creative process – Katarina Thorsen

A mock up to “see the book”

JOSEPH is my experimental graphic novel (in process). It is a Vancouver-based family saga spanning 1924 – 1963. For more info, go to: ABOUT Transforming my 280 page research manuscript (just words) into a 200 page graphic novel (mainly visuals) is a brain exercise, to say the least. I am currently writing the script…

A contemplation

This past week, I had the pleasure of doing graphic recording for a group within health care as they reflected on Trauma and Resiliency Informed Practice. After I completed the transcription report, I decided to do my own a reflection. The result is a drawing as I contemplated the outcomes of the day. The drawing process: Lotus buds…

Construct, deconstruct, reconstruct.

See original post of creating this painting: Of the Forest Deconstruction started Nov 4, 2022: Mixed them all up, collected them and laid in order of how they stacked. December 8, 2022: The accidental connections between between the randomly selected canvas pieces is satisfying. My eye naturally finds harmony in the accidents. I rediscovered the love…

Painting in progress: Of The Forest, Värmland (self-portrait)

My niece, Vivienne, age 8, works on the piece with me. Bliss! The piece continues to evolve… With no attachment to outcome. Only to the process, which I find enormously healing. This is the forest in Värmland in which my soul most often resides… where I spent my childhood summers:

Joseph, the Prologue Broadsheet Sampler

© Katarina Thorsen 2022 — This is a limited edition publication. 400 copies in total have been printed. The hardcopy of the 12-page broadsheet (newspaper) measures: 380 mm x 578 mm (approx. 15″ x 28″) FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: ABOUT THE PROJECT To purchase an individually signed and numbered copy of the 12-page…

Painting: Of the invisible breath that swayed at once

Of the invisible breath that swayed at once… – William Cullen Bryant — This canvas is part of a larger explorative project entitled “Nature Nurture” conceived by filmmaker and multi-media artist Patti Henderson, “born of Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn. The first pandemic lockdown in British Columbia.” The project includes introspective photography and writing by…

Slowing down the creative process

Drawing a dead bird from “life.” (It was actually caught by my indoor cat through a small opening in my apartment window on Sept 23, 2018, and unfortunately it was very dead, so I photographed it and buried it in Stanley Park) A resurgence of studying art history and techniques has made me realize I…

… to thrive as an artist…

From Lucia Joyce- To Dance in the Wake by Carol Loeb Shloss “In short, they were nice women, versions of the angel in the house, that perilously good creature that Virginia Woolf commemorated as Mrs. Ramsay in To the Lighthouse. It is relevant to Lucia’s story to remember that Woolf knew she had to “kill”…

Bound Heron. (imagined) Part 1

Currently embroidery: Process continues…

Dead Bird Study Part 2

See: Part 1 PART 2: Watercolour, pencil crayon, ink, coffee, beet juice, salt, on newsprint, embroidery. Next up in Part 3 – add writing.

Dead Bird Study Part 1

Watercolour, pencil crayon, ink, coffee, salt on newsprint. Next up: embroidery.

Imagined Bird Nest Part 2

Check out: Imagined Bird Nest Part 1 Imagined Bird Nest Part 2:

Imagined bird nest: part 1

Pencil crayon, watercolour, ink, coffee, cherry juice on newsprint. Next step: collage, embellish and embroider

Elle Kari Study No. 2

Image reference: the vintage children’s book (with documentary photography) “Elle Kari” by Anna Riwkin-Brick and Elly James, Rabén & Sjögren, Stockholm, 1965 Medium: pencil crayon, ink, coffee, watercolour on newsprint- plus hot iron

Elle Kari Study No. 1

Dead mouse (Stanley Park)

Rest In Peace little mouse, spotted on the side of the road in Stanley Park the other day.

Journal entry December 1, 2020: I Can’t Write Right

When I can’t write, when I don’t feel right, I feel the black ink of angst/depression well up in my brain. And I pace around and around in there, first splashing in the black ink, then wading in it, then swimming, then oh oh – am I drowning? Ok, ok. Slow down. Use the ink….

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:

Ugly, but benign. Creative process, isolation, self analysis and staying quiet.

What does the character want? Why do they want it? What happens if they don’t get it? Why now? I am finding that out.

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 47 and 48

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection, as well as acknowledging the self-directed violence as important therapeutic shadow work. During these journals, I am 32-33 years old. See previous samples: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct 21, 1992 Sample 2 Date Dec 15 1994 Sample 3 May 16,…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 46: June 11, 1988

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection, as well as acknowledging the self-directed violence as important therapeutic shadow work. During this journal, my daughter is 2.5, my son 0.6 and I am 26. See previous samples: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct 21, 1992 Sample 2 Date Dec…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 45: Dec 16, 2004

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection, as well as acknowledging the self-directed violence as important therapeutic shadow work. See previous samples: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct 21, 1992 Sample 2 Date Dec 15 1994 Sample 3 May 16, 2000 Sample 4 August 14, 2002 Sample 5…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 43: January 13, 2007

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 42: January 2, 2002

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 41: April 21, 2014

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 40: August 26, 1997

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 38: February 21, 1999

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection. See previous samples: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct 21, 1992 Sample 2 Date Dec 15 1994 Sample 3 May 16, 2000 Sample 4 August 14, 2002 Sample 5 June 13, 1990 Sample 6 August 23, 2019 Sample 7 December 17,…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 21: February 15, 2002

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection. Today’s sample journal starts about a month and a half after J_____ and I decided we were going to divorce. He is living in Vancouver and I am on the Sunshine Coast with the kids. See: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 19: November 29, 2000

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection. Several samples have left me a bit raw. This sample is another lighter one… Fall/Winter on the Sunshine Coast, fully immersed in creative process. This is more an image/idea file and sketchbook than journal. See: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct…

Unnecessary Violence and Ramblings- archiving of my Shadow Work Journals 1986 to present. Sample 18: June 14, 2000

This daily archiving series is about organizing and dating my journal collection. After processing the last few samples that left me a bit raw, this sample is lighter in its contents … Summer 2000 on the Sunshine Coast, being a mom. See: Unnecessary Violence Project Explanation and Sample 1 Oct 21, 1992 Sample 2 Date…