Last month I took part in a fantastic workshop with mixed media artist and friend Stacey Walyuchow. It was so fun to be able to take part in both the workshop and an artist's talk with Stacey and author Wendy McGrath that week. I'm not a collage/mixed media artist and oil pastels are quite foreign to me, plus I don't usually work in such muted colours, but this workshop was so much fun! It was also very nice to see several ladies in the community that I haven't seen in some time. I may go back into the piece once I think about it a bit, but, for now, I love the feeling of it.
"But you have to have something that you don't ask anybody else about. I have been receiving the kindest messages about my exhibit in Cranbrook. Several women have travelled specifically to view it and the introductory portrait workshop sold out very quickly. I am so grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to visiting it in person in March. Thank you, Anne Anderson, for this lovely photo!
This project has been a bit neglected...though I am still trudging along. I finally ended up with the dreaded Covid so I was behind a week. It felt like a mild cold but I was so tired that I knew it was important to rest. Sometimes we are forced to slow down and it seems that I don't until I get ill. After not having any illnesses the past 5 years I was a little spoiled. But the rest was good and I'm re-evaluating a few things while I continue with 'Ahead of Her Time' and 'A Room of Her Own' - these projects make me very happy. :)
"Victorian women's rights were extremely limited in this era, losing ownership of their wages, their physical property excluding land property, and all other cash they generated once married."
This is the point in a new series that I begin to feel less doubt about the direction I'm taking and the quality of my work. I'm so grateful that I was given the advice to hang my work-in-progess. When I started my first 52 week project, I placed each portrait in my studio closet and dreaded each new one. But, once I hung the work, I began to see something special in it. It was encouraging. The old adage of never giving up is so true. I've also begun adding the original miniature portraits to each piece and seeing them together brings me so much joy.
I absolutely love how Irene framed this watercolour portrait I created this summer as part of my Artist Residency at Sparrow Artspace in Calgary. During that time I was taking the time to learn the media for portraiture in preparation for the project I am currently creating. At the time I didn't know exactly who I would be painting...that came later when our local antique shop got hold of beautiful miniature Victorian portraits of women...but I knew I wanted to work on another female portrait project. Thanks Irene for being one of my guinea pigs!
For Christmas my old friend, glass blower Jacqueline Berting, sent me a handmade mug which is absolutely stunning. This is my favourite shape, round belly to cup in my hands and keep them warm, and the walls are so thin and light. It's lovely to hold was so beautifully made by Saskatchewan potter Jim Elder. Of course I had to document it in my tea sketchbook.
"While being expected to maintain a home and raise children, Victorian women labored within the paid workforce in increasing numbers following the Industrial Revolution."
Last week I received this mini palette from A. Gallo for travel journalling...it arrived from Italy in only 2 days! I was surprised, to say the least. The nice thing about this particular palette is that it consists of both warm and cool primary colours which means a large variety of mixes are possible. Because they are made with honey and rosemary oil, they smell so good the longer they are used in a sitting. This particular set of colours consists of:
I'm excited to begin using them in my sketchbooks! |
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