New Subway Sketches

Haven't posted sketchbook drawings here for a while, here is one from a day of subway sketching! Every Sunday at Union Station subway platform in Toronto.

Preview of an upcoming piece

Work in progress piece for a group show @ Chicago in Early Nov. More info soon!

#personalwednesday

'Hello Kitty, Hello Art!' Book now published!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, I received this beautiful book in the mail. ‘Hello Kitty Hello Art! Works of Art Inspired by Sanrio Characters’ is now published in hardcover format. 

I am very honored to be part of this book along with many other great artists such as Shepard Fairey, Travis Louie, Audrey Kawasaki, Gary Baseman, Gary Taxali, Junko Mizuno, Bobby Chiu, Kei Acedera, Ron English, Tara McPherson, Amy Sol, Brant Peters, Buff Monster, Camilla d’Errico, Eric Joyner, Luke Chueh, Martin Hsu, Melissa Haslam, Natalia Fabia, Nate Frizzell, and many many more!

Look out for this book in your nearest bookstore!

Re-temptations

 ‘Re-temptations’
11 x 14”
graphite & acrylics on paper

Our thoughts and memories always play tricks on us.

Here is a drawing I contributed for a group show in Portland to celebrate the Iconic television painter ‘Bob Ross’.

The show opens tomorrow (Thursday, Sept 27th) in Portland, come by to see the show at Screaming Sky Gallery if you are in the area!

The show will be on until October 21st, 2012.
 

'LOOPS' Solo Exhibition opening tonight!!

In just a few more hours, my show 'LOOPS' will be opening at the Damask Gallery, on the 3rd floor of the Dundas West Arts Building in Toronto.

Its been a busy few weeks for me leading towards the show. Tonight, there will be drinks, there will be music, and there will be art. Come out to the show if you got a little time in Toronto. It will be a special night. :)

Here is the last promo e-flyer I am posting, reminding you of all the info you'll need - time and location!

I look forward to seeing everyone there, old friends, family, and new faces!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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LOOPS: A Solo Show by Peter Chan
www.peterchanart.com

Opening reception:
Thursday September 13, 2012 / 7 - 11pm

Sometimes we get stuck. We deal with our everyday little things and our big things. Time begins to blur. Without us realizing, our lives have become an incoherent mishmash, a never ending cycle. Momentarily, people are able to break free and take gulps of fresh air in a cathartic moment but quickly plunge back, still living the same repetitious patterns.

This body of work represent memories of living in perpetual roller coaster 'loops' and fantasies of escapism. I want to show how malleable our nostalgia can be, changing what we remember to make us feel how we’re living today is OK. It’s not. In the end we’re just moving backwards and sometimes we get stuck.

- peterchan

Damask Salon And Gallery
2466 Dundas Street West, 3rd floor
Toronto ON,
Canada

'LOOPS' - the story behind the show

Here is the background story and concept for 'LOOPS'

Coming together..

Sealing drawings and varnishing paintings recently to get reading for this Thursday.

Here is a better photo of the finished product, it's been sent off to the framers!

 

 


See this and other original pieces in person on Thursday @ LOOPS: Opening Reception / Peter Chan

Unforgettable ephemeral moments...

Ever experienced an unforgettable ephemeral moment? 
On a walk to the park, seeing the landing of a dragonfly right in front of our eyes.. 

Appreciating it's beauty, intricacy, and fragility, we seek a second look. On this second take, it's already gone.

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The show is fast approaching. 
Only about a week til then, it will be just like a dragonfly. Landing for that short moment.

#personalwednesday

Drawing for 'LOOPS'

Sometimes, you try to remember and follow your dreams when you wake up. When I am lucky enough, I am able to write down my dreams before I forget... but why?

Why is the fantasy so attractive?
That makes me wonder.

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Working hard on my pieces, both painting and drawing for LOOPS!
Using graphite for this one...

#personalwednesday

white dew, marble steps

"white dew, marble steps"
14'' x 20'' Acrylics, inks and pencil on paper
collaboration piece by Harvey Chan and myself.

Here's the final piece I'm contributing to 'Unworldly Reunion', a show which opens tonight in Toronto, Canada.

white dew, marble steps is about personal growth in our own cultural backgrounds. More specifically, it is about an Asian growing-up in Canada. The Chinese characters on the grid paper is an excerpt from 'Marble Steps Complaint', a poem written by one of the great Chinese poets Li Bai. This piece is influenced by the themes of growth, mystery and change found in many of Li Bai's poems.

Growing up, I remember dreading Chinese school every weekend. (If you're Chinese-Canadian you know what I'm talking about!) I had to memorize many poems in order to get a passing grade. I hated it. I did not understand why we had to learn about the past, it just wasn't relevant to me. What influenced me was the gloss of popculture…

As I grew older I asked myself who am? What are my origins? This painting is a return to my Chinese heritage which I was once so involved in as a child.

Location:

DanZon Art & Dance Centre, 2480 Dundas Street West, Unit 104 ( 5 min walk north of Dundas West subway station )

Time:
August 9th, 2012. 7pm - 12am. ONE NIGHT ONLY

Artists: 
Jon Todd, Brianne Service, Jose Ortega, Juana Zuniga, Fiona Smyth, Selena Wong, Fred Sbastian, Peter Chan, Hyein Lee, Hiend Tang, Chu Zhang, Shen Plum, Mary Paz Sobreira, Miko Sobreira, Keita Morimoto, Megan Ellen, Richard da Mota, Matthew da Mota, Jona Stewart, Johny Deluna, Jack Shepherd, Wendy Ding, Tomo Nagamoto, Nataly Kim, Martha Chan, Kestin Cornwall, Ivan Prusac, Hanna Barczyk, Wing Yee Tong, Andrew Colebeck, Samia Taqi, Corrine Darvill, Kimberley Whitchurch, Anne-Karoliina Koskinen, Tomio Nitto, Mariana Tomasevic...

Renewed Piece of History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work in Progress piece. I was walking around one day to the Japanese antique store and found this old piece of Japanese paper. As I was walking back to the hotel, the paper was so dried that it started cracking. To preserve it, once I went home I tried collaging it onto a painting that I am working on.

You never know what you might find in an old items/antique store, on a bright sunny day.

I love finding old items, it is an adventure every time. :)

#personalwednesday

Personal Wednesday Update!

This week’s ‘Personal Wednesday’ update! This piece is getting near completion… will be posting the final soon.

There are things that might be hard to see in the photo. I will try to provide more detailed shots when I post the final.

LIVE Painting at Paint-A-Thon tomorrow @ Night it up!

PAINT-A-THON @ Night It Up! from Paint-A-Thon on Vimeo.


Gonna be Painting LIVE tomorrow from 2pm - 7pm at Paint-A-Thon with a few friends @ Night It Up! in Markham. Fundraising for 'Make A Wish' Foundation and for youth development at 'Power Unit Youth Organization'! Come by if you're in the area!

http://paintathon.com/

Preview Photos of 5, 10, 15, 20 Pop up Shop!

Here are some preview photos of the new pop up concept shop on 183 Queen Street East in Toronto.

Tonight is the opening party!

For more photos, please visit my flickr.

OPENING PARTY 5-10-15-20

Its party time tomorrow! The opening party of 5, 10, 15, 20 is now just right around the corner!  
Need some good eats? We got home made kimbap + all you can eat tropical fruit table + other goodies.
These prints will also be available for purchase in the store, among other ones!

Come and take a look at the talent and goodies we have for sale! 

Participating artists and designers include:
Ji Han, Nicole Tirona, Justine Wong, Paul Tseng, Hieng Tang, Peter Chan, Mindzai Creative Shop, Sarah S Friend, Naomi Knaff, Ginette Lapalme, Jeannie Phan, Ness Lee, Ananda Gabo, and more+!


Need a wallet? We got some.
Need some new clothes? We got that too!
Need to detox your body and rejuvenate? We got a kit for that!
Need some dollar bills for the afterlife? ITS IN THE PACKAGING!
Come bring $5-$10-$15-$20 dollars, and walk out with some lovin. Or just bring yourself!
Draw + prizes at the door.
 

5-10-15-20 OPENING PARTY
Thursday, July 12, 2012
183 Queen Street East

5pm - 9pm 

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/254420468000583/

Personal Wednesday - Process

Personal Wednesday - process of a new oil painting!

New Sketches on the Subway

Sketches on the Subway
Pencil on paper

Haven't posted observational drawings for a while! Here is a page of sketches done on the subway. I lead a sketch group with my friend Thierry Lafontaine here in Toronto and we sketch on the subway every Sunday.

New Painting for Julyna Exhibition Group Show

"OK to be"
8'' x 10''
Oils & Pastels on Paper
(Framed)
Personal Wednesday.

Here is a small Oil Painting I did which is donated to a charity show coming up this weekend.

Every year, I usually donate a piece or two to some form of charity event as a way of giving back. This year, the first charity piece is done for Julyna. Julyna is a non profit community initiative to raise awareness for Cervical Cancer and raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Julyna: The ExhibitionOpening Reception: Friday July 6th at 7pm
Show Dates: Friday, July 6 - Sunday, July 15, 2012
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-6pm and Sunday 1-5pm
Location: AWOL Gallery, 78 Ossington Ave, 2nd floor

Personal Wednesday: Continued Process

Its Personal Wednesday!
Here are some photos of the piece in it’s finishing stages, adding some finishing touches.

Recently, I’ve been very inspired by the ideas of astrology and dreams. The connectedness of nature, thoughts, and memories that manifests out of our mind. I will talk about this more as I post the upcoming paintings I have lined up to finish.

I should also be posting the final image of this one soon.

Early Process

The early process of a painting in acrylics...

Here is the first, a work in progress of a new piece in graphite.





















For other updates, please visit my facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/peterchanart