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:
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.
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:
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:
Here are some new paintings:
"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.
"Bare feet and Daisies"
"Tugboats near Steveston"; I am very pleased to tell you that this painting was chosen for the Macdonald Realty Calendar for 2020.
"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
This is the second time I have done this post. I was almost finished and my entire post was gone!
So it is a week later maybe this one will reach you!
I visited Naramata a couple of weeks ago: good food, great wine and interesting critters.
Peacocks:
Naramata is home to two Peacocks. One is the father and one the son, the one below is a little bigger so probably the father. They each have their own favorite roosting spots depending on the time of day. This one starts its day perched on the railing outside the best soup, sandwich and coffee bar in town.
A Peacock is the male and Peahen the female and a group is called Peafowl. These are Indian Peacocks judging by their bright blue and green iridescent plumage.
Their tail is actually referred to as a train and contains many "eyelike" details.
Did you know that the Peahen also fans her tail, usually when something threatens her young.
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Quail:
A lot smaller and better camouflaged is the quail. A group of quails is known as a flock or a covey.
There are lots of them too: on the side of the roads, in the vineyards and in gardens.
California quails have a little plume of feathers (6) on their forehead that tilts forward, black in the males and
brown in the females (below).
What a precious expression:
Mr and Mrs:
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And a few things from the studio:
All watercolours.
"Market Day"
"Quail in the vines"
"Seahorses 1"
That's all I dare do, I keep thinking how the last post went poof just before I was set to publish it.
