It’s hard to believe I’ve been out of school for almost 10 years now. After moving back from London, I’ve been living and working as an artist in Vancouver. It’s not the easiest city to pursue art in, but there are many people here trying to put this city on the map in terms of art, from artists to galleries to collectors.
When I first moved back to Vancouver, I had a studio in East Vancouver and took part in the Eastside Culture Crawl. It was a unique experience where I was able to have a huge number of people come through my work space and see my work. I think in my last year of taking part in the Crawl, I had maybe around 1000 people come through my studio over one weekend. I don’t think many art events in Vancouver can tout those kinds of numbers. It was during this last Crawl that I met Frank and Liz Malinka. I remember the first thing I noticed was Frank’s blue patterned shirt and I commented on how it was similar to some of the patterns in my paintings.
The Malinkas bought a couple of my paintings that day, and I found out that they were long-time financial supporters, via Malinka Financial, of the Eastside Culture Crawl, which has grown into a major annual event in Vancouver. This month, the Malinkas have been featured in Vancouver Magazine’s “Made in Vancouver” issue, showcasing their art collection in their Vancouver home. My painting, Mom & Dad 4, appears in the background of their photo portrait, in which they’re playfully mimicking the pose of the figures. It’s great to see the painting up in their home and as part of such a diverse collection of local and international art.
