 I was so pleased that I had the opportunity to drop off the newest pieces at Bluerock Gallery in Diamond Valley. The day was perfect - sunny with clear roads - and the travel in the country is soul-filling. Plus, the company I get to see is wonderful, too! Such a privilege to continue to be represented by such an incredible gallery for all of these years.
 You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. My initial return to portraiture began with my first 52 WEEKS project in 2016. They all found wonderful homes and I've recently been asked to add to a small collection. This time, I was able to include Jane Goodall and to create a new version of a younger Harriet Tubman. Initially, this series was such a treat as I had not really painted portraits since the mid-1980s so it was a great challenge, especially as I wanted to approach the process a bit differently utillizing a more graphic/illustrative style. It's always a privilege to create work of and for people whom I admire. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars, to change the world.   I recently received this 4x6x1.25 inch wooden travel palette from Natsume Handmade and I absolutely love it. It's small enough Peg & Awl small hunter satchel while being sturdy enough to use on a tabletop...nothing is more challenging than having an easel tip back when I'm working. The hinges can allow the easel to open flat or to adjust at any angle and there is also a spot on the bottom to attach a tripod. Plus, I love that the entire thing works with magnets, no clasps or closures to think about. This size works great with postcard sized watercolour papers but I think I will create a bit of an option for painting larger by cutting out a piece of coroplast in a 6x8 inch size so that I can work in several sizes including 5x7, 6x6, 6x8, and 8x8 as well as 4x6. I've been using it on my walks along Nose Creek and wish I had it while my girls were growing up. I've shared my current colour palette below:    I've been really pleased with the new recipe I've started using to make my own paint. I think the biggest change was to use the powdered gum arabic (tree gum) in the binder Natural Earth Paint. I love that their recipe includes honey as a humectant (to reactivate dried pans of watercolour more quickly) and as a preservative, though you can also add a couple of drops of clove oil as a preservative as well. I also love the fact that you basically mix equal parts of binder and pigment, though some pigments require a bit more binder as minerals absorb liquid in different proportions. The large, single paint samples (above) were created as the paint was freshly mixed while the sample with stripes was created a few days later after the pans dried and were reactivated with water - both nice and vibrant. Also, to fill a large pan, I only need 1 teaspoon of each pigment and binder. The neat thing is that you can create any paints - watercolour, gouache, oil or acrylic paint - using the same directions with different binder. Natural Earth Paint also makes a fully plant-based acrylik (spelt with a 'k') binder that is better for the environment and for us. :)
 After several years and lots of requests, I have finally revived my youtube channel. I'm currently uploading my older online workshop videos (free access) and will continue to update over time. It's been fun to see these videos again as it's been awhile. If you would like to take a look, the channel is accessbile if you click here and on my 'Free Resources' page (under workshops).
Last month I had the privilege of creating a painting for a woman who is retiring from her many years of service with the City of Airdrie. It was especially meaningful because she is a friend of mine and her final project was the new 'Inspire' arts & culture facility. As always, I wanted to incorporate symbols into the design that were meaningful:
  After a decade of trying to find my 'voice' in the landscape, I still struggle to call myself a landscape painter. And, though I've used watercolours since I met my husband almost 40 years ago, I still don't claim to be a watercolour painter. The interesting thing is that I always tell people to claim the title 'Artist' if they are creative and, yet, I don't allow myself the same privilege in this case. I wonder if this is all part of the creative brain? Is it the hesitancy to make mistakes or the extreme desire to continue learning that is a bit of a barrier when it comes to labelling what we do? I often think of the boldest artists, like Picasso, who did what they wanted, whenever & however they wanted. He switched from realistic painting to abstraction to printmaking, ceramics and sculpture without apology. Perhaps, it is because men are more confident in unapologetically staking a claim? I've been very grateful to exhibit and sell my landscapes and know, intrinsically, that I just need to keep going as it is in this that I will achieve success in my endeavours. I will feel stronger about my work the longer I create it. I have found that to be true multiple times throughout my careeer. Never give up. :)
  I have been gifted so many lovely tins and, currently, these are the ones that house the predominant art supplies I use:
 “Now in November nearer comes the sun down the abandoned heaven.” |
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