Artist Statement: Traveling Series

       The beginning of my creative journey began as I reread the story books I enjoyed as a child. God planted an image of a squid ship into my head and gave me more visions of child-like fantasies.

       My series is a reflection of my faith and life journey; my illustrations are inspired by personal experiences with God during times of trouble.

      Using my experience with realism, I used graphite, creating soft and dark values on smooth Arches paper. My ability to combine realism and fantasy allows me to create surreal images, therefore allowing viewers to submerge themselves into these drawings and to see a reflection of themselves in my series.

He is capable of guiding in our journeys even when we feel utterly alone and lost.

My Dog :3

2011 Summer Sketchbook

 

Dimensions: 30 cm x 20 cm

Materials: Acrylic paint; I also worked on painting faces in the summer... I still need to work on eyes.

Dimensions: 22 cm x 16 cm 

             Materials: Pastels; inspired by the dancers in The National Ballet of Canada brochure!
                                                         Dimensions: 28 cm x 31.5 cm

Perspectives: Hman, Inspired By C.S. Lewis

Dimensions: 34.5 cm x 25.5 cm

We all have different perspectives and world views. After reading Plato's "The Parable of the Cave" and the first two books of Lewis' Space Trilogy, I was inspired to create a drawing which showed man in Malacandrian eyes. The man is drawn according to the description in the book. To the creatures, "hman", the word for man hence the title, does not have correct proportions; man is seen as hostile and violent, which is different from the ideal man in modern society.

Traveling Series: Perspectives

Out of the Silent Deep

Dimensions: 22.5 cm x 30 cm

Over the Guiding Waters

35.5 cm x 25.5 cm

Into the Open Air

Dimensions: 40 cm x 22.5 cm

This series was inspired by reading the children's books which I enjoyed as a child. God planted these images into my head and lead me on. God revealed himself to me and guided me in the process.

These drawings have become my testimony in showing God's faithfulness. In the beginning of the creative process, I had alot of fear in my heart. God gave me hope and the courage and the strength to finish. 

Even though you may struggle to hear His voice and feel utterly lost and alone, He is always holding on to you. Wherever you go in your life journey, God is always guiding you.

These pieces are created using graphite on Arches paper and willow charcoal for the backgrounds. By creating a surreal image, the viewer is able to get lost in an imaginary world. I hope that people will see the deeper meaning and be carried away with the hopeful message that there is an almighty, loving God in their lives.

Black Ice: David Blackwood

Fire Down on the Labrador, 1980

"He is a native Newfoundlander telling us stories that have come down to him and his family and which he remembers from his childhood of the very brave men who went out on the cod fisheries.. they are not only filled with amazing stories but they are also metaphors for man's attempt to survive in the most hostile environment on earth. For that  reason, we all relate to them because they show us how we can survive against all odds. They are very inspiring... mysterious." -Curator Katharine Lo


Hauling Job Sturges House, 1979

Biology Class Drawings

When I realized that I could draw in biology class I was so excited! Potential medical illustrator? 

Experiment 626: Digital Camera

I am not a professional photographer and I do not use a professional fancy camera. This was all for pure artistic fun and experimentation.

Banner: Tree of Life

 

This lovely banner extends from the ceiling all the way down to the floor at my school!

Disney and Dr. Seuss Sketches!

That's me peeking at Ariel in the bottom corner.

Winnie the Pooh and Jiminy Cricket found themselves in the Cat in the Hat.

Go Thumpa!

Cinderelly

My Favourite Painting from the AGO

Whenever I look at this painting, I can easily find myself being there, sitting peacefully beside them.

2011 Illustrations

I was inspired by the cover of a brochure for a flower arrangement school. The beauty of the flowers reminded of my mother's kindness.

Materials: Pencil crayon and ink pen 

Detail on the left

Dimensions: 28 cm x 31.5 cm

Dimensions: 25 cm x 30 cm

My assignment in art class was to draw three objects in the style of realism. I asked God what He wanted me to draw. He led me to a cluttered cupboard in my room, and inside I discovered a hidden treasure, a gift that my godfather gave to me years ago. It was a Chinese instrument made from grey stone, and wrapped in a cloud of white paper; the stone was raw, and yet smooth to touch. Kept in a gentle dark green box, were two shiny granite rocks. These rocks, one white-grey and one pink-grey, were small "gems" I collected in a school yard during my years at an elementary school. For these reasons, I titled the piece "Treasure".
At the time I created this drawing, I had no idea what these objects meant, and why I was told by God to arrange these objects in that way. The mystery was left unsettled, and as I moved on, I became surrounded by the chaos of my studies in grade 12 and first year university. I forgot about it all.
Two years later, God helped me find "Treasure" again. I was reading Luke 2:19, "but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often", when suddenly I recalled my art piece. God said, "Jesus is your Treasure. Treasure me and all I have done for you." Then He revealed the meaning of everything:
"The open box was the tomb that Jesus laid in. In the centre was the treasured instrument: Jesus! The holes represented how He was pierced for our transgressions. (Later on, my mother pointed out that the holes were placed in a circle to show the crown of thorns that were placed on His head.) When He laid in the tomb, He was wrapped in strips of cloth. The crinkly paper represented the moment when Jesus rose from the dead and removed the cloth. On the left and the right of the instrument were two precious stones: God and the Holy Spirit. Though Jesus was the one who was crucified and raised from the dead, it was all three, the Trinity, who together became able to be with His children. After the curtain was torn, we were able to have a relationship with the Trinity! That is why all three are placed together on the paper. The light source on the right shows how the glory of Jesus reigns and the darkness on the left shows that sin was banished. He lives!"
After He spoke to me I was shocked. I realized that back when I had finished this piece, it was Easter.

Media: Graphite on Arches paper, completed March 2011

Another Time- A Series of Three

25.5 cm x 20

50.5 cm by 40.5 cm

8.5 by 10 inches