Issue #40: Medicinal Plant Paint

The Evergreen Brick Works

Trees were starting to turn into Autumn colours as spiritual leader Philip Cote from First Story led us along a waterlily-filled pond. We paused at a cedar tree as he explained the process of making tea from the leaves to prevent pneumonia. I tasted cedar for the very first time—then sumac seeds which also makes a medicinal tea. Funny—I had drawn and made paint from sumac leaves only a few days before!

At the top of the hill, we gathered in a circle while Philip drummed. We passed along burning sweetgrass, smudging ourselves to open up to learn. While I continue to draw and learn about plants, I'm discovering a deeper respect for nature. Nature is all around, offering materials to create art and remedies to keep us healthy. More than ever before, it's important to love nature as much as she loves us.

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Read the full Art Letter here.

Click here to receive free monthly art letters.

Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam

Issue #39: Reflections | snoitcelfeR

Thin Blue Line

With Lake Ontario by my side, I ride along a 2-lane pathway with other commuters. The flat morning water mirrors birds lined up on the breakwater. Over the Humber Bridge, I hear the river below and see the CN Tower in the misty distance. Past the Butterfly Habitat, lake-view condos rise into the sky and families go for a stroll. Onto a boardwalk, a lighthouse in a marina brings me back to small towns in Nova Scotia. The shoreline twists along protected bays where swans sail by in silence and loons dive for their breakfast. A shining glare washes out the horizon line, blending water into the sky. Ripples start to form as the water turns bluer and the sun gets warmer. Then I arrive...

The Martin Goodman Trail extends 36 km from Ashbridges Bay all the way to Humber Bay Park. I rode along the Western stretch to Lakeshore Village and relished in all the views of open sky and water. I'd never seen this part of the trail before—yet funny enough, it was a perfect reflection of the mural I was painting!

"Art is not a reflection of reality, it is the reality of a reflection." ~Jean-Luc Godard

Read the full Art Letter here. It features:
❤ The Lakeshore Village Mural
❤ Sky/Sea Scapes

Click here to become an iheart member and receive free monthly art letters.
Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam

Issue #38: Pam-oramas

Wider Perspectives

This summer, I found myself riding my bike down familiar routes. In February, I painted a mural of Ryerson students, then returned to add more students onto the next wall. In July, I painted a nature mural at The Rock Store, then went back a month later to extend the crystal mountains.

A trip to Canada's East Coast, opened our eyes to jaw dropping landscapes. From Halifax, we drove to the famous lighthouse at Peggy's Cove and to the colourful town of Lunenburg. In Cape Breton, we saw whales spout water in the distant horizon and admired expansive views along the Cabot trail. A ferry to Prince Edward Island, a bike ride along red sand dunes, a walk on the ocean floor when the tide was out... plenty of reasons to make use of the PANO option.

It seemed that as my murals got longer, I saw the world expand into panoramas.

“View life through a wide angle lens attitude and see your horizons broaden.” 
~Stephen Richards

Read the rest of September's Art Letter here. Featuring:
❤ Ryerson University
❤ The Rock Store
❤ Photo Stories: Nova Scotia & PEI

Click here to become an iheart member and receive free monthly art letters.
Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam

Issue #37: Rock, Paper, Tails!

Manifestations

As I painted along, the owner of The Rock Store came out to see the progress. Delighted with the mural so far, she told me about the store's original opening party at it's other location 8 years ago. A woman purchased a very unique rock which resulted in a very rewarding sale. A sale that hasn't been matched since—until I started painting this mural!

It could have been luck or coincidence. Or, as she believes, an alignment of positive energies merged between us and the creation of the mural. It's portrayal of crystals, nature and love manifested a special omen for the new Harbord Street store.

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” ~Albert Einstein

Read the rest of August's Art Letter here. Featuring:
❤ The Rock Store
❤ Tails My Pet Store
❤ Photo Stories: An Urban Walk

Click here to become an iheart member and receive free monthly art letters.
Thank you for hearting art.
❤ Pam

Issue #36: The Great Canadian Outdoors

Photo by Red Tent Media

Artists in the woods

We walk together, along a path lined with lush ferns and Cow Parsnip on either side. We gather under a canopy of branches for a short meditation, listening, feeling, connecting, to the chirps, wind and forest all around. Silently, each of us wanders, searching for an ideal spot—the river, a new path, a tree. I find a group of purple Dame's Rockets, the only colour sprinkled on top of all the greens. Their tall stems sway in the breeze as I piece together my drawing. The river trickles softly, a wasp hovers too closely. Starting with a small pebble, I switch to a broken stick to transfer the flower petal's pigment onto paper.

Even while we work separately, there's comfort in being together, connected through our art and being among the trees.

"Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting, and... stop thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to 'walk about' into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?" –Wassily Kandinsky

Read the rest of July's Art Letter here. Featuring:
❤ Outdoor Studio
❤ BCAA Magazine
❤ Photo Stories: Montreal

Click here to become an iheart member and receive free monthly art letters.
Thank you for hearting art.
❤ Pam

Issue #35: Stories Without Words

Georgia O'Keeffe

Best known for her flowers, the AGO exhibit showcased an enriching career that also explored landscapes, cityscapes, abstract and minimalism. While I looked at each painting, they seemed to capture a segment of her life story, told in pictures instead of words.

Georgia's surroundings in New Mexico influenced vast landscapes of cliffs towering above tiny desert trees below. Her collection of bones led to experiments with sculls, using the eye hole as a lens to frame a bright blue circle of sky. Her love for music inspired sound waves translated into a soft palette of spirals and undulations.

The next time you admire a painting—listen. What story is it telling you?

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way—things I had no words for." –Georgia O'Keeffe

Read the rest of June's Art Letter here. Featuring:

❤ Mysteries in the Mist

❤ The Traveling Trike

❤ Photo Stories

Click here to become an iheart member. Receive free monthly art letters sent directly to your inbox.

❤ Thank you for hearting art.

Pam

Art Letter #34: Nature's Ingredients

Seeds of Hope... 

I've been entranced in this book by Jane Goodall. She begins describing her childhood home, where she lived with her mother and aunts while her dad was away at war. She spent a lot of time in the backyard, paying special attention to the plants she found there by painting and studying them. I cannot help but feel connected to this younger version of Jane. I can imagine us both sitting on the grass, examining each flower's details and labeling their parts in our sketchbooks. My addiction to drawing plants continues and is evolving into a search for paint colours that grow all around us.

"But there is so much more to marvel at in the kingdom of plants. I often use the zoom setting of my camera to photograph the exquisite flowering of tiny plants that most people walk past or trample on, not noticing." –Jane Goodall

Read the full Art Letter here. May's articles feature:

❤ Plant Pigments

❤ Into the Mist

❤ Cheery Cherry Blossoms!

Click here to become an iheart member. Receive free monthly art letters sent directly to your inbox.

❤ Thank you for hearting art.

Pam

Art Letter #33: Spring Has Sprung

Awakening again... Spring springs alive with a sense of new beginnings. Students at TRSM anticipate year-end exams and some of them look forward to life after university. Energy flows along full hallways and melting streams, seeping through the earth, into seedlings curling up into plants, feeding animals and their young.

I emerge from my own hibernation into a landscape that looks new again. The air smells fresh, the rain feels warm, and colours blossom out of winter's remains. Eagerly, I prepare for an upcoming adventure, immersed in both art and nature, with artists who live for the same passions. In the inspiring outdoors, we'll flourish with the environment and grow a little bit more.

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." –Harriet Ann Jacobs

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Fareen's experience in her words... "Standing alongside @pamlostracco and Steven Murphy, Dean of TRSM, I can't think of any other opportunity that has come across me that was as amazing as this! Thank you Pam for painting such a beautiful mural at TRSM! I'm so honoured to be a part of it (heart emoji)."

The mural pizza party... After the Student Hallway Mural was complete, TRSM hosted a party to celebrate! The Dean made an eloquent speech (view here) about the mural and how it represents the university. I spoke about the concept behind the mural's design. Then each of the students received a print of themselves and had a photo taken with myself and the Dean. The party extended into the hall where we took more photos against the wall and I signed the prints! Special thanks to Ralston Kwan and Rita Linger for their multiple efforts in making this project a huge success—and to all the students for their compassion and enthusiasm! Read article: "New TRSM Mural Celebrates Energy of our Students"...

A Weekend in an Outdoor Studio

Camping on Toronto Island! On May 5th, I'll head out to camp and create with artists at Artscape's Gibraltar Point. With support by MEC Outdoor Nation, Outdoor Studio creates trips for artists to be creative while being outdoors. Nature has always been my prime source for inspiration—as it has been for artists since the beginning of time/art! I'm excited to explore the island from a different perspective and to share the experience with nature-minded artists. I'll be posting the art we make and the adventures we have, so be sure to: Follow along with me on Instagram...

Read the full issue here or become an iheart member to get a monthly art letter sent directly to your inbox—it's free!

Art Letter #32: Back to School

"The best is yet to come." –Ted Rogers... My favourite quote of the month is mounted on a wall in the front entrance of the Ted Rogers School of Management. I read it over and over again, every morning while waiting for the elevator to head up to the mural. It reminded me that every moment contains hope for opportunities and surprises you could never anticipate.

As I painted amidst students rushing to class and studying for exams, I was engulfed in hope. Their positive energy filled the hallways with conversations about courses and by encouraging each other. They'd stop to watch me paint, ask questions, give compliments and even offer food! It was an exciting experience for me and for them which translated perfectly into a vibrant class portrait—a reflection of themselves optimistically working towards a bright future.

Ryerson's New Wall in a Hall

Ryerson's Ted Rogers School of Management... Excitement has been brewing since the idea first emerged to paint TRSM students on a wall. 22 students now adorn their own hallway, reflecting the busy and studious spirit of the school. It was so much fun to hear their comments, most of them wishing they were on the wall too! The most common, "That's sick", and "It looks so real", and my favourite, "It's like the Mount Rushmore of TRSM". It's a hit—and there's even more to come! More custom designed murals at pamlostracco.com...

Stadt Cafe is Now Open!

Stadt Cafe Toronto... For the past several months I've designed the branding for a friend's new restaurant in the Junction. The logo, business cards, sign, t-shirts and even a mural have come into fruition and can be enjoyed with the beautiful decor and nutritious food at Stadt Cafe, 3011 Dundas Street West. Check out more branding projects...

Magical Winter Skies

"Baby, it's cold outside"... Sometimes the best remedy for those winter blues is to get out there and look straight into the bright vastness above. Over the past month, the skies have been filled with: Michael Snow's Canada geese (Eaton's Centre); Branches from 2 trees reaching towards each other (Dufferin Groves); The Toronto Light Festival (Distillery District); The most beautiful snowfall of the year (High Park). Follow along with me on Instagram... or Facebook...

The iheart is a monthly Art Letter. Read the full issue here or become a member to get it sent directly to your inbox—it's free!

Art Letter #31: Playing Around

"I believed then—in a deep, easy way that is impossible for me as an adult—that there was more to this world than meets the eye. Trees had spirits; the wind spoke. If you followed a toad or a raven deep into the heart of the forest, they were sure to lead you to something magical." –Jennifer McMahon

The Enchanted Playroom

A little girl and her mom... are so excited to spend time in this room! Two trees fill the walls, wrapping around every corner and angled ceiling. A slight breeze sweeps willow branches to the right, towards an oak tree in the opposite corner. A squirrel playfully peeks from behind a trunk while another nibbles at acorns. The girl's favourite, a cardinal, sits upon a light switch while she sings and dances in a beautiful princess dress. Custom designed murals at pamlostracco.com... The Future of Colour Colour Trends seminar at the Interior Design Show... a talk about colours for 2017 and how they're predicted. Science, politics, architecture, economy—pretty much anything that happens in the world, affects our lives and our relationship with colour. Trending topics about artificial life will inspire reflective and smooth materials. Adapting to constant and faster change will invite more transparency, like buildings made of glass walls. I expected to hear about only colour, then left feeling the need to experiment with new materials! Follow along with me on Instagram... Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day and a month full of love and friendship! The iheart is a monthly Art Letter. Read the full issue here or become a member to get it sent directly to your inbox—it's free!

The iheart Art Letter: 2017... Here We Come!

The 30th issue and the 2017th year...

December 2016, The Finale: Quotes on walls in the Graduate Studies offices at Ryerson University.

The geometric pattern in the letters reflects the mural painted in the hallway.

While snow wisped about outside my windows, I snuggled into a wrap twirled several times around me. I sipped hot tea and felt warmed by the fiery orange glow from the heat dish. With the Year Compass in hand, I imagined up a list of new hopes and reoccurring dreams. Goals to reach my desired life that's well-balanced between work and play, health and wealth, learning and experiences.

January 2017, Up Next: Design for a playroom mural of a willow and oak tree with squirrels and a cardinal!

It's quite the list but I do believe the process of writing makes ideas more likely to happen. Even if only a few come true, there's still good reason to look forward to 2017! 

I'd love to hear, how do you turn your wishes into accomplishments?

The Year Ahead: I've been working on creating the perfect calendar planner. 

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." –Tony Robbins

The iheart is a monthly Art Letter. Read the full issue or subscribe for free to get it sent directly to your inbox.