McGillivray Creek

It has been an exciting autumn so far for me.  It started with finding out that 3 of my paintings were accepted into the FCA - Chapter show in Kamloops.  

One of the paintings - "Soul Trap" was a bit of a departure from my usual subject matter.  I entered it into the show not really knowing what to expect and was very pleased to have it included along with "Bed and Breakfast" and "Along The Trail".  This show runs from September 25th - October 4th at the Old Courthouse Gallery in Kamloops.  The opening reception is Friday the 25th from 7-9pm.   I will be doing a demo on October 3rd which is a Saturday from 1-4 at the gallery as well.

Another exciting upcoming event is the Federation of Canadian Artists Show - Scenes from Western Canada.  I submitted the painting to your left - "McGillivray Creek".  This is a painting of the beautiful creek that flows through Sun Peaks, and right behind my house and studio.  I LOVE that creek, and it's music lulls me to sleep every night.  It is VERY exciting that a little piece of Sun Peaks will be represented in this show.  

The opening reception for Scenes from Western Canada is Thursday September 24th from 7-9pm at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island - one of my favourite places.
So... I will be driving down to Vancouver for the reception on Thursday, then heading back to Kamloops for the reception on Friday... this is an exciting kind of busy.  

This is kind of a first for me.  I've never had a nasty comment on my Facebook page, but today I received one and I have to admit I feel like I was punched in the stomach.  

Someone referred to my work as "derivative", and "poorly done at that".  Wow... that hurts.  

The first thing I did was look up the word derivative to see what it meant:

Derivative:

1. 1. 
   (typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason.
   "an artist who is not in the slightest bit derivative"
   synonyms:imitative, unoriginal, uninventive, unimaginative, uninspired; 
   
   
   

I was shocked to read this definition.  I wonder who this person perceives me to be imitating?  People have commented that my paintings remind them of several different artists ... Emily Carr, Ted Harrison ... someone even said it is like "Group of Seven meets Picasso", and although I admire all those artists... i believe my style is completely different from any of them.... although I can see an influence.  

The thing is... I don't know enough about other artists and their styles.  I've not taken art history classes, and I haven't travelled and visited art galleries much.  I paint images from my mind that are inspired by where I live, and hike, and play... also from memories, and just thinking.  One thing I have heard consistently about my work and usually from people who are interested in art is that my work is unique, and they haven't seen this type of work before.  

Anyways.... it is up to me how I choose to handle this.  After checking out this person's Facebook page, I can see that his focus is usually on the negative aspects of life.  I see no interest in art or the good parts of life.  I'm saddened that he felt it was important to put me down but you know what... I chose to put my work out there to the public so I have to learn how to handle the good with the bad.  I could just really use some (((HUGS))) today.  :)

I've discovered that there are some subjects which I paint that I can get lost in... or perhaps distracted by.  I know this can happen when I'm not painting as well.  I can't go for a hike without being absorbed body, mind and soul, by a tree, or the sky ... or the mountains.  So often when I paint, I find my focus shifts and it is difficult to create a "focal point".  I think that having a focal point is something that is important to the composition of a painting... but I must confess that I do struggle with that in my own work.  

For example... this painting was inspired by a recent hike.  I was absorbed with the patches of red on one of the slopes and started painting in my mind.  I noted that the trees were of a certain shape... and I noted the beautiful distant mountains.  So when I went back to my studio and started this painting... i knew exactly how I wanted to paint the slope, and I did.  Then I started on the sky and the distant mountains.  As I painted the sky... I felt the wind, the coolness, the vastness and forgot about my slope.  

Then, of course... the trees... which are never ever an afterthought for me.  Ideas kept coming... and I actually went down in the middle of the night to try out a colour I had been thinking about.  I forgot about the slope again.

So... then I wonder as I look at my painting.... do the trees distract from the slope?  Does the sky take away from the trees?  Is this a well-composed painting?  

I think perhaps lots of artists question their work.  Painting is such an experiential thing for me... i really get lost in it.  I think that is one of the things I enjoy about it the most... disappearing into what I am painting.  I also LOVE... being able to share what I see.  

This painting is called "High"

I returned to BC at the end of June, headed to Vancouver to enjoy the Canada Day festivities and pick up my paintings, then had weekend guests for a concert here in Sun Peaks.  It has been a long time for me, since I have painted and I've actually felt a bit down.  Today, finally... i'm feeling refreshed and inspired.

I went for a hike today on top of the mountain with some good friends.  Just being up there does something to my soul.  It is like being recharged.  The mountainside was covered with wildflowers... valerian, columbine, fireweed, paintbrush, tigerlily, lupin, wild strawberries, and hellebore.  Beauty as far as my eyes could see.  The air is clean and sweet-smelling.  

I look at the patches of trees along the slopes and I can see green, red and purple in each stand.  We passed some older, and dying trees with patchy bark still clinging in areas to the bare trunk.... it looks like they are wearing strapless evening gowns.  I had to touch and smell the bark.  :)  

I am so grateful that i live in such a beautiful place, and that i am able to share what i see with other people when i paint.  

I am down in Kansas, in a little town called McPherson visiting my sister and her family.  I did some sketching and painting in my mind while I drove here.  The trees are different than what I'm used to, but they are beautiful.  Lots of deciduous trees… lots and lots of foliage.  It is good because they really need shade down here as it is 103 degrees (F).  These would be wonderful trees to build a house in.  Living in a tree house is something I hope I get to do one day.  :)  

I think right now what I am most focused on is the sky…. there is a lot of it.  When I look at a sky…. i get drawn right in…. i feel myself flying around in that beautiful blue.  In Kansas there is so much sky…. so many different clouds wandering by.  The painting I am thinking of would have a very small part of the land showing …. mostly a huge moving and flowing sky. A couple years ago, i painted my idea of Kansas… it was a swirling sky and some sunflowers.  I think it might be time to paint that beautiful sky again.

In a couple days… we are heading to Boulder, Colorado.  I've been there before and I enjoy the drive.  Yellow and blue the whole way…  then as you get close to Boulder, you can see those beautiful mountains in the distance.  I think there might be some nice art galleries in Boulder as well.  :)  

About a month ago, I applied for "elected" membership with the Canadian Society of Artists.  This is a non-profit organization that was born to born to foster and celebrate the visual arts in Canada.  Some of the benefits of joining organizations like this one and the Federation of Canadian Artists are:


1. being able to participate in shows across the country
2. access to demos and workshops given by professional artists
3. exposure
4. critiques of your work
5. meeting other artists and benefitting from their experience


Anyways... I received a letter a few days ago which gave me the news that I had not been accepted as an elected member.  After a couple days and 5 bottles of wine......     I'm OK.  


The positive was that they included the juries comments on my work and for the most part it was quite positive, and I was encouraged to reapply next year.  


So... sometimes I wonder if I should be part of these organizations.  It is difficult to have your work judged.... or rather it is difficult to have your work judged and found lacking, but easy to have your work judged and found to be amazing and wonderful.  I love feeling wonderful :)  So, I guess that even though being judged is sometimes painful... it is a good thing, and I do appreciate the chance to be able to grow as an artist.  Growth is a good thing.


The good news about all this is that I've found in my life, when something challenging happens... or I get my sensitive feelings hurt a bit... something great is always just around the corner.  Really... this happens.  


So here's to just around the corner.  :)

I am surrounded by beauty...

Just came back from a short walk with Zeus, and I honestly think my head might explode.  So many beautiful trees.  

     There is one at the beginning of my trail that is so tall and straight... it's bark is like little rough grey chips, some of which have a green tinge from moss, and underneath is a bit of orange.  When that particular tree is wet.. the underneath part is bright red and the chips are black... beautiful... I have to paint that.

     Then there is the 3 cedars... their bark is that beautiful smooth grey that you could drown in, and it is in long thin strips that just beg to be sketched... the leaves are a gorgeous green and drape like lace.

Then there are the ones that dance... their boughs curve upwards and I can't wait to paint all the swirls I see in their foliage.

Next come the "morse code" trees... I call them this because their barks has lines of dots going around their trunks horizontally.  

I pass a very old stump that has so much texture and colour in it that it seems as alive as the tree it used to be.

Yes.... I love trees... their branches, bark, leaves, needles, roots, and scars.  To paint them... is a privilege.

When I find myself in a difficult situation and I struggle with my emotions... i turn to my sketch book.  Just drawing a line, a continuous line and filling a page will bring me a calmness and focus that I haven't been able to find elsewhere.  I love lines, i love ink... when I draw... it is as though I am pulling out my restlessness, my anxiety, my thoughts.. and placing them somewhere I can look at them objectively.  

Often.. when I encounter negativity, or hurt, or difficulty.. i see it as a picture.  I guess I either have a vivid imagination, or am just a very visual person... or both.  If someone is telling me something... most of the time it is in my mind in picture form.  

So... this painting... "Soul Trap" ... came from one of my sketches.  I think I did it a couple years ago.  My desire in life is to always look for the good, to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume good intentions.  Sometimes... this gets me into a situation where I am astonished by bad behaviour or unkindness... and I guess I shouldn't be astonished... it happens.  

Anyways... I feel that there are people who are trapped.. unable to rise above bitterness, anger, resentment and hatred... and it can't be a good place to be.  It is a difficult thing to let go of those emotions... to get untangled.  

This is a painting about that.... and I hope to hell this doesn't sound preachy... it isn't meant to.

Well... I think I am ready.  I have about 14 paintings done and ready for the show at Hycroft Gallery in May.  Opening reception is May 6th at 6:30 pm.  I AM SO EXCITED!!!
Really looking forward to meeting people at this event.

I will be heading down to Vancouver on the 4th and setting up in the morning of the 5th.  This is a real first for me and I am so grateful to my friend Cindy Neufeld for suggesting I send in a submission for a show.  

Saturday, I am heading down to Penticton to get the final 3 paintings for the show photographed.  While i am down there, we will be setting up something quite new and exciting for me.  Stuart Bish, who has done the photography for my prints, and my printing is now launching Art Store Fronts.  This is a website where you can order prints, and purchase originals from various artists (myself included) directly through his website.  I will have a link on my site here and I will have ALOT more information after this weekend.  

I start with what is most in the foreground... in this case, it is the paintbrush flowers.  Then, the birch trees.  They were fun.  I love creating shapes with paint and leaving the black underpainting showing through in areas to hint at branches, burls, rough bark and shadows.  



Then, I work on the sky.  It is difficult for me to paint a plain blue sky.  I LOVE the wind, the movement of the clouds and I think that comes through in most of my paintings.  I have observed that the sky is lightest on the horizon and darker overhead and I enjoy painting the gradients of the colour of the sky in sections... each separated by a line of the black underpainting.

Finally, I erase the chalk lines, then add little bits of shape to fill in areas where I feel too much of the black is showing.  I draw the trees down into the foliage with small white shapes, and the lake down as well with the same idea.  

Now, I sign it... and go over it once again, touching up areas that I feel need touching up.  In a couple days, I will add a coat of varnish and I will be done.  

For me, the first step to any painting is a good sketch.  As I sketch, I pull out memories from my mind and they unravel in my sketchbook.  Most of the time, I start with trees.  I explore different types of bark, lines, shapes, foliage etc.  Once in a while, I nail the sketch on the first try, but more often, I sketch until what I see on paper is what I am feeling/seeing inside. 

The next step for me is deciding what background colour I will paint my canvas.  In this case I went with black.  Once I paint the canvas black, I do a very rough drawing of my painting with chalk.  When I say rough, I mean very rough... just an idea of where things should be.  Then I start to paint.

At some point here I decided to add leaves which were not in my original sketch... i like the effect.  Then I painted the lake, and distant mountains.  

The blue I chose for this painting is Cobalt blue... one I do not normally use, but I was wanting to try something other than my usual Pthalo blue.  The greens were mixed from Cad yellow, and Cobalt blue, the purple was straight Dioxazine purple and I needed some white and black to "grey" things down in some areas.  The reds were a mix of Cad. red, and Quinacridone crimson.