Summer is finally here. Our summers are so short here that this year I've vowed to enjoy every single moment that I can. That means dinners outside, enjoying my Starbucks on the patio, day trips to the beach and the harbourfront, and visiting friends with swimming pools. I'll be keeping up with my painting as well as I have a show coming up at Artson Queen in August. How perfect is that? a show in "the Beaches" in Toronto.
"Metamorphosis" a duo show I'm having with artist Anne Barkley, continues at Leonardo Gallery until July 11. I can hardly believe that we are into the third week of it already. For those of you that missed the opening reception on the 4th, I will be at the gallery again this Saturday, June 27th from 2-4 pm for another artists talk. Please stop by if you can.
I used to take stock of my life and the way things were going every New Year's Eve. All this changed in 1991 when my son was born on December 31st. After that, all my New Year's eves were making sure I gave him the best birthday I could, which became harder as he grew up and realized that all the celebrating, balloons, fireworks and noise makers were not exactly all just for him. So I moved "taking stock of my life" to my birthday. That will be next week and for days now as I've been going about my chores, and painting and taking care of my art business I've been listing all that I'm grateful for in my head. My Health. My family and my friends. The list goes on and on. I was reminded of this poem which became an internet favorite and later a popular song and video.
I'll be finishing three paintings today and making a delivery to a gallery but after that I'm taking a long weekend to celebrate Father's Day and then my birthday. I'm going to...
enjoy some pampering. a little shopping watch the British Grand Prix help make a father's day breakfast to have while watching the race watch a couple of dvd's visit my dad a margarita (or two) definitely champagne
The Artists Toronto website was started by a group of Toronto artists who are dedicated to provide art purchasers, corporate art buyers, interior designers, and art lovers easy access to the original work of a wide variety of Toronto artists. Although I've been included on this site for about a year, I recently invested in a comprehensive listing, which for a very reasonable fee allows me to have 12 images of my work, a full biography, and listings for upcoming shows and events on the site. Even though I have my own website I really think it's important for me as an artist to be included in Artists Toronto especially as potential clients are sent directly to my site and email. Sure, it's a great place for artists involved to comment and discuss all that's going on in the art scene, but it's also a wonderful resource for the public to get information about Toronto art happenings, gallery listings, and event listings. Whether you're a first time art buyer or s seasoned collector, you are bound to discover artwork that will suit your budget and taste. And let's face it, Toronto has an abundance of wonderfully talented artists ready to show you their work. You can browse through the listings, read about artists, and even view some videos. Check out this great new site and pass it on to friends and art lovers everywhere.
Little Birds 4x4 Acrylic on Canvas Click Here to Purchase
Summer Birches 4x4 Acrylic on Canvas Click Here to Purchase
Birches 4x4 Acrylic on Canvas Click Here to Purchase
I just listed three more mini paintings into Red Banana's (my) Etsy shop. One more for the "Birds on a wire" series and two more for the "Birches" series. I like the square format of these.
Style at Home magazine February 2009 My painting made the cover.
Spring Birch Forest 6x12 Acrylic on Canvas Sold
Spring Birches 3x5 Acrylic on Canvas Click Here to Purchase
Birches in Spring 3x5 Acrylic on Canvas Click Here to Purchase
I've been working hard towards updating my Etsy shop these days. As well as new paintings in my bird series, I'm adding some new mini Birches this week. These little paintings sell like hotcakes and I have a hard time keeping up with the demand for them. Of course having a somewhat larger version (6x12) on the cover of Style at Homemagazine back in February of this year has a lot to do with their popularity. Major gratitude here!! If you are in the Toronto area, they are always available at Art Interiors. They're fun on their own and look great displayed with a pair or in groupings of three. Perfect for gift giving or as a gift for yourself.
Birds on a Line 4x4 Acrylic on Canvas Click here to purchase
It's been awhile since I did a Link Love post and it's not because I'm not reading blogs any more. In fact I'm reading more than ever and I keep finding new ones everyday. Sometimes I find it hard to tear myself away from the monitor because there's just one more blog I must read before I get to work. Some are artists that I admire and like their work, fellow Etsy sellers, design and decor driven, and compelling stories of everyday life. So here is a short list of some of my faves lately in no particular order. Happy reading and have a great weekend!!
There's a lot of painting going on in my studio these days. I even had to make a quick trip down to my local art supply store to stock up on paint. I wish I had some exciting news to write about but it's business as usual for me. New work for galleries and an upcoming show. I'm also working on a very special commission that I'll share with you in the future. I should mention that I'm having a sale of all mixed media paintings. They are now available at 50% off my regular retail price. These paintings are available only in my Etsy shop and for a limited time only. Why don't you have a look.
This morning started out rather dull with my usual catching up on emails and planning for the week. Nothing too exciting until this afternoon when I delivered two new landscapes to Art Interiors. There's always such a positive energy there and sometimes it's so crazy busy with clients that I have to wait. Today was just such a day and I did not mind waiting at all. I popped downstairs to the Starbucks and enjoyed my usual Americano. By the time I finished with my coffee all had quieted down upstairs and it was nice to catch Lisa and Shira together. We had a nice chat about our children and all things art. I received a nice ego boost when I heard that quite a few people have signed up for new artwork notifications on the Art Interiorswebsite. Now when I bring new work into the gallery, all those people will be notified immediately. It makes all those days when I lock myself up in my studio and paint non stop worth it. Now I'm really very excited to get back into my studio and get started on even more new paintings. It's days like this that I just love being an artist.
Thank you to all that came out to our opening reception last night at Leonardo Gallery. It was a busy evening starting with not one but two Yorkville art gallerywalks. I wish I had my camera handy during the walks as it was a great turn out. The Yorkville art walk is a great opportunity to enjoy the many galleries throughout the Yorkville neighbourhood in Toronto. People meet with the tour guides at a Yorkville location and then walk to ten different galleries to view and consider a wide range of art. After being cooped up in my studio for so long producing the new work, it was fun to give my little artists talk and then to answer the many questions that came my way. Anne Barkley and I had been hoping to have an opportunity to show together for quite awhile now and "Metamorphosis" became a reality last night. Above are a few photos of our paintings hanging, old friends, and Anne and I at the end of the night.
Want a good laugh? Check out these photos I pulled from the vault today. I'm in the midst of working on Veronica's book titled "Testament of Friendship" for our alteredbook collaborative. I immediately went for a trip down memory lane. The early 80's were a great time for me as I was in my 20's, had plenty of friends, was attending art college, and working part time in retail-selling records. As far as I was concerned, I was an artist and working in the music industry! LOL Days were spent in class and at the store, back at the apartment I shared with my best friend, and out most nights dancing at some club. Who needed sleep? Many years later my friends have all moved away. Some have families and some haven't changed much. I'll be using some of the photos that I found today in my mixed media pages in Veronica's book and I'll be remembering the good ol' days. Oh to be young and foolish again. If you'd like to learn more about our round robin altered bookcollaborative and meet the other artists involved in our group, please visit our blog Inner Works.
White Peonies
Time spent in nature
Trips to the beach
Listening to the waves
Pool toys
