Thank You for Joining My Passion Project!
Watch the Toronto Painting Revealed Video. See How Our Combined Efforts Created Art Igniting the Pulse of our City!
A dream. A labour of love. A passion to connect to the hearts of humanity and celebrate what is possible.
Together we are bringing it to life and lighting up the world.
Map of Destiny Revealed
In the Abstract
How it Began
One day I had a flash of inspiration and I knew it was mine to act on. Dreams are like that—they find you, they find that someone who has that something special uniquely suited to bringing it to life. In this vision I saw a series of paintings designed to light up the world; to take the power of intention and infuse our hopes and dreams for a beautiful world into the paintings… bringing them to life with energy and love.
I decided to launch this series with a painting dedicated to my home—the City of Toronto, that has been the ground beneath my feet my whole life. Pouring people’s collaborative thoughts and energy into a work of art that radiates with a powerful light that ripples out and ignites the core and pulse of Toronto.
Map of Destiny—
Is all that. Beginning with a foundation of writings from people of Toronto. This piece was several weeks in the making, with many hours of intense concentration. With many power points ignited, our skyline and landscape represented, it is filled with teachings both personal and universal. No matter what is showing up in life, all are splendid expressions of Fate inviting you into your Destiny, so pay attention as your map unfolds now. And remember that Fate charts the map, but Destiny is set by the manner in which you engage your journey.
Behind the Scenes in the Making
I really had no idea how this project would affect me or how it would play out. The comments I received from people got me thinking about different things. Like what does a multicultural city really mean? What does strength in diversity mean?
I was also really inspired and touched with everyone’s thoughts and experiences of Toronto! It filled and fueled my heart as I added them to the panel to energize it.
Enjoy some behind the scenes footage!
As the comments came in, the contemplation of our fair city grew. I did some research on our history and discovered it goes back thousands of years – I never really thought about it in those terms before! I learned that we were once under France’s rule and then Britain’s.
The whole process was teaching me some interesting things, and as it went on I found I needed to let go of any attachments or perceived outcomes – I had to simply follow the process, the impulses and the journey.
I found I wanted to go out and explore – connect with the land and the vibrancy. I spent time at the stunningly gorgeous Scarborough Bluffs – oh my, if you haven’t been, you simply must go!
I breathed. I sat. I breathed some more. Experiencing. Feeling. Sensing.
This wasn’t my typical painting process. This piece was really calling me to settle back into it, before it manifested. Contemplating. Wondering. What did it want?
When the base coat went on… the yellows, purple, red… again I then had to settle back, and into it. Absorbing it.
I had put up a wall of photos of Toronto beside the painting – of our history, skyline and other scenes, which were all inspiring me. I particularly loved the sunset photos, which reminded me of two of my still favourite pieces from last year, Morning Star and Evening Star, which are hung in my bedroom, and kept grabbing my eye during this process.
I was loving the vibrancy of the colours. Deep and exciting. Energizing and somehow exuding the crystalline qualities I sense way down below the surface of Toronto.
This journey seemed to be slowing me down, to be happy in the pauses and the stops. To take time to be curious and notice the little things.
Nature Calls
As I let the next rounds of colours begin to call out, I needed to stock up on some supplies. Not just from the store, however. I like to look around me, see what other implements or tools I can use.
Sometimes this means, I’m scouring the Earth (in this case Sunnybrook Park) to see what gems come to sight. Yes, I did indeed use the branches to apply paint and to scratch it out, adding texture and marks.
Nature inspires me, absolutely. It informs me, but it is not that I try to emulate what I see when I paint, I try to emulate what I feel instead. It is the breathing in, the whisper of breeze on my body, the flutter of leaves and branches, the birds singing. It is even the sounds of cars and the city in the distance. It is all of it – a sensory experience. It is all part of what I paint – my sensory experience of the world, which includes sight, but perhaps more an inner sight and vision of the world, its underlying energies, its past, its present and even its future.
How it went from A, to B, to C, to D, from horizontal or vertical, back and forth, I’ll never know.
All I could do was keep listening. Keep experimenting. And keep trusting. Even in the sanding down of some areas to alter the texture, the scraping away and adding back.
It tested me, darker, deeper, and further than any other piece. Is there a good or bad way to approach painting? Impulsive and emotive or contemplation and slow moving?
I found with this piece, it required everything of me.
I will admit, there came a point I wanted to stop, before I did. I was intrigued. I liked what I was seeing, yet it was off somehow. Not quite there.
It challenged me to experiment with style while also listening to my body and the senses, the sensation of feelings and what moves me.
What has ultimately transpired, in my opinion, is painting this city as a Temple of Light, a Pillar of Light, energizing and infusing with aliveness. If one were to gaze upon this piece, and I will not point them out, one would be able to see so many beings, so many creatures and so many symbols – nuances that appeared without painting them into form. And I would guess, that others would see even more than I am aware of.
The under layers, with everyone’s thoughts, and combined hopes and dreams, are no longer visible, but they are embedded in Map of Destiny, none-the-less. What you may be able to find, are grits of sparkly sand and little crystal beads, softly blanketed in thick layers of paint.
I no longer paint for beauty. I paint what needs to be painted.
Detail Photos
“Concealed beneath familiarity and silence, the earth holds back and it never occurs to us to wonder how the earth sees us. Is it not possible that a place could have a huge affection for those who dwell there? Perhaps your place loves having you there. It misses you when you are away and in its secret way rejoices when you return. Could it be possible that a landscape might have a deep friendship with you? That it could sense your presence and feel the care you extend towards it? Perhaps your favourite place feels proud of you.”
Could it be possible? Oh this surely spoke to my heart and perhaps why Toronto has never been able to let me go? And, perhaps why my home city has become loved and entrenched in my heart – for all its diversity, its beauty, its energy, its people, its art and culture.
All that I am, live and create is for God, and to be a voice, vision and inspiration reflecting to YOU a possibility to live in alignment with YOUR heart, soul and spirit, in whatever way that may be for you.
That is the role and duty of an artist; to use our work to heal the world.
May love lead the way… home to the present moment.
Thank You!
Painting this piece radiating a light for Toronto, is more than I could have hoped for!