30 for 30

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!)

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.

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.

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.