What's next?

Finally I've downloaded some of my photos from the last 6 months and have put them up. Hope you enjoy the paintings. The autumn leaves are falling in Australia and the irises are out in BC so I thought they were both seasonal--depending on where you are! The other photos I will likely use as reference material for future paintings.
And the Inukshuk is a painting from the Kettle Valley that I have entered into the Calona Wine Artist Series label competition. It's about time I had another painting on a wine label so I'm anxiously waiting to hear about the success of my entries! And the portrait of the baby is my cousin's youngest--little Mikey from Australia. I'd like to play a little more with portraits. This was originally intended to be a sketch but I got into it and decided to add a little colour.

I'm back in the saddle again and trying to "ride" (read: blog) regularly. Part of it is for you, part of it is for me, to track what I'm up to, and keep myself organized about what I have accomplished regarding my art particularly.

This week I'm starting to extend invitations and put posters up for my next show--Art in the Park in Maple Ridge, June 12 and 13. You can see my art and profile on their website, http://www.artintheparkmapleridge.com/ and do come out & see me there!

I'm also finalizing my application for Minnekhada Art in the Park in August, and have started to look at getting a website up. Along with that goes organizing all my art, packaging it, pricing it, getting my magic books set up along with greeting cards into envelopes for the first sale. And I'm waiting to hear about my entry for a juried Christmas sale in Coquitlam in December. They seem a little uneasy about having artists in it but I think my calendar and cards will go over quite well, and selling paintings will be a bonus.

That's it for today's blog--I'll see you next week, I hope!

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Starting up again...

Well, it's been a bit of a break since I last posted. Part of that time was just taking a break, part of it seemed so busy that there was no time to post! I've been getting my year forward planned--what juried shows I'm entering, and entering them, researching website possibilities, doing a little bit of painting and even a printing class at the local art gallery, as well as entering some paintings for an art label contest for Calona Wines. So I feel like I'm back into my art, finally, after a bit of a respite doing things that you have to do around the house, gardens, organizing vehicles to buy & sell, all that daily living stuff that I was away from for 4 months. That plus two family get-togethers--one uncle passed away and another turned 90 so catching up with lots of cousins at both of those events. And don't forget all my wonderful friends and all the lunches we have together, faery hunting in my back yard, and my exercise routine--there's barely time for painting once you factor all of the above into the equation!

I still haven't got my photos organized from my trip down under but have put a couple up with this post for your viewing pleasure. The first two are from a Quadra Island birthday party trip, and then there's a painting I did of Atlin Lake in NE BC a few years ago, along with a reminder of a favourite Australia beach with a cousin, and a painting I did last year of an Inukshuk and entered into the wine label competition, as it was built along a bike path in the hills near the winery (Kettle Valley Trail).

So, that's a bit about what I've been up to, the fairies haven't whisked me away yet but I can feel them enchanting me in my back yard. There's a lot going on out there and all the plants are up high enough that there are many hiding spots for magical creatures as well as birds and bees. I'm inspired to do some paintings of my back yard, where I find peace and quiet and a bit of a breather from the busyness of city life.

Stay tuned for more adventures!

My visit with the fairies

(fake though they are--they're my 2 nieces back in Vancouver actually!). And here I am, back in rainy Burnaby, waiting for the real fairies to arrive at my niece's house. They have a beautiful garden designed by their mother, but they are moving to a new home in 2 1/2 months. By the state of that garden, I'm sure my sister Phyllis' talents will be well-used. Hopefully some fairies will arrive in their new garden which we hope the fairies will enjoy. (That's a direct quote from the 9-year old niece Shanelle). I'll be sure to post some photos of them when I can catch them on camera.
There have been no outside fairy sightings since I got back from Australia 3 1/2 weeks ago--I've been quite sick with a bad cough & little energy after I got over the jet lag. Besides which, it's raining and cool outside so they might still be down south working on their tans. Shanelle says the fairies usually sleep under the snow and Maya (6) adds that they make a hole in the snow when the snow falls. Or maybe you, my readers, have some other ideas about where fairies go when it's cold, or even have some stories about seeing them or talking to them, or maybe some photos!
Maybe in the summertime we can go to my nieces' new house and take pictures of any fairies or evidence of fairies that is there. That's Shanelle talking, so you can see that there will be more fairy stories coming up. Phyllis says they're going to make a fairy-friendly garden, and one that welcomes butterflies, birdies and especially hummingbirds. Stay tuned! I'll put some photos on the next time.

South Australia photos

Here's a few photos from South Australia--except for the first one which is from our 4WD tour in the Blue Mountains--a roadside cave we were looking at when we heard a lyre bird calling. The guide recognized it because after its initial call the lyre bird imitates all the other birds around--kookaburras, lorikeets, cockatoos, the warble of the magpie--all in sequence. Marvellous to hear, and amazing when you think about it. The lyre birds are very shy so although we trekked down the road to try to see it it quickly headed through the brush and over the hill.

The other photos are from Port Elliot--the bird and seal-covered rocks in the bay, and an old building in Strathalbyn, the Black Chook (chicken) brand winery in McLaren Vale (sorry, the black chooks got lost a bit in the intense shade!), and a beautiful old gum tree at sunset in Gawler.

Now the last week of my Aussie Walkabout is on and it's a time for reflection. Soon I'll be back in North America and settling into my other life. As I get older I find I need the spaces for transition to be more conscious and they take more time...or is that just all in my mind?

I'm gearing myself up for the long journey and the 19 hour time change. Of course, I wouldn't want to get up any earlier each day although that is the recommended plan! I am so lucky I don't have to get right back to work as some people do. Loving my sleep as I do, the life of leisure suits me very well! I had a great day painting on Sunday and will squeeze in some more before I pack up all my painting gear later in the week.

I'm also hoping to hear my cousin's daughter Bec Watts and her partner Seb play at an RSPCA benefit on Sunday night. She's an amazing singer and they are great as a jazz/blues duo, so squeezing that event in would be wonderful.

And then, on to the rest of the year! One of my goals is to get a website up and running so I've been picking some people's brains and looking for ways to get started, on my own and in a professional and creative manner. If you have any suggestions for me drop a line--and soon! I have some time this week to do some research. I'm very much a rookie at this, starting with the terminology.

Getting the right key-words in is important, I understand, for the search engines to find you. Choosing them alone is an adventure! Should I go out on a limb and include "magic" and "fairies"? Or stay traditional and focus on "watercolour", "watercolor", "ärt", "painting", "landscapes", and the like? How do I incorporate this blog into the website? How to get my art images out there without risking Asian knockoffs? How do I make it visually stunning and encourage return traffic? All the technical stuff is learning in itself, so if you have advice let me know.

Until we meet again, take care.

The last 3 weeks

It feels like I've been a long time on the road! My friend Laurie flew into Sydney on February 9 and we spent a few days exploring my favourite spots, then headed to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves (first photo) for 4 days. Returning to Sydney overnight, we then packed up the car and headed south...front wheels complaining all the way. I had the car looked at quickly before we left Sydney and the mechanic said we could make it all the way to Melbourne but drive carefullly, especially around corners, as the front rod and bearing was worn. So, we started on the way--Bundeena, Kiama (the lighthouse photo), Jervis Bay where we saw dolphins and kayaked, South Durras near Bateman's Bay where we again saw dolphins and kayaked, and Narooma where we saw a huge fur seal and Australia Rock (can you tell which photo that is?) By the time we got to Merimbula I was getting worried about the car but couldn't find anyone to look at it again quickly so we cautiously pushed on to Lakes Entrance (calmest waters at the Entrance I've ever seen--there's another photo!) and Melbourne without going off the road too far. It was a little disappointing as I'd hoped to show Laurie a few more spots.

As it turned out we made it safely into Melbourne (and little Molly Mazda into the shop) just in time to unpack, sleep and get up early for flights out the next day. Laurie went to Sydney and a cousin and I flew to Adelaide to explore South Australia for a week and see some other cousins there. We got in early and rented a car, stopping at Glenelg Beach, one of the prestigious Adelaide beach suburbs, on the way south to the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Port Elliot is absolutely gorgeous and we spent two nights there. Horseshoe Bay (not the one in Vancouver!) is beautiful and there are so many lovely historic bluestone and limestone buildings from the 1800s there. I always enjoy it--the sea is the most gorgeous colour. I did a couple of sketches there so might use them for further inspiration.

Then we went to another historic South Australian town, Gawler, between Adelaide and the Barossa Valley. Caught up with another cousin for a bbq, he lives at Maslin Beach which was the first nude beach declared in Australia. I brought my swimmers (as they call bathing suits down here) but we didn't go to the beach!

The next day was a trip to 3 wineries in the Barossa (and affiliated tastings, of course!) and a bit of a drive round the area. I love all the beautiful big gum trees around Adelaide. It's so dry there I can't believe the trees grow so big, but they do. The ground is mostly bare of grass in lots of spots, but the trees shade it nicely and we really lucked out on the weather--it wasn't too hot or cold and the breezes, especially the sea breezes, were just right. It can easily reach 35 or 40 degrees in the area this time of year, so I was happy to have it easy.

And now, I'm back in Melbourne, happy to be in one spot for almost 2 weeks until I return. There's lots of cousins, an aunt and uncle to catch up with, and my job is to organize my papers and possessions and Molly (Mazda) as to what to leave and what to pack to return home with. I'd also like to get a bit of painting in!! I've been quite slack, so much time on the road seems to slide by without a painting day. I do have a commitment to sketch a cousin's new baby before I leave, and spend another day painting with another one.

My days here are winding down and I can hardly wait to get home! And to see my husband again! I really missed him the last 2 weeks on the road, and it was great to talk to him on the phone after the Canadian hockey team won the Olympic gold! I thought of Vancouver a lot as we caught glimpses of the Games on TV while travelling. It was a very exciting period for Canada, and despite the tragic start it all seemed to flow smoothly afterwards.

I'll see about getting another post and some more photos before I leave, now that I have access to a computer and time. Hope you like this little travel journal!

Last week in Sydney

Sorry, haven't taken many photos this last week.  However I still have had lots of fun!  How could you not, in beautiful weather in gorgeous Sydney...when you're on the countdown for how many days you actually have left before heading south!

After a very rainy week I had a last visit with British cousins on the Central Coast (including seeing the Australian Watercolour Institute show at the Gosford Regional Art Gallery--which was excellent.  I guess I should be acting on joining that Institute plus their equivalent in Canada--if I'm serious about being a world-class artist it would be a smart move to have juried membership in two countries now wouldn't it?)

Then on Tuesday morning I picked up an old friend (and coach) from Vancouver & we set out to enjoy some of my favourite spots around--Camp Cove, South Head Lighthouse and then when she crashed (as you do, after that long flight) I joined friends for this year's last Open Air Cinema on Sydney Harbour for "Bright Star" which was a fantastic movie about the poet Keats.  Yesterday we got up, headed for Manly and walked the promenade there down to Shelly Beach and had a snorkle, lunch at the place that Nicole Kidman got married to Keith Urban, and drove up the Northern Beaches to Whale Beach for a splendid birthday dinner for another friend.  And today, my first kayak on Sydney's Middle Harbour with a lesson from Laurie who is an experienced sea kayaker who does 10 day wilderness trips kayaking every year, from Mexico to the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  Fantastic, and we're intending to do it again tomorrow morning, along with a walk along Sydney Harbour and hopefully another swim in the ocean to round off the day!

Needless to say I've been too busy to paint or even sketch, except for one day when I practised my ink and watercolour technique which has created some lovely gum trees, on producing rocks.  I might need a little more practise, however the initial results were quite pleasing.

And we'll need to get packed up in 2 days to head for the Blue Mountains for a 4 day stay, before returning to Sydney and organizing all of our possessions for the journey south to Melbourne.  I can feel the time ebbing away here and want to make the most of it.

That said, I might not be posting for a couple of weeks because of all the travels but stay tuned for more adventures!  (Hopefully there won't be any shark incidents but we are wanting to see dolphins while kayaking in Jervis Bay on the way down the coast!)

Enjoy whatever you're doing in life--until we meet again!

French Masterpieces in the National Gallery, Canberra

It's been a while since my last post and that's because I took a couple of side trips over the last two weeks.  As well as visiting Taronga Zoo and sketching the giraffes with their gorgeous view of Sydney Harbour, I spent two days in Canberra with my wonderful Sydney hostess Di having a fantastic time (as usual with her--she spots fairies everywhere!).  

We stopped in the Southern Highland town of Mittagong for lunch and art-viewing at the Sturt Gallery, then noticed, upon arrival in Canberra, a 6 pm jazz concert in the National Botanic Gardens which we were just in time for!  No worries about being early to find parking or a spot on the lawn in Canberra, we just rocked up, past the giant kangaroos on the lawn, and found thousands of happy families enjoying the evening.  Some of the little girls were dressed up with fairy wings and flowing skirts so I spent most of the concert trying to quickly sketch them as they ran by playing.  Fairies don't stay still very long, that's for sure!  It was quite magical, with all the gum trees, people picnicking on the lawns, music floating through the air, as dusk approached.

What to do after that but find dinner and I was delighted to finally find an outstanding Szechuan restaurant that served their special spicy green beans in Australia.  Of course, you have to go to Canberra to get them!!  

And the next day, the exhibition of mostly French impressionists & post-impressionists from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris was stunning.  One Degas, 2 Monets, 5 Van Goghs including the spectacular Starry Night painting which I've never seen before, and lots of Cezanne, Pisarro, Bonnard, and many other lesser known (to me) artists showing the change of painting over a few decades.  Every time I walked by Starry Night I almost cried, it was so beautiful and sparkling with colour, even after 120 years.  We spent the whole day in the National Gallery, although we had a quick tour of the National Portrait Gallery on the way out.  I suppose Ottawa and its museums and galleries must be a lot like Canberra so I suppose I should put that on my bucket list too so I can compare.  And maybe some day I'll have my paintings exhibited in both of those places....dreaming a little bit there!

Back to Sydney (emu spotting en route, by the way!) where yesterday we went to see the Australian ex-pat artist Rupert C. W. Bunny, who was the first and best-known in Paris of any Australian artist during the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Lovely light and beautiful women wearing flowing clothing, as well as reflections of la Belle Epoque life of Paris, filled his work. Well curated and worth seeing!

I'm now getting ready for a Vancouver friend to arrive next week--we'll spend some time together hiking and kayaking around the Sydney and Blue Mountains area before taking the beautiful coastal route down towards Melbourne.  Can I fit some painting in?  So much to do, so little time!!

Next posting I'll put some photos up, I promise!