• Artful Reflections,  People,  Travelling Colours

    New York Minute (sigh)

    Last week, I cannot believe it has been a week already, we had an opportunity to got to New York City!   Pretty unbelievable place.  Although there seemed to be far more people there than I remembered from the last time, the place is WONDERFUL! And bright! And colourful! We stayed right on Times Square for the first two nights. Right outside our hotel door seemed like millions of people. And then moved to Central Park for the next two. Took lots of photos, ate really well, walked until we dropped – quite literally!   And we took in “The Lion King” as well as The Museum of Natural History…

  • Lessons Learned,  My Painting Process,  Travelling Colours

    Hat Trick

    I am loving this technique I love that even with the layers of paint you can still see the impasto underpainting- in this cast the texture I created by painting through burlap.  The process is mess and I admit I am quite nervous with as I usually know almost exactly what I am doing.  Not quite the case with complex underpainting processes and also with poured watercolour paintings. The element of surprise and then the reality of what in the heck am I going to do with this? I admit I am a planner.  I will decide on a element whether it be the subject or the texture and think…

  • Lessons Learned,  My Painting Process,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    The Do Over

    Have you ever started a painting and just went for it? And then you step back and look at it and feel compelled to say holy crud! In the early stages a lot of work will look positively awful well, not right. You have a vision and stick with it only to create a miracle of sorts as you pull it together and it becomes the painting you were going for! Then there is the painting that builds and it does nothing for you.  You stand back to admire and scrutinize your work.  You get nothing.  It is not talking to you at all. There is no choice but to…

  • Events,  Kudos,  My Plein Air Adventures,  Travelling Colours

    I Had a Total Blast

    2013 SKB Workshop in Dubois WY Wyoming was everything I had hoped it would be and more!   A very special photo of me receiving a 2nd Place Award Ribbon in Water Colour from Sir John Seerey-Lester (sigh).  He told me that my painting was really a lovely little piece! I so love meeting my friends from Art Colony Blog in person and getting to know them!  We had so much fun. We created so many memories and have the photos to prove it!  We have photos with ourselves with an amazing group of famous artists..Robert Bateman, Morten Solberg, Greg Beecham, Sir John Seerey-Lester and his wife Suzy, Carl Purcell…

  • Events,  My Plein Air Adventures,  Travelling Colours

    Planning My Packing

    I am excited beyond belief! In less than two weeks I will be travelling to Dubois, WY where I will be painting to my heart’s content. Dubois is known for its western flavour and also being cowboy country with real ranches! Its also the location of the Susan Kathleen Black Foundations workshop that I will be attending. This is a major life experience for me. This is the first time I am travelling that far on my own with three flight changes. Adding to the excitement that I plan to meet up with a group of women that I only know online! Additionally we all plan on visiting Yellowstone National…