This week’s guest city walker is Randy Grskovic, a Vancouver-based artist that has some serious mixed media skills. In this edition of ACW , Randy will take you on a little trip around his hood. Remember, all pictures were taken with a disposable film camera, so the results are a total surprise for both, the artist and you!
artful city walks
artful city walks: Randy Grskovic
August 10, 2012
Artful City Walks Workshop
August 5, 2012
Last week I hosted the very first Artful City Walks workshop as part of Gather – an art and design pop-up in Vancouver. It was such a blast! The class sold out but we made room for extra peeps so they could join the artful party. For this workshop, part of the focus was Instagram and how you can use it to enhance your blog, business and overall online presence.
We started by getting to know each other and speaking a bit about why we use the app. Later on – following the same motto from the City Walks “discover your city with a new set of eyes” – we embarked in a journey through the streets and alleys of Gastown; one of the oldest neighborhoods in Vancouver.
We found art, we found the old and the decayed and workshop-ees got to learn tricks of the trade – from different apps that boost your mobile shots (collage, cropping, editing, etc) to ideas on how to use your content and when to post it.
I was amazed to find out that lots of people use mobile photography and they’re pretty passionate about it – like I mentioned earlier, it’s not about how cool the app is or the level of skill you have, it’s about connecting with others and looking at things with a different perspective. Some people didn’t even have an Instagram account, but they tagged along and snapped amazing photos with their beautiful DSLRs.
And of course not everything was work work work, we also got to enjoy a few snacks – fresh honey lemonade, home made bread and preserves – courtesy of Nelson the Seagull – one of my favorite spots in Gastown! During this time I passed along a few more tips to really squeeze the juice out of this mobile community – creative ideas, collaborations, promotions, stats, the works!
Lastly, thanks to our rad sponsors CanvasPop and StickyGram - City Walkers received a discount for a canvas print, a few sets of Stickygrams AND two lucky ducks got a FREE print from CanvasPop. Are they cool or what?
I am still super excited that the whole workshop turned out so good! And it’s not stopping there – I am now planning to create new City Walks with different twists! Also, expect a few different guest City Walkers from around the globe. If you want to share the beauty in your city with us, tag your photos on Instagram with #ACWALKS or send me an email to hello(at)theartfuldesperado.com to get a full feature.
To all City Walkers: thank you for joining! To everyone else: don’t forget to discover your city with a new set of eyes ;)
artful city walks: Denise of Artsy Dartsy
July 13, 2012
Hi! I am freaking excited!! CAN YOU TELL?
A: Summer has arrived to Vancouver and the sun is finally shinning!
B: The city is full of events, outdoor movies and festivals
C: I am about to share with you yet another fantastic City Walk – with an architectural twist! Today’s walk is hosted by Denise, one of the editors of Artsy Dartsy and Brutus, the artsiest hound in town. Enjoy!
Discover | Granville Island secret grassy knoll – at the south-east corner of the island behind Performance Works and the Dockside Restaurant is this perfectly tired grassy hill that’s perfect for picnics. Don’t forget to go to Lee’s Donuts in the market for the sugar glazed and make sure you guard it from the Seagulls
Eat | La Bretagne Creperie just off Robson at 795 Jervis Street makes the best crepes. Don’t go to the other place!
Explore| There are a number of great walking tours during the summer that focus on architecture; Jane’s Walk Vancouver, AIBC Walking Tours, Heritage Vancouver Tours to name a few. The cost is minimal or free and it’s a great way to find out about specific neighbourhoods in the city.
Get Inspired | Do the Gastown, Chinatown, DTES gallery hop. There are lots of great galleries to check out: Blim, Access Gallery, make an appointment for the Rennie Gallery on-line, 221A Artist Run Center, Trench Contemporary Art Gallery, Positive/Negative Gallery, Exercise, Catalog Gallery, Artspeak and more all within walking distance.
Walk | The last one is not really a secret but the entire seawall is great on a sunny day. You can ride you bike or walk and sun tan on one of the many grassy areas. The seawall is Brutus approved!
Thanks so much for all your artsy tips, Denise!
Guys, take note of all these wonderful places to visit and go on an adventure this weekend! Get as much sun as you can (with sun blocking lotion, of course) and if you’re an instagramer, don’t forget to tag your photos with #ACWalks. Happy weekend!
artful city walks: Sarah Gee
June 29, 2012
Welcome to the second installment of ACW. Today we’ll explore Vancouver through the eyes of Sarah Gee - a gal that’s all about creating kaleidoscopic works of art filled with vibrant colors – totally hypnotizing. Enjoy her beautiful neighborhood pictures and fantastic city tips!
Visit | the Jimi Hendrix Museum at the corner of Union and Main. A handmade little shrine with astro turf, loud music and a picnic table out back in case you want to eat a sandwich.
Explore | Crab Park at the end of Main Street, looking over the Port of Vancouver. There is an eerie monument to the missing women there. A bit rough, but amazing view.
Eat | I think everyone should try dining at the Tomahawk in North Vancouver at least once!
Dance | The Commodore Ballroom. Great venue, sprung dance floor, one of the last majestic ballrooms in the city
Discover | The Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park is an amazing place to spend a rainy afternoon. You walk through the rainforest in the very cool 1960′s style biosphere and see all kinds of amazing plants and birds and little creatures.
Thanks for sharing your city walk with us, Sarah!
| Sarah Gee Art |
artful city walks – jessica bell
June 15, 2012
Welcome!
As you may know, I’ve been working on this project for some time now and I am more than excited to finally launch it!
In case you’re just tuning in – Artful City Walks is a project where different artists and creative minds document their neighborhood and favorite city spots through the lens of a disposable film camera. No photoshop in here, just candid on-the-go photographs. Along with the images you’ll get a few great recommendations of hidden spots and city gems that should not be missed. Yup, get ready to discover your city with a whole new set of eyes.
Today’s city walk (the very 1st one of the project!) is by Jessica Bell, a Vancouver-based artist who is as sweet and wonderful as her art. Check out her photos and tips! Enjoy
Watch | Low, low tide at Spanish Banks, rain or shine! The tide goes out so far that you feel like you will be able to reach out and touch the oil tankers that sit in the bay. And it is an amazing view of the city to the east that you can’t get apart from being on a boat.
Explore | Strathcona and its surrounding area. The studios I have worked in have all been in the industrial area that are part of this area of East Vancouver. There is so much going on in terms of art and industry; when I am there it feels like looking behind a watch face into the working parts of Vancouver. Ken Lum’s massive sculpture to East Van marks the boundary of it to the south, which was a brilliant addition to the neighbourhood just before the 2010 Olympics.
Walk | The Seawall. I spend so much time on the seawall in my commutes, and for recreation that I feel like I am in a relationship with it. One of my favourite things to do is to walk on the seawall until it feels like my legs are going to fall off. My husband and I did this on Easter weekend; we call it our ‘epic seawall walks’. If you do walk so long that it feels like your legs will fall off then you can always stop sit on a beach or hop on a water taxi to skip ahead a section. When I am away from Vancouver, the seawall is always the thing I miss first.
Experience | The Rennie Collection at Wing Sang in Chinatown. I feel like this is still a secret to a lot of Vancouverites. Bob Rennie is a really influential art collector who lives in Vancouver and he renovated the historic Wing Sang building in Chinatown to exhibit the artists he has collected and has held some of the best shows in Vancouver, I think. As an architecture buff, this building is equally as thrilling as the art it houses and the rooftop sculpture garden created by Considered Design is my favourite garden in Vancouver, hands down. The added bonus is that visiting the Rennie Collection is free; you just have to book into a guided tour on their website.
Hike | The university endowment lands / Pacific Spirit Regional Park. My husband works for The University of British Columbia so I have extra reason to travel all the way out to the Point Grey Peninsula where the campus is located. If I understand correctly, UBC is technically not even a part of Vancouver proper, and it is separated from the city by hectares and hectares of rainforest that riddled with trails that you can walk, run, cycle or ride horseback on. It’s like Stanley Park, but so much bigger, more rugged and less utilized.
If you wanted to, you could walk through the forest from where it starts in the acreages of Southlands at the south, all the way to to low tide at Spanish Banks. It is another walk that has the potential to make you feel like your legs will fall off, but this forest is a stunning part of the city that is accessible by bus, or bike. Plus it’s mostly an off-leash area if you have a dog like I do, and the air in there is pure magic. It is actually my favourite place to go in the rain.
Thank you, Jessica!
