From the Archives (1)

I've been going through some old image files...

I went to Capilano College in 1994-6, enrolled in the Studio Arts Foundation program there.  I recently discovered, to my dismay, that the Studio Arts program no longer exists at what is now Capilano University.

While at the College, I applied for and received an international study grant which allowed me to live in Kuala Lumpur and study Fine Arts at the Institut Seni Lukis Malaysia.  It was a grand adventure, both exhilarating and at times very difficult, as all grand adventures are.  

Among other things I made some portraits while living and studying in KL.

And I continued to make portraits when I returned to Canada.

 



















It's interesting to look through older work, sort of nostalgic and also affirming: I've been at this art practice thing for awhile now, getting on a couple of decades.

Sometimes I feel frustrated with what seems a lack of worldly success... but then I think about all the twists and turns a life can take, and I feel fortunate to have been able to persevere with making art of one sort or another pretty much all my life.

There are many more archives and I may post some more images over the next few weeks.  It seems like a necessary sort of grounding exercise right now.

Thanks for reading :)

travelling and drawing and painting

Staying entertained on an airplane is not too difficult when I have a sketchbook with me.  During each flight I decided to make drawings with my eyes closed, and I quite like how some of them turned out.  

These drawings were done in a 4x6" book of 90lb paper, using a fine-tip Sharpie marker and a gold Slicci pen:

I also made some portraits of fellow passengers during my flights.  One must be very surreptitious in order to avoid anyone realizing they have become an artist's model and so begin to "pose".  People who are just being themselves are generally more interesting to draw than people who are trying to hold still.

Finally, a few portraits of family members and friends which I made during my stay in Ontario.  These were done in a 9x12-inch sketchbook of 130lb paper, using the Sharpie marker, oil pastels and gouache paints in quinacridone red, raw sienna, pthalocyanine green and cobalt blue:

Whew!  That was a lot of art-making over the course of one week.  It's always exciting to be somewhere different, and I prefer drawing over taking photographs as a method of recording my experiences.  Drawing takes more time and so contains more feeling, and in that way is a more "accurate" record for me.

Returning home, I'll be teaching a couple of classes straight away next week and working a shift at the art-supply store.  

Then, finally, I will get back into the studio to install some lighting and finish painting the ceiling.  Have I mentioned that I am in the process of moving into a *new* studio?  My studio will now be in the garage instead of in the basement of our home, which is a great improvement.  Having a work space separate from the house - even if only by a few meters - feels so wonderful.  More on that in my next posting, if all goes according to plan.

:)

Ontario Landscape #2

This one was done from near the top of Harold Town Conservation Area.  Another gorgeous spot with lots of trails and varying topography.  After making the painting, I realized I had chosen a view that is similar to what one might find in Southern Alberta... with a few more trees.

the view

the palette

the beginning

the middle

the finish

the artist

Ontario landscape #1

I'm in Ontario, and I brought my painting kit!  This was made in the Miller Creek Wildlife Area, a beautiful wetland-and-woods type area full of birds and beavers and gorgeous views.

"En Plein Air" upcoming exhibition

Two days ago:  Yet another landscape painting!  Autumn is here, the weather is very fine and I want to spend as much time outdoors as possible before the wintry cold arrives.

This week I do some final prep, and then on the weekend we go to hang our landscapes at the Western GM Gallery in Drumheller, AB.  It is the first time I show my landscapes here in Alberta, and quite special for my husband and I to be showing our paintings together.  We are quite excited about seeing our work up in this beautiful gallery!

sketchbook patterns

Exploring patterns in a 9x12", 212 gsm sketchbook.

The heavy paper makes a perfect base for collages.

The sketchbook has its own integrity and appeal.

It becomes a collection of explorations, a unified thing between two covers.

An intimate thing which needs to be touched to be experienced. 

Paper is so versatile, so welcoming.

Alberta landscape #95

the view: flat, semi-arial

the palette: limited

the layout

the beginning

the middle

the end

In preparation for an upcoming exhibition, I am framing a few of my plein air landscape paintings.  I have seen works where the frame is an integral part of the painting.  That approach appeals to me far more than the standard black gallery frame, so I'm following suit with a simple but colourful framing of my small works.

This will be the first time my landscape paintings are shown here in Alberta and I'm feeling excited!

Nourishment

Making art is definitely nourishment for the soul.

I have resumed painting some of the canvas plates that I printed a few weeks ago.  While rolling on the ink and making the prints I had been imagining different ways of finishing the plates.  

In between the imagining and the doing, I got caught up in making books!  Somehow I was inwardly compelled to print 5 editions of 75 prints in 5 sketchbooks, before I could come back to painting my stitched canvas plates.  *laughs*   Well, that's how it goes.

I really like the visual effect of painted canvas plates beside their prints.

As I may have already mentioned, these plates and prints are part of a larger project that will take several more months to complete.  My excitement about this project is on a constant low simmer; it's a bit like making a really good stew.

Speaking of stew, here's a basic recipe:

chicken thighs with skin & bone in

salt & pepper

butter

homemade crabapple sauce - really tart!

a good chunk of fresh ginger, grated

a bit of cayenne or other chilli pepper

a dollop of honey

an onion or two, chopped or sliced

Rub meat with salt & pepper, place in a buttered baking dish & brown both sides under the broiler.

Meanwhile mix applesauce, ginger, chilli and honey, adding water to make a runny sauce.

Remove meat from baking dish, scrape up any drippings and stir in half the sauce.

Layer onions and browned chicken pieces, and pour the remainder of sauce on top.

Cover and bake for 1/2 hour or so.

Or you can stew it in a crock pot if you prefer.

Last time I made this dish, I added smoked paprika, basil, a wee pinch of cumin and a chopped sweet red pepper.  

If you do not have tart applesauce you could use sweet, with a bit of cider vinegar or lemon/lime juice.

Note: If you make this dish in a crock pot in the morning, you can then spend all day in the studio nourishing your soul, and when you emerge from the studio there is your bodily nourishment.  A nice balance, n'est-ce pas?