Author: Art Found

Curious human, artist.

Art Travels to Vietnam and Cambodia

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It’s been a while since I have given updates, but Found This Art remains busy, busy busy! Art has recently been dropped in northern Canada, as well as the historic seaside village of Lunenberg, in Nova Scotia, and in hotel lobby in a small town in New Brunswick.

I also managed to find a friend who was travelling to Far Away Places, including Vietnam and Cambodia. Let’s call this friend of mine Clara (which may or may not be her real name!). Clara recently sent me some photos of the places some art was dropped:

A fishy scene.

This was in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), at a cafe. I just love how Clara had the fish peek out from behind the vase. Here’s the original, if you are interested to see what it looks like:

Clara also left a very small piece in the lobby of a hostel in Siem Reap, in Cambodia. Can you find it in the photo below?

This piece is just done with ink, and is perhaps 3-4 inches long and less than an inch in width; here’s the original:

A whale, a spider, a person, a rabbit, and a crow. Just because.

Clara has a few other pieces tucked in her backpack, so you will have to wait and see what other amazing places she visit. Thank you, Clara, for helping with this project! It’s great to have friends like you, and I know people will find the art, and it will bring them joy.

Studio mayhem.

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Sometimes inspiration grabs you. Sometimes the stars align, and it feels just right. Sometimes creativity swoops you up and carries you along, and you lose time.

Crows, trilobites, trees, whales, fish,m and more. Messy fun.

That was today. The product of all that energy? I think you can label it “studio mayhem”. Or perhaps “Art chaos” or perhaps “unplanned creativity”. Or, maybe just a big old mess. Regardless, I managed to make dozens of pieces of art, and I’ll soon get them labelled and they can start their journey around the world. Keep your eye out, you might just find one.

Creativity, or disaster?

Art in a distillery.

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More news to share! I have recently sent some pieces to the UK, and I have a good friend there and they have helped out tremendously, including taking some art on a trip to Scotland. And when in Scotland… there is Scotch!

As the photo shows, a piece of art (a selection of fungi) were placed at the Lagavulin distillery in the great land of peat. Cheers to that! (and BIG thanks to my friend!). Keep an eye out – you just never know when you find something special.

(Oh, and why did I draw some fungi? Well, as the saying goes… “what did everyone say when the comedian showed up at the party? Hey, he’s a really fun guy!” But seriously- what’s not to like about mushrooms and their relatives? They pop up as if out of nowhere, with delicate beauty, and forming such important relationships with other parts of ecosystems. They are mysterious, diverse, and simply splendid. Keep an eye out when you go out in a forest, you will see them if you look carefully)

Animals to share

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While snow blankets my yard outside, the paint brushes have been busy in the studio! It’s been a month of creativity – in addition to this project, I am working on some other fun things – they too involve pen and ink with splashes of colour. I’ve been still on an ‘animal’ theme of late, such as this Heron (magnificent birds!!)

And I’ve also been playing around more with just ink. You can say and do a lot with just black and white! This sheep, I find, has a pretty serious look, don’t you think?

So 2022 looks to be a great year for this project – I have some plans all sorted out, and I am pleased to report that about 65 art pieces were distributed in 2021, well above the one per week that was my original goal.

I hope you are well! Please take care of yourself and the ones you love. Let’s let compassion and kindness prevail, and I tend to think this is helped with art and creativity. Maybe you’ll pick up a pen and sketchbook? Send me some examples of YOUR art! (You can reach me by emailing FoundThisArt@gmail.com.

Jack Rabbits, Ski Resorts, and a Montreal Christmas

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Wow it’s been a busy and crazy end to 2021, and I’ve not had time to write in a while, but I do have news to share! First, and foremost, the Rabbits of Montreal (Quebec, Canada) has been happening – many rabbits, big and small, have been placed around the city. I am excited to report that some have been found, including in a city about an hour or so north of Montreal: a world-famous ski resort called Mount Tremblant. A rabbit was apparently dropped at Café Johannsen right at the bottom of the ski hill, and it was found by a man who works at Tremblant.

This is the beautiful ski town called Tremblant, in Quebec.

But here’s where the story takes an unbelievable turn: the man who found the Rabbit tells me he has worked at Tremblant for 17 years and over those years, has found all kinds of things – money, jewellery, and even a TV – but this Rabbit art was the best thing he ever found (YAY!). He also tells me his daughter calls him Bunny Bun Bun, ‘cause he is always running around doing things. The Rabbit art was therefore meaningful to him.

The cafe where the art was found is itself is named Johannsen, after various famous man – Herman Smith-Johannsen – who started a very well known cross country ski program in Canada, and it was called the Jackrabbit program, so Herman was known as ‘Jackrabbit Johannsen’. And, this icing on the cake? The man who found the Rabbit art up in Tremblant did once meet Jackrabbit Johannsen (when Jackrabbit Johannsen was already over 100 years old -he lived to be 111!).

The wee rabbit (a Jackrabbit perhaps!) dropped at the Cafe

Is all this a great coincidence, or something more spiritual and awe-inspiring? You can believe what you want, but I see this as very, very special and I hope you do too.

Another view of Tremblant.

I do know that other people have found art in Montreal. Some was dropped on a commuter train back in mid-December, and closer to Christmas a colourful rabbit was in a trimmed tree in a busy downtown shopping centre. I can imagine a holiday shopper taking a break, and seeing the rabbit staring up…

So this is the last post of the year. This project is still going strong after several years and over 170 pieces of art dropped around the world. So much joy and happiness, and this is so very important these days, as the world does remain in the grips of pandemic. I also want to THANK YOU for reading and following along. Stay well, friends, and I look forward to many more adventures in 2022!

Art in Wayne County

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I clearly have a fondness for North Carolina, and North Carolina clearly likes art. In addition to some exciting activity in Raleigh, recently this project made its way a little to the south-east, to Wayne County, and the city of Goldsboro. I am so grateful for the Arts Council of Wayne County to embrace Found This Art.

This was timed around the US thanksgiving weekend, which is appropriate, since giving and receiving art is something to be thankful for. So, friends of Wayne County, may you find art and may it bring you joy! And thanks, as always, to a great friend of this project, Eleanor Spicer Rice, for helping spread the love of Art to different part of North Carolina.

Art Found in Raleigh!

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Not long ago this art project was featured in a magazine in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in addition to the write-up, art was secretly dropped around the city. And, lo and behold, art was also FOUND in the city! Samantha, for example, discovered a piece of art right in the downtown core, and she shared her find via Instagram:

THANKS Samatha, for being open to seeing art, and sharing your story with the world. I also find it lovely that the art she found in the city was a piece of art that depicted a city scene. That’s fun, and appropriate. Here’s the original:

Ohhh so much is happening, friends – I have many Found Art stories to share with you in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Rabbits of Montreal / Lapins de Montréal

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Two things: 1) I have been very actively drawing Rabbits these days. I do not know why this is the case, but it is true. And sometimes you just have to go with it. 2) I love Quebec (Canada) – a truly amazing place, with incredible forests, lakes, towns and cities. It’s a beautiful part of a vast and wonderful Country. Someone I know very well travels to Quebec’s largest city (Montreal) regularly. So, I’ve decided to combine these things and send Rabbits to Montreal.

Get ready, citizens of Montreal! Keep your eye out in your Metro stations, in your restaurants, and on your park benches. Twenty or so rabbits are on their way! Not only am I simply thrilled to think about Rabbit-art all over the city, I also hope that it will bring lots of smiles to everyone, because November can be a bit of a dreary, dark month up in northern cites.

So, stay tuned, my friends – white-tailed, hoppy fur-balls are invading your city!

The Raleigh Project

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My last blog post talked about some art making its way to the city of Raleigh. And today I get to report something *very* exciting – I was interviewed by a writer from Raleigh and you can read all about it here!

I must give a HUGE thanks to Walter Magazine for taking an interest in this project, and a HUGE thanks to Eleanor, who interviewed me, and a HUGE shout-out to Raleigh itself, a simply exceptional city, and one that I am so fond of visiting.

I hope some of you fine folks in North Carolina stumble across some art. Enjoy it, and may it bring you joy.

Raleigh bound!

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Big. News.

I have a very special friend in Raleigh, and that lovely city in North Carolina will soon encounter a “Found This Art” blitz!

Some of the pieces that are Raleigh-bound!

Citizens of Raleigh – keep your eye out… soon you will find art throughout your city, whether at Cup A Joe’s, or perhaps the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Cup A Joe!

Do you want your city to be part of a Found This Art Blitz! Drop me an email at FoundThisArt@gmail.com and we can set something up!