Finalist in Richeson 75 International Figure/Portrait 2014 Exhibition

I had some happy news yesterday. My Transparent Watercolour 'Time Warp' has been selected as a finalist and will be on display in the Richeson 75 International Figure/Portrait 2014 exhibition. The exhibition runs from Oct 20-Dec 6, 2014 at the Richeson Gallery in Kimberly Winsconsin US

The painting depicts my son Alex's childhood. I wanted to show him as he grew up and how it feels like the blink of an eye  since he was small and yet him growing up is such a large part of my life too. Time is a funny thing.
 
Ona

Featured Artist

I am the featured Artist this week on the 'Art on the Hill' Richmond Hill Studio Tour Blog.

This is the feature I wrote. I hope you will enjoy it too

Featured Artist: Ona Kingdon

I am taking a break from painting this week as I prepare for the Studio Tour. I have matted about 15 paintings and am in the process of framing them. I have also been creating the designs for many new art cards.

This year my theme for the tour is going to be based on our senses. My section of the tour will be designed to encourage visitors to discover the art through many senses not just our sight.  So if you live in southern Ontario, come and visit me at Boynton House on Richmond Green on the 17^th 18^th or 19^th of October and see how many of your 5 senses you end up using or see being used in the paintings or drawings. There will even be nibbles to tempt your sense of taste and music to listen to as you look around.  I often use music as an inspiration for my paintings or to help me set the mood as I paint. I will have some of the music playing so maybe you can identify which music I listened to for some of the pieces on display.

My popular demand I have also been designing Ted series bookmarks. I can't wait to get James to print them on canvas and varnish them. They will be ready for sale in time for the Studio Tour and yes, I will be selling them on line too Have you got a favourite?

 

Ona

 

Paul Jackson Kolinsky kayak brushes

I have been trying out the 4 Paul Jackson Kolinsky kayak brushes over the last few months

 The info on Paul’s website says-‘These double-ended brushes are perfectly balanced and weighted for the ultimate painting experience. Sizes: 0/2, 2/4, 6/8, and 10/12. Sold only as a complete set.’

Having a brush both ends is so useful. I have been able to load one side with paint and the other with clear water which makes softening an edge of a wet on dry wash so much easier. I can also load the other side of the brush with a different colour allowing me to merely flip and then continue to paint. Previously I would need to either use two brushes or stop and clean my brush and reload with the new colour for a variegated wash. Thirdly I can load both ends of the brush with the same colour and merely flipping the kayak when one brush runs out of paint. This allows me to cover a larger area with one glaze before the paper goes past its optimum dampness and I need to let it dry fully before rewetting. Lastly I can also have one end of the kayak dry giving me a thirsty brush always at hand to lift any unwanted paint.

The brushes hold a point well making detail possible, even with a larger brush than I am used to, but at the same time they are extremely soft (a quality I really look for in a brush so that I can achieve my ultra smooth washes that I so enjoy creating).  

 I still use my Winsor and Newton series 240 goat hair mop/wash brushes for glazing large areas as I have yet to find a large wash brush that ‘kisses the paper’ as gently as they do without moving the paint on the previous layers around but must say having to use two brushes (one for paint and one for water) feels cumbersome after a couple months with the kayaks.

I also use my existing tiny brushes sizes 002-004 for very detailed work e.g. painting eyes or fur or hair but would happily have a kayak version if one existed.

My ideal brush set? Paul’s 4 Kayaks with an added 2 kayaks- a kayak mop and a kayak teeny tiny brush.

An added bonus… the care instructions the brushes come with are very amusing and make me smile every time I read them. 

Ona

Silverback

I still haven't decided on the title for this. I would welcome any ideas. I guess the message I was trying to convey is best said by this except of the poem by Lysa Schuler.

They are beautiful, proud, and can be feared.
But understand, they are a creation revered.

 We protect to keep the remaining alive.

But who knows how long the few will survive?

The drawing is done completely in pointellism and took just over 21 hours in total to complete.