A Drop of Love

I often get asked how I think of ideas for my paintings...I have an ideas sketch book and sometimes I just like to play around with thoughts in it. This small watercolour 'A Drop of Love' was the result of my 'play' today.

 
 If you show someone even the slightest act of kindness without expecting anything in return, imagine the ripple effect and just how many people it could affect. Like the tiny water droplet hitting the surface of the water in my painting, a small act of love can ripple far from its source and affect many people. Be that tiny water droplet today and help me spread some love around our world.

Distant Dreams

Our art is our dream, and in this dream we often dwell on our thoughts. Our dreams are possibilities of things to come, records of what is now, or distant memories of things that once were. I hope that when this child grows up the beautiful natural world that we live in is not some distant dream for her.

Distant Dreams: Transparent Watercolour 20.5 by 26 inches

I had a lot of fun with this one playing with the idea of double exposure to capture her thoughts and concerns visually. 

Visions Adjoin

'The Little Girl with the Curl' is currently hanging in the Joint National Watercolor Society/ Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour 'Visions Adjoin' exhibition in California US. As both a signature member of NWS and an Elected member of CSPWC it is an honour to be selected to be part of this exhibition.

For those of you who are unable to see the exhibition in person in the US or can't wait until it comes to Canada later this year, here is an online view of the paintings.

Thank you to all the people of NWS and CSPWC for making this exhibition happen.

Gifts for the Creative Mind

I thought it would be fun to use some of my artwork to create these fun and useful gifts. They could be used in a number of ways but are especially useful for us artists.

 The versitile zipper  'Carry All' pouches can be custom ordered in sizes from 10 inches to 16 inches wide to best suit your needs. They are made with vibrant printed durable canvas and have a hard wearing denim lining.

I have also designed smaller zippered pouches to keep your pencils, paint tubes or a small travel palette and brush neatly packed inside.

Lastly I have designed 2 special books. The design on the front of these spiral bound notebooks  is protected by a frosted polymer cover. You can choose from acid-free sketch or drawing paper and use your books to sketch in or to write your art notes. Each book has a high quality reproduction of one of my paintings on the front of the book and information about the painting on the back.

Visit my Store on Art of Where to choose your favourite designs and customise your order.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

I had full intentions to embrace winter again in the first couple months of this year but as the snow covers  the ground here in Canada, I find am longing for spring and just can't get motivated to paint 'winter'.

A few weeks ago, before I last big snowfall, when our garden was briefly snow free I spotted a very brave woolly bear caterpillar wandering around. I guess the slight raise in temperatures woke him up and sent him in search of some food. He found a dandelion leaf which he happily munched on and then he crawled back into a large hollow log where he is spending the winter. This encounter gave me an idea for a painting.

Woolly Bear caterpillars are fascinating to watch, especially for young children. Looking after one is a great way to teach them about caring for a living creature too. I painted my woolly bear with a nice wide orange band as folklore says this means we will get an early spring.

'Small Wonders' Transparent Watercolour 15 by 21 inches

I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus!

'I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe last night' 

Transparent Watercolour 23 by 17.5 inches

I couldn't resist painting this one for Christmas. Have a look into Isla's eyes. Can you see the silhouette of Mommy kissing Santa?

 I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season. I am going to be taking a break now for a couple of weeks. Hopefully I will have lots of  new ideas to paint and share with you all next year.

2nd Place PREMIO TLÁLOC

Very happy to be able to share this news: I am so honoured that 'Puzzled' has been awarded 2nd place in the PREMIO TLÁLOC exhibition in Mexico.

Thanks for the photos Michael Solovyev and for accepting the award on my behalf.

2nd Place NFWS International Exhibition of Transparent Watercolor

I received another exciting e mail today to say that my painting 'Tigantai-the butterfly'  won the NFWS Second Place Award in their International Exhibition of Transparent Watercolor.

Thank you to the NFWS board members for all their hard work organising the exhibition and to juror Iain Stewart. Congratulations to all the other award winners.

3rd Place in the North East Watercolor Society's 43rd International Exhibition

I have just had a phone call from Richard Price, President of the North East Watercolor Society in the US to tell me that my painting 'Oh Baby, it's COLD outside' was awarded 3rd place by juror Ken Call in the 43rd International Exhibition which opens tomorrow.

Such lovely news. Thank you to all who have helped put the exhibition together. I wish I could be there at the opening tomorrow and congratulations to all who have won an award.  If you are in the area do go and see the exhibition.

Kent Art Association, Main St. (Route 7) Kent. CT, USA

'Visions Adjoin' Exchange Exhibition

The Little Girl with the Curl” has been chosen to be part of the CSPWC/NWS “Visions Adjoin” exchange exhibition. This will be a special exchange between the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC) and the US National Watercolor Society (NWS). 

My painting will be one of the 30 representing Canada. 60 paintings in total will be shown in this joint exhibition in NWS Gallery 915 South Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, California, United States February 6 —April 17, 2020 and then at the Helson Gallery Halton Hills Cultural Centre, 9 Church Street, Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada June 10—July 18, 2020

Heinz Jordan and Company Ltd Award CSPWC Open Water Exhibition

I am so excited to receive the news that my painting 'Fly Away Thoughts' has been awarded the Heinz Jordan and Company Ltd Award in the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour 94th International Open Water Exhibition.

I wish I could be at the opening in Calgary Alberta tomorrow to receive the award in person but I will be Introducing people to Watercolour at the Aurora Public Library  here in Ontario as part of our Canada Wide Culture Days event. Its going to be a busy weekend all around Canada.

Smiling is Infectious or A Ray of Sunshine?

I had a wonderful time over the summer taking photos of another local artist's granddaughter. Thank you to Sim Wong and her family for giving me permission. This is the first of several paintings I am planning to do of her. Sometimes the expression says it all and there wasn't much need for me to do anything else to convey the message so I kept the background very high key. Her smile is so infectious isn't it. I couldn't help but smile as I painted her.

It was painted on Winsor and Newton Cold press paper and I really enjoyed working on it. I haven't decided on the title yet. What do you think? 'A Ray of Sunshine' or 'Smiling is Infectious"?

The Little Girl with the Curl

After a summer in the garden I am finally back to painting. I really enjoyed bringing this young child to life on the paper. Well, who could resist this oh so innocent face with a hint of mischief in her eyes?

  'The little girl with the Curl' seems to be dreaming up her next act of mischief. Any ideas what that might be?

I really wanted to use the sense of light to focus in on her face, little hand and that tiny little curl on her forehead so had a lot of fun adapting the lighting and background as I painted. 

Transparent Watercolour on Arches 140lb Cold press 17 by 22 inches

CSPWC Open Water International Exhibition, North East Watercolor Society International Exhibition and el Premio Tláloc 2919 Exhibition Acceptances

I have three paintings which will shortly be on their way to exhibitions this fall.

'Fly Away Thoughts' has been juried into the CSPWC Open Water 2019  International Exhibition which will take place at the Leighton Centre in Calgary Alberta. The exhibition will open on September 28th and run until October 27th.

'Oh Baby it's COLD outside' has been accepted into the North East Watercolor Society 43rd International Exhibition which opens October 20th and runs to Nov 3rd in Kent, Connecticut

'Puzzled' has been juried into the el Premio Tlaloc Exhibition which will take place in Mexico City, Mexico and will open on November 9th.

Burlington Workshop

Just finished my Expressive Portrait Workshop in Burlington. Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome there and for taking that giant leap of faith in my process and painting along with me.




 This is my finished workshop painting.



 Thank you Shelley Prior for your wonderful hospitality, the delicious lunches and making everyone feel so welcome. These are some more photos taken during the workshop by Shelley.