View allAll Photos Tagged Hand-Lettering,
Last night I went out drinking on an empty stomach... but at least it gave me the idea for today's #100dayproject
My son and I were leaving a breakfast café in the east end of Toronto, an attractive village-like area known as “The Beaches.” I was standing on the sidewalk adjusting my bicycle helmet for the trip back home when I heard a scuff above me and looked up to see this smiling face on a balcony above me. Meet Robert who was making and selling wood hiking sticks on the balcony of his apartment. He had some samples on display, hanging from nylon fishing line from the ceiling and he had a sign on the railing with hand lettering, pricing the hiking sticks at $40. They were attractive and he was in the process of polishing one before applying the varnish.
I said hello and he returned the greeting with an open, friendly face. I asked about the sticks and he told me he brings deadfall from the Bruce Peninsula on the shore of Lake Huron and sands and finishes them on the balcony of his apartment. Noting my interest, he handed one down to me and said each one is different and each is a surprise because the patterns engraved in the wood by insects only become visible when he gets the branches back to Toronto and removes the bark. The insect tracks were, in fact, very attractive abstract line patterns.
I found out that Robert (not Bob) is 70 and has lived his life in Toronto. He said he was born in Montreal but that was just due to chance because his parents (also Torontonians) were passing through Quebec at the time of his birth. Robert said he spent most of his working life as a renovator but when the recession hit in 1983 work dried up and he wound up taking a job as a Welfare Worker for the Department of Social Services until a heart attack forced him to retire. The walking sticks are clearly a cottage industry and he said he spends his weekends on the balcony working on the sticks and displaying them because the sidewalk below is busiest on weekends. The walking sticks were really quite unique and beautiful.
Robert told me that he is very active politically and has helped as a district organizer for his party of choice for the last 20 years. He clearly believes in being a part of the solution as an active citizen as opposed to sitting back and complaining while doing nothing. When I asked if he had any words he lives by that he could share with the project photographers he paraphrased the philosopher Bertrand Russell: “Look for the evidence. If it isn’t there, don’t believe it.” Nice.
I asked if he had a website so that I could promote his walking stick business he said “Oh no. Hardly. If it had a website then this would be a job and I certainly don’t want that!” We shared a good laugh.
Robert was more than happy to oblige my 100 Strangers photo request and since he was standing above me, I got out my camera and simply framed him with his walking sticks on display took the photos of his smiling face from the sidewalk below with his attractive walking sticks beside him, hanging from the balcony ceiling. When done, I thanked him and said what a pleasure it had been to meet him. He said the feeling was mutual and leaned over the railing for a parting handshake as we wished each other a great day.
Thank you Robert for participating in 100 Strangers. You are now Stranger #503 in Round 6 of my project. I really enjoyed our chance encounter and I wish you well.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
To browse Round 1 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157633145986224/
To browse Round 2 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157634422850489/
To browse Round 3 of my 100 Strangers project click here: www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157635541434065/
To browse Round 4 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157639207561566/
To browse Round 5 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
I’ve always loved the California state flag, which is exactly what inspired this piece. Of course the state is also awesome. Gotta give the west coast some love!
Old hand painted showcard from York Pa. These were on display in the 50s and 60s on buses and trolley cars.
Black, brown and yellow on cream card. Using fine fibre-tipped pens. One of my favourite Pink Floyd songs.
The alphabet is mine, base on straight lines and inspired by the expressionists of the 1920s.
I used to do quite a bit of calligraphy back in the day. I thought I'd give it another bash now I cannot go very far on my bikes.
Super close up of some modern calligraphy I've been working on today : ) Drawn using a Sakura Micron fine liner.
When I was working on the Creative Lettering book, I did a few extra pieces so the publisher can pick and choose the ones they want to use. Here is one of them that is not included in the book. It's quoted from the Bible,1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and is hand-written with a black fine line Sharpie pen.
Also blogged here
More fresh Digable Planets lyrics from the song “9th Wonder”. This fits right in with my tiny Brooklyn obsession, and by tiny I of course mean gigantic.
This is based on this red velvet cake recipe, converted to Australian money and using the Crabapple Bakery method to mix everything together.
It makes a DELISH cupcake! To download the hi res image, go to all sizes.
Auction#126
Dimensions: 8.5” x 8.5” / 21.6cm x 21.6, hanging panel
Tesserae: Glass, glitter tiles and hand lettering underneath the glass
“*Love Has No Borders* was inspired by many events happening in the world today, good and bad. ‘Love’ has been hand written in 37 different languages as the background of the piece.”
Cherie Bosela has always been fascinated by the variety of colors and shapes found in nature. She enjoys capturing these aspects of nature through photography. Her artistic vision takes it a step further creating vibrant colorful mosaics using stained glass, beads, millefiori and her original photography under the glass. Her award winning mosaic artwork has been included in exhibits at The Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA, Mayor’s Gallery in Orlando’s City Hall and Williams Tower Gallery, Houston, TX to name a few. Her work has been published in magazines and books. In April 2016, Cherie quit her full time job to pursue her dream of being a full time artist and opened Luna Mosaic Arts in Orlando, FL.
Cherie Bosela ~ Luna Mosaic Arts
Commission contact info (fine art, commercial and residential mosaics)
Email: cherie@cheriebosela.com
Website: www.cheriebosela.com
Studio & Shop: www.lunamosaicarts.com
Florida, USA
day 2 of the 30 Day doodle and lettering challenge (here bydawnnicole.com/2015/11/30-day-challenge-december-prompt... )
pen,ink,distress inks.