Friday night soiree in Vanderhoof with some of the local art peeps we've met over the past few months, with an added bonus of lovely music to really round out the experience. 4 artists hosted an open house to show off their artwork and charming studio space. Erin drove us in, around V'Hoof and home again, making it the most extensive driving session she's tackled and I was right proud. It's so inspiring to check out the work of peers even if it always makes me want to be able to paint like 'her, and her, and him!'.
I was reminded that I could paint like my own self. Point taken. It did make me realize how much more compelling artwork becomes when displayed within a pleasing space...kinda like creating a trap to lure in and capture prey! Following The Winter of Slowly Drowning*, it serves as a reminder that some days can still be completely enjoyable. *none of my expectations have come to pass and I'm being seriously redefined...not that there's anything wrong with that...
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After feeling somewhat adrift and unproductive I decided that it might be prudent to look at the paintings I've completed over the past 6 months. I may frequently be under the impression that I'm merely existing but perhaps the seeds of the future have been sown and are germinating just beneath the surface. The next 6 months will be devoted to 'my arts' desire' and I hope to start a group focussed on that very idea, consisting of visual artists in any medium who would like to meet to discuss the art they'd like to produce without any regard for a particular market. Then we're gonna launch every last one of us. Not too ambitious! So, it seems I'm still remiss in photographing every piece of my work. There's a good New Year's resolution! I have one more painting with lilies and gold leaf fairly close to completion so that's 10 for the past 6 months; not exactly cranking 'em out but I hope to speed it up a bit from now on...another resolution. : )
New artwork by lil' Miss Erin! Portrait of a certain Kung Fu legend rendered in her eye catching style for big brother Q. Marker, pen and acrylic on full sheet of watercolour paper.
It's rather invigorating to have another body producing artwork under the same roof....stuff keeps happening even if I'm not moving paint around and I always find her works more interesting than what I'm doing. Such is the nature of the creative life; neighbor envy abounds. : ) Resolved: to apply myself more diligently in 2014 and truly take advantage of the wonderful situation I currently enjoy. Cheers, all! 
Looks like an apple crisp, a purty quiche and one of Erin's trees sitting in a pot of tea. She continues to develop her trees and each step of the way they are quite lovely. The most recent treatment is dipping part or all of the tree into various dye baths and attaching these to driftwood or rock; the hope is that increased complexity leads to an increase in value. Worst case scenario? She - or we - have an enchanted forest of wire and yarn/bead trees adorning our home.
The quiche and apple crisp were in honour of the bff and her mother stopping by to visit on their way home from P.G. Been baking since moving here and it's been a treat to harvest apples from the backyard or create meals from locally raised critters 'n vittles. Erin noted that food items traditionally increased in value the further they had to travel to their destination whereas now it's reversed, making the backyard the ultimate source of premium food. 
All thumbs but with the odd index and little finger thrown in for variety. These were done as a farewell craft for the former leader of Children's church, a most lively and lovely lady who will be leaving our town in the next few days. I was dee-lighted with the imagination demonstrated and they're all just so darn cute!! Will definitely trot this out again.
This was a hard one to squeeze out; I don't normally paint cowboys so this commission took almost 3 years to complete. It started out as Erin's but I assumed responsibility for it when she moved back to Calgary. Still have to fine tune a few areas, mostly on the edges. The figures in the distance were taken from an art buddy's Kispiox rodeo photos and the fellow in front was a compilation derived from several 'found' images.
I'm going to try my absolute best to complete all commissions before moving away next July. The clock is ticking... |
Author: Eileen Hutson'You need the dark to see the light'. Advice picked up in painting workshops has become a treasured mantra in both life and art. Archives
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