Murals, Inspiration and Recent Projects

Inspiration

More Murals – They Keep Showing Up on My Walks!

I’ve continued to enjoy the surprise of creative finds during my walks. Lately, murals have been a recurring highlight. From the sides of buildings, to garage doors, fences, and electrical panels. Toronto is a city that embraces the arts and creative makers. Programs like the Outside the Box Program and the Bell Box Mural Project transform unsightly, ordinary, often overlooked structures—such as traffic or electrical boxes. Artists can apply through a competitive process to reimagine these utilitarian objects, turning them into creative focal points. These murals invite us to stop, reflect, and appreciate how art can enrich our environment and lives.

Coptic binding with collage covers

Having fun with collage cards

Coptic binding with painted covers

Let Things Unfold – Finding Purpose in Unexpected Paths
Paper Whale’s Project, Pegi Oki TEDx Talk

Back in 2016, I stumbled upon a wonderful TEDx Talk by Pegi Oki, a skateboarder, surfer, artist, and activist. As the only female member of the Zephyr Skateboard Team, Oki later pivoted into art and activism. Her talk focuses on the “transformative force of participatory artwork,” which led her to create the Origami Whales Project, an initiative to raise awareness about commercial whaling. She has since launched the Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program, working to protect New Zealand’s critically endangered Maui’s dolphins and Hector’s dolphins.

In my June 2024 blog post, I wrote about Stacy Peralta, another skateboarder (and pioneer of the sport), who transitioned into filmmaking and entrepreneurship. Like Oki, Peralta’s story demonstrates how life’s unexpected pivots can lead to deeply meaningful endeavors. Steve Jobs once said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Both Oki and Peralta inspire me with the ways their pasts have shaped their present, showing how passion and creativity can guide us to a new purpose.

Pacita Abad at the AGO – An Inspiring Exhibition

I recently completed a five-week collage course at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), taught by Kelly Aitken, a talented Toronto artist. The course was inspired by the Pacita Abad exhibition, which we visited several times during the course. Abad’s work is striking and full of energy. Her large-scale quilted works and paintings are colorful, bold and creative. Abad’s work sparked lots of inspiration for all of us in the course and by the last week you could see how her creativity and vibrant style had influenced our final work. You can explore more about Pacita Abad’s life and art here.

Listening

Paper Talk – Interview with Nancy Jacobi, Founder of the Japanese Paper Place

When I first began experimenting with bookbinding, I discovered Japanese paper—specifically Chiyogami. Strong, well-made, and adorned with exquisite designs, it quickly became one of my favorite papers to work with. Visiting the Japanese Paper Place in Toronto felt like entering a candy store for paper lovers.

Nancy Jacobi, the founder of the Japanese Paper Place, has been a passionate advocate for Japanese papermaking traditions for over 40 years. In a recent Paper Talk podcast interview, Nancy shared her journey from teaching in Japan to meeting artisans who craft these stunning papers by hand using traditional techniques. Jacobi’s passion has helped to bring these traditional Japanese papers to artists worldwide. Her passion for handmade paper and the people who create them has helped to keep the craft alive and accessible to new generations. You can listen to the interview here.

Quotes

“Art is our one true global language. … It speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible.” – Richard Kamler

“When we are fully present, we enter a sacred space.” – Brad Stulberg

“Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.” – Leonard Cohen, Anthem

Creative Finds

James Allen – Book Excavations

James Allen is a rare artist working in the fascinating medium of book excavation. As he describes, “Each Book Excavation begins by cutting a hole in the cover of a book with a scalpel or X-Acto blade. I carve my way through the pages, selectively keeping fragments of images and words to create a composition.”

Through this meticulous process, Allen transforms discarded books into sculptural reliefs, revealing hidden narratives within their pages. His work reimagines books as both physical and conceptual art objects. You can view his website here or learn more about his work in this interview with the Oregon Art Beat.

Creative Projects

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with Coptic binding and card-making, incorporating a variety of decorated papers and collage techniques. Below are a few of my recent projects—each one a playful exploration of texture, pattern, and structure.