Photos by Robert Canali. Toronto, Ontario.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

Works by Laura Bifano. Victoria, BC.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

Say hello to Howie Tsui! He is one of the four Canadian artists who created work for our “Afterlife” project with Poketo. I am also giving away one of his wallets, details at the bottom!

What was it like growing up in Nigeria?

I have romantic memories about living in Nigeria.  I had this crush in Junior Kindergarten, Lindsay, who I’d bring flowers to.  I had this bilingual African Grey parrot Oscar, that I’d always talk to. We had a chauffeur and a maid.  There were violent thunderstorms, high fevers and the resultant hallucinations of melting Disney characters.  Someone in our complex had a Bruce Lee figure on their motorbike license plate.  I watched a lot of anime and kung-fu dramas sent to us by my uncle. I went to an American International School and our class looked like a Benetton ad.

Sorry it’s all in fragments. Just digging through the banks.  Regardless, the irony is that I thought this was a magical wonderful place, while my mom was very paranoid that I’d get kidnapped and would pick me up everyday from school. We also had to get out because there was political instability and the airport had been taken over by a rebel faction.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

Say hello to Andrea Wan! She is one of the four Canadian artists who created work for our “Afterlife” project with Poketo.

Hello Andrea, where are you right now?

I’m sitting in front of my glowing rectangle at my semi-messy desk.

You and I both got our degrees studying film at Emily Carr and I’m doing nothing film related at the moment, do you have plans to make a film? Maybe an animation?

I don’t have plans to make a film at the moment but I’m open to working with all kinds of mediums and projects. I have a lot of respect for filmmakers, because I understand how difficult and time consuming it can be. Making another animated film would be fun, but it would be even nicer if I have someone to help me on the actual animation part!

I loved that animation you made in school! I guess I asked because when I look at your drawings now I like to imagine what sounds would accompany them.

I’ve never heard anyone say that about my drawings before but that’s an interesting way to look at it! I think if my characters have sounds they’d whisper… with their voices overpowered by the sound of the landscapes.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

It’s been hard to keep this a secret, but it is a secret no more! I have joined forces with my friends at Poketo to release a collection of wallets designed by four Canadian artists!

Several months ago I asked Andrea Wan, Winnie Truong, Josh Holinaty, and Howie Tsui to each create images based on their interpretation of the “After Life”. What happens to us after we die?

Over the next couple weeks I will be posting an interview with each artist to give you some more insight into their work and will end each interview by giving away one of our wallets!

If you’d like to purchase a wallet (or four) jump over here.

Take a closer look at the wallets below!

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

“Stains”, leaked printer cartridges on paper by Niall McClelland.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

Works by Erik Olson.

VIEW THE FULL POST —►

A collaborative work by artist Micah Lexier and poet Christian Bok. I’ve always loved text-based work and for me this is a masterpiece.

Photo taken by Jacklyn Atlas.