Feature Artist | Farmboy Fine Arts

I have had the honor of working with FBFA for at least 6 years now. I have seen them grow from a boutique art and design company to an international art consultancy firm. Farmboy Fine Arts is a Vancouver-based company that cultivates site-specific art collections for the hospitality, healthcare and corporate sectors. Constantly overwhelmed by their innovative design style, I am so proud to work with this team of incredibly genuine and talented people! Licensing my images with them has allowed me to showcase my work in literally hundreds of hotels around the world, something I am so grateful for!

This month I was featured in the monthly FBFA Newsletter, showcasing their latest projects and collections. Here are some of my featured images...

 

Hit 'n Strum... Accepted into the Canadian Film Festival!

This amazing independent movie was recently accepted into the Canadian Film Festival, Premiering March 31st in Toronto. Not only did Kirk Caouette write, direct and star in the movie, he also wrote and performed the incredible soundtrack that goes with it.

This film has so much heart... xoxo

Hit 'n Strum official trailer 2012 from Kirk Caouette on Vimeo.

Written, Directed and Starring Kirk Caouette. With Michelle Harrison and Paul McGillion.

Produced by Jacqueline Nguyen, Michael Gordin Shore, John Cassini, Shawn McLaughlin.

Associate producers Gina Chiarelli, Pieter Stathis

Sound designer Jon Ritchie
Director of Photography Pieter Stathis
Editor Su Fraser

I had the honor of shooting stills on set, to see more of the photos, click here.

All the way to Abu Dhabi

In Farmboy's latest newsletter, I saw some of my work featured at the Crowne Plaza in Abu Dhabi. More often than not, we don't get to see the finished product, and it's always exciting to see which images are chosen, how they are displayed, and where in the world they end up. I've worked with Farmboy for over five years now. They continue to blow me away with their innovative, cutting edge design style. Put simply, Farmboy rocks.

The photos below are close-ups I took of the carved marble on the buildings beside the leaning tower of Pisa.

The Forgotten

Four years in the making, artist Pamela Masik has finally completed her 'Forgotten' Project, where she has painted the 69 faces of the Missing women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. On January 29th, for the first time, the project will be available for the public to view in her 14,000 sq ft studio. MOA, the Museum of Anthropology, is showing the collection in its entirety in February 2011. This is one you won't want to miss...

If you would like to attend this exclusive preview, email forgottenpreview@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.masik.ca.

Glowbal Photoshoot

Before the holidays we did this photoshoot for the relaunch of Glowbal Grill in Yaletown... After 12 years of operating as one of Vancouver's hotttest mecca's for food and fashion, Glowbal is closed for renovations until January 11th and will be back with a sexy new look... and a whole new take on the Vancouver steakhouse...

Hit n Strum | Stunt Day (part 5)

There was an energy on set, sombre yet electric, nervous yet calm. It was the much anticipated stunt day, where Mike (played by Kirk) gets hit by a car in a hit and run. Best case scenario? We get the shot in one take with a high impact hit and a broken windshield.

Weyla and Suka wait while they rehearse the hit

A lot of prep goes into a one-take shot

Moments before the hit...

Witnessing someone get hit by a car 5 feet in front of you is hard to watch. Then add to noise of a body smashing a windshield and the fact that it's a friend and it's nearly impossible... the worst being the wait to see if he is able to move once hitting the ground. Stunts can go wrong... but this one didn't.

Only a few were missing from the crew shot. What an amazing group of people. I feel blessed to have met and worked with each and every one!

Shooting continues for another week with most of the filming behind them. From what I understand, everything went exceptionally well as a result of an amazing team pulling together. Re-writes, re-shoots, last minute changes and long days that turn into nights and long nights that turn into days. I think perhaps the most magical moments happened in the unscripted, in those where life collided with passion and art and humanity. This project inspired me. Changed me. Thank you.

Miss you all already! xo

Hit n' Strum | A Movie Experience (part 4)

This was a difficult day. It started out shooting in the pouring rain by the Georgia viaduct. At this point in the movie, Mike is very sick with TB. In real life, I see the toll this is taking on Kirk, and the crew... and yet they are all dedicated and passionate, staying positive and pushing through.

Danica (1st AD) and Mike Shore (Assoc. Producer)

Mike at this point in the movie, is very sick with TB.

In the scenes below, Mike is playing on the street, very sick with TB, and passes out. His friend, Apollo, played by Kelly Fennig, finds Mike and carries him away. The crew was set up across the street for the first take, and it was truly an eerie feeling to watch someone literally stage his death and see how people reacted (or didn't...). In the first take, Mike passes out just as a sweeper comes behind him. The man walks over to him, looking at the incredibly sick, homeless man, and continues sweeping around him. Moments like that just can't be scripted, and it leaves you with such an empty feeling. It was all too real. For the second take, someone actually stopped to help Apollo carry Mike away. We were so shocked... someone actually stopped to help two homeless men. Just when you stop believing, humanity swoops in...