Creative Finds, Inspiration and Recent Projects

Jacob Collier, Stacy Peralta, A Portrait of Wesley Bates, Recent Projects, and more.

5/24/2025

Creative Finds

Elana Herzog, Koffler Gallery & Karen Kar Yen Law, McLaughlin Gallery

This spring, I visited two exhibitions that really resonated with me and offered a lot of creative inspiration.

At the Koffler Gallery in Toronto, I saw a solo show by Elana Herzog. Herzog began her career as an electrician before pivoting to art. She works with repurposed and found textiles, incorporating them into dimensional pieces that often have a painterly quality. The exhibition included several large-scale installations with rich texture, movement, and colour. I left with lots of ideas for experimental book structures I’ve been exploring.

The second show was part of the Artist-in-Residence program at the McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa. The program supports emerging artists with studio space and an exhibition opportunity. The show, Beyond Bitter, featured the work of Karen Kar Yen Law. The exhibition explored diasporic identity and intergenerational relationships through the lens of Chinese cooking. Law’s vibrant work combines airbrushing, screen printing, painting, and collage. Though abstract, her pieces powerfully conveyed emotion and experience. Seeing the work together in the space brought it to life.

You can view Herzog's work here.

A Portrait of Wesley Bates

I’ve followed the work of Wesley Bates for many years. A talented printmaker and letterpress printer, he operates West Meadow Press from a shop in a small rural Ontario town. I always look forward to seeing his work at the annual book arts fair at Toronto’s Arts and Letters Club. Bates creates finely detailed woodblock prints on handmade paper, drawing inspiration from his rural surroundings. A new short documentary offers a lovely window into his process and creative path.

You can watch the documentary here.

Back to Blog

Softcover Coptic binding with paste paper covers

Inspiration

Stacy Peralta, MEA Interview, April 2025

In my June 2024 blog, I wrote about an inspiring interview with Stacy Peralta, a pioneer in the world of skateboarding who later ran a successful skateboard company and then pivoted into filmmaking, producing several award-winning documentaries. I recently had the chance to hear him speak again in a webinar hosted by the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), and once again found it incredibly inspiring.

Peralta spoke about the importance of following your passions, being open to vulnerability during periods of change, and living with the spirit of a teenager. He recently began painting—something he had never done before—encouraged by an artist friend. Though hesitant at first, with some guidance he began creating striking studies of his favourite skateboards, blending personal history with new creative expression. I find both his work and his willingness to explore new territory deeply inspiring.

A few of his reflections that stood out to me:

“Live your life with the heart of a teenager, and the wisdom of an adult.”

“Be in touch with what you love doing. As adults, we need to learn to be vulnerable again. Surrender and let life do its magic, particularly when you are trying new things.”

“Be more interested in what you want to do than what you’ve done.”

You can listen to the interview here: Radical Transitions: Courage to Reinvent Yourself | MEA Webinar, and view his artwork here:

Listening

Jacob Collier

I recently listened to a wonderful interview with Jacob Collier on the Simon Sinek Podcast. I'm a big fan of Sinek’s ideas and writing, and I’ve admired Collier’s approach to music. In the interview, Collier shares his creative process, including how he collaborates in unique ways with orchestras, musicians, and his audience. His musical talent is matched by a joyful, generous energy. He has a gift for improvisation and for engaging others in the act of creation. It’s incredible to see how participatory his audiences are—actively making music with him. One of the pieces I particularly enjoyed was an improvisation with the National Symphony Orchestra.

You can listen to the concert and interview via the links below:

🎵 Jacob Collier Improvises with the National Symphony Orchestra (Live from the Kennedy Center)

🎧 You Are More Like Grammy-Winner Jacob Collier Than You Think | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

Quotes

“Negativity is the enemy of creativity.” — David Lynch

“Comfort is the enemy of growth.” — Simon Sinek

“The best way to improve is to start messy and then refine along the way.” — Simon Sinek

Workshops & Recent Work

Coptic and Non-Adhesive Bindings

Lately, I’ve been experimenting more with Coptic and non-adhesive bindings, using papers I’ve decorated with abstract painting techniques as well as some new pieces from a recent botanical painting workshop. The botanical themes were a big shift from my more abstract work and pushed me into more composition-focused territory—something I haven’t explored much before. It was a fun and inspiring departure. The workshop was led by Farida Zaman, a talented Toronto-based illustrator, painter, and designer. She created a relaxed, creative space that encouraged experimentation. Her guidance helped participants feel more comfortable finding their voice in this new medium.

Marbling Workshop

In April, I attended a traditional Ebru (Turkish) marbling workshop at the Toronto Yunus Emre Institute, led by Hacer Atar Ozcan—one of the few artists in Toronto skilled in this traditional artform. I was introduced to marbling early in my career through workshops with Sheila Smith, who was also trained in this style. Although I experimented on my own for a while, I moved on to other mediums due to the specialized materials required.

This workshop rekindled my love of marbling. Compared to Suminagashi, which I’ve used more often, I find Turkish marbling allows for more vibrant colours and a wider range of both abstract and intricate patterns. Hacer began the workshop with a short history of marbling, then introduced materials and demonstrated various design techniques. We then dove into creating our own papers. I was especially drawn to abstract designs and focused my efforts there, rather than attempting the more formal combed patterns. I’m looking forward to using these papers for book covers and book structures that I’m currently working on.