Surrounded by the edifice
and the detritus
of 20th century splendor,
armed with the knowledge,
access,
and speed
of 21st century technology,
the new generation of artists is
(naturally, effortlessly)
giving form to a new type
of aesthetic/spiritual experience.
"I really believe that when I’m creating is when
I’m closest to magick, the universe or whatever you want to call it.
But it’s not always that way,
sometimes I”ll be making something
and I know it’s going to be shit or feels like shit because my mind is too loud.
Like there are all these stupid thoughts going through my mind saying
“does this look good? Will people like this? Does this look good again?”
That’s when I know that I’m out of tune.
But then they’ll be these other times when
I’m totally present and clear and my heart feels open
and that’s when I’m allowing the universe to flow through me
and I create something that speaks to me.
It might not look “good” per se but it just feels right.
That’s the unexplainable, that’s magick.
I think a lot of artists, musicians or anyone that creates something
can sort of relate to what I’m saying.
When I do achieve that state of being, things seem to happen,
or I allow them to happen because I am open
and then I create things through the language of the universe
in a way that it speaks through me.
A lot of my art seems to do with spirits and nature
so I guess that’s the language that I’m speaking,
that’s my inspiration. "
There is nothing on the surface
of Evie's work or life
that one would call shocking
or unexpected.
One finds her possessed of a strong desire
to balance practical and social pressures
with her urge to to create
without prejudice
and aware of her surroundings
"Everyone wants to be an artist, especially those who can afford it. You need one of two things:
Relentless self-sacrifice. Sacrifice any liveable living conditions,
sacrifice your time, money, relationships.
If you want to be a true artist, you literally need to give up your life to your art.
The second option is being a trust-fundarian.
That probably makes being an artist a whole lot easier.
I don’t have either of those things.
I definitely don’t have the discipline or desire to give up my life for my art
and I’m not a trustfundarian that has the option
of having the privilege of giving up my time for my art.
I need to eat and I like hanging out with my friends.
So I guess I’m not really a true artist but I don’t care that much
because I know that the ability to make art
is something that will always be a part of me,
it’s a strong aspect of who I am."
a series of 'shamanistic' portraits of her friends and sister
"I incorporated their spirit animal into their portrait.
I believe that each person has certain animal qualities that reflects their true nature.
As a result, it is one of the most pure aspects to their personality
because it is not shaped by upbringing,
but rather by something deeper and unhibited."
"I think every place has a different energy
and might have different things to offer
but at the end of the day it’s all about the mentality that you have.
I believe there’s a lot of magick flowing through Toronto,
I mean, how could there not be?
There are so many different people and cultures and artists and things going on.
The winters can be pretty harsh but the city seems to come alive in the summer,
and it seems like there’s more magick during that time.
Yet I believe that it’s the people that make it easier for others to tap into it.
Like people seem to be more open and then more magickal things seem to occur
because this positive energy seems to pulse through each other.
Inter-connectedness. I think it mostly depends on how open one is to see these things,
how open we are for things to happen
and how open we are to each other and as a result to the universe.
But overall, I think Toronto can be pretty magickal,
it just depends on how you see it."
This is,
to be truthful,
a mindset that is typical,
widespread,
even de rigeur amongst
young Canadian artists
working in this paricular style
which balances Turtle Island's natural iconography
with the visual languages
of traditional illustration,
inkwork
and watercolour.
They are gathering together the pieces
that will form a language
to describe the spiritual world
in which we are living,
out of which
their art/work emerges,
and into whose hidden depths
we may now peer.
"I just know that I believe that we all have
the ability to tap into certain energies,
to reach a different level of consciousness
and that coincidences are a language from the universe
that might be trying to tell us something.
It’s hard for me to explain certain things,
like why I believe in the things that I do
or feel certain things or do certain things.
I strongly believe in the power of dreams
and I really believe in the importance of being in the present,
because how else can one read the signs
or see the magick that everyday holds?
I also believe the reason people are so obsessed with love
or being in love is because that’s when they feel fully in the present
and see the world in a different way.
It allows them to feel magick.
Sometimes it’s harder and other times it’s easier to stay in tune,
but it’s usually a little easier when I’m either in nature or creating.
I’ve lived all across Canada and some places
seemed to be better than others in terms of magick but then again,
I think a lot of it had to do with my mentality
and what I was going through in each place.
Vancouver was pretty hard,
I think it might have been the rain or something."
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