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...

Getting Ready for Minto Art in the Park

I've been getting ready for the first of three Arts in the Park, all happening in the next 6 weeks.

Art in Minto Park is a Saturday art show, 10-7pm, on Elgin Street across from Jack Purcell in Ottawa. Along with the local artist's on hand, the art show will also have the sketches of Rich Little, also a local artist. Can't wait to see them!

Little Girl Art

A chalk homage to the universal theme of BFF

BFF Ann

BFF of unknown name

The girls next door have been very busy covering every surface of our shared fence with chalk. We were due a big downpour and I figured I'd better get shots of my favorite chalk drawings before they were washed away. Ah ephemeral chalk art...

Illustration Friday: Enough

When I have had enough, I take a time out.

Sunday 16" x20" acrylic on canvas

July 20th Sunday Market -- I won't be there but you should go!

Just a heads up for anyone who may be looking for me at the Ottawa Sunday market this week. I won't be there this coming Sunday, July 20th. Which also means that Tim, of Mobius T-Shirts won't be there either.

What will be there is this:

Implosion
The City is contracting a company to implode the lower portion of the South stands of the Frank Clair Stadium next Sunday, July 20th, at 8:00 a.m. The Market Vendors will be hunkered down in their footprint ready to serve you the minute the all-clear is given by Security, hopefully by 9:00 a.m. Streets surrounding Lansdowne will be closed until that time. Thank you for your patience and see you a bit later next week!

(excerpt taken from the OFM weekly newletter here)

I personally think it'll be exciting and historical and that the market will be full of the onlookers who will no doubt be out for this event. You should go if you can.

what wikipedia has to say

Illustration Friday: Foggy

Encouraged by articles in senior's magazines, she decided to do math equations to keep her mind young and flexible.



Trouble was, she was foggy on how to even start.

Here's a page to help you keep your brain fog-free

Specimens: My Ceramic Moose Exhibit

Here are all my moose ready for framing the day before the show set-up.


I wanted to see how many different characters I could create using the same 4 parts: moose antlers, left and right, moose head and the back board the moose heads are attached to.
I created a model of the moose parts first then fired it and from these pieces created 4 molds to use to make all my variations.
It's interesting what a colour or a tilt of the head will convey, not to mention the loaded meanings we carry with regard to clothing.
My exhibit is in the Minto Place Building, where the Minto Suites Hotel is. The Minto Vitrines, as this display space is called, are in between the hotel and the commercial part of the complex. The display windows are actually right above the wheelchair ramp. Being that the ramp is at an angle, it makes it tricky to set up and stand on ladder to place your work into the windows. I had assumed we set up from behind. We also had to move the ladder for the guests, wheelchairs and strollers alike. it wasn't a big deal, but it pushed set-up time from 90 minutes to 4 hours. it's worth it though. Look at my show! So shiny! It makes me happy.




Here are all the moose on display. 2 rows of 12.






They have this great sign telling lookers that the Artists Showcase is a collaboration between the Ottawa School of Art and Minto Corporation.
I would never have known about this great exhibit space were I not a student at OSA. Being a student there has helped me feel ready to do exhibits. It's a whole new world of opportunity.





Here is Specimen No. 20 Albino Male.
Every moose has its specimen card with all known information about the animal: where it was found, know habits or habitat, cause and age at death.







This is a closer view of the Albino Male, all white with pink eyes.




All the specimen cards are written by hand in pencil and attached to the wall with straight pins. The pins were the perfect finishing touch.


The exhibit goes from July 3rd to September 2nd, 2008.

Minto Vitrines Artist Showcase
Minto Suites Hotel
Kent Street at Lyon, Ottawa ON

Another Big Nut: New Squirrel Painting

I finally finished this 8" x 10" acrylic painting called Desert Island. It went through so many stages I wish I would have taken pictures of that. Some paintings come easy. Others fight you. This one would have bitten me in the manner of a nasty squirrel had I not finally wrestled it down to the ground. Don't ask me why some things are tougher. I don't know.

I am satisfied with the water.

I am troubled by the fact that the squirrel is either gigantic or the palm tree is teeny tiny. And that island is so small! But, never mind. His expression is priceless. His nut could be either a guitar, a ukelele or a violin case. He, maybe, should have had a hula skirt on but that wouldn't be hard to add.

Illustration Friday: Sour

Never satisfied.

Mish Mash

I had a professor in medieval art history who encouraged us to look up whenever we were out somewhere. She said you'd often end up with wet feet from stepping in puddles, but you'd see things that half the people around you never will.

Carp Market birds

dipsy doodle on top of blow up ice cream

City wildlife

dog in a well worn bag at Ottawa Market

big big eyes

My backyard

these smell 100x better than they look and they look good

a riot of growth

KittyX : no longer an outdoor kitty .

Hill Cam

Here's a view of Parliament Hill at 7:05am. You can see the red carpet around the eternal flame leading up to the stage. It's the backdrop for the big Canada Day festivities. There's only a few people in this shot but check the cam throughout today and you'll see how many people show up on the hill.

"Packed in like tunafish," as my old friend used to say....

Canada Day Spirit

Happy Birthday Canada