 I was able to procure the Small Hunter Satchel (rook - navy blue) by Peg & Awl for Christmas and it fits my Sendak Mini Artist Roll (maple), a sketchbook and a few necessities perfectly. It also works well with my university reads (bonus). I love their waxed canvas and leather closures/straps. They feel vintage and sturdy...just my cup of tea. I've had the artist roll for a couple of years and the longer they are used, the better they get.
 I'm hoping to travel south sometime in the new year so I've already begun planning my colour palette for the trip. I like to prepare early so that I can try it out before I go. This time, instead of primary & secondary colours, or even warm and cool primaries, I've adopted a couple of new colours. It's still a bit warm/cool but a little brighter. The colours are all Daniel Smith:
- Hansa yellow medium - Quinacridone sienna - Opera pink - Perylene red - Manganese blue - French ultramarine Apparently, these colours mix to create beautiful new shades so I'm excited to experiment with them. Available at Bluerock Gallery (L to R:)
1. Northanger Abbey 2. Sense & Sensibility 3. Grapes of Wrath 4. War & Peace 5. Sherlock Holmes 6. Huckleberry Finn 7. Great Expectations 8. The Three Muskateers 9. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 10. Uncle Tom's Cabin 11. Lord of the Rings 12. Emma  Crimson | 16x16 | acrylic on canvas "The poppy is a red and precious thing That blooms a brief and shining hour And then, alas! its petals close And it is gone again." ~ Mary Oliver 
Red Pocket Palette: Artist's Toolkit
Pencil Crayons: Faber Castell (gifted) Watercolours: Beam Paints Handbook Sketchbooks: Speedball Art (sizes 3.5x5.5 & 5.5x5.5) ..... 6x8 Pochade Box (Guerilla Painter): Judson's Art Outfitters Acrylic Paint: Tri-Art (gifted) ..... Signature6 Watercolours: A.Gallo Colors (gifted) Travel Brush: Tintoretto Brushes (gifted) The Mini Sendak and Guerilla Painter are both fairly old and have taken quite a beating...I need sturdy things in my creative life. The Tri-Art acrylics have been a real gift as my husband has not seemed to react negatively to them as he has with my previous acrylics and, though I absolutely loved the vibrancy and ease of use of the A.Gallo watercolours and they smelled heavenly of rosemary (they use the oil in their formula), I had to pass them along once I completed my project (Ahead of Their Time) as the scent did bother my husband. I would still highly recommend them as they are gorgeous and lovely to use. The other natural watercolour that I love to use is Beam Paints, though I tend to use them in my studio as they do require a bit longer for activation and drying time so that can be an issue when I travel though the colours are stunning! Along with these items, my favourite travel waterbrush is the Pentel mini (it has a nice point for finer details, keeps it shape well over time and does not leak), my favourite packable travel brushes are the Princeton Neptune (I particularly like sizes 4 & 8) and favourite white pen is the Uni-Ball Signo. My specific pochade box is no longer available, though Judson's does still offer that size, but it is no longer as deep.  I've enjoyed painting these little idyllic rooms for awhile now, though I initially thought I would only paint a few. The collection has grown from 10 to 22, with several finding homes through Bluerock Gallery (thank you!). I began this little project last summer (June 2023) during my Artist Residency at Sparrow Artspace in Calgary without knowing the direction it would take...it began with adding lace texture to deep wood cradled panels then morphed into detailed tiny interiors with names culled from classic literature. I am so grateful for residencies as a time to learn something and develop new work. It takes me awhile to pivot, but those little embers that begin during a time of exploration usually tend to grow.
 'AHEAD OF HER TIME'
Framed on Fifth 1207 5 Ave NW, Calgary, AB August 2025  After a very busy year I've decided to choose 'Calm' for my word-of-the-year. I'm hoping it will remind me to stop and think before saying 'yes' to anything, something that I often struggle with, especially when everything sounds so exciting. I've been selecting a guiding word for the year since 2005 and always begin a new journal to document my year. I added this Fraggonard painting titled 'The Souvenir' that I picked up at the Wallace Gallery in London as it was my favourite when we visited the U.K. I use my journal for everything...packing lists, ideas, sketches, paint colour swatching, gratitude journalling, grocery lists, really whatever is on my mind. To see previous WOTY journals, please visit links here.
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