May 20th, 2011 § 1,735 comments § permalink
Another piece from the Angry Party Series! Alpine ibexes were thought to be magical animals that could be used for potions. They were almost pursued to extinction when the King of Sardinia proclaimed that only the royal family can hunt them. Imagine a court dance!
May 13th, 2011 § 5,803 comments § permalink
Toronto has a flea market called the “Heritage Antique Market” that takes place once a month. I was most interested in these little engravings done by Scottish artist, William Home Lazars (from Sir William Jardines’ publication in 1840).
plates by Lazar (and wood carving from Africa, and antique rose bowl turned paintbrush holder!... and shell from Michael's craft store.. ahahhaha)
Jaguar by Frederick De Wit ("Lumen Picturae" 1660) and Bear by Mme Rebel (1840). I got the beast Bear from the South of France last year
I love them because they’re totally bizarre with their neatly groomed fur and presumed species personality! These are drawings by artists without seeing the animals alive or in full and at a time when photography was just primitive. Nevertheless, they are infused with imagined character and liveliness and although published in scientific contexts and should serve as an ultimate model for the species, they exist more as a collection of personalities.
The medieval way of thinking about animals granted them souls with sentience, making them also responsible for their actions. This means animals could be brought into court and hire attorneys! At the time period of these engravings, however, the popular belief was that animals had no souls and were machines and thus unable to reason (“The Moral Lives of Animals” by Dale Peterson). I think it’s beautiful that despite these ideas, the animals are interpreted with such human-like expressions in these etchings.
"Felis Leo" and "Flat-Nosed Rhinoceros" by Lazar. Innocent and kind big-headed lion with grumpy puffy lips
My two favourites were the cheetah and mandrill and I wanted to give them to my friend, who is my animal everything buddy. When I put the two of them together, I was visually reminded of the National Geographic programme, “Eye of the Leopard”, and the viral excerpt of the leopard who kills a mother baboon but tries to care for a baby baboon, its natural enemy and prey in the wild.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHjRZki9Qc
I thought their relationship was a good symbol for my friendship with her because it’s so intense and rare!
faces of the mandrill and cheetah by Lazar
From human expressions in engravings to amazing rare footage of a leopard that seems to have moral compassion, we still use our understanding of ourselves to understand animals. And I don’t think they’re machines!!
I made it so that she can hang this across her wall, like a travelling picture frame/card!
-Christie
May 7th, 2011 § 1,160 comments § permalink
Here is a guppy! A female guppy can hold all her babies (up to 50) inside her body for an average of 28 days. It is even possible to see the eyes of this livebearer’s babies through her skin. Once they are born, they are able to swim freely, eat and avoid predation. It sounds like a nightmare, but she’s ready to mate within a few hours of giving birth…so she must not think so.
To see guppy with baby eyes: CLICK
And popping them out: CLICK
-Christie
May 5th, 2011 § 2,048 comments § permalink
Toronto based videography team, Stories Worth Sharing, made a hip stop motion video of animals! If you missed Animalau at the expo, or you want to reminisce (hahaha), it’s a good time!
Featured artworks are: What is a Bird?, Breed: Bull Terrier, Angry Wildebeest Dance, Italian Hoopoe, Beastly and Elude
Thanks to Stories Worth Sharing and their lackeys!!
-Christie
April 29th, 2011 § 1,864 comments § permalink
Did you wake up at 5AM too?
Isn’t he handsome with his gold braids and third sword (his horns are the other two!)? He had intended on charging another male, but I’m glad he decided to bow to his lady before their first dance.
This wildabeest is from the Angry Party series.
-Christie
April 25th, 2011 § 1,013 comments § permalink
During our vacation on the Galapagos Islands we visited a farm where tortoises roam freely. Visitors are also allowed to roam freely so I squatted near one, about 30 ft away, and watched him eat grass.
Tortoises really do move in slow-mo and the sound of their breathing is steady and hollow, like Darth Vader! To my amazement, this tortoise started feeding in my direction and would occasionally make eye contact. At the time I felt like I should appear and breathe similarly so that I would not alarm him and hopefully attract him even nearer.
"Hares are awful, aren't they?"
Or perhaps he was rather more interested by my dissimilarity, like I was with his. Was he merely curious? Did he wonder what was so stinky? Do tortoises investigate with their mouths? As he got even closer, my excitement mutated into nervousness. I fixated on his eyes and worried over not understanding his intentions. He continued to advance (Zzzzzzz), and at last I made a sharp movement. I panicked because…he was too alien.
Immediately, he hissed and sucked his head into his shell.
I flinched because I believed our minds were too disconnected. And yet, once he recoiled I knew we were at least on the same chicken wavelength. I still wonder what would have happened.
-Christie
April 21st, 2011 § 1,102 comments § permalink
Thank-you thank-you thank-you to old friends and new friends
click on the image to see the photos larger!
It was rewarding to curate the best work from these past two years and to see them fill a space. Reception of the work was all good (because really, I don’t think people just go up to artists and tell them their work sucks). What I mean to say is that I’m thrilled that some expo guests took the time to look at my mark making and read my statements, which is the best I could have hoped for!
detail from "Elude"
I am grateful for the opportunity to meet other artists and especially to talk with my teachers, Andrea Maguire and Stephen Yau. Special appreciation for my free labourers, the booth mate (who many mistook for the artist), and the technician, photographer, and food deliverer, Moomoo and Doodoo!
-Christie
April 14th, 2011 § 2,190 comments § permalink
Emus, like Belgian lace, are a very special kind. She is a flightless bird, although affords the splendorous luxury of loose feathers. Certainly she is one to appreciate the extravagance of handmade lace from Brussels. She has a good eye for these delicacies and, like the rest of her species, very much enjoy observing human activity, particularly one that is also endemic to its own country.
I like to swallow rocks to make food even finer
-Christie
P.S. Come say hello at the Toronto Art Expo from April 14-17! I will be exhibiting and selling original work (although I also have made an edition of four prints!). Other friends that will be there are Birds on a Wire, Doe, Cheetahs, Beastly, Bull Terriers, angry dancers, and elusive lions!
info for how to get there and stuff: http://www.torontoartexpo.com/
April 9th, 2011 § 535 comments § permalink
At Freedom CC Gallery
animal party!
Thanks to friends and new friends, and also special thank-you to Marsya, the curator!
-Christie
April 5th, 2011 § 965 comments § permalink
Hi hi hi!! From April 8- May 3, I will be exhibiting in a group show called “Characters” at Freedom Clothing Collective Gallery! The opening reception is at 8 PM this Fridee and the gallery address is 939 Bloor Street West, near Ossington Avenue. If you are using TTC, you’ll be super close if you get off at Ossington station!
Link to their gallery blog and other details: CLICK
I am also featured on their newsletter!
from Freedom CC Gallery
-Christie
