Vacations......sigh ....It seems like a long time since we've been on a vacation.  And I don't see that changing for us in the near future.  Personally, I'm speaking.....I know lots of people have been able to take vacations this summer..finally.

I recently discovered some photos that I had from a wonderful holiday in near Boothbay Harbour in Maine way back in the 80's.  It's a lot like Georgian Bay there - the rock formations.  I had painted a picture from there several years ago, but I was happy to discover a few more photos.  So I decided to paint them.

That got me to thinking about how nice it is to be able to paint my vacation memories.  I've always taken a lot of photos when I travelled.  And then I got in to the scrapbooking craze.  But those albums take up way too much room...and I got too busy.  But I kept stock piling the photos, and papers, and stickers, and souvenirs ready to paint my vacations!  Several years ago I sold all my scrapbooking materials in a yard sale.  I made a few 'memory books' from Blacks or Apple and I enjoy looking at them too.  But,  the ones that I have painted mean the most to me. 

I certainly haven't painted everywhere I've been across Canada, the US, and Caribbean islands.  But here are a few.

I just realized how boring vacation photos are....to everyone else!  I hope that you didn't feel that way just now. 
I actually do paint a lot of 'vacation places' not just for me, but for others as well.  I have done some as commissions, but because most of the places that I've been are popular places for so many people, I have found that many people have been able to re-live THEIR vacation memories through my artwork.  Take a look on the website online store for more.  Some have prints available too!

Enjoy your vacation memories.....wherever they may be!

Well here we are at the start of the 2nd half of 2021.  It's certainly looking better than the first half.  Although things aren't quite 'back to normal' we are going to be enjoying the re-opening.  At this time, Waterloo Region has not moved to Step 2, although Guelph has.  Because I'm involved in both areas, I can't make definite plans yet.
So I'm still pondering and thinking......what will I do?

Yikes!  That's enough!  I don't need to list any more!!!!

Last summer I decided to try acrylic painting.  It is very different from watercolours.....backwards I might say.....but I guess some would say that watercolours is backwards.   In watercolour you paint from light to dark, because the watercolour paints are somewhat transparent, so you can't cover up a darker colour with a lighter colour.  But what an amazing and fun thing....in acrylic painting YOU CAN DO THAT!  And what freedom that gives.  Wow.  I took 2 classes in Chatsworth with Peter John Reid and this past winter, I did a Zoom class with Marianne Broome from Schomberg.

This week I had a fun time with my "Mother's Day Draw" for a free print...for your mom or for you!  I figure we all need a bit of a treat these days!  It was for my Facebook Followers.  I asked them to tell me which print they would choose, and why.....whether it was for their mom, or for themselves. 
Many people entered the draw and I was quite moved by many of their responses....a favourite place, a reminder of something or...someone.......But the one that made the biggest impression on me, was actually the one that I drew.  (Honestly, I did not look at the names as I drew them out).  I did end up drawing names and giving out 5 prints.....I really wanted more people to win that painting that would mean so much to them.

The first winning ticket was Linda Ashfield, a friend of mine and retired Presbyterian minister.  Her words emphasized the amazing thing that what I choose to paint says something to the viewer that I don't even think about when I'm painting it.  This particular painting that I did this winter was from a photo that I took a couple of summers ago.  I caught sight of this butterfly on the thistle and liked the bright contrast.  I had to crouch down a bit to take the photo, so that I could see enough of the butterfly.  Unfortunately, it was  right in front of an ugly grey brick wall.  I didn't worry about that...I knew that I could change it.  I decided to make the beautiful blue sky as another contrast.  It seemed to be a very happy picture (which I have to admit I like painting)...something that might make people smile.  Here's what Linda had to say:

Thank you for sharing that Linda.   I think that you are going to enjoy your new print!  I might even put one up on my wall!

But last week I had a message from S.  her boyfriend loved it!  But he finally, reluctantly told her that there was one problem!  Apparently when he lived in the house it was red brick.....and the current photo that I had to work with .....well it was white siding!

They wondered if there was any chance that I could change it!  Well.....that's a funny thing about watercolour....Maybe you can...maybe you can't!  Since watercolour paint that I use is transparent, you can only put darker colours over top of lighter colours (or white).....you can't go from dark to light like you can in acrylic or oil.  Well weren't they lucky!  Because it was an easy fix to make that white siding into red brick!  Now he's happy to have a painting that really DOES look like the house that he grew up in!      And I actually like the new version better too!

.....Commissions!   As I was telling someone about them today, I realized that there are 2 things that I enjoy about them.  #1 They almost always challenge me to paint something very different than I would choose, and #2 I like the way they reach people on an emotional level.

This past Nov/Dec, I was so pleased to be able to do several commissions, most as Christmas gifts.  Each painting has a story about why it was important or what it meant.  Or there's a good story about the ordering of it!  Here is the best one yet!

Later that same day, the Mr. also ordered a painting of their amazingly renovated house for his wife for Christmas!  What was I to do!  I couldn't tell him that HE was already going to be receiving it!  So, since I knew her better...and she was first....I told her what had happened.  What a laugh we had, but what to do.  She thought about it for a few days, and then suggested that SHE would give HIM a painting of the original house as it was when they moved in.  Then HE could give HER the renovated version.  And that's what happened.   And they both loved both of the paintings!  They now have matching frames and will be hanging on the wall together. 

I love that!  My favourite story!

This has never happened!  Look at my January calendar!  Of course, we're all probably still in the same boat, aren't we.  Everyday is the same....although it seems like we get to Thursday very quickly each week.
But.....it turned out to be a good thing.  I was so busy all fall, right up to a few days before Christmas so I said that I was going to "Do Nothing" in January.  If you know me at all, you'll know that I never do nothing.  Two years ago, on our 6 week 'holiday' on Vancouver Island, I painted 30 pictures!  That was NOT relaxing.

So, I did it!  No art business work (well, except for shipping some Etsy orders).  I read several books,  we've done 11 jigsaws since Christmas Day, trying to go for a little walk every day, watching a bit of TV, watching YouTube videos, puttering around the house, but no cleaning/sorting projects (although there are several to do).....
......and I'm bored.

So now it's February! 
I've got 4 commissions to do this month.
I need to get my website and Etsy shop updated.
I'm looking forward to new paintings (I have several ready to go!)
I need to think about online classes
......sounds like I need a holiday! :)

Well, 2020 is now a memory. When I think back to last January/February and how busy I was, I certainly didn't expect it to turn out like it did....who did!   But for my little art world, it has actually turned out quite nicely although different than what I expected.  Here's a look back at what I've done:

- had 3 "Porch Sales" and 2 "Pop Up Outdoor Vendor Shows" , all following safe COVID procedures.

As well, I revamped my inventory system, especially for cards, assigned SKU - bar codes for all of them, and bought a hand held barcode scanner......a week before the lockdown in March!  Good timing.  But I have used it several times and it sure saves time at checkout, and keeping track of stock.

Wow.....I think that was busy enough.
Thank you for your continuing support!
....and here we go to 2021!

I like to sometimes paint in a theme, especially for Christmas Cards.  Not that it matters, because my cards are all sold separately, but it just ties the subjects together.

So this year, I kept thinking about "Silent Night".  A beautiful carol that we all love.....I love the silence and peaceful feelings that it evokes.   I wanted to paint something from each of the 3 areas in Cambridge, and also included a farm in Roseville, just outside of Cambridge.

These are the things that I wish for everyone as we quietly celebrate Christmas this year.   It will be different for all of us. 
Have a silent.....holy.....calm....and bright Christmas! 

Well it might be the beginning of November, but I've been spending the last 4 weeks getting ready for Christmas!  Yep....a bit of an update since my last chat with you

We all know that our world is very different this year, and what we know is not what we'll be doing this year.  November and December in the past have been very busy for me, doing craft shows and meeting so many wonderful people.  That won't be happening in the same way as before.  But many organizers have found new ways to hold OnLine or Virtual Christmas Markets.  We don't know how they will turn out, and we'll surely miss the face to face, but we're all hoping that it actually might make it easier for more people to see what we have.  I am involved in 4 shows, and each one involves a different 'platform' to set up our work.  Which I have to say is taking hours, getting the online store up.  I've even made a couple of videos so there is at least a real person to see for a few minutes.

Here's Dennis cutting mats.......lots of new paintings & prints!

This is some fascinating video for sure (ha ha ha ha)

It might LOOK like I know what I'm doing.  I figure if I have lots of cables, and adapters and tripods and wires, something will work!

I'd like to ask a favour of you and your friends,......please consider checking out these online markets wherever you are.  The handmade vendors are trying to find a way to get their produce for you to see....and this is the way it will be this year.

An interesting plus, is that many of them are on for 3 to 30 days!  Not just one day for 4 or 5 hours.  You can take your time...browse.....come back in a few days...order something.....decide you want more....browse again.......24/7 for that time period.  Should be much more relaxing for everyone!

Here are the ones that I am going to be involved in.  Of course, you can contact me at anytime and also see all my work here on my website.  But there's lot of other great work from many amazing vendors!

Check out my "Upcoming Events" page with links to each market that are active only during the dates of the 'market'
Will I 'see' you there?