Reflecting on 2018 and Planning for 2019

November is my time both to reflect on the current year and to look forward to the next year. I have just released for sale a few of my smaller demos. These are just 3 of the 5 now available. when I look at them I see not only the story behind the paintings themselves but also the memories of the fun had while painting or sharing them and the friends I made doing it. Thank you all 

I am also currently preparing for my workshops and demos for 2019. I am working on a series of videos for them too so although I have been painting this month, there is nothing I am able to share with you all right at this moment. I am very excited to be planning for several new workshop themes though. Anyone who has taken one of my workshops before we know we have a fun time and learn heaps (and yes, I say we because I always learn things too). In 2019 we will be exploring the Psychology of colour in Cambridge,  playing with textures in Sudbury and learning how to paint a portrait in Burlington. So If anyone is interested in signing up for one of them you can find more details HERE.

Tigantai: The Butterfly Effect

This little Huaorani girl is Nemonte. She is named after her grandmother the eldest woman in the village who is 80 years old.  Little Nemonte, much like her grandmother, has grown up with the forest, and already knows which fruits to eat and what insects to stay away from. Nemonte shows us a butterfly (Tigantai in Wao). This butterfly is only small, just a tiny living being in a huge world, but when it flaps its wings the movement it creates in the air can change the course of the universe forever.

In other words everything we do matters. Every move we make and every action we take matters, not only to us but to everyone and everything that’s part of our life and our world today, tomorrow and even long after we’re gone.  One single action we take can have a resounding impact on our world for years to come.   So be kind, be tolerant and look after the beautiful world we live in so that others in the future can also enjoy it. 

I was so lucky that my son Chris was able to spend some time with Nemonte and her family recently. As soon as I knew he was going  I knew I had to capture the above idea in a painting. Once I had familiarized myself with her appearance I put the photos away and sketched from my heart to create the image I wanted to paint. The background is purely from my imagination.

Transparent Watercolour 21 by 26 inches on arches 140 lb cold press paper.

Dorothy J Corson Award

I was honoured to receive the Dorothy J Corson Award yesterday evening at the opening reception of the CSPWC Open Water International Exhibition.

The exhibition is open until October 26th at the John B Aird Gallery 900 Bay Street Toronto.

Ona's Pumpkin Spice Trio by Da Vinci Paint Co.

  Da Vinci Paint Co. approached me and asked if I would select a trio of their colours to create a special set which I could name. I have called it the Pumpkin Spice Trio. This trio is available from Da Vinci Paint Co. beginning today. The three colours I selected are Quin Red, Raw Sienna and Indanthrene Blue. They are gorgeous colours on their own but together they create magic.... beautiful fall oranges, muted greens, shadow purples and AMAZINGLY rich darks... just perfect for capturing fall colour, pumpkins, ghords or cozy fireplaces.

 Hope you enjoy this brand new Paint along with Ona using these three colours

Workshop fun

I had a lovely weekend with the Central Ontario Art Association and its sister organisation the East Central Ontario Art Association at Geneva Park. We learnt all about painting white objects.  Thank you to the organizers of the event for making sure it all ran smoothly and thank you to all the participants for their enthusiasm and interest. That is the last of my workshops this year. I have enjoyed them all.

I have just updated the workshop page on my website with the details for next years workshops. If you are interested in attending one reserve your place soon as they are filling up fast!

 http://emotiveexpressions.ca/tutoring-and-critiques/workshops-and-demos/

Splash 19:Illusion of Light

I am honoured to have my painting 'A Penny for your Thoughts' featured as the lead image for the portrait section of the latest 'Splash 19: The Illusion of Light'  recently published by North Light Books. There are so many amazing images in this book. It is one well worth getting.

Scratch board fun

This little Chipmunk is a frequent visitor to our front garden. What do you think he has seen?

I did a workshop this past weekend introducing my students to techniques I use in scratch board and pen and ink. This was the scratch board I was doing to show them how I used the techniques in my work. I finished it at home yesterday. Its drawn on an Ampersand Museum Grade Panel and is 12 by 16 inches in size.

Any ideas for a title?

Bottoms Up

It has been a lovely  warm sunny few days  so yesterday I painted outside. I love watching the local wildlife at our local pond. These little ducks obviously found something super yummy under the water.

'Bottoms Up' Transparent Watercolour 11.75 by 7.75 inches

Small but Mighty

I've just finished this miniature transparent Watercolour that is just 3 inches by 4 inches in size. Although the kestrel is one of the smallest birds of prey she is much larger in real life than in my painting. The little painted kestrel measures only 2.5 inches by 1 inch and was painted with a magnifying glass and a very small brush.

 This is the painting matted and framed.

Snuggle 'Down'

This little cygnet is sleeping peacefully in his mother's downy feathers. There is nothing quite like a warm soft downy bed to snuggle up in after a busy day.

'Snuggle down' Transparent Watercolour 11 by 14 inches.

TWSA Celebration Weekend

I had a wonderful long weekend in Kenosha Wisconsin at the Transparent Watercolor Society of America Celebration weekend. Here are just a few photos from the weekend.

The two other artists with me in the photo below are Anne McCartney and Harold Allanson. Both are also from Canada and both also won awards.

The Juror for awards was John Salminen.

Thank you to all at TWSA for such a great weekend.

Lighting the Way

When you light the way for others, you also brighten your own path

Tower Bridge, London UK. Transparent Watercolour 28 by 18 inches

Walking beside the river Thames in London was something I loved doing, especially at night when the skyline was all lit up. This scene certainly has a place in my heart. The inspiration for the watercolour though was at a much more metaphorical level. The bridge at night lights the way and guides others in the darkness but in doing so it illuminates itself too. When you light the way for others, you also brighten your own path. Only by giving will you be able to receive more than you already have. Light someone's path today and brighten yourself too.

Louisiana Watercolor Society 48th Annual International Exhibition Award

After a fun workshop up in Sudbury, it was wonderful to come home to the news that 'Fly Away Thoughts' had been selected for an award in the Louisiana Watercolor Society 48th Annual International Exhibition.

Thanks to all the hard working directors of LWS for making the exhibition possible.

Tower Bridge WIP 3

The darker areas of the bridge are again taking a while to build up. I'm in no hurry though, just enjoying the process and remembering many times I stood on the side of the Thames thinking how magical the bridge with the city behind it looked when lit up.

Have you got a favourite city view at night?

Tower Bridge WIP 2

I have taken so long painting the background in this painting that my once daytime scene appears to have changed to to a night time one! Glazing one colour at a time and slowly building up the illusion of night isn't a fast process that's for sure!It is almost as if my time spent was mirrored in my painting as with each layer I added it slowly transformed from day to night.

I am hoping that this week I will get a chance to start work on the bridge itself. It took eight years, five major contractors and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers each day to build the real Tower Bridge. I am hoping I don't take as long to paint it!