Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Marc Johns: Artist, Comedian, Hero, etc.


I just stumbled across the “post-it” note artwork of the ingenious Marc Johns. I wanted to give a nice intro for Marc but I feel his words would do the job better than I ever could. Take it away Marc!

“Marc Johns creates whimsical drawings filled with dry wit and humour. Whether it’s a man with branches growing out of his head that need pruning, or a pipe that’s trying to quit smoking, his characters are simply, sparsely drawn, yet speak volumes with just a few strokes of the pen. He's been drawing since he was tiny. He's not tiny anymore, but he's not exactly big either. Marc is not sure why he's talking about himself in the third person...

I generally aim to say as much as possible with as few elements as possible. My work often leans toward humour. Finding the humour in things often leads to finding the truth.

I like to create absurd situations, by combining things together that don’t belong, or imagine what inanimate objects would say if they could speak. For instance, the pen I am using to write this draft would probably say: "I'm tired. Can we stop for a bit?" Or perhaps it would say: "I can't believe you're making me write this. This is rubbish. Signing cheques would be more inspiring than this." These are the things I think about. I think about a lot of things. I think about thinking. Don't try it though, it's not worth it.

I use watercolours in ways you shouldn't. I make my own sketchbooks. If I smoked, I'd roll my own. I'd rather draw than rent a movie. Don't try to start a conversation with me about recent films. I haven't seen any. I play the guitar. If I was a hobo, I'd learn to play the ukulele, because you could fit one in your duffle bag. My artwork and the materials I use are quite compact. You could fit my studio in a large suitcase. I hope you like my drawings, or at least some of them.”

His humour makes me laugh out loud…literally (hence me spelling it out rather than writing lol). Here are a few pieces of his post-it note artwork that also made me giggle.


You can visit his website and even purchase some of Marc’s artwork (great last minute holiday gift idea!), including his watercolour artwork, here!



(found via flickr)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Canada! Our Neighbor to the North



You know who rules? Canada.

Any American who's ever been there can readily attest to the fact that Canadians are some of the friendliest, politest, most lovely folks around.

Love that Canada!

Here are 5 Great Moments in Canadian History, thanks to kennyj at yahoo answers.


"1. First recognition in Canada of women's right to vote (in Manitoba in 1916). That same year in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta the suffrage movement was successful in have similar legislation passed. Other provinces and the nation followed over the next couple of years. Nellie McClung, with several other women, was the leader and very instrumental in this progressive and momentous event.



2. Battle of Vimy Ridge (1917) - One cannot say too much about the importance of Canada's involvement in WWI and in the battle at Vimy in April '17. We paid the price and grew up as a nation (in Britain's and our own eyes).



3. Mr. Banting and Mr. Best's work on insulin (1922) and the discovery of how it could be used to treat the disease of diabetes. This has changed the lives of millions, probably hundreds of millions of diabetics all over the world.



4. Lester Pearson's diffusing of the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. This seems like nothing more than a footnote to many outside (and within) Canada, but this future prime minister's efforts were remarkable. He was a cabinet minister at the time in Louis St. Laurent's government. He brokered a deal that used the United Nations to bring together the parties (Britain, Egypt, Israel, France and surrounding countries in the Middle East). This crisis had the region, and the world, on high alert. A major regional, if not world war, was averted. The reason that is so important to Canada is that we were thrust onto the world stage and it really was what helped our country take on a major peace keeping role in the world. Mr. Pearson was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his work on this major crisis. Canada has taken part in over 40 peacekeeping missions since.



5. The passing and signing into law the Constitution Act (1982). This is Canada's most important document relating to rights and privileges, law, government, etc. This clearly took us to a new level. I believe we became truly a mature democracy when Mr. Trudeau created and championed the constitution. Love him or hate him, Trudeau is one of Canada's greatest."

Yay, Canada!