Category: Found Art

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 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!

Seeking and Finding.

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It’s been a long time, my friends. I have received questions and comments from people – saying WHERE ARE YOU, WHERE IS THE ART? I’ll be honest, things were slow for the past six months. I was doing lots of art, but wasn’t sending pieces around the world. But then the other day I got a message over Twitter:

In May 2021, Cheryl found a piece of Art in library book in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada. This piece was made about a month before the pandemic hit, and somehow found its way to a library book, and was found over a year later. I do not know exactly how this piece of Art made its way to New Glasgow (which is far away from where I live), but it do. I do not know how it made its way into a library book, but it did. I don’t know what the chances are that Cheryl picked up a book, and found this art.

Let me say that again, because it is incredible to think: A global pandemic was about to hit. Someone hid a piece of my art in a library book and it was found over a year later. That is inspiring, lovely, and speaks to the essence of Found This Art.

More to come, my friends. The energy is returning. More art shall be made, shared, and found.

Trouvé à Montréal

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Big news from a fabulous Canadian city*… the 58th piece of art was dropped in Montreal and it was found (or “trouvé“)!

This was a “thumbnail landscape” – a small winter scene with a wee cabin and trees. It was dropped by a secret agent on a bench in a fitness center in the downtown area:

The finder of this little piece was delighted, and she tweeted her discovery later in the day! …although it seems to have migrated from the bench to a nearby window sill (Yes, everyone, we have a twitter account)

And this little winter scene was posted up on a bulletin board in its new home:

Once again, it seems this very fun project has brought some joy into someone’s life, and that’s the whole purpose.

The world is a tough place with so many stressful things happening. I believe firmly that art can connect us, bring us happiness, and keep us grounded during difficult times.

Please be kind and spread joy whenever you can.

—

*another piece of art was found a while ago in a different and equally fabulous Canadian city – here’s the story!

Hope and Joy

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I have big news to share with you –

Earlier this month a very special secret agent recently dropped piece #38 at the Seven Stars Bakery in Providence, Rhode Island (the Hope Street location). The piece was carefully placed on the condiment table, as seen in this photo, here:

I’d like to visit this bakery sometimes – apparently it is one of the best.

The day after it was dropped, I received a note from the person who found it, who is named Joy.

It reads:

“I found painting #38 dated October 2019 at the Seven Stars Bakery on Hope Street Providence, RI. I saw it sitting on the service station and assumed someone was coming back for it. After it had been sitting there for awhile I picked it up and turned it over and saw that it was probably left there intentionally. I love it so much, it brought such a smile to my face and now lives on my shelf where I can see it everyday. Thank you!”

You are MOST welcome, Joy!

And it is so fitting that this bakery is on Hope street.

Hope and Joy: these are good things.

Feather of the North

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“Hope is the thing with feathers” writes Emily Dickinson.

I have always loved our feathered friends. They are magical animals, seeing the world from the wing, finding small insects among cracks in tree bark, and singing sweet songs. I often draw birds, and a while back I decided that a feather was a suitable thing to paint and share. Here’s the piece just after completion in the studio:

Several weeks ago the Feather was dropped (maybe by me? Maybe by a secret agent…?) at the Yukon Visitor’s Centre, in Whitehorse (Yukon Territory, Canada).

Here’s the drop location (next to the GIANT relief map of the Yukon):

It was found! Hooray! The person who found it wrote to me soon after:

…”I found your feather art at the Yukon Visitors Center in Whitehorse. It’s marked “#27″…. Finding this just makes the trip here all the more special. I am on a trip here, to my childhood home, with my parents. The Yukon has an almost indefinable magic about it. I left 30 years ago, and no place I have been since has ever felt like home. Thank you for adding another element of specialness to this trip down memory lane”

Yes, the Yukon is magical.

Yes, feathers bring hope.

Yes, joy is everywhere, you just have to be ready to look for it, and accept it.

It is so fitting that the feather found the right home, and so fitting that it meant something to its finder.

Here’s the feather in its new home:

…As an aside, and for those interested, there have been about 30 pieces leave the studio since the project started in January; the pieces have been dropped around the world, from Australia to England, Canada to Mexico. Three have been reported as ‘found’, although I’m confident all have been found and enjoyed! Of those found, one was reported from the USA, one from Portugal, and now this one, in northern Canada. By all accounts, it is thrilling to have these three stories to share – all my hopes and dreams for this project are being realized! Stay tuned, friends, as there will be many more stories to come…

Portugal Gallery

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The stories are developing.

A shell made its way to Portugal, and ended up in a fantastic hotel in Lisbon, called the Gallery House. A very lovely person who works there found the art, and it now has a home on her desk.

The art had special meaning to her. Her mother called her “Concha” which, in English, means shell. In an email to me she writes:

“Thank you for giving happiness to me”.

No more words are needed.

Art found in a coffee shop!

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Big news, friends.

Art was found. In a coffee shop (somewhere in the eastern part of the USA).

This was piece number four – a mushroom. It was created in January, and dropped by a secret agent in early February.

The person who found it posted a photo on Instagram:

I received an email about it. The message was that the art was found, it brought joy, and offered an opportunity for conversation between a parent and a teenager. These are all good things.

Do you have questions about this project? Don’t hesitate to reach out. And I hope you find some art out there in this big world.

You might ask… what does the mushroom mean?

From my point of view, fungi are silent and helpful partners to so many things. They help trees grow, they help things decompose, and mushrooms can provide little careful homes for other creatures – you can often find small beetles or other critters living in between the gills of some species. Some mushrooms are also tasty to eat (but some are also poisonous, so BE CAREFUL). I hope that next time you are out and about in a forest, and the weather is right for it, you might be lucky enough to spot some lovely fungi. They are everywhere, you know!