Freedom Tube

Jes Sachse is a Toronto-based writer, journalist, artist and curator. Moreover, Jes is a story-teller. With a rare genetic condition known as Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, Jes has unique facial features, a curved spine and their right leg is a bit shorter than the left, but Jes is very positive and forward-thinking. Jes identifies as genderqueer and prefers non-gendered pronouns (they, them and their in place of he or she). Their passion is disability, whether through writing or art. It is a daily lived experience that is intricately tethered to how they exist.

Jes was in St. John's recently to take part in HOLD FAST - A Contemporary Arts Festival presented by Eastern Edge Gallery. I had the pleasure of meeting Jes at the festival's opening night 'Fancy Artist Talks'.

Jes's work was featured in the Hold Fast 'Art Crawl', in which artists from across Canada presented projects throughout the city over the course of a single evening. Jes created a curtain of over 12,000 drinking straws that was displayed at St. John's City Hall. The piece is entitled "Freedom Tube", and it links to disability culture and the idea that a drinking straw, to most people, is just a drinking straw, but to many people with a disability, it represents a sense of freedom and independence. Jes explained it's meaning by telling the story of buying a coffee for their friend, who also had a disability:

“Eliza, are you able to do take-out cup lids, like, put your mouth on it and sip?” She laughed and she’s like, “No!”, like I asked the stupidest question. And I started explaining that generally I deal with the fact that I can’t do it either by using a straw. And without missing a beat, she turns her head around at me and says,“You mean ‘freedom tube’”.

"It became this object that I then, as a visual artist, immediately connected to, and I wasn't able to sleep after she said that to me. I was remembering every time I’ve ever seen a disabled person use a straw. I kept imagining straws - the classic red and white bendies, thousands of them in front of me. Sitting, creating long strands of piping, weaving them together in a sort of tapestry. The straws becoming a network of straws - one for every cup of coffee, one for every daily adjustment to make bodies "fit". And with patience and the passing of time, this mundane ritual becoming something larger. Together the straws will become a structure - an iconography of culture, and an honouring of an invisible tradition."

Freedom Tube has already had several incarnations, and is forever a work in progress. It does not have a finalized form. It is a new show, a new exhibit every time. Jes starts each new installation from scratch because the labour of the work is just as much a part of it. Very much a proponent of community-based art, Jes believes that it is important to focus on the ways that communities can contribute to the process of art-making. They invite people to not only visit their work, but to participate as well.

On Saturday, I met Jes at City Hall and spent several hours helping put straws together!

"Aesthetically, I’m a little in love.", said Jes. "I have a penchant for pretty things, and this is a very pretty thing. It’s pink and pretty and fun and I kind of feel like I’m at a birthday party. The straws are very uplifting en mass."

We had a great discussion about disabilities, perception, and the role of the internet and digital media. It is interesting that once you put something out in the public domain, you have little control over how people interpret it, and as an artist, Jes uses their art to make social statements.

If you think Jes looks familiar, it's because they went viral back in 2010 when starring in a series of photographs taken by Holly Norris, spoofing advertisements by American Apparel. The series was called “American Able”, and included 13 recreations of actual American Apparel ads. The photos challenged the retailer's claim that the models in their provocative ads are just "ordinary people".

American Apparel gave permission to display the photos in fifty Toronto subway stations, and both Holly and Jes were floored by all of the negative feedback. They heard comments that the photos had "shock value", that they were "ugly", "disturbing" and even "grotesque". The photographer replied with "Those are photos of Jes. Why does Jes’s body have a shock value? Why is it that people’s disabilities are so unseen that there’s a shock value there? There shouldn’t be.”

With Jes's latest installation of Freedom Tube, they continue on the path of making people stop and look, and hopefully also making people think.

"I needed it to not be something you can pass by and think an easy thing about. It makes you ask questions about what it is or what it’s trying to do, which is what I decided was enough."

Love Local: Ragmaw

Rich designs, compelling patterns, East Coast inspiration.

Megan Natasha is the artist and owner of Ragmaw. She grew up in Central Newfoundland and has lived in St. John's for over ten years. Much of Megan's childhood was spent with her grandparents; her grandmother teaching her to sew, and her grandfather teaching her about hammers and hardware in his workshop.

In 2013, Megan followed her life-long dream of creating unique handbags for a living when she opened Ragmaw, a studio-based handbag business. The word 'ragmaw' is actually an old Newfoundland term referring to a woman or child wearing tattered, torn clothes - a nod to creative resourcefulness.

Megan prints all of her fabrics with her own drawings and designs. She also does the pattern drafting, sewing, and leather work on each piece! You can meet Megan and purchase her work at her studio, located inside the Quidi Vidi Plantation.

The Quidi Vidi Village Plantation is an incredible new facility situated on a wharf in the heart of historic Quidi Vidi Village. “The Plantation will serve as a craft enterprise incubator for emerging artists wishing to pursue careers as professional craftspeople in Newfoundland and Labrador. Ideally situated in the fishing outport of Quidi Vidi Village within the city limits of St. John’s, the Plantation will also function as a destination for those wishing to explore a unique corner of one of the oldest cities in North America.”

The public are invited to watch and interact with the craftspeople as they create unique handcrafted items in a series of ten purpose-built studio spaces. There is a potter, a printmaker, jewelery maker, a textiles artist, and more. Each with a unique set of skills creating beautiful artwork in a stunningly picturesque environment. If you haven't been to the Plantation yet, I would absolutely recommend it. It is here that the past and present come together, and pave the way for something exciting and new!

Find Ragmaw on Facebook

Faces of Newfoundland

I was recently photographed and interviewed for Faces of Newfoundland: Portraits & Stories from the Far East of North America.

David McComiskey is a 30 year old fourth year medical student living in Mount Pearl, NL. He has a passion for portrait photography however, and what better way to channel that passion than to capture some of the people of this province. He says, "There is such a rich culture and diversity of life stories here. My goal is to photograph and get to know 1000 Newfoundlander 'Faces'." 

The Faces of Newfoundland project is modeled after Humans of New York, which was started in 2010, and now has over ten million followers on social media, and provides a worldwide audience with daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets of New York City. 

Faces of Newfoundland has also partnered with Humans of Planet Earth (HOPE). The first project of its kind, HOPE brings together over 130 photojournalists from around the planet on a mission to share a rich diversity of profiles from Paris to Uganda, Bolivia to Shanghai, Kabul to Newfoundland. 

At its core, HOPE is about promoting a universal appreciation of, and respect for, our numerous similarities and vast differences. It is a global celebration of humankind. 

Go to the website to read our interview - http://facesofnewfoundland.com/
or visit the Facebook page -  https://www.facebook.com/facesofnewfoundland

I'm going to tell you a story. The story behind the story.

When David and I initially talked about doing this interview, we scheduled a time for Brennen and I to meet with him. When that day came, it was very windy and cold, and I knew that Brennen would not enjoy being out in that weather. Thinking that we could still do the interview and take some photos, I told David that I could meet with him, but Brennen would not be joining me. His reply was: "It would be better to reschedule, as I'd love to photograph both of you for two separate posts."

I read that message on my computer screen, stopped what I was doing, and sat quietly for what felt like a long period of time. I realized in that moment that I had not been seeing Brennen as his own person, as an individual, separate from me. My own son, my flesh and blood, my heart and soul. I was unable to untangle the ties that bind us.

I was horrified by the realization that while I spend so much time and energy writing about how I feel that people with disabilities deserve to be valued and respected, in this instance, I wasn't doing that for my own child.

Brennen depends on me for everything.

Everything.

He will never be independent, but he is an individual, with his own thoughts and feelings and likes and wants and needs. He has intrinsic value, and he is living a life with purpose.

Thank you, David, for opening my eyes and for reminding me that Brennen is his own person. He is a 'Face of Newfoundland'.. and a pretty damn awesome one, if you ask me!

Soaring Birds

I recently connected with Sasha Stine, of Soaring Birds Studio.

Sasha creates beautiful, unique jewelry to help spread awareness about various diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect many children and their family members. Each piece is handmade using Swarovski crystal beads and Czech glass beads hand-wrapped with jewelry wire within circular or teardrop pendants.

Sasha shared with me the story of her son, Liam - the inspiration behind her business.

Soaring Birds Studio's Purpose

I started creating jewelry to honor my son, Liam The Brave, and all of the extraordinary families and children we've met because of his undiagnosed, medically complex and fragile condition. 

Liam was born in December of 2010, seemingly perfectly healthy after an uneventful pregnancy and natural birth. At 3 months of age, he was smiling, rolling over, holding his head up, and nursing like a champ. Then one day he had a cluster of seizures. He was diagnosed with a catastrophic form of childhood epilepsy called Infantile Spasms. He was hospitalized for 3 weeks, and he was so sedated from all of the medication that he slept for most of that time. When he finally awoke, he was unable to hold his head up, and unable to drink from a bottle. His MRI showed massive deterioration of his brain in both hemispheres and cerebellum. His brain was dying, shrinking. There was damage everywhere. We could see it on the film. It was white where it should have been gray. His neurologist was expecting the MRI to be clear, to be normal, but it wasn't. He suspected mitochondrial disease, however, biopsies and blood tests did not confirm that. The infantile spasms were eventually resolved with ACTH, a powerful steroid treatment, and Liam had multiple surgeries to insert an NG tube, and do a fundoplication. 

In October of 2011, Liam was having shallow, irregular breaths and he stopped breathing. His nurse was at our home and resuscitated him with vigorous stimulation. An ambulance was called to transport us to the hospital, and that was the longest ride of my life. His heart was still beating and he was still breathing, just very shallow and irregularly, and he was extremely weak. My then 4 year old daughter asked "Did Liam die a little bit?" She sat with her grandmother while paramedics worked on Liam. I told her no, that we would help him. 

In the ER, Liam had blood drawn. His white blood-cell count was high, but there were no other signs of illness. He was placed on a bipap machine, but after nine hours, intubation was needed to help him breathe. Another MRI was ordered (his 4th), and it again showed progression of the cerebral atrophy. It was now in his midbrain and brainstem, and the ventricles in his brain were expanding to make up for the loss of brain volume. The PICU doctors did not tell us life expectancy, but they were grim with his prognosis. We were devastated. 

Liam recovered in the hospital, and after 10 days was discharged to go home.

In March of 2012, Liam began having tonic seizures that were very hard on his little body. He would only have them during his naps. He would be asleep, then suddenly open both eyes very wide, and his limbs and torso would stiffen for about ten seconds. Sometimes, he'd go right back to sleep, but sometimes he would cry and scream. It was horrible. 

His 5th MRI showed more progression of the cerebral atrophy, which we expected, but nothing acute going on to account for Liam's severe irritability. His neurologist referred to the results as "end stage atrophy." His brain was essentially continuing to die. We made very difficult decisions regarding Liam's care and very poor prognosis. We knew his life would end entirely too soon, and we were devastated. We still had no answers to the underlying cause of this rapid progression of brain deterioration and seizures. He "screams" mitochondiral disease, leukodystrophies, even Batten Disease symptoms, yet tests just don't confirm these diseases. We added medications to ease his pain and suffering, which helped tremendously.

December 13, 2012

Liam turned two years old!! It was an unusually warm day and we had the door open. He loves feeling the breeze and hearing birds chirping. They always bring a wave of peace and calm over him. He was wide awake, happy, and didn't need any medication to enjoy his miraculous day. He even gave us some coos a few days later to say just how much he loved us, and we returned the love each second with huge smiles and laughs! It was the most beautiful week ever!! After all of this fun, Liam slept all day Monday, the 17th. On Tuesday, the 18th, he slept most of the morning, and awoke screaming and crying, and this continued for over an hour after being awake. He needed a lot of medication to alleviate whatever pain he was having. He eventually calmed but was having shallow breathing, so we increased his oxygen to 5 liters. 

The next day, Liam was gasping for air. His medical team was here and we increased his meds and oxygen to 8 liters on a mask. I knew the end was coming but didn't say anything, yet some knew. I said we should celebrate Christmas early and open some gifts. We opened gifts for Liam - a stuffed animal from his sissy, clothes, and light up toys. I held Liam as he remained calm, but only breathed a dozen breaths per minute. I whispered to him "It's okay Bubby, it's ok. I've got you baby boy. Mommy's got ya." I asked God to please keep him here with us until after Christmas, but if he needed to take him, please let him be peaceful.

December 20, 2012

Liam was calm today, but still having episodes of gasping for air. He was taking six breaths per minute that afternoon. Friends and family came to visit. I knew he was fading but didn't tell anyone. I went to lay down with my daughter for the night, and my husband sent me a text to come into the living room where he was holding Liam as he slept. He said "He's not moving." He was so calm. I ran to his bedroom to grab the stethoscope to listen. I heard nothing, only my own raving heartbeat. I was on the phone with his hospice nurse, who was on the way. I told her I couldn't hear anything, just my own heartbeat. At 11:15 pm, Liam took his last breath in his daddy's arms. I said "Let me hold him" in a panicked voice, like if I took him quickly, he might breathe again. But he didn't. He looked so peaceful. My husband stood with me, wrapped his arms around us both, and we cried. The biggest calm washed over me. My heart rate dropped. I inhaled. I exhaled. I let God in to comfort me. I hope my husband felt the same thing. The wind blew so hard outside that branches scratched the windows. Chairs in the yard fell over. I knew that was Liam soaring high above to Heaven. As we kissed our beautiful angel goodbye, we told him we'd see him again.. and what a glorious day that would be!!

Liam touched thousands of people worldwide. We miss his gorgeous face terribly. He was filled with so much love, he gave us a fairytale! We didn't focus on what he couldn't do, only what his little fingers and beautiful face and warm snuggles gave us. That was pure joy! His only diagnosis as of today, is cerebral atrophy and refractory epilepsy. We have yet to know why his brain continued to deteriorate. It is devastating and utterly heartbreaking. He was the most beautiful baby in the world and will always be my warrior, my fighter, my treasure. He and his big sister, McKenna, shared an unbreakable bond and immense love. They spoke their own language, even though Liam never uttered a word. We've welcomed another baby boy to our family, Finn Liam. It breaks my heart that I will never see my three children hand-in-hand strolling down the street, or never see them laugh together. But they will always know their brother, and how brave he was! We adore you, Liam The Brave!!

I will continue to create bracelets and necklaces, and whatever else I can muster to spread awareness about cerebral atrophy, epilepsy, and many other diseases, disorders, and conditions that our exceptional children live with every day. We have over 75 medical conditions and various causes represented in our shop as bracelets and a variety of necklace styles. We hope you enjoy our creations, share them with someone you love, and share your stories with others!  https://www.etsy.com/shop/soaringbirdsstudio

*****

Sasha, I commend you on your strength. What you have been through is every parent's greatest fear, yet I feel like it could happen to any one of us. It is heartbreaking, yes, but it is important to share your story. I want people to know about children with special needs, and how families are affected and changed by them. 

I am deeply touched, and grateful for your love, wisdom and openness.

May we ALL love deeply and learn from each other. 

UCPRI - Adaptive Arts

Being so highly involved with the Cerebral Palsy Association here in Newfoundland, I enjoy making connections with other CP Associations, whether they be in another province or another country. We are all fighting for the same things. We are all striving for the same reality: a life without limits for people with disabilities. I recently connected with United Cerebral Palsy of Rhode Island, and learned about a wonderful program they offer that is making a difference and enhancing the lives of many individuals in their community.

United Cerebral Palsy of Rhode Island (UCPRI)

United Cerebral Palsy of Rhode Island is dedicated to advancing the independence, productivity and full citizenship of individuals with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. They offer a wide range of high quality supports for children and adults, from home-based therapeutic services, to community-based activities and supported living.

I was excited to learn about their Adaptive Arts Program, a wonderful initiative that gets individuals with disabilities involved in creating art!

About the Adaptive Arts Program

In 1995, the Adaptive Arts Program started out as an opportunity for a small group of individuals with disabilities to express themselves through poetry. Today, the program continues to offer art classes in drawing, painting and art jewelry / accessories to adults with disabilities living in the community, as well as the hospital setting. Through the use of adaptive tools, artists realize their full potential in artistic expression.

Art as Therapy   

Adaptive Arts provide a special freedom of expression and creativity for people with disabilities. In some cases, this form of independence is the only means by which a person can express themselves. Through Adaptive Arts, individuals with physical and intellectual challenges are able to utilize assistive equipment and therapies to overcome their challenges to freely create some truly beautiful creations. 

Supporting Adaptive Arts

The best way to support the Artists in this program is to promote the sale of their work. This provides a source of income for people that face unique challenges entering the traditional workplace but more importantly, provides a sense of accomplishment and acceptance when someone purchases a piece of their art.

A former teacher of the program described her experience:
"All of the people I worked with at UCPRI were so incredibly inspiring. It really changed me and made me a better person. I had so much fun doing the classes and coming up with projects. Everyone had so much joy and enthusiasm. I could also see how art really helped with self esteem. Some of the artists in the program had been through difficult circumstances. It was really great to see them get excited about a piece they were working on or accomplish something they didn't think they could."

All of the artwork that is produced is for sale, with 100% of the sale price from original works going directly to the artist that created it.

This beautiful glass bead and leather cord necklace was handmade by one of the talented artists in the Adaptive Arts Program. It came with a tag signed by the artist. I will wear it happily, knowing that there is a meaningful story and cause behind it. It is a conversation piece. "Where did you get that necklace?" "I'm glad you asked!", I'll say!  And I will spread the word of how we can encourage economic empowerment and create meaningful opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

To see a full line of their Artists' works, please visit www.Etsy.com/shop/ucpri

 http://ucpri.org/ways-to-give/adaptive-arts-program-2

Drop Zone

Last night, we attended a concert fundraiser for Easter Seals Drop Zone.

Drop Zone is an insanely exciting and terrifying event in which participants willingly rappel 150 feet down the side of Atlantic Place. Crazy.

Participants are required to raise $1000 in pledges while challenging their comfort zone, all for a great cause. All money raised supports Easter Seals' life-changing programs and services for children, youth and families living with disability in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Because I am a huge chicken and would never have the courage to do this myself, I am happy to support the cause by donating to those who are much braver than I.

Easter Seals volunteers and camp counselors, Erin and Travis organized a concert fundraiser with some amazing talent. Performers included Megan Glover, Abby Quigley, Chelsea Parsons, Naaman Barbour, Everglow, ESS, Justin Upshall, Travis Pickett and Séan McCann.

Megan Glover - 2014 Easter Seals Ambassador 

 Abby Quigley

 

 

 Séan McCann of Great Big Sea

Brennen, Andrew and I were very excited to meet Séan and to see him perform. As someone said last night, "He gets it". He knew why we were all there, and he wanted to be a part of it. He made a connection with our kids, and he involved them in his music. It was very moving, very emotional, and very much appreciated. Séan is actually doing the Drop Zone himself, and will be (as he says) "Falling off Atlantic Place" for a good cause. He is a brave soul, and should be commended for that! Thank you, Séan, for all of your support and involvement with Easter Seals. Thank you for helping to enrich the lives of our children. Thank you for getting it.

Watch this video of Séan and Carly singing the most beautiful version of 'You Are My Sunshine' that I've ever heard.

And here, Séan sings 'Imagine', with Josh rocking it out from the audience! Amazing!

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one."

Check out Séan's new solo album here - http://www.seanmccannsings.com

 And donate to Easter Seals Drop Zone HERE.

The Little Illustrator

Jennifer Zetts is the artist behind The Little Illustrator.  I recently discovered her Etsy shop, and just melted with the sweetness of her original designs. Jennifer makes "cutesy quirky illustrations and cards" and she says, "I hope to put a smile on people's faces and bring a little happiness with each print that I do. I love life and take inspiration from everything in it." 

I had Jen do a custom illustration for Andrew and I (which I will post below), but there are so many in her collection that I just adore!

I am so happy to be able to feature Jen's work on my blog.  I initially intended for this to be a place to share some of my thoughts, feelings and things that inspire me, and I am absolutely inspired by this girl.  Not only is she a dedicated, hard-working mother of five, but she is also the mother of a very special little boy named Camden.  Jen writes about him here: 


"My most favorite print I have ever done is "You Are Our Perfect". It will always have a very special place in my heart. The print is inspired by my sweet Camden. Before I had Camden, I remember going to ultrasounds and my biggest concern was about whether the baby had ten fingers and toes. It was like if the baby had the correct fingers and toes that meant that the coast was clear. That everything was going to be ok. I know for a fact that I didn't once give a serious thought about genetic abnormalities, syndromes, feeding difficulties, hypotonia, etc. It's funny how mother's intuition works. Sometimes it's not until we look back that we as mothers realize how right we really were. How we weren't being crazy from lack of sleep or the emotions of the moment. That what we felt was more right than anyone could have ever imagined. When I held Camden in my arms for the very first time, the last thing I thought was how perfect he looked. I couldn't even physically see him because my eyes were so filled with tears. I knew something was wrong with Camden after holding him for all of 10 seconds. I just didn't know what. I remember unswaddling his arms and legs. Counting fingers and toes through blurry eyes, like that would somehow erase the sick feeling I felt and reassure me that everything was indeed alright. Doctors and nurses reassured me that "everything was perfect with my baby" and that "he couldn't be more perfect." Turns out, depending on your definition of perfect, Camden was born perfect. Camden was born with a chromosomal abnormality, a slew of other health issues, and was recently diagnosed with autism. He has had a rough road in his short life, but he is truly one of the most amazing people I know. Camden is exactly as he was meant to be. He truly is perfect, although I'm sure there are a dozen doctors that would be the first to say he is the furthest thing from. Who he is is who we fell in love with. His heart is amazing and I wouldn't wish for him to be any different than the little boy he is today. He is most definitely our perfect."

This is so beautiful, and so so true. Jen is an amazing Mom. She has a remarkable outlook on life, and possesses a wonderful talent.

Below is the piece she created for Andrew and I.

"How often do you find the right person?"

Mother's Day Contest

Local artists Cara and Pam live and work in a tiny, lime green cottage by the sea known as The Grumpy Goat Gallery. Their unique style is vibrant, colourful, and a little bit wacky!  I stumbled across their blog one day and found myself laughing, reading about Cara's bright new lipstick shade and her obsession with tulips! 

Cara: "Well, do you like my new lipstick?? I know I never ever wear such bright colours but I loved this red!! I LOVE it! I think it's because I have been obsessed with tulips and have been painting them over and over...do you think? Do you think it's too red? Just TOO bright for me?"
(I have been suffering from a tulip-alooza all summer and have indeed been painting tulips on everything. I think I'll need some wooden shoes, too. And some dutch cheese. And a peppermill.)"

I recently purchased a canvas print of "Nan's Tulips" by Cara, and wrote the girls to express my appreciation, and to tell them about my own connection to (and slight obsession with) tulips.

Copyright © The Grumpy Goat Gallery

Here's where I get to the good part!  Cara loved my story, and has very generously offered to donate an 8x10 canvas print of the above painting to one of my readers!  Sooo.. here's what you have to do..

Tell me about your own connection with "Tulips". Do you have a child or family member with special needs? Are you a teacher, caregiver or volunteer?  In five sentences or less, tell me how someone with special needs has touched your life. Send photos, if you wish!
This contest is open to anyone.. so that means YOU!

Enter your comment below, or email me at juliebrocklehurst@hotmail.com

Your Name :

Your Email: (required)

Your Message: (required)

One comment will be randomly selected and announced in May, and you will receive your painting in time for Mother's Day!

Good luck!  xo
-Julie

Life Imitates Art

A little something to cheer me up this week!

I received a beautiful drawing of Brennen and I from a wonderful artist in Sweden named Hannah Olsson. I love the image so much, I asked her to turn it into a header for my blog.  (See above!) Thank you so much, Hannah!
You can see more of her work here - http://www.hannaholsson.com

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas

Peggy Tremblett: artist

Peggy Tremblett is a local artist, and a new found friend of mine! She describes herself as a "visual artist / part-time graphic designer / full-time disaster." She lives in downtown St. John's with her cat named Alvy and her dreamy bearded husband. She is constantly making art, taking commissions, listening to good music and drinking tea.

I had seen some of Peggy's work a few years ago at an art show, and was re-introduced to her at the end of last year. I am captivated by the amount of thought and detail that she puts into her creations. I've never seen anything quite like her custom Russian Nesting Dolls. They are unique and so full of character!

I instantly fell in love with her one-of-a-kind art and wanted some for my home. I sent Peggy a few photos and told her some important details, and she transformed five blank wooden spheres into these epic pieces of art. I am totally in love with them! Every member of our family is beautifully represented, right down to the colour of our eyes, and the handles of Brennen's wheelchair.

I just LOVE my little family!!

I asked Peggy to answer a few questions, and I loved getting to know her more through her answers!

Julie: How do you describe your style of art?

Peggy: I'm not really sure how to describe my style, probably because I've never actually had to before. I suppose it's sort of lowbrow/folk art-ish. 

Julie: Did you have any sort of art training, or were you always a "doodler" and evolved your unique style over time?

Peggy: I have been making art since I was a child. It was something that always interested me. As soon as I could hold a crayon, I was drawing with it. I spent most of my younger years drawing things very realistic but as I grew older I discovered that I like photos to look real and art to look a little weird...a little unreal. In high school I took extra art classes and after high school, I studied Graphic Design, Photography and Textile Art. My style has changed ever so slightly. The first acrylic painting I did in ninth grade is eerily similar to the style I have today. I still paint the circle cheeks and the patterned hair. I think my art has definitely gotten cleaner and of course I've learned a lot of new techniques in the past 30 years so that has changed my way of painting.

Julie: Where do you draw inspiration for your artwork?

Peggy: When I am painting for myself and not doing a commissioned work, I tend to paint a lot of women. Women with double chins and bad self-esteem. Or women who long after men, who may not see the value in themselves. I suppose I find those sorts of things oddly beautiful. The ache of unrequited love or the pain of feeling small and ugly when the rest of the world seems so beautiful and consuming. I definitely find a lot of inspiration in that.

Julie: Do you have a favorite piece that you've done, or an illustration that has an especially good story behind it?

Peggy:  My favourite pieces that I've done may be a set I did for a mini show at the Eastern Edge gallery. It was a series of paintings that I did during a failing long distance relationship. The male figures were maps of California (where that particular ex lived) and the female figures were flatly painted women with sad eyes and the desire to run. I can't quite say why I liked them so much. Perhaps because they helped me make the decision to end that relationship, or well they helped me to see that there was no longer any benefit in staying in it. My favourite commissioned work was a giant painting of Gustav Klimts The Virgin with the girls painted in my style. It was so fun to do.


You can check out Peggy's work on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/peggylynntremblett.
You will also see her drawings in the local paper The Overcast. She is the official staff doodler.