pjeanoliver
@pjeanoliver.bsky.social
Artist, Writer, Environmentalist, Photographer, and Corvid Enthusiast.
My boys and me sketching Emily Carr's "Elephant" in the Museum, late 90s. Once the drawing is done it's copied, laid over blueline paper, traced onto bristol board, and inked. I've booked the photographer, & cancelled things for 2 weeks to push through on drawings, paintings & rest. Wish me luck!
May 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
My boys and me sketching Emily Carr's "Elephant" in the Museum, late 90s. Once the drawing is done it's copied, laid over blueline paper, traced onto bristol board, and inked. I've booked the photographer, & cancelled things for 2 weeks to push through on drawings, paintings & rest. Wish me luck!
An elegant traveller moving through my garden this morning, and a beautiful visual reminder that whatever pace we choose, it's the right one for us.
May 13, 2025 at 3:00 AM
An elegant traveller moving through my garden this morning, and a beautiful visual reminder that whatever pace we choose, it's the right one for us.
In between projects, I've been dabbing at a painting of the threatened Sequoia in Centennial Park Square in Victoria, BC. Council wants to replace it with a water park. Here it is midway: "Sacred Trust". I'll donate it to Council in the hope it may influence them in some small way to protect her.
April 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
In between projects, I've been dabbing at a painting of the threatened Sequoia in Centennial Park Square in Victoria, BC. Council wants to replace it with a water park. Here it is midway: "Sacred Trust". I'll donate it to Council in the hope it may influence them in some small way to protect her.
The apples on Emily Carr's old tree are in full, glorious joy. (Backyard, Studio All Sorts, Victoria, BC)
April 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The apples on Emily Carr's old tree are in full, glorious joy. (Backyard, Studio All Sorts, Victoria, BC)
This is what sanctuary looks like for me.
("Abide" is SOLD! It only needs a little finishing.) This is my imagined Haida village, using as inspiration: the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre, a canoe launched when we were there, and in the style of Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coastal Village".
("Abide" is SOLD! It only needs a little finishing.) This is my imagined Haida village, using as inspiration: the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre, a canoe launched when we were there, and in the style of Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coastal Village".
April 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This is what sanctuary looks like for me.
("Abide" is SOLD! It only needs a little finishing.) This is my imagined Haida village, using as inspiration: the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre, a canoe launched when we were there, and in the style of Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coastal Village".
("Abide" is SOLD! It only needs a little finishing.) This is my imagined Haida village, using as inspiration: the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre, a canoe launched when we were there, and in the style of Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coastal Village".
A drawing inked for "Sketching Whales", my graphic novel. This chapter: my travels in Canada, which the narrative covers. The drawing is simple, the focus symbolic of my country. The box in each chapter drawing will be a Carr quote. An area I bonded deeply with Carr is over our love of this land.
April 24, 2025 at 11:52 PM
A drawing inked for "Sketching Whales", my graphic novel. This chapter: my travels in Canada, which the narrative covers. The drawing is simple, the focus symbolic of my country. The box in each chapter drawing will be a Carr quote. An area I bonded deeply with Carr is over our love of this land.
"Abide" (painting is about midway). I'm having fun with the storytelling aspect of this. It's a composite landscape inspired by the Haida Gwaii Museum, a canoe launched the day we were there, and Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coast Village".
haidagwaiimuseum.ca
haidagwaiimuseum.ca
Haida Gwaii Museum - Haida Gwaii is an archipelago located off the northwest coast of British Columbia
haidagwaiimuseum.ca
April 22, 2025 at 11:06 PM
"Abide" (painting is about midway). I'm having fun with the storytelling aspect of this. It's a composite landscape inspired by the Haida Gwaii Museum, a canoe launched the day we were there, and Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coast Village".
haidagwaiimuseum.ca
haidagwaiimuseum.ca
A window into process might be of interest. Top left: composite of my photos, beach below the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre Museum. The canoe was launched while we were there. Below: Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coast Village" (for inspiration). Right: My attempt midway: Hearth and Home.
April 19, 2025 at 4:29 PM
A window into process might be of interest. Top left: composite of my photos, beach below the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre Museum. The canoe was launched while we were there. Below: Emily Carr's 1930 painting, "Old Time Coast Village" (for inspiration). Right: My attempt midway: Hearth and Home.
Another Sketching Whales canvas... I wanted to depict a Haida village without disrespecting anyone. I chose to modify the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre buildings as the village, and (hopefully) elements of Emily's 1930 painting, Old Time Coast Village.
April 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Another Sketching Whales canvas... I wanted to depict a Haida village without disrespecting anyone. I chose to modify the Haida Gwaii Cultural Centre buildings as the village, and (hopefully) elements of Emily's 1930 painting, Old Time Coast Village.
Got a new canvas blocked-in for the show in September. One I've been aching to get at. (Emily is in the photo, seated on the log, lower left.) According to our Watchman Guide, this beach is where Emily Carr sketched in T'aanuu, Haida Gwaii, BC. In 1912, she knew it as Tanoo, Queen Charlotte Islands.
April 8, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Got a new canvas blocked-in for the show in September. One I've been aching to get at. (Emily is in the photo, seated on the log, lower left.) According to our Watchman Guide, this beach is where Emily Carr sketched in T'aanuu, Haida Gwaii, BC. In 1912, she knew it as Tanoo, Queen Charlotte Islands.
What I think when I block someone on social media who's so dead set on being right that they get mean. lol
March 31, 2025 at 5:43 PM
What I think when I block someone on social media who's so dead set on being right that they get mean. lol
When using the same mixes over a few weeks (in this case, a lot of weather-worn wood colours) this paint storage system (and some slow-dry acrylic medium) is the cat's meow.
March 29, 2025 at 4:04 PM
When using the same mixes over a few weeks (in this case, a lot of weather-worn wood colours) this paint storage system (and some slow-dry acrylic medium) is the cat's meow.
A blue pencil I need for graphic novel drawings was getting too short for my long paws, and I didn't want to waste money on another, but couldn't find my pencil-extender thingie. As I was erasing with a mechanical eraser...presto. Problem solved. (Probably everyone but me knows this already, lol.)
March 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM
A blue pencil I need for graphic novel drawings was getting too short for my long paws, and I didn't want to waste money on another, but couldn't find my pencil-extender thingie. As I was erasing with a mechanical eraser...presto. Problem solved. (Probably everyone but me knows this already, lol.)
Twigs, twigs, and more twigs today...
March 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Twigs, twigs, and more twigs today...
Worked on the Nurse Log a bit today. I got into trouble early on with my values, so I've had to essentially work backwards on the foreground, and forwards on the background.
March 18, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Worked on the Nurse Log a bit today. I got into trouble early on with my values, so I've had to essentially work backwards on the foreground, and forwards on the background.
A bling turkey (from Beacon Hill Park across the street) decorating my Studio All Sorts gate. 🙂 What a spectacular waterfall of colour!
March 18, 2025 at 1:28 AM
A bling turkey (from Beacon Hill Park across the street) decorating my Studio All Sorts gate. 🙂 What a spectacular waterfall of colour!
Unexpected guests dropped by the Studio All Sorts. :) Read about Emily's interraction with a peacock in her story: "The Heart of a Peacock".
March 16, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Unexpected guests dropped by the Studio All Sorts. :) Read about Emily's interraction with a peacock in her story: "The Heart of a Peacock".
Raven's View (Hlg̱aagilda, Haida Gwaii). Inspired by a painting Emily Carr did. A raven pole that's no longer there. The ribbons of light greens were homes in Emily's time, before smallpox, and tragedy overtook families. The village is thriving again, as strong as the land that holds them.
March 12, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Raven's View (Hlg̱aagilda, Haida Gwaii). Inspired by a painting Emily Carr did. A raven pole that's no longer there. The ribbons of light greens were homes in Emily's time, before smallpox, and tragedy overtook families. The village is thriving again, as strong as the land that holds them.
A dream: Standing at a pond in my yard that appeared when the demolition of our homes for housing towers (soon in real life) struck an underground cave. A nearby river filled the blasted holes with water. A huge dark shadow rolled below the water. A whale! The construction was abandoned. I wish.
March 8, 2025 at 9:16 PM
A dream: Standing at a pond in my yard that appeared when the demolition of our homes for housing towers (soon in real life) struck an underground cave. A nearby river filled the blasted holes with water. A huge dark shadow rolled below the water. A whale! The construction was abandoned. I wish.
Plugging away...draw, ink, draw, ink, draw...the blue pencil stage is so cool. (It's weird science, it doesn't show when it's printed.)
March 6, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Plugging away...draw, ink, draw, ink, draw...the blue pencil stage is so cool. (It's weird science, it doesn't show when it's printed.)
Finished this one today. Agate Beach, a favourite place in Haida Gwaii. (They're all my favourites!)
March 4, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Finished this one today. Agate Beach, a favourite place in Haida Gwaii. (They're all my favourites!)
Two views of Agate Beach, with Tow Hill at one end. Haida Gwaii, BC
With a graphic novel submission behind me, I could get back into the Studio. Overtired and wired from that (crash booked for tomorrow), brain on fire, my brush flew. The upside: 2 canvases close to done. It was great fun!
With a graphic novel submission behind me, I could get back into the Studio. Overtired and wired from that (crash booked for tomorrow), brain on fire, my brush flew. The upside: 2 canvases close to done. It was great fun!
March 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Two views of Agate Beach, with Tow Hill at one end. Haida Gwaii, BC
With a graphic novel submission behind me, I could get back into the Studio. Overtired and wired from that (crash booked for tomorrow), brain on fire, my brush flew. The upside: 2 canvases close to done. It was great fun!
With a graphic novel submission behind me, I could get back into the Studio. Overtired and wired from that (crash booked for tomorrow), brain on fire, my brush flew. The upside: 2 canvases close to done. It was great fun!
Good morning! Taking a Meta break today. (Beaming crocuses in a sunspot in my garden.)
February 28, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Good morning! Taking a Meta break today. (Beaming crocuses in a sunspot in my garden.)
Got the cover of my graphic novel painted. (The text will go in digitally later.)
February 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Got the cover of my graphic novel painted. (The text will go in digitally later.)
Some more old-school method today. If my set of French curves can't form it, that's a curve that doesn't exist. 🙂
February 19, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Some more old-school method today. If my set of French curves can't form it, that's a curve that doesn't exist. 🙂