Pansy #12

P.S.    This is just a little update to this post... This Pansy is #12... That's the last of my personal challenge for my flower box series.  Hmmm what to do next?  Chairs like Myra or cups like Janett Marie?  Maybe I'll keep doing pansies until the new year...

Don't you love it when things go well and you accomplish everything you planned? It's been one of those weeks for me.  I finished my Pansy, faded the background in my big Black-eyed Susan painting, started a batch of peach wine and cleaned the chandelier lights in the hallway.  I even went canoeing and hope to go again in November...just to say I did. :)

Here's the latest pansy.  As usual it is 6"x6"x1.5" on gallery wrapped canvas.  It will be included in the juried, "Under 100" show that I, happily, was accepted into.

The difference in colour

Fall in British Columbia is different than it is in Ontario, where I grew up.  The fall colours here are deep green with brillant yellows.  At first I missed the reds and oranges that I was used to back east but eventually I grew to appreciate the unique fall beauty of the West.  The picture above is from my living room window. I love this view even though the trees have taken over my glimpse of the lake.  

I feel extra blessed though when I look out my kitchen window and see the view below.  The resort I live in has planted maple trees along it's streets.  I now have red and orange leaves right outside my door just like it is back east. The photo doesn't show it well but take my word for it... the colours are rich and beautiful.

I hope if you have autumn where you are that it is filled with abundant beauty and joy.

My VIP mention for this post is the Art Biz blog.  It's a great blog to help to help with your questions about promoting your art.

It's a beautiful day in the Okanagan Valley

Today the sun is shining and the temperature is sitting at 20 degrees in the shade.   It feels like it's my last chance to tuck in the garden and tidy up outside before retiring to the indoors for the long cold winter.  Did I mention, I'm not a winter person.  I love autumn sweaters and kicking my way through fallen leaves but I do not enjoy winter boots and icy sidewalks.  Soooo... today I will go for a walk, wash my outside windows, fill the bird feeders and enjoy life to the fullest. I may even paint another pansy.

This is a small palette knife painting I did to demonstrate using impasto medium during my painting class.  I painted a dark glaze over top and then rubbed it off in the center.  Not too great a painting but lots of fun to create.

VIP mention for today is Potter's Addict.  It's a wonderful place to create and buy some awesome pottery.  The place is run by a great artist with a great name... why not drop by and visit another Bonnie. Tell her I sent you. :)

Thanksgiving is over-time to get back to painting...

Our Canadian Thanksgiving is over and now to lose those pounds that remind me how good it was.  I really do love turkey and all the trimmings. :)

I didn't accomplish a lot of painting this week but I did finish another pansy.  I painted this one before and since it sold I decided to try again.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out this time.  Sorry the photo has so much shine, it's a rainy day so I didn't have enough natural light and had to use a flash.  This one won't be put in a juried competition so I'm not taking to time to make the photo perfect. It's the same as the rest: 6"x6" on gallery wrapped canvas.  I painted it using water soluble oils.

I'm looking forward to my class tomorrow.  I think there is a distinct possibility that my students will create better paintings than I do...  I'm glad to have them in my art group.

My VIP mention today is Michael Godfrey.  He paints scenes that I love.  Awesome artist.

It's a good time to paint flowers.

The fall rains have come to the Okanagan Valley.  By this time of year we're usually quite happy here to have the hills and trees watered.  I love our desert climate but not to the point where everything is on the verge of becoming a wild fire.  That said, I'll spend my time painting indoors and praise God for the rain.

I finished another pansy.  This one is those little ones I call johnny-jump-ups.  Aren't they cute!?

My VIP mention for today isn't a specific artist but a really interesting blog about art/artists.  It's called Making a Mark.  Go visit them.