Journals13
Newest
Wow, it's been a while
3 min read
I've been away from DA for quite some time now. I experienced some major changes in my life since my last journal that helped me to gain some insight on myself and what I want to do with my art. Looking back, I think some distance was necessary after leaving the world of academia-based fine arts.
I got accepted to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET), and I've been living and working in Japan for two months now in a mid-sized city in the Tohoku region (north of Tokyo on the main island). I team-teach English to middle-school students along with a Japanese Teacher of English. As my first "real" job, it's been great! I can use my art in handouts and other things, and I get to practice Japanese every day. I've had so many interesting experiences already, whether with miscommunication with my students, matsuri shenanigans, traveling and sightseeing, or trying to figure out which darned meal on the menu doesn't have meat in it (if there is one). I'd recommend the JET Programme to anyone looking for a fun, rewarding, truly immersive cultural experience.
Luckily this job pays well enough I can build up some savings in case of future economic woes
Wish me luck in Japan, and take care everyone!
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Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
I got accepted to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET), and I've been living and working in Japan for two months now in a mid-sized city in the Tohoku region (north of Tokyo on the main island). I team-teach English to middle-school students along with a Japanese Teacher of English. As my first "real" job, it's been great! I can use my art in handouts and other things, and I get to practice Japanese every day. I've had so many interesting experiences already, whether with miscommunication with my students, matsuri shenanigans, traveling and sightseeing, or trying to figure out which darned meal on the menu doesn't have meat in it (if there is one). I'd recommend the JET Programme to anyone looking for a fun, rewarding, truly immersive cultural experience.
Luckily this job pays well enough I can build up some savings in case of future economic woes
Wish me luck in Japan, and take care everyone!
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Art Show
3 min read
Well, my art show "Seeking Dialogue" has ended, so I thought I'd reflect a little on how it went.
I was worried that because my art is quite small, and the gallery space was quite large, I would be unable to fill the space. I found a solution in the ideas of my professor Michel Daigneault: he suggested I paint behind the paintings on the wall in a different colour. I'd suggest this technique for anyone in a similar situation, as it really works to fill and soften the space.
The opening reception went well, with friends, relatives, and strangers mingling and asking me about my art. Throughout the week, the gallery had a steady stream of visitors, so I got lots of exposure. My comments book was bursting with positive energy by the end of the week.
Now that the show is over, I've made some decisions:
-go back to working on "To Destiny" and my collaborative comic on Theban myth
-drop the "Scenes of Tokyo" ink drawing series; I'm running out of source photos and it feels like a dead end
-continue painting in oil
-save grad school for a few years in the future
one questions remains: What the heck am I going to do after I graduate??
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
I was worried that because my art is quite small, and the gallery space was quite large, I would be unable to fill the space. I found a solution in the ideas of my professor Michel Daigneault: he suggested I paint behind the paintings on the wall in a different colour. I'd suggest this technique for anyone in a similar situation, as it really works to fill and soften the space.
The opening reception went well, with friends, relatives, and strangers mingling and asking me about my art. Throughout the week, the gallery had a steady stream of visitors, so I got lots of exposure. My comments book was bursting with positive energy by the end of the week.
Now that the show is over, I've made some decisions:
-go back to working on "To Destiny" and my collaborative comic on Theban myth
-drop the "Scenes of Tokyo" ink drawing series; I'm running out of source photos and it feels like a dead end
-continue painting in oil
-save grad school for a few years in the future
one questions remains: What the heck am I going to do after I graduate??
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
I'm busy busy busy!
3 min read
Hey,
I'm really starting to get excited about the near (and not so near) future. A lot has happened since my last journal entry.
First of all, I got engaged to my high-school sweetheart, a wonderful guy who's been by my side for six years. We can't get married for a while because of school, but I'm looking forward to it when it happens!
I've got a solo art exhibition at Toronto's York University, in the Gales Gallery, from January 21 to 25th. It's a daunting task to put together the show since the gallery space is so large and my pieces are quite small, but I'm going to work hard to turn it into an interesting space. I'll put up lots of pictures once the show is done!
Also, I applied for the JET Programme, in which I'd go to Japan to become an assistant English language teacher for one year. I'm also applying for grad schools to get an MFA. And I've been working on a paid comic book project!
I guess that's all the major news. Thanks to everyone who's helped me develop my art through their thoughtful comments on DA.
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
I'm really starting to get excited about the near (and not so near) future. A lot has happened since my last journal entry.
First of all, I got engaged to my high-school sweetheart, a wonderful guy who's been by my side for six years. We can't get married for a while because of school, but I'm looking forward to it when it happens!
I've got a solo art exhibition at Toronto's York University, in the Gales Gallery, from January 21 to 25th. It's a daunting task to put together the show since the gallery space is so large and my pieces are quite small, but I'm going to work hard to turn it into an interesting space. I'll put up lots of pictures once the show is done!
Also, I applied for the JET Programme, in which I'd go to Japan to become an assistant English language teacher for one year. I'm also applying for grad schools to get an MFA. And I've been working on a paid comic book project!
I guess that's all the major news. Thanks to everyone who's helped me develop my art through their thoughtful comments on DA.
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy my comics, "To Destiny" and "Oline and Oleander," for only $5.00 Canadian each! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Art Award
3 min read
I haven't updated my journal in a while, so I thought I would.
I found out something exciting lately, that I won the art award I applied for! It's called the "Willowdale Group of Artists Painting Award," for excellence in painting. I'm very excited to have won, because the prize is incredibly cool: money AND a solo exhibition next year in one of the galleries on campus! I've shown my work in group and class shows before, but I've never had my own show, so this is really exciting for me.
My school year is pretty much over, so I'll be gearing up for the artist's alley at Anime North! I'll be making tote bags and bookmarks besides the things I usually do. But first, I've gotta finish my submission for their manga contest. Wish me luck!
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy "Oline and Oleander," my short comic anthology, for only $5.00 Canadian! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
I found out something exciting lately, that I won the art award I applied for! It's called the "Willowdale Group of Artists Painting Award," for excellence in painting. I'm very excited to have won, because the prize is incredibly cool: money AND a solo exhibition next year in one of the galleries on campus! I've shown my work in group and class shows before, but I've never had my own show, so this is really exciting for me.
My school year is pretty much over, so I'll be gearing up for the artist's alley at Anime North! I'll be making tote bags and bookmarks besides the things I usually do. But first, I've gotta finish my submission for their manga contest. Wish me luck!
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy "Oline and Oleander," my short comic anthology, for only $5.00 Canadian! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Boo for Jetlag
4 min read
I know I haven't been as active on here as I usually am, I'm slowly getting caught up though. I think I'm finally getting over my jetlag. I don't have any new art this week because I forgot to bring my drawings over to my boyfriend's place to use his scanner like I usually do. Sorry! I actually have a ton of new art to put up, and I'll get right on that this weekend.
As you may know, I went to Japan a little while ago, for the first time. It was an incredible experience! It's one thing to study the Japanese language and culture, and see the country through movies and anime, but it's quite another thing to actually experience it. I kind of fell in love with Tokyo, it's such an interesting and vibrant city, and I can't wait to go back there one day soon.
It was a one-week exchange with Meiji University, so every day we had Meiji students volunteering to go sight-seeing with us, and I ended up making good friends with some of them -- they were just about the nicest people you could meet. It was also great practicing my Japanese with them, as over the week I noticed that my conversation skills had improved dramatically. I still have a ways to go though!
If you'd like to hear more about my experiences in Japan, check out the anime podcast I'm a regular on, The Anime Roundtable: podcasts.thecomicden.com/ … taping the show on Thursday so it should be online a few days after that. It's an entertaining show, so I hope you'll enjoy it!
Also, I'm currently two pages away from finishing the first issue of "To Destiny," my original comic book. It's so exciting to finally make it there.
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy "Oline and Oleander," my short comic anthology, for only $5.00 Canadian! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
As you may know, I went to Japan a little while ago, for the first time. It was an incredible experience! It's one thing to study the Japanese language and culture, and see the country through movies and anime, but it's quite another thing to actually experience it. I kind of fell in love with Tokyo, it's such an interesting and vibrant city, and I can't wait to go back there one day soon.
It was a one-week exchange with Meiji University, so every day we had Meiji students volunteering to go sight-seeing with us, and I ended up making good friends with some of them -- they were just about the nicest people you could meet. It was also great practicing my Japanese with them, as over the week I noticed that my conversation skills had improved dramatically. I still have a ways to go though!
If you'd like to hear more about my experiences in Japan, check out the anime podcast I'm a regular on, The Anime Roundtable: podcasts.thecomicden.com/ … taping the show on Thursday so it should be online a few days after that. It's an entertaining show, so I hope you'll enjoy it!
Also, I'm currently two pages away from finishing the first issue of "To Destiny," my original comic book. It's so exciting to finally make it there.
---
Also, just a reminder that you can buy "Oline and Oleander," my short comic anthology, for only $5.00 Canadian! Just send me a note if you'd like one.
---
My Friends:
Very talented and unique artists who you should totally check out:
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In