Things I made this month and how some things happen to be made

All August I felt like I was just spinning my wheels. After extreme disappointment at having to cancel my vacation this year, and moping about that off and on for a good three weeks, I still managed to get some things started, some completed and some heading off into new directions. Here's what I'm talking about...

Paintings

This month I read a book about the work of James Christensen, looking closely at his big fat bodies. Thanks to Laurie C., and her enthusiasm for this artist, she kept telling me I had to read it, that I would love it. And yeah, she was right. I do love it. I didn't know what to do with it, except enjoy it, and then I gave it back.

I had to start getting ready for an art in the park so I began to get the creative juices flowing by returning to a series of panelled works I've been doing for 5 or 6 years now. I made a Many Moods of Birds painting,

and as I worked on it I started staring at the bottom bird and his big forehead and his large lower body. The feeling of the Christensen bodies took me over and I wanted to make them really big and fat...big fat birds. But then they just started to become characters. Sometimes it just happens. I sketched a few out very quickly




and put it all aside for another day. Within a week I had these two compositions completed.

The Relative

Making Plans

I also painted First Flight over this past weekend
and have 3 more sketched out. I love the big fat birds. They're going to be around a while.

And if that isn't enough, Laurie C. gave me this quilting fat quarter... ROBOTS! I love the robot...
I'm thinking astronauts, robots, aliens, big fat birds and cats.. and insects and secrets... much to ponder.

Other Things In Progress

Ceramic Buttons

I framed and submitted new work to the school boutique including

colour reduction woodblock print My House My Rules

etching and aquatint Today's the Day

etching and aquatint Through

and this painting called Ma Mare has been vexing me for a few months. I have painted, and repainted, it a few times and this weekend I brought it to Carp and all of a sudden, it was ready and I finished it within an hour. I put it on display and had 6 people express interest and then it sold. Fresh work.

Also this month I submitted this work, called One Small Step, to The Bay at Bayshore as part of their Live Artfully promotion. It's on display in their store!

Dog Days of August

I met several dogs over the month. One was smuggled into the Carp craft building (no dogs allowed!) and I managed to get his picture...

The others were all visitors to my booth at the Outdoor Art Show. Being a real neighbourhood dog park, all the dogs were quite comfortable in their surroundings and I was amazed at how many decided to take a load off in my booth. Guess they I was in their spot.

Imagine. All these dogs are descended from the wolf. Fascinating.

August and September Bones

So here it is, the 1st of September. The ancient Celts held this to be New Year's Day and it always feels that way to me, whether you are getting ready for another year of school, as I am, or just shifting gears from summer to fall.



I have lots to post and I'll start with this guy. This is August's skeletal offering
Fun and sun and summer outdoor activity...

And here we are, it's September



Back to it. The long shadow is very appropriate.

Outdoor Art in Minto Park this Sunday 12-8pm

Well I am going back to Minto Park, across from Jack Purcell Community Centre on Elgin Street

this Sunday for a new Art and Music in the Park show. There's a whole lineup of musicians who will be playing all day and into the evening. We will be joined by face painters, performance artists, jugglers, and a community drum circle (4:00-5:00).

Sounds like a real event! Hope you can make it.

Two More Arts in the Park here and gone

So it's almost the end of August. The usual summer shows are over. Each of them predictable in terms of weather but unpredictable in terms of turnout.

Strathcona Park this year was fantastic! I think that the rain held off until 3pm made a big difference. People came out to enjoy the nice Saturday, a rarity this year.

The lady with the duck hat was back

What floored me were my fellow vendors. A few of them ran for their vehicles at 3pm when the rain came.

They then drove onto the site, which they weren't supposed to do at all, and brought their cars in while people were still walking the paths looking at the art! Hello? This is really dangerous. Not to mention bad for the show which was supposed to end at 5pm. Perhaps they had a bad day and just wanted to go, don't know, but I cannot believe they weren't stopped somehow. Amazing.


The Kingston Women's Festival had a great Sunday weather-wise but the turnout was much lower than usual. Those who came were a lot of fun but where was everyone? I have found over the years that if the weather is generally poor throughout the summer, if you finally get a good day, you take advantage of it. The summer is just so short. My guess is people were simply out doing other things. Cottage? Camping? Traveling? Can't blame them. Fall is starting to show itself already. I saw some leaves turning on my ride downtown this morning. Along the Ottawa River Parkway I saw blushing red amongst the trees on the Quebec side of the river. Seems too early to me but that doesn't mean it's not happening. I'm hoping for a great Fall.

Here are some scenes that played out in front of my Kingston booth...

An amusing non-plastic bag unknowingly walked by the plasticmaster

and later...

...and right after we made it home from Kingston, the skies opened up. This year, I can pretend I live in the tropics, just no fantastic palm trees is all.

Ottawa Farmers' Market During the Ex

During the Ottawa Exhibition the Ottawa Farmers' Market is relocated into Sylvia Holden park, almost adjacent to the Exhibition grounds. The park is very pretty, meandering here and there. Many vendors will be attending the market during the relocation weeks but I will not.

I'm taking the time to get ready for the Kingston Women's Festival on Sunday the 17th, and the next week will be spent creating stock for the fall season. This will be my last stretch of time before I start back at school the first week of September. With a full course load of 5 classes, a part time job at the school in the ceramic studio and markets on Saturday and Sunday I need to work ahead if I can get the chance!

See you next at the Ottawa Market Sunday August 31st, 2008.

Strathcona Art in the Park 2008 -Sneak Peak

I'm almost ready for Art in the Park at Strathcona Park in Ottawa. Thought I'd post a peak of something new I painted for the show.

Art in the Park is scheduled for Saturday August 9th, 2008. We have a raindate for the show of Sunday August 10th which will come into effect *IF IT IS POURING RAIN AT 7:30 am on Saturday morning*

Let's hope it goes as usual. It rains everyday anyway. To get there, follow Laurier Ave East until you can't go anymore. That's where the park is, right alongside the canal.

Chance Meeting 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas SOLD

On the Fence

Looking out my back door I saw this kitty sitting on top of the fence. I snapped this gauzy shot through the screen door. I tried to get a better image through the window but she saw me move and took off.

I was working away and felt the summer heat rising. It's been a very tropical summer here in decidely non-tropical Ottawa. Pretty much every day we get a rainstorm. Usually thunder and lightning. 60%-70% probability of precipitation everyday. Every night the temperatures go below 20C. I love it. I know there are plenty of locals upset with all the rain. I know there are plenty of locals who'd like a day free of the rain. But for me, I am totally enjoying it. Since I have to work at home and make a ton of stuff all summer, I haven't had a string of days where it was too hot to work. Last year I was ready to buy me an air conditioner after a week of temperatures that didn't go below 28C. I'd rather have this.

So later on I looked up and saw this squirrel flaked out.



It's very weird to see these scurrying critters relaxed like this. Guess they feel right at home. I've seen plenty of them in the neighbourhood eating good stuff from the gardens around here; cucumbers, tomatoes and my hostas and the flowers off of my gardenia! A squirrel was crunching on that the other day so I brought it in. Curses!

I went back to work and the next time I looked up the sky was black, there was an rainbow and bright sun reflecting off the brick, and a minute later it was pouring rain.

New Friendly Plastic Work - Mirrors

Carp Farmers' Market
Out of My Mind booth
My booth looks great here. I had to dismantle the whole thing Saturday afternoon as Carp is having it's Garlic Festival this coming weekend and I won't be there. It's too bad but it conflicts with Strathcona Art in the Park and so someone else will be in my space for the garlic lover's weekend.

Full display boards at last! It only took 10 weeks to do it!

Oh. I still see an empty space... rats.

love this toothy fish

flying dragon and earthbound penguin (sold)

queen bee (sold), baby, moose(sold) and a gold kitty. the usual.

saucy moose (sold)

optimistic kitty

pretty bird (sold) and sheep with good taste

Urban Art @ Minto Park 2008 - July 27/08

Sorry for being behind in my posting. It seems I caught a nasty bug at the Minto Urban Art Show that took me out for a week. Blecch. Here are some shots from the show, including a few images of my latest paintings. Some are still available but not many... and seeing as it's almost time again for Strathcona Art in the Park this Saturday (rain day is Sunday) I will have a few more paintings to add to the mix for the Strathcona Show.
Busy busy.
But that's summer for some of us.

friendly plastic pins and earrings

night owls acrylic on paper on canvas 8" x 10" SOLD

assorted paintings - crows SOLD

tally-ho! 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

the big surprise 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas SOLD

july 27th, 2008 sunset

lilies blooming their fool heads off

a customer's fantastic little bag from Germany

unexpected cowboy with banana

all the better to see you with

interesting arrangement of paintings with something special in the back...