This week I had my first editorial illustration published, in Converge Magazine.

I didn’t choose my article but I happened to be handed one touching on issues of homelessness.
The article mentions people donating old Chinese food leftovers, which gave me the idea for the illustration. I wanted it to be a bit of an absurd image, like the way some of our mindsets and unthoughtful behaviours toward those in poverty are absurd, and need to be realized so that those who say they care can show care more effectively.

I loved working on this and I can’t wait to do more editorial pieces in the future…

Went for a walk in the rain with a dear friend, made a sketch of him today at that little island in False Creek.
Many stories to tell.

Recently I was working on an editorial illustration and my friend read to me from a book my Makoto Fujimura.
It’s nice to be read to while painting, but then sometimes I start painting the words..

Fujimura paints using ancient Japanese Rimpa and Nihonga techniques; he uses a lot of gold metal leaf and his images have this sort of slow, tidal beauty to them. Have a look at his work and writing at www.makotofujimura.com.

Biked to a friend’s house. Painted a moose. Gave my friend the moose. Biked home.

I’ve been feeling pretty inspired these days.

I’m gonna start sharing more sketches with you, things with no home just popping up in my journal, words, ideas, marks. Things half-made/being made or leading me somewhere next to them.

Drew these at Cafe Deux Soleils a few weeks ago, went to see my dear friend Jason Lowe play. He’s pretty crazy on the steel, and a painter too.

He makes this kind of music:

Also been thinking about some words my brother quoted to me from a RUMI poem:

When you read hold the words over
your chest so that when your heart breaks
they fall in.

We gotta fill up on the good stuff.
Also, I can’t find this actual poem, if any one knows where it’s from could you tell me?

-Bre

Tomorrow I have the honor of performing at a beautiful Vancouver venue I’ve hoped to play at for a while: St James Hall.

Not only that, I’m a part of a concert put on by the Rogue Folk Club.

The Rogue Folk Club doesn’t just have a cool picture of a guy holding a scroll, they are a non-profit Society formed in 1987 to present concerts of Celtic, Folk and Roots Music in Vancouver. The Club has been a member of the Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture since its inception.

I’m playing from 7-8pm before the feature band, The Fretless who won Instrumental Group of the Year and Ensemble of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music awards last year. I’m intimidated to be among such talented musicians but also so excited and honored to be invited.
Come on out if you can, all the event info is here.

The second exhibition of the show I wrote about in my last post is confirmed! We will be showing at The Britannia Art Gallery for most of February so come on out, and hear about Open Book’s next show in the works too.
www.openbookartcollective.com