A difficult time

I have decided to share a tragic event with you that happened recently. One of my very best friends recently passed away due to a drowning accident while she was vacationing in Hawaii. This, obviously, has devastated me and the people who knew her and loved her.  She was a wonderful person and we had known each other since the 8th grade. I plan on dedicating a painting to her which should be done sometime in the next month. I will be updating my blog soon, but as I am sure you can imagine, this has been an extremely difficult time for me. I will always remember her and keep those precious memories close.

School took over!

Feeling very 'sheepish' about not being here in MONTHS! Will have to rectify that now. I took Drawing II at the U of A extension and also Art History. Also did a painting for my daughter and son in law. I will be updating and posting new art soon. I hope to be on here at least once a week from now on. Will set a reminder on my calendar!

Almost September!

Quite happy to know that it's September tomorrow. September brings new beginnings after a slow summer. I did manage to get some of my paintings into a place called "Bohemia Cafe" that is in the downtown area. It was something I have been wanting to do for awhile. I will show the two new paintings here that I brought in to the Cafe. I have thought a lot about trying to do only portraits, but have decided that it's something that I will do only for friends and family. Portraits are very special..and are very difficult to do so that you know who that person is. Whether this is the right way or wrong way to look at it is not anything I am really concerned with. I have to go with my gut feelings on this. My focus has therefore changed to doing abstracts, which has always been my favourite. The artists I love the most are abstract artists, so I really want to try and get to the point where my abstracts are worthy of being in other people's homes. I am taking an abstract painting class in September along with another Drawing class that is required for my Fine Arts Certificate.

A Crazy Busy Time

Sometimes I am not even sure why I have this blog. I do enjoy it, but find I forget about it from time to time! lol Anyway, it's been really hectic lately hence there have been no additions to my works of art. We moved at the end of April and are enjoying our new home. We also have a daughter getting married in early June, in B.C., so that is a huge deal for us. I wish I had more time to paint! I am also rethinking things as I am frustrated by the fact that I have been working very hard over the years at this 'hobby'...and as yet really don't have a lot to show for it. Yes, I do have many works of art, but not sure if I am the right personality type to just keep at it for very little except for my own personal satisfaction. I think I do need feedback and sales. I am going to be mulling this over for the next week or so and see what I can come up with. No one ever said that being an artist was easy. It's got to be for the love of it, because it's very difficult to get to that point where you are successful financially. I don't really know how I would go about doing that. Since I am very much the introvert, it's so difficult to sell myself or anything else, for that matter. Anyway, more about this later on.

My daughter and cat

This painting is of my daughter Danielle and my cat Martini. It is 16" x 20" and is painted with acrylics.

People and their Pets project

A very exiting new project for me...combining people and their pets. I will be doing these pictures in graphite, coloured pencil and acrylic paint. It really depends on what I feel the picture calls for. The picture on the right is of a good friend of mine and one of two of her best friends. This particular donkey is named Smokey. This picture is 12 x 14 and was done of Kraft brown paper.

my latest painting

This painting was done of my niece, Ali. It is done with acrylic paint.

one of each

The "Old Woman From Nepal is done with coloured pencil, and the painting of my father holding my daughter (Grandpa and Jacquelyn) is done with Acrylics.

coloured pencil

The larger portrait is done of my late sister, Diane. The one of the girl is of my oldest daughter when she was about 13 or 14 years old.

some pencil work

These portraits were done in coloured pencil and also graphite for the one of the couple. The one with the green matting is my daughter from when she was around 12 years. The wedding portrait is a self portrait I did of my wedding day.