The STEPS Initiative

DiTullio appointed Senior Research Assistant, STEPS (Sustainable Thinking & Expression on Public Space Initiative), Toronto, ON.

Since 2009, the Sustainable Thinking and Expression on Public Space (STEPS) Initiative has been promoting sustainable and community-centred public spaces. STEPS promotes knowledge exchange and collaboration between individuals and collectives who use art to re-define public space, especially in urban environments (Public Space ARTivism).

DiTullio's role spans writing and design for the upcoming STEPS publication on the practices of Artivism (activism through art) in Canada.

A bizarre and interesting picture of a grasshopper

I took this photo on my Mom's farm in southern Ontario. I just happened across the dried hull of a grasshopper that had been separated in two on this stalk of grass.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

If we knew what we were doing it would not be research."
— A. Einstein

Latest addition to the OSA Gallery/Boutique

FishStick IV
Pearl-themed jewelry bits with acrylic on stretched canvas.

Marketing Monday

Scratch 'N' Sniff
Brilliant use of old-school marketing in a technological age. 'Nough said.


Marketing Monday is a column devoted to innovation in the world of commerce. It celebrates companies, products, packaging and campaigns that swim against the current and find creative ways to stand out. Got a suggestion for the column? Send me a comment.

Brie, Mushroom and Ham (Crustless) Quiche

I used to make 2 quiches a day when I ran a small restaurant. Of all the things I cooked, this was one that I never felt like eating. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE quiche. I just hate crust. With a craving for quiche recently, but no stomach for starch, I decided to wing it with absolutely no crust. It worked!

Quiche is a GREAT way to use up leftovers. You can put almost anything in it. As long as you have the base ingredients, the cheese, and about 2 cups of other flavour ingredients, you're good to go. Needing to work efficiently in the restaurant, I broke quiche-making into these steps:

Base for any quiche
• 3 eggs*
• 3/4 c milk

Cheese
Here’s where the dish can get interesting. Most any cheese will work. Even brie (a favourite of mine).
• 1 c shredded or chopped cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and brie leftovers)

“Flavour Ingredients”
Get out your leftovers! Choose items with flavours that will compliment each other and add up to about 2 cups. Get creative! (Let me know what you come up with!)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• A slice or two of baked ham, diced
• 1 cup of mushrooms, roughly-chopped
• 1 large handful of spinach, roughly-chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, beat the milk and eggs together. Mix in all the other ingredients. Butter, margarine or oil a pie baking dish. Pour the ingredients into it. Place in centre of oven, bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Can be served hot or at room temperature. Excellent with salad or soup.

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About Flavour Ingredients
I call the spices, herbs, vegetables and meat the “flavour ingredients”. This is usually where the quiche either gets its name or its unique flavour.

Rule of thumb: “flavour ingredients” should add up to about 2 cups to fit into your quiche dish.

After you’ve made a few, you’ll start instinctively knowing which ingredients and spices will work nicely together. Trust yourself; it’s difficult to go wrong with this dish.

Spices/herbs: I never use salt in quiche. Between the cheese and the meat, I find it ends up salty enough. Be careful about which herbs and spices you mix. Not all of them go well together. For example, I don’t think I’d put dill with anything else except curry. It is so unique that I wouldn’t want to mix it with something that wouldn’t let it express its own flavour. Curry is strong but, surprisingly, it doesn’t overpower dill. On the other hand, pepper is one of those spices that goes with everything! Great herbs and spices to put to quiche: pepper, dill, oregano, thyme, basil, or curry.

Vegetable ingredients: Quiche is a super way to top-up on vegetables without feeling like it’s a vegetarian dish that you’re making. Vegetables that are great in quiche: corn, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, onion, garlic, and shallots.

Meat ingredients: Meats are very flavourful so you don’t need much in a quiche. For example, 6 slices of chopped bacon will do. Meats that are great in quiche: bacon, ham, turkey, chicken, pork, or sausage.

*Remember to use free-run or free-range eggs! They taste fantastic and the hen gets to live a much nicer life. My Papa used to say “Vote with your dollar everyday!” I vote for farmers that treat their cash-cow ethically.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
— Marcel Proust

OSA Gallery Boutique "Winter 2011" Show

Ottawa School of Art recently held their competition for entering the "Winter 2011 Juried Exhibition". Three pieces of mine were accepted. The OSA is located adjacent to the Byward Market in downtown Ottawa, Ontario.

Woman-who-can-change-the-world, Entrepreneur, Philosopher, and Friend wins $75,000 on Dragon's Den!

Yay, Barb! You go, girl!!

WFN's Jamie Pistilli loves my fish art!

World Fishing Network's Jamie Pistilli, host of "Big City Fishing", has selected my art for his December 2010 column "Jamie’s Xmas List and Holiday gift ideas for the angler in your family". I made #6 on his list:

6. Need some fish related art work for your home? Why not ask for handmade custom fish art made out of recycled materials from Choleena DiTullio. The Muskoka chair turned into wall art is my personal favorite! Check out Choleena’s work at www.choleena.com

The complete article at WorldFishingNetwork.com: Jamie’s Xmas List and Holiday gift ideas for the angler in your family

My Newest Art

Click on any image to enlargen.

01
Fish Plant
Free-hanging sculpture. Acrylic on wood with terra cotta pots, brass hook and real plants.
36” x 13”


02
Sardine
Watercolour on Arches with recycled tin can and can’s key.
19.5” x 17”


03
Bluehead
Acrylic on stretched canvas
26” x 10”


04
Marquis de mer II
Watercolour and glow-in-the-dark acrylic with recycled found objects.
19.5” x 17”


05
Adirondack Fish
Acrylic on stretched canvas; complete recycling of a disassembled Adirondack chair.
144” x 54”


06
Fish Stick
Acrylic on stretched canvas with recycled jewelry.
8” x 8”


07
Fish T-shirts (adult)
100% cotton; printed in Canada. 4 different sizes in 4 different colours.


08
Fish T-shirts (kid)
100% cotton; printed in Canada. 4 different sizes in 4 different colours.


09
“Fish Tank” Tops (girls/women)
100% cotton; printed in Canada. 3 different sizes in 2 different colours.


10
Fish Greeting Cards
12 different designs; printed on recycled card stock; colour envelopes


11
Dragonfly Reflecting (mirror)
Recycled mirror and frame; hand-made paper; gold acrylic paint
10" x 10"