Full Disclosure

In class last Friday, my instructor Craigo said something that really stuck with me.  We were talking about our blogs and Craig mentioned that the intention with this project was to show the REAL creative process, so those outside it can begin to understand.  I think anyone who lives and works in a creative field hears a lot of "you're so lucky, you get to play all day" or "I wish I could still be a kid like you" or my personal favourite "that's so glamorous" (I don't think there's a thing I do that's glamorous.)  There's this idea out there that creative types sleep late, attend posh functions, and the world falls into their lap.  Maybe that's how it would work for Paris Hilton, but not the rest of us.

Now don't get me wrong, I count myself as incredible fortunate to be living in an age and a country where I can study fashion, and textiles and say what I want with my work.  That's an incredible priviledge, and one I am thankful for everyday.  However, that doesn't mean it's a walk in the park.  Making work can be frustrating, disappointing, emotionally and/or physically draining, unbelievably time consuming and incredibly expensive (just to name a few).  It involves heartbreak. 

You know that dream everybody says they have - the one where they're standing in a room full or people, and they realize they're the only one naked?  Well, no matter what the medium or creative industry you work in, that's our reality.  Except we're not just in the room, we're standing on stage, with everyone there already looking directly at us; sometimes we just might have a couple others on stage with us, naked too, but that doesn't make it any less terrifying. 

When you see a finished piece (whether it's a digital logo, a painting, a fiber sculpture, a handmade pot) no where in that are you seeing all the hours that went into research, designing, redesigning, experimenting, troubleshooting, redesigning, more redesigning, finetuning, etc.  You don't see the things that went wrong, before they worked right.  I must say though, when things finally do work right, it is SUCH a satisfying feeling.  It's a total high!

So, in the interest of understanding, I will be bringing you full disclosure into my creative process - all the triumphs, all the heartbreaks (OK, maybe not all, but a nice cross section of them). 

I'd like to once again underline that I'm not complaining anywhere here, this is a lifestyle that I chose, and that I love, and that I don't think I could live fully without.  Nor do I think the creative arts are the only industry that are misunderstood, but they're the world that I know.  I just want to bring you into my world, cause I'm a sharer.  Hope you enjoy!

Flea Market Finds

Slightly belated... but here nonetheless!  This posting is actually showing some flea market finds from a month or so ago, and one of my BEST flea market finds, to be honest.  On top of the usual doilies or embroidered linens I snag I found a stack of little girls' dresses, from the 50s or so.  The man who was selling them had gotten them in various local auctions.

I rummaged through, and picked out 7 that I thought were the best.  And when I say "the best", by that I mean the ones that made me feel the most.  Sounds like weird things to say, I know - vintage toddler dresses were my best find (I don't have children, so it wasn't a practical thing) or my favourites were ones that made me feel.  But here's the thing - I'm a very emotive person.  If I have to make a decision I'll think it all through, but then I try and sit to figure out how I feel about it, or how each option will make me feel in the end.  My creative work & process is no different, when working on something I squint at it, and try to feel what my gut or heart is feeling, and go from there, after making the intellectual decisions to get me to that place.  It really is all about emotion for me - that's why I make work, to get my feelings out, to figure out how I feel about things, and to make the viewer feel. 

I work with textiles because not only do I love them, but they transcend all social barriers (as well as building them up sometimes) like class and ethnicity.  Whether you're concious of it or not, everyone can identify with fabric: we spend our first moments in the world being wrapped in a comforting swaddling cloth, we cling to our mother's blouses and hide behind our father's pants as toddlers, and at night as children we hide from monsters and aliens under our blankets (whether they're a family quilt, fuzzy sheets, or rags).  As we grow so too do our experiences with cloth:  we fall in with others, or set ourselves apart in highschool and clearly state who we think we are with our clothes, we spend ages picking out the right outfit for a first date, or shopping with friends (but not buying!).  Throughout life, this relationship is ongoing and ever changing.  We have funeral clothes, interview attire, surgical gowns, work uniforms, souvenier t-shirts, old gardening clothes, safety gear, and sleepwear.  The list goes on, right down to our shrouds and the final outfit we're laid to rest in.  These things all hold a place in our memories, and hold connections to be made.

This is why I love textiles, and this is why I swooned for these dresses.  There's a story in them, waiting to be told, waiting to be shared, waiting to be reflected on.  Which story?  I'm not sure yet, but I know they hold magical images of innocence, and simple times, of playing in the parlours and dressing up for church, patty-cake & community halls.  Granted, these may well be from the 80s (I'm pretty sure I had dresses like these as a baby) or 70s, I don't REALLY know, but I love the handmade details, the fact that they're no where near mass-produced.  Real love went into making these, and making them special because not everything is or should be disposable.  Why not 2 or 3 handmade dresses that are special, and washed carefully after being worn rather than 20 cheap pieces that can be thrown in the wash but fall apart anyway after a short time, to be dumped in a landfill and replaced with more cheap stuff?  It's a different set of values, a handmade life is and it's a beautiful thing.

Courageous Creatives: Christy Litster

The first ever Courageous Creative I want to recognize is a good friend of mine, Christy Litster.

Not only is she a celebrity in the world of Barbie (not a joke, google Christy Marcus [maiden name] & Inuit Legend Barbie), she also launched her own fashion consulting business in her mid-twenties, and is currently a freelance designer and illustrator.  Christy has always been one of the most talented ladies I know.  We met in fashion school at Ryerson University and not only was she an amazing designer, but an unbelievable artist as well.  You'd think all that talent would go to her head, but she remains wonderful, easy to talk to, and a helluva lot of fun!
Check out her web portfolio here.  (Go ahead, you know you wanna do it. I promise you won't be let down!)

Oggle her Barbie here.
Check out a sampline of her stuff below....
(Gawd I love morning brain candy!)

Read more »

Courageous Creatives - Introduction

Courageous Creatives is where I will be paying homage to those creative types everywhere who are living the dream and having a go at making their living (whether in full or part) by engaging their talents and doing their creative thang.  Whether they're students living on mac & cheese and selling their beautiful handmades at a local farmer's market, or professionals working full time in a studio with a successful creative business (or anywhere in between), these people deserve recognition and support.  They're taking risks, putting their work out there to be judged, and making the world a more beautiful, handmade place.  And that, my friends, is my cuppa tea.

(Side note here, in the process of getting this blog going I immediately wanted to call this segment "Courageous Creatives".  Then, of course I started second guessing the title - it satisfies my love of aliteration, yes, but is a very strong statement.  Maybe Cudos to Creatives would be better, or Crafty Like A Fox.  But you know what?  Acting on your creativity is a courageous act, and one that those of us for whom creativity is a way of life may take for granted, and one that those who don't "make" might not quite realize.  It's taking a piece of what's inside and making it tangible, holding it up to the light and saying "here everyone, come take a look".  Whether it's a crocheted pot holder, a painted masterpiece, or a line of clothing it can be theraputic, exhilarating, satisfying, and terrifying all rolled into one experience.  So Courageous Creatives it is, but that sums it up best and I have so much respect for all those makers who wind up in this column or don't.  Keep on makin' people.  It's a beautiful thing.)

So, go ahead, indulge yourself: ogle their photos, check out their websites, maybe even treat yourself to something them make/do.  We all need a little creative in our lives!

Side Projects: Postcard Exchange

As part of my program at NBCCD I started working with a mentor a couple months ago.  We meet generally once a week, talk about where my work is going, and look at advancements in her work (she's currently putting together a show to exhibit in November).  I help her with some sewing and cutting, etc and she helps completely open up my brain to new possibilities!  Often she has artists for me to look into or concepts to read about.  But often, it's just through seeing her work and processes that I find myself opening up to trying very new things.

The latest new thing is working with embossing, as well as pastels.  I've always avoided pastels because although I love the look of them, I can't handle the feeling on my fingers (same reason I avoid ceramics).  However, my mentor lent me some supplies and encouraged me to experiment.  Sure enough, a couple weeks later I was buying up all the colours that really turned me on.

I also started using our press at the college for embossing doilies (thank you flea market!) onto heavy papers, and fell in LOVE with the result.

As far as drawing on papers, however, I've always felt insecure about my abilities in the fine motor skills area so I don't draw, or play around with colour on paper.  One of the things I've learnt though, is that I need to just start giving myself permission to make marks, and if they're not perfect, just make more, and if I don't like those... well, who cares?  It's experimenting, and playing, and we all need some of that in every aspect of our lives.

To put these principals at work, I've been pushing myself to take part in group efforts that involve media I'm not totally comfortable with.  These included the Gallery Connexions Artist Trading Card Event (organized by fellow NBCCD student Monica Lacey), the Brooklyn Art Library Sketch Book Project, and now the Alberta Printmakers 4th Annual Postcard Exhibition & Exchange.

These are my results; some, of course, I like more than others.  I think some are interesting or have potential to be digitized and printed on cloth, or for more exploration.  Some, I feel a little more meh about.  But, all in all, I want to continue to push myself to do these little things because even if it's not my preferred way to work, I always discover something that I bring back to my practice. 
Alberta Printmakers Society Postcard Exchange (Calgary)
Gallery Connexion First Annual Trading Card Event (Fredericton)
Monica Lacey's wesbite
Art House Co-op Sketchbook Project (Brooklyn)

Read more »

Trivial Trivia

Speaking of flea markets... when I was a kid flea circuses used to confound me.  I'd read about them in Archie comics and I knew, just KNEW that you couldn't possibly train fleas and put them in a circus, but still.... why would there be such a thing called a FLEA circus if it didn't have fleas in it.  How did that work??  So I pondered for years silently not daring to ask anyone, lest I be mocked.  I eventually worked it out though, eventually...  Specially bred fleas, right?

Flea Market Finds

I am a person who enjoys routines.  I like to think that I'm spontaneous (and I do think I can be), but to be honest, I enjoy a good routine.  Like getting up in the morning and having a cup of tea; or walking home for lunch and making a cup of tea; coming home from school (or work) & sitting down with a nice, hot cup of tea.  OK OK, so I don't have THAT many routines, and the ones I do have mostly all revolve around tea.  However, one routine that I love and will miss if I ever move is getting up Sunday mornings, having my cup of tea, and then walking across the street to the Fredericton Flea Market (actually, first I stop for a cup of tea to go from my favourite coffee shop).
It's a routine The Fox and I used to do together every Sunday, but he now works Sundays so I take my time and go with myself for company, or meet the illustrious K-ron there.
Now, with no Fox to keep my love for second-hand things of a textiley nature in check Sunday mornings sometimes get a little out of control with what I bring home.  But I love it, I love bartering with good natured people, I love rummaging through stacks of embroidered linens & hand crocheted doilies (which I usually come home with a bagfull of every Sunday), flipping through musty books with hand scrawled notes, or pondering over which old tools my Maritime cousins (who take care of me here) would like under their Christmas tree (which I can never figure out, so I never get them).
I never know what I'll come home with, but one thing's for sure, I always come home with something.
I'd like to share that, so I'm going to add to my Sunday routine with a flea market post of my finds.
This week was a fairly conservative buy, as I doilied myself out over the last month (I averaged a good sized bagfull the previous four weekends.  Doily involved projects to come!), but I got a couple good buys.  Now that's my cuppa tea!

 This table runner caught my eye>  Beautiful old embroidered lace for only $2.00!

Read more »

Work in Progress - Menship & Friendship

I've spent many an hour the last few days going through old letters sent clandestinely during highschool class, scanning them, straightening them, and will soon be printing them... on fabric!
Why all the care for old highschool letters? Well, I'm a hoarder.  5 years ago I would have just been consider a "packrat" but apparently the language has changed and feels a lot more shameful.  But, it doesn't bother me.  I'm not dirty about it, I just hang on to things - I'm a very sentimental person, and always have a feeling something will be used, if not now then later on.  I've had these jars stuffed with folded old letters from highschool hanging around my childhood bedroom for 10+ years, and always look on them when I'm home.  Sometimes I'm terrified someone's going to go through them (ridiculous I know, cause no one would, and even if they did, why would it matter?  It's not exactly nuclear secrets squirreled away), sometimes afraid myself to go though them, and sometimes needing a little shot of the past.  But finally, my pack ratting has paid off and these old letters are getting used in my new body of work.
This is just a little sneak peek, but the jist of the work is about how as women, we glorify the idea of manship (maybe men glorified ladyship too, but I don't know I was never a highschool boy) but really it's our friendships that get us through and no where is this idea more prevalent than in highschool.  We killed so much time having crushes, have newer crushes, going back to old crushes, talking about boys, wondering about boys, dreaming about boys, but we did all this together, cementing (and sometimes breaking) our friendships over it.  Always wanting to be in love, and thinking love was an oasis in an otherwise hormonally crazy world, but the it was the boys who made us crazy and our friendships (lady friendships and boy friendships) that made us strong, and got us through those insane years.
Here are some sneak peek pictures from my digitizing, and yes these are all excerpts from old letters, wrote over 10 years ago, folded up, and passed conspiratorily from one to another in the halls, across the lunch table, or in class.
Not just a few of them ask whether or not I'm keeping the letters, threaten that I'd better, and ask what I do with them.  No way did I, or anyone else, think they'd wind up digitized and on display over a decade later.  Also, not a one of them forsaw what any of our lives had in store.  What a wonderful, mysterious thing this life is.

For more pics, check out the jump.
(apparently I can't make the jump work, so just look below)

Read more »

St. Patrick's and Feelin' the Green Felt

Happy St Pat's everybody!

I hope you're all enjoying a celebration of the Patron Saint of Ireland and green beer!  We're just heading out for a pint (of course, paying respect to the fizz half of Fizz n' Fuzz), but I would like to leave you with an image of some work that I think is St. Pat's appropriate. 

Neck adornment (Hand dyed merino fleece felted onto cotton gauze).  You could also call it a sculptural neckpiece, or maybe just scarf.  But no matter what you call it, I love it!  It's a new line I've created and will soon be selling on Etsy.  They're light, but snuggly, and every one is unique.
The only thing left to say - Slainte!

Brrrrrrrr....

Some of you know, and some of you might not, that The Fox and I have spent the winter basically without heat.  Not because we're cheap (although we are) but because our landlords wouldn't fix it. "Brrrrrr" basically sums up the experience.  The last few days have been nice and warm outside, so we've been fairly comfortable inside but I woke up this morning to my cat meowing for attention and my limbs freezing when I deigned to stick them outside my blanket.  OH NO! Has the cold come back?!?!  I don't THINK so, I certainly hope not, but just in case here's some pictures of things I'd love to be snuggly and comfily curled up in to keep the cold at bay.

Gorgeous multicovered blue neckwarmer from Cushy Company's Etsy Site

Believe me, I had a hard time picking a favourite.

This mustard cable sweater fromStrange Magick Vintage's etsy site almost makes me sad winter's close to over.  I wish I would have found it in November and could have worn it all season, everyday! well, maybe not everyday... but maybe.

Yes, you heard me - I want to be wrapped up in this. Yards and yards and yards of this.  Gorgeous Handspun made my the illustrious Sarah MacLeod from merino dyed by the Maven of Making, Jackie Bourque.  Check out Jackie's blog here.

This little number is so clever and looks so snuggly.  I love the pop of spring green!  By Eveldas Neverland.  Check out her etsy site here.

Lastly, but certainly not leastly is this custom quilt by Denyse Schmidt, (a crafting and business hero of mine) called Wendy's Quilt.  Check out her website here.

And no, these are not teensy tiny dresses I want to be snuggled in.  These are the dresses that the brilliant mind of Denyse Schmidt made the above quilt around, so she could use these fabrics.  They were of sentimental value to the client.  And who doesn't love sentimental value?  Read the whole story here.

That is all for today.  I hope the sun shines for you (and me!) and we can soon put away our winter boots (mainly because mind make me look like a little kid, they're tonka boots, cause ya know, I need a boot ideally suited for icefishing!).

Parliament Update!

Last Friday, March 4 my parents were guests in the Parliamentary Gallery in Ottawa while Pierre Lemieux spoke about an award I was given, last November, from The Historica Dominion's Art From Memory Challenge.
Unfortunately I couldn't make it to attend also (a bit of a long walk from New Brunswick), but my parents stood in my place.  They had an absolutely wonderful time, and were taken to lunch in the Member's Cafe by Mr Lemieux and his assisstant.  They also had a tour of parliament that included the library and my mom said it was just amazing!
I watched his speech live on CPAC on my lunch break between classes and am not ashamed to say I burst into tears when he acknowledged my parents.  I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mr. Lemieux.  He spoke so well and is just such an all around classy guy.  I'll post a video of the event (the whole 1 minute!) as soon as I receive it.
This was such a huge honour and highlight of my career.  I should have thrown caution to the wind and just found a way to make it home, but oh well! Life lesson learned - sometimes you just need to be spontaneous and go for it!
A big thank you so much to everyone who helped make this happen, it was just so touching and exciting!

Mr. Lemieux (left) with my parents (middle & right) in the Member's Cafe

Work In Progress

So this is a week of First Evers.  I'm going to start sharing my creative process and pieces I'm working on.  If you have any questions please leave me comments, and I'll do my best to be prompt in answering.
So... without further adieu, Welcome to the inside of my brain!

I'm currently working on a body of work which will encompas most of the processes I love to work with.  When it's done, there will be a dress, quilt, sweater, vessel series, and soft sculpture - all relating to the same theme but illustrating different experiences within it.

Pieces have FINALLY started coming together, but I'm going to go back in time and start off by showing the beginning of my process. 

Those of you who know me, know I'm not the strongest sketcher, so ideas usually start forming as words in my mind.  When these words start taking shape as form I find it really useful to write down their descriptions, with small sketches that probably only I can understand, in order to work out the kinks.  Mind mapping (starting with the idea and then taking 10 minutes or so to write down any words that come to mind regarding it, without judgement) is also a huge aid for me, as well as writing down journal entries.  It's only in writing these journal entries and mind maps that I figure out how I really feel about a subject, and then what direction I want it to take - what I want it to be saying.  It's like having a conversation with the hidden parts of my brain.

This sketch and mind map are the beginning stages of my first piece this semester.  It will be a sweater in progress which combines many symbolic fibers to create a metaphor.

Trip update & Slogos!!

So Readers,
Here I am in Fredericton, not packing my bags for Ottawa.  Flights only went down as far as $500 one way, so I'm staying here and letting my parents enjoy Capitol Hill.  Catch the newscast on C-pac tomorrow, 11am Eastern Time.

I thought I'd start this morning off with a bit of fun...  Last night, my good friend Karen (also known as K-Ron) was telling me about her new school assignment - Slogos.  What's a slogo you might ask?  A personal logo with a slogan.  The catch? Slogans can only be 3 words long.  So we horsed around and tried to come up with slogans for each other.  We finally decided on K-Ron: "Dropkick Your Face" for her and Rachel Mac: "That's Fair Enough" for me.  Others that I loved were K-Ron: "You Wish, Son" or K-Ron: "Bam! Check it." Another that would work for either K-ron or me: "still in school" wonh wonh.....

Can you think of a slogo for yourself or a friend?  If you know us, how about an awesome one for K-Ron or Me.  Let's be hilarious people, these things are for reals!

Important Links:
K-Ron's Artist Page on Feels Good

Rachel Mac in Parliament!

Today is a day of decisions.  Anyone who knows me knows I'm not the best at decision making, even in the easiest of circumstances, so when a tough decision comes up, it can be agonizing!  I always worry that I'm going to make the wrong decisions, or somehow wind up disappointing someone.
So - the decision at hand.  Thanks to the amazing support of my family and community our MP from Glengarry, Prescott, Russel is using his 1 minute to speak in Federal Parliament on Friday to speak about my work and a piece I had won a national award for from the Historica Dominion Institute's Art From Memory Challenge.  It was a piece I created that was inspired by the testimonial of a very inspiring WWII veteran from NS.  (And yes, I just used inspired and inspiring in the same sentence.  Sometimes there's no other word).
Anyway, the question is - do I go home tomorrow to be with my parents in the Parliamentary Gallery and then join them with our MP Pierre Lemieux takes them out to lunch at the Member's Cafe?!  I am a huge geek, and to have lunch at the Member's Cafe would just be the coolest thing ever!  Or, do I play it responsible like and stay put in Fredericton and get my work done?
What this has boiled down to is me, hovering over the Air Canada website, refreshing my flight search ever 2 minutes to see if a flight has opened up (it being March Break, all flights are booked).  If an affordable flight opens, I'll throw caution to the wind and take it.  If a $1024 flight opens up (as happened an hour ago) I'll will laugh at the thought of paying that and hit my refresh search button.  If no flight comes available, I will decide it just wasn't meant to be.
Keep your fingers crossed for me! (Although I'm not sure for which outcome you should cross your fingers.) 
You can watch Mr. Lemieux on CPAC (channel 512 for some providers) sometime between 11 & 11:15 am this Friday, March 4.

This is the piece, titled "Security Blanket" which will be discussed.

Stay tuned for an upload of the broadcast (hopefully).
Pierre Lemieux's website which might have photos or video after the event
National Post article about "Security Blanket" piece

First Ever Blog Post!

Hi All, and thanks for visiting!

This is my first ever blog post, and let me tell you - I've been putting this off for awhile.  I'm excited to start sharing with you all my creative process, my upsets & successes, as well as those things and people that I think are inspiring.  Along the way, maybe I'll inspire some of you, and I'm sure some of you will inspire me.  I'm very nervous about this whole blogging thing, but I'll do my best to be genuine, honest, and fun.

I'll leave you with some photos of an afternoon I spent last September harvesting porcupine quills.  Before anyone gets upset, let me explain the back story.  There's nothing that makes me sadder than seeing animals killed by the side of the road.  It's such a senseless death and although I don't approve of killing wild animals for their pelts, horns, tusks, etc I do feel that if they've already died, finding parts that can be used in craft is a way to honour them. 

So, with this in mind, I came to school one day and found out that our Maintenance Manager, J (who is my boss and one of the most amazing people ever) had come across two porcupines killed on the side of the road on his way in to work.  Not missing any opportunity to help out, Joe put both in the back of his truck so our Aboriginal Visual Arts program could harvest the quills and use them for their beadwork.  Because I'm the sort of girl I am, I jumped at the chance to learn how to pull quills from a porcupine.  I was really surprised at how much the hair and quills were mixed over the whole body, and it was very interesting to see the hairs that you could tell were growing into quills.

L from school taught me how to pull the quills and we shed a few tears together, but also got to know one another better which was a great experience.

More images after the jump.  If you're at all squeemish you might want to skip these, but if you're a curious sort I hope you find them interesting.

Photo credit to Karen Ruet of NBCCD for these photos.

Read more »