Hi Everyone....

Hi Folks.  By now some of you may have notice I haven't been blogging for some time.  Sorry about that.  I still go and check on you once in a while but rarely take the time to comment.  Life took an unexpected turn a few weeks back when the love of my life, my husband, Hugh was diagnosed with brain cancer, stage 3.  My life since then has been very busy with tests and now starting treatments.  When things settle down to a predictable schedule I will again start painting and posting.  Until then, know that I am checking in with you and I wish you all well with your painting and projects.

Hugs,

Bonnie Heather

Spring, a time to start new...

The sun and warm weather are like a tonic.  I love watching my seedlings grow and I even enjoy the spring cleaning projects that seem to bring the sunshine into the condo.  It's also time to get reinvigorated about painting. (reinvigorated ... is that a real word?) 

This is the year I decided I would focus on larger paintings.  Although I really enjoy seeing the finished paintings on display, I find I'm not painting as often.  I wouldn't call it boredom but I do have the need for variety. Reverting to smaller paintings was not an option I would allow myself....so...

The solution for my desire for change and growth came via Informed Collectors artist choice for today:  Mara Schasteen.  While browsing her web page I came across her colour charts.  Hmmmm...  I started making charts a couple years ago but I never got past mixing individual colours with white.  These simple charts have been an amazing help to me over the years and I have taught all my students to make them.  Mara has taken the next step and made charts that mix all her primary colours with each other.  That's what I need. So today I sorted out the colours I would use and gessoed some plastic canvas sheets. Mara's charts are neat and tidy.  I'm more of a slap bang type person so mine aren't.  Hopefully in a few days I can show you some of my completed charts... this is a big project that will probably take me most of the spring.  I'll find something else to do for the summer I'm sure. 

Still a lot more to paint...

I'm back home...

Our trip to Mexico City was wonderful.  I had lots of quality time to spend with my beautiful four year old grandson, Gabriel.  

The weather there was wonderful but I'm not impressed with the wet snow that is falling outside my condo here in Kelowna.  At least my primroses are staying perky... they seem to like the cold weather. I'd rather be a snowbird.

My March painting, of a street in Tuscany, was calling to me as soon as I returned and I'm anxious to get back to it but first I want to spend some time visiting my neighbours and fellow bloggers...it is good to be home.

February is a good month.

Hello everyone.  I'm looking forward to the month of February more than usual this year.  It's the month I like the least.  The weather is unpredictable with snow storms, ice storms and lots of gloom. This year my attitude has changed.  This year, February is going to be a month when I paint a warm picture of a street in Tuscany, I enter several art competitions and best of all; I travel to Mexico to hug my now four year old grandson. I am so excited it's February.

On a previous post I asked for some suggestions for a name for my last painting.  I decided to go with Trudy's suggestion and call it "Winter's Whisper".  I changed it slightly and I really appreciate all the great  ideas I was given.

Now that I'm working on only bigger works, its hard to find pictures of finished paintings to post.  Today, I'll post the painting I'm almost finished:  It's a cool blue/green picture of Lake Okanagan, taken from the popular Knox Mountain lookout.  It still needs a few days work.

18"x48"on gallery wrapped canvas

Here is the start of the Tuscany street scene:  I prefer painting in warm colours.  

36"x 24"on plywood boxed panel

Here again is "Winter's Whisper" with it's new name.

30"x 24" on boxed plywood panel

I hope you have a great week.

Hello my dear friends.  I hope you're enjoying this season that's perfect for drinking hot chocolate and wearing cozy sweaters.

I'm working on my next biggish painting but I've hit the ugly stage...it is so hard to keep going at this middle point.  The colours seem wrong and the composition seems to have altered and not for the best....BUT...I know that this too will pass.  I almost always struggle at the mid point in a painting.  Part of the issue is my own doing. I enjoy the freedom of the beginning stage where I can slap on the paint and not worry too much about the details.  It's a fun and very freeing experience that comes after working long hours doing the detail on my last painting.  It's so much fun that I get a little careless and then when I start pulling the scene together with the bigger objects and coordinating colours...well it can really get ugly.

This is where a pep talk comes in handy.  I have to tell myself to work fast and get it fixed...because it will improve...it will become something I can be proud of.  The self talk works somewhat but I usually end up taking a few days break and often start my next painting.  So that's what I'm doing today.  First the gesso and then the base colour...  That's it.  I won't allow myself to do the fun blocking in until I get the present painting to the stage where I can enjoy looking at it.  We artist types have to work hard at the self discipline stuff.  I can do this...  

How about you?  Do you have to put some extra effort into your project?  How about those New Years resolutions...don't give up...you can do it.

ps. For some reason My Friend follower app at the side has malfunctioned and I have lost about three hundred of my followers.  If you are one of them, please sign in again.  Thanks.

January's Painting Complete?

It's done!  I think.  

While this new January 2013 painting dries enough to be varnished, I have to come up with a name for it.  In the meantime it hangs on my wall where I can enjoy it.  My large landscapes never seem to stay around long so I appreciate my time with each one.  I paint what I enjoy and I sell them so that others can as well. It always thrills me to know that my paintings, that took so much of my time to create, are now hanging in homes all over the world. What an honour these collectors bestow on me by displaying my art.  Thank you.

Photo is missing a lot of the subtle colours.  

30"h x 24"w oil on board

If you feel inspired and can give me some ideas for its new name...let me know.