Wordless Wednesday: Macro March

detail from painting by Valerie Simons

Macro March: It's in the details

detail from carving by Tom Reid

Wikipedia defines macro (photography) as "...extreme close-up photography, usually of very small subjects, in which the size of the subject in the photograph is greater than life size "

With good focus, lighting and framing, macros frequently bring out detail hidden to the naked eye, and I love presenting pieces from the gift shop in this way. It's very difficult to politely scrutinise work intensely when visiting the gift shop (though we do want you to appreciate it fully while here) so I use the macros to get up close and personal with artist's work.

detail from chainmaille by Luci Gimenes

I don't use a fancy lens or camera, just a point-and-shoot Olympus or my android smartphone - as long as the focus is set to macro and my hand is steady, the pieces usually talk for themselves.

Wordless Wednesday: Macro March

bead detail from jewelry by Urszula Petrykowska

Puzzled for St. Pat's

photo puzzle by Sarah Ronald

Today is St. Patrick's Day, celebrated across the land with all manner of green items - beer, scones, cupcakes, children ... you get the picture.

Here at the gift shop we're no different. 

And we're also using the green theme to introduce the March Macro series - blog posts celebrating the detail, the tiny, the overlooked - getting up close and personal with our artists' works to the puzzlement of our readers.

Prepare to be mystified!

Wordless Wednesday: Welcome ...

... to new artist, Jan who works in clay.

Vicki Allesia: March's featured artist at Port Moody City Hall

This month, Port Moody artist Vicki Allesia's work is on display at City Hall.

I've unofficially tagged her exhibit as 'Paintings You Can Fall Into' such is the richness of her captures.

Why not pay City Hall a visit, take the steps up to the offices, and see what I mean. 

All work is available for sale through the gift shop - phone 604-931-2008 ext. 102 to arrange pick up.

Wordless Wednesday: confused yet?

detail from painting by Vicki Allesia

March's featured artist - Sarah Ronald

featured artists March - Sarah Ronald, originally uploaded by Blackberry Artists.

This month, photographer Sarah Ronald has a display of her work on show on our walls.



Her work features mostly scenes from nature but often drawing the eye to a little quirk or detail which, as a casual observer, you might miss.



Her work is a beautiful complexity of colour and framing, and not what could be called traditional in its setting. Sarah prints up all her own pieces, using a process called dye sublimation that results in a durable surface whatever the medium.



You can find her images on bookmarks, mirror compacts, business card holders and mousepads - a stunning way to lift the ordinary and domestic into an artistic statement for everyday life.