This is placed on the back of a bench on part of sea wall running route. Many people stop here to take in the view of the bridge and look over to Yaletown on the other side of the water.
The sentiment, "If you were here I'd be home" comes from the project "A Love Letter for You". I've always loved the message and have often felt that with just the right person, you could be anywhere and feel comfortable.
The map is from my 2005 trip to Prague, one of my favourite cities I visited when I backpacked through Europe.
Cambie St Bridge.
This is one of four pieces I placed on the Cambie St Bridge. I love this bridge and walk across it nearly every day to go to work.
The sentiment, "You are a gift" has been told to me by a loved one. The first time I heard it I was so taken aback that I hardly knew what to think or say. Over time, I came to really embrace the sentiment. Sharing yourself is the best gift you could give to someone you love.
These scrabble pieces are glued to the paper and tons of packing tape has adhered it to one of the bridge's lamp posts. It's one of my favourite pieces of this project.
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Cambie St Bridge.
This is one of four pieces on the Cambie St Bridge. It's across from one of the benches on the bridge, on a guard rail.
I've often struggled with being a worrier: anxiety over the future and second-guessing the past. I've been learning to overcome it by trying to be much more present. When I'm having a great adventure or feeling really happy, I think of this sentiment, "Right here, right now".
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Cambie St Bridge.
This is one of four pieces on the Cambie St Bridge. This piece is placed near one of the benches on a lamp post.
The sentiment, "Maybe 'someday' is today", is a reminder that we don't need to wait for some mythical day or time to take action, to make a decision, to simply be happy.
The calendar has all the days crossed off except for August 31st (my real birthday) which is circled. It's a bit hard to tell in the photo, but the calendar is beautifully letterpressed.
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Cambie St Bridge.
This is one of four pieces on the Cambie St Bridge. It's placed at the lamp post at the top of the stairs.
The sentiment, "You can do it" goes hand-in-hand with another sentiment in this project, "We can do hard things". It's one part encouragement and one part reminder of how strong we really are. I picked this one specifically to go at the top of these stairs because I run them. After the third time running these stairs, this sentiment helps me keep going.
The band aids are taped to black construction paper and a simple sharpie was used to write the words.
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This piece is placed between two benches near the dog park in the Olympic Village. Even though it's bright yellow, I think it can be a bit hard to spot.
The sentiment, "There is no one like you" is an acknowledgement of how unique we all are. And what's more unique than a handprint? (Yes, that's actually my handprint!).
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7th & Columbia St, Mount Pleasant.
This small canvas is taped to a lamp post next to Jonathon Rogers Park. The sentiment, "You are my favourite" is something we rarely say. But we all have favourites and that's awesome. We should all have someone that we could say that to. (Go do it).
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7th and Cambie, Fairview.
This poster is placed on telephone pole on a heavy pedestrian street off the main strip. The message is one of my favourite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson and I often look at it when I feel insecure.
I wanted this quote to have an achievement like a classic gold ribbon because we all deserve one.
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Broadway & Granville St.
This intersection is a hub of activity and I've placed mine just west of the intersection, on a lamp post near Soup Etc!
The sentiment, "We can do hard things" is a companion to another sentiment, "You can do it." It's easy to give up or underestimate our abilities, but we're capable of so much. Especially when we give ourselves a chance.
I had a lot of fun making this piece as I scratched my message into many layers of pastels.
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W. 12th & Balaclava St, Kitsilano.
This is one of two traffic circles that I put my pieces on. I liked the idea of the balloon's ribbon tying around the metal pole.
The sentiment, "I wish for more days like today", is something I've thought many times this past summer. I've been lucky to have many adventures with good friends. I wanted this wish to go on something like a balloon because balloons have such hope. They fly through the sky often attached to the wrist of an excited child.
Broadway & Trutch, Kitsilano.
This piece is placed on a lamp post on a busy section of Kits. I placed it at eye-level because I wanted people to really notice it.
The sentiment, "This would be nothing without you" was suggested to me by my friend Sophia. I love it. Where would we be without you? Who would I be without you?
This piece is part of a beautiful letterpress print from Sycamore Press.
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4th & Vine St, Kitsilano.
This is another busy section of Kitsilano but this particular piece is much lower than eye level. I wanted something that someone might have to bend down to read.
I love venn diagrams and wanted to create my own. This one touches on the potential that happens when you put two people together. Oh, the possibilities.
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Arbutus Coffee is one of my favourite coffee shops in the city. It's a beautiful old building nestled away from the bustle of 4th. It's one of those places that you see and wish that you could sit in the window and people watch.
It was a bit hard for me to figure out where to put my piece because I didn't want to interfere with the outdoor seating. So I decided to stick it up high, on the back of a parking sign.
The sentiment, "You are the milk to my cookies", is a romantic and silly message. I think relationships should have more fun and whimsy in them. Plus, I can't think of a more classic pairing than that!
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Ontario & W. 28th St, Main.
This is one of two traffic circles where I put my work. Due to the size, this isn't something that you would necessarily see if you were driving.
The sentiment, "You are so lovely" is paired with dancing musical notes. I wanted something that conveyed a light and airy happiness, something that matched your mood if you were thinking this.
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Ontario & W. 19th, Main.
This is placed on the front of a bench at a popular intersection just off of Main St. I've sat on this bench before and loved how it was right next to a mini public garden.
The sentiment, "It's in the small things", is a reminder to slow down and not fret so much about the big picture. I often feel like I'm running on a fast track, so learning to slow down and take a breath has been an important lesson.
This photograph was taken by my dear friend Crystal.
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Main & E. 28th St.
Just off of Main St is an art studio called Arts off Main. I loved the idea of leaving them a piece of artwork on their bulletin board. I hope they like it!
The sentiment, "I believe in you, I believe in us" is important in a relationship. Hope and optimism can be half the battle.
I decided that since these two separate statement really go together, they should have the same, reversed colours.
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Main & King Edward St.
There is a small mini plaza with a few shops and restaurants on Main, near King Ed. There's one particular sign that's been used many times to advertise. I knew that I wanted my piece to go there, next to the random concert and club flyers.
The sentiment, "Overflowing Optimism", comes from this photograph. Not only do I agree with the message, but I also think that it's true that once you start thinking positively, you just can't stop it from coming.
I created this piece with construction paper and a never ending loop of swirls.
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Main & 19th.
This piece is hanging from a tree branch on Main St. I love the idea that someone might just happen to see it as it's swinging in the breeze.
The sentiment, "Good times for a change" is a nod to The Smiths' song. Not only do I love the song, but I also appreciate the plea. It has a mixture of yearning and hope.
This is printed on an old fashioned tag and marked as if it's going to a real destination.
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Main & 11th.
This is placed outside of the Massage Therapy Centre on 11th on the bicycle rack. I love the idea that only the cyclists will see this message.
I love this message because it reminds me of being a kid and feeling so shy when you liked a new friend. In this case, the two check boxes have already been filled out and the answer is definitely yes.
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Main & Broadway.
This is a major intersection of the city and I wanted my message to be tucked away just a little bit. I placed it near Congee Noodle House, on a concrete wall off to the side.
The sentiment, "Today, with you" is a moment to stop and recognize the person you're with. Short and simple. Recognize.
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Commercial & E. 7th Ave, Commercial Drive.
The Drive is a popular street and has tons of foot traffic. I placed this one close to the Broadway Skytrain Station, right by The Jean Queen.
The inspiration for this message is from one of my favourite YouTube Videos "How to be Alone". There are many wonderful parts to this poem, but I quite like this part:
Dance like no one's watching...because, they're probably not. And, if they are, assume it is with best of human intentions. The way bodies move genuinely to beats is, after all, gorgeous and affecting.
Let's get over our insecurities of our physical appearance and bask in the joy of our bodies — gorgeous and strong.
I kept this one simple with pencil crayon letters and my version of a caslon ampersand.
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Charles St & Cotton Dr, Commerical Drive.
My best friend lives on this street and I wanted to put one of my pieces near his apartment. I also selected this particular piece because one of my very dear friends Crystal took this photograph.
This sentiment, "You have a beautiful heart" describes both of them perfectly. I am so grateful to have them in my life. All in all, very meaningful for me.
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It was tough to select which part of Chinatown to put up my artwork. I decided on a street that I thought would be just busy enough but not overrun with foot traffic.
My sentiment, "Time to Shine", is a reminder in the same vein of "Keep Smiling Beautiful". I hope those who see it have a little extra pep in their step. This piece is drawn with pastels and the bright red lamp post is the perfect complement.
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Near Alexander & Powell St, Gastown.
Continuing my trend of just being off the beaten path of popular Gastown spots, I put my next message across the street from The Modern and near a parking meter.
The sentiment, "Everything is going to be alright" is a popular mantra for me and my computer's desktop. Bad days can knock me off my game but at the end of the day, this message rings true. I kept this message simple with my typewriter.
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Abbott & Water St, Gastown.
Just off of Gastown's main strip, I found a water fountain and placed my artwork on the bench's thick black leg. Bonus: it's placed near Aveda Hair Salon, which is fitting considering the message.
The sentiment, "You colour my world", is something I think when I'm surrounded by good friends. This message is coloured with pencil crayons on beautifully textured paper.
Trounce Alley (Abbott, between Cordova & Powell St), Gastown.
There are many alleys in Gastown that feature great street art. I put mine very close to the street, so you don't have to venture very far into the alley to find it and it's easily viewable from Abbott.
In Bishop Allen's song "Rain", there's one lyric I especially love: "If it's ever going to get any better / it's gotta get worse for a day". And so I think that even in the worst of times, the sentiment "Things are looking up" still rings true. I created this piece in the style of typical flyers with a tear-off, but instead of a phone number, they get my sentiment to carry with them.
(Update: the last photo in the series was taken just over a week later. Most of the tabs are gone, yes!)
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Chilco & Comox St, West End.
There's a lovely pathway on Chilco St with a beautiful garden, benches and a large walking path. I knew that I wanted to put something special on such a popular walkway.
When I was in NYC in May, I found a great tiki bar that served drinks with colourful fuzzy birds perched on top of skewers. This flamingo, with its floppy limbs, made me instantly smile. It's so goofy and awesome. It's the perfect match when paired with the sentiment, "You are unique".
Chilco & Beach, West End.
In the West End, there are a group of benches at English Bay that I love to sit on. It's a good perch to get an overview of the beach and tucked far enough away from the crowds.
I created a watermelon with seeds spelling out the sentiment, "Keep smiling beautiful". This message is dear to me because it focuses on the beauty you already possess.
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Vancouver Public Library (Central Branch), Georgia & Homer St.
When I was a kid, I would spend countless hours at the library. Yours truly was the nerdy kid trying to narrow down which books from the pile would go into her allotted 25 book borrowing amount. Naturally, I wanted to sneak a kind sentiment to leave at the Vancouver Public Library. I headed to the most fitting place: 6th Floor, Arts & Crafts section, 4th shelf near the 731.2 call number.
The sentiment, "Today is a great day", is printed on graph paper. I kept it as simple as the message itself.
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Mainland and Davie St, Yaletown.
Nestled behind the Yaletown Skytrain Station is a small area dotted with park benches and greenery. I knew I wanted to put one of my pieces here, a small oasis for people to gather amongst Yaletown's trendy shops and restaurants.
The sentiment, "Keep on, Keepin' on" is printed on a bright green ribbon and repeated, as I have done many times in my mind.
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