Issue #45: Morocco in May

May flowers brings June mural

The last 2 months have been filled with painting and adventuring—my 2 favourite things! I spent May at an art residency in Morocco painting a mural in exchange for living on their organic farm. From peaceful views among pomegranate trees and donkeys on mountain tops, I arrived back home to start a mural in downtown TO at the Chelsea Hotel. Over the month of June, Gerrard Street came to life with a 145-foot "film strip" depicting the history of theatre on Yonge Street.

Below, I'll show you a slightly different process I used to create the mural in Morocco. And since there are too many photos to share all at once, Chelsea will appear in the next letter. For now, you can peak at the result here on Instagram or Facebook.

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Thank you for hearting art,
Pam ❤

Issue #44: I Can See Clearly Now

Thank you to Ollie Quinn Toronto for this beautiful testimonial: 

“From our very first meeting with Pam, we were infinitely impressed with both her passion and professionalism. Pam thoughtfully created a concept for a mural that aligned succinctly with our brand’s identity, and fit seamlessly with the neighbourhood our main store is located in. Balancing the visual accuracy of her subject matter (the bilberry plant) with the existing aesthetic of our store’s interior, Pam created a stunning mural that countless OQ customers have fallen in love with since its completion. Working quickly to accommodate a deadline for our International Women’s Day 2018 campaign, Pam’s presence in our boutique was a joy. While she finished painting the mural in a matter of days, we’ll be admiring her beautiful bilberries in our store for years to come.” ~Ollie Quinn

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Thank you for hearting art,
Pam ❤

Issue #43: City Selfie

Greetings from Toronto

The hotel's goal for the mural was to welcome guests and inspire them to take a selfie with it. So I designed a colourful view of iconic buildings that guests may visit during their stay in Toronto. An interactive swing allows them to sit against the wall and hold onto the ropes. An aerial perspective of the city looks Southward, from the Holiday Inn's location at Yorkdale to the waterfront. Voila—their selfie looks as though they're swinging high above the city!

"Each time I caught sight of geese swooping in formation across the sky, I wondered how our life below might look from their perspective, and imagined that, were they ever to indulge in such speculation, the high-rises might seem to them like firs massed in a grove." ~Teju Cole

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Thank you for hearting art,
Pam ❤ 

Issue #42: I Must Break Away

As John Muir says (on all the mugs in town):

"I must break away and get out into the mountains". And that I did! For most of December, 8000-feet up in the Sierra Mountains, I painted and explored with John and Annie Pugh.

From working on a 3-storey scaffold to walking with 2 fabulous Irish Wolfhounds, art and nature blended into one. I learned how to prepare a 16 x 22-foot canvas and walked along pathways of ice crystals. I helped with photo research, a photo shoot and shared some Photoshop tricks. We went to an out-of-town meeting and site visit, followed by a woodland walk where fairies must live. In Santa Cruz, I saw John's incredible Bay in a Bottle mural and connected with his mother, twin brother and their old family albums.

The breakaway revealed a couple perspectives. Trompe L'oeil literally tricked my sense of vision with optical illusions that look real. As well, the incredible scale of everything—the studio, the landscape, (the dogs), combined with an artist who has no limits—expanded my beliefs and aspirations about who I can be and where I can go.

Thank you, John, for bending my mind.

“I'm in love with the sun and with the reflections in the water, and to paint them I would go around the world.” ~Auguste Renoir 

See more photos and the rest of the issue here...

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Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam

Issue #41: It's a Wrap!

Up in the Mountains

Writing from Truckee, California, I'm surrounded by tall pines and a blanket of snow. Ice crystals form around every plant, leaf and stem. Sun rays beam through trees while falling snowflakes shimmer in their light.

Until this moment, I spent the last few weeks preparing for an internship. Projects were completed or scheduled for January, submissions were written and quotes sent in, a mural was unveiled and a film premiered. Now I'm here where I get to learn the art of Trompe L'oeil from the master himself, John Pugh!

Wishing you all the best while you wrap up your year and enjoy a sparkly holiday!

“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.” ~Michel Legrand

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Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam