Earth - by Martha Jablonski-Jones

I bought a painting today :-) This one, called 'Earth', by Martha Jablonski Jones. I met up with my friend, Astra, a couple of weeks ago for brunch at a funky little pub 'The Whip' a few blocks from home. It was the first time I'd eaten there in ages and while I was chatting away I couldn't help noticing the artwork around the place, especially this image - on the back wall about 8ft behind Astra's right shoulder.

Taking the theme of the electric power lines and poles that are seen in alleys everywhere around Vancouver (including some of the less scenic areas), Martha describes her 'Electric' series as "Animism meets Hydro! Power and all its metaphors, as symbolized by city hydro structures. The balance of power between the man-made and the elemental; living forces of the invisibles" where each painting features these recurring 'characters' in diverse eye-catching, intriguing and sometimes whimsical settings - hinting at a secret life in things we see as commonplace. The painting I bought is also named "Elements: Land". I love the colours and the air of everything blending seamlessly with nature. It makes me think of sitting on a balcony and watching to the world go by at the end of a lazy, hot summer's day.

Today was the last day of Martha's show at The Whip and it was a pleasure to meet her when I went to collect the painting this evening. There are some incredible artists in Vancouver and I'm perfectly happy with this choice....now I just have to figure out where the heck I'm going to hang it.


(Another local artist I really like is Ryan Heshka and I still kick myself for not buying one of his funky retro-comic-book-hero type pieces a few years ago when Vicky and I met him at a fairly small show by several local designers and artists. I think that was part of my push to buy today's painting.)