I'm on TV tonight at 6pm and at 10pm! Community Connection - Rogers TVcable 63

First a summary: I was interviewed for a local cable TV program about a week ago while I was at Hillary House searching for material for my artwork for the Art at the Manor exhibit opening May 12th. Part 1 is airing tonight at 6pm, and repeated at 10pm.  I am the "featured Hillary House Artist" in the programming schedule.
 
Melina Manna, my interviewer, will be following up with me as I create the artwork I am discussing on the first part of my TV interview. She was supposed to come by today to tape it, but the weather is not co-operating so I have post-poned it until Monday.

I'm printing outside because I live in a small apartment. I don't have a studio. I am printing a four foot by two foot woodblock and my paper is even bigger than that; plus my tools, my inks, my glass to roll my ink onto and etc; my two cats who would happily walk in the ink to get my attention... So, before I knew I'd have an audience, never even thinking it'd be a tv audience (!) I was planning to work outdoors under my new market canopy.

As I write this the temperature is 39F / 4C. 

OMG it's sooooo bright white, but I digress. I need at least 10C / 50F  to even have a hope of getting my ink to move across the block and transfer well to my paper. So, for today, it's a no go. Here are some images from my block. You can bet I am DYING to ink these up right now but I am patiently waiting until I do it on camera. The surprise that you always get with a print will be the real thing the camera will see on my face. I still have a few days after the taping to adjust my image if what I see is not right.

overview of the whole woodblock   24" x   48  a few areas left to be carved on TV

work-related injury: pinky fracture

breakfast table

Dr. Hillary and Mrs. Holliday: doctor, patient, and fractured pinky

Here's the link to the Rogers TV Show called Community Connection
and their description of tonight's show

Friday, April 27:
6:00 PM, 10:00 PM - A look at people and organizations that help make York Region the place it is. Featuring Hillary House Artist, Roller Skating, Cut-A-Thon, Church Fundraiser, Mother's Day Walk, Kindred Spirits Orchestra and Snap in the Community.

Looking for Plastic Ants

We were looking for plastic ants the other day. We found a lot of plastic spiders, the butterflies were plentiful as were ladybugs, roaches and beetles. We even found crickets, but not an ant in sight.

I remember bags of plastic ants. Guess kids don't like ants much anymore.

Someone mentioned an Ants in the Pants game,
that maybe we could get ants from that. But there weren't any of those around either.

We settled on ant stickers which ended up being the best choice. This was all for an office prank for C's office. I was just along for the quest. It brought us to a few stores I never go in. One of these was a party store. They came close for ants. They had a miscellaneous bugs bin. No ants. What they did have were


(poor) Key West substitutes: printed vinyl scenes for your wall - 4' wide.
I have to admit I *loved* these especially this one

the wall of water

I'd need this palm to complete the look.

These were other looks


'staches

full body suits - look at that pose
Do you think it sells this product?

Pimpstick.
Really.
A pimpstick.

children's high tech weapon


children's low-tech weapon

small bag of babies for those of reproductive age

reminders for those advancing toward post-reproductive age

imagine getting this

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Visiting Hillary House and the Koffler Museum of Medicine

This historical site is to provide me with the inspiration for anywhere between 1-4 artworks to be shown at Hillary House as part of their 150th anniversary celebration this year. As one of the artists selected I will be given access to many aspects of the collection usually off-limits to the public. I need only decide what I will focus on. There are a lot of angles this project could take.

Aurora Ontario's only historical site: Hillary House and the Koffler Museum of Medicine. Celebrating 150 years this year it was the home to 5 doctors, 4 who practiced in the house itself. It was also home to the Doctor's family and many children grew up here, primarily the Hillary family.






Nora Hillary, the last resident of Hillary House.
She lived here from 1902-1993.


Consultation, examination, and surgery room at the front of the house for the Doctor in Residence. This stool was a three legged "lancing stool". The Dr. would sit backwards on the stool, resting his elbows on the back of it so he could steady himself while performing minor surgery.

Tools for the removal of tonsils; basically clamps to grab the tonsil and remove it. The 1914 price list on the wall showed separate prices for this surgery done with or without anaesthetic.

Excision of tonsils (in office without anaesthetic) $10.00 and $15.00
Excision of tonsils and adenoids (general anaesthetic) $20.00 and $30.00

elaborate staircase


well-worn step at the top


"Square" piano recognized as the earliest known piano by a Toronto maker John Thomas Morgan circa 1850

Portable melodeon: a piano-like small reed organ. Dr. Robert William Hillary would transport it to dances and social events where he would play the violin and his sisters or daughters would accompany him on the melodeon.


really intriguing lace pattern


Victorian era flush toilet.
Hillary House was possibly one of the first homes with indoor plumbing in the area.


Portable bathtub made of metal

Electric light switch

Westinghouse Toaster circa1915-17


very nice ceramic teapot

One of several postcard advertisements.
I am very interested in the items in this scrapbook, and all of the postcards in general.


heading out after my visit over more well-used stairs

8, 9 10 and the 11th of March, in Richmond Hill, 2012

The last few days were super-cold.

Snow off and on.






Even a white-out blizzard that came up out of nowhere on Friday.

And then we have today.

I saw a sign that said it was 21C here. That's really warm. The temperature gauge in the car said 18C at one point. The radio DJ kept saying 15C, but I already knew it was warmer than that. I was restless in the house and wanted to get out for a while. I even had a project in mind. More on that later.

So, I've spent the last few days just trying to settle into Richmond Hill again. It's unexpected, but I felt a bit of fondness for this place.

I love this storefront.

How weird is that? I know I was happy to be flying into Toronto and not Ottawa.

The great big city down below me just felt full of possibility.

And, in my continuing pursuit of a print a day, (yes I am still going to keep my word on this), I am getting out and taking pictures of stuff that I find interesting. Here are a few images.

Leap
linocut print submittied to the Ottawa School of Art Mini-Print Exhibition


scales made of raw clay
the start of a large scale project


Geese at the Richmond Hill Canoe Club


Lake Wilcox yesterday

cold sun


Followers


Houses in the neighbourhood are selling almost as soon as their signs go up
I wonder how many will be replaced with megahouses?

Warm day today but they are hedging their best with that parka