February 28th, 2013 § § permalink
Navillus Gallery has started an informative and beautiful lifestyle blog for new art collectors. On their blog they post thoughtful articles such as the significance of the term “mixed media”, a fundamental summary of the art fairs in Miami, and intimate studio visits to international artists, like Kirk Mechar’s in Nevis.
click to go to Navillus Gallery blog
The investments that come with collecting art is not only the piece itself, but also the expression of identity and the parts of it that we admire and are drawn to. Navillus Gallery curator, Taylor Sullivan, who studied at Cornell, Harvard and Parsons, heads the blog and inspires confidence in curating your own collection.
click to visit the entry
Earlier this month, I sat down with Kailee of Navillus Gallery to talk about music, process, museums and traveling. The gallery kindly dedicated a post about my inspirations on their blog! Click on the picture of the sea lion pups to read. Thank-you!
-Christie
February 22nd, 2013 § § permalink
While hiking through the rainforest in Tortugera National Park, I was impressed with the variety of plant species and their many survival solutions, particularly the epiphytes. These plants survive many feet off the air, growing on top of the branches of a large tree.
Observing these aerial plants made me think of the organic tenacity and abundance of thoughts and ideas that exist in our minds. Like a plant that competes for soil and sun, ideas compete for minds and attention. Plants can dig deep roots or grow a little stem as an epiphyte. In the same way, we seek to promote those ideas that generously occupy and structure our way of thinking and sometimes allow fads to bloom on top or wither. Species of ideas mutate because of our own interpretation as they proliferate in the individual ecosystem of our minds.
In this series, I wanted to make paintings while reflecting on the wild but steady process that we all tick according to. I repeatedly mutate and layer with the brush, which resembles the elegant shape of a leaf. The composition is mostly abstract and not based on any particular plant species.
-Christie
February 20th, 2013 § § permalink
With the bee and pytilia
From the Deception Series.
-Christie
February 19th, 2013 § § permalink
The eggs she lays are white, like her host’s.
The whydah lays her two to four eggs in a pytilia’s nest. When her chicks hatch, the male learns to sing his caretaker’s song, while the female learns to recognise it. Their parasitic relationship and recent speciation is perpetuated with the perfect imitation of a melody.
Recently I’ve been thinking about how elegant the balance between altruistic and selfish animals is. A single parasite, having more to lose, can devastate an idyllic society of forgiving animals. The selfish multiply and consume the resources. They eventually run out of animals to take advantage of, however, and this new majority quickly declines. An increase of kinder animals occurs, this time more wary and sharp.
Meanwhile, the remaining parasites return with relentless ambition. Part of it is tragic, because they are born out of a genetic code that pressures selfish behaviour, facing extinction if they deny their tradition.
From the Deception series!
-Christie
February 18th, 2013 § § permalink
I will be at The Artist Project this week! Last year was a lot of fun and I met some accomplished artists so I am delighted to be participating again this year. I will be showing a new series and some new pieces, stop by for a look if you have time, okay okay?
February 21 – Sunday, February 24
Thursday: 7PM – 10PM (Opening Night, 19+ Event)
Friday: 12PM – 8PM
Saturday: 11AM – 8PM
Sunday: 11AM – 6PM
Better Living Centre
195 Princes’ Boulevard, Exhibition Place
Toronto, ON
-Christie
February 18th, 2013 § § permalink
The cuckoo, the bee orchid and the white swan
Part of the Deception series <- click to read description!
-Christie
