April, no fooling!

Well it is April, and I am still blogging!

Beautiful spring days and the air is full of bird song and bird chatter; I have devoted most of this post to birds.

Young Canary having a bath (Hawaii)

‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all …

Emily Dickinson

Heron above and Red Winged Blackbird below

Hummingbird on my feeder

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!
Bird thou never wert,
That from Heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.
Higher still and higher
From the earth thou springest
Like a cloud of fire;
The blue deep thou wingest,
And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest …

Percy Shelley

Eagle chased by a Seagull above and Grebes below

Swallow

Our bird house is definitely in the fixer upper category, but it has attracted a family of Nuthatches:

Here is a peek at one.

Guess we avoided the vacancy tax!

I haven't managed to get a photo (whole bird) of them yet but here is an image of a Nuthatch from the internet:

no how-to video this month but here is a You Tube video I made of Java Finches from videos I took when I was in Maui.

(when we were still allowed to travel)

Java Finches

From the Studio:

Painting.

Shore Crabs

These crabs were hiding among the rocks on a beach in Haida Gwaii when my camera lens spotted them; the photo inspired this watercolour.

More 3D work too.

I have been busy working on another in what may become a series of Mysterious Corvids. This one is called Sherlock:

Still more work to do on the cover of the book

I gave him a jeweled Victorian pencil

 and of course he had to have a deer stalker and a pipe

This is made from a polymer clay called "Sculpey" which is molded then baked in the oven and painted. A big thank you to Lea Price for all her advice, I am definitely still in the learning stage with this medium.

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A couple of funny videos from the BBC:

Best of BBC talking animals (and birds):

What if Animals could sing like humans? 

Well that is all for today,

Happy Wednesday,
with whimsy,

Gillian

Spring?

Spring? I hope so!

My calendar says the first day of Spring is March 20, but the flowers seem to be saying it is here already! The Crocuses, Snowdrops and Hellebores  are magnificent and daffodils and tulips are not far behind.

"It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows the poem by heart."

Rainer Maria Rilke

"And the Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."

Percy Bysshe Shelley

"She turned to the sunlight

And shook her yellow head,

And whispered to her neighbor:

"Winter is dead.""

A A Milne

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Art News:

1) The "Hanging Together" exhibition at South Delta Artists Guild in February was very successful:

I sold a tryptic "Village Folk" and another painting "Vigile". Both were inspired by photographs I took in Italy a few years ago.

2) I have reformatted and updated my website, take a look and let me know what you think:

Gillian Olson Art

3) I have finished another how to video, this one is one "Mounting a Watercolour on a Cradled Panel:

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From the Studio:

I finished "Ancient Wisdom", a 10"x10" watercolour mounted on a cradled panel.

I have finished a zoom watercolour course with David McEown: every Wednesday in February.

Here is my painting of Moraine Lake from his reference:

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Here is a video for you to celebrate spring:

Secret Garden - ✿ First day of spring ✿

Happy Wednesday,

with whimsy,

Gillian
 

February past and present

 February is here, what will it bring?

Here is a video from where I was 2 years ago, I made this after a visit to the Aquarium in Maui.

2019 - Jellyfish Ballet

2020 - Making Marmalade

About this time last year I was making Marmalade, the painting below "Sunshine in a Jar" is a watercolour I did about the same time.

2021 - Marmalade and Charcoal

Here are the new arrivals for this year. Yes we have adopted two cats: Charcoal is the Mum and Marmalade her 7 month old kitten.

Marmalade

Charcoal

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Art News

I have been experimenting with two new techniques recently.

First, I am experimenting with finishing the edges of the the cradled panel before I mount watercolour paintings. I do this with acrylic paint, trying to match the colours and finish in the painting then mount the painting and varnish. Here are views of "Ancient Expression" and "Alert" showing an edge.

Second, I am experimenting with stretching watercolour paper over canvas stretcher bars. Why you may ask, well because the watercolour blocks (stretched watercolour paper) that I have been using have been popping off and wrinkling and the stretched watercolour paper on the stretcher bars is a reliable stretched surface to paint on. Second after the painting is finished I can either pop it off and reuse the stretcher bars for the next project or I can varnish the watercolour and place in a front loading frame for a finished work.

A short video that I have made to explain how to prepare the stretcher bars and then stretch the paper:

This is the first How-to video I have made, another first for me. 

From the Studio:

I finished this painting - "Cat Whimsy":

Art Show Announcement:

I am excited to let you know that I am participating in an upcoming Private Art Show called “Hanging Together.”  The members of our Gallery Committee at South Delta Artists Guild are presenting their work. 

  

Have a preview of some of the artwork at https://southdeltaartistsguild.com/show/2021_hanging_together_private_show

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Finally here is a flower - fireworks display for everyone wishing the flowers would hurry up and bloom:

Thanks for stopping by

Happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

Gillian

2021 is here finally, what will it bring?

I started my first blog "PS Whimsy Behind the Brush" in early 2011, almost 10 years ago. A couple of years ago I first posted under the title "Gillian's Art and Whimsy" and posted erratically. 

Well I am hoping that I can be a bit more consistent in 2021.

Here is how I started my first blog post for 2012: 

"The New Year lies before you like a spotless tract of snow. Be careful how you tread on it for every mark will show." Unknown author

This is sage advice for the start of a new year. We get the opportunity to have a fresh start, a new canvas and fresh page. So it is time to give some thought to what we will put on that page. An opportunity to take stock, make fresh plans, set a path or continue a journey already begun. Some will say that the beginning of the New Year is an artificial time for this, that a new path can be followed at any time, the start of a day, a week or a new month. Starting with a new year, though, a beautiful fresh new year, is like starting a huge new empty sketch book.

2020 was a bleak year with some new words and concepts: corona virus, pandemic, social distancing, lockdown, PPE (personal protective equipment) and zoom. Zoom meetings were a positive, the rest I could have done without.

So for 2021 my plan is to send out at least 1 blog post each month: some photographs, art news, an update from my studio and a touch of whimsy. While the pandemic is far from over I am cautiously optimistic that 2021 will be an improvement over 2020.

When the rain stops I walk, when the sun shines I take my camera for a spin.

Photos

Anna's Hummingbird perched on string of Christmas lights

Eagles at Jericho

Seagull having a bath

Catching the light:

Art News:

I received a Third Place Award for my painting "Nesting" in the juried exhibition "Small Artworks 2020" at the Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery on Granville Island.

Nesting (watercolour 10" x 14")

From the studio:

Here are a few new paintings (all watercolours):

Pacific Spirit Greens (12" x 16")

Yorkie (14" x 10")

Beachcombing (12" x 16")

Reflection or Reflecting (12" x 16")

Alert (10" x 10")

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Interesting video reenactment of Night Watch painting:

2021 - to better days ahead

Happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

Gillian

August

August means respected and impressive, and so far this month seems to be measuring up beautifully.

Here is a piece of driftwood with a whimsical colour filter.

 It is so long since I have done a blog post I have almost forgotten how!

More driftwood, are we being watched?

August is the fifth of seven months with 31 days. Good thing too, I have lots going on this month.

First I have two paintings in the juried show "The Summer Salon 2019" at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island from August 5 to 19, 2019.

I have one painting in the "Small Artworks 2019" at the Federation Gallery from August 19 to Sept 1, 2019.

If you find yourself on Granville Island during these shows please pop by and have a look.

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 "O Spirit of the Summertime!
 Bring back the roses to the dells;
 The swallow from her distant clime,
 The honey-bee from drowsy cells.

 Bring back the friendship of the sun;
 The gilded evenings, calm and late,
 When merry children homeward run,
 And peeping stars bid lovers wait.

 Bring back the singing; and the scent
 Of meadowlands at dewy prime;—
 Oh, bring again my heart's content,
 Thou Spirit of the Summertime!"
  William Allingham 

A few glimpses of our garden: 

Petunias (polka dot) above and ripe fig below

At the end of August I am in a show at Gallery 1710, home of the South Delta Artists Guild. Here is the poster for the show:

1. Here are some new paintings:
2. "Ska'ana at SGang Gwaay" got an award in the juried show "Oil and Water" at the South Delta Artists Guild. The painting also sold during the show. This is inspired by a photo I took while visiting Haida Gwaai last September.
3. 
4. 
   
5. "Bare feet and Daisies"
6. 
   

   
7. "Tugboats near Steveston"; I am very pleased to tell you that this painting was chosen for the Macdonald Realty Calendar for 2020.

   
   

   
8. 
   
9. "August rushes by like desert rainfall,

   A flood of frenzied upheaval,
   Expected,
   But still catching me unprepared.
   Like a matchflame
   Bursting on the scene,
   Heat and haze of crimson sunsets.
   Like a dream
   Of moon and dark barely recalled,
   A moment,
   Shadows caught in a blink.
   Like a quick kiss;
   One wishes for more
   But it suddenly turns to leave,
   Dragging summer away."
   -  Elizabeth Maua Taylor  
10. 
    
11. ……..ah but not quite yet...……..
12. 
    
13. Happy Wednesday, with whimsy,
14. Gillian