Summer Solitude Opens in the Beach

Early Morning Calm
36x36

Quiet Creek
24x30

Morning Mist
18x24

Hot Summer Night
18x18

It seems rather fitting that my next show opens this Saturday at Arts on Queen. It is a long weekend here, I've titled the group of paintings "Summer Solitude" and the gallery, Arts on Queen is in "the Beach" district of the city. Here's a sneak peek at a few of the paintings that will be on exhibit (and available for purchase of course) until the 31st of August. There will be an opening tomorrow from 1-4 pm so if you're in the area please do drop in and say hi.

Window Shopping

I've had a fascination with windows for most of my life, so window shopping is an enjoyable past time for me. There is so much creativity put into store windows these days. I like to keep my camera with me and shoot the ones that I really like. Here are just a few.

Happy Weekend!!

Summer Solitude
20x24
Acrylic on Canvas

It has definitely not been a lazy summer for me. The past few days have been extremely busy finishing up paintings for my next show here in Toronto. "Summer Solitude" begins August 1st and runs until the end of the month at Arts on Queen in the beach district. I'll be posting more about it soon and perhaps sharing some of the work as well. Thanks to all who have emailed me about my acrylic painting demo. I hope it was helpful to those of you that have been wanting to try my method. I've got some more demo ideas in mind. I've even been toying with the idea of a visual demo. Lot's of buzz happening here in my studio getting ready for future shows. I've got a couple of surprises to share but the time is not right yet. I will reveal all soon. Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Another Tasty Tuesday

My easy veggie chili simmering in the pot.

All dressed with grated natcho cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Have I mentioned that we are all "foodies" here. The Food Network is just about always on and we all like to get in the kitchen and whip up some wonderful creations. Today I threw together a pot of my veggie chili before I got into the studio to begin work. When my husband makes his famous chili it's an all day affair and we have plenty for freezing. Last time he did this we had 12 litres of chilli. Yum!!! However, I like to cook Rachael Ray style which is fast and easy. I threw this light vegetarian chilli together in about 20 minutes with ingredients I just happened to have available. Next time I make it, I'll probably have different ingredients in the house and it will be a whole new taste. I usually add firm tofu but as I was out, I added fresh edemame. I like to be adventurous and throw different ingredients together and come up with very stress free recipes. Do you like to cook? If you have any easy recipes that you'd like to share please feel free to comment here.

1 large vidalia onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped into small bite sizes pieces
2 small zucchini, chopped the same as carrots
1 package fresh/frozen edemame, shelled
1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
1 19oz. can black beans
2 chilis in adobo sauce (less for less heat)
2tbls. chili powder
1/2-1 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste
1 big squeeze of ketchup

On medium heat in a large pot, fry the onions for a few minutes just to soften. Add all the other ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnished as desired and enjoy.

Acrylic Painting Demo-Steps 7-8

Step 7. Add another layer of paint to the sky area, blending edges with a damp paper towel. Add some highlights to the water. When this is dry add some very thinned out burnt umber and dark green to the water in sections to resemble shadows in the water.
Step 8. Let your painting dry thoroughly. Have a good look at it and add highlights where you think they should go. Here, I've lightened the grassy area in the center and added highlights on the grassy sections in the front.

detail

See the details in the grass and water. You can really see the texture of the canvas and some of the red oxide coming through the green.

Completed Painting

So here's the finished painting. I hope you've enjoyed this little demo. If you've purchased a painting from me at an art fair or show and asked me how I get that "fuzzy" look and I tried to explain it to you, now I've shown you. It's easier to get when visuals are provided. If you paint and are going to try this technique, I hope I've explained it well enough. Please feel free to share what you've come up with. Don't be shy. Leave a comment and a link if you have one. Show us what you've done.

Acrylic Painting Demo Steps 1-6

Step 1. Start by painting your canvas (mine is textured) with a thin coat of a warm color. I usually use red oxide thinned with a little water and gloss medium. If you wish, you can extend the paint to cover the sides of your canvas. This finishes the edges nicely which is important if your painting will be displayed unframed.
Step 2. Plan your painting. Sketch and paint in the dark areas. Here I've used Liquitex burnt umber and hooker's green deep.
Step 3. Paint in the sky and creek area with a color of your choice. I wanted a fairly simple sky so I've used white with a little yellow ochre and phthalo blue. I allow the sky color to touch up to the edges of the darker color blending the areas with a damp paper towel.
Step 4. When this is dry I go over the edges of the trees with burnt umber and a little medium. I have very little paint on the brush and scummble on the paint. See detail below.
Step 5. I've added burnt umber to some of the areas of the bottom to represent darker patches of grass. I've also added another layer of color to the sky. This time I've used unbleached titanium applying the paint lightly over the burnt umber of the trees and and blending with a damp paper towel.

detail

Step 6. Mix up some greens to use. I've mixed up a dark, a middle and a light green. Add your dark green first, in sections where you want the grass to show some darks. Let some of the orange under painting show through in areas. This is a nice effect and I think makes the grass look more natural. Let this layer dry completely, then add the medium tone of green in sections. Let it dry and then do the same with the lightest green, where you feel the grass should be lighter. Repeat these steps twice to give the grassy areas depth. Also, brush over the light area of the creek with some of the darker green and burnt umber. Wipe away in the direction the water would flow. This is where you can really see the texture on you canvas, if you've used it.

A painting Demo Part One

Very well worn brushes

preparing the canvas

Stage 1 preliminary painting in

I've gotten many requests into showing a bit of a painting demo as to how I achieve my "soft focus" effect in my paintings. If you're a regular to my blog you may remember this post from last year where I showed you one painting from start to finish. I find demos awkward to write up as much of how I paint is intuitive and when I get "in the zone" I find it hard to stop and take photos. I think demos are best done in person when you can actually see the demonstrator doing their thing. I've always loved the idea of doing workshops at a beautiful resort-hhmmmm, perhaps that's in my future at some point?

I generally start with a pre-primed canvas and paint it with a warm base coat, usually red oxide. Then I "sketch" in the darks with thinned acrylic paint and one of my favorite "scraggy" brushes. To achieve my soft focus effect the most important thing for me is having the right brush. I buy very inexpensive brushes and wear them in until I get them just right. The more uneven the edges become the better they are for softening the edges. A combination of dry brushing and many layers of coloralso helps to soften the edges.

Stay tuned for the rest of this demo. I'm in studio this week working on new paintings for this upcoming show and I've got my camera right by my side, ready to shoot as I paint.

Mixed Media Fun-Distressed Elements

Here is a sneak peek at three of my pages in Seth Apter's book for the Inner Works altered book collaborative. The theme here is distressed elements, so I've been using papers that I've faux finished and distressed myself. I've also included some ephemera and old found objects that I've been collecting for awhile. I have one more book in the rotation after this is done and then our Inner Works altered book round robin collaborative will be all finished. Please check out the Inner Works blog here as well as the other very talented artists in our group. Supria, Seth, Jill, Veronica, and Roxanne.

Link Love #5

I went down to check out the 48th Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition this morning. I was impressed not only with the amount of wonderful art on display but by how clean and fresh the show was. You would never know there is a garbage strike going on. Here is my list of personal favorites from the show. Grab a coffee or a beverage and check out these fabulous artists.

Bonnie Brooks
Carolyn Dinsmore
Annie Tung
Robin Tieu
Brian Harvey
Peter Rotter
Virginia May
David Ray Alexander
Elizabeth Lennie
Janette Hayhoe
Sandra Tarantino

Rooftop Views

CN Tower

Looking Down

Spadina Ave. looking south

Looking south east

Facing west

I had the pleasure of lunching on a rooftop garden last week. A few friends, some sushi and a beautiful day. Toronto looks lovely 12 stories up.

A Yummy Start to the Week.

Good Monday morning. Did you have a fabulous weekend?? I hope my many U.S. friends enjoyed their 4th of July celebrations. Now it's a new week with new possibilities. Contrary to that popular 80's hit, I DO like Mondays and here's what I started my day with today. It's been a while since I shared a recipe with you here and here so today I'm sharing my favorite smoothie recipe that I created. Yes, we are a household of foodies here! Try one of these heavenly banana smoothies when you want a light breakfast or snack. It's yummy!!! Oh, and sorry about the somewhat blurry photo, by the time time I looked at the photos my smoothie was done. Cheers.

Heavenly Banana Smoothie

I frozen banana
1 to 11/2 cups soya milk
1 tbls. ground flaxseeds
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Whiz all ingredients in a blender and enjoy.

In2art Gallery

Tranquility 36x48 Acrylic on Canvas
Available at In2art

I'm happy to announce that my work is now carried by a new gallery in beautiful Oakville Ontario. In2art opened earlier this year by owners Kelly McDonagh and Susan Hoeltken, is situated in downtown Oakville at 136 Church St. in the "Valour House". In2art has an urban edge and a design forward approach to art. Clients are given the opportunity to take the art home on a trial basis as Kelly and Susan understand that the art needs to work within your home and budget. In2art is a relaxed gallery space where both experienced and new art collectors can discover great contemporary painting, photography, etching, and multimedia. You can view all the gallery artists here.