Issue #48: Winter Works and Wanderings

Winter is My Time to Reflect and Prepare

After reviewing 2018, my work summed up to 11 murals and 6 design projects. This was enough to keep me very busy and resulted in the most amount of time I've held a paintbrush in 1 year!

Now in the middle of hibernation, I'm back to graphic designing and sending in submissions and quotes in hopes of receiving more amazing murals and clients to work with this year. Among snow falls and design events, I've also been venturing into some mysterious, monochromatic winter-scapes and have been inspired by other artists, designers and ecologists.

Explore below to find snow-covered trees, collections of sepia-toned plant silhouettes, and projects in the works. And I'll leave you with a few links to people doing great things in both art and nature: By Nature's living walls, the new MOCA Toronto and the Eco Design Symposium.

Enjoy the snow, Spring will soon be here!

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Thank you for hearting art,
Pam ❤

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

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

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

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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

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Thank you for hearting art!
❤ Pam

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!