Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hello friends!

It certainly has been awhile since my last posting but I wanted to let you know that I am alive and well! In November I started a new part-time job working in a sign production shop in more of a managerial role, and it has been a good experience... so good that I'm taking the job on a full time basis in the January.

As for chair designs... my Winnie-the-Pooh client has realized the importance of original and personalized design. We will be hashing out the details in January but I think it will be another multi-cultural chair inspired by Colombian, US and Canadian cultures. Very cool! I'll keep you posted. ;)

I wish you all a safe and joyous holiday season.
Sincerely,
Kelly

Fini

The Korean Inspired chair is complete! I love it. I still have to apply one more coat of varathane and then the chair will be totally completed. This weekend I'll be delivering it to it's new owner. It's an amazing feeling to look at a finished piece... I often ask myself if I really did it. Once the chair is in the hands of the owners I will be able to post the pics on my website. Check back next week to see it.

Creative Update

My latest chair is really coming along. Creating the design completely on the computer first has really been great as acting as my storyboard. I'll definitely do it that way for all my chairs. Speaking of which... it seems the next chair may be a Winnie the Pooh inspired theme. I'll have to consider my approach to this order.

On another note... I've recently been hired to become an Art Specialist at a Montessori school in Oakville. I am extremely excited about that! I'll be teaching Casa 1 and 2. I'm sure there will be some good times!

Needless to say I'm very busy but very busy doing art and raising a beautiful little girl. No complaints.

Chair is underway!

Hi There,

The new chair design has been approved by my client - we had a couple of versions from which we bounced ideas off each other. We've decided to go with a Korean inspired landscape that could also be a Canadian one upon first glance. I have subtley incorporated the symbols of both of the Korean and Canadian flags into the pond/seat of the chair. The ying yang of the Korean flag is emulated with the fish and there is a floating maple leaf representing Canada.

The overall design of the chair mainly features elements that exist in both countries landscapes... the Korean meaning behind each of the elements is what carries the Korean theme further. For instance, in Korea there is a Sunrise festival every year which represents the begining of a new year. I felt that was particularily significant at the onset of the child's birthday. That's why I chose to have a sunrise as a part of the design.

On the back of the chair I chose a nightime scene to highlight his name and the meaning of his name, Shines Brightly. It also allowed me to add 5 bats which is very good luck... only people who'd researched that would know... otherwise, there again, Canada has bats :)

Other images with meaning that are incorporated into the design are a deer, turtle, mandarin ducks, tiger, rose of sharron, bamboo and a butterfly. Please follow the following link to view the meanings of the symbols: http://english.gangnam.go.kr/koreanpattern/index.htm

Progress: The base painting of the chair is half finished.

Due Date: Mid-October of this year... so stay tuned for images of the completed chair!

If you have any questions regarding this design or my process please feel free to contact me.

Cheers!

Kelly

Kid Chair Commission

Great news... yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting a very cute Korean baby adopted by my friends. I was also very honoured to be asked to paint the little prince his very own chair. Yay! His Korean name means, Shines Brightly... I'm thinking about creating a design that reflects his name and incorporates elements of a quilt created by his Mom. This is going to be a wonderful collaboration!

Welcome!

Hi Everyone,

So this is my inaugural blog and I look forward to conversing with you!

My hope is to provide regular updates regarding current projects as well as to take feedback regarding exisiting work and ideas for future themes. Please feel free to contact me here if you have questions about how to get started on a project with me.

All the best!
Kelly