Category Archives: The Slant
The world is my canvas
As an artist, I’ve considered many things to be a canvas or blank page – a wall, a stage, an old house in need of renovation, a garden, a community, a philosophy, an ideology. One of my jobs as an
The world is my canvas
As an artist, I’ve considered many things to be a canvas or blank page – a wall, a stage, an old house in need of renovation, a garden, a community, a philosophy, an ideology. One of my jobs as an
Tuesday afternoon painting with John
There are times when I think you can learn everything about visual art from painting. They say you have to learn to draw before you can paint, but I’m not sure it’s true. It may in fact be the other
Tuesday afternoon painting with John
There are times when I think you can learn everything about visual art from painting. They say you have to learn to draw before you can paint, but I’m not sure it’s true. It may in fact be the other
Thick Description
Books have a habit of leaping out at me when I visit the library and the most recent is Prairyerth by William Least Heat-Moon, first published in 1991, which prismatically explores Chase County in Kansas, the heartland of America. I
Thick Description
Books have a habit of leaping out at me when I visit the library and the most recent is Prairyerth by William Least Heat-Moon, first published in 1991, which prismatically explores Chase County in Kansas, the heartland of America. I
On passion
My soundtrack for the season has been Khachaturian’s Waltz from the Masquerade Suite. I don’t know where I first became acquainted with this piece from the 20th century Soviet-Armenian composer – possibly in the womb. I’m one of those people
On passion
My soundtrack for the season has been Khachaturian’s Waltz from the Masquerade Suite. I don’t know where I first became acquainted with this piece from the 20th century Soviet-Armenian composer – possibly in the womb. I’m one of those people
The other faces of literacy
I remember the exact moment when I learned to read. It was in Mrs. Richardson’s grade 1 class and yes, the book was Dick and Jane. The penny dropped and my brain made the connection between the marks on the
The other faces of literacy
I remember the exact moment when I learned to read. It was in Mrs. Richardson’s grade 1 class and yes, the book was Dick and Jane. The penny dropped and my brain made the connection between the marks on the
The dilemma
I read somewhere that artists are born with incredibly good taste and they spend their lives trying to realize the ideas in their head. Whenever I see, hear or experience some creative work that stands out for me, I feel
The dilemma
I read somewhere that artists are born with incredibly good taste and they spend their lives trying to realize the ideas in their head. Whenever I see, hear or experience some creative work that stands out for me, I feel
The Art of Education
Most of the artists I know suffered terribly in the public school system. In kindergarten I clearly remember being put in the corner for getting carried away with a participatory music exercise. Passion for the abstract and emotional power of
The Art of Education
Most of the artists I know suffered terribly in the public school system. In kindergarten I clearly remember being put in the corner for getting carried away with a participatory music exercise. Passion for the abstract and emotional power of
Good Art Ruins Everything
Whenever someone tells me that they don’t have any artistic abilities I want to scream. From childhood we draw pictures that make our mothers turn the refrigerator into an ad hoc gallery. We make up original songs in the back
Good Art Ruins Everything
Whenever someone tells me that they don’t have any artistic abilities I want to scream. From childhood we draw pictures that make our mothers turn the refrigerator into an ad hoc gallery. We make up original songs in the back
The Art of Downtown – Part 1
I left a rural home to live in the big city of Toronto when I was just 17. In those days, downtown was the stretch of Bloor St. between Yonge and University. The Colonnade had just been built and it
The Art of Downtown – Part 1
I left a rural home to live in the big city of Toronto when I was just 17. In those days, downtown was the stretch of Bloor St. between Yonge and University. The Colonnade had just been built and it
The Transitory Art of Street Posters
You walk by them every day and hardly see them, masking tape peeling off, half obscured by next week’s gig and covered with staples – the ubiquitous street poster. Street posters are an art form that is chronically undervalued. The
The Transitory Art of Street Posters
You walk by them every day and hardly see them, masking tape peeling off, half obscured by next week’s gig and covered with staples – the ubiquitous street poster. Street posters are an art form that is chronically undervalued. The
The Most Beautiful Loft in the World
As an art student in Toronto, I used to gaze at the double high windows along the Queen Street strip and up Spadina to Chinatown. I wanted a loft in one of those buildings, even though the rattle and squeal
The Most Beautiful Loft in the World
As an art student in Toronto, I used to gaze at the double high windows along the Queen Street strip and up Spadina to Chinatown. I wanted a loft in one of those buildings, even though the rattle and squeal
Dance Time in the Kawarthas
Public Energy has been uploading some videos to their vault of late and I happened across the one called The CeeDees Live. And who should their front man be but Peterborough’s insanely versatile and overly modest Curtis Driedger. The band’s name derives from
Dance Time in the Kawarthas
Public Energy has been uploading some videos to their vault of late and I happened across the one called The CeeDees Live. And who should their front man be but Peterborough’s insanely versatile and overly modest Curtis Driedger. The band’s name derives from
The business of art
I really wonder if all artists can or should be turned into effective business persons.
The business of art
I really wonder if all artists can or should be turned into effective business persons.
