“November 21, 1948” As I was creating my graphic novel, Salt Green Death (Conundrum Press 2025), I made a list of sounds corresponding to events that were happening (sounds I imagined happening internally and sounds I knew may be happening externally) on November 21, 1948 when Joseph O’Dwyer walked in a psychotic state across…
Category: Inspiration
Dizzy with Hanff
At the end of last week (just a few days ago now) something in my readings and research for my projects led me to pull out my first edition copy of Arthur Quiller-Couch: a biographical study of Q by F. Brittain (Cambridge at the University Press, 1947). I have no memory of when and where…
Reclaiming autonomy
For the first time in a long while, the future feels brighter. Scratch that. The present feels brighter and the year ahead feels lighter. Big news: Two of my graphic novel projects have received Canada Council grants for Artistic Creation. The funding will support research and development for both books. The deeper work on those…
She is filled with secrets…
Laura Palmer (July 22, 1972 – February 24, 1989) In honour of Laura Palmer, central character in Twin Peaks, who disappeared on the night of 23 February 1989 [based original SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 post] I process my obsessions through creativity. And there was a lot to process when we have reached “the end” of Twin…
Thank you for holding space for my creative chaos.
Feeling deeply grateful for all the incredible humans I have met, collaborated with, and been supported by in 2025. To all of you, and especially to my endlessly understanding family and friends, thank you for holding space for my creative chaos. Taking some time from the socials to OWL: Observe, Wait, Listen… You can always…
Bean Around Books Bookstore Appreciation Day Dec 6 2025
A day of books, coffee, community and joy! What a delight to present Salt Green Death and to listen to incredible readings by local authors at Bean Around Books today in Maple Ridge BC. Huge thank you to my brother, Fredrik Thorsen, for introducing me to this magical place!
“Maybe some day you can write a book about your adventures.” A letter from Pierre Berton, 1973 #potatonose
Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) Of his forty-seven books, this was Berton’s personal favourite, partly because the characters were inspired by his own children. The Secret World of Og brought the author more fan mail than anything else he wrote – at least a dozen letters a week from children across…
Kickstarter Campaign! Potato Nose: 1977
My new Kickstarter Campaign is now live and runs Oct 24 – Nov 20, 2025 Potato Nose: 1977, the graphic novel A tragicomic memoir of pubescent anxiety and ecstatic delusion “If you read someone else’s diary, you get what you deserve.” ― David Sedaris THE PROJECT I am seeking funding for artist subsistence to begin…
THE ARTIST’S HUSTLE: 54 HOURS TO GO #potatonose
As the Kickstarter campaign for Potato Nose: 1977 enters its final hours, I find myself doing the classic artist’s hustle: sharing, posting, reminding, and hoping I’m not annoying everyone in the process. It can feel uncomfortably narcissistic, especially when the project is based on my own teenage diary. But this campaign was never launched because…
“Potato Nose gets frightfully romantic…”
My new Kickstarter Campaign is now live and runs Oct 24 – Nov 20, 2025!!! Potato Nose: 1977, the graphic novel A tragicomic memoir of pubescent anxiety and ecstatic delusion “If you read someone else’s diary, you get what you deserve.” ― David Sedaris It was a shock to the system for me to move…
Chewing on the importance of diary keeping #potatonose
I was headed to a middle school in New Westminster yesterday on the Skytrain (to facilitate a dialogue session with teachers on their School Growth Plan as they explored creatively – with pens and paper – how to make the plan more engaging and meaningful in the classroom). On the train, I was chewing over…
Chanterelles, Lily of the Valley and daisies were her favourites…
I dedicated my graphic novel, Salt Green Death (Conundrum Press, 2025) to my parents (Karin Thorsen September 17 1936 – November 8 2008. Roar Thorsen August 8, 1930 – October 25 2012). Not only did my parents shape me (sculpting me into the strange rag doll I am today), and not only did their personal …
DRAW-bitch-DRAW!
A similar mantra was on repeat the final months when I was completing my debut graphic novel, Salt Green Death. The second graphic novel is now in full swing. It is a collaboration. (Stay tuned!) The visual narrative script was completed by the spectacular author whose short story the new book is based on. The…
… a blessed unrest that keeps us marching…
Some movement explorations found in old journals. Eager to do more movement in my visual storytelling and reignite confidence in my mark making and creative process, I am doing a deep re-dive into Martha Graham. (I was lucky enough to attend masterclasses with the company at the Shadbolt Centre in Burnaby in the late 70’s!)…
Today – June 12 – holds personal significance for me
Today holds personal significance for me. June 12th marks the birthday of Joseph O’Dwyer, the main character in my graphic novel, Salt Green Death (Conundrum Press, 2025). His patient file is the main source for the project. Joseph was born on June 12, 1926 (99 years ago) in Cashel, Ireland. The journey of bringing this…
June 16, 1904. The eyes of Joyce…
June 16, 1904. Lá Bloom (Bloom’s Day, in Irish). 120 years! Reading Ulysses for the past couple of years (in English and in Swedish) while working on my current book is both magical and integral to my creative process. I am in the final month of completing my graphic novel. It’s a glorious, terrifying and…
“You can’t rescue all of them…”
“You can’t rescue all of them but you rescued me.” – Reina, my cat, to me. “You can’t rescue all of them but you rescued me.” – Me to Reina, my cat.
Recapitulation
I am delighted to share a post (about a powerful shared experience yesterday during the Autumn Equinox) by Patti Henderson, my dear friend and often collaborator. Check out her blog at: creatornorthshore “Recapitulation – Release” by Patti Henderson September 24, 2023 Happy Autumn Equinox! My friend and often art collaborator – Katarina – and I…
Using labanotation as constraints to create a 9-panel page
I created a 9-panel page for my “Joseph” project based on a rudimentary intro to labanotation and based on a famous photo from a 1946 reportage, “a man constrained in a straight jacket stands alone.” Labanotation is a system of recording human movement, originated by the Hungarian-born dance theorist Rudolf Laban. The Laban system…
My grandfather’s school photo- it haunts and taunts me…
I am obsessed with this photo of my grandfather’s school class (Hudiksvall, Sweden). He is in the top row, far left. I have drawn and painted it over and over for years. But something never allows me to finish. I get to a certain point with some of the students and then the rest refuse…
Cashel, Ireland “vision board”
The main characters in my graphic novel project (a true story) were born in Cashel, Ireland. I decided to make a “vision board” to help me focus on gathering the resources to one day (soon) sit in situ drawing the Rock of Cashel. (Then head down the hill for a pint and food.) I found…
Yard Gone Wild #fanart #doodles
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TECKNA MÅLA. My father’s art supplies.
My father, Roar Thorsen (1930-2012), was my first art teacher. I grew up with his paintings on our walls, his meticulous scrapbooks/photo albums, his continuous creative process. In 1976 (we were back living in Sweden), my father taught me oil painting and he gave me his paint box, and easel from the 50’s and 60’s, and…
Alone time in my “backyard.”
My social anxiety is at a great height these days as I navigate all-sorts in my life. So I savour alone time and nature in my “backyard.” Today’s lagoon walk sightings and sounds included: Starlings, Crows, Sparrows, Pigeons, Herons, Wrens, Squirrels, Ducks and ducklings- mallards, wood ducks, Canada geese and goslings, Raccoons, Thrush songs, Robin songs, Eagle songs, Bugs, Dragonflies- so many! Skimmers, darners, damsel flies. Red, white tail,…
Meanwhile, nature enchants.
It is Sunday morning and I look out my kitchen window, alarmed at the silence. There are no bird songs. No pigeons cooing, no seagulls screeching, crows cawing, sparrows singing… I took a walk into the park on Friday. Looking out over the ocean into the haze, eyes, stinging, feeling heartbroken for Earth. Meanwhile,…
Collaging as writing process
Collaging helps me write and stay in process. Images of the era (in my case the late 40’s) trigger ideas and storylines. (Thank you to Darcy for collage night, the LIFE magazines, the collaboration and the varnishing process! And chats!) See also:
I am obsessed with a photo of Lucy Knisley. So I had to sketch it.
I am obsessed with a photo of artist Lucy Knisley. So I had to sketch it in my journal. Those eyes. That spirit. That talent. I am, by my superficial definition, an ugly person. “I often stood in front of the mirror alone, wondering how ugly a person could get.” ― Charles Bukowski, Ham on Rye …
A sock snapping turtle eating David Sedaris’ tumour. A handmade gift.
Does anyone else (well, I know my daughter does) feel like David Sedaris (and his sister Amy) is a family member? I am that kind of fan. Sorry. Reading his books, alone or in public, inevitably leads to me rocking back and forth in tears or in laughter or both. I have always fought against…
Shaping non-fiction characters.
What was initially to be a short volunteer research project into a Vancouver cold case to support a theory championed by a retired homicide detective, became, for me [and continues to be], a 17+ year personal journey “to restore to now dead people the fullness and degree of complication of their lives. To restore their humanness…