Outdoor Art Installation

From Sep 30, 2023 to Nov 15, 2023 I participated in the Terrain Biennale which is an outdoor art installation. I showed my piece “Trail” which is a 20 foot long arm-knitted lace installation that extended from my porch drooping onto the ground. To learn more about this outdoor art installation- keep reading!

Outdoor Art Installation

Here is the website to learn more about the Terrain Biennale: https://terrainexhibitions.org/

Here is what Terrain Biennale says about the exhibition/outdoor art installations: Terrain Biennial is a grassroots public art festival that brings artists and neighbors together to put public art on the front lawns (and porches, windows, and rooftops, too!) of neighborhoods across the world.

Artists and curators collaborated with hosts to produce public art installations (think sculptures, paintings, projections, flags, yarn art, you name it!) outside their homes (and other unexpected spots!).

You can check out my installation here: https://terrainexhibitions.org/tb23-huntsville-on

How to Participate in the Outdoor Art Installation of Terrain Biennale:

Make sure you apply. I suggest following them on Instagram to stay connected and know when you should apply. Then you need to find a host to agree to have your art installed. Then you install your art and take a photo of it so it can be added on the Terrain Biennale website. When choosing a piece to apply with you want to think about a piece that will be able to withstand weather conditions for a month and a half. 

I chose to submit the piece “Trail” because I knew that it could withstand rain and even snow. Yes, sometimes it snows in Canada early! I also like the way that it drapes like a long lace curtain. I am thinking about making this piece longer. Should I? Let me know in the comments! 

To read more about my piece “Trail” click here! 

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Read more about Trail

See my other Outdoor Art Installations

Art Scams to Watch out for

Here are some common art scams to watch out for. Being an artist there are a lot of art scams to watch out for. Some are really realistic but usually if it seems too good to be true it probably is. Below is a list of common art scams to look out for! 

Common Art Scams to Watch Out For: 

Make sure you always trust your gut! If something doesn’t feel right, look right (like lots of spelling and grammar mistakes) then be careful. Be careful giving personal information and credit card or banking information always! 

Artists should be vigilant when it comes to potential scams in the art world. While there are many legitimate opportunities for artists to sell their work and gain recognition, there are also scams and fraudulent schemes to be aware of. Here are some common art scams that artists should watch out for:

• Fake Art Buyers: Be cautious of individuals claiming to be interested in purchasing your artwork but require you to send them money upfront for shipping, insurance, or other fees. Legitimate buyers typically cover these costs themselves. Also if they want to purchase your art outside of your website it is a red flag. 

• Art Competition Scams: Some art competitions may require an entry fee and if there are prizes or a juried competition it is normal for fees to apply, but be wary of those with high fees and no reputable judges or organizations behind them. Research the competition thoroughly before participating.

• Fake Galleries: Scammers may create fake art galleries or online platforms that promise to showcase your work but require upfront fees for representation. Legitimate galleries typically earn a commission from sales, not fees from artists. This can also happen with social media accounts that have high followers which are often fake followers like bots where you need to pay to post to “gain exposure” from a wrong audience. 

• Unauthorized Print Sales: Ensure that any company or individual selling prints or reproductions of your work has your explicit permission. Unauthorized printing and selling of your art can lead to copyright infringement issues.

• Phishing Scams: Be cautious of unsolicited emails or messages requesting personal information or payment for supposed art opportunities. Verify the legitimacy of the sender before responding or sharing any information. This also happens in the private messages of your social media. 

• Overpayment Scams: Scammers may send a counterfeit check or money order for an artwork, claiming it includes extra funds for shipping or other expenses. They then ask you to refund the excess money before the initial payment clears, leaving you with a worthless check. This is why it is best for people to pay for your art securely like through your website or PayPal versus an e-transfer. 

• Art Authentication Scams: Beware of individuals or companies offering art authentication services for a fee. Seek out established and respected experts for authentication instead.

• Art Investment Schemes: Avoid art investment opportunities that promise guaranteed returns or excessive profits. These may turn out to be Ponzi schemes or scams.

• Copyright and Licensing Scams: Watch out for companies that claim to want to license your artwork for various products but require a substantial upfront fee. Legitimate licensing agreements usually involve negotiation and contracts.

• Fake Giveaway accounts- if you run a giveaway on social media it is very common for a fake account to be created that impersonates your account and messages your followers telling them they have won and to click a link that could give them a virus or take their credit card information for “shipping.”

• An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) scam targeting artists typically involves fraudulent schemes or deceptive practices related to the creation, sale, or representation of NFTs based on an artist's work. Here are some common NFT scams artists should be aware of:

• Unauthorized Minting: Scammers may create NFTs of an artist's work without their permission. They essentially steal the digital art and tokenize it, profiting from sales without the artist's knowledge or consent.

• Impersonation: Some fraudsters might impersonate artists on NFT marketplaces, claiming to sell NFTs of their work. Unsuspecting buyers may pay for what they believe is authentic art but receive nothing in

• Lastly people through social media often will try to convince you as an artist to purchase an NFT to protect your work. You don’t need that there are already copyright laws in place.  Digital Art: NFTs are primarily associated with digital art, as they provide a way to prove ownership and authenticity in the digital realm. If you create digital art, NFTs can be a valuable tool for protecting your work and potentially monetizing it.

To protect yourself from art scams, it's essential to conduct thorough research, ask for references, and consult with trusted peers or industry professionals when in doubt. Trust your instincts and be cautious when dealing with unfamiliar parties or offers that seem too good to be true.

Follow me on social media by clicking on one of the icons below! 

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My Maternity Leave Canada EI

How I am spending my maternity leave Canada EI. In April after Easter, I will be going on maternity leave in Canada with EI for my first child with my due date on May 5. I am taking a month off early because this is my first child and I don’t know what to expect. In Canada the maternity can be 18 months or 12 months. Learn more about my maternity leave Canada EI plans below!

During this time I want to prepare for the new baby and get the nursery ready and make sure that I am relaxed and fully comfortable. My husband and I are also moving 3 and half hours away, so we need to get the new house ready too! I have decided to take a maternity leave for 12 months. While on maternity leave, I will also be working on my art business. I hope to make new art education resources that I can sell in my teachers pay teachers shop and some new YouTube videos for my YouTube channel.

I also plan on applying to different art exhibitions and art grants. I know that these are probably ambitious goals but even if I’m working on my art business just 30 minutes a day I think that will really help progress my business. In the future, I would like to be a full-time artist working from home. I want to use this maternity leave to really propel my business forward.

Before taking my maternity leave, I want to have some pre-planning done in advance. I plan on having my blogs drafted and scheduled on both of my websites all the way until September. I also want to have YouTube videos scheduled all the way until September or October. I would like to have at least three weeks to four weeks of Pinterest pins scheduled in advance as well. This will allow me to have more time to focus on healing and spending precious time with my new baby .

In the first few months, I know that I won’t have a lot of time to work on my art, however, working on my art is a form of self-care and it’s really important to me. I want to make sure that I have my art supplies set up in my new studio, ready to go so I know that even if I only have a 20 minute break I have things already set up and ready. I am going to try to make sure that my studio stays clean and tidy so that I feel comfortable working in there and using the space more often. I’m going to make sure that I’m communicating with my husband and planning some time during the week, so I at least have one hour every week where I can be making art. My husband is really supportive and does a great job in helping with household chores and cooking which will give me more time to work on my artwork.

The maternity leave Canada EI is a nice option to be able to stay and bond with your baby while healing and adjusting to being a mom. Since this is my first time being a mom, I know it will be a big adjustment. I am grateful for the maternity leave Canada EI.

Follow me on social media to stay connected during this busy time! Click on one of the icons below!

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Canada Artist Grant

I received a Canada artist grant with th Ontario Arts Council last year and worked on a project that Canada artist grant. I was awarded a grant of $2000 for emerging artists to learn a new skill or for professional development including the purchase of new art supplies. You can learn more about this Canada artist grant in this post!

Canada artist grant/OAC artist grant proposal

For my Canada artist grant I chose to focus on papermaking in my application. I proposed learning how to make paper out of plants and learning how to use the letterpress machine. I wanted to letterpress some of my Patched poems on handmade pieces of map paper I made. I also proposed to purchase some mould and deckles to help me with papermaking some abaca and cotton pulp, a vat and other paper making supplies. 

Canada artist grant/OAC artist grant 

I chose to work with a local paper making company the Papertrail to be able to learn about paper making easier. The Papertrail is based out of New Dundee, Ontario. That’s also where I attended workshops, completed my letterpress poetry project and ordered my papermaking supplies. 

I attended 5 paper making workshops in total with the grant money. A basic beginner paper making workshop, two workshops on making paper with plants and two on using the letterpress. 

About the Paper making Workshops 

The Beginner Papermaking Workshop 

This workshop took place in August of 2022 and in this workshop I learned basic skills and refined my paper making skills. We also learned how to use pigments in paper and got to experiment with the sheets of paper we made. 

Letterpress Workshop #1 

I did this workshop in November, during this workshop I learned how to use the letterpress and the history of the letterpress. I also did some test prints of some text with the letterpress. 

Paper Making with Plants Workshop

This workshop was a two day back to back workshop in December. In these workshops I learned how to make paper from plants. I made paper from the stems and pods of milkweed as well as from flax. I got to use their hollander beater and beat the pulp by hand. 

Letterpress Workshop #2 

This workshop happened in December. I got to complete my Patched poem project and letterpress 5 different poems I wrote onto handmade map paper. 

All of these workshops were full day workshops. I am grateful for the Canada artist grant with OAC and being able to develop my paper making skills as an artist as well as being able to complete a project and purchase new paper making supplies.  

You can purchase my book Patched that has more poems here!

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