Piper Illustration

The Little Chambord House

If you would like to view the inside of The Little Chambord House and see a photo montage of how I made it, feel free to scroll down and have a looksee. I will start here by saying that the structure of the house is a Chambord box, Chambord being a berry liquer. I saved the box for months just knowing I would use it for something... but being in storage, it got crushed and mangled, so painting the outside didn't look as nicely "finished" as i had wanted. Therefore, I decided to use Japanese Linen paper, that i got from The Paper Place on Queen W, which is lovely and very durable. The little clay people inside of the house were created by artist Leslie-Anne Green. I have been a long time admirer of her work and was very excited to buy a couple of her eccentric little people to use for this little house project, which, by the way, I made for the baby's room!

This is a view from the front looking into the little house.

This is a view from the top of the house looking down inside. Oh, how I wish my own hardwood floors looked this good.

This is a view inside from the far left window of the house.

Here is an angle looking in from the far right window showing the "hardwood" floors, the "wainscotting" and the wall paper, not to mention artist Leslie-Anne Green's amazing little clay people. I love them so much!

This is an inside view of the little house looking up to the top. The funny dinosaur guy is a little original acrylic painting I did a while ago for a kids project. I had painted him on canvas paper but I decided to glue him to a tiny gallery wrapped canvas and paint the sides for more of a substantial and 3-D effect inside the house. What little girl and boy doesn't like to have vibrant original artwork around to enjoy?

These are the materials I used to create the house: Acrylic paints, glue, special papers which I will elaborate more on in the next photo, my trusty sewing scizzors, and ribbon for hanging, though I might end up going with something clear instead.

Please click the picture if you would like to get a better sense of the texture of these papers. I plan to elaborate more on these special and unique papers very soon.

IF: Hatch

My nephew Noah is an artist. He made this picture of my house and me and my soon to arrive baby, depicting the love we share. I think this is perfect for the theme of Illustration Friday this week, Hatch, as I am about to "hatch" my beautiful baby, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to share Noah's wonderful art work. He is the most creative person i know, and he's deeply sensitive like all good artists, and just look at his amazing sense of colour and composition!

The Pinwheel Wreath

IF: Entangled / Betsy & The Blue Bird

Blue Bird has a fancy new hairdo and a nifty new scarf thanks to Betsy's wind blown ponytail! (Check out the post below for the side canvas view). With my baby's arrival so imminent, I am feeling drawn to creating tender children's art. Oh, and of course the winter wonderland season is upon us which is also inspiration for this piece. We are getting our tree tomorrow! Wipee!

Betsy & The Blue Bird

Acrylics on 12 x 12 x 1.5 inch gallery wrapped canvas.

Holiday Cards

Last year I licensed out this image as a Holiday card to Nouvelles Images. They are doing another run of them this year, so if you are a business interested in purchasing some to sell in your store, you can find them here. I made a new Holiday card for this year which I will post after my personal one's are sent out. Happy & festive winter season, everyone!

Etsy Shop

I am in the process of opening up an Etsy Shop. I am also about to give birth to my first child in 5-8 weeks, so Etsy might have to go on hold for a short time. Until then, I thought I would share my plans for the shop. Click on "Etsy Shop" above for details. Thanks for visiting!

Madeline

Madeline was created with acrylic paints on gallery wrapped 12 x 12 x 1.5 inch canvas. This painting is part of a series called Movie Stills. Each painting in this series is loosely based on yet inspired by a scene of a particular film. Madeline was inspired by Jean-Luc Godard's Masculine Feminine.

Esme

Esme was created with acrylic paints on gallery wrapped 12 x 12 x 1.5 inch canvas. This painting is part of a series called Movie Stills. Each painting in this series is loosely based on yet inspired by a scene of a particular film. Esme was inspired by Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amelie Poulain.

Where It All Happens

Small, but all mine. And a window to the backyard! Couldn't ask for more. Well, that is
until I can afford my own studio space, of course.

7th Annual Square Foot Show

Oh, Clementine! / IF: Hollow

I Heart Adina

Adina Photo & Custom Frames in Toronto, that is. For all of your photo and framing needs, and for great customer service, you can't go wrong with this little gem of a place. I felt compelled to send a nod out to them for making my artwork look so rockin!

While I'm at it, one more nod out to Giclee Printing Services Toronto on Queen West @ Ossington. You just can't get any better than this place for quality giclee printing and customer service.   

IF: Shaky

Apprehensive and curious at once, the girl didn't know what to think or do, for she had never before laid eyes on such a delicate yet devilish looking creature.

All Things Peculiar & Whimsical

Art Show

These 2 pieces, Vaudeville Act 1 & 2, will be part of a group Art Show from May 1 - June 30. As soon as the gallery has the announcements ready, I will post one here. Click the photo for a larger view.

IF: Impossibility/Vaudeville - Act 2

Clara, with great poise, proved to her audience that it is not impossible to hold 2 mischievous birds while balancing delicately on one foot.

IF: Subtract. One Down, Nineteen To Go.

Little Winnie Faulkner had a devilish plan which involved some Tooth Fairy trickery and an early retirement.

IF: Legendary

"...and I wish you wouldn't keep appearing and vanishing so suddenly: you make one quite giddy!"
"All right," said the Cat; and this time it vanished quite slowly, beginning with the end of the tail, and ending with the grin, which remained some time after the rest of it had gone.
"Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin," thought Alice; "but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!" ~Lewis Carroll

Mixed Media/Cut Paper in Moleskine

IF: Intricate/Vaudeville - Act 1

IF: Breezy

Poor Eunice has a terrible case of the heebie jeebies due to her phobia of bugs. After a day of gardening (which for Eunice is an event wrought with frenzied fear), she showered up, put on her best clothes and sat in the window hoping that a moment of fresh, breezy air might calm her rattled nerves. Surely, nothing could go wrong now.

Clementine - Revisited

The birdie landed! I have also painted the sides of the canvas black which I think really suits this piece. When her face and eyes are finished, I will update the picture. Then I need to work on the bird cage.

Elsa

Acrylics on 8 x 10 gallery canvas, created to donate as a prize to the TRCC's annual fundraiser.

IF: Resolve / Clara in Winter

Clara resolved never again to allow the past to dictate her future.

Ewa Family Portrait

Clementine

Clementine is a Work in Progress painted in Acrylics on 12 x 12 Canvas. Her coat, leggings and shoes are rendered in Pen & Ink. More to come!

IF: Memories

I remember you with your grin and your too many legs, Eunice thought. I'm outta here!
Pen & Ink in Storyboard Moleskine

First Go At Clay Sculpting

Building Up

IF: Sail (on a Shark!)

Shark Dreams Theatre

Nouvelles Images

I licensed out one of my illustrations (see IF: Hats) to the USA branch of the French company, Nouvelles Images as a holiday card a couple of months ago, and just noticed that it is now up on their website for sale in boxes of 6. See page 5 of boxed Holiday Cards. It is also available at some Museum's of Modern Art.

IF: Punchline

I had no idea what the girl was going to write on the chalkboard for "Punchline", but made it clear she had better think of something by the time her "set" was complete.
In the meantime i had been listening to Joanna Newsom and one of her lyrics is "it was a funny, funny little thing" and i thought, HeY! That's what a Punchline is... It's a funny little thing!

So there you have it.

Mixed Media & Cut Paper Illustration in Moleskine.

IF: Forgotten

When a child's voice is taken away, the child is essentially forgotten. All children need and deserve a voice. Their own voice, thank you very much.

A quick rendering in gouache and ink for IF.

IF: Seed

Quote on illustration by William S. Burroughs.
Have we not all died and grown from the seeds of such pain?
Mixed Media Cut Paper Illustration in Moleskine.

IF: Wrinkles

The First Clue

IF: Stitch

Having grown special wings
Olive, stuck in a stitch
Longed desperately to fly.

Clara & Her Poison

Clara, in red beads
Makes ill chocolate from scratch
Dessert, anyone?

IF: 100%