funny

Cartman Hartnett-Swayze’s Inspirational 2018 Calendar

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lifeisbeautiful

Cartman is a particularly special dog, and he wanted the world to know. He wanted the world to know that no matter what, life is beautiful. 2018 was Year of the Dog, and Cartman’s 12th year on the fine planet, so it was the perfect opportunity to share his well-traveled wisdom. Cartman has been to 33 U.S states, and across Canada from Newfoundland to Yellowknife.

In each photo for every month, Cartman got a lil older. Each month has it’s own special positive quote, handpicked (pawed?) by the mutt himself. (Naw, I’m lying, I made these on Vistaprint and the quotes were part of the template. Still fun though!)

calendar2

Rejection Collage

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rejectioncollage

 

Artist Statement: This piece represents the majority of art in the Yukon, and an innovative way to continue working with and through rejection. Using my last rejection letter from the Advanced Artist Award, and mixed paper acquired at the Visitor’s Centre, this project was created onsite, and speaks for the 70% of Yukon artists whose work does not get funded. Caught in a cycle of paperwork, some projects reapply, and some never end up materializing. Every artist, every human experiences the disappointment of rejection. But we must move forward. This piece meditates on this, simultaneously highlighting all the work that goes on behind the scenes to be order to live and create, and acknowledging all those which do not develop further. By creating this work that is valued at the exact original amount I applied for, this piece becomes conceptual and transforms, exploring the intersection of grants and the creative process, and embodying art’s ability to respond and represent.

This work is priced at $5000, the amount of the grant I was rejected for, and will be submitted yearly to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection Acquisition Call, as the price is part of the concept and life of the work. This piece was originally created in July 2015, as part of the En Pleine Air Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, put on my Yukon Artists at Work.

River Guide

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Meditation

Guided meditations are notoriously cheesy. In River Guide, I play with the public and the private, the past and the now using the medium of satirical guided meditations. I am recording sounds on location, and then writing a guided meditation to connect a public place as a private inner world and experience. I am hoping to connect people to these places in a new and meaningful way, while also poking some fun at the silly metaphors guided meditations can use.

These satirical guided meditations are concerned with specific locations along the Yukon River in Whitehorse; the wharf, the dam, Robert Service campground, the S.S Klondike and Shipyards Park. I am a participating artist in the Yukon Plein Air Arts Festival July 6th-10th 2014, and these are the designated locations for the 20 participating artists to create at.

People listening to River Guide are encouraged to close their eyes, and imagine being these spaces and places. For example, when listening to the meditation, You Are The Wharf, ‘Breathe in Breeze, Breathe out Tourists…’

River Guide was display at Yukon Artists at Work Gallery in Whitehorse, as part of the Plein Air Arts Festival show, ending August 4th.

River Guide is a part of Culture Days this year. Saturday September 27th from 12-4 PM at the Old Fire Hall, you can come by and get download cards for the audio tracks, and from 3-4 PM you can borrow an Mp3 player and headphones to give yourself a walking tour.