New Abstract Painting: In the Soul's Light

"In the Soul's Light", 9x9" Mixed media on paper. Available.

Over the last couple months I've been working through a pile of pieces I had started before my dad passed away. I hit the bottom of that pile last weekend (with the exception of a portrait piece for my uncle). I'm in a better place now, mentally… better able to think about something other than how my life has changed and what challenges are waiting for me.

I'm in a different place... as I realized when I was talking to my son about the challenges of finding a car within our budget. At least we can afford to just go out and buy another car. So many people today would have to make do, and spend that extra two hours a day on the bus getting where they need to go. I'm in a place of gratitude and appreciation for what I have. I have a job, as does my husband, that pays the bills with a bit left over. I work with (for the most part) wonderful people whom I genuinely like. I have fantastic, supportive friends. And I have a huge, quirky family that never fails to provide me with something to laugh about. I am fortunate.

So... this piece. What inspired the drawing? I'm not entirely sure. I was watching a video of a couple dancing. Ballet. A pas de deux. It looks nothing like the video, but maybe it did before I started the painting part? I was thinking about connection and my parents and symbolism. I've been reading about spiritual symbols and totems. I've been feeling drawn to things that fly... birds, butterflies, dragonflies. I think I can see a dragonfly in there. I'm sure actually. Definitely a dragonfly. I think this is how this art thing is supposed to work... you feel things, you read things, you ingest things... and then, surprise, there it is in your art. All that I am is there. I can't hide.

My work hanging in the Mississauga Library, on the
3rd floor art wall. 

Speaking of hiding...

I put something on the back, so
whoever finds it knows they can
take it if they want.

If you are following me on social media, you may have seen my posts with photos from an ongoing exhibit at the Central branch of the Mississauga library. It's a huge library... right downtown by city hall. On the 3rd floor, where all the art books are, they have an open area, and there they have rotating exhibits from artists living in the city. It's a huge space in a very busy spot, and it's a great way for locals to be exposed to the work of our own. It's free for the artists as well, which is nice since there are very few venues in Mississauga that are. The evening I was in hanging the work, I didn't even have everything unwrapped when I had a high school student over asking me questions. It was so nice to see the interest. And because I really do love the library system and all that it offers, I'm doing something I do from time to time... I've taken one of my small original paintings, and hidden it in amongst the books, free to take for the person that finds it. It is somewhere on the 3rd floor, and even though the paintings come down at the end of the month, it will remain in it's hiding spot until found. I hope it brightens the day some art-loving soul. I'll leave you with a visual clue... because I don't really want it still there next time I go, and who knows how often those books get looked at. Often I hope, but you never know.

Here is my abandonment in it's hiding place in the library. The titles
should give you a clue where to look.  :)

Culture Days Givaway

The Art Gallery of Lambeth (London, Ontario) is raffling off some artwork during its Doors Open/Culture days event. This piece of mine is available to be won. Tickets can be purchased at the gallery over the weekend, and the winner will be notified next Monday. Good Luck!

This 5x7 original painting is being raffled.

The Doors Are Open

One of my small works on paper, to be offered
for sale during London's Doors Open event
at the Art Gallery of Lambeth

I have an event coming up sponsored by the Art Gallery of Lambeth in London. As part of Ontario's Culture Days and Doors Open, the AGL is having an open house with artists giving demos and teaching short half hour classes for free all weekend. There will also be artists selling their creations in the park beside the gallery, for what will probably be one of the last Art in the Park events this year. As a represented artist I've been asked to participate, and what we've come up with should be a lot of fun. I will have a large piece of canvas spread out on the pavement in the parking lot (inside the gallery if it rains), and I am going to create a large scale painting. My method of working is flexible and intuitive, so having spectators participate is entirely possible, and will probably make the finished piece all the more interesting. I may not get it completely done over the weekend... but i'm certainly going to try.

In the meantime, I've been working on small pieces that I can matte and offer for sale during the weekend. I can't have a booth at the Art in the Park as I'll be otherwise occupied, but I thought it would be nice to offer something special (and specially priced) for the people that come out to the gallery. I'm not sure how many I'll have... I was kind of late to the game deciding to do this. I'll keep posting new pieces on my Facebook page as I go along, so if you see something you like, you'll know where you can get it.

Miniatures

So, this past weekend there was a show opening at the Art Gallery of Lambeth in London, Ontario. I have work on display there most of the time... they have a nice little space, a studio where they hold classes, and they always promote their shows and openings. It's about a two hour drive from where I live. Not too bad if the weather cooperates. This photo is from this show, before the opening. I thought since everything was so small it might end up looking really cluttered. I really shouldn't have worried. It looked great.

March Mini Invitation

The artists that show here are a really nice bunch of people. The work is always really interesting and there is a nice variety of stuff. Even have a little boutique. This show was miniatures. They did this last year too, and I had a few pieces in that show as well. It's interesting working small... things go faster (for me anyway), but I can do twenty and only have 2 or 3 I'm happy with. This year I decided to go totally abstract. They actually used one of my images on the invitation. Another interesting concept... their invitation was the actual size of the image, with the info about the show printed on the back. It looked really nice. So now I've got actual size reproductions that I can hand out to friends. I kinda like that.