To One and All....

Saturday turned into a really enjoyable day for me.  I was called in at the last minute to volunteer at the Lake country Art Gallery.  The "Under 100" show was on display and I got to look carefully at all the paintings.  What fun that was.  So many beautiful works by lots of new friends I have made in the last few years. It is really exciting to have so many artists as close friends.   I am blessed.

One special moment came when a visitor to the gallery asked to buy a piece of art. It was one of my larger paintings, that we were allowed to enter into the show.  I gave her a hug and her friend took pictures of both of us with her new painting, "Solitude".

Solitude

Oil on canvas

12"x24"

Time for coffee at the gallery...

The Lake Country Art Gallery's Christmas show has started.  I have thirteen paintings in the show so I'm quite excited. There's a really great coffee shop attached to the gallery so I'm hoping lots of people invite me to go with them when they go to see the show.  I've had two invitations so far :) .

I think it's awesome that they chose seven of my paintings to be included in this poster.  I shouldn't brag so much but I can't help it :D .

Cattails and Black-eyed Susan's

Over the last year and a half you may remember me mentioning my black-eyed susan's painting that was giving me trouble.  This was an attempt to use my imagination to help create a painting.  Not an easy thing for me to do, thus the lonnnnng wait.  Today, I officially declare it finished. The photo isn't the best but it gives you a pretty good idea of what the 30"x 24" painting looks like.

Cattails and Black-eyed Susan's

30"x 24" on gallery wrapped canvas

oil painting...$1495.00

The paintings are all complete and are just waiting for their frames.  The paper work for the labels has been sent in and I can now take a long slow breath and relax.  I sent in my paper work for the two larger pieces that we are allowed but they too are juried so I don't know if they will be in the show or not. 

I'm only adding a photo of the hummingbird painting since it was the only incomplete one from the last post that I finished. I decided to go with that and move on to a new project I'm excited about starting.  More on details at a later date.  Have a great day.

Sweet Temptation

3"x4" wood panel

I did it...

I did it...  I even have more time that I wasn't expecting.  The "Under 100" show doesn't start until the 17th of November.  By then who knows how many paintings I can have ready.  As I mentioned..I finished ten and have three more started. The humming bird and the one above it and to the right of it are just getting started.  The rest are done if I don't pick at them.(I usually do)

Small ones for the "Under 100" Christmas Show at Lake Country Art Gallery.

Two weeks to go....

It was mentioned before that I'm working diligently on a minimum of ten paintings needed for the Christmas Show at the Lake Country Art Gallery.  All these painting have to be less than 100" and $100, plus they must never have been shown in the gallery before.  Fortunately I found two small square paintings that I can add and I've finished painting five others and it's only the middle of the month.  Thanks to all my internet friends who helped me with encouraging words.  Two weeks to go....  I think I can ....I think I can....

So far...

SOLD....

Well folks, my eight foot painting was installed in its new home last night.  It's in a beautiful home surrounded by many other fabulous pieces of art. I feel so honoured to have "City Lights" included there. 

"City Lights" in its new home.

Loving our Okanagan sunshine...

The glorious sunshine that we've been getting, day after day, is perfect incentive for me to do lots of painting.  Below is a sampling of what I've been working on for the Christmas Show at our local gallery. 

 

I had some guests in to look at my "City Lights" painting this week.  I'm so honoured by their kind comments.  We have it displayed in our living room right now, so if anyone would like to come for coffee and see it live... you are very welcome.

Another deadline...

Hi folks, I'm quite pleased I've been juried into the "Under 100" show at the Lake Country Art Gallery.  Even though it's called Under 100, this year they are allowing some under 300 inches and some under 200 inches.  That seems easy enough but we then commit to 10 to 20 pieces under 100 inches.  Yikes... that's a lot for me.  I guess I have to speed up.  Again I'm out of my comfort zone...but hey, I love the challenge.

Today I base coated several canvas's and added a few details to this my third painting under 100". I have two others that have been painted since last year so here goes... two down and minimum of eight to go.

I've got to paint faster...

I hate being late.   I'm normally a very punctual person so it was with great distress that I entered a painting late for the monthly painting contest on:  Artist-reference-photos.  Each month we pick our favourite picture for the photo contest and the next month we can try to paint the winners photograph.  

Here's my attempt for this month:

Art Walk

This is an art show I look forward to all year.  It's huge and the people come to look at art...only art.  There are dancers and musicians performing in every room and building.  Flags fly over the sidewalks to show you where the next building with art is located.  The amount of work put into planning and putting on this magnificent event is fantastic and I am so grateful.  What a wonderful group of volunteers.

7000 to 8000 people go through and look at my paintings!  My head is swollen right out of shape by all the kind comments.  This year was unusually exciting with people making a special effort to come and see my painting "City Lights".  

My booth:

Our adventure:

Wow,  it sure is a busy time of year.  Art Walk is over and let's just say it was awesome.  Before I show you pictures from that event, I have to back track in time.

Today's blog post will show how a group of wonderful friends got together  and took my eight foot painting, called "City Lights", to a photographer friend's place to be photographed and then returned the same night.  We happen to live in an upstairs condo and own a small car so when a friend offered his pickup we thanked him and prayed for good weather.  Other folks found out what we were doing and showed up to help, wow, I feel so blessed.  They put the painting into the back of the pickup and while three fellows stood beside it to keep it from falling, the owner of the truck drove us slowly to the photographer. What an adventure!

The photographer, who is VERY famous for his quality work, invited me into his home that was in the process of being built.  He and his gracious wife were exhausted and hadn't even taken time to eat yet and it was already 9 pm.  They insisted they still wanted to do this for me and welcomed all of us into their fantastic new home. 

Below are some pictures of our time in their home: 

My sweetheart was order by our hostess to stretch out and rest after his recent emergency room visit.

The photographer and I (he's such a great guy)

I'm checking to see if he knows what he's doing. lol

Thank you
-to those who helped that night
-to those who fed us when we were out of commission
-those who brought flowers and cards
-and all those who took the time, to visit, email or phone, to see how we were doing. 

What a week...

Hi everyone! I'm sitting here with my laptop balanced on my knees.  I can't bring it forward in case it touches my tummy and hurts where the surgeon just repaired two hernias. I'm so glad to have that over with.  It's been an extremely busy week.  First I had to call the ambulance for my hubby because I couldn't get him off the bathroom floor.  After ten hours in emergency they told us they thought he had had a baby stroke and told him he couldn't drive. Two days later we had to bug friends to drive us the 35 minutes to the hospital for my surgery.  It went well but when our friends returned to give us a ride home, I suddenly had a severe attack of pain on my left side away from where my incision was...many hours later they gave me a couple shots and sent me home non the wiser.  

Now the pain is receding nicely, my sweetheart has had more tests and they decided he only has an inner ear problem...yippeeee. God is good.  

So many folks have helped us out in the last week but I want to spend more time giving you the details later.  Our neighbourhood is awesome. 

Mist on Mabel Lake

The Wedding is over and the woman who commissioned the painting of Mabel Lake, emailed to tell me the bride and groom loved it. Whew... doing commissioned pieces is really hard on the nerves but when it's done and the client is happy...it's worth it.

"Mist on Mabel Lake"

Finished canvas..20"h x 40"w

Framed and in it's new home.

Camping was great.

Hi everyone.  Our camping trip was wonderful.  The weather was perfect and the lake still sparkling clear.  Our air mattress kept losing air but I like it really soft. There were no mosquitoes but just before a quick thunder shower we were attacked by biting flies. Happily they didn't stay around.

I have always found it hard to paint while on vacation.  This time I took my laptop with the photo I was working on, as well as my portable easel.  I set everything up in the dining shelter and left it there, easy to get to.  It worked.  Even though I only painted half the amount of time I would have at home...I did paint and it was wonderful being surrounded by nature while doing it.  

Like many of my blogging buddies, I will only be posting sporadically this summer but I am painting and I'll post regularly come fall.   

Here's an updated photo on my big painting:

You might have noticed the photo is blurry in the one corner ....

that's because...

I ummm...

dropped the camera in the lake :[

Goin' camping!!!

Hi folks, what kind of weather are you having where you live?  Here in the Okanagan Valley we have had lots and lots of rain, and of course flooding.  I am happy to announce that the weather station tells us that the sunshine will return tomorrow and will stay around for a little while.  That said, we are going camping!  I'll take my paints along and see if I can work on the big one at the lake.  Other years, I've not been too successful.

We will be tenting beside a small lake in central British Columbia, Canada.  Our white kevlar canoe called Moonbeam, will supply us with numerous quiet tours around the lake.  Whether the fishing rod does any good is yet to be seen. Other years the only fish we saw were the big ones the eagles and ospreys caught and flaunted in front of me. 

Anyway folks, I will be away from the computer for a week or two.  I hope you have a great summer and I'll be checking in as soon as I can.

Moonbeam waiting for passengers.

There is an advantage to all this rain....

There's one advantage to all the rainy, cool weather we've been having:  I'm getting more time at painting.  I'm really pleased with my progress on the 8' city scene.  I'm now working on row number six with seven sketched in. 

Even though it's not hot summer weather, it is warm enough to leave the windows open... thus I don't have a condo filled with fumes.  I love painting with water soluble oils, but even they fill the air with fumes that give me a headache.  I think I'm going to have to invest in a good quality air purifier.  If anyone has any advice please let me know.

If you're in our area, don't forget to visit the Rotary Centre for the Arts before the end of the month.  I have three pieces in the art show in the Galleria.  There are some awesome paintings in the show.

Another row painted.

I did it!  I finished a row in one week. That's four 12" x 12" panels.  Twelve more to go before I start putting the people into the scene and then do all the little fixes that need done when I do a painting with multiple panels.  I wish I could paint longer than two hours a day but my back won't allow it.  I'm  pleased that since the beginning of the year, that two hours is twice as long as before so I'm not really complaining just reporting, as my husband likes to call it.

So here's the painting so far.  This time I included all the panels.  Only the first five rows are finished, the last three rows are just outlines or blank. 

4'h x 8'w

oil on 32 canvas panels

Have a great week everyone.

Bonnie Heather

I'm baaaack....

So what's been happening...

  I worked pretty steady on the commission I was doing and it is now delivered and at the framers. It was a fun but nerve wracking experience... I'll post the painting after the wedding it is a gift for.

  I have three paintings in a Federation of Canadian Artist show.  The venue is the Rotary Centre for the Arts in downtown Kelowna. If you're in the area, stop in and see the show. It's on for the month of June.

  ...and now I'm back working on my eight foot painting.  It's great working on it.  It was probably good to have a couple months away from it.  Now it seems fresh and exciting again. I can't wait to finish another row so I can show you how it's coming along.

Today's post has photos of the three paintings I put in the Rotary sale.

Have an awesome day!

  

A Close up...

My commissioned piece is down to the final few glazes.  I'm so pleased with the results so far but a bit nervous about the glazing which will hopefully darken a large area of the painting.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to post a picture of it until July after the wedding it's meant for.

I did get a request from Myra, a friend and awesome artist, to attach a photo of my little boat painting up close. So this is for you my friend:

Unfortunately the only brushstrokes you can see are the ones from the undercoating, which was bright orange by the way.

The show is almost over...

Two weeks goes so quickly.  The show at the New Moon Gallery is almost over.  I encourage everyone who lives nearby to go and see the show.  With the theme of "Junkyard Joe", the display is really interesting.  

Below is a picture of the display.  My painting is the one with the little bulldog in the blue wreck.  He was fun to paint.

Gardening and painting. Two of my favourite things...

Hello everyone.  I spent a couple hours working in the garden today.  It felt wonderful even though I had to stop because my back complained too much.  It was still so great to get outside in the sunshine...I think I may have a burn..a true sign of summer :D

work in progress

I'm still working away at my two commissions.  They are coming together quite nicely so far.  The mist wasn't as hard as I thought it would be on the lake scene.  The little boat picture should be done soon.  It's the one pictured above.

I love the sun shine.

The sunshine is helping me get some energy back.  I think the virus is finally losing it's grip...wow, that was a long haul.

My big commission is coming along nicely now and I've even put in some time on my little 5"x7" commission.  I'll show you it soon, but it's only blue sky and clouds so far.  

Today I'm posting a picture of the two little thickly textured paintings I made from my left over paint. They are 6"x6" on gallery wrapped canvas.

I love springtime.

Have a great day everyone.

No paintings today.

The Doctor said this virus has been lasting two to three weeks for most people...well it's almost three weeks for me, so it should go away any day now.  I hope so, because I'm tired of being tired.

I hope all my blogger buddies are doing well.  I'll post again once I'm healthy.

Bonnie Heather

The sun is shining today.

Today is the first time, in two weeks, that I've felt like painting.  It's so good to be back.  For the last couple of weeks I didn't have the stamina to sit at the easel for more than five to ten minutes and even then I found it hard to focus.  

Now it's Good Friday and I feel great.  I'm so grateful for the sacrifice that was made for me.

I've just started painting a 20" by 40" commission.  It's a beautiful landscape.  I hope to do it justice.

Unfortunately, I haven't been painting, thus I have nothing new to post.  

Happy Easter everyone.

My new "Splash of Colour" series:

Hi friends, I'm still feeling a bit rough with this virus but I am improving.

Today's blog post picture is of something new I started.  When I'm working on a big project, the paint spread all over my glass palette is scraped to the edge and mixed together to make a grey that goes with well the project I'm working on.  After the second day, I scrape it into a pile and then use my palette knife to spread it thickly on a small canvas I bought for this purpose. Right now I put it on in the shape of a daisy. After a few days when the paint is thick enough, I let it dry and then paint it.  It's a easy project that gives me a fun distraction after working hard on something big.

 I'm calling it my "Splash of Colour" series.

6" x6" on gallery wrapped canvas

the petals go down the edge of the painting as well

Have a great day everyone.

Junkyard Joe...

Hi everyone.  I've been down with a virus for the last couple of days so I haven't painted much.  I did however finish a March challenge put out by the New Moon Gallery.  We were told what size of canvas to use and the theme:  "Junkyard Joe".  

Here's my answer to the challenge:

The Big painting grew again...

Friday we went canoeing even though the ice has only been off the lake for a week or so.  When we got back we used the barbecue to make hamburgers.  It was so much fun pretending it was summer...

Yesterday, I had an open house for some neighbours who wanted to see my progress on the BIG painting. Today another couple are coming to see it as well.  Since it's four foot by four foot I can't leave it spread out on the living room floor anymore :).  The last row isn't quite finished but it's far enough along to show the scene.  I'll post another picture each time I finish another row of four panels.

Here it is at the Half done stage.  I will be adding the people at the end.

It's been a while.

Hi everyone. We had a great time with my son while he was here visiting.  We travelled all around our area and took a bunch of photos.  Nathan is a good photographer with lots of experience so I hope to paint several of his shots.  Unfortunately the sun only came out for short periods of time so the pictures do not have a lot of light and shadow play. I love the excitement they can bring to a painting.

Since I don't have any new paintings to show you, I'm just including one of Nathan's photos.

Duck Lake, Kelowna BC

BIG picture is getting bigger...

My son arrives tomorrow.  So I might not be back here for a week but I'll have time to check in on some of my favourite bloggers for a visit.

I've put in some extra time painting this past week so I'll be able to relax and maybe do some touring while Nathan is here. Below is a photo of my BIG painting. This shows three of the eight rows done. twenty squares to go.

The top right square is still wet and has a funny reflection that looks like a plumb of smoke...it doesn't really.

Have a great week dear friends.

Soon...

I'm getting really excited. My eldest son Nathan is coming to visit in one week.  He lives in Toronto and we live on the far west side of Canada, thus we only get to see each other an average of every three years.  I still plan on painting but I have to start baking cookies, home made bread and all the other goodies mothers make for their kids, no matter how old they get. :)

Today is my artist group morning, but the weather isn't cooperating. Snow is coming down like it's Christmas. Class ended early and outside looks like a postcard again... beautiful but not good for travel.

While I wait impatiently for this week to go by, I'll leave you with a picture of a painting I did of Nathan.  He claims he's not that heavy but he was back when I took the photo... now he's skinny.  ;)

Another juried competition.

I miss having my little pansy paintings to use for a blog post.  I paint so slow...sigh.  Now I'm working on the BIG one, teaching and occasionally working on the black-eyed Susans.  I'm enjoying the process but I want something new to post here.  Hmmm......

I KNOW!!! Yesterday I delivered two paintings to the Lake Country Art Gallery.  They will be juried and hopefully at least one will be accepted for the up-coming show.  Below are photos of the two entries.

"Evening Rendezvous"

"Only Joy"

Hoping your life is full of Joy.

Still painting...

It's raining out but it feels cozy in my warm little studio area, in the diningroom.  My BIG painting is progressing nicely. 

I've put together the two paintings for the juried show at the Lake Country Gallery.  I hope at least one gets accepted but the number of competitors gets larger every year. I still enjoy the process even if my paintings aren't chosen. 

Tomorrow is when the ladies come here for a time of painting, coffee and visiting. I can't wait to see how they're progressing with their projects.  Maybe they'll let me show you.

Until next time, have fun...

The BIG one continues...

 

Base coat done...now what?

For several months I've been complaining about a painting of some black-eyed Susans that I just can't get right.  Every night I would scrape the unused paint from my palette and place it on that canvas to add texture...some in the center of the flowers and lots on the three central blooms.  My original idea was a soft painting with pastel greens and yellows.  Scratch that.  The whole thing looked flat.

Soft wasn't working so I darkened all the greens and yellows... a little better but nothing special.  You realize, this canvas is three feet high and two feet wide...that's a lot of paint.  

OK... one more time.  This third time of repainting reminded me of my younger years when I used to spend hours colouring in my one inch thick colouring book. Like then, I didn't worry about details or shading, I just laid on the paint and tried to stay inside the lines.

Base coat done, where will it go from here?  I have no idea, but I do like the dynamic contrast.  

work in progress

36" x 24" oil

Is it springtime yet????

The snow is melting and it feels like spring. I know it's a bit early to get excited but I can't help it.  With the sun shining and the birds singing I want to dig out the camping gear and head to some Provincial Park and put up the hammock.  Dreams are fun...

Meanwhile back at the easel I'm working on the BIG painting and remembering that the night we took the  reference photo it was so cold that there were no people on the side walk or even on the public skating rink.  I have to add the people from photos taken later in the year,

Today's image is a shot of the area where I paint. The paintings on the easel are from the BIG painting.  I've put them up one under the other to make sure light standards etc. line up the way they should.

Janettmarie, notice the hot water in the cup instead of coffee.  That's why I need your coffee paintings to get me through the mornings.

My student's amazing painting...

Wednesday morning is special.  It's the day I have a couple ladies come to my home for a time of fellowship and painting.  It's nothing formal, I just help them past any obstacles they encounter while we paint. I feel a little guilty charging them, since I have so much fun, but they insist that I'm teaching them lots of new things. Below is the latest painting by L. Enns. She is improving by leaps and bounds.  This painting is wonderful don't you agree?

Amazing

by L.Enns

The two accepted pieces...

Here are the two paintings that were accepted in the Brew Gallery show in Vernon.

"Only Joy"

"A Gift of Love"

Brew Gallery: ROUGE! Opening Reception THURSDAY FEB 9th

This is where I'll be next Thursday! Please come if you're in the area. I'll have my two paintings on display.

Brew Gallery: ROUGE! Opening Reception THURSDAY FEB 9th: The Brew Gallery is transformed with a celebration of 'ROUGE! and all it's multi-faceted incarnations. Love, emotion, fire and life exhibition!

I'm on schedule...

Four and a half of 32

The top panel is deep aqua marine blue with a black tree line at the bottom

Hi everyone,  I've had some quality painting time this past week.  In order to have my BIG painting ready for Art Walk, I need to finish four squares a month.  So far I'm on schedule even though I quit for a while to complete a painting for Valentine's day.  I used my new painting for my profile picture on face book and for the rest of you, I'll post it here in a couple days.  Stay tuned...

I hope everyone is enjoying the season.

Hugs to all.