Very first post, by a Pole

So, I’m getting closer and closer to finishing up my current series of work, and after over a year of working on it, I’m getting a little fidgety about the fact that I’ve mostly been painting in a vacuum. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes putting your head down and powering through feels great, and it’s been such a privilege to be able to work subject matter that is exciting and interesting to me. But painting in isolation is ultimately good for no one (looking at you, Tom Thomson) so I’ve decided to start sharing a little bit more about me and my work by posting here a few times a week.

My current collection is based on photographs from the City of Toronto Archives, which, by the way, is an amazing resource. Do yourself a favour and visit their online database. If you put in the time, you can find some truly haunting and mind-blowing images.  I began exploring the Archives about a year and a half ago, and became completely obsessed with the photographs of the city, its history, and people. I fell in love with the glimpses of Toronto found in these images, and couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to pay homage to these real people and places, and those who so carefully and meticulously documented and archived them.

Which brings us to this collection! I’ve completed four paintings in various sizes, ranging from 18 inches by 24 inches, to 36 inches by 60 inches, with another two well in progress, and another three in the beginning stages. So lots to share! The only issue is that the work has not yet been properly photographed, which is something I’m currently working on. As usual, this collection of paintings has ended up being quite heavily textured and glossy, which makes it very difficult to photograph them without exact lighting and equipment. I promise, I’m on it! In the meantime, though, I’ll be posting progress shots and close-ups, so you can get an idea of what I’m up to!

Here we go!!