New Mini Promo Site For The Garden Tour Is Complete

The new mini promo site for the North Bay Symphony Garden Tour 2010 is now complete & ready for your browsing. There are alot more photos to view than I included in my recent post, there is a short walk around video & of course the YouTube watercolour demos have a nifty spot here as well...OH AND this one has the cutest little buttons ever, teapots & bunny cut  from our photos, they are too cute...

I think Jonathan is abit disappointed that this is going to be the last little promo for my art/business for abit, ha ha...

To my Jonathan, who is the mastermind/creative hand behind these promo sites of mine (okay yes, with some often times demanding little requests from the artist!!!)  Thanks again babe, once again you did an outstanding job & I am completely honoured that you think my work/photos/little artsy events require such lovely documentation & attention...you are my most favourite & best supporter. XO.

Our Girls Project...

Ella Luna really wanted me to pop in today to show you her latest artistic project...one that she's been working on diligently, one that she's been slaving over, with little breaks unless we force her too (because like her mama she's quite obsessive & will work herself sick!)...she's burying half our gazebo with this new little project of hers..  But shhh...don't tell her, it's us, who every couple of weeks will sneak out to fill it up!  Years ago we let her go on & on without any filling & well let's just say part of our yard actually caved in, ha ha.  When she appears to be done digging for the day, she than goes mad filling her mouth with grass & bringing mouthful after mouthful into the burrow to make a nice soft green bed for herself...

Roo Boo doesn't help, he just likes to lay & snooze in the freshly dug sand and watches his hard-working black beauty...

Seriously though, who could possibly deny this sweet little face her own burrow, ha ha...Tis the life with lovely & slightly spoiled bunnies:D

(I am trying not to freak out but it's difficult because Ella's bump is back, the same one she had 2 surgeries for this year already, it seems to get bigger by the day...we aren't quite sure what to do other than bring her in for the doctors opinion in a few weeks time & hope really really hard that it reaches a plateau & just stops growing....send us good mojo pretty please!)

Mandy Saile - Painting Demo In The Garden 1 of 2

My first EVER YouTube video...Oh Oh Oh, I am sooo excited:D  It's a two-parter & each one is about 13 minutes each BUT the demo is outside in natural light & has the loveliest music so we didn't think people would mind the extra bit of length...

(Thanks again to the amazingly talented musician Bert Alink.  He gave Jon & I permission years ago to use his music & we still adore it & think it fits these first videos of ours perfectly).

...p.s. I'll be giving this original watercolour work away...so stay tuned for that as well!

Mandy Saile - Painting Demo In The Garden 2 of 2

....and here is part 2 (sorry I don't know how to install both videos in 1 post yet, bare with me!)

...I sure would love it if you'd not only visit & have a watch but also if you'd leave a comment here or/& on YouTube to tell me what you think.  I am excited to do more of these so I really hope you find it enjoyable to watch?

...and thanks oodles once again to my sweet genius-y partner, Jonathan who put these videos together for me, I just love em babe XXOO.

The North Bay Symphony Garden Tour

Hi everyone, I finally found the time to get some photos together about the North Bay Symphony Garden Tour I was part of a couple weeks back.

There are so many favourite shots from this beautiful day but here are a few to give you a feeling for the day, which was so wonderful. (and Jon is working on another mini site for this event so they'll be more to share there, I can't wait!).

I was in Arlington Hoffman amazing Garden & he had his fabulous watercolour work scattered in frames, on little easels throughout his garden, it was the perfect touch...

I was set up on a table underneath a tent, which I was so glad I brought because it got pretty hot that day.  I decided to work with abit of watercolour myself & started in on a coloured bird with flowers...

Here is a beautiful watercolour of Arlie's I had never seen of a tasty loaf of bread.  He has the ability to bring beauty & serenity to most quiet of objects...

I took so many photos that I think will be really lovely to work from in coloured pencil later on down the road & Jon took many great shots & lots of video as well...(thanks again babe).

There were musicians playing for a few hours in the morning & that was wonderful & added quite abit of charm to the day, especially these guys (Andrew Palangio & Erik Faucon) who played & sang more current & hipper songs...

Here is my pal Julie with my adopted grandpa Arlie & moi...Julie is one of my few local friends who I can always count on to come out in support & interest...Thanks Jules.

And Julie brought along her little sweetie-pie Poppy, who was a complete delight & really made my day extra special...

I had all of my work set up on a long table, under the tent.  I decided to display mostly watercolour work as that was what I was demonstrating for the day.  I also had a selection of art cards for sale & a book for people to sign up for my email newsletter.

It really was a great experience.  When they asked me to join in on the event, I said yes without really knowing what to expect but I am so glad I did.  The whole event & day was just lovely & completley relaxed (for a change) and I am already signed up to participate again next year. 

This 16th annual event helped to raise over $2600 for our local symphony & more than 400 hours went into volunteer time including the time of the artists, musicians, volunteers & hosts.  It was a wonderful event I am proud to have been a part of.  Thanks for having a look.

Life Is Good...Live It...A New Illustration

I am so excited about this newest illustration of mine. It is just pure good old coloured pencil on a brand new Arches paper I am trying for the first time & which I am in love with...

I had this sketched out ages ago, literally the design sat in my sketchbook for atleast 2 years, than last month I actually transferred it to the paper & when I saw that Illustration Fridays theme this week was 'double', I instantly thought of this image & that it was the perfect time to get it done & I am just so so happy with the colour & how playful yet peaceful the creatures are.  It was created slowly but surely because I had a pretty sore head whiles I worked away on this one & well I had to really make sure I was paying attention because coloured pencil is pretty unforgiving to mistakes but it was also made with the beautiful company of my sweet Ella Luna snuggled up to my feet almost the whole time I was colouring it so definatly it has extra good mojo:D....what do you think?

(Prints are available in my Etsy Shop)

We had the most fun evening at a friends party for an art exhibition opening, it was a gin & tonic party & I admit to never ever having one before...well now consider me a gin & tonic gal, ha ha.  We also had some rabbit drama today of Ella Luna & a ground hog holing up in the same burrow, that made for some serious heart palpitations & for one very super duper sonic speed bike ride home for Jonathan!  We are so looking forward to this weekend, it's going to be another great one, I can feel it:D  Be Well Lovely people, Be Well.

A New Mini Promo Site For Art On Main...

Instead of showing you a new picture this Wednesday, I couldn't wait to show you this new jem. My handsome & brilliant sweetie made another mini promo site for me. This one circles my involvement with Art On Main & our move to a new location this past June. It is of course for me & my business so therefore central to me & my work but I also think Jonathan did a nice job of highlighting the collective as a whole. I love how Jon made my decorative birdies into the buttons & he even included all the video from our opening night in cool little chaptered sections...

Jonathan put so much work & time into this...I always tell him not to but he says he enjoys doing these type of things for me & my business & well I sure do enjoy them as well...they are wonderful interactive photo albums that I can go back to when I want to remember a certain event. The first promo site that Jonathan did for me was for my solo exhibition in 2009 & it can be found here or on my sidebar.

I'd sooo appreciate you taking the time to check this new beauty out, browse around, have a look & than come back here & tell us what you think...we'd so appreciate any feedback, thanks everyone:D....and of course above all the biggest thanks to my sweets.

Art On Main's July Storefront

Good Monday everyone.  Firstly THANKS SOOO MUCH to all of you how have left comments on my last couple of posts, every single one means so much.

I hope your weekend was a good one...ours was amazing.  Jon & I finally went up to Toronto so I could see my best friend Judit & her cutie-pie 6 month old, that was such a huge huge treat.  I also got to stock back up on art supplies & despite the cost of it, that was nice.  Than on Sunday Jon and I went to one of the best concerts ever...a post on that coming soon, I can't wait to show you.

I am participating in Illustration Friday's theme of 'Double' this week, one of the images I had just conjured up is perfect for it...I should also have a sweet little mixed media bird to show you as well...so far that is what will be up for this week.

For today I'd like to share with you the lovely window displays at the artists collective I am a member of...these are July's windows and I am always so glad when my work is selected for the grouping...

That's 2 of my little funky fish originals swimming merrily amid the sand and other treasures....

Are any of you members of artists collectives??? if so do share a comment & give a link to your store/gallery.

Breakfast...

This week's theme/topic for Illustration Friday was 'Breakfast'...I am abit late but this is what my brain conjured up for that topic, ha ha...



When I showed Jonathan the final results this evening his first words were "Ohhh she's cool & kinda creepy..." which is exactly what I was going for, ha ha.

I don't know if this concept comes from my dislike of breakfast!...I've never been big on breakfast-y foods or eating early in the morning...my tummy is usually not ready for food till oh 12-2pm!!!

Or perhaps it was sparked from my sitting outside last night, after the war in my poor noggin subsided, I was sitting in my favourite rocker enjoying the cool evening breeze, wrapped up in a blanket with sketchbook on my lap as I watched all at the same time; Roo stretched out eating raspberry leaves, a chipmunk sniffing Ella's tummy whiles Ella munched on yarrow, a grey squirrel hanging upside down to get birdseed out of the feeder & 2 chickadees sitting side by side on a branch up above all this furry sweet action...all of this was happening without a span of a meter...wonderful, ha ha...so this illustration could also be stemming from my connection with nature & earth...hmmm one never knows what my whimsy filled brain will come up with.

(If Your Interested In Prints of This Illustration They Are Available In My Shop)

Hope you find her quirky & enjoy...have a wonderful weekend, see yous next week. XO M & the Buns.

Love and Support and Everything...Everything....

I am feeling very full and buoyed and I have to share...bear with me for some heartfelt gushing coming out of nowhere perhaps to you all but definitely from somewhere for me...

I know I am a handful...this creative biz and artistic journey that I am in is one that I've been heavily involved with for well almost my whole life, but definitely the past 20 years...it's incredible and I am beyond lucky to be on this path, I know this everyday but that being said, it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination...The ups and downs I experience as a very sensitive and very creative person take their toll, in bad ways such as much stress & migraines but also in beautiful delicious good ways...

Today I have to express how so so grateful I am because I have a partner who lifts me up when I spin and spin my rusty wheels into what I fear is a hole I'll never find my way out of! He picks me up, dusts me off...polishes my wheels till there shiny and inflated and than puts me down again to watch me and love me as I go either in the same direction, often back into that same hole, ha ha or in a totally new direction...

I am working so hard on growing my creative biz, I think I am burning myself out on some levels a bit but at the same time, that is my routine, it's how I work best quite often and I think I know I can work this way safely and come out on the other side even better because I have the unflinching support that I do.

I am feeling so overwhelmed, so fully fully supported in my creative struggles and successes...so utterly full of love and strength because of one person, and that amazes me...

It's almost unfair that one person could be everything...that one person can believe in us even more than we do in ourselves some days...there is no doubt in my mind that most of us creative types are incredibly strong, we have to be, to keep putting our hearts and souls into work that quite often is not wanted or used or sought after, etc, and we usually don't give ourselves enough credit...but today I send out thanks to one person...I am giving credit where credit is so incredibly due....

I feel like I am in constant warmth and care, that my obsessive tender little heart has the best home that it could ever possibly have outside of my body...I feel that my hand is always held and my worries & dreams always supported...

I am feeling so lucky...unbelievably lucky that all the craziness and creative uniqueness that is me, that all my insecurities and ego, that all my blissfullness and all my tears, and that all my demands and needs make me quite the hand full to deal with and shoulder...but you know, all of this, all of it is just turned back around to me to be seen as part of the magic that is me.  That the 'crazy' is loved just as much as the 'sane' lends to such a security...one that nutures even more creativity & dreams...

...'Wow'...I must shout out a big big 'WOW' and many many heartfelt happy heart sighs and the biggest ever and constant 'Thank Yous' to one unique artists dream, who knows who he is....XXXOOO

This Emmy Rossum song often hits close to home for me & never fails to strum on my heart & always reminds me of the unflinching support I have.

Fauna & FLora 2...a new illustration & print

On this lovely Monday I have a new illustration to show you all..."Fauna & Flora 2"...a coloured pencil on canson paper...the print looks fabulous & identical to the original, I love the print quality...

(Prints Are Available In The Shop)

I hope your week is looking good & bright & I hope this newest illustation of mine adds abit of loveliness to your day as well...see you all on Wednesday...Be Well.

Jinny & Jaks & Their Bivouwack...

I just wanted to hop in quickly today with a speacil hello from Jinny & Jaks...they said that they really wanted to show off one of their favourite things; their super cool fort & bed ala fresco...ha ha.  When Jon and/or I don't feel like we can keep a close enough eye on them out in the yard, we don't let them down but instead allow them to play on the deck, which is just off the kitchen...(Ella Luna & Roo have their own deck off the dining room, spoiled bunnies, yes we know:D) They love going out on the deck because one of us will build them a fort out of old bedsheets...or as Jon has always called them rabbit "Bivouwacks", ha ha...

...and some people think you can only have fun and build forts for human children;D...