HOW NEGLECTFUL I HAVE BEEN!

Dear Followers of Kwoneshe Creations:

Of late I have been negligent and have not been posting any information (good, bad or indifferent) on this blog.  In fact the reason I am here today is because over the past week or so several people have asked if I plan on continuing this blog!?!?

Well, I thank them for noticing that I have not posted anything lately...in fact I am shocked to see that I've done nothing since March 3rd of this year!  

There are three reasons for my not posting anything new here.

REASON ONE - I'VE FOUND GOLF!  I'm a new golfer...started to play about three years ago...and I really and truly enjoy the game, as frustrating as it is!   We had a particularly early start to the season this year due to unusually warm temperatures which started in early March and allowed David and I to get on the golf course a good two months ahead of schedule.  Those first few weeks were pretty special because there weren't a lot of people out there mid week so we actually played almost every day until the 'real' season opened and we became curtailed by more people on the course which meant tee times were more difficult to get.  Now we're on a more controlled schedule and only play about three times a week, either in League play or with groups of friends. 

REASON TWO - I HAVE BEEN NEGLECTING MY ART 'BIG TIME'!  I have done any art since March and with that neglect comes an absence of things to say or write consequently I haven't added any new posts to this blog.  While golf is fun, frustrating and challenging...and believe me it is challenging...it is not that artistically creative therefore I do not feel as inclined to write.  It is when I am doing my art that I find my mind is more in gear with respect to thinking creatively and expressively...in essence one art medium (i.e. painting) inspires one to use another medium (writing)...or so it does for me.

REASON THREE - RIVERWOOD   David and I have been using the good weather days (and we've been having great weather) to recreate our property and garden areas here at Riverwood!!!!  That in itself has taken a huge amount of time and energy (and money) but we now have 'a cottage in the city' with a woodland garden that's wild and woolly (by that I mean that it is NOT MANICURED and WEEDS DO GROW in and amongst the plants and they only get pulled if they are over 8" tall!)...and we love it!  

The dock area is where we find some 'personal space' to
read and/or sleep in the shade of the Maple tree or have a
swim...depending on the time of day or the mood we are in.
It's a marvellous space that we enjoy very much.

We've been gardening like mad fiends between golf games and finally after 12 years of being in this house we've cleared out all the 'old growth' lilac that was smothering the property and have planted more trees (Flowering Crab, Flowering Almond and a 16 foot Mountain Ash which in a few years will be gorgeous!); we've pulled out tons of weeds and cut down Buckthorn 'til our hands have bled.  We've planted Hostas, Ferns, Lilies, Ligularia, Brunnera and various other perennials that are hardy to this area.  To say nothing of hauling in trailer loads of mulch and then wheelbarrowing/raking the stuff into the flowerbeds.  (Admittedly we hate cutting the lawn so we have "Grasshopper", Jeff Davis, do that for us.  He's a one-man show and works many of the properties in our neighbourhood...he also helps lift heavy objects, etc. so willingly (or not so...but he'd never say) assists us when we need an extra hand with things.) 

With luck our hard work will make this property a lush and private woodland retreat for years to come.  Because we were always away at our cottage on Stony Lake we've never been able to concentrate our efforts on the garden here.  Now that 'RIVERWOOD' has officially become our 'cottage in the city' we're happy to only have the one property to deal with.  We're finding we haven't got the stamina we used to; although, like almost every day for the past several weeks, we still tend to 'push' ourselves to the limit and work non-stop for hours at a time and wonder why we can't get out of bed the next morning!  (Seems we're not as young as we were when we went all day on the island at Stony...never stopping until it was dark and hunger got the better of us!!!!)

IT MUST BE THE GARDENING that's started the creative juices in my brain working again because over the past couple of weeks I have been 'missing' my art.  It was bound to happen since I can't go for very long without 'doing my art'!

I stopped painting in early March when I withdrew from a group that I had been painting with for the past four years.  We called ourselves 'Quadrangle' and met every Tuesday to paint and chat about art and life.  We have had a number of shows together and while I enjoy being with the other three artists I was in a bit of a 'slump' with my painting and wasn't feeling very excited about what I was producing...even though they felt I was doing some interesting stuff.  It just wasn't feeling 'right' for me so I decided to take a break.  During this past year I did do several paintings and managed to complete them.  Here are two that I felt quite satisfied with when they were completed.

PAINTED FOR A FRIEND...THE TWO LOVELY HORSES ARE NOW A MEMORY,
BUT THEIR DOGGY FRIEND STILL LOVES TO CARRY HIS STICK AROUND

DUST DEVILS - Inspired by a photograph I recall seeing many years ago and the image never left me.

Then golf arrived early so I immersed myself in that for a time.  But my creative mind was a little restless so I pondered on things and half heartedly made efforts to get back to some sort of art but without much enthusiasm; although, I did experiment with some chicken wire after becoming inspired with some work I found while browsing the internet.  

I've always loved the theme of a 'boy on a dolphin' so decided to do my own version of it.  The piece is about 4'-6" high and is mounted on a stainless steel pole.  When the wind blows it moves so that it is never in the same position for very long taking it to about 7' or so.  There are some days that you can't actually see it at all and so occasionally I am asked...'what's with the steel pole in you garden?...so I have to go over to the piece and spin it around so they can actually see 'the boy on the dolphin"!  

BOY ON A DOLPHIN with SKY BEHIND 

BOY ON A DOLPHIN with WATER BEHIND

This past week or so I've been really anxious to get back to carving stone again...something I haven't done for a whole year after having some bad luck with two carvings early last summer when both of them shattered when I was well into the compositions.  In over twenty years of carving stone I have never had that happen to me.  One carving was completely ruined so I just broke the rock into smaller pieces; however the other I was able to file away any suggestion of the original composition and saved most of the stone; although it got temporarily placed in the 'dead pile'.  I never got back to carving again last season because by then David and I were making plans to head to Vancouver and then to Tofino for our son's wedding in late September.  So my carving and everything else creative got put on HOLD!.  When we got back to Peterborough in early October David had to prepare himself for surgery in November to remove two plates in his right leg so needless to say we were busy doing things around the house so that he wouldn't have any projects on the go while he was re-cooping from the surgery.  Then Winter came upon us and I never got a chance to do any more carving because due to the dirty, dusty nature of the medium it's definitely 'an outdoor sport'!

I'm now happy to say that as of this week I'M BACK TO CARVING AGAIN...AND IT FEELS SOOOOO GOOD!   I think one of the things that spurred me onto carving again was the fact that during the redesigning of our garden beds, etc. David (his wheels are always turning!) had the good idea of adding more pea gravel down by the 'garden bunkie' area so that I could move my workstand down there from it's usual spot near the garden door of the house where I was continually having to hose down the bricks and windows because they would become covered with a layer of fine stone dust that gradually seeped into crevices and any open windows nearby...and, like drywall dust, it's very hard to remove.  It was a marvellous idea and why we didn't think of it years ago is beyond me!!!! 

'I LOVE MY WORKSTAND AS A SAILOR LOVES HIS BOAT"
(a loose interpretation of something Van Gogh wrote about his studio to his brother Theo)

My workstand is something special...it was a combination of three minds (me, David and Peter, an extremely good and talented neighbour).  I told the men what I wanted; then Peter did the welding for the base and turntable pieces and David designed and built the wooden table and work surface.  It's balanced in such a way that I can clamp an armateur onto the table and use a power tool with plenty of surface to lay down my hand files, etc. as well.  Totally ingenious!...and the bonus...IT CAN STAY OUT IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER!  I cover it with a barbecue cover when it's not in use!  

The past few days I hauled last years effort out of the 'dead pile' and re-created a composition that I think will be lovely when it is finished.  I'm on a creative roll now and what that means is that MY BLOG IS BACK, TOO!  (That's not to say that I'll be writing every week because it is Summer after all and golf, garden and sculpting outdoors are the priorities at this time of the year for me...and not necessarily in that order!)

The following photos will give you an idea of what has come out of the original 'dead' composition.  The stone is a beautiful piece of pink and grey soapstone and weighs a considerable amount...the size is 11" high x 12" long x 9" deep.  

In order to completely erase from my mind the original composition I had planned for this piece I had to go at it with a chisel and mallet and some larger hand files to eradicate any semblance of the original form.  As I went through this process it helped me to reform a new and rhythmic image in my mind...which came naturally and willingly to the fore and I was then able to get out my power tool and start grinding a new composition into being.   

This part of the carving is really an exciting part of the process because it can be both exhilarating and unnerving since you are testing your mental and physical skill in order to turn an inert object into something alive.  The opening and creation  of negative space is to me one of the most thrilling parts of the whole carving procedure!  To allow light to flow through and fall onto different parts of the stone is extremely awesome!  That in itself breaths live into the stone before an image has actually been formed or completed.  I guess by now you realize how 'into' carving I can get when I'm in 'THE CARVING ZONE'.  Of all the art I've done through my life nothing gives me more of a thrill than putting a hole in a piece of hard stone so the light can come through! 

THE TOP OF THE CARVING...and NO!  I'M NOT GOING TO TELL
YOU WHAT IT IS...YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S FINISHED!

At the moment I am stuck at my computer...we are having some work done here at the house and because David had a long awaited golf game today I opted from golf with some friends to hang around here and wait for the workmen to come and complete a job they started last week.  I thought I might use this time to carve but alas, while the temperature is a cool but comfortable 19 degrees Celsius (compared to last weeks extreme heat) it has become very, very windy...not great for working with such a dusty material...even though I always wear gloves, goggles and face mask.  A shift of strong wind in the wrong direction does not do your eyes and/or nose any favours!!!!   

So I sit in the sunny area of my kitchen where I can view the river and my garden and type this blog entry.  I feel quite content to do so because I'm in the space I want to be right now.  

On thinking of how I'm content AND HAPPY to be in this space I ponder to think of all those who cannot find that sort of space in their lives and I worry about them.  Having a calm and quiet inner place that you can draw from on a daily basis can have such a positive affect on your well-being and your overall view of the world.  I for one continually pinch myself in the morning before I face the day ahead of me...I have so much to be thankful for and to be happy about.  There are many, many small blessings that each one of us have been given and it's from these blessings that we should draw strength and enjoyment to enlighten our path as we progress through the various daily duties.  Solving work problems, doing mundane household chores, guiding a child or children through  an unpredictable world, helping a friend who has a problem, coping with a personal illness or dealing with a frail or sick loved one are all things that can stress us.  So we all need a 'space' we can go to so that we can 're-group our positive thoughts and refresh our spirit' in order to continue on with a bright light in the forefront of our minds.  Above all we need to remember to nurture ourselves...because we can only be whole, strong and helpful to others if we take care of our own body and mind.

Where is it that you go, or what is it that you do, that puts you in that space?  Wherever or whatever it is...use it to your advantage when you feel you need a personal lift.  Others will know you've been there by the spring in your step, the smile on your face and your willingness to meet whatever is required of you head on...and they will surely feel better when they are with you!

Cheers to all of you who have read this today and may you have healthy happy Summer days ahead of you! 

Angela      

     

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE EXCURSION!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

It seems it’s taken me a number of months to get back to this blog.  All I can say for an excuse is that for the most part there hasn’t been a whole lot happening since the Christmas/New Year’s Season that’s been particularly interesting to write about. 

The weather conditions in the Peterborough, Ontario area have been considerably lack luster these past months and while I am no longer a fan of deep snow drifts and cold weather I do miss the beautiful winter landscapes that we had years ago as ‘normal’ for Ontario. 

The world certainly seems to be hanging crooked on it’s axle these past years because the weather conditions around the globe seem to be changing and areas that normally don’t get extreme weather conditions seem to be getting the worst of winter this year!  A huge problem worldwide because it’s causing serious concerns particularly in countries where people are not equipped to handle these extreme changes in the weather.  My heart goes out to those poor countries where the weather has caused destruction and death this year and especially to those extremely poor areas where people have difficulty trying to survive in the most ‘normal’ weather conditions.

In the area where I live we are truly blessed that on the most part we have little to worry about and we are safe, warm and dry most of the time.

With regard to my art, painting in particular, I have been in flux for the most part; however, I have managed to complete two paintings over the past month or so.  One, a diptych, that was inspired by something I saw on television and the image stayed with me.  The second was inspired by a photo I saw years ago and simply re-invented the composition to suit me and to fit a horizontally shaped canvas.  I have included a portion of each painting for you to see.  I’ve also included in this blog a few other paintings I’ve done over the past years that give the feeling of space and/or distance.  

 

I mentioned that I’ve been in flux with my painting for the past little while, the best part of a year really, and lately I have been questioning my ability as a painter.  As an artist I go through periods of self-doubt about my talent or direction and that is a very common thing with artists of any type; be they musicians, writers, painters or sculptors.  Occasionally we doubt our ability to produce ‘likable’ pieces and sometimes this throws us into a bit of a slump that’s difficult to come out of.

Recently I’ve been feeling a bit that way and unfortunately have listened to the comments of others and have taken them to heart.  HOWEVER, this past week I all of a sudden had a ‘lightbulb’ reaction to my own art and it was this:

‘Listen to the comments of others but DO NOT TAKE THEM TO HEART.  Do what you want to do, develop your technique the way you want to and continue to paint!  Get lost in the positive action of creativity, follow your own direction and remember: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXCURSION!’

So I’ll continue to paint when I’m in the mood and develop my own technique.  I enjoy painting in oil and recently many of my paintings have been of landscapes that are open and airy, with vast expanses of distance.  I love open spaces and lots of air around me so it only seems reasonable that I would paint that sort of thing.  My technique is a little unorthodox since I’m basically self-taught and just go with the flow of my imagination.  I work in layers…basically a lot of underpainting…in order to complete a painting and love to use a dry brush technique on my final layer.  My favourite brushes being filberts and fans of several sizes.

There’s a lot to be said for a day that is blustery and overcast…such as this one.  I’ve just come in from taking Rachel for a short walk around the neighbourhood.  Every few yards she would pull on her leash and try to head back home…can’t say that I blamed her.  In the end she won out and I turned around, too and we headed home. 

The wind has been brutal for the past 24 hours.  I have just noticed that our Canadian Flag, that usually flies so proudly over the Otonobee River, has lost the binding on it’s outside edge and is raggedly flapping around.  Personally, I feel it is a sacrilege to fly a flag that is damaged or faded so I must purchase a replacement as soon as possible.

Speaking of Canada…my mind turns to the fact that my husband and I are seriously contemplating a major move…from Ontario to B.C. – quite possibly to Vancouver Island.  We are only at the beginning of this thinking but we do believe that it’s not a question of ‘if we move’ but rather a question of ‘when we move’.  All very exciting and frightening at the same time.  So if I’ve talked about flux at the beginning of this blog entry with regard to my painting then I guess you would say that in general I’m in flux about a lot of things right now.  But when I think about it all it’s a very positive state of flux so it’s a pretty neat place to be in! 

Of course a move of such distance has to be carefully considered. We are trying to weigh all the possible things that could become deciding points for this endeavour; the sale of our house in Peterborough, the cost to purchase a house in Victoria or somewhere close to Victoria and of course the actual cost to physically move us there.  Will we be able to maintain/replace a lifestyle similar to the one that we have here?  Big question and the answers will be very interesting…especially at a time when real estate out west is so expensive. 

We are not in a hurry to make this move so if it takes us up to two years to do it, so be it!  We’ve got plenty of things to do here while we bide our time for the right ‘window’…and besides, GOLF SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!

In the meantime I’ve got a painting that I should finish and there’s some pieces of soapstone waiting for me to start carving when the weather turns nice in April.  So my days will be filled with creativity, dog walking, ball hitting and the occasional dream of heading west!  All in all a pretty good life indeed!

As I may have intimated earlier in this blog, I rather enjoy days like this.  A day that is overcast and not so promising outside is usually a good day to relax and reflect on things and generally take comfort in being inside where you can relax and not worry about anything.  I find these days particularly inductive to being creative…I especially like these days when I’m in my studio because with it’s north/west exposure the light is constant and easy to work in with no extreme shadows or bright areas.  But today it’s perfect for sitting near the window in the living room which overlooks the river…with my dog asleep at my side and my mind going over a multitude of things.  Today I’m thinking of a chance in the very near future of not ‘leaving something familiar’ but ‘going to something new and exciting’.  I’m thinking forward about my art, my husband’s and my life together and in general our whole lifestyle as we know it now and where we are going in the future…and it’s all very positive.

Well, on that note I think I’ll go and put the kettle on and prepare some tea.  With luck I haven’t bored you, dear reader, with my ramble and that you’ve been able to find yourself in the same place as I am right now.  Everyone of us has something to look forward to no matter how trivial or unrealistic the goal may be…just remember…

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXCURSION!

CHEERS TO ALL 

Angela 

   

LOOKING BACK AS I MOVE FORWARD

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  

It's my hope that all of you are sailing smoothly into 2012 and that the skies are clear and the wind is up and the water is just turbulent enough to give you a thrill as you head into each new day.  Stay buoyant, stay alert and take the challenge of whatever comes your way!

LAKE NIPPISING

Now that Christmas is behind me (it was a great day and the dinner was at our house), the New Year celebrations are over (we spent the evening at my sisters) I've now found some time to sit down and think about the past a bit.

STONY LAKE SKY

During the past week I've spent quite a number of hours cleaning up the files/photos/etc. in my computer, on my desk and in my studio.  The idea is to get some semblance of order so that I can download items in my  computer I'm not currently using into my auxiliary hard drive and re-orginize my other stuff into smaller files/piles.  It's always a time consuming thing to do and it's quite shocking the amount of files that collect that have no real use at all...other than taking up valuable space in your computer or on surfaces throughout the house.  We are all pack rats to some degree and while I try to be consistent and thoughtful about how I organize my files and what I save I've managed to hold onto a lot of superfluous 'stuff'!  Can't tell you how many items I've sent to the Trash (the cyber one and the real garbage in the garage)...but it's considerable and the act of purging feels great!!!!

While going through my files I was also able to recollect/reminisce about things that have gone on over the past three years and if I'm like most of you it's a considerable amount.  Life is all about ups and downs, ins and outs, good things and bad things, etc., etc. but when we get right down to it and try to analyze the past it's pretty easy to come up with a lot more positive things than negative things...at least that's the way I see it!

Some of the events I was able to look back on were simple but memorable.  A sunset view through the beautiful pine trees of Stony Lake. Photos of our late and always dear American Cocker Spaniel, Angel, (who gave us so many years of loyalty and joy) in the snow...how she loved a day of cross-country sking on a sunny crisp Ontario day.     Rachel, the little Coton de Tulear that we brought home one snowy January day, who quickly won our hearts and showed us how much she liked snow...and also how  she loves the water.  Her antics will continue to delight us each day as she continues to grow into a 'little big dog'!   An impromptu golf trip David and I took down through the Carolinas and then on down to Florida to stay with his brother. 

SNOW ANGEL - SHE WAS THE BEST!

WATER BABY RACHEL - SHE'S A PRETTY SPECIAL GIRL

A NATURAL HAZARD on one of the three beautiful golf courses at SEA TRAILS RESORT in NORTH CAROLINA

SQUIRREL/RACOON????  THESE COMICAL CRITTERS skitter up close just as you're about to PUTT!

THERE'S NOTHING MORE MEZMERIZING THAN BEAUTIFUL DUNES - OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C.

A GORGEOUS SUNSET at OCEAN ISLE, N. C.

Long views, water or land,  always move me...and even though I'm not a professional photographer I somehow manage to capture some of my favourite scenes at their most beautiful.  My photographs serve me well when I am considering a new composition for a painting or a piece of sculpture but more than anything they trigger memories of generally good times that I've experienced in wonderful places. None of the places I've been have been particularly exotic; however, they give me enough eye candy to keep the artist in me happy and satisfied.  Sometimes the most ordinary scene can have the most impact on me...and leave an imprint on my mind that I can always bring to the forefront when I need it.   

I'm always combing through my old photos or clippings from magazines or newspapers that I have collected over the years...to find just the perfect thing to inspire me to paint or sculpt.  The fun of working with a selection of photos and juxtaposition bits from one or the other to create an interesting composition is a lot of fun for me and in fact is as thrilling as doing the actual carving or painting.

When I look through the plethora of photographs, miscellaneous items from magazines and newspapers, paintings, sculptures and written words by others that I have collected over the years it's amazing to see a pattern to the things that I like to look at and then try to recreate through my own art mediums...painting in oil, sculpting in stone and writing.  Most of us do this and from it we learn and grow at our own pace by using those things as a guide to help our imagination.  At least that's the way I use these things.  On the most part most everything I 'save' has some kind of relationship to how the image or words affect me at that particular time.  How it affects me emotionally!   Is there a message to be sent out for everyone to hear/see?  Is there 'a cause' that I feel strongly about and want to make it more effective through my art?  Does it warm my heart/spirit?  Does it make me sad/happy/concerned?  Does it give me peace?  Does it make you think beyond just the painting, sculpture or writing?  Is it somewhere I like to be and want to make a permanent image of it that reflects how I really see it?  Is there a moodiness to it that I want to project to the viewer?  Is there a question lurking somewhere in the composition that leads the viewer to use his/her imagination to complete the story?

I look at the photos then choose the ones I want to re-create using my own means of portraying a mood or a message.  My paintings and sculpture help me do that and I genuinely get pleasure from working up a composition based on what I have collected in my files or on my computer.  The photos I've included in this bog are ones that illustrate all that I have explained above.  

COUSINS

THE BATHER

BLUESKY DRAGONFLIES

FLORIDA JAMMERS 

OSPREY and GOSLINGS

BEST FRIENDS

HAPPY CAT

OTONOBEE RIVER CATTAILS

FOXY

STORMY SKY over HAYBALES

MOODY BLUES

SUN TURTLES

AUSTRALIAN MADONNA

KATIE with ATTITUDE

HARBINGER OF SPRING on the OTONOBEE RIVER

Most compositions have come to me with happy thoughts, good memories and/or thoughtful recognition about what should be and what might be.  I hope you enjoy looking at these works and quite possibly if you feel at all creative it will spur you on to recognize in your own collection of files and photos the potential to work up a composition that will set a mood for the viewer or at the very least give them food for thought or some interesting eye candy.   If we look closely enough we don't have to go very far afield to find something interesting that we feel emotionally connected to that we can re-create through our art.   Children at play, animals we love, our own gardens, places we've been, expressions on a baby's face, causes we believe in and want to make a statement about...and so on...there is something in all of us that MOVES us.  So if you're a painter, PAINT; a sculptor, SCULPT or a writer, WRITE!   Get INSPIRED and then put your heart into your art (no matter what your medium) and create something that makes you feel good, or that sends a message about something you feel strongly about.  DO IT FOR YOURSELF, NURTURE YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT...AND ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

We're into a NEW YEAR and it's going to be a GOOD ONE...at least that's the way I see it!!!!!  

If you're going through the cobwebs that are clinging to the files of the past year or two, the way I have been doing this week, take a serious look at everything and reminisce a bit about all the good, bad and ugly things that have happened.  Then, PITCH OUT THE NEGATIVE and HANG ONTO THE POSITIVE by setting up a new file called 'KEEPERS for INSPIRATION' (or something like that) to be used as ideas and positive direction for new works of art as you progress into 2012.  

MAY YOU HAVE GOOD HEALTH, POSITIVE CREATIVE INCENTIVE and MUCH HAPPINESS FOR 2012

CHEERS, 

ANGELA

GETTING BACK ON TRACK...what does that mean? AND THOUGHTS OF CHRISTMAS WISHES

It's hard to believe it's November 30th!!!!  I have been remiss in my promise to myself to be consistent with entries to this blog; consequently I find that it's been more than a month since I have last made an entry.  I was suppose to be back on track by now!!!!  The whole purpose of this blog is to help me...and possibly help some of those who read it...be more consistent about allotting time to creating art and improving technique, etc.  Doing is the best way to improve, build confidence and ultimately create better pieces of art.  For me writing helps build up creative adrenaline...it's a way of opening up and letting things flow.     

I can't exactly say where the time has gone nor can I say with any honesty that I've accomplished a great deal in that amount of time.  What I will say is that the following items give a pretty good idea of what I've been up to: 

1)  It's been a great Fall here in the Peterborough area so all the days that were sunny and warm, or just warm, I played golf, walked Rachel all over the place, enjoyed our property on the river and generally spent most of the daylight hours outdoors. 

2)  David did much of the same...only he played a lot more golf than I did, but didn't walk Rachel as much as I did.  He also spent the best part of a week at our friends cottage and did a bit of kayaking...although he picked a week that turned out to be wet and on the cool side; thank goodness the sauna was up and running and available for him to use between quick plunges into the late October water of Toad Lake. 


3)  David had an operation on November 14th to remove two of the three plates that were installed in his right leg when he broke it two years ago.  The plates had been giving him a great deal of grief so his surgeon said it was time to get rid of them.  He's been able to put full weight on the leg since the surgery and tomorrow he will have the staples removed so he'll be able to start hitting the gym within the week I would think...slowly at first of course but the goal would be to get as strong as possible so he can get back to golf ASAP...maybe early Spring!!  Hallelujah to that!

3)  Our evening hours are spent reading or watching television or visiting with friends. 

But enough lolling about...it's time to get seriously FOCUSED!  


I've never been very good at getting things done or endeavouring to start new projects without a deadline...like many others I work better under the gun of a deadline and often produce my best work (and often can multi-task better, too) when the pressure is on.  So through total procrastination on my part I now find myself with a deadline that I must adhere to.  Many, many months ago I promised a friend that I would do a painting of two of her favourite horses (which, sadly, had to be put down last year) and her dear old boxer who is a constant companion when she's with her horses.  I never promised the painting ASOP; however, I did indicate that I'd get it done at some point! 

In the late Spring, using Photoshop on my computer and photographs my friend had given me of her dog and the horses I developed a pleasing composition for the painting.  I sketched the composition on a new white canvas and that's as far as I got! 

THE CHOSEN COMPOSITION SKETCHED ON AN
l8" x 24" STRETCHED CANVAS

The beautiful weather of Summer came and went and the Fall has now come and gone...there's been golf, kayaking and a September Wedding in Tofino, B.C. that filled the days with planning and fun but not so much as one drop of paint was placed on the canvas!  The painting was obviously on 'the back shelf' even though it was sitting on my easel in the middle of the studio...dust was collecting on the top surface!  Not a good thing!   


My sister, Julia, and I have gotten back into the routine of painting with Fran every Tuesday afternoon at Averill's house and it's been good to get back to being together to work with our favourite mediums.  Averill does the most amazing things with watercolour, Fran works wonders with watercolour and/or ink and Julia manipulates oil paint like an Old Master.  We have fun having lunch together then we move up to the studio to create, chat and listen to the happy purring of Averill's beautiful cats!  It's a friendly time and most days we get quite a lot of work done; on other days we may spend most of the time just chatting and enjoying each others company and our different views on various subjects.  

Every artist should have a group of people to spend 'creative time' with.  I never used to think it was important but after having been involved with three other artists for the past four years I find that I really miss it on the odd occasion that we have to skip a week for one reason or another.  I also found that after taking a break during the summer months I was anxious to get back to 'the groove' and also in finding out what my artistic friends had done over the summer and to share notes and photos and ideas of what the painting days ahead of us will be full of.  

I for one have a collection of photos that I took while in Tofino that I know will become subjects of some of my paintings.  It was interesting to note that all of us were glad to be back at our 'work stations'.  We all have ideas up our sleeves for new compositions that will stretch our abilities and help us gain another bit of confidence in our chosen mediums.  It's all fun...and even on the days that one of us, or heaven for bid all of us, doesn't feel 'inspired' then we're there for each other and before you know it we're all absorbed in our work again or deftly trying to solve one creative problem or another through serious and often tough but friendly critiquing. 

Anyway it's thanks to this bit of weekly routine with these creative women that I'm back to working on the 'promised' painting again.  However, I've found just working on it once a week isn't moving it along quickly enough so this week I've brought it home and will take it back and forth to Averill's until it's finished...hopefully the week before Christmas!  Between yesterday and today I've managed to get a good number of hours into the process and so I feel I'm there's a good chance I'm going to meet my personal deadline.  The plan is to work a few hours or more a day and get back into making this sort of routine a 'natural habit'.  


No matter what your art medium is you have to treat it as though it's like keeping fit.  Your body needs exercise on a regular basis...nothing as strenuous as a marathon run or an 'extreme workout' in the gym; a good walk every day will do it.  If you're in the habit of doing something physical every day and then all of a sudden for one reason or another you have to stop for a long period of time it's often extremely hard to get back into the 'habit' of doing it again every day.  Everybody's experienced that I'm sure.  Well, taking a break from your art...whether through a holiday season or due to 'creative block' it's often very hard to get back on track.  It requires a lot of conscious effort to get the creative juices flowing again and sometimes the best way is to visit galleries, read books about the type of art you love to create and also spend time with creative friends.  It works for me!

THE PAINTING IN PROGRESS IN MY STUDIO WHERE I'M SURROUNDED BY
MY FAVOURITE THINGS INCLUDING A VIEW TO THE RIVER

Now that I'm back on track, creatively, I also realize that tomorrow is the First of December.  We had our first bit of snow today...I mean the kind that stays for more than a minute on the grass...and it's been bitterly cold; so I guess I can officially start thinking about the Christmas season...not about the commercial aspect of it but the message that the Season carries. 

This past week I got to thinking about Christmas cards.  I love sending Christmas cards each year and most years I try to create my own cards.  With today being an age of emails, iPhones and text messaging sending anything by mail seems dated and old fashioned, but I still think it's very special to receive a Christmas Card in the mail.  When you see a bit of familiar handwriting it's like 'being touched by someone'.  It's a small gift to hold and to treasure.   


I went through my old files and have included a few of the cards I've designed over the years in this blog...some go back as far as 1985.  I love to write Christmas Cards because it gives me a chance to reminisce about the family members and friends that I have that are not close enough to visit over the holidays and it allows me to connect with them and give them a sense of why they are so important to me.  It's also a very pleasant way to relax, enjoy a cup of tea and think about the 'non-material' things that I have that make me and my family very fortunate.  I'm blessed and I try very hard never to forget that.

The messages in my cards always include thoughts of loved ones that are lost or absent during the holidays. The wording is different depending on who the card is being sent to but the message is always the same and it's universal...because we must all care and love one another no matter who we are or where we are in our lives.

Peace, Joy, Love, Faith in One Another, Caring, Hope, Patience, Empathy, and Charity to Those Less Fortunate than Ourselves are the things that come to mind when I think of this Wonderful Season.  We must all try to keep these notions close at hand so that they are there when we have cause to use them...they are gifts that are easily given and all come with a great reward...a Peaceful Mind because we've given from The Heart.  As we move into another New Year we should all try to keep these 'seasonal' thoughts in our minds because you never know, you may have an opportunity to give freely when you least expect it.  

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE...WE WISH YOU
A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

For those that have come this far with me today I commend you!  You will be pleased that I now realize I've come to the end of another day (it's well past 11:00 p.m.)...and finally to the end of this blog entry.  I hope that I haven't taken too much of your time nor bored you completely...my intent is never to do that.  I wish only to stay creative and in turn pass a small amount of inspiration onto you.


I hope to have one more blog entry between now and the Christmas/New Year's holiday; but in the event I do not get back to it until the New Year I will say this: 

ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND YOURS

FOR A HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON

AND MUCH MORE OF THE SAME IN 2012!

JOY TO ONE AND ALL!