Today I finished this painting.  I absolutely LOVE it.... maybe I am biased.  What I like about it in particular is the flow/energy... and also the colours.  I guess I am a big fan of purple since it shows up in most of my paintings.  I'm OK with that.  

This painting still needs a name.  Sometimes it is hard for me to name a painting and other times it is easy.  I think because I love this one so much, I am thinking of ridiculous names for it.... ( I won't even say them.... ).  I need to come back down to earth and come up with something serious.  I would appreciate any suggestions.

I have started another painting.... it is all sketched out.... it is a tree.  Is anyone surprised?  :)   I will add a picture of it below.  It is actually on a very large canvas... 12 x 36... I am learning to stretch. 

 But first,  I'm going to take a break  and watch a James Bond movie.... one of the oldies.  

Today I finished "Ode to Biking".  I've been thinking a lot about the good old days when I used to do a bit of mountain biking.  Soon, the trails up at Sun Peaks will be open and I was imagining the thrill of biking downhill with the wind in my hair.  I have a great imagination.

I'm feeling a bit guilty because I'm going to take a week off from my daily painting.  I've been working for the last 3 days on this painting and I am feeling a little drained.  I sat for about an hour today and tried to come up with something to paint this week each day and found that my mind was rebelling.  I'm having trouble focusing, and am just a bit tired.  


 I am in the process of getting prints and art cards made and have applied to be part of a "pop-up" gallery in Kamloops during the Kamloops Spring Festival, May 22, 23, & 24.  This means getting a display together which is a new experience for me.  I don't shy away from new experiences but they do take away some of my brain power..... and most of the time I need all the brain power I can get.  


On top of all of that, my granddaughter is in the hospital and we are hoping she will be out tomorrow and they will be able to come up to Sun Peaks for Easter as planned.  I have my fingers crossed.  She is a sweetheart, and I wish I had the power to make her all better.  


So.... I hope I will be forgiven for letting myself take a week off.  I think it will be a good thing.

Yesterday I took a beautiful drive down to Penticton and back.  I drove through Kamloops, Merritt, Peachland, and Summerland to get there.  This took me over a couple mountain passes, past beautiful trees, lakes, rocks and incredible views.  I live in a beautiful place, and I am fortunate.  

Of course, as I drove I took it all in and I sketch and painted in my head the whole way which naturally leads me to a week of sketching.  This is happening for 2 reasons:  

1.  I need to actually sketch all the ideas I came up with.

2.  I have so many paintings in my head now that I need to get them on to some large canvas.  I just gesso'd my largest canvas to date... 24 x 30, and can't wait to start.

There is so much beauty. 

Tomorrow, I am heading down to Penticton to meet with a professional photographer who specializes in art reproduction.  I am hoping to get high resolution digital images of 12 of my paintings to start the process of making some prints.  

What a learning experience this has been for me.  I still have many questions.  Do I make prints on canvas?, or fine art paper?.... what size?... cards?  I am looking forward to this meeting tomorrow, and getting a lot of my questions answered.  This is very exciting. 

I have also been researching what I need to set up an attractive booth for the upcoming "Art in the Park" in Kamloops, and also "Street Art" in May... also in Kamloops.  I have pretty much decided as well to have a stall at the Sun Peaks Farmer's Market this summer.  Busy..... but so exciting.  

In the midst of all this.... I am continuing to paint each day (and loving it).  

I am now 14 weeks in to my challenge for 2014.  I find myself this week at a loss for an idea of what to paint this week, so I started with some flowers.  I really am wanting to work on rocks, buildings and more birch trees.  The weather here is not really allowing for me to do this yet.  I think in about 2 weeks I will start going outside and either painting or sketching what I see.  I've been thinking a lot about rocks lately.  

Please send me an email if you have any suggestions for daily paintings.  I'm hoping that my blank mind will just be for today and I will wake up tomorrow with a hundred new ideas.