From a little kid growing up in the Bahamas, to a young woman setting the art world on fire! Bahamian born, Toronto based artist Gio Swaby is my guest today, and I could not be more thrilled. I met Gio a few years ago at an art show in Vancouver, and I’ve been following her ever since… lately she’s been hard to keep up with! Spoiler Alert: She just had her first solo show in New York and it SOLD OUT. I asked Gio all of my questions, and her answers covered everything from going to church in a bathing suit and jeans, to preparing for her first solo museum show… yep, quite the gamut! Look/listen right up there under Gio at her recent show in New York, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

First, this is some of Gio’s work I saw the night we met, way back in 2018 at the “Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series” show:

See? THAT is why I had to track her down at the party! So. Good.

The next series I saw – thanks to Instagram – included a few of these pieces. These are the ones she often hangs in large grids and or salon style:

Love! The pieces above are from two series. The solid silhouettes are from “New Growth”, and the ‘drawings’ are part of “My Hands Are Clean”.

Next, just a few of my faves from Gio’s recent solo show, “Both Sides of the Sun”, at Claire Oliver Gallery in New York:

I said it before and I’ll say it again… What the wha!? I love them all so much.

And, what Gio and I both love more than we can say:

… Black women and girls “seeing themselves” in Gio’s work. No wonder she cried when those photos started showing up online. And yes, that’s Claire with Gio in the final photo. A force of nature x TWO! Thank you so much to Gio for taking time out of her insane schedule to talk to me for so long; thanks to Wireframe for supporting this episode; and thanks to YOU for listening! There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Gio on Instagram
2. Claire Oliver Gallery, Harlem NY
3. New York Times article
4. Museum of Fine Art St. Pete {Florida}
5. College of The Bahamas
6. Emily Carr University of Art & Design, Vancouver
7. Ontario College of Art & Design
8. Bisa Butler, Artist
9. Bisa Butler on ART FOR YOUR EAR
10. John Oliver ‘Last Week Tonight’ : Black Hair
11. Wireframe {Podcast}

Oooh! This is the newest work by Toronto based painter Kristy Blackwell. I’ve written about her before {here and here}, but she continues to push her work – and herself – further and further… it’s so exciting to watch that I just had to write again! Some of her work is part of an upcoming group show which is part of Toronto FAC {Feminist Art Collective}‘s Feminist Art Fest 2020, taking place at OCADU March 5-7. Not only is there an art exhibition, there’s also a film night and conference … get tickets right here.

ps. She’s also showing her work this weekend at Artist Project Contemporary Art Fair in Toronto… and it opens TONIGHT! More info right here.

I absolutely love it when big, beautiful, high-end brands work with artists. Gucci is particularly good at this {I shared this project they did with Toronto’s Kris Knight in 2014}, and this is their latest artsy collaboration. They recently invited six artists to reimagine their DIY cardigans… I found out about this because of the unstoppable Ashley Longshore {hers is the first image above}. Ashley & Gucci … um yeah, that’s a match made in fashion heaven. Anyway, I did a little more digging and found the whole campaign. Here is Gucci’s description:

“Angela Deane’s friendly ghosts, named Sam and Wendall, wear the sweaters painted on top of winter scenes. Isabella Cotier’s portrait style illustrations are based on the characters who live around her London neighborhood, and artist and illustrator Marc Burckhardt’s richly detailed creations feature a gorilla and a tiger, chosen by the artist because “the elegance and style of a tiger seemed like a perfect fit for Gucci, and the brute strength of the gorilla felt like an amusing counterpoint to the sophistication of the DIY line.” Amber Vittoria—an artist who focuses on the accurate portrayal of women within art—imagines two female characters, Ashley Longshore paints a girl immersed in flowers and Brianda Fitz James Stuart’s whimsical illustrations, inspired by classic Renaissance paintings, feature a swan.” 

Love, love, loooooove! {ps. I also really love that 5 of the 6 artists are women}. Stay tuned because there is another top secret project that is part of this, but I have to wait until next week to show you.

Ok, the results are in! I’ve randomly chosen THREE winners of this very generous giveaway by Papirmass. Thank you so much to everyone that entered {don’t worry, more giveaways always around the corner}… the winners are:

CHRISTA DAVID, New York

BRANDI BALDWIN, Canada

VELVET GINGER, France 

Congratulations! Thank you so much to Paprimass for the giveaway AND for existing ♥ … ps. today is the last day to get the Scott Listfield print. You have until tonight at midnight EST. Happy Halloween!

So many things to love in one post … Papirmass {aka Toronto’s Jp King & Kirsten McCrea}, Boston based painter Scott Listfield, one of Scott’s astronauts, AND a giveaway! Yep, when Jp & Kirsten reached out and asked me to curate this month, I jumped at the chance and immediately knew I’d ask Scott. ps. He said yes. Ok, there are a few stories for me to tell:

No.1  What’s Papirmass? Um, well if you like gorgeous/affordable art AND surprises, well then you’re going to love them… “Papirmass is an independent art subscription that seeks to spark curiosity and inspire creativity. Subscribers all around the world love how our monthly mailings help them discover their next favorite artist. Through unique prints, studio interviews, and hands-on artistic activities, Papirmass is all about making creative connections.”

No.2  Did you listen to my podcast episode with Scott? Remember when we outed a gallery in Australia that sold his work and then didn’t pay him? Yeah, this is a print of that painting!

No.3  Giveaway? Yep! Jp and Kirsten want to give THREE of you a year long subscription to Papirmass! Comment below and I’ll draw three names on Halloween. Oooh, spooky.

See, lots of reasons to love this. Speaking of love, look how cute Jp and Kirsten are… they love art and each other {they’re married}:

Subscribe by the end of October to receive artwork by Scott Listfield in November {ps. I’ve seen the artwork lined up for the next few months too. Gorgeous!}

I have looooved the work of Indianapolis based artist Casey Roberts for years, so I’m a little embarrassed to say that it wasn’t until preparing for this interview that I realized these are cyanotypes, not paintings. Who knew? Well, not me. Casey met me in a quiet library in Indianapolis, with a glass of gin & tonic in hand to calm his nerves. I absolutely loved this chat… he is so talented, and an unbelievably nice guy. You can listen right under that stunning stump, or you can subscribe on iTunes. First up, some of Casey’s most recent work. They’re absolutely beautiful – like an ethereal exhale:

Sigh. So, so beautiful. Cyanotypes might just be the absolute perfect way to create nighttime scenes… for example:

Gasp! That glowing moth! Man, he’s good. Speaking of good, here’s Casey’s lovely piece that I included in my latest collection for The Land of Nod. So sweet!

Aww! And now, my favorite pieces in Casey’s extensive and beautiful portfolio. His carved trees:

Aren’t those amazing? And he does commissions with your special initials and dates… just sayin’. Also, I want one. And finally, I have to show this photo of Casey and his beard. Does his look not match his wild wilderness work perfectly?

Yeah, he can never shave that beard. It just works. And that’s that. No need for nerves, but clearly a glass of gin & tonic never hurts… unless of course someone makes you laugh and you have a small coughing fit. But other than that. Huge thanks to Casey for doing this with me, thanks to Saatchi Art for supporting the episode {and giving away a $50 gift card!}, and a big thank you to all of you for listening. There will be more art for your ear next weekend.

Other links: Parts Gallery, Toronto / Walker Contemporary, Vermont / In Search Of TV show

ps. casey’s cat heads…

If you’re in Toronto you should absolutely check out Art With Heart. It’s an art auction, now in its 22nd year, put on by Toronto’s Casey House, an organization that cares for people suffering from HIV. This fundraising auction is filled with absolutely gorgeous work {a few of my favorites shown here}, that “will benefit a number of Casey House’s initiatives including sending skilled teams of registered nurses and workers into clients’ homes, providing rehabilitative care and recreation therapy at the hospice, and bringing specialized HIV nursing care via partner clinics to marginalized people who lack access to treatment. Donor generosity enables additional services at Casey House to address the complex health needs and isolation that many clients experience.”

THE AUCTION

The Carlu / Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Reception 5:30 pm / Live Auction 7:00 pm

TICKETS … $175 {buy now}

{Artists shown above: Sarah Letovsky / Janet Morton / Megan Ellen MacDonald / Kim Dorland / Kris Knight / Keita Morimoto}

Dear 2014,

If I could make out with you, I totally would. You were really, really good. In fact, you were very close to the most exciting year of my entire life, second only to the year that my son was born.

You were filled with art that was awe-inspiring, delicate, intriguing, fun, beautifully bizarre, joyous, and oh, so meticulous.

You were there when my first book hit shelves in February, and when my second book was released in September {and you just saw me sign the deal to write my third book!? Gah!}

You took me to all sorts of amazing places like San Francisco, LA, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Vancouver again, Dublin… and New York for the very first time in my life! {What? Yep, true story.}  There were camping trips, road trips, and small town adventures with my amazing husband and ridiculously sweet son. I met so many new friends, and spent time with dear old friends – all of whom I plan on seeing again as soon as I possibly can!

You gave me the chance to : guest write “Real Art for a Fictitious World” on sfgirlbybay; to open my own online gallery; to speak at PIXAR; to be interviewed by the lovely folks at oprah.com {yep, that was insane}, and to curate the biggest art exhibition of my career so far!

I tried realllllly hard to slow down and enjoy every milestone along the way, although I’m not sure if I did a very good job – it seems like a bit of a blur to be honest – a wonderful, exciting, pinch-me because I feel beyond blessed, kind of a blur. 

So, with that I’ll say thanks for everything, 2014. You were truly mind-blowing. 

~ danielle xo

Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you so much for being part of this craziness! I cannot believe how lucky I am to have all of you in my world. Ok… now go make more art so I have something to write about in 2015!

{Fabulous, kissy, sparkly collages by California based artist Eugenia Loli}

Dear 2013,

This is our last day together, so I just wanted to say… you were amazing.

You were filled with art that was delicate, mysterious, funny, touching, strange, controversial, and breath-taking.

You were there when I finished my first book, and started on my second.

You took me to all sorts of lovely places like Salt Lake City, Chattanooga, Austin, LA, and Maui. {ps. In January, Stefan Sagmeister kissed me in SLC, so that was a pretty great way to kick off the year!}

You gave me the chance to guest write for lovely folks like Victoria Smith on sfgirlbybay, Emily Henderson, and Anthology Magazine.

You were the first year that I really gave my own artwork a shot… even if I resisted. A lot.

You were the year I spent settling into a new town, and home, with my amazing husband and super sweet little boy. We had twelve months of adventure ~ making new friends, swimming in the lake, fishing, jumping off docks, and eating more ice cream than three people should ever consume.

You were also the one that introduced me to so many lovely new friends {like Stephanie, Emily H, Ginny, Leah, Emily L, Samantha, Mark, Alyson, Melinda, & Diana}, and gave me time to visit with some really wonderful old friends {Autumn, Kathleen, Jessica, Mary-Jo, Janette, Melanie, Meleny, Christy, Janna & Jason, Kira … love you guys!}. AND there are so many more of you who I plan to catch up with in 2014… I’m talking to you Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York, Toronto and Vancouver friends! I might even make my way to Paris and London {fingers crossed!}

And finally, you did a pretty good job of teaching me how to slow down, so that I could truly enjoy everything along the way. Thanks. I needed that!

So, with that I’ll say bye bye, 2013. I can’t wait to meet your pal, 2014… I’m pretty excited to see what she’s got in store for all of us.

~ danielle xo

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you have an amazing, fun, safe night tonight! Thank you so much for being part of my little world, I appreciate it more than I could ever put into words.

Ok, are you ready? 2014. Let’s fill it up with creative genius… GO!

{1. Prospect Goods 2. Rachel Castle 3. CONFETTI SYSTEM 4. Max Wanger 5. ROTGANZEN}

Ok, there is soooo much I want to tell you … but I’m only allowed to give you a few little tidbits today. So, let me catch you up on what’s going on at the moment. The book is set to be released in the Spring of 2014. All of the writing/editing is completely finished, and the final manuscript is now in the hands of the lovely folks at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. Pretty much everything is ready to go to print… except the cover. The amazing design team is working with one of my favorite artists {who happens to be featured in the book}, Toronto based painter/designer Amanda Happé:

Gratitude? Yes. My world is filled with gratitude right now! Note: Just to be clear, this painting is NOT the cover… but it’s similar in it’s Amanda Happé-ness. I just saw her preliminary sketches a few days ago, and they ROCK! I can’t believe how lucky I am to have such a talented artist doing a custom piece for this project. When this is over, I’m totally going to buy that painting and hang it in my living room. I will then sit underneath it while I hold my book. Yes. That is exactly what I will do.

Ok. This info about the front cover was the first little tidbit. Now, flip it over… you will never believe the amazing group of people who reviewed the book, and then wrote endorsement blurbs that will appear on the back. Ready?

Holy SHIT. I’m sorry for the cursing, but I feel it’s necessary. I still cannot believe these people took time out of their busy lives to read the book, let alone sit down to write the nicest reviews EVER. I was really nervous to reach out to all of them, but I fueled up on caffeine, gave myself a pep talk, and sent out the emails. And they all said yes, immediately. CRAZY.

Jerry frickin’ Saltz? {Yes, that is now how I refer to him at all times, because am still in disbelief that he said ‘yes’!}. I have to tell you, writing to the Senior Art Critic at New York Magazine is terrifying. What if he wrote me back and criticized me!? Um, hello, art school nightmare! Well he didn’t, thank goodness. He was hilarious, open, and generous {ok, he dished it out a tiny bit, but I totally handled it. Must have been the caffeine.}

Brené Brown. For real. Have you seen her TED Talk on shame and vulnerability? So, so good. And maybe you’d like to see what she and Oprah chatted about. Yes. Oprah. Without giving away too much, this book talks a lot about the insecurities that artists face every day – so who better to review the book than someone with a PhD in vulnerability, right?

And then there’s Faythe Levine. She is sort of a creative hero of mine. She owns an art gallery, is an artist herself, and she directs amazing documentaries that take a beautiful look at art in America {If you haven’t seen Handmade Nation, or Sign Painters… well, you should!}. I am thrilled to have an amazing working artist review a book about amazing working artists. It just makes sense.

Now, the final bit for the back cover. My bio photo. Ugh. I tried to use my Polaroid over the face shot that I use for most things, but my editor {the amazing Kate Woodrow}, wouldn’t let me do that. So, I called this guy:

Jeff Topham is an amazing photographer, writer, and film maker. I actually wrote about one of his film projects, Liberia ’77, in 2010. If you ever have a chance to watch it, please do. It’s ah-mazing. Anywho, not only is Jeff all of these things, he’s also one of my childhood friends, so when I had to do the dreaded “head shot” I knew he was my man. I call the photo above “You better not make me look like an idiot, or I’ll tell your mom what you did at that party in 10th grade.” Well, we had a few stops and starts, but he got the shot:

Yes! Done. I will now use this shot forever. Thanks Jeff! xo {ps. I won’t tell your mom anything!}

Ok, so that’s all I can tell you so far… basically now you know what’s happening on the front and back, and as Spring 2014 approaches I’ll let you know what’s going on the inside of this fantastic cover! Thank you again to Amanda, Jerry, Brené, Faythe, Jeff, Kate and all of the other crazy amazing people at Chronicle… not to mention the 50 contemporary artists featured in the book! You’ve all made my dream a reality.

{If you’re still reading, thanks for paying attention all the way through this very long post. This book has been a huge part of my life for the past year and a half and I just have to tell you about it, whether you want to know or not! Ok. I’m done now. Happy weekend!}

Oh, Gary Taxali… sigh, if only I still lived in Toronto. Well, for those of you who do, I’m jealous of you! Why? Tomorrow night, Wednesday September 21st, the very talented, Toronto based artist, Gary Taxali will be signing two of his new books, I Love You, OK? {shown above} and Mono Taxali, at The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Be there from 6 – 9pm… oh, and while you’re in my old neighborhood, pop over to The Grange and have a spring roll for me! Mmm.