As I get older, I feel the need to get in touch with my heritage and find out about my family history. When I was younger I could care less and then in my teens I was too busy trying to identify with other cultures all the while ignoring my own. I am basically a giant mutt but the majority of my heritage is Ukrainian. I am fluent in French and have also taken Spanish and Portuguese in school but yet Ukrainian is completely foreign to me. My grandmother is no longer around to tell me about things or teach me words in Ukrainian but she did leave behind many things for me to discover. Right before she died she made a trip back to the Ukraine and stayed with family there. She brought back a lot of souvenirs and things, one being my nesting dolls that I cherish to this day. Last weekend I was back at my mother’s house and was digging through old things when I stumbled upon what seemed to be a childrens Ukrainian song/story book.

It makes me realize I really wish I knew what it said, or that I could even make out what some of it meant. I’m going to make it a goal of mine to start learning a bit more about the Ukraine. I remember my grandmother making amazing homemade pyrohy and my mom can even come close but I’m going to be horribly ashamed if that tradition dies by my hand.

So here’s to 2010 & embracing where I came from and trying to keep it alive, maybe I’ll start by making some pyrohy this week.

For my Typography II final project we had to come up with a creative concept and original way to express type. I decided to go the unconventional route and chose to do a photo series of my friends and their favourite words. These words were then going to be tattooed to their body by yours truly.  I thought to myself if Stefan Sagmeister can carve up his body full of type for the sake of design than surely I can tattoo some willing victims for the sake of a typography project!

I had seven incredibly helpful friends who let me put them through temporary pain with a needle and india ink and I can’t be grateful enough! Even though I am no tattoo artist and I have absolutely no experience with tattooing, I was extra careful and everything was thoroughly cleaned and sanitized and all participants were over the age of 18 years old and 100% willing.

So here they are with their favourite words.

[click to enlarge]

Photography by: Patrick Campbell
Assistant Photographer: Lauryn Youden

Thank you everyone who helped me do this!

When I was little I had this girl that used to babysit me, I really looked up to her, she was very pretty and in my books really cool. I remember her being heavily into Calligraphy and she had written me a card once in the nicest gothic hand lettering. I immediately wanted to learn how to write like that and begged my mother for a Calligraphy set. She thought I was a little too young for it but eventually gave in and bought me a set. I wasn’t that good but I loved it and I would write everyone I knew letters with my pens & inks. Fast-forward to now, it’s been something I haven’t touched or done in years but ever since I’ve been back at school and have developed an interest in Typography it’s something I have really been wanting to get back into.

Over the holidays my boy bought me a beautiful set, including different coloured inks, nibs and even brushes, a parchment paper sketchbook and an Encyclopedia on Calligraphy. I’m so excited to start, it’s a difficult skill to obtain but I’m sure I will get there with practice.

I can’t wait to do stuff like this:

I absolutely LOVE illuminated manuscripts, I’m so fascinated by them, I’m going to definitely have my go at one and put it up if it’s any good.

Sorry for the lack of updates! It’s been crazy busy this holiday season especially with being sick and moving. But we’re finally in, not entirely settled in yet but that will come soon. I am excited to start taking pictures as soon as everything starts coming together. We’ve still got a lot of work a head of us, and I’m still on the hunt for a few key pieces for my house before everything is complete.

Here’s Morgan hard at work refinishing his office desk, next is the kitchen table & island!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and here’s to 2010!