My Free Virtual Art Gallery

Hey my friends! I hope you are doing well. Before and during the pandemic, I have done lots of fun and creative things to keep my mind and body occupied. One of the creative activities I have done was visual arts. Visual art has always been a way for me to freely express my thoughts, emotions and personality. I am always open to trying new styles and forms of arts and crafts, but I have specific favourites that I practice more than others such as photography, painting, sketching/doodling, rug hooking, diamond painting and knitting. I have been doing complex types of crafts since I was thirteen and then became interested in photography as an adult. Since I have been eager to show all of my Vocal friends the different art pieces I have made, I decided to have a free permanent virtual art gallery. I will be showing you some of my favourite art pieces and photographs I have made and hope you like some of them!

Name of Photograph: The Crystal Pond

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Outdoors/Nature/Suburbs

Setting: Southvale Pond in Vaughan, Ontario

Photography is one of my all-time favourite types of visual art, because it is accessible and convenient. Instead of me carrying a large sketchbook and a bag of colored pencils around, I like to carry my iPhone that includes a built-in camera when I am out and about for a few hours. I like to take pictures of pretty much anything, but I prefer to take photographs of statues, buildings, flowers, trees, people, animals, pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, playgrounds, houses and signs that are written in foreign languages. After I take the photographs, I like to add a filter to make it look more artistic than a spontaneous picture that was taken from my phone. Photography is not just a creative outlet for me. It is also a coping mechanism for me, since I also want to reflect on the good things that I have seen and done throughout my life.

Name of Photograph: The Gandhi Statue

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Spirituality/Hinduism

Setting: Vishnu Mandir Peace Park in Richmond Hill, Ontario

In addition to practicing and perfecting the photography skills that I have learned in Grade 10, I have also been painting different kinds of things that convey spirituality, youthfulness, nature, diversity, happiness, fulfillment and culture. There are certain symbols such as the Star of David, the brain, the puzzle pieces, chibi animals/food/people, roses, the sun, the heart and the butterfly that I often use to depict memories that I have made throughout ny youth and early adulthood. When I paint, I like to visualize my trips to Florida, the Russian/German words I have learned throughout the years, the kids I would hang around with, the places I have visited and explored, and I reflect on personal experiences such as autism and living in a multicultural neighbourhood.

Name of Painting: Neurotic

Type of Painting: Freestyle Abstract

Mediums Used: 24x36 Canvas and Acrylic Paint

Theme: Mental Illness

When I create a painting of any kind, I don't just simply paint something to make it stand on the walls. First, I think about how I am feeling today, what message I want to convey, what I have been fixated on for the past few days or what colors represent my mood. Once I have answered those four questions I have asked myself, I pick a symbol, the colors, and the style of art I want to use. Some days I'll do freestyle abstract, and some days I will do more intricate forms of art such as cubism.

In Grade 10, I took my first high school art class which was one of my favourite classes of all time. I did not just simply paint or draw like I did during my early years of elementary school. I got the chance to explore unique forms of art such as cubism, abstract and have done many projects to apply the skills I have learned from each lesson. I loved cubism because it was like creating a DIY jigsaw puzzle that I did not have to cut out and put together. I enjoy doing puzzles, so it was the perfect activity for me! As an adult living in my own apartment, I still practice cubism and really value it. For the majority of the time, I simply enjoy randomly creating squiggles and random shapes to create a novel abstract painting. Some of them will include a symbol, some of them will just be random shapes in multiple colors and sizes.

Name of Painting: Sweet Tart

Mediums Used: Acrylic Paint and a 24x36 Canvas

Theme: Sugar Addiction/Nostalgia/Happiness/Joy

It was not until this year that I started doing graffiti on canvas. After exploring various types of graffiti in the community and have done some graffiti art during a program one day, I decided to practice some at home. I could not do it on the streets or anywhere I desired, since I would get in trouble with the law. So I decided to do graffiti the legal way. Thankfully, I have copious amounts of canvases, paint brushes and acrylic paint that I preserve in the living room. I can paint and draw anything I feel like at any time.

I love to create chibi-inspired graffiti art pieces, since I am really interested in chibi characters. I personally love the chibi food, fruits and objects because of the facial features. To create the graffiti painting, I love to paint the background any color I wish. Once the background is all complete and dry, I like to take and consolidate various shades and colors to add blobs and drops to the background. After I am done splashing paint onto the canvas, I select a chibi fruit, food, vegetable, animal or flower to incorporate in the painting. I paint the symbol before outlining it in black acrylic paint. If desired at the time, I write a Russian, German or English word at the bottom. It can either be the name of the painting or it can randomly be used to state the symbol on the painting.

Name of Painting: Twins

Type of Painting: Kawaii Graffiti/Abstract

Mediums Used: Acrylic Paint and an 18x20 Canvas

Theme: Cuteness/Youthfulness/Pop Culture/Friendship

Below are more of my photographs that were taken before and during the pandemic. Hopefully it will give you some inspiration and bring joy and happiness during the COVID-19 days and nights.

Name of Photograph: Mary the Baker

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: History/Judaic Culture

Setting: The Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami

Name of Photograph: The Babydoll Cake

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: History/Judaism/Culture

Setting: The Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami

Name of Photograph: The Alphabet Cake

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: History/Judaism/Culture

Setting: The Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami

Name of Photograph: A Proud Canadian Woman

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Canada/Suburb/Nature

Setting: Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario

Name of Photograph: Storytime and Unconditional Love

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Friendship/Love/Fulfillment/Joy/Peace/Nature

Setting: Richmond Hill, ON

Name of Photograph: The Tree with a Face

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Nature/Summer/Suburban Life

Setting: Richmond Hill, ON

Name of Photograph: The Little Angel

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Nature/Spirituality/Summer/Tranquility

Setting: German Mills, Richmond Hill, Ontario

Name of Photograph: The Symbol of Love

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Nature/Spirituality/Summer

Setting: Vishnu Mandir in Richmond Hill, Ontario

Name of Photograph: Little Pinkies

Type of Camera Used: iPhone 8+

Theme: Nature/Fall

Setting: Cathedraltown, Markham, Ontario

Below is one of my kawaii-inspired drawings and a couple of my handcrafted pictures I created during the pandemic.

Name of Drawing: The Smiling Bubblegum Balls

Type of Art Form: Doodling/Sketching

Mediums Used: Pencil Crayons, Sketchbook and Pencils

Theme: Kawaii/Pop Culture/Food/Youthfulness/Nostalgia

Name of Art Piece: The Floating Pink Water Lily

Type of Art Form: Rug Hooking

Mediums Used: Pre-Cut Yarn and a 12x12 Canvas

Theme: Nature/Floral/Insects

Name of Painting: The Butterfly Skeleton

Type of Art Form: Diamond Painting

Mediums Used: Diamonds, a Drill Pen, A Sticky Pad, and a 30x30 Canvas

Theme: Skeletons/Butterflies/Gothic/Graffiti

I hope you have a relaxing, fulfilling, amusing and positive week! Seize the day and do something you love doing! Cheerio to all of my Vocal friends!