Once Upon a Dragon WIP

I have to follow my heart when I am painting.

I began working on this idea for a painting back in January this year but abandoned it when it was only half done because I wasn't happy with it.

Sometimes, when you get an idea in your mind, you think you know what you want but, then you start to see it appear on the paper and you realise it isn't your vision. I know some people say 'but no one else will know' and it's true, they won't... but I know... and when I know the creation becomes more of a mechanical technical process rather than an emotive one and that just isn't me.

So.... 10 months later, here is where I have got to so far. I moved the children closer together, tilted the child on the right in a little more to make the scene feel more intimate as I want to viewer to feel that they are there too.

I guess I paint with my heart just as much, if not more than with my hands. Lots of work still to do but hopefully this time it will be finished soon.

So much of what we see with our eyes is transient and ephemeral. Sights rest with us for only a brief moment and then they fly away just like butterflies.  What we feel with our hearts  in contrast is everlasting and eternal.

Thank you to everyone who stopped and watched me paint at the Toronto Exhibition Centre this weekend. Your presence was only fleeting but your lovely comments will remain with me for a long time.

Transparent Watercolour 28.5 by 16 inches. Any ideas for a title for this painting?

Strokes of Genius 9

I was very happy today to receive a sneak peak of my pages in the new Strokes of Genius 9: Creative Discoveries which will be published by North Light Books later this month. (Two scratch boards this time) One of my drawings of my Labrador, Harry, will be featured on page 20 (He is so excited to see the 4th book he will be featured in) and one of my Teds is on page 65

If you would like to pre-order a copy you can purchase it directly from North light books 

 Or if you live in Canada you can pre-order it from Amazon.ca

IWS Canada

I had the enormous pleasure of being part of the team of 4 jurors for IWS Canada's Canada 150 celebration exhibition. With over 1450 entries it was a task that took us over a week to complete. Since then I have been working on creating this video of the 150 finalists. I hope you will enjoy seeing it.

 You know, as a juror, you are going to disappoint far more than you can make happy and that it won't be possible to accept many excellent paintings especially in a situation such as this when we could only accept 150 out of 1450. It was such a huge pleasure though to look through and study in detail so many beautiful works of art though and it has certainly inspired me as an artist to strive to work more on areas in my own work and improve. What I enjoyed most about this experience though was how the world united and helped our beautiful country to celebrate its 150th birthday. It truly was a wonderful experience.