After your folks die, you spend years going through what remains. Sometimes what you discover makes you feel as if your relatives are wooting and cheering from the great beyond. To wit: I vaguely recall my family saying that my grandmother owned and operated a small restaurant in London in the 1950s. The Pier Restaurant […]
Your ancestors are cheering you on
Originally published in July 2022 in Blog, Surface Design, Toronto Illustrators
Will the fashion industry listen?
Originally published in August 2020 in Blog, Pen Jar Productions, Surface Design, Toronto Gifts, Toronto Illustrators
As I search for a new fulfillment partner for my design biz, PenJarProductions.com, all eyes are on the fashion and garment industry. How long will it keep promoting a race-based caste system that only benefits people who look like me? And will it finally decide to listen to scientists and consumers who keep documenting and […]
Thoughts on the Supply Chain
Originally published in April 2020 in Blog, Pen Jar Productions, Surface Design
This is the Squill Pillow I designed and began selling last year from my Toronto Studio, PenJarProductions. 🎨 It’s squill season in Ontario and the ravines in Toronto are carpets of purple. The arrival of Spring flowers and beer on patios 🍺 are two phenomena that make grown Cannadians squeal like children in line at an […]
Process Junkie
Originally published in March 2019 in Blog, Surface Design, Toronto Illustrators
Chalk art tips
Originally published in June 2017 in Blog, Surface Design
Photo: Alison Garwood-Jones The Merchant Tavern, TORONTO (@TheMerchantTo): Colouring on the back of a window makes the shaded areas appear more solid from the front. This is especially true on double-pane glass. This is my latest #ChalkArt discovery using Molotow acrylic markers. Some other things I’ve learned since I started drawing on windows two summers ago: […]
