New Prints Now Available

Now available in my Etsy Shop.

Thanks & Enjoy

XO Mandy & her inspirational bunnies

Featured On Ladaisi

Lauren Holgate from the blog Ladaisi, asked if she could feature me on her blog a few weeks ago. 

Of course I said 'YES YES YES', ha ha. 
Espeacially since I've loved Lauren's blog for some time now.

She is showing the work of an actress, a photographer, a culinary artist, little teeny moi...

and many others over the next couple of weeks.   

I admit to being a tad nervous about it because we had to conjure up our own write up's for the features and I've always found writing about myself and my work really difficult. 

But I am going to let all the fears go, and just enjoy seeing my work
& face & links & even writing, yes, ha ha 

on another fellow bloggers lovely blog...so yayyyyy.

I do hope you can hop over to Laurens blog for a visit...and if you could leave a comment,

well that would just be the Bee's Knees.



Thanks Thanks Thanks to the lovely Lauren.

And hope your all having a wonderful weekend. 

I am almost done a new painting called 'Emmeline & Everley', can't wait to show you.

XO Mandy

Morning Glory

I just finished up a new illustration in coloured pencil on Stonehenge paper,  it's called

"Morning Glory"

It speaks of the loveliness of simple mornings and the beauty that is out there in each and every day, if only you'll stop just long enough to notice it and grab hold...





It will go in my solo exhibition.

Prints of 'Morning Glory' are available here.

I am going to be on Lauren Holgates lovely blog, yayyy, I am so excited & proud to be one of her featured artists.  The post all about moi will be on March 27th and 28th, I can't wait.

XO Mandy and 4 spring bunnies XO

A Bunny-Full Weekend

Well despite some head pain to deal with & falling behind on studio work, Ella's abscess not looking great and Jonathan being knocked down with a really bad cold, we had a good weekend anyways. 

How can it not be good when it's full of these sweet sweet little faces...



Ella Luna realized that the snow is on it's way out & and she's anxious for the grass to dry up.

Jinny found a new favourite napping spot...within 5 minutes of moving a new storage shelf into my upstairs studio, she claimed the bottom shelf as hers!

Jaks told Jinny...'you can have that little shelf because I got my big puffy blanket under momma's easel'...

Roo didn't really care what everyone was up to, all he knew was that the weekends mean alfalfa hay for treats and he couldn't wait for it to reach the plate, so his head got a slight dusting...

Even the sweet chickadees were out in full force

(Ella loves to sit by the back doors and watch them all afternoon)...

And a new grey buddy, I've yet to name...

And of course there was the return of some old pain in the butts, like Rudy the bully squirrel...

Indeed, how can one not feel blessed with all this furry & feathered goodness going on around you.

Ahhhh.....

See you soon.

XO Mandy & her animal friends XO

Tilda and Thorton

I am crazy in love with this newest picture of mine...

"Tilda & Thorton"



(these are photos so please excuse any slight blurriness)

The complementary kinship of a fine lady & her feathered friend.

This is an acrylic painting with coloured pencil on muslin, which I sewed up in tapestry style, so a black wooden pole will slip through on the top and bottom & it will hang by a beaded string. 

ohhh soooo loving it.  It's been awhile since I've done a picture, stood back and whispered to myself 

'wow, you did that...' 

Well this was one of those pictures & it's awesome when that happens cause it doesn't happen alot.

Prints of Tilda & Thornton will be available in my online shops soon.

XO Mandy

March Newsletter

The Bijou's Whimsy March Newsletter was just emailed out. 

If your interested in receiving my newsletters just click here to sign up.

Hope your having a great week.  Mine is being plagued by migraines so my work been moving along slowly which is stressing me out abit, since there's so many new pieces that I want to tackle, not to mention 2 e-courses that I am behind on!...but I try to remember that I am doing the best I can & the stress melts away abit when I go outside with the bunnies.  Today, Ella Luna decided the ground was much too wet and mushy for her precious little feet so she did one single lap of her domain and then quickly hopped back into the warm dry house, ha ha.

Have a great and joyful day everyone.  XO Mandy & Ella.

International Day of Action Against Seal Hunting

Today is the International Day of Action Against the Seal Hunt.  "Events are being held throughout the entire month of March in opposition to the cruel and unnecessary commercial seal hunts taking place in Canada and Namibia.  Demonstrations are taking place all across Canada – and around the world – as animal advocates come together to say enough is enough, and to encourage an end to commercial sealing" (quoted from IFAW).

If you love animals you must take a few moments to sign the Harb Seal Bill (Click Right Here)...a petition against the Seal Hunt.  Also please please please take a few extra moments to write a letter to your government telling them that your opposed to the cruel and unnecessary slaughter of seals and that you don't want to support the hunt with your taxes.  Writing these letters are easy and templates can be found here (for the grey seals) and right here.  Make it loud and clear that their support to end the seal hunt will help in getting your votes. 

Please don't be afraid and join the fight for one of this earths most beautiful creatures.
They are innocent & voiceless & they need our help.
The seal hunt is a barbaric practice of the past and Gandhi said it best...

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”

 
We must scream it loud and clear that

we want the seal hunt to end.

The seal hunt is truly a source of great sadness & despair for me.  I think not a day goes by without at least some part of my heart acknowledging that it's happened and is soon to happen again. 

On top of the already horrific fact that 100's of thousands will be killed.  Seal pup births and survival rates are already at an alarming low rate because of extremely poor ice conditions off Canada's east coast.  And even though demand for seal products is much less than in years past, the Minister of Fisheries is expected to announce an increase in allowable catch...WTF!!!
This is honestly one of the things that makes me ashamed and sad to be a human.  

The illustration up above is an oldie, one I did way back in college but I thought it was an appropriate image for this post. 

For the seals...I plead and beg for a few minutes of your time & for you to extend extra kindness...sign the petitions, send the letters...send the right message to future generations.

Thanks So So Much.

New Bird

Another new bird.

This one hasn't been named yet because like the other one in this series, I've still not decided weather or not I am putting words on the tiles, if I do, that would determine the title, hmmm....what to do, what to do...

Anyhoo, it's another coloured pencil collaged onto a painted wood block with a row of glass tile...



Just another simple piece to try to turn a more eyes to nature & the beauty of it's natural inhabitants whom we should be ever so respectful towards.

He'll be framed in a simple black frame. 

I don't know what's with this bird kick I am on in the last year or so, I think it's the beauty and possibilities in a birds shape, colour & plumage that has my creativity stirring lately...So I am just going with it.

I've still not gotten my scanner troubles figured out, but when I do a print will be available.

XO M & An extra sweet Ella Luna & Roo

More Treasuries & Collections

Thanks again so so much to everyone who put my work into Etsy Treasuries & ArtFire Collections in February...you know how they tickle me happy ever so much...

Here's one of my 'Funky Fish', 1st on the 2nd row down.

One of my 'Beautiful Birds', 1st spot, 1st row.

Another of my 'Beautiful Birds' 2nd row down 4th spot.

My 'Flora & Fauna 2' print, 2nd spot 2nd row down.

Another 'Funky Fish', 1st row 1st spot.

Yet another 'Beautiful Bird', 3rd row down, 2nd spot.

Another small print of mine, 1st row, 2nd spot.

My purple and lime green 'Beautiful Bird' 2nd row down 3rd spot.

And my favourite 'Beautiful Bird' 3rd row down, 3rd spot over.

The 'Fauna and Flora 2' print again, 3rd row down 4th over.

One of the very first pieces in my coloured pencil portfolio, my 'Flying Fish' print, 3rd row down and 3rd over.

And still one of my favourite illustration 'Inertia Creeping', 1st row 4th one over.

And here is one of my 'Avian' prints 4th row down 2nd spot over.

A couple years ago I was never included in collections, now it's happening more and more which means my work is being seen by more and more which hopefully means a wider audience and all the goodness that comes with that and which will hopefully lead to that rabbit sanctuary I've had in my heart & dreams for years now!

Hope your having a wonderful weekend and thanks so so much to all the lovely supportive comments as of late, espeacially for my recent post about leaving Art On Main, my heart feels aptly hugged...thank you, thank you, thank you.

XO Bijou

Resignation From Art On Main

So sometimes we have to make some choices and decisions when we realized our energy is short & that our time isn't being wisely spent...

Sometimes we have to stop, take stock of what we're doing and get rid of the things that are pulling our energy and time away from forging a path towards what we really want...

Sometimes we have to be brave and NOT care what other people may think or say about our choices & decisions (this is a hard one for me because I always want to explain & make people understand)...

And sometimes we have to change gears to fully align ourselves with our dreams and goals....

So, in that frame of mind & after having bounced around on a decision for quite some time now, even though I knew some time ago what my decision would be, I have resigned from the Downtown Artists Collective, Art On Main. 

I was an exhibiting/working/contributing member with this group for almost 2 years but based on a variety of things including; future goals, a small business budget, not being the right market for my work, not getting what I was hoping for from the place & all the time I loose due to migraines, I decided it was best to move forward and resign, so February was my last month.

It was bittersweet to pull my work down, repair my wall space & walk away leaving it blank...

But, I am proud of myself to have made a hard decision which I know is for the best.  I am extra proud because I am the kind of person who doesn't let go of things easily.  I was worried that I would feel my resignation was a failure, but I know it wasn't a failure of any kind...it was a great success to have even tried it & something I proudly put on my c.v.

So there will be no more Art On Main posts...some may have noticed & I wanted to explain why.

No worries for any one local wanting to buy my work.  You can always find me online in various places as you know and there are still two full walls at Veg Out (downtown), as well as a selection of my cards at The Framemakers Gallery, plus you can always schedule a a studio appointment.  Also there is my solo exhibition at the WKP Kennedy Gallery this May.

XO A Decisive Bijou & Her Beautiful Bunnies who are glad their mama doesn't have to do gallery shifts & meetings anymore, ha ha.  XO

Owlette Oberon

A new Owlette...this one has a more serious and stern personality and is named 'Oberon'...

He's done in coloured pencil with a teeny bit of acrylic paint on gessoed pine. 

I LOVE him & am so pleased with how he turned out.  (prints will be available soon)

I cut all of the owl shapes this past summer & have 8 or 9 more to play with, can't wait.

XO Mandy & The Sleeping Bunnies.

Jenn Grant In Concert & A Bunny Man Logo

A couple weeks ago Jonathan and I went to see a concert by the talented Jenn Grant & The Night Painters, aside from a pounding headache, it was a great evening & I felt so so grateful that such a cool & intimate concert could be had in our small Northern city.

Those who have been following my blog for awhile know that I love to share photos of any concerts I go to, so here are a few favourite shots from the evening....

My oh so talented honey, took lots of video, compiled them and put them up as YouTube videos.  We felt the need to share the fabulous talent of this great group & highly suggest seeing them if they come to play anywhere near you, New York was their next stop after our tiny little North Bay.

The videos are here for anyone interested:

Part 1   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gd3agkLvPY

Part 2   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9dxbdpM7So

Part 3   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhbdKGJKAHs

Part 4   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4v-tgxR5bo

Part 5   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RejtT86G4MM

You'll see a cool bunny man logo at the beginning of each video, that's the logo I conjured up for Jonathan a few months ago.  He asked me to design some kind of graphic that he could use in all his video intros.....so here's what we came up with.

What do you all think? 

XO Mandy & Jonathan & Ella Luna, Roo Boo, Jinster & Jaky

Locks Of Love

So last week I chopped off my long hair...

Into this cool shorter do (I've not had short hair for years & I am so loving it)...

Than I donated/sent my cut off locks to  'Locks Of Love', which is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss, such as those suffering through cancer treatment.



If your interested in donating hair, just click right here & check out the details.  It's easy peasy & will make ya feel warm & fuzzy.

XO a slightly lighter Bijou XO

Beautiful Buns In The Sun

Here are the photos of Ella Luna and Roo I've been anxious to show.  I just love how the sunlight & shadows are playing around my soft sleeping babies...

These two are so so adorable together, just two peas in a pod...they compliment each others personalities like no other bun couple we've ever had...and to think that at one point our only bun was a singular Ella Luna, for a whole year at least...when these two first met, they snuck off into the closet together, ha ha.  My heart flips, in a bad way, every time I think of one without the other, part of me dreads that every single minute of every day.

I was told recently that having children is the most important thing a woman can do in her life & that my interest & love for animals is 'good and all' but that it doesn't begin to touch on the importance of raising your own kids....I run into this opinion more often than one would think & it's maddening & annoying, but I won't get into my usual rant, ha ha.  We all have different paths, truths & priorities (some kinder than others).  Maybe for this woman, kids are the end all and be all but for me....

 ....Happiness, bliss & a better world is found in beautifully nurtured, well fed, sun basking bunnies....

See you Sunday.

XO Mandy, Ella-Luna & Roo, Jinny & Apple-Jaks XO