MUSINGS

2011-08-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

If you are one of the few who checks Musings periodically, please note that this blog will be inactive until further notice. My focus has shifted to our travel plans. Feel free to read our blog about our sailing adventures, We'd love for you to join us there!

I will continue to do art, and create a space for myself and my studio on our sailboat. I am simply unable to keep up numerous blogs, in the chaos that is planning the trip of a lifetime!

Cheers, Kyra

a floating canvas

2011-03-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home

Am I a sailor who paints? Or an artist who sails? Neither quite fit me. I'm a sailor who's an artist.

My partner and I live aboard our Lapworth 36, a lovely 53 year old wooden sailboat. For the past 4 years we have been refitting it for our first offshore voyage. As I have mentioned earlier, we will be leaving Canadian shores in September 2011, heading south. We know we'll be exploring the Sea of Cortez, and beyond that... Well, let's just say our plans are made of rubber. Will we go south or west? The Panama Canal is an option, or we may make our way north again.

We want the freedom of possibilities. The life of a Sea Gypsy calls us both. No more 9-5 jobs, (we've never been great at that), no more car, no more routine per se... We know it won't be an easy life, but it will be one rich with experiences and adventure. Should you wish to follow our adventures, follow our log entries here.

Truthfully, we have no idea what we're getting into on many levels. (So we've been told by the Salty Sailors in our midst). Our boat is our home, my studio, and our main mode of transportation. Home has always been a reflection of us. When my partner suggested we turn it into a mini-gallery, I was game. We decided that our locker doors would make great canvases... And why not? Here is my latest project, an aside, on a long list of boat projects as we prepare for our journey.

Octopus' Garden in Progress

My partner asked for an Octopus' garden in the Head. (The head is the washroom to you landlubbers.) My illustration is not greatly original, but it was fun to do. It was playtime!

I enjoy doing this type of illustration. Illustration has always been my first love when it comes to art. They tried to beat it out of me in art school, but it didn't work, I love illustrating. My style evolves and varies greatly depending on the project.

Here is the finished product below. Our head is small, but now it's more colourful. And there is the added bonus of Ethel's company. (Ethel is the octopus.)

Ethel's World

Figuring out composition.

The Galley needed some life added to it too. Some of our friends and family laughed at my ocean theme. I live on a boat, on the ocean, why am I painting all this sea life? I couldn't help it.

Jellyfish coming to life.

I'm fascinated by jellyfishes. They are beautiful. I experimented with a variety of approaches, eventually stylizing them.

While creating these whimsical images, I was listening to CBC 2, and This American Life . What a fabulous way to spend a few days.

Our Galley today.

the art of working in a small space

2011-01-20T15:41:00.000-08:00

Mini-Studio

I'm still adjusting to painting aboard our sailboat - I admit at times I feel constrained by the limits of the space. I also miss not being able to make a mess, this is our living space after all. A major clean-up is necessary after each session.

I miss actually standing at the easel. Of course, now that I must work small, due to the size of the cabin, I crave working on a large canvas...

I do, however, love that I don't have to hop on a bus or ride my bike for 30 minutes when I have the urge to paint something "now"! I can drink my coffee while staring at my work to assess my next step, crack open a tube of paint and just begin...

Playing With Colour (Inspired by a sketch in "An Illustrated Life")

Leaping (Reference: Anatomy for the Artist)

Porltand Island Resident

the joy of sketching

2010-12-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

I like the angular quality in the figure on the right. It's something I have struggled with a lot, while drawing the male figure. I still do.

I sat on a concrete block in December, drawing a store front. The most interesting thing in the drawing is this telephone pole. I tried to capture the details in a very loose way. It feels a bit odd. I usually only get like that when I'm life drawing.

Now, I just begin drawing; not wondering if it's a worthwhile subject to draw, I just do it. The cormorant was fun. I was cleaning the cabin in preparation for our Christmas, on the 24th. He just sat there on the next dock, waiting out the gale force winds. So, I grabbed my sketchbook, and started sketching. He stayed in one position too long, meaning I got finicky; but then he kept darting here and there. The second and third drawings, are more fluid as a result.

Working on a small painting in the cabin.

art that makes my heart sing

2010-12-20T16:04:00.000-08:00


Le double portrait au verre de vin by Marc Chagall

I saw this image, (a tiny thumbnail), on the Bau-Xi Facebook page and didn't realize it was a Chagall painting.... It drew me in instantly. His art has done that for me in the past too, apparently I'm a fan of Chagall's work.


Icarus I by Jylian Gustlin

I am continually inspired by Jylian Gustlin, (I've mentioned her before.) She's an artist from San Francisco... Check out her site, it's a feast for the eyes! She works in so many mediums: From digital, to fiber, to mixed media, even photography.

For more from this series click on the link below:

http://www.jyliangustlin.com/mythology09.html

Primary Concern by Michael den Hertog

Michael den Hertog is a Vancouver artist. I have met him and found him to be genial, he also allowed me to pick his brain about the business of art... I own a print by him. Maybe one day, I'll have an original. See his current works gallery here.

Ne me quittes pas by Ken Flett

The first time I saw this next Canadian artist's work, was when one of his pieces was used by the Belfry Theatre on the poster for a production a few years ago. I liked it so much, I searched for more of his works. It's raw and beautiful. I also couldn't help but love the title of this particular piece on the right, as it's a nod to one of my favourite singer songwriters, Jacques Brel. Ken Flett's works must be seen in person to really be appreciated.

Study For A Saint About To Fall by Rachel Berman

I spend a lot of time, looking at art. I'm one of those people that loves art history as well as visiting my contemporaries' studios. When an artist's style varies greatly from mine, I still find inspiration in their technique or their vision. I can count many artists among my friends. Each one is unique. I remember laughing with Rachel Berman in a bookstore, (a fabulous and inspiring artist), about how we just loved talking about art but that it was hard to get to work right after conversations about it, because we get too wound up in our excitement!

I'm curious, who inspires you?

illustrating life

2010-12-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

I can spend hours browsing in a bookstore... Luckily, both my partner and I are like that, so there's no one waiting impatiently. It's a time we both relish.

Last week, I wandered alone into Munro's Bookstore. I'd been looking for something in particular. Of course, I ended up in the art section. This book caught my eye immediately.

“An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration From The Private Sketchbooks Of Artists, Illustrators And Designers.” by Danny Gregory

I picked it up and started looking through it. I was met with a wide variety of sketches upon sketches. Some are very loose, others are little gems of detail. For this compilation, Danny Gregory interviewed some 40 artists about their process. He includes plenty of examples from their private sketchbooks and illustrated journals.

Playing with textures

How fabulous is that? Very fabulous when you've spent the last few months struggling with creating art, and not finding the joy in it. Then you see how these artists of every stripe just go on filling journals with sketches, good or bad, doesn't matter. It's about doing it. Period. What it comes down to is, it just keeps you limber, like physical exercise. I'd forgotten about that.

Reading in the Cabin

Yes! I thought. I can do that!(I have done that.) No rules? Even better. (I am however, choosing to not rip out pages. I don't want to focus on the product, only the process. There is so much freedom in that.) Just draw what you see, what you're thinking, what you wish you could see, ideas, whatever. It was worth the 20-something dollars I spent on this book, if only to be reminded of what I already knew. And as I sketch, I am grateful for that serendipitous moment, when this book offered itself up to me.

Hm. Pentel brush pen or graphite pencil today... If only making decisions was always this much fun.

blog of the week

2010-11-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

I am in love with this blog...

Missed Connections

through the lens

2010-11-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

When my life as a sailor began, I discovered the joys of spontaneous photo-taking. What I mean is, I started shooting anything and everything. My introduction to living on the water opened me up to a whole new visual way of experiencing life, nature, and myself.

I am by no means a "photographer" in the proper sense of the word. But I am an artist. I view the world through my slightly skewed and unique perspective.

Taking photos allows me to play with composition, colour and even abstraction. Happy accidents often inform future paintings or drawing, in ways I hadn't anticipated.

Last night, after an evening with friends, between the rainfall, fog, and lights, I stood in the cockpit of my boat, camera in hand. I continued taking photos once back in the cabin.

This is a glimps of that magical moment.

words that inspire

2010-11-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

Today's offering... A poem by one of my favourite poets.

Starlings in Winter

Chunky and noisy,
but with stars in their black feathers,
they spring from the telephone wire
and instantly

they are acrobats
in the freezing wind.
And now, in the theater of air,
they swing over buildings,

dipping and rising;
they float like one stippled star
that opens,
becomes for a moment fragmented,

then closes again;
and you watch
and you try
but you simply can’t imagine

how they do it
with no articulated instruction, no pause,
only the silent confirmation
that they are this notable thing,

this wheel of many parts, that can rise and spin
over and over again,
full of gorgeous life.

Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us,
even in the leafless winter,
even in the ashy city.
I am thinking now
of grief, and of getting past it;

I feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want

to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.

(Mary Oliver)

An Artist's Recovery - Part I

2010-10-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

So here I am. No official studio. Has there been denial? Yep. Has there been the urge to create? Yessir. Has there been motivation to create? Yes and no. After a long break,it's all a little daunting.

Let's just say, I'm adjusting.

Life on a boat is ideal for me. If only for the sheer pleasure of being able to explore the Pacific Northwest without leaving my home behind. I'm kind of like a turtle. I wake up one morning, and see Victoria's famous Blue Bridge out of my galley portlight. The next morning, I'm looking into the cove a lovely green island, the sounds of wildlife greeting me, as I step into the cockpit.

This lifestyle also reflects my priorities: Finding pleasure in simplicity, reducing comsumerism in my daily life, (there's little room to accumulate material objects on a sailboat).

And of course, we have a smaller carbon footprint.
(We are still working on that - this winter, among other things, we will finally be able to install solar power.)

The question is: Can a boat be ideal for a studio?
A working studio?
I like to think it can be.

There needs to be a paradigm shift. Think smaller. Use different approaches. I'm lucky. I got a little bit of help. For my birthday, my partner and our friends pooled their money and bought me a small, tabletop easel.

I sorted through my art box. I have lots of supplies, but I'm narrowing them down to two boxes for now. This one contains my dry mediums as well as inks.

I got an odd pleasure from emptying this box, sorting and organizing all the bits and pieces, and then putting them back.

My hands became dirty from handling charcoal bits. I became excited as I considered my supplies. This is familiar. When I was in grade school I would set out all my brand-new school supplies on my bed, handling them gently, even smelling them. (Hey, I've always been a little weird.) I have a strong appreciation for endless possibilities.

Today I also bought a cheap 9"x12" sketchbook at my favourite art store.
Now, I need to remind myself that I love drawing.

I think I'm ready.

back to the basics

2010-09-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's time for an overhaul. Life moves forward, the artist in me is dormant. It's there, it hasn't disappeared. It's just a little quiet.

I have given up my lovely studio, it seemed to be the right decision for the time being, but it has left a hole behind. I'm shrinking my practice to the sailboat, as I am a liveaboard. I have a desire to work smaller. To go back to the basics. To sketch. Draw.

This feels like a time of transition that's been a long time coming. So in this introspective time, I'm also taking the opportunity to explore other artists, their work, their process...

Here is an artist I am very fond of... she inspires me and her work is so very rich. Her name is Jylian Gustlin. Go here to see to see more of her creations. I particularly love her sketches, see them here.


Icarus 11 by Jylian Gustlin

Her images are raw and powerful.

I am in love with the textures and colours.

The figures.

All of it.

Sacred Spaces

2010-05-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

I learned in my travels that visual artists will adapt to just about any space to produce art... I once thought I needed the "perfect" studio. I have had a variety of studios over the years and I do believe a lovely space (whatever that means to you,) does enhance the creative process. However, limited space or resources should not stop one from creating art. I hope that sometime in the future, I'll be sailing offshore... At some point, I will need to "shrink" my studio to fit on the sailboat. In the meantime, I get to enjoy a wonderful little studio.

When we moved to a small town nearly 10 years ago, we rented a high-ceilinged appartment - and with some ingenuity, created a workspace that I used while I attended Art School. If you look carefully, we created the illusion of a wall that still allowed light through to the rest of the living space. It was a small step up from the unused corners I'd been using until then.

When we moved, I rented a studio. It had become necessary. I have no pictures of it, it was a moldy-smelling empty storefront. My studio mate and I were too cheap to pay for heat and it was a rather cold space, but it allowed me to work freely when we initially bought a house that didn't have a space ready for me to use.

This picture shows the detached garage on our property that we eventually transformed into my studio. We insulated and re-wired it, and added two large north-facing windows. This was by far my biggest studio. I had lots of room, it was ideal for life drawing and painting.

Here, I am back to working in an apartment corner after relocating to Victoria. I was lucky, my partner was willing to share the living room with my studio. We were refitting our sailboat with the goal to move aboard, so this was a perfectly adequate work space for the time being.

And then there was the hidden gazebo... Once I moved aboard the sailboat, I rented this studio with a friend. A hidden space on an undeveloped property in Oak Bay. It was a little wild, racoons and deer often visited. We worked with gloves and a little space heater in the winter, and it smelled a bit funny - squirrels lived in the ceiling. Ugh.

For about a year, I used another friend's basement as my studio. The ceiling was low but the lighting was rather good - another artist had used the space before. It was a temporary and affordable solution.

And this takes me to my present studio. I took the time to paint the walls, and dig out some of my special "treasures" from storage. I hadn't seen my tin boxes and knick-knacks for the 3 years I've been living on the boat. I believe I've mentioned this before: The studio is in a household of artists who are great friends. It's not very big, but it's a very lovely space. And there's a wonderful creative energy in the house. My partner and I spend a fair bit of time there when we're not sailing. Can you blame us? There is a bathtub! (Oh and cool people are living there too...)

I think of my studio as a vegetable garden,

where things follow their natural course. They grow, they ripen.

You have to graft. You have to water.

(Joan Miro)

Anatomy of a Painting

2010-03-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

the rebirth of rose

2010

I've always had a passion for painting the human figure. Through the painting process I attempt to get glimpses of my subject's personal story. When I paint a woman in particular, I wish to honour her essence, and in turn, I explore my own vulnerability and strength as a woman.

To paint a figure honestly, to paint the humanness inside the person, through their physicality, or to paint a woman's facial expression, so that it feels like it is filled with thoughts is a wonderful challenge.

Renoir had not only a great interest in human character, in human feeling, but had also a great love for the people he painted. (Robert Henri)

ch - ch - changes

2010-01-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, I've been absent from blogging for a while. I was busy moving studios. I now find myself in a bright, smallish studio in a house full of artists... Does it get any better?

I hope that a lovely space will help stir creativity. I am still setting it up with that goal, but it is already a working studio.

Look at what greeted me my first work day in the studio. That must be a good omen... At least I'd like to think so. Apparently, I'm a sucker for rainbows. It's all Kermit's fault.

the joys of squeezing paint out of a tube...

memories of christmas past

2009-12-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

i came across an image on stephanie levy's blog, that made me feel like i was 5 again. as i was scrolling down, this came up to meet me.

suddenly, i was filled with memories of sitting near the christmas tree as a child, squinting at the lights and my heart swelling with pleasure. there really is no other way to describe it. the beautiful simplicity of lights strung in a tree was pure magic.

smells are also great memory carriers... the smell of pine and cinammon-scented candles. i don't immediately recollect the chaos, or complications of christmases gone by... just the simple colours, scents and childlike wonder.

The Human Figure

2009-12-20T14:07:00.000-08:00

What we need is more sense of the wonder of life, and less of the business of making a picture. (Robert Henri)

Robert Henri's "The Art Spirit", is a book I often pick up and read at random. I feel as though I found a kindred spirit in a man who lectured and wrote about art in the early 1900's... There is this dicotomy in how he views life and art - a certain childlike wonder that comes through as profound wisdom... hard to beat that!

What draws me into my studio? A sure-fire thing, is to have a model, bits of charcoal, a few sheets of paper, (it can be cheap cartridge paper or a delicious piece of BFK Rives, no matter). The human figure is the single most inspiring thing for me to paint or draw. Robert Henri says it perfectly when he states:

There has never been a painting that was more beautiful than nature. The model does not unfold herself to you, you must rise to her. She should be the inspiration for your painting. No [artist] has ever over-appreciated a human being.

The two drawings above are from a commission I have just completed. Soon, I'll be moving studios, I look forward to a new space (above ground) with good northern light...

Expressing Creativity Beyond the Canvas

2009-11-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

Creativity comes in many forms.

This is a view of the blood, sweat and tears of the past summer.
(Or should I say, the past 3 years...)

I love art. I also love my boat...
Allow me to introduce our boat and home, S.V. Nyon.

Isn't she pretty?

On a side note, the yellow deck was my idea.

Our artist friends love it, our sailor friends think we're crazy.

But that's okay. We never had beige walls when we lived on land.

Why should it be any different with a sailboat?

Canvases come in many forms.

I'm proud of this masterpiece.

We call it our labour of love.

These lovely photos were taken by Julie Crouzat

Exploring Melancholy

2009-11-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

William Blake

Illustration to Milton's “Il Penseroso”

c. 1816-20

Melancholy, 1891

Edvard Munch

Oil on canvas

72 x 98 cm

Melencolia I

Albrecht Dürer

Engraving

1514

Fantastical Landscapes

2009-11-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

I feel a kinship. Something in this artist's work reveals a part of me to myself. He creates floating, whimsical landscapes one wants to get lost in... They seem at once familiar, yet oddly dreamlike... this dicotomy makes the eye want to wander aimlessly over the cascading and intricate sculptures...

I feel giddy when I look at Chris Natrop's work.

Finding Inspiration in Music

2009-10-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

There is a marvelous singer, whose songs I return to again and again. Her songs sound familiar, yet they're incredibly original. She sings in three languages: French, English and Spanish. I, myself, find that irresistible. Over her three albums, she has transformed her sound by using influences from Europe's Gypsies, her Mexican roots and the likes of Jacques Brel and Tom Waits, whose works I thoroughly enjoy.

She has a lovely video for the song called "Rising". The song's mood strikes a chord with my melancholic side. And the illustrations, well, i just love their simplicity and thoughtfulness. The transformation of the figures add to the already dreamlike narrative.

The singer's name is Lhasa de Sela. Her music is a balm for the soul.

You can watch her videos, including "Rising", here.

Zooming into a Moment

2009-09-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

As i'm getting busy in the studio again - what seems to be happening is portraits.

Not portrait, portraits; but images of women, caught in a moment. A moment of recognition, self-realization, or simply an emotion that is revealed for but a brief moment. A fellow painter who saw these, said they were like inside-out portraits. I like the sound of that. Inside-out.

I feel like i'm being led somewhere interesting, but I don't know where that is. As an artist, that's the best feeling in the world.

These are some of the works in progress:

the first - familiar territory

the second: playing with modeling
and flat colours

the third: i'm baffled
but i like it

images: property of kyra crouzat

And the summer flew by...

2009-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

This summer I've been focusing on the sailboat. My home and means of transportation in these beautiful B.C. waters. Boats, especially older wooden boats are a lot of work, luckily I enjoy a lot of it. I haven't been in the studio as much as I like to be. That will of course change, come this Autumn.

I have been sketching, playing with ideas earlier in the summer, here are a couple of them.

I did partake in an art show for Atomic Vaudeville, named the Sweatshop Festival. We were to create a piece and repeat the central image 6 more times. It was a fun exercise for me, and gave me some good ideas for the new body of work I'm beginning in the Fall.

Here are my favourite pieces from the show.

Incarnation #6

Incarnation #1

Incarnation #7

I also had the pleasure of creating a commission for a good friend. Here is the final product.

Becoming

Please respect that these are copyright images.
Thank you

Of Birth and Death

2009-05-12T12:23:00.001-07:00

This past month was a busy one in the studio.

I finished a commission - this one was a quite the birthing process. Some paintings don't come into the light easily. This struggle is often part of the creative process, I continue to paint sometimes with sweat and tears, until I reach the place where I need to take it.

Another project I tackled, was that of designing art work for a tombstone. It was interesting and challenging. How does one give two lovely figures justice while working within the parameters of the medium. (Sandblasting the image on stone/marble requires minimum line widths, etc). It was an honour to be asked to create this piece in the loving memory of someone's parents.

I'm enjoying the intuitive aspect of the work I'm doing right now - I'm trying to remove myself from intellectualizing it. Let it be what it is. That in itself, is work!

Playing with abstraction once again.

The reward of suffering is experience.
(Aeschylus)

2009: The First Quarter

2009-04-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm busy in the studio with a commission and some new projects. This winter, I hit a dry spell like no other. I began to worry I would never be able to create again... thankfully, the drought ended.

The joy I feel to be working in the studio is sweetened by gratitude.

It seems that I needed that time to replenish.

Figurative Works

2008-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my pieces that were in
the June and September shows
at On Canvas Gallery.

Ondaatje and Matisse - What they taught me.

2008-10-14T12:40:00.001-07:00

This morning, my friend and I talked about imagery in the written word.

We were discussing one of my favourite authors, Michael Ondaatje. I am introducing this friend to Ondaatje, with the book In the Skin of a Lion. (He had read only a part of it when we had this conversation). I was marveling at Ondaatje's incredible ability to paint scenes with words. And my friend described it as instead of having the character introduce themselves... Ondaatje literally depicts their environment and their response to that environment. And through that, you get the story and character development. My friend added that he writes with tableaux... He somehow connects each tableau in order to form an intensely original piece of writing. My favourite bit of written word, is actually a chapter in the book In the Skin of a Lion. It's the story within the story, of the nun who fell off the bridge. I'll leave it at that, as you may want to read it for yourself... I recommend that you do.

My objective as an artist, is to move away from simply reflecting what I see - but move into the realm of storytelling... I want to use something other than the act of applying paint to give my work weight. I want my work to tell a story.

On Matisse:

When I was in France 2 years ago. I had the opportunity to go to the Matisse Museum in Nice. While I liked some of Matisse's 2-dimensional works, I was not at all acquainted with his bronze sculptures. That is when truly I fell in love with his works, it is the raw power of his imagery that attracts my every senses. Matisse put it this way: "I sculpted as a painter, I did not sculpt like a sculptor." This is yet another example of using approaches from another medium to strengthen your storytelling power with visual art.

Large Seated Nude

bronze, lost-wax cast
1922-29

Magdaliene I

1901

I will leave you with a Matisse quote:

[...] I know perfectly well what a human body looks like - for me, a model is a springboard, a door I have to break down so as to get into the garden in which I am so alone and so happy.

Alegria - A Commission

2008-06-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

This painting was a commission for a customer who's wife turned 50. She lives in Ontario and loves autumn. As do I, especially back east. We don't get the same kind of autumn out on the west coast... I don't normally paint landscapes, and this one has a "Kyra" spin to it - I did enjoy the process quite a lot!

My goal with this painting, was to reflect the joy one feels when surrounded by the lush colours of fall. The crisp air and the crinkling sound as you walk through a pile of leaves do not make me think of decay and the looming winter, rather it's simply a season that has a beauty all its own, and as such, is to be celebrated.

The person this was commissioned for is a jubilant, loving woman who shines for those around her - she reaches out to the most marginalized in our society and shares of herself like few. She brings joy to the people in her life, with her silly jokes, warmth and kindness. I hope this painting does her justice.

It is called Alegria - which means joy, jubilation in Spanish. It seemed appropriate!

Summer Art Show

2008-06-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

My latest group show at On Canvas Art Gallery:

http://www.oncanvasartgallery.com/summer2008.html

I hope that you get a chance to see my new works!

Wednesday Afternoon

2008-05-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I said I needed and craved colour - yet I've since done three more pieces in the same vein as the b&w figures for the March show...

I'm working on a few projects - commissions, a June Gallery show...

Drowning in colour once again... the birds chirp, the air is still cool in the studio... the sun sneaks by...

I started a new series. One of the first pieces, is a painting I began... oh, a year ago - I had set it aside, and last week I stumbled upon it... the image on the left is the result of my last few hours in the studio.

It's painted on paper - a rare occasion - of late, I've been using hardboard as a painting surface (it works well with collaging techniques I've been using. I used a Carbon Sketch pencil and white soft pastel - otherwise, it's mostly acrylics paint.

2008-05-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

If you want to know where the rainbow ends

It's you who've got to go there and find it my friend

(Tom Waits)

4th Annual Black & White Ball

2008-03-07T21:04:00.001-08:00

Art Show coming up:
http://www.oncanvasartgallery.com/black%2Bwhite2008.html

Come and check it out!

Below are pieces that were commissioned after the opening.

What the Heart Reveals

Asleep at Dawn

Untitled

Self Portrait

2008-03-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

I finished my self-portrait... I will have a better quality image soon.

I had much fun layering colours and used a small plastic bottle with a 0.7 mm tip to do the "squiggles", I enjoyed the looseness of that.
Half my face is in shadow, most appropriate at this time in my life. And the colour, well, it speaks for itself.

I also used a quote from Shakespeare:

"Their life, exempt from public haunts,
Find tongues in trees, books in running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything."

That's how I feel in the middle of the forest... I then played around with the order of the words, with texture/collage... a fun project to get me in the right head space for the new body of work percolating in my mind.

Back to Colour... with a BANG!

2008-03-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finished working on my black & white pieces for the show... interesting how the lack of colour has renewed my love of it. Having to work within specific parameters helped me appreciate form, composition and texture in a different way... But what can I say, I'm a lush for colour - I was hungry for it and today - I went full swing back in colour... a self portrait for a project I'm part of... I'm having fun with it!

2 Mixed Media pieces finished!
(Notice my shadow... a sunny day to boot!!)

The beginning of colour...

Self Portrait - Rediscovering the pleasures of layering and colours

Still working the bits and pieces...

In the Studio... works in progress

2008-02-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

I have been happily ensconced in my studio this week...
I'm working on pieces for the Black & White Show at On Canvas Art Gallery at the end of March.

A raccoon's eye-view... One came by for a visit this afternoon.

The Studio on this cloudy day

One of a pair... mixed media
Black and White

Detail of the second Black and White Mixed Media Piece

Embracing the decorative...

A Bit More Life Drawing

2008-02-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

A few more images...
from the past couple of sessions
2 models

Rainer Maria Rilke

2008-02-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

I beg you… to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without ever noticing it, live your way into the answer…

Life Drawing in January

2008-01-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some examples of the sessions I've done in January - I'm trying to decide on a couple of them that I'd like to develop for the March Group show at On-Canvas... Another session or two, and perhaps I'll be able to decide.

Simple lines

The challenges of the male body

A quick sketch

Standing Still

Interesting Pose

Dry Spell

2008-01-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

The challenge with being an artist, is that at times... the creativity that drives you can be elusive. Imagery and ideas are not within my grasp although in moments of clarity, I know I want to change the direction I'm headed, artistically speaking. Could it be my life has altered so much, that my art must also evolve to reflect that? I don't know... What keeps me afloat these days, is life drawing... when lines, forms and angles create a being - my perception of that being - I get great satisfaction . So, I'm working through this dry spell... by drawing.

I'll post some photos.

2007-11-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

There I am in younger days stargazing painting picture-perfect maps

Of how my life and love would be

Not counting the unmarked paths of misdirection my compass, faith in love's perfection

I missed ten million miles of road I should have seen.

(Love's Recovery, Indigo Girls)

Art Show!

2007-11-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

On-Canvas Art Show

November 17th, 2007

Opening Night

http://www.oncanvasartgallery.com/oncanvas_christmas.htm

Moss Street Paint-in

2007-08-02T16:53:00.001-07:00

My Work/Exhibit Area - near the May and Moss Street intersection.

At work

A smaller crowd this year.

Super Helpers: Rick,
Angela and Juliana, (on Rick's head!).

I'm painting again

2007-05-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

Fallen (in progress)

Pebbles in a Jar

2007-04-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

I met a man who lost his mind

in some lost place I had to find,

follow me the wise man said,

but he walked behind

L. Cohen

A pebble
I pick it up
Roll it around my fingers
Feel its weight
its story
she joins the others
one day
I'll set them free
maybe
I'll keep one

One of these
is not like the others

2007-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't forget but I don't remember what

L. Cohen

On Canvas Spring Show

2007-03-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

I am showing my art in a group show at the On Canvas Art Gallery!

If you are around the Victoria area, come check it out!

http://www.oncanvasartgallery.com/springshow.htm

2007-03-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Here she is.

I find her more seductive wrapped in the vegetation - she is in her own world. It's colourful, it's "full" and its hers alone.

"Her Secret Garden"

Emerging

2007-02-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

She has been having troubles emerging - or perhaps I haven't cajoled her into being quite yet - I have repositioned her arms - to replicate the original sketch more closely - I wanted her more "buried" in this "garden so I'm wrapping vegetation around her arms --- I have to leave her for now...

2007-02-19T16:10:00.000-08:00

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself.
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Walt Whitman

Adaptation of a Mucha Painting
in pen and ink.

Tuesday Morning

2007-02-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

I stopped painting late afternoon yesterday - 7 1/2 hours and my brain was fried.
I like her. She's still a little awkward...
So much work left.
Can't paint today, it's hard to tear myself away at this stage...
Sigh.

My work desk - it's a wonder I find anything!

Later the Same Day

2007-02-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

I wonder what she's thinking...

The Garden is growing.
(Apparently she grew an arm too!)

Collage Detail of her Torso
Layered more pages, scribbled some thoughts and brushed some more of
that micaceous iron oxide...

I was ravenous, so I stepped away from the easel and enjoyed some sourdough toast...

2007-02-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

I'm in collision
with
every stone I ever threw...

(David Gray)

Where to Now

2007-02-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Where to now. mmmmm.

I've been working my butt off on this painting - left the other couple half-started orphans aside.... and have been struggling to set this one free.

There is lots that's not "quite" working yet - I wanted her body to look like a decoupage image but all the fluidity is gone from the original sketch... I don't know if I should have altered the left should/arm. That might be the problem - I like her face... took me quite a lot of work to get her expression the way I wanted it... The collage bits on her torso are mostly buried now from trying to give her body more contour with paint and gesso (for transparency)... I want more collage and less definition... More fluidity... the negative space is developing in my head - I know I want it to look like a "surreal garden"... Well, I will start by drinking a cup of coffee and pondering my plan of attack for the day...

Silhouette - I used Micaceous Iron Oxide for the first time. It's gritty, great for mixed media - like pastels. (They'll adhere better to the MIO than to reg. acrylics.)

I used solely pastels to define her hair, she's outlined with gold acrylic.
I collaged pages from a child's encyclopedia - the inscription reads three boys' names and "Christmas 1960" - There's a chapter about the "Fruits of the Earth" I used the pages from that chapter... they were calling my name.

Moving on....

2007-02-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

You got to tell me brave captain,
why are the wicked so strong,
how do the angels get to sleep,
when the devil leaves the porchlight on.

(Mr Siegal – T. Waits)

Aches and Pains

2007-02-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was in front of my easel. I'd been painting for a couple of hours, but at that moment, I felt frozen. I had been aching to paint and create all day and realized I couldn't seem to... get there, wherever "there" was.

It is hard to explain. I couldn't be in the present moment and my movements, my brushstrokes felt stiff and awkward.

The cycle - something doesn't flow, it receives intense scrutiny followed by harsh judgements, feelings of desperation at my inadequacies and failings as an artist.
Such a cliche, but I suppose cliches come from somewhere.
Anyway, today's a new day, I'm looking at yesterday's work - step back, look for an inkling of hope, see it and now I will squeeze more paint out of the tube and continue on my journey.

The Human Body

2007-02-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

Looking through an old portfolio filled with sketches from life drawing sessions from the past 3 or so years.... sigh. I am looking for a good group to join here in Victoria to get back into it - I love drawing the human figure.

"There is nothing in all the world more beautiful or significant of the laws of the universe than the nude human body."

(Robert Henri)

I am at a crossroads with my art, trying to figure out how to incorporate my love of interpreting the human figure in my works and my fairly recent leanings toward abstract art - my instincts want me to blend the two - but I am not sure how to go about it.... how to find a place where my skill level does the figure work justice and my love of abstract form and colour finds its place...

"When we respect the nude, we will no longer have any shame about it." (Robert Henri)

I have used this sketch for a painting I have since sold... It feels very peaceful...

This model, is a natural - she started modeling quite recently and I was amazed at her ability to remain so still. Her graceful lines and gentleness of spirit are an inspiration for me.

This model was lovely - I would have liked to draw her more - my women's drawing group up-island had a wonderful variety of models, some regulars and the occasional surprise.

A first-time model, I was pretty happy with this session because I usually struggle more with male figures.

I did this one in Art School - I quite liked the model - she was spunky and creative.

There has never been a painting that was more beautiful than nature. The model does not unfold herself to you, you must rise to her. She should be the inspiration for your painting. No man has ever over-appreciated a human being. (Robert Henri)

My Blue Woman

2007-01-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a new piece - I have no idea where it is going- it's pretty illustrative (as you'll note on the detail shot) I've stylized a photograph of my friend Erin - one of my favourite models - I'm not sure I like the direction I'm going in - the image feels a little stiff. I've decided to keep going, it's way too early too judge - I am a little out of sorts- haven't painted in a... month?? No wonder. I spent 5 hours painting today - was late for a meeting this evening, and showed up with paint on my hands and shirt. There was something very satisfying about that. I feel most like myself when I'm painting. I love the dazed feeling from sitting at the easel so long... Even the frustrations that come with "giving birth" to a new work are welcome!

I'm nervous about my upcoming show, I want a few new pieces, that gives me a month. (While working another job 37.5 hour/week).... panic!!

"Opuscule" Art Show

2007-01-27T19:13:00.000-08:00

January 25th was opening night for the "Opuscule" Art Show in Victoria - the art store I work at, has a show with works by the staff. Our works are on display for a week at the CAC Art Gallery in the Sussex building. (The address is 1001 Douglas St, if you want to check it out!)

It was a fun night, we had a good turnout. I particularly enjoyed seeing my co-workers' pieces, it gave me a little window into who they are outside of the workplace.

I'm including pictures of the night in question as well as images of my pieces on display.

Healing
Acrylics and Pastel

Below the Dream
Acrylics and Pastel

Strings Attached
Acrylics and Pastel

My Orange Woman

2007-01-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

I used a sketch I'd done some time back at a life drawing session as inspiration to do this painting (acrylics and some oil pastel) - I like the boldness - not sure about the head and hand area - but I like the simplicity... trying to do some new pieces for my show in March - don't think this one will work with other pieces I have and am planning - but it was fun painting it nonetheless.