Sweet logo, eh? Bake a CBC Arts pie with Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin

Every month, we feature a new take on the CBC Arts logo created by a Canadian artist. Check out our previous logos!

Anyone else feeling hungry all of a sudden?

Yeah, me too. If I had this CBC Arts pie in front of me, there's no way I could save it for March 14. 

That's Pi Day, of course, and in the fun-loving spirit of the occasion, we hired one of the internet's foremost pastry wizards, Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, to bake us a logo that's literally sweet as pie. 

Clark-Bojin is a self-taught baker from Vancouver, and we first checked in with her back in 2018. Since then, her star's continued to rise. She's published three cookbooks and established herself as one of TV's go-to "pie experts," turning up on the Food Network, CNN and the Today Show.

Always striving to "pie-fect" her craft, it's taken her years of practice to execute realistic pop culture "pie-traits" — among other impressive bakes. But that shouldn't stop the home bakers out there from attempting a CBC pie of their own. Clark-Bojin made hers with raspberry filling, but she says any recipe will do. (That's good, because she didn't save us all a slice.)

In the video below, you'll see how Clark-Bojin made her CBC Arts pie topper.

Watch!

Ready to try it yourself?

If you're in need of a recipe, CBC Life has plenty to choose from. They even have tips for a no-fail bake. 

And Clark-Bojin has expert advice to share too. Pre-heat the oven and read on!

Name: Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, a.k.a. @ThePieous

Homebase: Vancouver

Your design looks absolutely amazing, but I'm dying to know how it tastes. What's your review?

Flaky, tangy and delicious! 

I get asked a lot if my pies are edible and if the pastry holds up after the artistic manipulation. The answer is that they are not only edible, but perfectly crisp and delicate. Otherwise, why bother creating in this medium? After all, if they didn't taste so good, I could save myself a lot of headache and just sculpt out of clay.

How do you select a filling when you're making pie art? Is it usually on theme, or is it more about what tastes good?

In my designs, I try to always let some filling show through the top pastry so that people can see at a glance what type of delicious pie they will be getting. This means I need to coordinate the colour and texture of that filling with the rest of the design, so those elements are always a primary consideration. Beyond that, I choose ingredients that I personally enjoy because I'm usually the one who eats my pies at the end of the shoot!

If someone wanted to make their own CBC Arts pie, would any recipe work? What bonus tips do you have for the bakers out there?

Absolutely any recipe will work for this design! My only tip for those wanting to make this pie at home is to freeze your top design before you bake it if you are using a particularly puffy dough, like puff pastry. This will help all the little details keep their shape in the oven.

What tools did you use to trace and cut your CBC gem pie crust?

For this pie I wanted to make sure I got the dimensions of the CBC gem exactly right, so I created a template of the logo using food-safe acetate, and cut around that with a food-safe precision blade. To finish it off, I used some silicone molds to create the flower shapes, and an assortment of pastry brushes to add the egg wash and vanilla wash.

You've been covered by dozens and dozens of media outlets over the years, including this one. Everyone wants a piece of your pie art! What's the project you're most proud of?

There isn't a single piece that springs to mind, but generally, I find my work most satisfying when a "one for me" pie unexpectedly gets a lot of love and attention from my audience. I try to alternate between subject matter that my clients choose, topics I know the general public will enjoy and things that just make me happy. Over the Garden Wall, Dark Crystal and Calvin and Hobbes definitely rank among my favourite "one for me" pies that I have shared over the years.

How do you keep things fresh? (Not literally — although I imagine you might have some tips for extending the shelf-life of homemade desserts.) What inspires you to keep making pie art?

I've worn a number of hats in my life as a creative. I tend to go all-in on a new subject for a while until I feel I've exhausted the potential and am ready to move on.

Pie art has stuck far longer than any other artistic medium I've dabbled in so far. I think one of the reasons for this is that it combines so many of my different passions: math, chemistry, engineering, sculpture, illustration, print-making, pop culture, etc. There is always something new to learn and discover and challenge me.

What's new in your world? What are you working on at the moment?

My book Pies Are Awesome: The Definitive Pie Art Book came out recently, and I have been promoting that along with my online pie art workshops. I have been working on a number of exciting, big new projects that I'm not at liberty to talk about just yet. I really can't wait to share some of those later this year, so keep your eyes on my social channels for announcements. 

What's your favourite place to see art?

The Vancouver Art Gallery is a favourite haunt, as are a number of the maker spaces and collectives around Gastown in Vancouver. That said, I have connected with so many wonderful new artists from all over the world through the digital realm, and I am constantly inspired by the scope and depth of their work. 

Who's the last artist you discovered online?

Oh gosh, there have been so-o-o many. I think most recently, a typewriter artist — James Cook out of London — has caught my eye. He creates stunning portraits and landscapes, all using just a typewriter. It requires a level of confidence in mark-making — and such a trained eye — to produce his calibre of work. It's a challenging and unforgiving medium. There is no "undo" on a typewriter. (Well, kinda. But it's not for the faint of heart.) The world of typewriter art is quite the magical rabbit hole. Do have a Google!

What work of art do you wish you owned?

I have a list. How much time do you have? 

I would absolutely adore owning one of the Popovy Sisters's stunning art dolls. And in case anyone is ever looking for last-minute Xmas presents (and has a couple million burning a hole in their pocket) I wouldn't say no to a Koons balloon dog!

Where can we see more from you?

I spend most of my time on Instagram and I pop in and out of Reddit fairly frequently. I try my best to respond to every message! I'm also on Twitter and TikTok as @ThePieous, and Facebook as "Pies Are Awesome," but the most reliable way to stay in touch with me through all the social-media upheavals these days is via my website and newsletter. 

Come on over and say hi! I always have a pie in the oven.

This conversation has been edited and condensed.