Sarah Couture McPhail

Tiny Oil Paintings I’ve been doing.

Learning the dos and don’ts. 

Wanting to take it to the next level.

Margueritte playing by the railroad.

This is my great aunt Marguerite. She’s about 8 here. I think maybe the original photo was taken in the 30s. Not sure where though. Along the Ontario Northland route perhaps?

With every new generation, family histories are reshaped, diluted, or erased. In this work, I thread together a critical retelling of my great aunt's forgotten photographs. Now that most of the people in the photos are gone, I mend clues together to construct a narrative close to a truth.

“Family Matters” series

Still trying to figure out who I am related to on this ship. The RCMP St Roch sailed the Northwest Passage in the early 1940s. It could have been my great uncle Gerry. I am pretty sure he was in the navy.

When my grandmother died a few years ago, I salvaged a box of photos that belonged to my great aunt Marguerite that were garbage bound. These photos span over 100 years starting in the 1890s. There are quite a few photos of this ship, and of an artic expedition, that I’m guessing occured in 1940 (because the number 40 is hand printed on the back of these photos). 

I made this as part of the “Family Matters” series. I enlarge very small photographs, create gel skin textiles out of them and then sew them together, paint them, embroider and sometimes collage them too.

I’ve been on hiatus from Tumblr for a long while. Hoping to get back to posting regularly. Lot’s has changed since graduating from Central Tech’s Adult Art program. I’ve been lucky enough to be a regular mentor at Sketch Working Arts for a little over a year. Making art with homeless, at risk of homelessness, and otherwise marginalized youth is so abundantly fulfilling. All of my passions have merged. ART, ART CREATION, POLITICS, INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM, ALLYSHIP, hanging out with amazing people.

If you are in Toronto and are between16 and 29 years old have these barriers to success in art. Drop by Sketch! 180 Shaw St. in the basement of the Artscape Youngplace building.

My most recent mixed media pieces.

Today is Remembrance Day.  Like many I've always felt conflicted about today.

The barbarity and pain of war is unworthy of the glorification that surrounds Remembrance Day. This day too, hardly recognizes the suffering that is due to war ravaging humanity right now. 

While my admiration for my grandparents war efforts is strong, it is also at odds with the reality of war.

This painting is supposed to be about that conflict. It was created for a school assignment. I used acrylic paint, gel skins, enlarged newspaper clippings, and the poppies are encaustics using oil pastels and beeswax.

Chronicles of Jaclyn the Clutter Wrangler

Welcome to the Chronicles of Fan Mail.  Neighbourhood Fan Mail’s column, where people who receive fan mail are profiled. We often talk about writing fan letters here on this site, but seldom do we explore who is deserving of our gratitude or how it is received.   “Clutter Wrangler” Jaclyn Ray  Introducing Jaclyn – Professional Organizer Extraordinaire Jaclyn has been helping people get organized…

Lady Prints

The women in these prints are all good friends of mine. They are empowered crusaders in their own right. Rather than admire them for their beauty, check out their mini bios and learn about them.

Duchess Lia (2014)

Screenprint

7.5’ x 16’

Reyes, Lia, Presider over Dundas West, born in Chile and raised in the land of Toronto; threefold threat of thespian aspirations; wielder of the long and short board; melodic player of the ukulele; lover of dancing and of whimsy; kind and loving daughter and sister; fun and loyal friend; intended for a full and rewarding life.

Honourable Baroness Karin (2014)

Aquatint Etching

4′ x 4′

Baqi, Karin, LL.B. Esq. Born in the town of Nepean to parents immigrated from Bangladesh. Baroness of No One is Illegal; attorney under the Law Society of Ontario; scholar of the Humanities; protector and advocate of new Canadians and of the undocumented; political champion of the downtrodden on the streets in the land of Toronto; loving and devoted daughter and aunt; lover of ales and all things crafty.

Lady Mega (2014)

Blockprint

16′ x 24′

McPhail, Megan, Lady of the T.O.R.D. Born in the small town of Timmins. Follower of the teachings of Sappho; scholar of networking computing devices; superior carpenter; master of the round flat track; known for her brute strength, her amiability, her love of ales, and her vociferous astuteness; legendary aunt.

Vicereine Carrianne (2014)

Soft Ground Etching

4′ x 4′

Leung, Carrianne, Ph.D. Vicereine of Brockton, born in Hong Kong, immigrated to Canada and grew up in the land of Scarborough. Doctor and scholar of Sociology and Equities; writer of fictions and of reality; beloved professor of modern English; co-owner of an Organic Grocery; loving mother of Fenn and her dogs Kuro and Ruby; gracious partner of Andrew; steadfast friend.

Princess Jaclyn (2014)

Lithograph

16′ x 24′

Ray, Jaclyn, Princess of the Annex Territories and Liberal Indiana, born in Toronto and came into adulthood in London town of Ontario; master of mending fabrics and friends; celebrated organizer of people and materials; horticulturist of lavish gardens; gatherer of communities; missed wherever she leaves; dedicated friend; matched partner of Jason; lover of animals big and small.

Dame Nira (2014)

Soft Ground Etching

4′ x 4′

Elgueta, Nira, Dame of Dundas. Born in Chile, immigrated to the land of Toronto. Scholar of women studies and of the arts; volunteer to the needy; executive to houses of refuge; benefactor of time and servitude to the destitute; advocate of the promotion of peace and social justice; loving mother of Lia and Simon; steady friend.

Easel Bag

Tomorrow I leave for a painting “en plein air” 3 day retreat. I am so excited. I bought this portable easel half off because it’s bag was lost. So I made it a new one.

Du West Fest – 100 in 1 Day NFM Workshop

What a beautiful and fun day! Here are a few photos documenting Neighbourhood Fan Mail at the Dundas West Fest and the 100 in 1 Day Interventions Festival All set and ready to go Fan Mail Writers More Fan Mail Writers Fan Mail Poster and Tent Alison and me Laurie and NFM Video Correspondent Lia Outgoing Mail Liam’s Fan Mail More eager writers View of the Festival as it approaches the booth

Like the stories our parents told us of their old-fashioned upbringing, soon the writer’s bump will be a thing of the past that we will obnoxiously tell our kids about.

“Well when I was your age, we used to have write so much that I and everyone else got large calluses on our fingers where pencils rested. You dear kidlet, don’t know work ethic”.

My writer’s bump is almost gone and this is a sad…

That wasn't so bad. This year we only made 45 Valentines. Past years it's been upwards of 70.

I got this idea from Pinterest. Here is the link.  The actual post is in Romanian, but the photo directions are easy enough to deduce. Instead of measuring out 2 pentagons, I just printed and copied from this template. Then I traced, cut, glued, then folded.