Tide pool

Minis: Tide pool - prince of tides 

Keeping busy, tide pool #2 three amigos

And #1 conch 

Beach dreams are good dreams in January. 

Rondeau Lotus

A few years ago, I was privileged to go to the Lotus gardens near Rondeau Bay (Ontario).
The gentleman who grew them, was at that time well into his 80's.  He remembered a time when the Lotus grew in abundance in the bay, and had taken it upon himself in retirement to bred native lotus, and try to restore them to the area.  Unfortunately, I don't remember his name, and a google search bears no recent mention of him or his gardens, but his legacy is evident, as the yellow lotus is now re-established in this it's northern most range.

The native yellow's weren't in bloom while we were there, but I did get photo's of this pink lotus.  I've painted it a few times, each time totally different.  As I was photographing this rendition, the sun peeped out and side lit it for a few moments, I've included both a frontal, and side lit shot, just for fun.   

Mini Shows, Mini Works

February is Mini Show time, and there are a bunch of them out there. The only one I'm planning on entering this year is the one at Portside. A gal could go nuts trying to do 'em all! This little piece is call 'Spring Dawn' and is only 2.5 inches by 3, on terra skin.
I have a connected arts piece to do asap too... I plan to do it before we get the gallery building on February 1, we're gonna be VERY busy getting everything ready so we can open on March 1st, which won't leave a lot of time for painting.
What's connected arts? Glad you asked!

Phillip Schmidt is an amazing explorer/photographer. His photographic work of out of the way, and largely unseen places is breathtaking. He has for several years been putting on a showcase that he calls the 'Connected Arts' where he challenges artists of several disciplines including visual, musical, and literary arts, to interpret one of his photos. His vision being that all of the arts spring from the same well, and are therefore gifts connected in ways most of us don't appreciate. He's working to correct that.

Landscape is not my Forte, and I hope I'm up to the challenge. It's an honor to be asked to participate and I'm certainly going to try.

Farewell to friends

Some of you might remember Rod Fuller. At the last Dorchester Artist Network Show, Rod was our featured guest artist. His wonderful powerful abstracts stole the show, and drew rave reviews from everyone who saw them.

I met Rod at Mount Hope where he and Adrienne Anglehart were both in the art therapy program. they both quickly became favorites of mine, and sadly this week we lost them both. Rod to Huntingtons, and Adrienne to the flue.

I will miss them both.

Please forgive if my posts become sporadic for a while, my own lovely Mum is in the hospital, initially with the same flue, but now... well tests (waiting results) and time will tell.

I will keep painting through this, insanity would ensue if I didn't. but my production goals will I'm afraid take a hit.

this weeks offerings are, "house guest" a mini painting of a house finch that will be at the Art Gallery of Lambeth for the mini show (March), and rather oddly a picket for a picket fence the Hort society is donating to a hospital in Sudbury, each chapter was to paint/decorate one, guess who was voluntold in our chapter :)

Blackberry lily, Austin roses

February is flying away, the hint of spring we had earlier this week was a harbinger of things to come and I for one can't wait.




Next Saturday I'll be at the Eastwood Ladies Day, fund raiser for MS. The speaker is Sue Minns, whom I understand is hilarious. It's at Eastwood Baptist and starts at 9:00, running until 2:00pm. Ya coming?




This weeks paintings are for the miniature show at our Gallery in Lambeth, the Opening is Sunday March 6, 1-4. Teeny tiny paintings are addictive, once you wrap your mind around the difficulties of painting that small.



The blackberry lily pops up all over my garden, true to it's name the seed heads mature into bunches of black berries that the birds love and spread around.

The roses are from pic's of my Lillian Austin roses. I really love this rose, it's beautiful and the scent will knock you over, unfortunately it has taken a beaten this winter, it has gone from up right to prostrate under the weight of all the snow, the rabbits have taken advantage and chewed it up. I know they have to eat too, but why do they always chew up my favorite plants?

Looking for a Bumble Bee, Subtle Beauty

The first painting for this week 'Subtle Beauty' celebrates the 'Common Wood Nymph'. These little brown butterflies have bands of gold surrounding the 'eye spots' on their wings that catch the light and transform a plain Jane into Cinderella. Though called common, they aren't so common anymore. The Caterpillar host plants are grasses, in our manicured pest controlled world that's a bad place to be a bug.

The second painting is called 'Looking for a Bumble Bee'. One of my favorite native plants, columbine has very long nectar tubes that have evolved especially for long tongued pollinators bumble bees, hummingbirds, and hawk moths. Nature is fascinating!

Classes are getting going again after a hiatus in January. I have a kids 6-12 class going at the Art Gallery of Lambeth on Thursday nights, and Catherine and I have a March break kids class we're accepting registration for. All of the details are on my website along with details of other classes I'm offering.

I've got to get my minis done for the March Miniature Madness show at the AGL, so back to the studio I go, talk soon!

4 shows one week

Are you ready to party!?
Our gallery the Art Gallery of Lambeth just opened our 'Red Show', Tomorrow Saturday Feb 5, 2-4 is the opening (art speak for party) for the Amabile fund raiser Art Show at Masonville Library. Sunday is the opening at Portside in Port Stanley for their Miniature show, 1-4, and yesterday I hung my solo show at One London Place. All of these shows are hanging for the whole month. I've been crazy the last few weeks trying to get work ready for all of these, this painting didn't quite make it in. 'Technical difficulties' so to speak, all is well now though.
The butterflies in this work are Red Admirals, the bouquet includes their host plant nettles, yup the stinging kind, as well as horse nettles. We might hate them, but the Admirals literally can't live without them. If you have a corner of the yard where you can let the nettles grow, the Admirals will thank you, as will several other members of the brush foot family.

Mini paintings for Portside

February is Miniature Month at Portside Gallery and the Art Exchange, so I've been busy getting little guys done. These three are 4x4 which is the maximum size allowed. I don't think I'll frame them, just present them gallery style, I like them neck-ed so to speak, although some times I think they sell better if they're framed, sigh.

The Tiger Swallowtail is pictured with his host plant, the tulip poplar, and the Pearl Crescent is with hers, the aster. The poppy on the other hand is just for fun, a.k.a. I loved the photo.

You know of course I'm taking advantage of all of you kind people out there in internet land. By outing my production goal to you kind folks, I'm compelled to meet it. Maybe I should do the same for my marketing goals, marketing being a necessary evil that I love to hate!

3 New paintings, cardinal, daisy, and sunrise

I hope your Holy day was wonderful, full of family and good times.
Looking forward, lets all pray for a 2011 that see's a healing of the world. I wish for all, peace, understanding, and freedom from want for the new year.
Last month, I set for myself a goal to complete 2 small works each week, and despite flues, snows and holy days I've accomplished that. So now I'm going to increase that goal to 1 small plus 1 medium sized painting each week, or 1 large.
February is going to be a nutty month, with shows galore, Portside and Art Exchange both have their Miniature Shows, Art Gallery of Lambeth has a Paint the Town Red Show, all of which I need work for, and I have a solo show at One London Place. So I have to meet or exceed my painting goals or I'm gonna be S.O.L.





I've got lots of paintings stacked up, the problem is that my style has been evolving at such a breakneck speed over the last year, that a lot of the older work is not relevant (to me) anymore. So, I would like to have all new work for all of these shows. Impossible? I choose to believe it's not, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....

Tiny 'flying jewel' paintings of butterflies

With the gallery's grand opening just days away, I've been working like mad trying to get some new work done. The SEB business course I spent the summer taking, was very informative, but it meant that I didn't get as much work ready as I normally would, and now I'm paying for that.

A couple of opportunities have been missed, and while there isn't much I can do about it, I'm still annoyed with myself.

I'm investigating having these paintings reproduced on plak-it mounts. I've had photo's plaked, and when I saw that Vivian Tserotas has had some of her work reproduced on plaks, I thought hmmm, that would work!

A paper reproduction didn't appeal to me, and there are issues with fading with canvas reproductions. I like the chunkiness of plaks so we'll see. Then of course finding shops to sell them is the next step.

Seedy Saturday, Mini Paintings

Every year I swear I'm gonna do better at keeping my receipts in order, then at tax time...I swear.

This week the air has been full of blueish grumbles, don'cha love tax time.

On an arty-er note the season has started. I'm actually not sure that it ever really has an ending or beginning, it slows down over the winter and then goes into high gear again come spring.

Next weekend March, 13, is Seedy Saturday, great stuff and ideas for your garden, from the London Middlesex Master Gardeners, Seeds of Diversity, and the City of London.

10-3:30 at Siloam United Church on Fanshaw Road, west of Highbury in London, Ontario.

For more info go to http://www.londonmiddlesexmastergardeners.com/

Catherine and I will be sharing a table at this event. I've had the guys at the Print Studio

make more print cards for me.

These little impressionist landscapes are 2 inches square, and they will be there too.

I'm trying to come up with a 'product line' for art fairs and events of this sort.

I'm also going to be opening a Zazzle shop this spring. Zazzel is a print on demand service that allows you to put your art on 'stuff'. They take care of the printing, shipping etc. Who knows it might be fun, and hopefully lucrative.

This is all part of my business plan that I made as part of the federal Self Employment Program that was cancelled last fall, it has been re-instated. I don't know if I will re-qualify as they've 'tightened' the criteria, doesn't matter, I'm doing this (art) anyway.

Pet Portraits in Charcoal

Life has been hectic around here. Since the beginning of the year every member of my immediate family has had a life changing experience. Between medical issues (hubby) career change (youngest) a second grand-baby on the way (eldest and his wife) (yeah!!) etc etc it's been an anxious/interesting/exciting/terrifying (no particular order) year so far! Oh and happy Valentines day :-)

My part time job has been going through some changes too, key people leaving, accounts changing. This week I had to work extra hours, which when you're not used to it, is tiring. I'm not sure how all of the changes there are going to affect me yet, I really like this job so I have my fingers crossed...

This week I painted my kitchen. Mindless and instantly gratifying was just what I needed. Of course, being moi, I had to do a technique. All of those years teaching faux painting at Home Depot bubbled to the surface, and my kitchen is now a warm apricot 'Venetian plaster', it's a very 'happy' kitchen now.

These charcoals are the way I amuse myself in the evening when I'm too tired to work in my studio, I can lose myself in the value patterns, as form of meditation, it works every time. Also just what a person needs in times of stress.

Drawing has always been a part of my life. Anywhere, any time, is a good time to draw. I carry charcoal in my purse, and whip it out anytime I have to sit and wait, which used to embarrass my kids to no end.

I now have more info on the Art Phart-Salon in the Saloon at Jim Bob Ray's

It's Thurs Feb 25th, the show starts at 3pm and closes at 11pm. It's designed to showcase local artists and to be a fundraiser for The ARTS Project

There will be a band. Whiplash, is a fine collection of local blues players:Dan Braatz on vocals and harp; Mike Breen on guitar; Kevin Denome on bass and Charlie Partridge on drums. They will play two sets between 9:00pm and 11:00pm.

Admission is $5 only to help pay for the band.

Don't forget the Salthaven benefit

A charity dinner on Wednesday February 24 at 6:00PM - 9:30PM at Waldo's on King in London. Enjoy a delicious dinner, wildlife presentation, silent auction, door prizes and musical entertainment.Tickets are $30 and seating is limited. Contact Jeve at 519-204-5383 to purchase tickets or donate auction items.

The mini show at Portside is going well, so if you haven't yet make sure you stop by.

Well my sweetie is taking me out for valentines brunch, so that's it until next week, have a fantastic week.

Febuary Newsletter

　
Well here we are at winters half way point.
The days are getting longer, and the wild things are starting to think of love.
Recently I’ve been noticing hawk pairs sitting together surveying their territories, and I’ve watched the rabbits ‘frolicking’ in my garden. How appropriate that Valentines Day is just around the corner.
The Belmont Horticultural Society recently hosted Brian Salt of Salthaven Wild life refuge. With him came Chaukar a hawk they had rescued. Brian is a dynamic and informative speaker, who’s mission of wild life conservation and rescue alines with my own mission of environmental education. We found much to talk about after the meeting and as a result, I’m working on a painting of one of their bald eagles. With luck it will be ready for their silent auction fund-raiser at the end of February. We are both hoping this will be the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship, resident artist... how cool would that be!
February is also the month for Miniature shows. I, and several other artists are in the Portside Gallery show, which runs Feb. 1-28, gallery hours 11-5 pm daily, the opening is Sun Feb 7, 1-4pm.
Several of my chums are in the Art Exchange show, how ever, after a run in with H1N1 over New Years, I was only able to get work ready for one show. C’est le vive.
Betty Burell-Beaudry and I are sharing wall space at the Port Stanley Library,( next to the lift bridge) for the month. Betty does lovely water colours of local scenery. You really must check it out.
The recipe for this month is a fast and hearty bean soup, as I’m sure you know the soluble fibre in legumes is a natural reducer of ‘bad’ cholesterol, so here’s to happy hearts in February!
　
Ham and Bean Soup
In a large pot combine:
1/4 pound of diced ham
3 medium onions chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
2-3 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon savory
1 can of rinsed chickpeas
enough water to cover by two inches
Boil for two minutes, turn down heat and simmer for ½ hour.
Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Remove bay leaves and puree, stir in another 1/4 pound of diced ham.
Serves 8.
　
Remember to look for the beautiful in everyday,
Links: Salthaven
Portside Gallery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Portside Miniature show

It's time for the February Miniature shows again!

This year I've only entered the Portside Gallery show in Port Stanley, 195 Main St. (the street that goes to 'little beach').

The opening is 1-4 p.m. Sunday Feb 7th.

Come by, see the art, and meet the artist's.

The show runs Feb 1-28, 11-5 p.m. daily.

The concept of mini's is a very old one. Before photography wealthy families would have mini's painted of marriageable daughters to send to prospective husbands. Men would have mini's of their mistress painted, and one would hope of their wives and family. Artist's would paint mini's to give to prospective customers to look at, rather like artists today have a photo portfolio of their work to show.

ACEO's or artist trading cards are a modern take on the latter, early on they, as the name implied, were for artists to trade among themselves. Trading cards evolved into ACEO's or art cards-editions and originals which are for sale by artists. Most of the participants in the painting-a-day phenomenon are painting ACEO's.

Miniatures don't necessarily comply to the 3x4 inch size that is the ACEO's standard, and unlike ACEO's are framed.

Whether ACEO, or Mini, this small art is very collectible, both the size and the price making them easy to live with.

February Miniature shows

I'm finally back up to speed and working like mad to make up for lost time.
I think this is the longest I've ever gone without posting. Between THE flue, which was absolutely horrible, and the after Christmas doldrums, I've let two weeks slip by... not like me at all!
The February Mini shows are fast approaching, at Portside and the Art Exchange.
I've been experimenting with some rather different stuff (for me). 'Wall jewelry' is the concept I'm working on. Not all of the mini's in this picture are done, but this will give you an idea of where I'm going with this.
I'm using my beloved metallics, and incorporating beading and found objects. We'll see if I like it enough to put in the shows.
I also did caricatures at a party last week, the mom picked up my card when I was doing caricatures at one of the street festivals last year. It was like old, old times, once upon a long time ago I was a clown, and was booked for kids parties just about every weekend, sometimes several. Caricatures are much more dignified, and certainly less energy draining, then clowning, although I was feeling it by the time I was done LOL!

mother and child done

Done I hope.
After much fiddling around and about 10 hours of banging head against wall.... I'm finally happy with Mom's hand, mostly.
I have to wait for the paint to cure, before I'm sure, but...... here's hoping.
The studio tour was a success. Thank you, to all who helped make it so, and thank you to all of you who came out. I will be putting an accounting on the tour website, just as soon as all of the cheques clear, and the bills come in. It looks like we made approx $149.00 for cancer research. That is just what we collected in fees, after expenses, with the donations the artist's collected added in. The 'attractions' will I hope have put out their jars and I hope they've collected donations too, we'll soon know.
The Relish Elgin Magazine was here, during the tour, in the form of reporter Deborah Bagshaw, and her photographer, sorry I've forgotten his name. They've written a lovely article for their website.
We were blessed with wonderful weather, the only descent weather this fall. What a year it's been, weather wise.
'Twas the Art Before Christmas is fast approaching, just a couple of more weeks... the 'other piece' I'm working on has to be ready for that. I have 6 pieces going into that show, counting the one that's not done, so, back to work!

rose and bee finished painting

Perhaps the title should be rose and bee finished?

Twice before I thought this one was done, and then when I turned on the studio lights the next morning... it wasn't. Some paintings are very demanding, they want more attention, then more again. So - third time the charm, as they say, and I think it is done this time.

Spirals are symbolic of eternity, and re-birth, and of the power of nature. They are found in many cultures, especially the Celts, -my own ethnic roots- and perhaps that's why I find them so attractive.

When combined with environmental issues the symbolism is particularly poignant, we need the power of nature and re-birth to survive.

The full richness of the rose hip is symbolic in this painting of my hopes for the future of life on this planet. The miniature the rose hips are painted on also has a snippet of my personal history on it. Attached is a telling of a story my Mom shared with us many times of her childhood in war time Britain. Rose hips are one of the planets richest sources of Vitamin 'C' and so the children were sent out to the hedgerows to gather them, as the Nazi blockade of shipping meant fruit, and other foods were in short supply.

Don't forget that Art in the heart of London is still on, Sundays, on the Cloister lawn at St Paul's Cathedral. The summer is quickly waning, and outside art festivals will soon be over for another year, so join us, have some coffee and treats, enjoy the music and art, for fall is around the corner.

Award Nomination

I think most people work as hard for recognition, as they do for tangible rewards, ie money. I'm no different.
So being nominated for an award is incredibly rewarding.
The former Communities in Blooms, ( I'm not sure what it's now called, but it reflects CIB's expanded reach) gives out awards of different criteria, one of which is environmental awareness
and that is what I, and my art is up for.
The committee is coming next Monday to interview me and take photo's of my work. Wish me luck!
The little pic's posted here are some of the small pieces I framed up last week. It's interesting seeing how much more appealing they are to people, then when they were unframed. There is a ongoing debate in the arts community regarding framing, should we, should we not... I'm definitely falling onto the should side, for small pieces anyway, larger ones.... what do you think?
Don't forget, Friday is the "First Friday" in Port Stanley. We had lots of fun last time, join us, there is lots to see and do. It's almost like a monthly street party.
I've been asked to show some of my work at Pinecroft on Saturday, and Sunday is of course. art in the heart of London.
I just hung part of my 'at risk' series in Joe Preston's, and another piece in the Elgin Tourism office. So all in all it's been a busy week.
I have another piece under way, it has a strange little story attached to it, but I'll tell that when I can show you the piece.

Cardinal Painting, Cardinal triumvirate

The cardinals are a composite of pictures I took during the winter of Cardies at my feeders.
They and the chickadee's are the most loyal customers I have. Well there are the sparrows too, several kinds I must add.
Looking at this painting (another of those 5x15's) on the screen I see a bit of work to be none yet on the bottom cardinal, that's another great reason to post them here, 'cause I see them a bit differently when they're on the screen. The colours etc are true, I just see them a bit more impartially.
I've only had two days in my studio this week. I've worked 5 full days this week and will next also, between Thomas the Tank Engine, (caricatures 8.00, all proceeds to the museum) and filling in for people on Holidays in the plant care business- London Interiorscapes- . I'm just not used to that any more, oh my, how quickly my body forgets.
I've also been framing up some of the little 3x5's that I did in the spring. They seem to sell better that way, but it's very time consuming. The HomesteadHouse milk paint you see, and the polycrylic finish are for the frames, not the paintings... I only use Golden and Liquitex artist supplies. I want my work to last. I will say though that HomesteadHouse is great paint.
The Big New Thing this week, is I finally started up on Facebook. I was concerned that it would just be another time waster, and I limit myself to a max of 1 hour daily to the I-net, but I quickly have come to see why it's so popular!

Cherryhill Show

These are the ACO's that I have left after the Cherryhill opening, remember my show special continues until the end of the month.( unmounted ACO's $20.00, mounted and framed $60.00)

I have been asked to speak at Old East Studios re: my twin passions of gardening and the environment On Friday night April 24th 7-9 pm. I will have ACO's and other new art there too. I hope you can make it, I love these chances to provide some education and strive to make them interesting and informative.

Our opening at Cherryhill was dynamite! Thankyou all for coming, what a blast. We have a few new stories to add to the archives... remember the art is there until the end of April. Catherine and I will be there periodically, you can e:mail us and we will let you know when (use the comment button)

Hold onto your hats because the list of upcoming events just keeps getting longer. If you aren't on my e:mail notification list, and would like to be please hit the comment button found at the bottom of each post give me your e:mail address and I'll add you. Comments are NOT visible unless you/I choose that option so don't worry, no one else will see your e:address. Or you can subscribe to this blog, see the top right sidebar, and check the Shows etc. section.

Plans to develop gallery space are steaming ahead, so stay tuned, exciting developments are brewing.