Our Virtual Collage Jam event at Gladstone House on Saturday to celebrate World Collage Day was a TON of fun!
12 collage artists gathered to work in Gladstone’s chic Robinson Room, and the camaraderie and creative energy was buzzing! Thanks to curator Lee Petrie for hosting the event and making sure we had everything we needed. Thanks to Kim's niece Jess for handling the livestream chat and Kim for her infectious enthusiasm!

That was so much fun, we’ll have to do it again! If you have any ideas for future venues, please feel free to send me a suggestion!
And if you want to hear about future in-person collage events BEFORE everyone else does – sign up for my email list! Subscribers hear first about new courses, workshops and events! 
Please share your collages in our Virtual Collage Jam Group on Facebook. (If you’re new, request to join, and I’l admit you.)
Our next Virtual Collage Jam YouTube livestream will be Monday May 29, with the optional prompt of “Upon Reflection”.

This was my first year exhibiting at the Artist Project: Wow!
I've attended the show several times before, and finally took the plunge this year to participate. It was awesome! I took a slew of new collages and poster-sized enlargements as limited-edition prints. The positive response I got from so many show attendees was so encouraging – lots of people who's eyes widened as they exclaimed that they loved this work! (Yay!) 
I had tons interesting conversations, and made many promising connections – including with interior designers and art consultants, and made a couple of significant sales! (Double Yay!)
And SOOOO many friends, students and family came out to see and support me - honestly I can't thank you enough! I feel so very blessed to have such support! (Triple Yay!)

The Artist Project is very well organized and run, which makes it a joy to be an exhibitor, and the breadth and calibre of artists in the show was really impressive. I'm already having ideas for next year's show! I'll definitely be back! 

It takes a village to show a Kal: And I had THE BEST VILLAGE!  Huge thanks to:
Kim-Lee Kho: For her love, her steadfast belief in my work, her idea to enlarge my collages and decollages (they just so rock at scale!), her design of my first book (which looks awesome!), her opening night support and just -- everything else.
Andy Copp: Who helped me get all the work installed perfectly, sanely - with zero drama - and in record time, even with pleasant breaks to talk art. 
Andrea Lee: Who was such a quick study, almost immediately talking to prospects better than I could manage on a tired Fried-day! And for the many interesting conversations throughout the day about artistic and personal growth. Such a delight.
David & Miriam Snell: Who tirelessly supported me though the shows busiest two days -- talking to attendees when I was on break or overwhelmed, taking photos, running for snacks or coffee.... and culminating in a smooth, friendly, co-operative and expeditious take down. You guys are the best! 

And a HUGE thanks to Hee-Gyun Yun and his son David at Art Printing Studio!
They printed all my enlarged collages, and framed everything for the show – immaculately!
Plus they made me some excellent cardboard  transporation sleeves for my pieces as well.
I cannot recommend them highly enough for printing, framing and a lot more!

Top: The booth installed and ready to roll!
Bottom: Yours truly talking to show attendees. Photos left & centre by David Snell; right by Andrea Lee.

On Monday November 29 at 2pm, Kim and I will be live-streaming our Virtual Collage Jam on my YouTube channel as usual — but from Gladstone House’s brand-new studio space! We'll be joined in the studio by a few lucky Virtual Collage Jammers. To join the Virtual Collage Jam list to get email notices of future events like this, sign up for my email list!

TOUR THE AMAZING RENOVATIONS!
Before our Jam, Gladstone House curator Lee Petrie will introduce us to the hotel’s new contemporary design that honours the iconic hotel’s history, and a selection of work from the more than 50 artists showcased in the hotel.
Tour will start at 1:30pm. Meet in the lobby. (This will also be live-streamed!.)

TO JOIN THE LIVESTREAMS
on Monday November 29, simply click on the photos above at 1:30 pm and 2pm respectively, or you can also find them on my YouTube Channel.

We are SOOO looking forward to this! I hope you can join us!

Warmest,
Kal and Kim

... but there are plenty of classes with me online, as well as my FREE Virtual Collage Jam every other Monday! 

​Stay safe everyone!

I started my FREE Virtual Collage Jam on March 30, 2020 as an offering to my artistic community so that we could create together -- taking our minds off the pandemic temporarily and feel connected. It took off like crazy, and turned into one of the best experiences of my life! We'd get together every Monday on Zoom, and then YouTube with a common prompt and a few cobbled-together collage materials, spend an hour and a half together talking art, collage, creativity, etc. -- while our hands kept busy making collages. You could feel the stress and anxiety subside as we worked together. Our private Facebook group became a hotbed of collage posting and sharing of ideas and encouragement -- it was truly beautiful!

Kim and I are now taking some time off to re-charge. We had a hectic Fall and early 2020 with two shows each in 3 months -- we were exhausted before covid hit... And when it did, we were compelled to respond as quickly as we could with online classes and our free events to help our community (and us) cope. It became a beautiful thing. We finally got to spend time together again -- such a treat. As designers, we used to work from our home, and now here we were again. Except for the covid anxiety, it felt wonderful. And we got to work with each other again, which was such a treat.

We both LOVE having free YouTube events that anyone can join us for -- or you can watch the replays if you can't join live. Starting in September, our respective events will alternate on Saturday afternoons at 2pm, starting on September 19th with Kim's Virtual Studio Party, followed the next week by the return of my Virtual Collage Jam.

Conceived as a way for artists to safely showcase their work and receive support (donations, purchases, etc.) during Covid-19, The National Arts Drive happens this Saturday! 
Artists in select cities across Canada, the US and Mexico will be displaying, performing and showcasing their creativity from driveways, balconies, windows, stoops, front lawns, or participating local small businesses (where applicable and safe) simultaneously. In the GTA, the time period is 4-7pm EDT,  and I’ll be showing a bevy of my Subversive SignsTM, including some new designs!
By RSVP-ing on their website as a “Driver” — aka a viewer/appreciator — you will receive an email on Saturday with a map marked with the locations of all the participating artists in your area so you can drive around to see/hear/appreciate what they have to offer! 
I’m in Brampton — so I’m a long way away from most of you, so no pressure — but please consider heading out to support the artists in your area — artists have been hit very hard by Covid-19, so they will really appreciate your showing them some love!

Virtual Collage Jam is a FREE, real-time, weekly social collage-making session - Now on YouTube!

Every Monday at 2pm EDT, go to my YouTube Channel and look for the LIVE NOW stream.

Work, chat & connect while indulging in some cut-and-paste therapy! Getting hands-on is very grounding, and collaging is tons of fun, regardless of level or ability. I'll be working (playing!) and chatting right alongside you.
You can use YouTube's chat to ask questions, comment, respond to my questions, etc. My partner Kim-Lee Kho will be manning the chat - passing along your comments so I can respond. 

I’ve also created a private Virtual Collage Jam Facebook Group so we can share our collages and see what others in the group have made!

Weekly Prompts (Optional):
I email the group an optional theme/idea/image (as well as posting it on the Facebook group) that you can work with if desired. It might be a word, an idea, a common image we can all incorporate, etc. 
It’s fun seeing what other minds do using the same starting point … and I’m open to suggestions/contributions for future sessions!

Tools & Materials
 I love collage because it’s SO democratic:

• You can do it with simple cutting tools, a gluestick and a few pictures. 
• •You don’t have to be able to draw or paint.
• •There are many different options for materials: coloured papers, magazines, old books, your own photos, images taken from the internet and printed out, etc. 

These sessions are FREE! 
Please email me if you're interested  in joining using the button below. I send out a weekly email with the week's optional prompt. (I also post it in our Facebook group.) Your email will NOT be shared with any third parties, and you will not receive emails from me about anything else — unless you wish to sign up for my email list, of course.