Wherever my music takes me...

I had so much fun creating this painting, following my imagination and seeing where it took me. Just me and my guitar, with the warm sun on my skin and a faint breeze in the air.

Transparent Watercolour 32 inches by 17.5 inches

Ona

Progress update

 James took this photo this morning. He was behind and above me  as he was taking it but this is almost the view I get as I am painting. Kind of fun isn't it. As you can see, I have nearly finished the giant guitar shaped platform.  I loved the idea of the fret board at this size acting like a long walkway and was reminded of a quote by Angus Young " I just go where the guitar takes me" when I first thought of the idea.

 There really isn't much detail in the painting so far. I am just trying to create the feeling of space, and a sense of depth and distance. How many of you have been high up in the mountains early in the day as the sun is rising? It's a wonderful sight. That's the atmosphere I am trying to capture.

Ona

The Journey of Creation

After nearly a month without painting it feels so good to have my brushes in my hands again and to begin another journey of creation. I hope you will enjoy coming on the journey with me.

James took this photo of me earlier this evening well after the light had faded. I was just putting the finishing touches to the background section of the painting and was illuminated only by the strip of halogen lights above me. I have also inserted a separate photo of just the painting so far in the top left side so you can see it more clearly. I wanted to create the atmosphere of a misty morning sunrise in the background. It's sort of symbolic really because in any creative journey, however much you plan, you often have to take a leap of faith and head off into the unkown. It's scary sometimes but very exciting too.

I can't wait for tomorrow when I can continue on my journey of creation.  Hope you like the photo.

Ona

Curry's Da Vinci Award CSPWC 89th Open Water International Exhibition

It's certainly been a week of good news. I had a phone call on Wednesday evening to say  'A Penny for your Thoughts' had won the Curry's Da Vinci Award in the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour 89th Open Water International Exhibition. WOW!!!!!!! The award presentation was yesterday evening. Luckily it was in Toronto so not far to go this time.

In the photo I am standing with my winning painting beside Doug Mays who was one of the jurors for the exhibition. 

The other jurors were Joanne Lucas Warren and Barbara Mitchell.  In the last photo  vice president Rayne Tunley is presenting my award.

Thank you to Curry's Art Store for sponsoring the award and to the board members of CSPWC for organising such a lovely evening. The exhibition is open until November 21st at the John B Aird Gallery, 900 Bay St. Toronto, Ontario.

Ona

'Heart Strings' wins NFWS 12th National Exhibition

Yesterday we went to the NFWS 12th National Exhibition  opening and award presentation. My painting Heart Strings was awarded 1st place. I am so thrilled.

Here are just a few photo's that we took. My painting is hanging right next to the grand piano. Its a perfect position don't you think?

James took this photo as I was receiving my award

and after my painting got its 1st place ribbon

 Pat Fortunato who won 2nd place and I posed for a photo.

It was a wonderful reception. A huge congratulations to all the artists with paintings in the exhibition which is at the Kenan Center, 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY. The exhibition will be open until November 16th.

Ona

Photo's from the Richmond Hill Studio Tour and Art Sale

It was so nice to see so many people at the Studio Tour this last weekend. Thank you to everyone that stopped by to see my work.  Here are a few photo's for those of you that live too far away to have visited and asked to see the exhibition.

 Boynton House is a beautiful old farmhouse on Richmond Green that has been renovated by the Town and fitted with a hanging system and lighting. Its a beautiful venue to display my work.
The local newspaper Snap Richmond Hill visited to take some photos.

They also posed for a photo themselves with the director of On Richmond Hill Marj Andre who purchased one of my Caffeinate-Ted mugs.

Hope you enjoyed the photo's. If you are interested in any of the paintings or drawings in the photographs please e mail.

For those of you that did visit and entered my competition, the winner  that was drawn at the end of the weekend was Mimi Chan. Congratulations Mimi.  I hope you enjoy your matted print.

Ona

California Watercolor Association 45th National Exhibition Acceptance

Really happy to receive notification that my painting 'Coded Thoughts'  has been juried into the 45th California Watercolor Association National Exhibition. The exhibition will take place at The Harrington Gallery, 4444 Railroad Avenue, Pleasanton, CA early next year.

 

Ona

Strokes of Genius 6

My very special labrador Harry is now in print on page 7 of the new Strokes of Genius 6: The Best of Drawing published by North Light Books. You can now order or download your copy of Strokes of Genius 6 from North Light books. It will be available in bookstores 10/23/14. The original drawing will be on display at the Richmond Hill Studio Tour & Art Sale on the 17th, 18th and 19th of October.

 Ona

Flabbergast-Ted

Thank you to everyone that stopped in to Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill over the weekend. I thought you would like to see the finished demo painting, 'Flabbergast-Ted' .  

Visitors who came to Hillcrest as I was demoing were asked to guess what the baby and Ted might be looking at.  Some of their ideas were: hundreds of butterflies, snow for the first time, Santa, mommy dying her hair purple, Dad taking a photo with a big flash and a huge hairy spider. I'd love to hear any other ideas you may have.

Ona

Demoing at Hillcrest Mall this Weekend

As part of the Culture Days | Fête de la culture Richmond Hill Studio Tour & Art Sale preview show, I am going to be painting at Hillcrest Mall this Friday, Saturday or Sunday (26-28th). Watch me as I work on this new Ted painting.

Any guesses from the painting so far what the Ted word will be?

  I will be located inside the former Costa Blanca store (south/east corner of the Mall, where the three pathways intersect). Several other Studio Tour Artists will be there too so come and see some art and watch us at work!

 

 

Thank you to the Northern Ontario Art Association

I have had a wonderful few days in Sudbury jurying the Northern Ontario Art Association's 58th annual exhibition. It was a tough task with so many beautiful works of art entered. The photo below shows only half of the entries which were placed around the room on jury day. From around 130 entries my fellow Juror and I were asked to choose between 35-40  which will tour many of the communities in Northen Ontario for the next year and from these to select 12 award winners.

The selected works were then displayed along with the rest of the paintings for the official opening of the exhibition so that the community could enjoy all 130 paintings and hear the announcement of the award winners.

Many local business sponsored awards. Its always so good to see a local community supporting the arts in this way.  Joe Miller from Cheap Joes Art supplies also donated an award. Thank you for your generosity Joe.

Fellow Juror Joanne and I were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed speaking to many of the artists.

I would  like to thank the local art community not only for making me feel so welcome but also for giving me the beautiful hand made gifts, souveniers of Sudbury and flowers. They are lovely momentoes of the occasion.

Ona

Strokes of Genius 7

It's been quite the week for good news! I was VERY pleased to get a Congratulations e mail from Sarah and Rachel at North Light Books when I got back from Jurying the NOAA exhibition yesterday evening to say my pen and ink drawing 'Paws for Thought' has been selected for publication in North Light Books' Strokes of Genius 7: Depth, Dimension + Space. 

 

 

Ona 

NFWS 12th International Transparent Watercolor Exhibition Acceptance

I was thrilled to receive notification today to say that both 'Taking Time' and 'Heart Strings' have been juried into the NFWS 12th International Transparent Watercolor Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the Kenan Center Gallery, 433 Locust St. Lockport, NY 14094 from October 19th- November 16th, 2014

Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour Open Water Exhibition Acceptance

I was very happy to receive notification today that my painting 'A Penny for your thoughts' has been accepted into The Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour Open Water 2014 International Exhibition.

It is one of only 40 paintings  selected for this exhibition which will take place at the John B. Aird Gallery, 900 Bay St., Toronto, Ontario from October 28th – November 21st, 2014.

Ona

Tasty

I thought I would finish the little painting of some nuts and seeds in the autumnal sunshine that I have been working on outside today as it is such a lovely day. I put it down for a couple of minutes and ...

 

...Do you think I paint a little too realistically?  (grin)

This was lots of fun to create and a welcome break from all the matting and framing I have been doing.  The painting within the painting is 4.5 by 2.5 inches and the whole painting is 6.5 by 10.5 inches. 

I thought you might also enjoy this photo that James took as I was working on it early yesterday morning when it was not so sunny.

As you can see I needed the magnifying glass to paint all the little details on the tiny chipmunks.

Ona