Colour Me Happy

I can't help but feel happy whenever I sit down with my colours...

Especially at the very beginning of a piece, when it's all going beautifully!

My Muse Misa

All of the rabbits who have blessed my life have been my inspirations for much of what I do

in each of their very own special and different ways...every single ones is unique & inspiring

but there's been 1 so far who I would have called a 'Muse', my little guy named Hobbs...

( unfortunately, I never really blogged about him because he was way before my blogging days)

Long story short...

I found him in my backyard with a severely broken leg, infested with mites, 2 inch long nails.

We had our hands full already, just two weeks before we had rescued 3 rabbits from a farm

and we already had a house full on top of them

but when my honey rushed home, to see who I had just found in the yard,

I was holding him rocking him in my arms in the bathroom

and the first thing out of his mouth was 'What are we going to name this one..."

because there was no question, this bun was extra extra special, he had an energy of peace about him.

Sadly, he was with us for only 8 short months before he died in my arms of heart failure.

But every single day that he was with me, I felt like working like mad, there was something extra extraordinary about his spirit and it for whatever magical reason made me want to create...

 

 

This newest little family member...

my little Misa...

She is feeling like my Hobbs...

Maybe she's going to be my next muse.

I notice a rise in my desire to create since she's been around.

I don't know if it's because she has so many of my Teela's traits

that part of my feels like I have my best friend back...I am sure that's part of it.

But I do know it's due largely to her just having a brightness and lightness in spirit like Hobbs did.

She has this pure joy about her.

I find myself constantly whirling around all of the other buns like normal and now more than ever...

I am these days, feeling more grateful for them and more patient with them than every before.

But with my Misa,

I gravitate towards her more than anybun else and when I am with her I just want to work.

I am feeling grateful for the pull again to my work because it's been a bit hazy to be honest.

I am feeling grateful more than ever for this life I share with rabbits...

and I am feeling extra extra grateful for this newest shining light...

Miss Misa my muse?

I am loving her so.

 



Jaks Bugs

I am working on more butterflies...
I will forever call them Jaks's bugs...

I think because I started them when Jaks was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

 

 

Now I continue with them just because they are pretty and nice to make
and I think because Coloured pencils are such a slow medium,
that it's nice to get something small done somewhat 'quickly' now & than!

Loving The Lino

I've been really enjoying some printmaking lately

 

 

I started picking up this old beloved medium again back in the Fall

(here's a couple shots when I was working out in the cool air with Jaks enjoying the yard)

 

 

I think I'll be able to show you some hand-pressed prints next week...wohooo, I can't wait.

Art Cards At The Framemakers

The Framemaker & Gallery has been carrying and selling my handmade Art Cards for years now

and I am so appreciative for them (dearest Michelle & Anna XO)

not just because the people there are lovely

but because I am honored to have my work in one of North Bay's best stores

that I've been going to for inspiration since I was a kid...

it's so full of beautiful and inspiring art and goodies.

 

 

 

The Framemaker & Gallery is located at 168 Main Street West, downtown North Bay.

So any of you local peeps out there do hop on in, grab a couple of my handmade archival art cards, and meet Anna & Michelle, if you haven't already done so, you'll love them & the shop.

I just brought in a big batch of brand new beautiful cards, there's 25 brand new designs to see

and all of the square ones have been glitterized (if that's not already a word, it should be, ha ha!).

Snowy Slowness

It's a snowy stormy grey week...

 

 

I am slowly getting back into the groove of the studio...slowly...

 

All I feel like drawing are bunnies right now, so that's what I am doing, like this newest pair.

Loving The Lino

Doing more linos...

 

 

Just so enjoying myself.

Autumnal Dance

Well the rain started and sure enough about 10-15 minutes afterwards

the head pain (which turned to a migraine today) started to ebb away to almost nothing...phew!

So I was able to get into the studio tonight to finish

 

"Autumnal Dance"

 

 

I admit it, I love how it turned out.

There is no concept, no fancy story, just a play of pleasing shapes and colours.

It was an effortless dance admist autumnal colors, inspired by one of our fall kayaking days.

I plan two others to make a series of 3.

The original will be up for grabs soon & prints will be in the shop by Monday.

Leaping Into Gratitude

I've been anxious to show you all this newest image of mine, I am really happy with it's sweetness.

 

 

It's called Leaping Into Gratitude 

 

It's a small 8 x 10" mixed media on a cradled canvas, the original is up for grabs if your interested,



 or art prints will be in the shop soon-ish for all my fellow life loving gracious souls.

Snuggly, Soft, Sweet and Sleepy

This week I am working on these, a realistic colored pencil, an acrylic on wood & a teacup bun...

 

 

But you know, it's awfully difficult sometimes to be good and forge ahead with work and art

 

 

When you've got snuggly, soft and sleepy sweet souls beckoning to you to join them for a snug x 8!



Leaping Into Gratitude In Progress

So last week I showed you all the beginnings of this piece...

here is a bit more of my process on this new piece which will be called

"Leaping Into Gratitude"

 

 

When a magazine editor asked me to create a mixed media piece for a possible cover,

I gladly jumped in.  I still don't know if it's been chosen or not, I will assume it hasn't been

but I sure do love how it's turned out and I can't wait to show you next week.



A Finished Project Article

Hey guys guess what?

 

 

I just found out that the watercolour version of my "Owl & Key" was accepted as a

"Finished Project" article in the upcoming December issue of  "The Coloring Studio"

 

 

Which means that not only will my coloring page for the Owl & Key will be in the magazine

but my finished piece will be feature alongside an article I have to write on my process of making it.

 

Pretty cool huh... wohoo...ha ha.

 



Sneak Peek

If you join me next week the buns and I will show you this newest sweet rabbit inkling...

 

 

 I'll show you a mailbox that I just redid...

 

 

And we'll give you an update on our little brown winged guest...hope you'll join us.

A Whimsical 6

My hon bun asked if I could paint us a new house number...

 

 

So as a bird and 8 buns napped away in the heatwave around me...

 

I came up with this...

 

It sits whimsically on the brown brick of our house hinting, I hope, at the magic that lies within.



The Owl & The Key, A Watery Version

I don't repeat images often but now and than an image wants to be done in a multitude of mediums...

You've seen the colouring page, you've seen the ink pen version...now here it is in watercolour.



A Grateful Maker

These days are mostly filled with bunnies...

some stress circles but luckily mostly sweetness surrounds us.

Some sadness floats about still...
like seeing Jaks have bad days or having to move on to enjoy summer days without Frenwyck.
 

 

But mostly we steep sweetly in happiness, espeacially when we get to watch

Emmett & Korra-Soleil bounce around the yard together for their first summer as besties,
or as we see soul-buddies Teela and Yuuji chum around like they are tied at the hip (like their folks).

 

 

Where we were slow to get outside, now we seem to spend more time outside than in.

These days seem to be embracing slow delicious (currently bug free!) evenings spent outside as well.

We've now gotten everything out there set up and it's proving to be insanely heavenly.

 

 

In between normal stuff like getting groceries, running errands, paying bills, picking up rabbit meds...

there's still plenty of time to sit and enjoy and take in delicious beautiful food and snacks together.

 

 

I am feeling so grateful for the routine of my life right now...

because even artists with the most wildly successful art careers often crave nothing more

than days in their studio where they can create just whatever they want,

where they are not having to bend to the demands of clients and commissions...

 

 

and right now, during these days, I am blissfully able to create exactly

what I am called to create (when pain doesn't derail my creativity that is).

I have well over 20 images coming up that I am just buzzing about...

 

 

it's an amazing feeling to want to jump out of bed in the mornings and get straight to your studio.

The pull to my studios is very strong right now

but I have to say that I am happy to have all this other abundant beauty balancing me out.

Ahhhh.

 

What are you loving about your routine/days right now?

Sweet Glorious Sketching

More sketching is underway,

it'll take me lovingly into what will hopefully be a great weekend.

 

 

I am drawing majestic herons with giant dragonflies over luminescent moons...

 

 

quiet little rabbits, sweet little ducklings, jumping fish and leaping frogs...

 

 

cute little rodents & smiling salamanders,

all whiles listening to Willy Nelson sing some Gershwin! ahhh...ha ha



Glitter Bug 16

Here is another new Glitter Bug...

 It's been so fun seeing this series grow...

 

 

I still have 2 more to show you with 15 more yet to colour & paint

and I totally see myself designing a whole new whack afterwards (Jaks thinks I should anyways).



A Quiet Swimmer

And as promised here is the 2nd new fishy guy...

I picture this guy as being super quiet, I don't know why!

 

 

Prints will hit the shop soon, I'll let you know when.

Hand-tinted limited editions will be on offer as well.

Jaks's Bugs

Okay so I put the sketching aside long enough to get a few new Glitter Bugs finished up.

I show every single one to Jaks and I get his final approval on each and every one, ha ha...

 

 

Continue to join me here on my dear blog

and we'll show them and lots of other cool work to you.  Be Well All....be well & kind XO.