December news

More from my trip to Morocco, today I am going to share picture of our trip to Erg Chebbi. We rode camels, saw the sunset in the Sahara desert, had dinner under the stars and camped in the desert.

The first picture shows the eight of us reflected on the dunes as the sun goes down. I am in the first group of six, fourth camel in line.

 

 

looking towards the setting sun

 

 

we rode the camels for a few minutes then stopped to paint/sketch and photograph the setting sun

 

 

There it goes!

 

 

Hamming it up for the camera:

I took pictures and so did one of our camel guides

 

 

Here is my camel, I called him Cecil

 

 

quite a handsome guy, but cheeky, he kept trying to nip the person in front of me

 

 

I stopped to hold the moon

 

 

a table and chairs on a dune near our camp

 

 

Our camp; it is cold in the desert at night!

 

 

A map of the area, we were close to the #15 on the map; that is the border of Algeria close by.

 

 

 

The next morning after watching the sunrise we walked across to where our bus was parked, this is the view from one of the doors back towards the desert and the next picture is of our camp from a distance.

 

 

Camels, resting and eating.

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News from the studio:

The Great Gifts Sale (Ferry Building) was cancelled, the renovation was not finished in time, hopefully next year?

Here are a couple of paintings I have done since I returned:

One is a pathway in the Kasbah, Ait Ben Hadou, and the other is a stairway in the Riad we stayed at with a view of the Kasbah.

 

 

This is a pen drawing of a leaf skeleton:

Here are paintings I completed before my trip:

Both are available, framed or unframed, your choice.

 

Bucerias Church (Mexico)

Side street in Malta

 

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Current Exhibit:

 

Gallery 1710:

 

These are framed but could also be purchased unframed if you prefer:

Three Part Harmony

There Otter be Snow at .....

Balanced

Nutcracker Sweets

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Here is a short video:

 

Exploring the Sahara Desert - Lonely Planet

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Well that is all for this time,

happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

Gillian

 

 

Welcome rain

 

After a long hot, dry summer the rain is very welcome!

Rain In Summer

(excerpt)

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!

How it clatters along the roofs,
Like the tramp of hoofs
How it gushes and struggles out
From the throat of the overflowing spout!

Across the window-pane
It pours and pours;
And swift and wide,
With a muddy tide,
Like a river down the gutter roars
The rain, the welcome rain!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 “Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; 

without rain, there would be no life.”

 John Updike

"Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
 Let the rain sing you a lullaby."Langston Hughes

The sound of the rain needs no translation.Alan Watts

"Rain showers my spirit and waters my soul."Emily Logan Decens

"The only noise now was the rain, pattering softly with the magnificent indifference of nature for the tangled passions of humans."Sherwood Smith

"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."

Roger Miller

"I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain; What a wonderful feeling, I'm happy again." 

Arthur Freed

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News from the studio:

I sold 3 paintings:

"Ancient Wisdom" sold from the Small exhibit at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island.

"Out for Lunch" sold from the Past Times Exhibit at Gallery 1710 in South Delta.

"Heart of the Beach" sold from the Wayfarer Exhibit at Knox United Church in Vancouver.

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 New Work:

Paintings:

"Standing Alone" inspired by pole seen in SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii

"Standing Together" inspired by poles seen at Van Dusen Gardens.

More 3D work:

I will be selling these one of a kind decorations in the fall with Christmas Cards

Dali Santa

Hippie King Santa (commission)

Icicle Santa

and two smaller ones, Frosty above and Small Santa below

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I have one painting and one sculpture in the Changes Exhibit at Gallery 1710 in Tsawwassen  

from September 3 to 26, 2021:

"Dancing Tree"

"Sherlock"

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To follow the theme here is Gene Kelly "Singing in the Rain".

That's all for this week,

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