Butterfly and Hosta

One of a series titled Close Encounters With Nature. Images are macro shots taken with an Olympus Camedia 5050. The hosta leaf with dew was taken in Campbell River on an early May morning. The butterfly wing was taken at the Spencer Entymological Museum at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Images were combined in CorelDraw.

The Mind Is A Mansion

This is page 7 from The Mind Is A Mansion, an altered board book. The original book came with the holes. Background consists of washes of acrylic paint. The black and white text and image are transfers. Image is a black and white laser output of a traditional (non digital) collage onto release paper. Mirror image text is also a laser output to release paper. The transfer itself is accomplished using gel medium.

text for The Mind Is A Mansion:

The mind is a mansion that contains many rooms
Each a compilation described by our thoughts, dreams, emotions, ecstasies,
angers and secrets of our deepest selves.
There is so much that remains unseen
until we unlock the door and look inside.
There are infinite questions to be asked.
Much of the mind is cloaked in mystery
The more we look inside each room
the more we realize
that while these paradoxes and enigmas
are infinitely questioned,
they are forever never answered.

Kung Hay Fat Choy

This is The Fire of Creativity: May It Burn Throughout The New Year.

It's day 8 of the Chinese New Year of the Dog and being of Chinese heritage, although I hardly speak the language and have married a Caucasian, I cling to the superstitions and traditions of my ancestors. The circular candy tray is called "The Tray of Togetherness" and has an array of candy to start the New Year sweetly. After taking several pieces of candy from the tray, adults places a lucky red envelope (lai see) on the center compartment of the tray.

Each item represents some kind of good fortune.

• Candied melon - growth and good health
• Red melon seed - dyed red to symbolize joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
• Lychee nut - strong family relationships
• Coconut - togetherness
• Peanuts - long life
• Longnan - many good sons
• Lotus seed - many children

Shadows of Mortality

This is Sorrow, a digital collage that is part of a 12-piece series called Shadows of Mortality. The entire series was also produced as a limited edition artist book by the same name as this series includes a lot of text. All the words on each of the pieces relate to the titles, in the case of Sorrow, words include melancholy, heartache, anguish, regret, pain and unhappiness. Other titles in the series include Contrition, Uninvited, Despair, Abandoned and Solitude.

Sorrow is on display during Matters of the Heart at the Unitarian Church at Oak and 49th until March 5.

Intro to the book:

All humans share a common bond - mortality.
It is the realization of our fragility
that sets us apart from other living things.
And each day,
shadows of our mortality test this fragility.

Some people are haunted by their shadows,
allowing the shadows to consume and darken their lives,
spreading their shadows and engulfing all in their path.
Others, accept their shadows,
but must re-confront them with every new step.
Others still, embrace their shadows,
celebrating the strengths and triumphs that evolve,
using their shadows as a palette for creative expression.
I welcome you to take a walk among some of my shadows.
I trust you will recognize some.
And for those that you do identify with,
rest assured that you are not alone.
I welcome you to take a walk among some of my shadows.
I trust you will recognize some.
And for those that you do identify with,
rest assured that you are not alone.

Digital Journey 2

Translation of the Chinese character is water, which is also the title for this piece. Background is composed an old boat I found in Steveston with a handpainted depth guage layered with an abstract closeup to create the watery effect. Foreground images include some fish from the Steveston market that have had their colours tweeked, as well as some other marine life.

Digital Journey 1

Digital Journeys is a series of digital collages that explore the often complimentary but sometimes opposite connotations when dealing with the cultural aspects of language. Several of the images from this series are currently on display at the Mix Bakery on West 10th Avenue in Vancouver.

The Chinese character translates "child" which is the title of the piece, an attempt at a self portrait. Besides the child, some other images that have been used include the maple leaf (Canada), a butterfly (metamorphosis), a starfish (westcoast), and some classical piano sheetmusic (music being another pursuit).

Digital Collage

As digital art implies, my work reflects the many layers of nature. Traditional collage begins with the collecting of images. As with traditional collage, I start with images taken with a digital camera or scanner. I use computer programs to manipulate these images and let the computer screen act as my canvas. I attempt to layer images using various filters and effects. The result is not always predictable.