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1. DATA NARRATIVES: Splash

1. Catalogue Artefact: (2013) Artistic work entitled:
Splash
Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48

NOTE: Please note that the names of the persons involved in the creation and narrative
of this painting have been changed for privacy reasons.

NARRATIVE OF EXPERIENCE:
I created Splash using the skates of my friend (and former coach) Louises
eldest granddaughter. Christina, (the granddaughter) only used the skates a few times
when she was approximately 5-years-of-age. Louise commissioned me to create this
painting, and it now hangs in the front hall of her house. This painting has special
meaning for her because it was created using Christinas skates, creating a connection
between Louise, myself, and the painting.
When starting this painting, I was not at all sure of what I was going to do For
some reason, I was drawn to white to the titanium and unbleached titanium whites that
I mixed to create the background of the painting. I then collected colours that I was
attracted to, to produce the mound of paint that would eventually create the focal point of
the painting the centre. The whole process was a go-with-the-flow experience. I had
a fuzzy vision of what I wanted the work to be, but did not have a specific plan of action
of how to create it. This type of unplanned work is quite enjoyable and exciting to
produce. The unknown factor and unpredictability is a positive, for me.
The experience of creating Splash was a personal one for me; I wanted to
create a feeling in the painting of branches, of reaching out from one focal point. The

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colours chosen highlight both unbleached titanic, with hints of reds, purples, blues,
bronzes, vermillions and turquoise. Louise is very attracted to the colour turquoise, so I
made sure that colour was included. She also has turquoise in her home dcor, so using
that colour would integrate well with her established colour scheme.
While creating the focal point of the painting (the centre from where the branches
stem), I recall a feeling of excitement when it was finally time to drag Christinas skate
through the mass of paint, producing the mixing and vibrantly coloured branches. Its
always exhilarating to get to this final stage of a painting, to see what the final picture will
be. The hints of bronze in the branches are particularly intriguing to me the subtle
sheen of the bronze added a hint of prestige and history to the painting. The bronze
seemed to somehow make sense to me, to fit in with Louises home, values and
character.
While creating this painting, I listened to Barbra Streisands classical album on
CD. I put Streisands rendition of the track: Pavane (Vocalise) by Gabriel Faur on
repeat on my stereo. I love this piece of music and I love Streisand singing the melody.
Being alone in my studio creating this painting made me feel nostalgic and sentimental,
remembering a time when I was once a competitor (in figure skating).
I was deeply satisfied with the outcome of Splash. The colours and design were
harmonious, the contrast between the focal point and the background was pleasing and
the form fit the layout of the painting (vertical). Louise keeps Christinas skate that I used
as a brush to create the painting on display in a basket near to where the painting
hangs.

WHERE/HOW TECHNOLOGY WAS INTEGRATED

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During the process of the creation of this painting, I listened to music both on my
stereo and on my iPhone. I also took digital photographs of the finished work on my
digital camera and smartphone. I shared these photos on my NotWithABrush website
and on my various social media sites.

HOW THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY SHAPED/TRANSFORMED THE

WORK/EXPERIENCE: under the influence of technology
I photographed Splash and posted it on my NotWithABrush website and on my
Facebook and Twitter SM sites. The pictures of Splash were well received on my sites,
and I received many comments via the reply option on my website and comments on my
social media channels. The power of the internet (web 2.0) has granted me many
chances for sharing my work, which has ultimately led to exhibition opportunities in the
GTA and abroad. Without digital technology, how would I get the kind of exposure
needed for audiences to view my work?

2. DATA NARRATIVES: Wildforce

2. Catalogue Artefact: (2014) Artistic work entitled:
Wildforce
Acrylic on canvas, dimensions?

NARRATIVE OF EXPERIENCE:
During a 2014 show called Space Invaders, I exhibited work with my high
school alumni group called The Room 118 Group. During the show, I was asked to
demonstrate my unique artistic process. During the demonstration, I produced a

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painting entitled, Wildforce. The demonstration took place in the exhibition space and
was attended by my high school art teacher as well as the senior art class from ONeill
Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Approximately 30 students were in attendance, and
the demonstration lasted for about one hour.
The limitation of time (one hour) proved to be somewhat of a barrier to my artistic
process; I was under pressure to produce a completed work of art to display to the
audience within this one hour of time. I felt some stress and pressure to perform under
those circumstances. Another limitation was the fact that I was painting in front of an
audience. Being surrounded by high school art students while trying to create a work of
art was at times intimidating and stifling, yet at times was also invigorating and
stimulating. I was keenly aware that the students were watching the way I moved around
the painting, were watching to see which colours I chose to use and were watching my
unique technique of dragging the skate through the wet paint on the canvas. Because I
was being observed, some of my focus and attention was taken away from the work
itself which somewhat subdued the artistic potential of the artefact (in my view).
However, since this was such a unique and different experience for me, Wildforce will
always have a special and vivid memory attached to it because I consider this artefact to
be a performance piece of art.
It was hot and muggy in the room where I was painting. I remember trying to
remain focussed on the creation of the painting the colour choices, pathways, and
shapes while also trying to answer questions from the audience and ignore the fact
that smartphones were beeping and buzzing and the crowd was making comments (to
me and to one another). Usually, I paint while listening to music, but in this case, the
sounds in the room were live in nature; there was the sound of paint plopping on the
canvas, the sound of my own breath, the sound of the skate blade gliding and scraping

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through the paint, the sound of students voices chattering and laughing, the distinct
sound of my high school teachers voice, and the sound of digital devices
smartphones and cameras. This noise was new to me and again, took some of my
attention away from the creation of the painting itself. Did these new noises act as
distractions, or did they somehow transform the painting in some way? I remember
wishing that classical music was playing during my demonstration.

WHERE/HOW TECHNOLOGY WAS INTEGRATED:

During the demonstration, the students (audience) took digital photographs and
videos of me with their smartphones. Some students watched the whole
process/demonstration through the small screen on their smartphone.
Also, I took digital photographs of the artefact after its completion. I shared these
photographs on my NotWithABrush website and via social media channels.

HOW THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY SHAPED/TRANSFORMED THE

WORK/EXPERIENCE: under the influence of technology
Many of the students digitally captured the live demonstration on their
smartphones. Did this alter my state of mind? Because I had an audience, and because
the audience was digitally recording the event, I realized that my artistic process
transformed into a performance. I became more self-aware during this demonstration,
and this self-awareness manifested in the following ways:

I was aware of my posture, demeanour and facial expressions;

I was aware of my speech in terms of language, tone and volume;
I was also trying to not make mistakes on the canvas;
and although under normal circumstances (me being alone painting in my
studio), mistakes are usually exciting and valuable in my work, but because I had

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an audience, I found myself putting thought and effort into making each stroke
perfect and focussed on the desired outcome instead of letting pure creativity and
the experience/process guide me.
Furthermore, the integration of technology comes from the sharing of this artefact on
both my NotWithABrush website and social media sites. Because of digital
technology (the internet and web 2.0), my work gets increased exposure to new and
expanding audiences.

3. DATA NARRATIVES: Famiglia

3. Catalogue Artefact: (2014) Artistic work entitled:
Famiglia
Acrylic on canvas, dimensions?

NARRATIVE OF EXPERIENCE:
The creation of the artefact, Famiglia was a difficult, yet rewarding experience. I
was commissioned to create a piece for the Taylor family specifically for Maureen to
hang in her office. Since I know the Taylor family quite well, I had many ideas in mind of
how to represent their family in this painting.
Family, animals, sports and nature are the four foundations of the Taylor family. In
Famiglia, I tried to capture each of these important family foundations on the canvas
through the use of colour, line, shape and form. The entire process took approximately
16 weeks to complete. I started by constructing the frame of the canvas, stretching the
canvas over the frame and then applied gesso to the canvas. I then brainstormed ideas
on paper of what I wanted to achieve in this family representational painting. Next, I

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chose colours and began the long process of applying layers and layers of paint. I
photographed each stage of the process and documented it in a digital file folder for the
Taylor family.
Unlike in some of my other artefacts, I spent more time and effort trying to include
specific shapes and representational forms (please find further explanation of this in
next section) in Famiglia. This was a difficult and cognitive process that caused me to
combine my intellectual and creative sides.
While working on Famiglia in my studio, I listened to Streisand, and Brahmss
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor and Brahmss Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major,
both performed my Hlne Grimaud. Music is so important to me and essential to my
creative process. For some reason, music especially classical music puts me into
the creative mood and (I feel) sets my creativity free.

Artistic Statement (Explanation of Artefact):

How can I capture the Taylor family, or any family for that matter, by way of paint
on a canvas? It isand was, a difficult task. The following is a brief explanation of
Famiglia: my attempt to embody the Taylor famiglia in an abstract piece of art.
I created Famiglia by using both figure skates and hockey skates to represent
and acknowledge both sports that are most dear to the Taylor family. The right hand
side of the painting has a rectangular shape that represents the home the bright
vermillion (orange-red colour) within the rectangular shape signifies happiness and
togetherness. Although faint, and found in an underneath layer, there is a cerulean blue
music staff that runs the length of the painting, expressing and recognizing the
importance of music in Taylor family life.

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The bottom of the painting reveals black paw prints of friendly furry family
members of today and yesterday. The white area to the left of centre characterizes ice
of ice surfaces and ice sports that are so much a part of the Taylors. The phthalo green
section to the right of centre is found close to the home and stands for nature, plants
and earth gardens that are so much a part of the Taylor home.
The background (in mainly prussian blue) reveals many marks, lines and shadows
akin to lifes struggles and trials.
The focal point of the painting is the vermillion/carmine (orange-red) thread that
runs across the entire painting. This thread is a depiction of a DNA strand, and
represents mother and father (Maureen and John).
The two darker vermillion shapes near the top of the painting symbolize Thomas
and Catherine. Thomas is the first shape, closest to the white ice area, and Catherine is
the shape farther away, closest to the top. The shapes are linked to the mother and
father thread, but are flying awayexploringbut forever connected to the
vermillion/carmine thread.
The focal point thread grounds the painting and sews it together as a whole. It is
the anchor and base; it is alive, moving and loving.

WHERE/HOW TECHNOLOGY WAS INTEGRATED:

Throughout the creation of this artefact, I took digital photographs of the
progression. I uploaded these photos to a file folder on my computer, documenting them
into my catalogue of work. After the process was complete, I transferred the photos to a
DVD to give to the Taylor family along with the painting. To me, the fact that I went
through the entire process from beginning to end through the construction of the frame
to the final layer of the painting, to the digital photographs and written artistic statement

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made me feel like I wasnt just giving the Taylor family a painting, but that I was
sharing with them the experience of my creative process. The sharing of this process
makes Famiglia more valuable to me, and was a fulfilling and inspired learning
experience.

HOW THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY SHAPED/TRANSFORMED THE

WORK/EXPERIENCE: under the influence of technology
The integration of technology transformed the experience that I had during the
creation of this painting in the following ways:

Because I documented the progression of this work through digital photography, I

found I had more opportunity to reflect on the development of the piece.

By looking at the photographs, I discovered things about my work such as:
o The look of the painting changes when looking at it on a computer screen,
compared to looking at it live in person;
o looking at the series of photographs of the progression of the work gave
me satisfaction of the process itself its rigor and commitment;
o and, the work itself took on more personal meaning when documented in
the series of photos, because the photos themselves became a part of the
work as a whole.

Also, I shared the photographs on my NotWithABrush website and on my various social

media sites, thus expanding the audience of viewers of this work.

4. DATA NARRATIVES: UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural

4. Catalogue Artefact: (2013) Artistic work entitled:
UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural (for International Mother Language Day at UOIT)

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Acrylic on canvas, approx.. 5 x 10 (triptych)

NARRATIVE OF EXPERIENCE:
While browsing on Facebook, I came across a post from UOIT advertising for an
art contest. UOIT was requesting applicants to create a welcome diversity mural for
International Mother Language Day. Since I am an artist and also a student at UOIT, I
thought it was the perfect opportunity for me.
I put together my application, which included a few digital photographs of my
paintings, along with a brief explanation of my artistic vision and process, and emailed
my application to UOIT. To my delight, I received an email a few weeks later informing
me that I was selected as the winner!
After some email correspondence with Tanya Affolter at UOIT, and an in-person
meeting, I began the planning process for the creation of the mural. Because the wall
where the mural would hang was quite spacious, we decided that a 3-panel (triptych
mural approximately 5 in height and 10 in length) approach was the best course of
action. Transporting one 10-foot canvas would be very difficult and inconvenient, so
dividing it into three pieces was much easier.
Tanya had many stipulations about the mural:

The mural needed to include the word welcome in each of the

following languages:
o German,
o Portuguese,
o Japanese,
o Hindi,
o French,
o Polish,
o Greek,

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o Italian,
o Arabic,
o English,
o Turkish,
o Russian,
o Spanish,
o Mandarin,
o Aboriginal;
the mural needed to represent UOIT as an institution;
and, the mural needed to represent the many diverse cultures and
ethnic backgrounds of the student body at UOIT.

Being unfamiliar with the alphabet of most of these foreign languages, I turned to the
internet to research the correct spelling and letter design of the word welcome in each
of these languages. I had to practice some of the more difficult ones like Japanese,
Hindi, Arabic, Mandarin, Greek and Russian, before painting them on the actual mural.
The idea of including the word welcome in these various languages was one of the
focal points of the mural, and was intended to represent inclusiveness of all (or at least
most) ethnic backgrounds of UOIT students the notion of celebrating ones mother
language!
Since I had only approximately four weeks to complete this work, I was under
extreme pressure to meet the deadline. I began by planning sticking sheets of white
paper on my studio wall that would represent each of the three panels of the painting. I
planned out and placed each welcome, ending up with five welcomes on each of the
panels. Because this was a commissioned piece, and because I was given some
direction on what the mural was to represent, my job of creating this piece of art felt like
a heavy and onerous task. The use of the internet to research background information
on UOIT as an institution was essential. UOITs website provided me with ample
information on UOITs vision and aspects of student life on campus. The internet also

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provided me with information on the word welcome in each of the 15 different
languages.
Each panel of the mural was large and difficult to work with since my studio is
quite small in size. It was hard to put them together in my studio (side-by-side) to get an
overall view of the mural as a whole. Using two sawhorses as a support table, I painted
the backgrounds of each of the panels. The backgrounds consisted of titanium white
and grey shades, with texturized circle shapes, which would come through in the later
stages of the painting. The circles shapes were appropriate, I thought, to represent a
group, as in a group of people (the student body of UOIT), a group of learners, and a
group of languages coming together. Extending from each of the circles are lines that
represent branches reaching out to the skies, branches of learning and discovery.
Below, each of the circles has thicker lines that connect the circles together. These
connections represent the relationships between the school (UOIT) and the students,
administration, staff, and professors. Also, the connecting lines represent the links
between languages, culture and ethnic diversity, reminding us that even though we may
look and speak differently, we are all human beings and that is the common bond that all
of us shares.
As the painting progressed, I planned to make the top half of the panels as my
own representation of diversity and to make the bottom half of the panels the place to
hold all the welcome words in different languages. The top half depicts a sunset sky
with the view of a skyline of rustic buildings. The buildings done in vermillion, represent
the future of learning, collaboration and building of education and togetherness. The
sky signifies the limitless nature of learning and of how it is a lifelong endeavour for
many. The sky also characterizes the fact that even though we all come from different
places and parts of the world, we all live under and can relate to the sky above us.

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Since my technique of painting involves the use of skates (as brushes), a lot of
paint is distributed on the canvas, so drying time in between layers is critical to the
outcome. There were multiple layers involved in the creation of this mural so it was very
difficult to meet the deadline for completion. During the final stages of the creation of the
mural, I was up for 48 hours straight just to get it finished on time. I listened to a range of
music from classical (Chopin and Rachmaninoff) to rap (Eminem). Throughout the
process, I took digital photographs of the progression of the painting with hopes of
cataloguing each step or layer of the painting. Photos of the progressions can be seen
at the end of this document.
I think of this mural as separated into two distinct pieces: the top portion of each
panel is my own personal representation of diversity, education, and future dreams of
students at UOIT. The bottom portion of each panel is representative of what Tanya and
other staff at UOIT wanted me to create. Even though I did not do it purposely, this
separateness created a disconnect in my mural there is a distinct line that is obvious
in the mural, and this line represents the separation between myself and my own artistic
interpretation of this work, and of UOITs vision for what it should be. Even though I was
delighted to be chosen to create this mural, I felt creatively and artistically stifled, like I
was being forced to create something that wasnt me. This feeling is like a metaphor for
school in general in my view, school allows us to be creative and gives us some
freedom for self-expression, but there are always limitations and restrictions that we
must follow (as students). This disconnect in my mural was not consciously created. I
believe that since I felt creatively suppressed because of the stipulations and restrictions
or guidelines for the mural, sub-consciously I divided the painting into two pieces. Even
though the colours and ideas of the top and bottom halves of the mural relate to each
other, they are still alienated and divided in some ways (and in my own mind). Whenever

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I look at the mural, I look and the top or the bottomnot really as a whole mural. This
split, in my mind, mural turned out to be a strange exercise in artistic process.
The final product mural was presented at International Mother Language Day at
UOIT. The painting was unveiled as part of the celebration in one of UOITs atriums, and
was on display there for the duration of the event. After the event, (and to this day), the
mural hangs in the registrars office at UOIT. During the unveiling, I felt nervous and
anxious in anticipation of the reaction of the audience to my mural creation. These
feelings are all a part of performance that I feel both the mural and myself were
involved in. After all, my work is an extension of myself, therefore making it very
personal.

WHERE/HOW TECHNOLOGY WAS INTEGRATED:

Through digital photography;

through email correspondence;
through social media (Facebook and Twitter);
through my NotWithABrush website;
through web-based (internet) research;
and through UOITs website where they published a feature story about
International Mother Language Day and my mural.

HOW THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY SHAPED/TRANSFORMED THE

WORK/EXPERIENCE: under the influence of technology
I made use of the internet to research how to produce the world welcome in 15
different languages. Because I have access to the internet, it was easy to discover the
information that I needed and it saved me some time. Also, using email for
correspondence with UOIT staff with regards to the mural was both time-saving and
convenient. Further to using the internet as a research (Google) and communication

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tool, I used social media sites (Facebook and Twitter) to share my UOIT mural (through
digital photographs) with various audiences that follow me (on SM).
Integrating technology into this mural transformed the work in terms of audiences:

initially, there was no audience for the mural other than myself (the creator);
next, the audience became Tanya and the other staff members at UOIT because

I dropped off the finished mural to them in preparation for the event;
next, the audience became the attendees of the International Mother Language

Day event at UOIT;

next, the audience became the followers of my social media sites and of my

website, where I published photographs of the mural;

and lastly, the audience became the many students and staff members who walk
through the registrars office (where the mural hangs).

If digital technology were not a part of this artefact, it would not have the degree of
exposure that the internet affords. Because of technology (both digital and non-digital),
this work has been introduced to audiences that otherwise may not have had the
opportunity to view it.