What fuels us?

Today was a day another layer was peeled off. In a good way. I had a long coffee date with an art friend and found it very inspiring. We spoke of insecurites, validations, inspirations, and blocks. And I left feeling excited, as I think she did, about wanting to really paint from deep inside. And it's tough to let go of people's perceptions and just let what you feel is bubbling below the surface come out. You're wandering down a path and you really don't know where the heck it's going. And then I received a painting I'd bought and it inspired me, and so I had a wonderful email chat with that artist. Feeling fueled, I went into the studio and began working over an old canvas I'd never really felt happy with. 

First it looked like this (minus the coral and lavender blotches. I thought of taking stages of photos a minute too late).

 Then I just got intuitive.

And shut off my brain and just let it flow. And I really felt energized and good. So this is what it looks like when I had to leave at the end of the day. The very first photo is a cropped chunk of this piece. I was still working and I didn't have time to take a perfect shot.  But I guess I just wanted to share and muse about the things we all go through, and this journey of exploration and investigation.

Cheers! 

A matter of values

Today was my last session teaching at the Port Colborne Art Club. We did value study paintings. I find it such an excellent exercise to really study the values of what's in front of you. We can fall into the trap of thinking shadows: really dark, mid-tones: half-way on the scale etc... and paint by what we think we know, instead of painting what we're actually seeing. But it's all relative. And if we're not paying attention, colour can lead us astray. Because sometimes we are just looking at colour and not being thoughful of the value of that colour. This can lead to less than dynamic paintings. It's tough though! It requires concentration, thoughtful painting and a LOT of squinting to see the big value shapes. And then to top it off, you have to remember to keep the values correct in relation to each other. Phew. I'm tired all over again ; )

This is acrylic on 6"x6" canvas panel. It was painted with carbon black and titanium white.

Enamel pot - SOLD

This is an old friend. My trusty blue enamel double-boiler that I don't use for cooking, but rather for painting. It's appeared here and here and here among other places. Love it.

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Powdered sugar goodness - SOLD

Last week Kelley MacDonald issued a Donut Challenge through Daily Paintworks. She said we should paint our bad donut love. Sounds almost sleazy Kelley! LOL. I was a wee bit late with this one but it was on my mind all week. I love those cakey squashy little chubby powdered sugar donuts you pick up in the grocery store. YUMMM. My guilty pleasure. I bought a box today. And even shared ; )

Unfortunately it was too cloudy and windy to continue my tree from yesterday. Will get right back at it as soon as the weather is amenable.

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Your Invitation

top: Flora by Paul Pinola

bottom: Irises, Pitcher and Pears by Kim Rempel

Summer Light by Kim Rempel

left: Value by Amy Roger

right: Old Growth Cedar by Kim Rempel

I'm so very pleased to announce that I am part of a dynamic group show at the TAG Art Gallery in St. Catharines, ON. TAG is a lovely gallery operated by Tom and Frank Goldspink. I have seven pieces in the show if you'd like to drop in and check them out! To view the work I have in this show, as well as to see the art of all the other artists please click the "TAG" link above. Thank you!

TAG Art Gallery • 214 King Street, St. Catharines • Hours: Wed.-Sat., noon-6pm or by appointment.

Painting Outdoors

Today we had ANOTHER gorgeous day! It must have been 25˚. So in the afternoon I got outside and began a painting I've been wanting to do for a long time: this fabulous oak tree. It is believed to be the oldest oak in the Niagara Region. It is on the property of the Grand Oak Culinary Market in Vineland. I worked a couple of hours and got a large portion of the tree drawn in. This canvas is 36"x36" so it's going to be a nice, big one! I'm sure this is a tree I'll paint again and again.
Also, eagle eye viewers will notice...I got a new easel! Ever since I began plein air painting I've painted with my trusty, lightweight collapsible black one. And although I bought this lovely French number the end of last year, this was the first day breaking it in. I'm feeling the love! Bring on the spring...I'm ready to paint!

Sunlit fruit - SOLD

One afternoon a week for the month of March I've been teaching at the Port Colborne Art Club. Today we worked on the one colour/one stroke challenge. This is beneficial in many ways. First, it gets you to slow down and really look at the colours you're seeing. Which leads to mixing/painting colour deliberately. And it stops you from getting all blendy-blendy and over-working. I did this back in college but again when I took a workshop from Carol Marine. A very good exercise! Below are pictures of the class hard at work : )

6"x6" / acrylic on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Spring in the air - SOLD

Acrylic on stretched canvas, 12"x12"

Crunched paper II

This is my second painting of crumpled paper. I love how even in the most mundane of items you can find beauty.

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Crunched Paper - SOLD

This week I'm hosting the Daily Paintworks Challenge. The challenge? Painting a piece of crunched-up paper! It's a great way to study relative values and shapes. And very easy to find props : ) This one kind of reminds me of a flower.

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Work in progress (detail)

This is a section of another painting I started today. I was casting about for something to paint and saw this "lucky" bamboo at the grocery store. Seeing that bright spring green was just a beautiful jolt! Anyway - there is a lot of work to be done to this yet. There is a chair off to the left, a table below...but I have lots to figure out and sort through. Will post progress as it starts to make sense.

acrylic on canvas.

detail, work in progress

This is a detail of a piece I began today. Having a few issues with the bottom of the painting (that's why that part is cropped out...lol) but parts of it are coming together. We'll see how it goes.

acrylic on canvas, 8"x10"

Last Week of Studio Sale!

Just a reminder that this is the last week of my studio sale! 65 bucks flat. Free shipping. Do you want to freshen up a wall? Send someone a surprise? Get a jump start on a gift? Let me convert you to the joys of buying original artwork! Never done it before? Dive in!
A large selection of my paintings can be found under the tabs directly under the title of my blog. Sale ends midnight Friday. Happy shopping my friends!
Note: Just send me an email (contact address on the sidebar of my blog) telling me which paintings you would like to purchase and I will make an adjusted PayPal button reflecting the new price! 

Vincent & Edvard

Today I painted 2 masonite cut-outs of a lion and a lamb for the Grimsby Art Gallery Fundraising Auction and Gala Event. For locals, let me tell you, it's a great place to pick up art at a very good price! The event is Saturday March 31st at 7pm. 

They always have a component where they make a bunch of "somethings" (boxes, themed masonite shapes etc) and ask local artists to paint them to sell off the night of the auction. You can probably see that from the front they have been built up to be kind of 3-d (they are shown in the bottom photo upside down because I didn't think to take a picture of the blanks). So I pondered and puzzled over what to paint on my shapes.  Maybe handle them typographically? Or paint in a style for a childrens room? And then this just popped into my head. Yeah...kind of odd but I went with it. I have named them (of course) Vincent and Edvard. And I may be buying them back! I love my little Vincent ; ) I debated snapping the ears off my Munch-inspired lamb but then thought that in a weird way it kind of added to the whole thing. And now it just makes me smile ; )

Forsythia branches - SOLD

Today I finished the painting of forsythia branches I posted about here. It took a few turns. I wasn't exactly sure where I was headed, but I like where I ended up. Below is a detail of the painting. This is acrylic on stretched canvas, 16"x20".

Passion - SOLD

Yesterday I was doing a demo for a class - a cream-coloured rose - and I had such a tough time with it! *NOT* what you want to happen during a demo! lol Anyway, I took it back into the studio to work on it today and finally just scraped the whole business off. Then I picked up a palette knife and painted this peony. And I'm smiling again ; ) 

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (icludes free shipping worldwide)

work in progress

This is the thrid and final painting for the Niagara Artists Center Small Feats show (April 14th). All works are 12"x12". So here's my problem: love the flower...not loving the shadow. Tomorrow morning I will attempt to fix it - take a bit more care with the shape, lighten it and give it a bit more life. And also fix the ground/background line as seen through the vase. If anyone has a suggestion, feel free! I wish I had painted the whole flower/vase much larger.

Lunch 2 + STUDIO SALE!

This is my second painting for the "Small Feats" NAC fundraiser (April 14th) You knew I'd have to paint this lunch bag again - I just love it! Interesting what catches our attention...
You know how I said yesterday I wanted to paint something for 2 weeks? Well, this may be it. For those that missed it, I painted it here and here.
The studio sale continues! All 6x6's for $65 a piece (+ FREE shipping). For a quick scan on some available pieces, check the tabs directly under the title of my blog. 
oil on canvas / 12"x12"

Cookie Jars (1+2)

 Cookie Jar 1
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Cookie Jar 2
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

So the other day an old college friend came over and brought me a jar of homemade lavender sugar cookies. *yummmm* And she gave me the recipe (because she's nice like that : ) We had such a good day. And I even managed to paint the jar before we scarfed down all the cookies. I did the top painting first and then wanted to do another painting right after as an experiment. Sometime I'm going to take the same subject and paint it for a couple of weeks (I often say that but have yet to follow through).
Happy Friday!

Empties

BIG Studio SALE officially starts today! Runs until March 16th.
This painting is 12"x12" oil and I painted it for the Niagara Artists Center's show Small Feats. The show runs April 14th and all pieces will be on sale for $200. I will be painting two other canvasses for this show.