Since we returned form Mexico I can't stop looking at pictures and have such vivid images in my mind.  The colours were so beautiful and this trip so meaningful.  Maybe it's because both our girls are graduating or because I'm feeling so nostalgic, not only for the childhood of my daughters but even for my own.  When we were young, my family spent a month in South America and it was the first time I met so many of my relatives and experienced wildlife that was so different from my own as I grew up in northern Canada.  In any case, I am so happy to have shared this particular experience with my own family and am happy for the inspiration which is bound to end up in my work.

This year I have really struggled with the 52 WEEKS::Storytellers series...not that I'm not enjoying it but rather that last year's 52 WEEKS::Heroes series was so deeply meaningful to me.  Working on this series is reminding me why I decided not to pursue graphic design and rather focus on painting purely from my heart.  I do need to constantly remind myself that I feel this way every single year and it is good to see the pieces together as it begins to read like an interesting story.  I know that all I need is patience at this point.  It is coming together.

Published in the fiery days of World War II, Four Quartets stands as a testament to the power of poetry amid the chaos of the time. Series of four poems by T.S. Eliot, published individually from 1936 to 1942, and in book form in 1943; the work is considered to be Eliot's masterpiece.  Eliot's insights into the cyclical nature of life are revealed through themes and images deftly woven throughout the four poems. The work addresses the connections of the personal and historical present and past, spiritual renewal, and the very nature of experience.

For those who have asked, these are the last of the  52 WEEKS::Heroes series:

Top Row:  Mary Cassatt, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Louisa May Alcott, Stevie Nicks, Anais Nin, Mata Hari

Bottom Row:  Doris McCarthy, Sandra Dee, E. Pauline Johnson, Kenojuak Ashevak, Emmeline Pankhurst, Karen Blixen

They are still available for the introductory fee of $150 each and there are also a few books still available for $25 each (see link here for a preview).

Again, huge gratitude for all the support on this series...it really was a work of the heart.

I received these sweet gerbera daisies after the Amazing Airdrie Women awards gala last week and I can't believe they still look so beautiful.  With family allergies I can't keep them in the house but they look gorgeous on the patio where I can appreciate them through the French doors.  I noticed that I have used these colours prominently in my work in the past and think it's time to do so again.  I love nature's inspiration.

The past few months I have been having such a good time teaching workshops at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary.  I'm such a lucky gal as I get to do a variety of interesting things and meet many inspiring people and this week I have the opportunity to work with a group of grade 6 students.  Since they are studying Confederation, I decided to incorporate symbols and colours that represent Canada.  To me, the Hudson's Bay Company and trading are an important part of Canadian history because the Bay was an integral part of my northern community.  This creative career is such a great life and I feel so very grateful to be able to live it.

One of my greatest pleasures as an artist is to see where my work gets to live so it is always a great pleasure to see photos.  I've been especially grateful to see so many of the 52 WEEKS::Heroes series find new homes.  And I'm always so very grateful to those who send pictures or tag me in them.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

In this sequel to The Spectator Bird, Joe Allston returns in this disquieting and keenly observed novel. Scarred by the senseless death of their son and baffled by the engulfing chaos of the 1960s, Joe and his wife, Ruth, have left the coast for a California retreat. Although their new home looks like Eden, it also has serpents: Jim Peck, a messianic exponent of drugs, yoga, and sex; and Marian Catlin, an attractive young woman whose otherworldly innocence is far more appealing—and far more dangerous.

I had ordered a few pouches from Society6 to use for art supplies but have found them also to be perfect for travelling.  Someone also recently mentioned that they make a great clutch, something I will definitely use.  I've been so impressed with the quality of the items that I've ordered and I am glad they're so functional as well.

I often think of the line in the movie 'You've Got Mail' featuring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, where his character writes in an email, ."Don't you just love New York in the fall?  It makes me want to buy school supplies.  I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."  I have always loved that line, but instead of pencils I think of painting tools.  Fall is my favorite season, but the spring here is often reminiscent of it, with fluctuating temperatures that make me long for summer days but then dropping enough to be able to wear my favorite sweater.  When I can open my studio window to enjoy breezes and bird song.  Perfect days indeed!