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Great News “Call of the Raven” Won an Award at the CPSWC Open Water Show
Dear Helen, we are thrilled to inform you that your painting Call of The Raven has been awarded theD.L Stevenson Award, (Gift certificate award)…. Congratulations on this prestigious prize. Pretty exciting. Especially since I embarked on a project to paint ravens with the CSPWC Open Water juried show in mind. Last year when we visited Yellowstone National Park there were a number of particularly friendly ravens in the parking lot at Artist’s Point. They were walking around the travel trailers looking for handouts and cawing their hearts out. One raven in particular was following me around and without being intrusive, I was able to get many really nice reference photos.…
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Don’t Butter Me Up
Buddy here is an interesting crab He is really big. Covered in barnacles and maybe tough and old! It’s so big that the crows and seagulls thought better of going after him. They were very much interested but he was too big for them to tackle. He was very aware they were nearby. Not sure how crabs hear but for sure they can see. He kept turning into their direction to keep an eye on them. From what I have observed throughout my entire beach combing experience is that crabs are really on this planet as a food source. So many things and especially birds want to eat them. Hence…
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Recap first 14 Days and a stall tactic
So… Day 15s painting is going to take 2 days to paint. It is well underway…just no way close to being finished. I sort of promised myself I would not fall into my own detail trap – but I did. Day 15 will be day 15 & 16
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That September Feeling in the Air
Ahhh, the scent of fall You know it. A slight crispness in the air. Freshly sharpened pencils. And new art supplies for a project! On the same line – one of my favourite memories is how excited my kids would get for their new “school suppiezes”. I think I know where they got it! Look at all these goodies Aquabord, Claybord and Gessobord. A fresh tube of white acrylic paint. I mean how did I ever allow myself to run out of white paint is almost beyond anything I can comprehend. But I did. And a replacement gray strippable pallet. With these supplies in my studio I can get down…
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Plein Air at the Red Head dyke
The best intentions do not always go according to plan I had the day planned with intentions to paint in the morning at the dyke in Red Head. Got up. The sun was shining. Yes a wonderful day to paint Plein Air. I loaded up the car and drove into Saint John. As I approached town you could not help but notice the fog. Heavy fog over the Bay. Fog so thick you could not see Partridge Island, my intended target for the day. Anyway I set up my easel. Got my pallet out, poured water into the funny blue cup you see there on the easel. Then one…
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Painting at the Nature Park
Oxymoron alert Yesterday was such a beautiful day that I had to get outdoors and paint. Oxymoron alert – Spontaneity like this requires a lot of thinking on my part. Do I want to take my watercolours? Or perhaps my Oils? Or even acrylics? As I pondered and gathered up all my stuff, I decided to bring both watercolours and acrylics. Ran through the usual checklist, water – check, paper towels – check, garbage bag- check, hat- check etc. Finally felt I was ready to go with he car all packed up. Then another decision – where to go? I went to Meenans Cove Beach but was unable to…
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I see you – painting of a sparrow
I See You is an 8″ x 10″ acrylic painting on Claybord of a white throated sparrow watching me from my apple tree. Luckily, I almost always have a camera on the ready within reach. On this particular day I was perched on my deck, hunkered down, camera focused on our bird feeders. The birds were so active. Swooping in for a sunflower seed and then rushing off with their treasure to peck it open. And then swooping back in for another. Over and over and over again. The only problem is how fast they move. Just as soon as I would get one little bird in focus, poof it…
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Two in their new home
Ever since I painted these two dahlias, my daughter Jenn has had her eye on them. We finally had the opportunity to get them out to Vancouver without the hefty shipping charges. How you ask? Out of the frames, off the stretcher bars, rolled in towels and placed in her sister’s suitcase. Although it is a bit risky to put valuables in a suitcase, it worked and they arrived safely. Although I probably would not recommend this by the way. Do as I say, not as I do My father had an expression that made me crazy “do as I say, not as I do”. And here I am…
