drawing caricatures at the MS Society of Canada BBQ

    This week I had the privilege of being invited back to draw caricatures at the MS Society of Canada [Edmonton and Capital Region Chapter] Annual Summer Barbecue (Celebration in the Park) for their client's at Hawrelak Park.  I always see it as a privilege and a compliment to be asked back year after year.  It was a warm night and great to see and draw some familiar people.  It is my hope that one day I won't be invited back to a MS Society picnic because a cure has been found and there'll be no need for such a society.  Till then, I will gladly be a part of their annual picnic...

    That evening I drew a couple girls who are here in Canada on a work visa from Japan.  How cool is that?!  Such interesting stories I come upon when I'm doing caricatures.  So glad I could give them a momento of their time in Canada.  They were so nice, wanting me to pose for a photo with them and their caricatures.

Japanese girls caricature

    I also drew a group of ladies that went by the name of "The Swizzle Sisters", not sisters, just comrads.  I'm not sure what The Swizzle Sisters do exactly.  Could this possibly be something similar to "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"!?

    Another caricature at the BBQ, I remember doing was a gentleman that right at the end, several ladies said, "Please do his, please do his ..."  I have to admit he was a handsome man with a great smile, great features to draw and he was nice to boot!  Found out afterwards that he was the boss.  Good thing I didn't know that ahead of time, I would have been too nervous.  I was tickled pink that the caricature turned out pretty awesome.  There's almost nothing better than hitting a caricature right on the mark, at least in my world anyway.  After an event is over, I often wish that I had a photo of every caricature that has made me smile that day.  If you're ever around watching me do caricatures, you'll see that I often smile during the caricature,  that's me thinking to myself, "Oh I love this one! It's so them! YESSSSSSS!"

Art, Bookcase or Door?

Is it a bookcase or is it a door?

    Just when I'm goin' along doin' my art thing, I get asked to do something that I've never done before... Case-in-point - this job.  My client wanted the doors to be disguised as a bookcase.  In this area of the extended care facility, some residents hang around the door and often push on the door which sometimes sets off an alarm.  This set of doors actually has two windows on each door.  The trick was to have the vinyl so that staff could see into the unit from the other side and to make sure that they don't open the door and hit someone with it that may be standing near it.  I knew of vinyl that can do this one-way glass. 

    On to the next step - the bookcase.  I always refuse to take the short cut, I will not take something off the internet.  So I realized that my in-laws have a great bookcase!  I brought a bunch of my own books over and took photos of the bookcase loaded with two different sets of books (one for each door). 

    It was a challenge getting the vinyl up with all the different bumps, layers and screws on the doors.  The more I got into it, the more I felt, "Hey, I'm doing this!  Hey, I can do this!"  It sure helped that the staff came up several times saying how good it looked and what a great idea it was. 

   Standing back and thinking, "That looks awesome!  It looks like a bookcase!  Mission accomplished!" 

A door disguised as a bookcase

vinyl art

Edmonton Artist

Always have a great time doing caricatures, IT NEVER GETS OLD...

IT NEVER GETS OLD...  Always have a great time doing caricatures! Tonight I was drawing at a young girl’s birthday party. It’s interesting, the first person is often apprehensive and then after they see the first one done, then they get excited! Then, the lineup starts and doesn’t end it seems.

Edmonton Artist
caricatures

family caricature GARAGE ART!

   GARAGE ART! This may sound like a strange question but...  Have you got your family caricature up on YOUR garage wall yet?!   This family does.  Oh what fun!  Just when you think you’d done caricatures in countless ways, you get a new request!

family caricature

window painting for Canada Day at Hudsons

    I spent a few mornings this week painting maple leafs on the windows at Hudsons locations around the city.  This is stage one because their plan is to have me back in in a couple weeks, closer to Canada Day, to add more maple leafs as well as “Made In Canada”.

window painting for Canada Day at Hudsons Canadian Tap House

   Oh, and don’t they look crisp?  Those lovely maple leafs of ours!  Can’t you tell that I’m more than a little patriotic.  It may not be perfect but Canada is a great place to call home.  Oh Canada!  Happy Canada Day everyone (July 1st 2012).  Celebrating 145 years

Hudsons Canadian Tap House
Edmonton Artist

I will be Facepainting at the Edmonton Neighbourhood Watch West Division is hosting another Community Safety Fair on Saturday, June 23 at the Belmead Community League. Everyone is invited to this community event.

Time: June 23, 2012 from 12pm to 3pm
Location: Belmead Community League
Address: 9109-182 Street
City/Town: Edmonton

Facepainting by Edmonton Artist Laurel Hawkswell

last year Edmonton Police Helicopter Air One was there too!

Caricatures - Dreamnight at the Zoo

   Once again I drew caricatures at Edmonton Valley Zoo’s private event for families that use the Stollery Children’s Hospital.  I look forward to seeing many families there and am tickled pink when they come and say hello or stand in line to get their annual caricature by me.

Thank you!

Boy smiling with his caricatures at Dreamnight 2012

Caricatures by Edmonton Artist, Laurel Hawkswell
Dreamnight 2012

Edmonton Valley Zoo has partnered with the Stollery Children’s Hospital to join over 230 zoos, aquariums, and parks worldwide in hosting a fantastic event called Dreamnight at the Zoo for its FIFTH year in a row!  Dreamnight is an international event that began at the Rotterdam Zoo in 1996 with the goal of providing an entirely cost free event for chronically ill and disabled children and their families.  Invited guests will have the opportunity to have up-close animal encounters, make an amazing animal craft, indulge in delicious complimentary beverages and tasty treats, and enjoy fabulous face painting, magic shows, science experiments, caricatures, live music, and a variety of surprises throughout the night.