PEOPLE... How many does it take to stage a photoshoot?

Or perhaps the better question is how many hours does it take for many people to stage a photoshoot? Quite a lot apparently; team from the architect, team from the onsite crew, team from furniture store/delivery people, team with the photographer, team from the owners… Two days to prepare and one day to shoot all the angles, possibilities, and final touches that create magic in a visual format. It almost didn’t happen due to construction fatigue on my part. My personality is heading into the fast lane of “I’m a bitch and watch out I’m coming through”. This is when the people on your team make the world of difference. It ended up happening and was fun to boot!

Between Marianne, Reece, Dino, Mom, and dear friends… you work things out and see the bigger picture that lives beyond yourself. I’m looking forward to these well deserved people getting recognition. They’ve done an amazing job on architectural design as well as the detailed execution; from concept to design to reality! The Octopus is a happy place and I look froward to the long term rental friends coming to these spaces to be a part of the Project 851 family. The joy of experiencing it everyday with the community of family, friends and friends-to-be puts a smile on my face.

This post is an Octopus share of the day, but by no means anything like those of professional photographer Janis Nicolay. (hopefully to be seen at a magazine stand near you; wait do they still have magazine stands? — at an internet magazine near you…)

STUDIO:

2 BEDROOM:

3 BEDROOM:

At the end of the day the bonus is to sit down, share a meal and toast to all the good work and amazing journey we’re traveling through together.

COMMUNITY...looking back I found this

I was thinking about being “displaced” recently, partly because it’s an exhibition coming up in October/November, but mostly because I’ve been living it for more than 10 months now. When I sold my place in 2018 there was mad preparation to move so for several months I was dealing with either preparing it or packing it all up and storing things for months; then unpacking and sorting to a temporary holding position while living a life of everyday (everyday, everyday…) something being thrown at you as a bit of a zinger.

Until you’re in this situation why would on think of how difficult it can be — not having a regular place for anything, even your keys haha. Once you try to create a “new” temporary holding station for things you can often forget where that “new” place is and start patterning yourself to 3 or 4 primary spots to look for the “new” spot you thought would be perfect. As much as you try laughing about it and as much as you know it’s temporary it’s unsettling on a physical level. Being homeless with a place to live, or house, is very eye opening. It may be my generation, cohort group and simply the age I am at present but I’ve found it to be kind of big deal to go through.

What helps to get through it all? Lots of little things. One of the biggest is your community. The kindness of others is one of the most appreciated — even something as simple as someone buying you a coffee and giving you the nod. Love comes in mysterious ways like that. As well things that help are self care like going to the float tank, meditating, listening to a variety of videos, movies, youtubes etc.. This is one I found recently that really helped me as it visually reminded me of how far we’ve come. As the architectural photo shoot approaches it’s a powerful reminder of that journey into the present.

It’s a bit of an investment to watch the old images (8 min, an eternity now a days) and the music is a total tease; just when you think it’s over BOOM it keeps on going . hahaha Happy viewing.

Next week some photos of the changed space.

PROGRESS... with a little reference to art

Everyday we get closer and closer to that finish line: even it you have to ask yourself have you ever seen a finish line move so many times and this much?.

Bed delivery for Mom’s place has arrived and furniture is coming this week: can we say someone is getting excite? She may not have clothes in her drawers but there are blueberries and kale in her freezer; yes, my family is of that Fellini nature. God love the chaos of “happening and being”.

This month is going to be full on with activity and I’m up for it, “bring on the madness” I say. Here are a few shots of the excited Mama’s place. Reece, general contractor of Terris Lightfoot, is checking out those amazing windows.

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend an exhibition opening at the Equinox gallery highlighting works of an artist I like, B.C. Binnings. The title of the show is “Leave the Window Open” so keeping that in mind artdog Koko and I proceeded to unpack my art collection this weekend. Think you’ll enjoy seeing how that studio space has evolved and Koko has her found her own resting place amongst the wrappings and boxes.

As a collector of art, by talented and what I call “pure” artists, it appears that over the 15 or so years there’s been bit of a collection there. What a joy to unpack these old friends and revisit the joy they bring. Happily there are lots of walls to think about and curatorial decisions to be made — for me that is always the super fun part!! It’s always interesting to see what work, be they photographs, paintings, sculpture etc., talks to each other and makes it’s way to the right space.

Speaking of space, the 2 bedroom is very close to being ready for longterm rental. Have a peek.

It was a good weekend, unpacking art, visiting openings, checking out the “CLOCK” exhibition in North Vancouver and engaging in 5 left’s limited edition event. Nice to reflect on these evening shots as we approach that line of finishing.

ART... ARTDOG KOKO tours the hood after getting coffee at Milano's

Happy Labour day everyone!! Yes it’s true there is someone labouring upstairs on labour day — gotta love this guy’s dedication to work and getting the job done: <3 sending him many hearts of gratitude. This is what he’s working on: (impressive ehe?)

Opps, okay that’s impressive, but not the guy working today. That was the legend of tile setters Randy; the man!! Today’s impressive work of is of the millwork nature. I think you’ll agree:

Pretty cool dat!

Not to digress too much, as this post was to be about Artdog Koko and her recent art discovery, but thought the tile and millwork was worth sharing. Todays walk led Artdog Koko and I into a mural discovery and personally I quite liked the Immortal on the lotus flower, whereas Artdog Koko was definitively in favour of the old man with the golf clubs/sticks. Our immortal preference is of a diverse nature. Have a look and pick your favourite immortal…

As always when walking through Chinatown there are new discoveries to be found. We got lucky finding this one off Georgia St. and here’s to wishing the lottery ticket we bought on Gore St. will be the SUPER lucky one! If an elder Croatian fisherman could win the 60 million maybe it’s time for an in debt fisherman’s daughter to win the 12 million (smile, hehehe). The great Labour Day off!