Toowhittawoo

Hi guys today I wanted to show you a brand new image I recently finished up

"Toowhittawoo"

I had such fun with it.  It's only my 2nd image done in the dreamy Faber-Castell Polychromos.

Sign up to Keep In Touch on my website

and I'll let you know when & where prints etc land XO

A Pretty Bird

I love doing birds...so here's the first one of 2018...

the feather work is complicated so I am going gently, letting the colours lead me slowly...

this one is in Polychromos on stonehenge, a heavenly mix.

I think I might try something totally new for me, which is to leave the background white...

'What, you may ask'! ha ha, I know, it'll be a first and it'll be different because I am soooo used to filling in the background with colours as bright as the main part but I think for this one it'll be right.

Tiny Chisel

Tiny lines...

Tiny tiny chisel.

Fiarella/Flynn

I was just looking at this older piece of mine called Fiarella

(prints are in my shop if your liking her)

She's still one of my favorite pieces done in the past few years...

My inspiration for her came when I was trying to imagine what Flynn's grandma would look like

I am so grateful that my inspiration for my art & stories

is so abundant throughout our home every single day...

these little rescues of ours are everything good and amazing.

The Monkey King

I am going to for go Food Friday this week to show you my newest image.

It's my very first image done 100% in beautiful Faber-Castell Polychromos.

It's called "The Monkey King"

I am very pleased with it even if I moved super slowly on it.

Prints and the original will be available but probably only after the holidays,

I promise to let you know when.

I think I am going to take this weekend off from blogging, so i'll be seeing you Monday. XO.

One Of My Favourites

My dear friend, mentor, inspiration and high-school art teacher Dave Carlin
has had an exhibition "50 years in the hole"
running at the Alex Dufresne Gallery in Callander
(I highly recommend a visit if your anywhere local to me before it closes this coming Saturday).

 Dave means so much to me because of his strength and zest for living,

but also as an artist who is never ever done pushing, learning and growing.

I am a very proud and happy owner of several of his works and every time I pass them

I am not only inspired to dig deeper into what I do but I am happier.

 I am happier because they remind me of how important it is to have visual splendor in the world.

 They remind me that it's a amazing thing to share our stories and vision....

and very much like Dave, I jump on every single day that I get to create

& add a spark of beauty to the world.

I am was so so lucky to have had someone like Dave in my early life as an artist

& I am extra lucky to still have him in my life now as an established artist...he continues to push me.

I hope every artist out there is lucky enough to have a 'Dave' in their life...

if you don't, seek one out because it sure does make life that much more inspirational...

and to me, inspired living is one of the big things this is all about XO.  

Taking Care of Studio Stresses

Dealing with printers in my studio is always stressful for me,

because they and I typically don't get along, but another part of the studio days

that I find kinda hairy is the part of cutting images to size for their cradled canvases,

laying them down hoping they stay flat & not bubble up

& sealing them hoping I don't get any (or too much!) rabbit fur mixed in!

I wait until I can tackle several pieces at a time....it usually goes just fine.

These are a couple pieces on my desk this week that I am getting finished up.

After I mount them, I let them sit for a couple days before

I apply several coats of a non-yellowing UV protective polyurethane,

than they dry again for a couple weeks before I apply hangers etc

and after that I am ready to photograph them and than start listing

them and offering them to the world (that's a fun part).

On This Rainy Monday

I am working on new butterflies this week...

I just love doing these little guys...

It's pouring out so the studios are extra cozy.  I've got extra sweet furry company

and in the evening even more company with my niece sketching alongside me.