So I’ve got a variety of projects and things on the go.

I think one of the ones I’ve been most excited about this year is the Traveling Toy Camera Project – it has now been used in 4 countries (including 2 provinces, 3 states) over the past few months. It’s just been to England and will be traveling to Sweden next. I have loved to see what everyone had photographed and the wide range the Vivitar UWS offers. There has been a such a variety in subject matter and color or B&W film. There is something about the way that a photograph documents a place, a person or a time. I know that the large piece of graffiti in one of my photographs has recently been painted over.

I am so excited for the camera to keep on moving and continuing around the world! We’ve got several more countries, continents and places for it to go!

I’ve also been busy reviewing cameras for toycamera dot com and will have 2 reviews coming out in the coming months.

I really enjoyed reviewing the Holga TIM – a cute little Holga half-frame/stereo camera. Here are a few sneak peaks of my results but check toy camera dot com for my full review and photographs.

And the other camera is the Pop 9 - again, here is a sneak peak but stay tuned for the full review and more photographs.

I will be working on some pieces for the Odawa Art Auction raffle that will be taking place at the end of the month and hopefully making some headway in this regard over the long weekend.

That’s it for now – stay tuned!

I say it every year…this was the best year but I mean it, this was the best year! Saturday morning at 6:15am we packed up the car and left the winter wonderland to drive back in Ottawa for the New Sun conference.

If you’ve read my blog for at least a year then you know that for the last 9 years I’ve been attending the New Sun conference. Every year new speakers come, some I’ve heard of and some I haven’t but I am always, always profoundly moved. Like New Sun is the the air that fills my spirit and rejuvenates me for spring and starting another year.

This year I was excited to hear from all of the speakers, especially the first two. I was worried we might accidently sleep in, the weather or traffic would be bad and this would cause me to miss the first speakers – fortunately, none of these things happened and although I was sad to miss the morning prayer and welcome, I was very happy to make it in time for the speakers.

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Every year I am excited to attend the New Sun conference at Carleton University. I went to the first one 9 years ago when I was in 1st year university studying visual arts at UWO. I was so excited to be surrounded by accomplished and interesting Aboriginal artists. I still remember when Drew Hayden Taylor and Don Kelly spoke and hearing Jeffrey Thomas speak about photography.

New Sun Poster

Since then I’ve enjoyed listening to and meeting many inspiring artists in all genres – culinary arts, film, dance, vocal, photography and the list goes on and on! There is no other conference like New Sun – it’s relaxed and intimate venue and informative speakers can not be matched! And don’t even get me started on the amazing buffet at lunch! )

The New Sun conference is just weeks away and already I’m excited about some of the artists I am aware of already, like the extremely talented Christi Belcourt that I met last summer but all the speakers have peaked my interest.

Please visit www.trickstershift.com for more information and check out this year’s beautiful poster.

Cheers!

The art auction has come and gone and it was a really fun night and lots of great art! I was happy with how my pieces sold. I had 2 new pieces in the auction including the above Spirit Tree. Working off the original dream tree I started having dreams about another kind of tree – a spirit tree if you will. I imagined that all the little lights were tiny fireflies instead of leaves. The tree is alive with the spirit of my ancestors – with the roots connecting us all.

This piece is a lino print on handmade paper and hand-sewn beads.

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Tonight I finally was well and was able to do the test print of the lino cut – it took me a few tries to get the right amount of paint but I was very happy with the final result…now I will start on what will be the first stage of the printing. Looking forward to gettings these complete for the art auction!

Here are the details:

Get your tickets now for the 14th Annual Art Auction
Odawa Native Friendship Centre on Saturday, December 12, 2009
Enjoy an evening of art, entertainment and food, plus a live and silent auctions.

All proceeds support programming for Aboriginal women, youth, families, elders and community healing.

Book your ticket today, call or email:
Simon Brascoupé 613 882-7059 or email simonbrascoupe@hotmail.com
Colleen Sauve sauve@odawa.on.ca
Murray Pridham murray.pridham@ainc-inac.gc.ca
Darryl Diamond ddiamond@cscree.qc.ca
Tim O*Loan tmottawa@hotmail.com

Evening’s events:
Saturday, December 12, 2009, Odawa Native Friendship Centre,
12 Stirling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario

$40 ticket includes:
6:00 Preview and dinner
7:30 Entertainment
8:00 Art Auction Read the rest of this entry »

Today was a really lovely day and per usual on a weekday I was inside for most of it. I did enjoy the beautiful sunset on my way home. Read the rest of this entry »

So I’m starting to get ready for the Odawa Native Friendship Centre art auction for 2009. It will be coming up December 12.

This years theme is 7 Grandfathers – this is a teaching about wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth. I have some ideas for some new prints that will incorporate my “Chief” toy indian. I want the chief images to be about truth and respect – they will also be about identity.

I am hoping that I can come up with one piece to represent all 7 in one print so I’m working on those ideas now and hoping to have everything ready well in advance so that I will *fingers crossed* have time to do a beaded piece…

Here is my early sketch in pencil with an image and figure.

I want this to be a 2 stage print so there will be a written portion to this print but I’m going to start with the figure and then move from there.

So stay tuned – the work in on…

I’ve been working on a photography project – previously described – but to present the poem “i carry your heart with me” by ee cummings as part of a wedding gift. My friend and I went over several concepts and here is the results of some of them. I downloaded a typewriter font and removed pages from my notebook and printed the poem onto the pages and then put them back into the notebook. Read the rest of this entry »

My holga camera has been out of commission as the foam that holds the film inside fell out and jammed up. Today I pulled together the supplies to fix it and finally have a roll of film in to test my fixed holga. I appreciated the help from all the forum members at toycamera.com who made some great suggestions and shared experiences about their own similar holga issues. Hopefully, the test roll turns out as I’m looking to use my camera for a project. Read the rest of this entry »

(The art featured in this photo is by Karen Hodge Russell and Simon Brascoupe)

Last night was the show opening for Our Native Roots at Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro and I think it was a great success. I was so happy that many of my friends and family came out to the opening. We had some wonderful appetizers to start with door prizes and an auction of art pieces followed by dinner inside the restaurant.

Here are my photos displayed inside the restaurant. Read the rest of this entry »