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Sunny Serenade, A Lilac story
Lilacs: More Than Just a Pretty Flower I was recently asked why I love to paint lilacs. I think because they evoke an emotional response when you see them. They certainly do for me. It’s like they transport you back to a simpler time. Lilacs are mood-setters. Their soft purples, lavenders, and lilac tones feel like nature’s way of giving us a big, cozy hug. In art, they’re all about springtime vibes, fresh starts, and a hint of nostalgia. Much like when you catch a faint floral scent on a sunny day. And this is an interesting that when I’m painting lilacs I feel like I can actually smell their scent.…
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The missed shots
Thinking about all the bird photos that weren’t meant to be This post is a tribute to all the photos I meant to take, the ones that got away, the ones I thought I actually captured – because those might be some of the best images that I imagined i could translate onto canvas. What I managed to capture are images of the feeder swaying after a take off. Bird rumps and tail shots. Blurry birds and fuzzy feathers. Innumerable bad shots. The ever elusive blue jay. I’ve missed the blue wonder countless times, and with every miss I had to laugh a little more. I mean what else could…
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Where oh where has my Get Up and Go gone?
Where oh where can it be? I was laying back in my gravity chair taking in all the senses a late summer day offers. When inspiration for a new blog post hit me. I was lamenting my lack of productivity and the lame excuses that I had for not painting. Hit me hard enough that I got out of the comfy gravity chair and went directly to my laptop to get it started before the MASTER Procrastinator in me could strike again and I’d put it off waiting for a rainy day. However, I am productive on rainy days. My motto has always been if the sun’s out – I’m…
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How is it July already?
How is it July already? I am in shock at how fast this year is going. Please summer, won’t you slow down just a little for us? The moods of Lac Cameron, PQ We recently travelled to Ontario and then to Quebec to visit with our family and to help them build a deck at their lakeside cottage. The lake of course, is incredibly beautiful and ever changing. I did not paint on days when we had torrential rains (well, maybe before the rain started) and with high winds. I never really considered that high temperatures would also be a deterrent. Biting bugs I understand and I regularly hide form…
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Playing with ChatGPT
I’ve been thinking that I should be more open to new technologies and decided to play with ChatGPT. I was working on a painting of a lupin with a bee and frankly was stumped how to describe my work. I was looking for prompts – sometimes when I am painting my energy is all about how I want the painting to look not necessarily on how i’m going to describe it. Quite often I have a notebook where I write down my thoughts as I paint for this reason – sometimes not always and definitely not in this case. So I turned to ChatGPT for inspiration. The result was superfluous,…
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The Prince of Rockwood Park
An oil painting of a Majestic Whitetail Deer Young Buck In the heart of a nearby city park is a forested area that is enjoyed by hikers and wildlife alike. This is a quiet place where you may often see whitetail deer, among other wildlife. I met this young buck while out on an adventure hoping to photograph some birds. The Prince of Rockwood Park. When I pulled into the parking lot, I was quite surprised to see this young buck accompanied by his harem. I managed to get some ok photos from the car and figured I’d get photos of the trail once they left. The trail was nicely…
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Home Away From Home
Travelling with paint adds another dimension as well – weight – so you have to be really discriminating as to what you pack. The other challenge is this is the shoulder season with spring creeping in on winter so you need clothes and footwear to bridge both seasons. More weight. I had to be really selective with my art supplies. I packed up my art supplies so I’d be able to “studio” paint while visiting my daughter and her family on the West Coast. My home away from home whenever the opportunity arises. Since this is still the rainy season in Vancouver, water mixable oils and Plein Air painting are…
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Spring Scentsation
Scent of Spring and some self reflection
Well, I’ll be spuddled
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Well, I’ll be spuddled
Well…I’m a thinking that I’ll be Spuddled Definition: to work ineffectively: to be very busy while achieving absolutely nothing Spuddle. A lovely new word that often describes my quest as a Master Procrastinator. Makes one feel productive in the middle of avoidance. And it’s fun to say. All of this supports one of my other claims to fame of getting things done on deadline – just under the wire – squeaking through as the saying goes- some of us (namely me) apparently work better under pressure. The desire to spuddle often hits when I am about two thirds done a painting. In this case two of them. Close enough I…
