Originally published in July 2023 in Blog, Illustration, Pen Jar Productions, Toronto Illustrators
“Toronto Made”? Yes please!
Originally published in September 2020 in Blog, Pen Jar Productions
Ok, artists and creative entrepreneurs, the ground is rumbling. Could this be the start of the repatriation of manufacturing? If you want to source products and services (t-shirts, totes, pins) from Canadian, better yet Toronto-based, companies, and stop relying on cheap foreign labour, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. I’d like to see […]
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 […]
The Ink Spot: learn perspective
Originally published in May 2020 in Blog, Illustration, Pen Jar Productions, The Ink Spot, Toronto Illustrators
THE INK SPOT 🖊 In today’s 60-second art lesson, I’ll show you my very un-mathematical trick for capturing perspective. No rulers were involved! 🎨 If you would like to practice the steps I teach, swipe left and use my Neighbourhood Trampoline drawing as a tracing tool. Or, go crazy and colour the houses! Featured here: the marker magic […]
Coloring during Covid-19
Originally published in April 2020 in Blog, Illustration, Pen Jar Productions, Toronto Illustrators
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 […]
Coming soon
Originally published in October 2019 in Blog, Gift Ideas, Pen Jar Productions, Toronto Illustrators
Meeting my customers
Originally published in August 2019 in Blog, Custom Portraits, Enamel Pins, Jane Jacobs Enamel Pin, Pen Jar Productions, Profile,, Toronto Illustrators
The best part of owning and operating Pen Jar Productions, my online store, is creating the product and meeting my customers. Here is my interview with Fernanda van der Laan, proud owner of my Jane Jacobs enamel pin. This summer my Jane Jacobs pin (circled in blue) entered a special collection of over 300 pins, […]
A cure for homesickness
Originally published in July 2019 in Blog, Illustration, Pen Jar Productions, Toronto Illustrators
Sakura in High Park
Originally published in May 2019 in Blog, Pen Jar Productions, Toronto Illustrators
This weekend Toronto is heading to High Park to take in the cherry blossom trees (“Sakura” in Japanese) at their peak. I painted this delicate pattern last spring while I was sitting on a streetcar in downtown traffic. The design is available in my Shopify store, PenJarProductions.com. Just search the term “cherry” and you’ll see […]
