This is a 4″x6″ mixed media painting on paper covered canvas. This sides are .75″ and are pained red.
This painting is is $60 and is available HERE.
Red pushes the hood back, off of her head. Was it blocking her light or did Grandma look odd today? Was here nose larger than normal? No. Her eyes perhaps? No.
Her teeth?
Yes!
Her teeth were definitely bigger!
Poor Red.
What Do You See? 18″x24″ work in progress (mixed media painting on wood)
This is my path …
I was recently dropping off some art to Kaleido, a local festival and was struck by the amount of really good art. Like, REALLY good. I haven’t been working for awhile -boy summer DOES get in the way- and I had grabbed the few painting that I have left so, I wasn’t really feeling GREAT about my offering.
(YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS HEADING, DON’T YOU?)
ENTER MY FRIEND … the ego …
When I look at some artist’s work I feel kind of envious because their art is ‘cool’, ‘hip’ or ‘modern’. I think, ‘ I wish I did THAT’. I am sure that we all feel that some time or another, it is a sucky feeling isn’t? I hate feeling envious of someone ‘s life or art. I really try not to, but sometimes it is hard.
So I went home and I was feeling kind of icky in my belly. Bothered. Uneasy. I am sure that some of these feelings were coming from other things as well. I have a show in November that I have to paint …entirely … yikes …and I have several festival shows to get ready for … a lot of work … lucky I have so much spare time …ha, ha, ha!
But you know, I am getting good at kicking that ego out the door. I started thinking about the art I was liking and about my art and I realized that I couldn’t paint those paintings because they weren’t on my path. I am on my own path. Maybe my path isn’t as cool as a twenty somethings path but you know what is even less cool? Painting something that isn’t authentically you. Staying on coarse and painting honestly is always the right choice.
Today, as I work up in the loft for the first time in what seems like absolute ages, I feel really happy. I have all my textures and patterns, ripped up papers and images around me and I feel that even though I didn’t know I was filling the well while I was away, maybe the well was being filled. I have images of the west coast in my head, childhood memories and smells are a little closer to the surface and Emily Carr keeps stopping by. So this is good. This is very good.
I just want to express my gratitude at this turn in my life two years ago when I decided that I was an artist and I better start proving it. As I sit in my studio, I really have accomplished my dreams. How lucky am I? I get to be an artist. Life is good. I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate your support. You allow me to realize my dream to be an artist. Thanks.
I better get back on that path now …
This is a 6″x8″ mixed media painting on paper covered canvas. The sides are .5″ and are painted red. It is $67 and is available HERE.
This is a 3″x4″ mixed media painting on wood. The side are 1″ deep and are painted turquoise.
This painting is $40 and is available HERE.
During this visit to Victoria we have found our way to painting en plein air. I have to admit that it has never been my favorite pass time (painting outside, that is) it attracts way too many people. I have found, however, if I am not actually painting, it is fun for the kids to get that attention.
They were pretty happy when people commented on ‘the artists’ painting. The four of them have decided to call our excursions ‘art camp’ and are happy to paint anywhere any time. YEAH. There have actually been whole moments of silence!
Scarlett sketches flowers
Dylan
Jacob, Imogen and Scarlett
Art Camp Four
This is a 8″x10″ mixed media painting on paper covered canvas. The sides are 3″ deep and are painted turquoise. This painting is $190 and is available HERE
As a mother, I often feel like the moonlight. Trying to light the way for my children in a very dark and unknown environment. How can I know the best way through the forest? Clouds consistently block my light and make it impossible for me to catch those carefully placed bread crumbs even if the birds have missed them. ‘The blind leading the blind’ comes to mind. I am sometimes as childish as my children, as doe eyed, caught in the light as frequently as in the dark. I stumble around not knowing which way is up. Not exactly comforting for any child. I have yet to figure out how to ‘act’ like I know what I am doing and I think my girls see right through me. Perhaps you can fool them for a little while but after the age of four they start to realize that you are clueless as they are. Perhaps this is why they are always asking me ‘why?’. They realize that I don’t really know why and that I am just on auto pilot, which makes that question even more exasperating. I swore that I would never say ‘because I said so that is why’ …. uh, yeah that was when I was twenty and was fifteen years away from having kids. Sorry, twenty year old self, I haven’t just said it once either and don’t you dare ask me ‘why?’ because I really don’t know why this question is so hard to answer. Maybe it would mean stopping for a minute and thinking and who has time for that?
So, the idea of being the moon and lighting the way for my children is kind of silly but the dream is that I can do this and that I can protect them and guide them. And the even bigger dream is that they might just listen. So I paint my dreams and perhaps that will help them become a reality.
…Please go and support Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts!
This is a 9″x12″ mixed media painting on paper covered canvas. The sides are and are painted red.
This painting is $180 and is available HERE.
Trying to have fun in the studio. I find circus imagery always brightens things up for me. I just love the saturated colours that I can use (oh, and of course, sparkles).
This is a 4″x5″ mixed media painting on wood. The sides are 1″ and are painted turquoise.
This painting is SOLD
