Joanna's Blog

2012-01-22T11:49:00.003-05:00

This image started out as a photo taken in Florence of a restaurant window, with layers of very loose painterly renderings of flowers in digital art programs and a little digital graffiti to tie it all together. Printed on fabric, this could be part of an art quilt or a background to an illustration.

Wow! Is it too late to say Happy New Year!? It was a quiet Christmas and New Year's and a time to soak in family time, lots of good food (too much good food), music, and new books (lots of great books). A time to forget about schedules, but…….it's also nice to get back to a "new" normal.

Some of my time was spent re-organizing my studio and workspaces and list the things I'd like to pursue this year, usually based on what was successful from the preceding year. I take advantage of the clean slate the new year provides by auditioning some new projects. I'm feeling a tiny bit guilty about straying too far from my painting but on the other hand feel I should pay attention to the little sparks (like fireflies) going on in my brain.

Painting.....forever and always will be painting. A continuation of the small format paintings is a sure thing but I have some larger formats I'd like to work on again this year.

Art quilts however are one of those little sparks that I may have to make time for. I have a weakness for fabrics and have been steadily building a collection of silks and organzas to play with. Now I guess I have to justify those purchases (hehe). The quilts I have in mind are more painterly and definitely more contemporary than my paintings. Having this quieter time has enabled me to settle on a design I'd like to pursue which makes it easier to assemble fabrics and audition techniques.

Illustration…..(I'm trying to learn Adobe Illustrator by myself??) Watercolor and digital collage snuck into my painting time the latter part of 2011 and I have this burning desire to learn how to do more vector work. An interesting note is that the digital explorations will be an important part of the fabric used in the art quilts. So we'll see what 2012 brings. Focus will be an important word for me this year.

Jewellery is not a separate category for me. It is simply another art form like miniature sculptures. An on going journey to reach a comfort level with acquired skills. I love the learning aspect. (Enamelling this year!)

Focus is what I did not want to do this month of January (the rest of the year definitely). It was meant to be a month of play, experiments and uninhibited creativity. I have assembled my reference material, re-arranged my studio, shopped for fabrics to alter to my hearts content and practiced with many fun free apps available for digital manipulation until I decided on which ones to pursue.

Here's to 2012....a new creative journey begins!

2011-12-31T23:45:00.001-05:00

With minutes to spare before the New Year I'd like to thank visitors to my blog for your kind words of encouragement. I am happy with the direction I took painting smaller formats and look forward to more
creative endeavours in 2012 as I hope you are too. May you be blessed with all that you need and most of what you want. Love, health and happiness, Happy New Year!

A Little Something for Me

2011-12-09T13:42:00.001-05:00

...and that little something would be "time". The Christmas season feels closer to me when I'm creating something. It is such a wonderful time of year for creating and yet is the most difficult time to complete anything. I was determined to reclaim some time to do something that was not required but simply for the joy of it. Painting at least three seasonal subjects would make me happy. I may not get to finish this one until early next week after I return from Boston but I'm quite content to see it on my easel and if I'm lucky I'll start another.

Illustrations Framed

2011-11-18T12:29:00.001-05:00

These are prints from illustrations created by me for the cooking school Tavola Mia. They appear on labels on a series of imported olive oils and vinegars from Italy distributed by Maria Loggia to complement her recipes that are being published into her second cookbook.

I love how they look printed and framed as I had originally meant them to be seen only at label size.

I may design a new series specifically to be framed now that I see how they look.

This week

2011-11-14T16:46:00.001-05:00

Michel Oosterhaut from the Netherlands has an online project where he posts a painting of an apple painting from artists around the world appropriately called "An Apple a Day"
Today my painting is featured!

I have just finished unpacking from the wonderful One of a Kind Show here in Hudson. It's a lovely venue (the Whitlock Golf and Country Club) and the other artisans are truly amazing. My painting of the Chickadee from two posts back found a home and my silk scarves sold out. (Yes I know, I am a painter and jewellery designer so what was I doing with silk scarves??) I occasionally need to indulge in some sewing projects in order to justify my craving for beautiful fabrics. I'll post pictures in another day or so as soon as I re-group for the season ahead. Custom order have my focus now.

Radishes II

2011-11-09T08:21:00.002-05:00

Radishes II

6" x 8"

Oil on canvas panel

This is the time of year for exhibitions and I'm preparing for the last two of the season. So posting is a little more sparse. This is the last of the veggie paintings for now. I still have some Fall subjects to post

and yet we're heading into the winter season. The red/green color combination makes me happy. Makes me think of Christmas........

Chickadee

2011-11-03T08:45:00.001-04:00

Chickadee

5" x 7" oil on canvas (framed)

SOLD

Time to put up more bird feeders. I moved from the corner of the room where the feeders hang outside my window and have neglected to notice when the feeders were empty. It doesn't take long for these birds to move on when their food supply fails to appear and I miss them. So that is on my "to do" list

today or else I won't have any more references to paint from!

Can you hear me now?

2011-10-26T12:44:00.003-04:00

I would imagine they said that a lot way back when they used this kind of telephone. I love my iPhone but this is a thing of beauty. Painted in oils on stretched canvas.

Can you hear me now?

Oil 8" x 8"

$120

Funny, when I was uploading this image to this blog I looked at the dial and thought I had made an error when painting the letters on the dial. I had never questioned it before but it looks as if it starts with DEF. I brought up the original photo I had taken and sure enough I had painted it correctly. I can only imagine that at the slight angle the letters ABC are down and to the right and out of view. Either that or the card that it was printed on so long ago has slipped out of place. In any case it is a quirk but not an error. Just saying..... : > )

I found One!

2011-10-19T22:37:00.004-04:00

A title for my painting. "Sweet as Green Apples" A song by Chantal Kreviazuk. Amazing! I just googled song lyrics with green apples and lo and behold, that and a song by Roger Miller that I remember very well for the lovely melody came up. Okay...."sweet as green apples" is not exactly profound but it will always bring to mind the lyrics from that song for me. No more boring titles : > )

You’re toast and jam
And you’re cotton candy
You’re double rainbows
Beside a setting sun
You’re wood burnin’ outside
There’s a fire growin’
You’re sweet as green apples
You must be the one

Sweet as Green Apples

2011-10-14T00:09:00.000-04:00

Sweet as Green Apples

6" x 6" x 1.5" Oil

$85

Again, I apologize for my completely unimaginative titles I may make it a priority tomorrow to search for something a tad more witty than what I've use here! Soon I'll be working on more seasonal subject matter collected on walks in nearby forested paths this past weekend. The leaves are beautiful right now and I'm itching to paint some. I'm sure pumpkins will be featured as well. The image posted here is a companion to one painted earlier this summer and seen in the postcard of my previous post. I've been adding more texture to my wood panels lately and liking it.

Exhibition to benefit Hudson's Palliative Care Centre

2011-10-11T21:44:00.000-04:00

Since I started these small format daily paintings, I have assembled themes. Everything from Spring, garden and floral themes but a recurring theme that happened naturally were subjects from my kitchen (my studio being in close proximity). I will exhibit these paintings at Hudson's first ever kitchen tour!

Hudson, known for it's homes and studio tours has added kitchens this year. The tour will take place this Saturday, October 15th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and I will be exhibiting these paintings at St. James Church Hall where a display of creative tabletop settings will be on display as well as a tearoom. Proceeds from the ticket sales as well as a percentage of the sale of paintings will benefit the Vaudreuil Soulanges Palliative Care Residence.

2011-10-05T22:41:00.001-04:00

Yellow Rose

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Oil on wood panel
$80

I thought I had lost this rose bush last summer but it survived the winter and gave me these beautiful

yellow roses. This is the last one of the season.

Emails I like to get......

2011-10-02T08:48:00.000-04:00

Last August I posted that I sent in an illustration for They Draw and Cook website. I just received an email this morning saying my illustration is featured this week!! Although it was added to their site last August, they also do a feature where the artwork will stay up for several days so this is maximum exposure. As you scroll down to August, you'll notice the oil painting of the daylillies has the same

peach on gingham. There are days when that's all I do, setting up photographs for future artwork.

2011-09-26T17:57:00.001-04:00

Blue Thread

5" x 5" Oil on Canvas

$75

What a weekend! The 2011 Studio Tour has just ended. The weather was stupendous and the turnout even more so. The image above was the demo I worked on during the tour days and I finished today. As I enjoy sewing, I had been meaning to start a needlearts theme and so this is the first of a series.

Music for a rainy day....

2011-09-06T08:14:00.001-04:00

Ballade pour Adelina by shadinio

End of Summer Lillies

2011-09-03T13:44:00.000-04:00

Well the lillies ended a short while ago and I promised myself not to let them slip by without capturing them on canvas. As much as I'm happy with this one, I need to let loose....still working on that. I see

here that my photo is slightly blurry and a bit on the dark side. I'll return to fix that with my next photo session.

The local studio tour is approaching fast (September 23 and 24) and I'm determined not to get stressed.

I do enjoy having people over and discussing techniques and new skills.

Summer's Last Daylilly

6"x6"x1.5" Oil on wood panel

$85

A Painting for the Children of Africa

2011-09-01T19:35:00.001-04:00

Over at the Daily Paintworks website they have started a "Children of Africa" challenge and this is my entry for this auction. Bidding started today and will run for a week. It's nice to know that there are ways we can help (if only in small ways) and DPW is making this happen.

2011-08-22T23:07:00.001-04:00

I've been working on my smaller format paintings again but haven't been posting. So here is my latest. (sorry about the glare) His name is Kodi. The painting is a wedding gift to a friend of my son's whose wedding took place a few weeks ago. I've tackled a few cat portraits but this is only my second dog. Fur is still a challenge especially with the short haired variety. I wish I could do my two miniature dachshunds but they are both predominantly black and unless I get lucky with the lighting, they may never get their portrait painted. A Yorkie may be next. Lots of long hair and beautiful brushstrokes to describe it.

Kodi

6" x 6" x 2" Oil

Wood cradled panel

I love to paint but I like to cook too.....

2011-08-09T12:50:00.002-04:00

Woohoo! They Draw and Cook just posted my entry to their fabulous website. I'm so excited!

I started out without a clear plan other than I knew I would do some watercolor illustrations of the main ingredients which is when I discovered a plan is exactly what I needed. This is a combination of watercolor and digital art. A fair bit of time playing with the layers in Photoshop adding shadows and
tweaking the artwork and I finished anxious to start more. Great fun!

So Far, So Good

2011-08-07T21:35:00.003-04:00

Still working on my small format paintings. Except for a few weeks where I switched to watercolors as you have probably noticed from previous blog entries, I have been working on more of the 6" x 6"'s in oil. The list is growing for all the ideas that evolve from this endeavour and I'm pretty much busy for the rest of 2011. But I'll always make room for the next great idea. At this point, I'm collecting ideas for themes with 9 in each category. Animals are my current theme and seasons were another as you might have noticed from the fruits and vegetables pictured above. Cherries have been photographed and so have plums and I still want to do something with watermelons....and on and on! And I did want to do a series of landscapes.....

Catching Up

2011-08-04T11:39:00.003-04:00

I've been anxious to get back to my small format paintings. The summer weather slowed me down a bit but although I didn't work oils I did quite a few watercolors in the last two weeks.

The painting I'm posting today was 98% finished several weeks ago but I did need to tweak a few things about it and I still might. It is a study for a larger vertical format painting that I would like to do of a tall vase of white gladiolas and I wasn't sure about the color palette but now that I've done this smaller version, I think I like it enough to continue.

White Jug, Green Apple

6" x 6" x 1.5" Oil on wood panel

Fun with Flowers and Photoshop

2011-07-18T22:58:00.001-04:00

I've been painting with watercolors for the past two weeks because of some illustration work that I'm doing. I forget how much I enjoy it. These two florals are painted from single flowers that I photographed for reference from my garden and then assembled in Photoshop......just playing. I'll try and do more while the garden has this variety available to me. There are the Hosta flowers, yellow Rudbeckia's, Dahlias and Cosmos with a few nasturtium too. I must get some lillies in there next time.

The grouping on the left was simply assembled in various layers playing with the hue, saturation, rotation and scale. The same flowers were grouped differently on the right and had some additional filters applied which seemed to enhance the water-colour effect.

So Many Lillies So Little Time

2011-07-15T15:34:00.002-04:00

Yellow Daylilly

6" x 6" Oil on 1.5" wood panel

This is the month for it. I like the orange daylillies as much as the cultivated ones that I've purchased from garden nurseries and may try to do one of those and if it's not too late, I may still have some damask lilies to paint as well. They're a lovely burgundy color and look more substantial than the usual ones. Wasn't sure if I wanted to leave in the solar garden light in the image above but I figured it blended in with the background so well that I decided to keep it in.

Spring back.......

2011-07-09T16:45:00.000-04:00

Red Tulips

6" x 6" x 1.5" Oil on wood cradled panel

This really should be in the Spring lineup but I really felt like painting something red. I find it difficult to paint anything red because it is so vibrant. On the up side you really get to know your paints a little better while searching for whatever it takes to bring up that vibrancy. Primary red, permanent rose and here's where I had a bit of difficulty and that was to have found a very cool red, a magenta that tinted to almost a blue for some of the cooler hilites.

My posts have slowed down a bit but that doesn't mean I'm not painting. An illustration job that segued into a series in water-colour that I've been wanting to do for a long time now has been wrestling for my attention to these little small format oils. So I may just sprinkle a few of these other mediums in among my postings.

I did warn you in previous posts that my titles are terrible. I couldn't resist the reference to harkening back to a spring theme by calling this post "Spring back....." ok, I think I'll move on now.....

subject

Green Apple on Blue Gingham

2011-07-05T20:38:00.002-04:00

I guess I do enjoy painting in the little squares on this blue gingham cloth since this is my "go to" set up fabric. There is something pleasant about the blue/green combination too that looks fresh.

Green Apples on Blue Gingham

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Oil on wood panel

You may see this little set up repeated in the near future because it is the lower part of a composition I photographed a year or two ago that includes a vase with hydrangeas and a blue bottle. At first the little florets of the hydrangea seemed daunting but I've done it before and was happy with the results so I'm encouraged to do this flower again.

A Little Departure....

2011-06-29T20:42:00.001-04:00

6"x 6" collage

wood cradled panel

Last year I spent some time doing small format collages (a prelude I guess to the 6"x 6" oils I've been doing lately). I will probably return to making more of these. It's a nice blend of photography, hand painting the papers, textures and interesting materials. This has that little band of copper at the base, and since I enjoy creating jewellery, I get to use my metalsmithing skills too.

At My Back Door

2011-06-24T15:16:00.003-04:00

At My Back Door

8" x 8" Oil

stretched canvas

SOLD

This was inspired by a recent challenge over at DPW (Daily Painter's Website). Although I am quite far behind in following the challenges, I do intend on doing a few more from past weeks. In between I am painting subjects that I have photographed through the season from Spring into Summer as well as doing some illustration work that I have been commissioned for.

Radishes.....

2011-06-15T09:25:00.002-04:00

I really should find more backgrounds. I seem to always reach for the gingham fabrics. They do seem to set off the more organic lines of the subjects. But I recently painted a silver spoon on a damask fabric and I just may stay with the ginghams! I'll post that one later. Until then, here are some radishes.....

Radishes on Green Gingham

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Planted.......and Painted

2011-06-13T12:50:00.002-04:00

Unbelievably, it is already the 13th of June and my first blog of the month. So I'm making up for it by posting three. There have been other subjects painted this month but I thought it was in keeping with my last post. I have no illusions about painting each of the flowers in my garden as they come into season but some I must try at this smaller format for my daily paintings. I love peonies but they are somewhat similar to the colors of these Dahlias so I will pass in favor of doing some lillies and I've been photographing them as they bloom. All three measure 6 x 6 x 1.5 inches on wood cradled panels.

Dahlias and Wicker

6" x 6" x 1.5" Oil

Dahlia I

6" x 6" on masonite

Dahlia II

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Couldn't plant them ... so I painted them

2011-05-31T16:24:00.001-04:00

On the last of the gloomy rainy days I painted this 10" square painting of Dahlias still in the flat that I bought them in at the garden centre. Finally the sun is out now and I have no excuse for not planting.

I hope this flat of Dahlias will give me many more flowers to paint this summer. (Just finished a 6" square of the single pink flower this morning too)

Before I move on...

2011-05-23T23:04:00.002-04:00

The second image (the rectangular one measuring 6" x 8") was the first of the series of paintings of our cat. I just returned to the finishing touches on this one this afternoon. The photo below is my favorite, although the tuft of fur in her right ear is bothering me as I look at it here. I may do something about that. I find it distracting. Otherwise I am happy with the likeness.

This one is so dramatic with the black background as she looks into the light. My paintings can only be as good as my references. Thanks to my daughter for taking the photo that provided me with this one.

A Cat Named Ribbon

2011-05-16T15:39:00.001-04:00

Don't know why we named her Ribbon. Having three children under the age of 6 probably had something to do with it. My children are 23, 25 and 28 and we only this past Fall had Ribbon put down. She was so achingly beautiful but the last year and a half we watched her literally disintegrate into a skinny little thing until we realized we had to do the right thing and have her put down. She was no longer able to take care of herself and we fooled ourselves into thinking we could but she wasn't doing very well. So now it's Spring and this week I've been doing these little paintings of her.

6" x 6" Oil

Dreama's Cat

2011-05-15T21:41:00.004-04:00

This is my entry to the Daily Painters Challenge. Once a week on Saturdays a new image is posted. It's interesting to see how the same photo can be interpreted by many different artists using their preferred media. This past week I had also painted several paintings of my own cats so I was happy to see this week's subject was also a cat and a very pretty one too. The light falling across the kitten and the chair

provided the most challenge for me. The rendering is a little tighter than I wanted but all in all I'm happy with the result.

I'll post more cat paintings this week...

6" x 6" Oil on Masonite panel

Sold

Chickadee

2011-05-12T10:03:00.000-04:00

Right outside my window, waiting for the feeder to be filled....I loved the little ruffle in the feathers.

6" x 6"

Oil on masonite panel

$75

My new favorite fruit......to paint

2011-05-05T23:46:00.001-04:00

I love the range of color when painting grapes. The muted hilites on the exterior and the semi translucent interior that absorbs the light seemed daunting at first but I found it enjoyable. Would like to do more soon but I have a few new subjects to explore first.

6" x 6" on wood cradled panel

Oil

$80

Three Pears in a Bowl

2011-05-03T14:05:00.001-04:00

I love the coloring of this one; the pale gray blue background and the yellow pears. Could've used more impasto brushwork though since that is what I had set out to do originally but for the time being I may just move on to new subjects and possibly go back and work on this one in the future.

Three Pears in a Bowl

6" x 6"

Oil on Masonite $70

Looking for Spring

2011-04-25T13:04:00.004-04:00

Hope everyone had a nice Easter....Baked ham, Potato Salad, Pineapple Cheesecake and Coffee Pie were on the menu and now it's back to counting calories. I did manage to paint early Sunday morning which I will post later in the week. For now, I thought I'd post this image I did this past week as I try to capture the various flowers that become available as we move along into Spring. This little porcelain rabbit has been featured in three paintings so far. In fact one of them now resides in Australia!

6" x 6" Oil on masonite

Daffodil II

2011-04-20T09:55:00.001-04:00

Encouraged by the end result of the first painting of daffodils, I started this one and was surprised at how

differently it turned out. My discovery from the last one had more to do with toning the brilliance of the yellow with grays so that was foremost in my mind. I do like the brilliance of the first one but this one

seems to show the delicacy of the tissue papery thinness of the petals. This one still has a bit of brush work to indicate the glass vase.

The following pic is a close up of the lower left hand side. I wish I could have captured the entire image with the clarity of this photo. Not quite the broad brushstrokes I was looking for, but I do like the resulting texture.

Daffodils

2011-04-18T08:15:00.001-04:00

In case you haven't noticed, I'm terrible with titles, with my blog entries as well as the paintings themselves. Some people can be so clever with naming their work. Lyrics from songs are an interesting source, although I can't recall any songs about daffodils??

I knew working with yellows would be a challenge. A third of the way through I thought ... "Okay, remember to stay away from anything predominantly yellow. But once I figured out how to subdue this vibrant color to create the contrasts, it started to pull together and I quite liked it.

Working with this small format (6" x 6") though, I actually felt confident enough to do another one. Only this time I would simplify the group and remove the flower on the right and enlarge the huddled group. Tomorrow I'll post the newer version.

....."And the Daffodils Look Lovely Today"!!!! There...I did it. I looked up lyrics with "daffodils"

in it. And that is what I found. I guess this works. Song by the Cranberries.

And the Daffodils Look Lovely Today
6" x 6" Oil
SOLD

Not the most organized palette but it did look lovely too with the sun streaking across the brilliant yellows.

Pretty in Pink

2011-04-16T15:33:00.000-04:00

Pretty in Pink

6" x 6" Oil

SOLD

My favorite from the last series of these 6" x 6" paintings was this one. The challenge being the multi-faceted creases in the paper, but what a joy to paint.....

Davidson Farm

2011-04-14T19:26:00.001-04:00

I don't do landscapes as often as florals but this is a scene I pass by nearly everyday and had to do one as part of my "daily" paintings. These smaller formats are like "thumbnail" sketches towards larger formats. This will be at the exhibition this weekend.

Peaches & Jam

2011-04-14T14:29:00.000-04:00

My latest painting featuring my favorite bit of cloth that I've used in several paintings now. This painting is for the exhibition this weekend (april 15th through 17th) at the Stephen Shaar Community Centre along with the 6" x 6" wall blocks that I posted about earlier......Looking forward to it!

Peaches & Jam

Oil 10 x 20

A Collection of spring themed small format paintings.....

2011-04-10T09:28:00.003-04:00

Next weekend I will be participating in a group show with the Hudson Artist's Association (April 15 through 17) at the Stephen Shaar Community Center. I am showing a preview here of a collection of the 6" x 6" x 2" wall blocks that I will be showing. All are painted in oils and each are completed on a daily basis.

...and back to the small format paintings

2011-04-09T17:49:00.000-04:00

A little grouping with two of the vases I purchased at the local Library that holds a rummage sale every Saturday morning. Similar to one of my recent postings but this time with a pear. These two paintings were my breakthrough paintings as far as loosening up with the brushstrokes but I have since returned to my tighter style. Having said that I do like the end results. I will simply have to focus choosing subject matter that I don't feel compelled to work too much detail into.

5" x 7"

Oil on Masonite

A little Segue....

2011-04-07T10:14:00.001-04:00

I have to admit, this is a little guilty pleasure....I've been at the sewing machine again. The potential for creativity when making fabric bags is endless. I've started with a few simple ones and plan on making a few more with embellishments in the weeks to come (just to get this out of my system!). The wool bag is so late in the season that I'm early. But I had planned on making a bag out of a wool sweater for some time now and it just seemed to come together now. I particularly enjoyed doing the embroidery. The other two are just basic bags for going to the market (in style).
Almost forgot to mention they are available at the shop on Main Road, here in Hudson called
Seconde Main.

Almost daily....

2011-04-06T08:14:00.002-04:00

This one was done on a 1/4" birch faced panel. I do like these wood surfaces rather than the stretched canvases when painting this smaller size (6x6). This one was also done alla prima (wet into wet) but needs the energy of the juicier brushstrokes.

Green Apple Teal Bowl
6 x 6 Oil

Me and My Shadow

2011-04-01T21:36:00.005-04:00

I might do more of these simple paintings using the beautiful papers that are available. Yes, that's right, the background pattern is collaged onto the wood substrate, sealed and then the painting added. I prefer not to think of it as cheating as much as being clever. I think it just adds a bit of complexity to an otherwise simple image.

Me & My Shadow
6" x 6" x 1 1/2" cradled wood
SOLD

On the way to something good...

2011-03-31T09:25:00.008-04:00

....a salad maybe?

Eventually I will be organized enough to actually paint a food group that alludes to what was being made...

Encouraged by the looseness of the last one I launched into this next painting but even I can see that I began to tighten up again. But that's okay. I really like this one and I'm developing a sense of how to start to achieve the desired results. This is also a "fact finding" mission!

The Start to Something Good
6" x 6" Oil on Wood Cradled Panel

Getting There...

2011-03-29T13:31:00.004-04:00

Okay, now that I've started my third small format painting, I'm curious to try different substrates to see what effects I can achieve. Stretched canvases I already had on hand, but I hadn't painted on the wood

cradled panels with oils before (only acrylics for mixed media pieces). I'm liking this! This is more like what I've been trying to achieve. But at this stage, I'm not yet in my comfort zone. Pre-mixing my key colors also helps with the spontaneous brushstrokes.

Chrysanthemum and Green Apple
6" x 8" Oil on Wood Cradled Panel
$80.00

In search of a brushtroke....

2011-03-28T17:34:00.010-04:00

Another little 6x6 oil painting of tangerines in a silver footed bowl. Would you believe the reason behind

these little 6x6 canvases is so that I can explore methods and hopefully loosen up a little bit. Eventually I would like to learn to stop the blending and "nitpicking" in favor of gestural brush strokes (as much as one can gesture within a 6" x 6" space!) But for now this is like my safety net.....More to come in the days ahead.

Tangerine in Silver Footed Bowl
6" x 6" Oil

Back to painting......

2011-03-27T14:12:00.003-04:00

I'm never very far away from my easel anyway but I haven't posted new paintings for awhile so here is a little 6x6 oil painting... Seeing it here, I can see there is a little tweaking to do here and there....

Blue Pot with Tangerines
6x6 Oil on canvas

More silver core beads...

2011-03-22T14:09:00.002-04:00

I've added some new copper and brass beads to my new silver core glass beads and assembled them into a bracelet. The possibilities are expanding! The addition of embossed bead caps provides more opportunity to add embellishments to the already beautiful colors of the glass. In the photo you can see two of the brass beads with the addition of a sterling silver (ss) divider that I have faceted to catch the light. To the left is a silver bead with three free spinning sterling rings and to the right is a section of silver tubing with an overlay of fine silver that also moves freely. Although the glass beads look beautiful on their own, the addition of these spacers adds to the uniqueness....and they all work with Pandora and Chamilia line of

bracelets too.

Etsy Treasury!

2011-03-17T15:51:00.001-04:00

It's always nice when someone picks your artwork to showcase and I was so honored Jill Rosoff in this treasury of watercolors on Etsy. Her shop is RosoffArtworks on Etsy. (a pretty terrific watercolor artist too).

CuPcAkEs.....!

2011-03-09T13:39:00.001-05:00

My daughter had the enviable job of photographing these cupcakes (my photos are below, hers are way better) for a client with just such a business. I played lighting assistant (ahem). It was very hard to photograph, edit, post and wait for a response from the client but after a hearty approval, we were

free to consume.....and they were goooooood. I may even paint some of them....And if you're in the area, you may want to consider ordering from http://www.gateauxkatiecakes.com

and these are some of my daughters photos from that session - waaay better.....

Back at my torch.....

2011-03-07T16:53:00.001-05:00

PuRe CoLoR ThErApY is what I needed this morning and this is the result.....each color of each glass bead is melted onto a steel mandrel in various layers and designs, cooled in a controlled manner (annealed in a kiln), cleaned and sorted and ready to be incorporated into jewellery. I start with a plan
but segue into many more.....

An order for fifteen of these hearts and a crayon colored necklace with one of my sterling silver
hand made chains. I feel better now.... : > )

More In and Around the Studio...

2011-03-04T12:16:00.001-05:00

I love the little porcelain chickadee in this painting. It is part of a salt and pepper shaker that I picked up at the local library that runs a rummage sale every Saturday morning. I keep telling myself that I can skip

going but then 10:00 a.m. rolls around and I run over in case I miss something like this that will make an

appearance in one of my paintings. One of these days I will put together another blog with photos of the neat things I've found. They truly are my treasures.

I become so easily distracted when I'm searching for a component. Just looking at the containers of left

over bits from previous projects and collected demos and experiments (like etching for example) and I become mesmerized. It's like opening up a treasure chest and just appreciating the strands of gemstones and pearls (okay snap out of it....what was I looking for?)

In and Around the Studio....

2011-02-18T18:50:00.005-05:00

The following images are some photos of various projects I've been working on. The silver lined beads I am the most happy about. I've always enjoyed using the glass beads in my designs but even more so now that I've taken the time to learn how to line them in silver and sometimes brass and copper. The addition of embossed caps gives them a whole new look too and the opportunity to really get creative. The image below is neither bracelet nor necklace but simply a few of my first beads waiting to be put together. They fit all the European style bracelets such as Pandora, Chamilia and Troll. (Gives me an excuse to buy the gorgeous silver beads to go with my own).

In the depth of winter, I love to knit whenever I can. It's funny how flowers keep cropping up in my work no matter what materials I happen to be using. The ones on the right are going to have the beaded centers as well.

My winter garden grows.....

These "scarflettes" are available at the new boutique on Main Rd., Hudson called Seconde Main.

2011-02-15T23:54:00.001-05:00

I return to my blog with a heavy heart. The passing of my mother the third week of January has left me with sadness. I want to return here and continue posting but didn't feel I could forego mentioning that. My blog is an extension of myself and to have glossed over that would have felt unrealistic. As someone recently told me, I should dedicate my creativity to her memory and her love will be my catalyst. I will return to posting this week.

Welcome.....

2011-01-16T12:20:00.004-05:00

visitors from The Altered Page! A view of my work space and the sketch books I've worked on is pictured on Seth Apter's blog today. If you haven't visited his site, make sure you do and bookmark it for future reference because he always has wonderful projects and people to showcase.

My own sketchbook project for this month was to finish the moleskin book that will be submitted to the ....."Sketchbook Project".... I started within my comfort zone which was to pick up my paintbrush rather than a pencil but once I had a few painted pages I gradually pushed myself to sketch more. If I had an unlimited amount of time to work on this one, I'd have added color to each page to unify the project but I'm just happy I have something to submit within the deadline this week. My theme was "In Flight" and on several pages I quoted from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Robert Louis Stephenson. A nice side benefit from working on a project with a deadline is the research that leads to pleasant discoveries, in this case, a beautiful work of poetry I otherwise may never have read.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-02T22:28:00.002-05:00

Well I'm sitting here thinking that I should be writing something profound for my first post of the new year, and that seems intimidating so I will simply post two links. The first one is an inspiring rendition of
Auld Lang Syne by Sissel
http://www.ine-pps.nl/
and the second is a link to an artist's website that I've just discovered and want to share with you.
I'll put the link in the column to the left too.
http://www.makingamark.blogspot.com/
Happy New Year everyone!

Latest Pieces to be added to Etsy

2010-12-21T15:49:00.001-05:00

The dragonfly bracelet has a bit of beach history to it. A beachcomber's bracelet with stones washed by the sea, green malachite for the seaweed, a wooden bead to represent the driftwood and a bit of crystal bling for the treasures beachcombers hope to find and finally the sterling silver dragonfly that is an ever present feature along the sandy beaches.

This one measures 7" with a lobster claw clasp. $45

A three-in-three sterling silver chain, a faceted
oval stone and a faceted quartz heart with a flurry
of crystals and pearls in between. 7" with a sterling silver lobster claw clasp. $60

Last Commissioned Piece of the Year...

2010-12-21T15:39:00.000-05:00

Silver and crystal and pearls....faceted stones and embossed initials....

I couldn't help it.....

2010-12-19T22:28:00.001-05:00

A Christmas package arrived and I was good for about two days....and then I caved. I opened the cardboard box thinking there would be a wrapped Christmas package inside. But the packaging gave me a hint as to what was inside. (A Jim Shore collectible) Thinking it was a Christmas decoration I went ahead and opened it and staring back at me was this wonderful frog. What was truly amazing was that I had

just this afternoon finished painting an adirondack chair to be auctioned off in the Spring in benefit of

the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses). They belong together! They couldn't have matched any more perfectly. So now I either have to paint myself another chair just like this or bid on it myself!

Ahhh, Christmas shopping......

2010-12-09T16:28:00.000-05:00

The problem with getting Christmas shopping done early is that you inevitably see improved versions of what you've already bought and probably already wrapped, which is what happened to me this week.

So back I went to return one package and buy another and pick up a few other gifts along the way.

But it wasn't all hardship! Picked up my daughter for the weekend and passed by this Gelato counter

that is new at our mall. I have to confess we didn't have any this time but took pictures instead. Next time I will make time and budget my calorie intake for this!

On the way home (adding to the sensory overload) was the winter scenery on our road leading into

Hudson....(a great place to live around Christmas time).

An Invitation.....

2010-11-22T09:10:00.000-05:00

I am taking part in a group show at Galerie Viva Vida in Pointe Claire Village of small format works.

I have two paintings at this gallery.

The first one is a 14" square oil painting, finished on all sides to be hung frameless (or framed if you prefer) of a bowl of pears on my favorite black floral fabric. And the second image is a 8" x 24" mixed media acrylic painting on wood panel with a depth of 1.5". I enjoy including paintings within paintings and this one features a mini interpretation of one of Bougeureau's....one of my favorite artists. The teacup in the front of that image is of one of my Lilly of the Valley teacups and the reason I titled this one "Lillies of the Valley" to include the two young girls in the image.

This exhibit will run until the end of January.

I LOVE Color.....

2010-11-04T16:12:00.000-04:00

Sat at my torch this week for the first time in months and made these simple beads. I had a tendency to
overwork each bead with various techniques but when it comes right down to it, simple is good. The glass speaks for itself.

A Fall Still Life

2010-10-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

I love this season - just before the leaves fall, everything is golden. The richness and warmth of the colors are inspiring. I tried to bring a little bit of that indoors with this photo.

New Paintings for Fall

2010-10-14T12:07:00.002-04:00

This is really why I haven't posted. I've been painting........

Each of these paintings measure 14" square and are on stretched canvas, finished on all edges meant to be displayed frameless but would look great framed as well. With this size, I like the idea of having a

wall of a grid of paintings, for example nine paintings hung 3 x 3. Either with color or subject matter

as a unifying theme.

They will be on exhibit at the local Hudson Artists Association Fall Show at the Steven Shaar Community Center on Main Road, Hudson, October 15th through the 17th.

The second painting of the pears and yellow daisy is a small version of the 40" painting that I did late this summer.

Wow! October?.......really?

2010-10-14T12:01:00.002-04:00

Time flies when you're having fun....I can't believe I haven't posted for October yet!

I received an email from Seth Apter of The Altered Page (a wonderfully inspiring site for those interested in mixed media, especially book arts) to tell me that my contribution to his on line compilation of mixed media artists in a section called The Pulse will be viewable on Monday, October 17th. Sorry I think that

was a rather long winded sentence. But do check in on Monday to have a look at my contribution as well as other artists. Make sure you're comfortable and have a coffee close by. You're going to want to stay awhile!

Virtual Painting through Google

2010-09-30T09:18:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought the iPhone/iTouch had something amazing to offer artists with the amazing apps
available I come across this website of paintings done of views found through Google Street Maps (Virtual Paintout).
I have only started to explore the resulting paintings but stopped to admire Anne Campbell's
paintings. Her paintings are of images taken of famous department stores in New York and her version
of these are slightly abstracted. They were absolutely wonderful so I picked Saks Fifth Avenue to explore.
This is the screen shot I took of the result of this search. Can you imagine the street scenes available to us now?

Studio Tour 2010

2010-09-25T22:24:00.000-04:00

A steady stream of visitors today and the weather turned out to be quite nice too.

This is a sneak peak....
You can't miss the place, this is parked out front!

10:00 a.m. until 4:00 Sunday too.

Painting and soldering, painting and hammering.....

2010-09-22T19:55:00.000-04:00

....blissfully I might add. This weekend is the Studio tour from which I had taken a hiatus for the last two years but now I'm happy to say I will open my door to those interested in having a visit, sharing some hot spiced apple juice and talking shop.

Here are some of the handcrafted chainmaille bracelets I've just recently completed.

More Cameron Street Blossoms

2010-09-15T19:00:00.001-04:00

Part of a series of these flowering branches....this one is still on my easel and seeing the photo helps me

decide what needs to be improved. This one measures 24" x 36".

Here is the one from last Spring (sold).

Looking for Sunsets...

2010-09-14T20:59:00.000-04:00

Tonight had some spectacular views for sunsets. Unfortunately I left the house a little late but did

manage to capture this one. A little tweaking in Photoshop to view the tractor and barn a little better

and this may become a painting.

Progress

2010-09-09T22:56:00.000-04:00

...and this is how it's progressing. Still work to be done all over.

More work was done on the central pear and the yellow daisies. The daisy on the left will be the focus of my painting next. For reference the smaller image at the bottom of the easel of the pear measures

8"x10".

Here Comes the Next One...

2010-08-22T22:39:00.000-04:00

I started the tulips painting and finished it inside of a week because I used acrylics. This one however
will take a little longer because I had planned on using oils. I wanted a more painterly look for this one with juicier brush strokes. It too measures 40" square.

I've just begun the color mapping here letting my drawing show through. I'll add the darkest darks next for reference. It should be interesting getting the texture of the dish cloth at this size. I made sure to crop out

the ironing board just to the right of my easel :>)

Fall Preview

2010-08-19T11:53:00.000-04:00

As an artist (artisan) I create on a daily basis and I'm not sure if I'm early (I doubt that I am) but thought I'd put up a preview of art work to come this Fall and Winter. Some items that I've been working on to compliment the silver and glass jewellery that I've been doing will be hand crafted/painted earring stands to add some art work to your dressing table. Small vessels to contain jewellery, small scale collages of local scenes, and I'm indulging in some fiber art with the creation of felt and silk flowers to make wearable art as well as jewellery pouches to store special pieces. There is often a theme of birds running through my jewellery and painting such as the silver and pearl nest pendants and the soft sculpture nest/containers as in my photo. Watch this space for more notices on what's new in my studio....

On My Easel This Week........

2010-08-17T15:27:00.001-04:00

This one is a 40" square stretched canvas and I've used acrylics for this one. I had always used acrylics for murals but rarely for fine art, and I'm pleasantly surprised that I can achieve the desired result that

I thought only oils could give me. Although it looks finished here I still have work to do, mostly on the centered large upright tulip as well as adding some foliage at the bottom to give the image more weight

I may also re-do the background with more interesting brushwork.

I've added the finished version....it is now signed, sealed and delivered.

Street Fair and Finished Paintings...

2010-08-01T09:38:00.005-04:00

I'm beginning to feel the rumble of activity as the summer enters the later stages. Paintings for Fall shows and exhibitions are on my mind now. Experimenting with new media has to be put on the back burner. Time to get some serious painting done.
One requested painting from the Spring has been finished. Cooper is now framed and
resides on the mantle at Rod and Linda's.

The Hudson Street Fair and Music Festival winds down today. Three hundred plus people came to visit the Hudson Artist Association's Summer gallery in the beautifully renovated main street building formerly known as Legg's Clothing Store and now called The Hudson Mews and I had the pleasure of

sitting in the gallery yesterday. I enjoyed the meet and greet along with Derek Halbert and it was a pleasure to hear the wonderful comments that the space and artwork from the 25 participating artists

received. I even managed to get some little watercolors done as people drifted by.

This is a little 4" square watercolor that I'll have in my Etsy shop in the next few days. A few people echoed my thoughts that they liked the little squiggles to the left as well! It reminds me of the calligraphic watercolors of Raoul Dufy and incidentally of an artist I came across just this week by the name of Brenda Behr. I am on a bit of a watercolor streak right now and think I might continue this

small format to capture some of the current summer flowers. The deep pink phlox come to mind....

Next on the Drawing Table...

2010-07-22T16:52:00.000-04:00

This should make a nice little watercolor. I'm using the new
Olive Oil from Tavola Mia as the center of interest.

Fresh from my garden...

2010-07-22T16:47:00.000-04:00

Last week we had several days with periods of heavy rain just when my daisies were at their best.
So I made sure to cut some and enjoyed vases of them around the house following up with photo taking sessions so I'd be sure to have some for painting in the months ahead. I will be improving the photos
but right now I'm trying to keep up with what's blooming and ripening....

Tadaaa!

2010-07-15T20:56:00.002-04:00

Last year I posted some photos of olive oil labels I did the artwork for. Maria Loggia of Tavola Mia imports them under her label to be distributed in and around Montreal at gourmet food shops. The bottles have been delivered and I'm so excited to see the finished product! I couldn't wait for sunlight tomorrow so I took the photo in low light outside and I'll post a better photo tomorrow.

Mmm, shrimp for dinner....

2010-07-07T13:35:00.004-04:00

I thought I'd go out and take pictures of what's blooming before the heat gets to everything.

I found these petunias this year at my local garden nursery that I'd never seen before. I loved the pale yellow and magenta combination but when I got them home and planted them I was less than impressed by the wishy washy look but then once they asserted themselves in the container and meshed with the other plants, I realized why I liked them so much. The magenta isn't predictable which I like about it.

This one has painting possibities...

P.S. The title reference is because of the shrimp compost that peaks out from below... : > )

On another note, I discovered Accuradio (I posted a link in my sidebar) has an all Glee channel.

Makes me happy.... : > ) Funny - as I write this "True Colors" by Cindy Lauper is playing on

Accuradio. How appropriate! ....and now my favorite guest artist on Glee (Kristin Chenowith) is

singing "Fire"....foot's tapping and I'm dancing in my seat.......

Special Project

2010-06-30T22:47:00.002-04:00

I love requests for submissions based on themes. This one is for a very special project for a bird
sanctuary right here in Hudson. 100% of the proceeds from the sale will go towards the building of a new wild bird rehabilitation centre in Hudson, QC. Artists were invited to submit artwork measuring 5" x 7" of any subject and in any medium. I chose to keep the focus on birds and these are my entries. There are famous artists from across the country participating and yet the artwork will be sold at auction at a starting price of $65 no matter who the artist. So it is a wonderful chance to own an original work of art at an incredibly low price. The auction takes place on the 21st of August.

A Bit of Collage in a busy week.....

2010-06-21T23:30:00.003-04:00

This week I worked on a few 5" x 7" collages for a special project I will tell you about soon. It always amazes me that the bits and scraps that accumulate around me as I work just happen to be the perfect

bit that I need.
The view across the lake is a place that I drive by nearly every day on the Lake of Two Mountains.
I took that picture a few years ago but printed in sepia it looks like a scene from a 1930's postcard.
It's a busy week that doesn't allow for too much in the way of painting but these collages let me indulge
in the need to create something.

Not seen at my feeder.....

2010-06-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

Feeding the birds this past winter was a new thing for me as I had never put feeders where I could

observe them before. I didn't realize the variety other than chickadees and bluebirds that were in my own back yard and although using birds in my artwork was surely influenced by all the activity outside my window, one thing is for certain.....these birds are not from here!

(I love what Photoshop can do for watercolors.....)

Birds of a different feather....

2010-05-28T21:16:00.001-04:00

One of the watercolor birds that
I've painted this week. The flower
is from the azalea plant that is on
my desk.

...and through the wonders of
Photoshop...a pink version.

On my desktop....

2010-05-28T14:12:00.004-04:00

Bringing the outside in....

Trying to make time to sketch and paint is not easy when there's planting to be done in addition to everything else. (Not that I'm planting fields or anything) This really captures the flavor
of the season....bringing little specimens of what's blooming outside in to be recorded into my sketchbooks. Sketching doesn't
come easy to me.....but I've missed the learning experience that happens when working in sketchbooks and have looked at artists who use theirs regularly with envy. It's funny, I think I actually cherish my few sketchbooks even more than my most challenging paintings.

P.S. The sepia photo that is collaged onto the flower pot is of
my dad sitting on his mother's knee. I've used that photo many
times in various media.

Almost there...

2010-05-26T12:06:00.001-04:00

On my Easel....

2010-05-16T23:52:00.005-04:00

On my easel this week...a painting of Cooper, a golden retriever sitting on a dock in happier days.
I rarely take the time to document the stages of a painting but thought I should. The first four images
are the building up stages. I am (hopefully) now at the fun stage.

After this last photo, I have started adding the lightest colored fur and deepening the darks. The

texture of the fur has only been indicated here and there for reference, so this is where the details

begin.

Will wonders never cease.....?

2010-05-11T21:03:00.000-04:00

My homepage is National Geographic and it is a never ending source of incredible images and stories but this morning this image showed up and I just had to share it. Little flower pods made by bees to nest in??!

How beautiful is that?

A Color Theory Lesson!?

2010-05-08T14:01:00.002-04:00

Paintings from the Hudson Artists Spring Show

2010-04-28T09:44:00.004-04:00

An eclectic mix of paintings that I had on view at the Hudson Artists Spring Show. It was the first

time in quite a few years since I had been a member and I decided to show a sampling of what

I had been known for (florals), as well as some of the work that I've been working on lately....

mixed media work for example. There was a lot of interest in the newer works although I sold the

largest painting (the pink blossoms shown earlier in this blog) on the first night. I am buoyed by the

interest in the new pieces as well.

Collage Portraits

2010-04-17T11:14:00.003-04:00

I've been working on a new series that will incorporate vintage portraits within layers of text and relevant imagery. The fun is in collecting and pulling together the bits of history that support the image. Soon I will add the information needed to be able to offer these portraits to those who would love to see their treasured vintage photos pulled out of desks and drawers and incorporated into framed art work. Original photos would be scanned and returned and only the copies will be digitally altered for use in the collage.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

Hydrangeas are everywhere at Easter time, so this is my Easter greeting to everyone. I've been working on this one on and off and as Spring approached I gravitated back to it. It is a 24" square acrylic painting on stretched canvas. Except for signing, this one is finished.

On My Easel....

2010-03-27T09:55:00.001-04:00

Not the best lighting, but this is what's on my easel at the moment.
About 90% finished. It's one of the series of blossoms I've worked on over the last 3 years. I've set it aside a few times to work on commissioned pieces and just didn't get back to it...until now.
SOLD

ACEO Portrait of Emilie

2010-03-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

Ideally, I'd love to do a mini painting a day. With these ACEO's, I'm almost able to do so. This one is a portrait of my daughter in sepia. Needs some tweaking but I may do several of the same pose just

to experiment with different media. This one is in acrylic but next time, I may use some prismacolor

pencils too. She took the picture by the way.....something I've been trying to get her to do for me for

ages.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (week)

2010-03-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

I have signed on to participate this year in the Hudson Area Studio Tour taking place last weekend in September. I participated the first few years and then took a two year break so it will be fun to be back
on the tour again this year. It really is a motivator to get a new group of paintings out. (Jewellery too)
I chose this photo to be printed in the brochure and it just occurred to me that it fit the St. Patrick's theme very well. So here's my contribution to St. Patrick's week on my blog!

ACEO's

2010-03-05T23:28:00.004-05:00

I'm tackling several issues all at once. I kept promising myself I'd do more sketching, work in my journals, paint some ACEO's (Art cards, editions and originals) and have done just that. These

are addictive. I've learned a lot from painting in this size. Here are just a few. They are now

listed in my Etsy shop too....
(The first two have sold)

New Year, new beginnings, new projects

2010-02-07T16:10:00.006-05:00

Well January sped by. But I'm not feeling guilty in the least. It was a month of indulgences.

Pouring over new books acquired at Christmas, absorbing inspiration, keeping notes. But now...

now I must get back to work (play). Amongst other explorations I have been working with encaustics. I have slowly accumulated what I need and it was time to put them to use. You can read all you want but until you actually put the acquired knowledge to work you don't really know how to handle it. I have an idea of how I'll want to progress and what techniques I enjoy

working with and which ones are just not me. My initial experiments with textures were better

with the first few and then I kind of created "messes". So I changed course and started working

with photos to see how to integrate them into the wax. I haven't done anything particularly

creative with these photos but I needed time to let the experience simmer a bit before I proceed.

The texture is unlike working with layers in acrylic medium. There is a more ethereal look to

wax and it takes a different "mind set" to work with it. Next on my list will be to paint more

traditionally with the wax. That will be exciting...