging... a clip from "This is America" by Childish Gambino. If you haven't watched it, do. it: Can't help but wan't to capture the confidence.
https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY?si=0gK3GVQQSOpKKFNx

"Let's Proceed Friends" $100 OBO Post 1/2

Okay, So. I think today is a day to talk about mental health. I hate talking about my mental health. It's something you can't see in someone else. I've been suffering from Severe Chronic Depression and Constant Anxiety my whole life. Why? I don't know, maybe something just wired wrong from birth. It's crippling. There's a weight to every breath you take. And eventually people stop caring when you complain. Lots of people dealing with this don't make it this far, I'm at the point where I'm watching the next generation of "sick" children with big ol' feelings growing up and expressing it. I got to meet a little sweetheart yesterday with big ol' feelings in his big ol troubled heart. It's terrifying. When you make it this far you learn to cherish the little things.
One of those little things is laughter. Today I took a day off and painted our friendly neighbourhood ex-con 5-10, Peter Hudson's comedic characters who gifted us with laughter based on observations of Nanaimo... Support that stuff! https://www.facebook.com/5to10bro

Ooops, He almost looked like bike cop Dave! 1/2

#5-10

"5-10 for mayor!" $100 OBO

2/2 Anyways the point of this rambling speech is let's try and be a little kinder to ourselves and each other. Lets lift each other up. Talk. End that stigmatizing bu****it. We hear it so much it's deafening: "Check on your friends, make sure they are okay, kids will be kids, it's just angst", it's rolled over my head and I've missed some signs from some friends I dearly miss.

If you're from here and somehow haven't heard of 5-10, I HIGHLY suggest taking a peak. Remember, it's just comedy. It's a parody. But somehow that makes it feel okay to talk about that weight. Those cycling thoughts. That ache in your chest. Anyways, he's a bit of hero, alongside his family. And that's some cool stuff. It's an honor to share another artists work, as they share their craft with our community. https://www.facebook.com/5to10bro #5-10

**For Sale $80, regular $180 **

Better photo of "Cry Baby" original watercolour

****Discounted $80 OBO - Regular $120***

5"x7" ready to hang mixed media on canvas

Princely little bu**er, somehow painting animals again. lol

**SOLD

****discounted****
For Sale $80 obo, reg $200
9"×11" watercolour and ink

*** FOR SALE $80 OBO- discounted!!! Was $120 ***
"Smelly cat, thats why you smell! - 2023" 5"×7" acrylic on canvas, ready to hang

In light of my hospital time on my bday, I'm not only selling pieces I wasn't planning on selling but letting them go at discounted prices. First come first served, shipping worldwide but Canadian shipping tracked is usually $14-$24. Offers accepted as well! Shipping wednesday and fridays

I've been looking and looking for full size sketchbooks for watercolor. My partner on his amazing on found me a 9x12 pre-cut coiled 300 GSM cold pressed SketchBook 64 pages each watercolor Sketchbook I've been looking for the right one for long time and he found it just right without asking or anything like that just a total surprise it's nice being listened to that deeply. So I now how the ability to play around a bit more with what I'm doing rather than every piece having to be a perfect one I can play.

Working on this beautiful person. Making an effort to practice more representation especially from a mixed family it's on how often it's a thin white perfect person we paint. It's been a challenge with the skin tones but it's been amazing

Representation is so important. I come from a mixed family. My parents call me and my brothers salt and pepper kids by our skin tones. I loved Pocahontas despite not understanding the cultural takeover but I saw myself my skin tone my hair being a powerful person. It's so important to see ourselves no matter who we are or what we look like or a background is in a positive light at some point. And if we can't find ourselves in a positive light then we do it ourselves and I'm watching a whole generation of amazing people taking themselves back. F**k Disney princesses unless that's your thing but I think it's much cooler to see women in stem, stay at home dad, migrating family settling in, or someone non-binary correcting pronouns proudly, you never know when you're going to catch a little kid's eye and y'all they will tell themselves they can be anything they want but for real not that bu****it we hear in school because we see it happening. When you see yourself in good light you get to be you 🦄

Hey hey it's okay everybody feels a little weird someday...

POSCA

it was all nature once.

been playin with acrylic markers and tiny canvases. great for tackling depression before trying to paint a 3x5 foot canvas