I have discovered that sometimes, a painting has to be revisited. Back in September, I did a painting of an old snag of a tree.  I called that painting "Beauty".  The one thing I really liked about that painting, was that tree, and I think that I was so focused on that tree I didn't consider the entire painting as a whole.  I've been looking at that painting for a while and have never been happy with it.... some things continued to bother me about it.  I didn't like the colour of the lake... I didn't think the foliage in the foreground was substantial... all in all... i just really didn't like it.

So finally, I decided to use my black gesso and remove all of the painting except my beautiful tree.  Then i stared at that for a few days... did a few sketches, and came up with an entirely new painting.  One that I like a whole lot better.  

Most of my paintings are done of places I would like to be, or things I would love to look at and the original "Beauty" was just not doing it for me.  The new one... yes.

In 1984, newly wed... my husband and I loaded up our bright orange VW van and moved from Southern Ontario to Vancouver.  For me... it was a huge move... leaving behind family, and friends and a job I enjoyed and heading to a part of Canada I had never seen.  I fell in love.  

One of the places in Vancouver that I fell most in love with was Granville Island.... a collection of shops, a public market, galleries, Emily Carr School of Art, and the art supply store Opus.  I would head there as often as I could and just wander around and soak it all up.  

We moved around BC quite a bit, but each time we were in Vancouver, it would involve a trip to Granville Island.  As I wandered through the galleries... i would dream that one day I would be painting and have my work in a gallery.... in a gallery at Granville Island.  

Well.... it has happened.  I submitted 2 paintings for a show at the Federation Gallery at Granville Island... and they were both accepted.  I still can't tell friends about it without getting emotional... and I'm not a crybaby.  It is just sooooo exciting for me.  To look back at my quiet dream of having a painting there is overwhelming.... 
More and more I'm finding that when I hope, dream, put my wish out there.... good things happen.  

So... the show is called Artist's Choice and runs from February 3 - 15th.  I'm hoping to get down there to see it and I'm hoping I don't turn into a blubbering idiot when I walk in there.  If you live near Vancouver.... pop in and have a look.  The two paintings are "Skinny Bitches" and "Snow Ghosts".