Monthly Archives: May 2014

Art Exhibition June 2 – July 14

My first exhibition of artwork from the book "Dwellers of Lurching Swill" in November, 2011

My first exhibition of artwork from the book “Dwellers of Lurching Swill” in November, 2011

Over the past two and a half years, I have been exhibiting artwork from the book “Dwellers of Lurching Swill” at Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House. It’s been a gradual reveal of a work in progress. I have literally been exhibiting the artwork as I finish it. The book is finally done and my upcoming exhibition is the big finale! It’s been an exciting journey and I’m thrilled to see it come to a successful close. It is my great pleasure to invite you to this event. At the reception on June 8th, I will have the finished book in soft cover and hard cover available for sale. I’m also doing something new: I will have signed prints of every original piece of art on display.

Details of the exhibition are below. Vesuvio Pizzeria contact info and map are here. Please join me!

Dwellers of Lurching Swill Exhibition Invitation 2014

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Recapping the Small Press & Literary Festival

I was fortunate to meet Danielle, whose soul-warming laughter makes my work worth doing. Danielle graciously agreed to pose for this photo with me. Thank you Danielle!

I was fortunate to meet Danielle, whose soul-warming laughter makes my work worth doing. Danielle graciously agreed to pose for this photo with me. Thank you Danielle!

What an interesting day at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto yesterday! It was nice to see so many folks duck inside the air-conditioned hotel to check out the Small Press & Literary Festival on such a warm and beautiful day.

I had a wonderful time chatting with my neighbours Dwayne and Sarabeth. Both have huge hearts and a deep passion for their respective art forms. It was just an absolute joy getting to know them. You can see some of Sarabeth’s funny greeting cards here and Dwayne’s inspirational Stress Prevention Kit here.

The other vendors were an eclectic and occasionally eccentric bunch. The ballroom that we were exhibiting in had an alcove situated behind me and just out of view from my table. There, I met a sweet old woman exhibiting her beautiful hand-bound hardcover miniature books. Some had digitally reproduced public domain stories, and others were blank notebooks. Throughout the day I met and spoke with other friendly and talented vendors. Into the afternoon, and out of the blue, the ballroom was filled with erratic harmonica music. I poked my head around the corner and into the alcove to see that sweet old woman rocking feverishly in her chair playing a tiny harmonica that couldn’t have been much more than two inches wide. Her elderly husband sat next to her, seemingly oblivious, with his head deep in a novel. That was a brilliant sight that I won’t soon forget.

The visitors were fantastic. The reception to my new prints was great. There was one amazing person who really made my day. Her name is Danielle. That’s her in the photo with me at the top. She spent a considerable amount of time carefully reading through everything I had on display. Every time she looked at a print or poster, she laughed. A deep, hearty laugh that warmed my soul. She bought a book and it was a pleasure to dedicate it to her. I know it will be loved.

Thank you Danielle, and thank you Sheryl at Toronto Indie Arts Market for organizing another great event.

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Dan Holst Soelberg prints available

Prints & greeting cards are here!

I am extremely happy to announce the arrival of my new prints and two new greeting cards! I shared photos of one greeting card yesterday, and now you can see the other one below, plus a teaser pic of the prints (above). I’m thrilled with the quality of these prints. They are sharp and true reproductions.

Originally, I had some large-scale posters printed of my book illustrations and the reception was great. But over the past couple of years, folks have told me the posters are too big and they want something they can put into a smaller frame. These new prints are the answer. They are full-scale digital reproductions of my drawing boards. Exactly 32cm x 32cm to match the originals. To make framing easy, Ikea has a handsome 50cm x 50cm black frame that fits exactly. You can see the frame on Ikea’s website by clicking here. The Ikea frame even includes a mat so you just pop in my drawing and you have ready-to-hang artwork.

I should say a few words about the new greeting cards. Greeting card shopping is a special torment for me. I always wind up arduously searching the pharmacy greeting card rack for that one perfect message, but nothing feels right and so I finally end my hour-long sweaty, foot-aching agony buying another dumb card with a fart joke. So, dammit, I’m making my own cards now!

I’ll have the greeting cards and signed prints available at the Small Press & Literary Festival happening Sunday at Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel between 10:30am and 4:30pm. Details and vendor list are here.

Hope you can join me!

This is the greeting card for that special someone in your life who makes gift buying torture. Let them know!

This is the greeting card for that special someone in your life who makes gift buying torture. Let them know!

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New greeting card!

I’ve been kicking around some greeting card ideas for over a year now. Like everything I do, they’re not ‘normal’ greeting cards.

Here’s one that will debut at this weekend’s Small Press & Literary Festival. It’s a card for that sort-of familiar person in your life. Someone at a bus stop or fellow train commuter, maybe? Or the cashier you see every day? Or even a co-worker in another department. I just don’t think we give enough vague cards to kind-of acquaintances.

For more information about this Sunday’s festival at Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel, click here.

Happy Congratu-versary card by Dan Holst Soelberg

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Prepping for the Small Press & Literary Festival, and upcoming art exhibition

'Fleur' from the book Dwellers of Lurching Swill by Dan Holst Soelberg

‘Fleur’ from the book Dwellers of Lurching Swill. One of the brand new prints that will be available this weekend.

It’s less than a week away! The Small Press & Literary Festival is happening this Sunday, May 25th at The Gladstone Hotel. It’s my first small press festival in a long time and I’m really excited to see what’s new on the indie scene. This is a continuation of my launch tour for Dwellers of Lurching Swill and I’m fully stocked.

'Fyodor' from the book Dwellers of Lurching Swill by Dan Holst Soelberg

‘Fyodor’ will also be available for the first time as a signed print.

I like to have something new at every show I do. It’s not always easy. Luckily, I have about twenty ideas on reserve for every one that I actually act on. I’ve been developing some greeting cards over the past year and two of them will make their debut this weekend. I’m working on them until the very last minute so I hope to share photos Saturday. I will also have some new artwork prints available. The prints are pages from the latest book, all full-scale reproductions (32cm x 32cm) that are signed by me.

I’m also excited to announce my upcoming art exhibition at Vesuvio Pizzeria and Spaghetti House in Toronto starting June 2nd. This has become my annual show at the restaurant. As I’ve done the past few shows, the artworks are original drawings from my latest book. Dwellers of Lurching Swill is, of course, the book I’m featuring. As with the Small Press Festival, I’m making full-scale prints available. Details about the exhibition reception are coming soon. For the address and more about Vesuvio Pizzeria and Spaghetti House, click here.

'Saffron' from the book Dwellers of Lurching Swill by Dan Holst Soelberg

You guessed it, signed prints of ‘Saffron’ will also be available for the first time. These are just three. See all of the prints available Sunday at the Gladstone.

I hope to see you at the Small Press & Literary Festival this Sunday! Doors are open 10:30am to 4:30pm. Admission is $5. For complete info and list of participating vendors, click here.

2014 Small Press & Literary Festival info DanHolstSoelberg.com

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Farley Mowat

Farley Mowat caricature by Dan Holst SoelbergI wonder what the world knows of Farley Mowat? Canadians will miss him. He died last Tuesday. Mowat’s books “Lost in the Barrens” and “Curse of the Viking Grave” connected me to our Canadian arctic when I was a boy. I later watched the wonderful film Never Cry Wolf, adapted from Mowat’s novel of the same name. His depiction of life in the north was so rich because he lived there for several years. When I was twelve, I was lucky enough to visit Iqaluit briefly en route to Greenland. I was part of a two-week student exchange program with Greenlandic students from Ilulissat, and so I experienced a bit of arctic living in the deep-freeze of March. I’m sure dog sledding over the frozen landscape in subzero temperatures seemed more romantic to me because of Farley Mowat. My memories of Greenland are definitely rose-tinted.

CBC radio aired a 2008 interview with Mowat this past Saturday. Here it is. It’s a great little insight to a man who had the ability to attract as much adoration as derision.

In my home and native land, tributes to Farley Mowat abound. This is mine.

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I used to be competitive. Now I’m not.

Dan Holst Soelberg self portrait

Here’s a pretentious self portrait. Does this even relate to the text at all? Do the two colours represent the division in my soul when I compete? Nah! The two colours represent ten minutes in Photoshop.

It’s fun to compete because I strive to follow my passion, continuously learn, and use my strengths to do really innovative things that destroy my competition. Hmmmm. That’s what I thought when I was a young lad. Then I realized that I could cut several words out of that idea: It’s fun to compete because I strive to follow my passion, continuously learn, and use my strengths to do really innovative things that destroy my competition. The difference is that now I don’t focus on being better than others. There is a lot of negative thought and tension in people who are competitive. They judge others and feel bad about themselves much more easily than people who aren’t competitive. I felt it. It’s not a happy place. The obsession to compete spills into personal relationships and other places that it doesn’t belong. Now that I’m not competitive, I’m far more relaxed. I feel more connected to people and what I’m doing in the moment. I just set a goal and go for it! Plus, I have more fun rooting for others to succeed.

Being competitive has its place in business and sports. But even in business and sports, it’s a small place. Passion, vision and encouragement are much more positive and powerful motivators.

That’s it. That’s my word for today. Have a fantastic week!

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