A family treasure: Birthday card sent to my father in Sarpsborg, Norway, from my grandfather, Gunnar Thorsen, and fellow Norwegian soldiers (in German concentration camp) for my father’s 12th birthday Aug 8, 1942. GUNNAR THORSEN 1897-1970 After graduation from school my Dad decided to join the army. Thereafter he ended up in the…
Category: Photography
What the sock pigs taught me…
This past Sunday morning- hanging out on Vancouver Island, my 4 friends and I had a hankering to create sock pigs. There is such magic in sitting around the dining room table at my friends’ house, surrounded by crafting supplies creating. We laugh, we go deep, we eat, we drink coffee, we share time. It…
President’s Dream Colloquium on Returning to the Teachings: Justice, Identity and Belonging sfu.ca
Photos by Rick Magnell: Punky Lake Wilderness Camp Society Art Camp, Riske Creek/ Williams Lake Summer 2016. See: LINK From President’s Dream Colloquium on Returning to the Teachings: Justice, Identity and Belonging: “Justice, identity and belonging are central indicators of health and well-being. Founded on the ideal of a pluralistic society, Canada faces significant equity challenges in upholding…
Williams Lake/ Punky Lake Summer 2016 Art Camp Diary- Part 6: the photographer
Recall: Preview Part 1: Preparation Part 2: Travel Part 3: Art Camp Day 1 Part 4: Art Camp Day 2 Part 5: Art Camp Day 3 — Part 6: Punky Lake Wilderness Camp Society Summer 2016 Art Camp- the photographer What a treat it was to be joined by photographer Rick Magnell of Magnell Photography on Days…
Williams Lake/ Punky Lake Summer 2016 Diary- Part 5: Day 3 Celebration
Recall: Preview Part 1: Preparation Part 2: Travel Part 3: Art Camp Day 1 Part 4: Art Camp Day 2 — Part 5: Punky Lake Wilderness Camp Society Summer 2016 Art Camp Day 3- Celebration — Sitting here in my lovely hotel room organizing supplies and reflecting on this week… — It was the…
The objects are the context from which I draw clues.
What happens when a case is very old, when much of its physical evidence is deteriorated or destroyed, and its main players long deceased? How do we investigate? For me it is all about the historical context. When I work on Molly, I step into the 1940’s through books, research, primary sources. And I do it…
INSIDE OUT PROJECT- breaking the cycle of violence through creativity: Activities Report Summer 2015
Inside Out Project Summer 2015 was made possible by a generous grant from the Province of British Columbia – Ministry of Justice: Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division — INSIDE OUT PROJECT- OWN YOUR JOURNEY: breaking the cycle of violence through creativity Activities Report Location: Mountainside Secondary School, North Vancouver, BC, Canada Instructors: Ian Powell: photography, digital media Kat Thorsen: therapeutic art Erin Ross: animation The Inside Out Project Summer 2015 was a…
Limited edition hand-embroidered print sale #graphicnovel
— I am making available 10 hand-embroidered prints entitled Who is it that can tell me who I am? featuring an original image from my graphic novel, Molly. — — The print captures the moment a crow, the magician of the forest, adorned by a child’s skull as a crown, looks, with intense curiosity, into Lost Lagoon…
Day 2: Inside Out Project Summer 2015 #ownyourjourney- a visit to @VPDHorses
INSIDE OUT PROJECT: OWN YOUR JOURNEY- Breaking the cycle of violence through creativity Inside Out Project – Own Your Journey SUMMER 2015 is a three week intensive arts-based program running out of Mountainside Secondary School (July 6-24, 2015) for youth ages 13-20 that uses the vehicles of therapeutic art, photography and stop motion animation to teach life and…
Day 1: Inside Out Project: Own Your Journey Summer 2015 arts-based youth program
INSIDE OUT PROJECT: OWN YOUR JOURNEY- Breaking the cycle of violence through creativity Inside Out Project – Own Your Journey SUMMER 2015 is a three week intensive arts-based program running out of Mountainside Secondary School (July 6-24, 2015) for youth ages 13-20 that uses the vehicles of therapeutic art, photography and stop motion animation to teach life and…
Animating Shaun Tan’s The Red Tree at Mountainside Secondary.
An extension of the Inside Out Project Own Your Journey at Mountainside Secondary 2014-2015, the animation portion- spearheaded by my colleague and dear friend, Ian Powell- engaged students in a deep and meaningful way. Ian chose The Red Tree by Shaun Tan as the vehicle to help students address social and emotional intelligence, self-reflection and empowerment…
I am a tired worn cardigan.
I am a tired worn cardigan. Old. Tired. Ugly. Comfortable. I think I’ll play with this metaphor and fix up my fave cardigan. Perhaps, as I fix it with fancy string and buttons, I’ll feel like I’m fixing myself.
Inside Out Project Mountainside Secondary: own your journey
On September 30, 2014, I began my collaboration with Ian Powell at Mountainside Secondary on the INSIDE OUT PROJECT- OWN YOUR JOURNEY, inspired by my hero JR: MOUNTAINSIDE SECONDARY: Inside Out Project: Own Your Journey Youth-run initiative using the vehicle of portrait photography and street art to learn life and transferable skills while developing self-empowerment, peer…
Inside Out Project: Own Your Journey, Mountainside Pilot Project Week 5 of 5
Recall: LINK: MOUNTAINSIDE SECONDARY: Inside Out Project: Own Your Journey Youth-run initiative using the vehicle of portrait photography and street art to learn life and transferable skills while developing self-empowerment, peer to peer interaction and community connections. THEMES: Connection and Empowerment CO-FACILITATORS: IAN POWELL, KAT THORSEN Pilot Project: September 30, 2014- October 30, 2014 INSPIRED BY OUR…
Inside Out: youth empowerment, peer to peer interaction and community connections.
I am so excited to be part of this incredible project inspired by my hero JR: MOUNTAINSIDE SECONDARY: Inside Out Project: Own Your Journey Youth-run initiative using the vehicle of portrait photography and street art to learn life and transferable skills while developing self-empowerment, peer to peer interaction and community connections. THEMES: Connection and Empowerment CO-FACILITATORS:…
Why use seemingly unrelated vintage photographs as sources for a true crime story?
There is no end to the inspiration I get from looking at vintage photographs- through immersion comes awakened imagination. The central characters in my graphic novel are real people but as I am doing an artistic interpretation of real events, I revel in the freedom to flesh out the central characters using old photos as a starting…
This poem, this city, closing its doors, barricaded, almost empty… #graphicnovel #inspiration
9:09 in the morning, the taste of liquor and cigarettes, no police, no lovers, walking the streets, this poem, this city, closing its doors, barricaded, almost empty, mournful without tears, aging without pity, the hardrock mountains, the ocean like a lavender flame, a moon destitute of greatness, a small music from broken windows … a poem…
Does context help or hinder your interpretation of art?
Does context change the way your interpret an image? A piece of art? Does knowing whether or not the artist is a man or woman affect the way you read the image? Is it important to know how the artist self-identifies? Does it matter if she was an alcoholic? If he was a bastard? If…
I envy you, drunk with flowers… Nancy plays with peonies.
Raw moments with peonies captured by Nancy Kirkpatrick today at Intersections Media: Moss covered paths between scarlet peonies, Pale jade mountains fill your rustic windows. I envy you, drunk with flowers; Butterflies swirling in your dreams. – Qian Qi (Tang Dynasty) Painting by Alicia Love
Anna and the @bypoststreet paper dress as caught by the inimitable @viranlly
The by post street paper dress photographed by Viranlly Aix Liemena: The Social Life team: Viranlly, Anna and Josh! The by post street online store is now open:
Holding on or letting go… lessons from my nephew.
As I watch my nephew taking his steps towards his independence, I am struck with the battle we all struggle with between holding on and letting go. Just by watching Henrik, I find a metaphor for those battles inside myself. From the simple holding on to the pinky finger to feel safe- to letting go…
Street art and fashion- a collaborative affair. Photographer Kali Banner, designer Michelle Leung
RECENT PHOTOSHOOT AT “THE WALL” Clothing Designer: Michelle Leung Photographer: Kali Banner Editor: Steven Roste Model: Eugenie Lin
“A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.” Diane Arbus #photoshootThursday
It is always fun to have impromptu photoshoots! Always! Last Thursday, we gathered together again in the workshop at District 319 and played. I love capturing moments with my iPhone: Photographer Carolyn Spencer directed the shoot and masterfully captured moments inspired by 80’s greed: