International Watercolor Artists Book 2: Handbook for Aspiring Artists and Art Lovers

I am very excited to be one of the 48 artists featured in this newly published book. It is now available for sale through both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

  

Amazon lists this book as: 

"A Handbook and Coffee Table book, to be both enjoyed and studied for artists, artist aspirers and art lovers alike. There are 48 artists in this book from 39 countries. Each artist has two pages 8.5x11 where his/her paintings are shown along with bio backgrounds, picture of the artist, answers to many questions relevant to their work, and advice for aspiring artists. They exemplify the best in watercolor world wide."

Thank you to the editor K Coralee burch Ph. D for including me in this book.

Ona

Don't Fret

Sometimes an idea for a painting just pops into my head and I have to stop and create it right away. This is exactly what happened with my latest transparent watercolour 'Don't Fret'.

Seems the cat in my painting has found a sunny spot on the fretboard of a guitar. What unusual places have you seen cats sleep in? Please share any stories if you have them. I would love to read them.

Eleanor Farjeon's poem is so true:

"Cats sleep anywhere, any table, any chair.
Top of piano, window-ledge, in the middle, on the edge.
Open draw, empty shoe, anybody's lap will do.
Fitted in a cardboard box, in the cupboard with your frocks.
Anywhere! They don't care! Cats sleep anywhere"

Ona

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

The Framing Depot Gold Award for Best in Show

I am very pleased to have won The Framing Depot Gold Award for Best in Show  in the BWS Impressions of the Heart Juried Exhibition for my painting 'Craft-Ted with Love'. 

The exhibition will take place at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts from February 3rd to March 2nd 2014. Thank you to the Juror Karin Isenburg for selecting my painting as Best in Show and to Steve Morkotinis from The Framing Depot for kindly donating the award. Congratulations to the other artists who have also won awards. I hope that if you live around the Greater Toronto Area you can stop by and view the exhibition next month.

Once Upon a Time

This young child is fascinated by an old typewriter. There is no delete key, no editing button but the mechanics of how it works is intriguing.

I'm really pleased with the lighting which was my main focus in this one. Some other parts I would like to have done better but that always the case with any painting I do :)  The two references I used were taken with inbuilt camera flash so the lighting was dull and boring. I'm planning a series of paintings where lighting really is the key so I wanted to paint something fairly standard just to practice changing and enhancing lighting. This was my result. I did have a lot of fun with the background too.  

Ona

Ted's In print

A copy of 'The Art of Watercolour' magazine arrived in the mail for me yesterday afternoon.

It was very exciting to see my 6 page featured article in print.  Thanks again to Laurent Benoist and Janine Gallizia. You've done an amazing job.

If you are interested in ordering a copy of the magazine follow this link

And to all of you that live within travelling distance of the GTA, many of the Ted paintings will be on display next month at the Richmond Hill Studio Tour so keep the 19th and 20th of October free. I will post more details about the tour in a couple of weeks.

Ona

Pennsylvania Watercolor Society Exhibition Acceptance

I am pleased to be able to tell you that 'Coded Thoughts' has been accepted into The Pennsylvania Watercolor Society’s Annual International Juried Exhibition

The exhibition will take place at the Crary Art Gallery, 511 Market Street, Warren, PA from October 5 – November 15, 2013

Ona

Donors Award at the TWSA Exhibition

I am honored and thrilled to let you know that my painting 'Bookworm Breakfast' has won The Donors Award in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America 37th National Exhibition.

The exhibition of just over 80 paintings opened this week at the Kenosha Public Museum and runs until August 4th.

Ona

Caffeinate-Ted!

Poor 'Caffeinate-Ted' is trying to study for his exams but he has left it all to the last minute! He is now desperately trying to stay awake and is resorting to coffee, chocolate and cookies to help keep those eyes open while he studies.

Will these desperate measures be enough for him to pass his exams in the morning? ... or will the caffeine fix wear off and sleep deprivation take over?

Transparent watercolour 25.5 inches by 16 inches on Arches 140lb cold press.

Ona

Tempt-Ted

Urgent request..... please view this miniature painting before it is all gone!!!!

 This Tiny Ted really seemed to love my new miniature painting of some valentine cupcakes so I allowed him to get up real close (I innocently thought he wanted to look at all the detail) ... He seems to have been 'Tempt-Ted' to do a lot more than look though!!!

The actual painting of the valentine cup cakes is about 6.75" by 2.75" and  the whole painting including the tiny Ted and the painted mat is 9" by 5.25". It's painted in transparent watercolour.

For those of you, like Ted who want a closer look, here is a much larger than life close up of the cup cakes and part of Ted.

Ona

Incriminate-Ted!

Thank you for your patience. It's taken a while for me to finish all that fur and sticky maple syrup but it's finally completed. Now it's up to you my selected jurors. The fate of this small bear lies in your hands. Is he guilty of stealing the maple syrup from Quebec in August of last year or has he been framed?

There is no doubt that this small bear loves maple syrup but was this just an innocent find on his part that he just couldn't resist? or had he deliberately stashed away the stolen maple syrup and was caught as he tried to 'dispose' of the evidence?

 

Please consider the evidence very carefully and give your verdict.

Ona

You are the Sunshine of my Life

It was the words of Stevie Wonder's song and the wonderful personalities of my two subjects that inspired this watercolour. 

 You are the sunshine of my life

That's why I'll always be around,

You are the apple of my eye,

Forever you'll stay in my heart

I feel like this is the beginning,

Though I've loved you for a million years,

And if I thought our love was ending,

I'd find myself drowning in my own tears

You are the sunshine of my life,

That's why I'll always stay around,

You are the apple of my eye,

Forever you'll stay in my heart

You must have known that I was lonely,

Because you came to my rescue,

And I know that this must be heaven,

How could so much love be inside of you?

 Love has joined us,

Love has joined us,

Let's think sweet love

I hope that even a small part of the emotion in these lyrics comes across in the painting.

Ona

Knit-Ted and Knot-Ted

Hope you enjoy the antics of my two latest Teds, Knit-Ted and Knot-ted who met today on Grandma's parlour table.

Knit-ted was waiting patiently in the warm sunshine for Grandma to return and sew up his foot but while he was sat there his new found friend Knot-ted, while trying to get to the jammy biscuit, became tangled in the trail of wool that was still joined to Knit-Ted's foot!  Try as this small furry Ted might to untangle himself each movement he made just made matters worse for his friend the knitted bear.

 I hope Grandma will return soon and rescue both Teds!

Thank you Christelle and Ruth for the teddy bears that inspired this painting.

Ona

4th Signature American Watercolor Exhibition Acceptance

I am very pleased to let you all know that my painting 'Finishing Touches' has been juried into the 4th Signature American Watercolor Exhibition by Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS, D.F., NWS. The exhibition will take place early next year in Fallbrook California.

Ona

Re Unite-Ted

My Nan used to tell me as a child that when my Teddy was threadbear and his  stuffing was coming out it was because I had filled him so full with my love there wasn't enough room for some of the stuffing too. This is what I was thinking about as I painted the old Ted. You can see from the old man's eyes and whole demeanor how much he loves his bear and I wanted this love to be visible on the bear too.

If there is any one thing that symbolises childhood it's a Teddy bear. Every parent watches with wonder as their baby goes from chewing on their favourite bear to making him dance around and tell stories. As your child bestows a particular personality on a Teddy you start to play along, and soon you're as attached as the child.

But children grow up and they give up their toys. Often parents though cannot give up the symbol of their children's childhood so easily and so put that bear away safely.

Before we know days turn to months and months into years,
Time is mapped with laughter and cheers,
the long road sometimes landmarked with sadness and tears.

Elders pass and children grow,
has it been that long we ask, where does time go? 
                                                                   Ryan Guerrero

and then one day, the child that was finds his beloved bear again

and with it his childhood memories and feeling of love and attachment for his bear come flooding back as if the time between then and now never happened. In his heart he is that child once more.

Ona

Cheap Joe's Art Stuff Award

I have had some more exciting news!

My painting 'Dream Catcher' received the Cheap Joe's Art Stuff Award at the 44th Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition.

Thank you Marilyn Wear for taking the photograph for me and congratulations on your award too.

The exhibition opened a couple days ago and continues until December 16th so if you are within travelling distance of the Brea Gallery CA, do visit. If you are not able to go you can enjoy a selection of the exhibition on line by going to the Brea Gallery's facebook page Here

Ona

California Watercolor Association 43rd National Exhibition Acceptance!

I am very pleased to let you all know that 'Time Warp' has been accepted into the California Watercolor Association 43rd National Exhibition. 

It will be held at the historic Harrington Gallery in the Firehouse Art Center in Pleasanton, CA and will run from January 17, 2013 to February 16, 2013.

Ona

Watercolor Artist Magazine has arrived!

The December issue of the Watercolor Artist Magazine that I am featured in arrived in the mail today. It feels very special to be featured in it. Thank you Birgit O'Connor for nominating me :)

  
Thank you also to all of my readers here who have encouraged me over the last couple years.

Ona

One's to Watch 2012 promotional release

 I was sent the promotional release for the watercolor Artist Magazine 'One's to Watch' feature yesterday

Announcing Watercolor Artistʼs 2012 “Ones to Watch”

Few stories generate as much excitement around the Watercolor Artist offices as the annual “Ones to Watch” feature, published each year in the December issue. In May, the Watercolor Artist editors send out a call to longtime artist friends, asking for the names of students they think show exceptional promise or talented painters who theyʼve recently encountered by way of an exhibition theyʼve juried. The staff then solicits work from each of the nominated artists. Once all the images are in, the editors begin to highlight the standouts.

Editor Kelly Kane looks forward to spotting new talent. “Our goal is to identify up-andcoming watercolor artists who demonstrate both technical skill and unique qualities of self-expression, but who might not otherwise have come to our attention for a few more years; artists we can catch early and watch as they continue to hone their styles and techniques; artists who can teach us all something about commitment, drive and belief in oneʼs self and oneʼs work,” she says.

Congratulations to the 2012 Watercolor Artist “Ones to Watch:”

Bill Bailey | Oakland, Tennessee
Cheng Fen Yeh | Radford, Virginia
Cindy Evans | Williamston, Michigan
Donna Morrison | Tampa, Florida
Joseph Stoddard | Pasadena, California
Lane Hall | Medford, Oregon
Mary Barnett | Boulder, Colorado
Ona Kingdon | Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Robin Erickson | Fallbrook, California
Suzanne Reed Fine | Columbus, Georgia

Read more about these artists—and why they were nominated by the top watermedia instructors and exhibition jurors—in the December 2012 issue of Watercolor Artist, available on newsstands Oct. 23, 2012, or in digital format at northlightshop.com.

I can't wait to see how they used what I sent them to write the feature... It's going to be a long few weeks :)

Ona

People's Choice award and signature membership!

Awards from Jurors are wonderful to receive but there is something very special about winning the people's Choice award... I guess because it is the vote of the people so thank you everyone who voted for my paintings..

I am very happy to let you all know that  'Primal warmth' based on the Wenden long house at St. Marie among the Hurons has won the people's choice award from the Impressions 2012 Exhibition which took place last week at Boynton house.

 During the week I also received my BWS signature status from the Mayor of Richmond Hill

Thank you Mayor Barrow for taking the time to present the awards.

Ona