Olympics - Hockey!

Hockey - Vancouver 2010, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

Oh man! this was exciting - a round robin match between underdogs Latvia and the Czechs. Somehow we got amazing seats .. just to the side of the goal in the 6th row. The atmosphere in the arena was amazing an it was so cool to see the crowd erupt when Latvia finally scored.

Hockey - Vancouver 2010, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

Though Latvia lost the game there was lots to celebrate.. That day they had won their first Olympic Medal ever! and later in the games they would come back to defeat the Czechs. Below is a little slide show of some of the pictures I took that day.

Practice Lines

Vancouver Olympics - Curling practice lines
Originally uploaded by girl from finito

One of my favorite things that I didn't expect.. before the games start they run practice lines!
The men tended to do them more than the women -
very cool.

this video unfortunately is pretty shoddy - I shot it with my phone.

Olympics - curling

Curling - Vancouver 2010, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

So I've finally gotten around to uploading my pictures from the Olympics. There will be more in the coming week now that things with the freelance work is becoming more relaxed.
This is one of my favorite shots that I've come across (so far I've only looked at a third of the photos I took).
This was the first day of curling we saw (round robin #4 for the men). The Canada v. Sweden game ended before the others that's why there is a page empty.

Olympics - Outfits and fans

Holy cow Vancouver was full of people. Mostly it was candians wandering around in toques and red mapleleaf mitts but there were people who stuck out in the sea of red and white.


Probably the most recognizable were the Dutch fans in their bright orange. Though there were a lot downtown you found most of the fans were at the Richmond speedskating oval. (these people were waiting for the skytrain)


The other really popular uniform was team Russia - and I must admit they looked really good.

Olympics - Curling

Curling! I love curling!


This is a shot from the first of 3 curling games my family attended during the olympics... The 2nd page is Team Canada (Martin's rink) playing Team Sweden. (Norway is right beside them).
Later I will upload some video of the practice runs from this game.

Also congratulations to Team Martin and Team Bernard for excellent showings at the games (gold and silver respectivly).

Olympics - Vancouver

Two years ago tickets for the Vancouver olympics went on sale. My family was lucky enough to get a few and made plans to attend. It feels like I have been planning on this forever, and giving people the most advanced notice I have ever given.
Mary and I found a place to rent in the west end - close to downtown and arranged extra event tickets.
Vancouver was amazing. It was like April or May. Trees and flowers blooming and warm enough to just wear a light coat.


It really was magical to be there and to be there with my family.
In the next few days I plan on putting together my photos from the trip but for now here is some early spring.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Freelancing, freelancing, freelancing

Lungs, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

Man! I was busy at the end of last year. It was good, flexing the little drawing muscle I have but it was a bit much.. a lot of running around trying to meet deadlines.
All in all I'm pretty pleased with what I accomplished.
The above shot is a a surfactant secreting cell that I drew as part of an illustration of the inner workings of the lung during development. I was nervous about the comic style but I think it turned out quite well.

The action of Warfarin, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

I also worked on a method of action illustration which was fun.. I kinda channeled the text books form my biochemistry days.

Ted Harrison Exhibit Kids guide, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

Finally I got to do some work for Mary. These last two are kids guides for upcoming shows.
The one above is so cool - an exhibit of the original painting Ted Harrison did for the Cremation of Sam McGee and the Shooting of Dan McGrew... it's on in West Vancouver from Feb 9 to March 5th at the Ferry Building Gallery

this is from the front and back cover -- the dude is supposed to be Robert Service.

The one below is a paper doll illustrating some different outfits of the native people of the north...
This one accompanies an exhibit of Dolls for the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver..


It was fun not having to be so strict with proportion and scale.. and the clothing is just so pretty...
also I am now skilled at drawing fur.. kinda

Paper Doll - Outfits from the North, originally uploaded by girl from finito.

Olympic Fever

I'm not a big sports fan. My days watching sports are confined to the big competitions: The Stanley Cup, the Grey Cup, the euro/ world cup and the odd Calgary v. Vancouver/Edmonton game and for those I generally head out to a pub and enjoy the game surrounded by like-minded people. But man, the Olympics, there's something different. I scan the morning paper for highlights, watch recaps and read blogs on my computer, listen to the rankings on the radio and have ruined my sleeping pattern to watch them on tv. alone. on my couch.

So what is different?it's defiantly easier to get into the events when your country and pride is at stake. Then there is the hint of connection: I obsessively watched the triathlon remembering the Simon Witfield plaque outside the running room store near my old place in Victoria. I used to pass it on my way to get groceries and think about that race in 2000. yep. i did.


but the weird thing is I'll watch the Olympics when Canada isn't even in contention. I pick teams or athletes I want to win and root for them or just enjoy the show these people put on.


This Olympics I've been all about the equestrian (haha yes I like the horses). I would probably change the channel if it was any other competition but these days I've been wondering why I don't get "bold" (the cbc channel that is showing the jumping). I watched the recaps on my computer at lunch - too amazing.
Go Canada!