My Year Ahead.

I'm back in the studio after two meetings this morning and am super motivated. I've been meeting weekly with another artist/friend since last November. These meetings are all about goals, both career and personal, and keeping each other accountable and on track. Of course there is some small talk and plenty of coffee involved.

The Cityline crew taping in my home/studio.

Much was accomplished last year and probably the highlight was my art/design segment that I worked on with Sharon Grech for Cityline. That dream/goal was a year in the making and well worth the effort. The summer months brought some excitement when I noticed that a couple of my published posters were bestsellers online. Travel is oh soooooo inspiring and there were three trips to Vegas (I know!!) and one to NYC. There were also plenty of field trips to the AGO and local galleries, and I said good-bye to an artist friend that left the country to follow her heart (brave soul)

This coming year is being planned and mapped out. I didn't always do this in fact for so much of my life I just 'let it happen' but now I know that once written down, that dream becomes a goal and attainable.

What I know for sure.

Exercise and eating right are key for me to stay motivated, inspired and happy. Not so much the eating right, that I'm quite good with, but when I get really really busy, the exercise is the first to go. I won't do that this year. The workouts are scheduled in and will happen regularly!!

I need to get out!! Long days painting in the studio can be isolating. I need to get out every day for a twenty minute break, grab a coffee or just a walk around the block. 

A few goals from the past couple of years that were put on hold for one reason or other will be on my calendar this year. The timing is right.

I am going to ask for what I want. Step out of my comfort zone more often, and dream big. I'm not going to let my 'inner critic' screw with me as much. Look out 2015, I've got this!!!!!!

There's Still Time.

There's still time to shop Art Interiors Festival of Smalls. Here are the paintings I created for the show this year, part of my 'birds on wires' series. Don't you just love the round canvas!! One has sold (yay! and thank you) 

Do choose to give original art. It makes a unique and wonderful gift and you are supporting talented artists when you do so. Show runs until December 24th, 2pm. and you can purchase online here.

 Birds on a Wire No. 6

8x8 acrylic on canvas

$200.

available here

 Birds on a Wire No. 5

8x8 acrylic on canvas

$200.

available here

 Birds on a Wire No. 3

8x8 acrylic on canvas

$200.

available here

 Birds on a Wire No. 2

8x8 acrylic on canvas

$200.

available here

Birds on a Wire No. 1

8x8 acrylic on canvas

$200.

available here

Join me on Instagram.

 I'm really enjoying Instagram these days

 It's visual and I get that. A picture (to me) really is worth more than a thousand words.

 If you haven't already, follow me on Instagram

 You can get a glimpse into my muses and inspirations, what I'm working on, upcoming shows and events, and what's going on in my world.

 There might even be surprise sales and a 'giveaway' now and then.

Just sayin :-)

Birches and Birds on Wires.

Birches, Birds, & Wires is a collection of my paintings hanging at Arts on Queen for the month of November. I worked right up until the last minute for this show and a few paintings were varnished and wired for hanging at the very last hour. It's so exciting to see them in the gallery, patiently waiting to be purchased and off to their new homes.

 Arts on Queen. 2198 Queen Street East. Toronto, On

416 699 6127

 In the window

 Pigeons and birds on wires in the gallery

 A selection of my abstracted birches.

 Canadian Beauty

30x40 acrylic on canvas

$2000.

 Urban Still Life

12x36 acrylic on canvas

$750.

 Standing Tall

36x60 acrylic on canvas

Sold. Thank you.

Upward Reaching

36x60 acrylic on canvas

$3000.

A Gorgeous Day

16" round acrylic on canvas

$350.

'A Gorgeous Day' is a 16 inch round, acrylic on canvas painting. It was inspired after I went to see the Alex Colville exhibit at the AGO. Shown here on my easel.

 Portrait No.1-6

6x6 acrylic on canvas/board

$175. each

Pigeons are about as urban a bird can get. You either love them or hate them. I've always been fascinated by them and thought they'd be fun to paint. Painted in acrylic on canvas and board. I custom framed them in black wood frames to keep with the urban feel. They can be purchased separately but would make a nice display with two or three grouped together.

 Urban Landscape No. 1

6x6 acrylic on board

$175. framed

Urban Landscape No. 2

6x6 acrylic on canvas/board

$175. framed

I also included a selection of  'birds on wires' that I've custom framed in distressed silver frames. I think the soft, silver distressed tones of the frames work well with the blues and grays in the painting.  

Art Interiors 21st Annual Festival of Smalls.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's time for Art Interiors Festival of Smalls. In it's 21st year, the festival opens Saturday November 8 and runs to December 24th. Get full details here.

I was so inspired by the Alex Colville exhibit at the AGO this year that I painted small round canvases. They are adorable little round views at 8 inches in diameter. Original acrylic on canvas, I've only painted six of them, exclusively for Art Interiors. I think they will go fast so if you can't get there when the doors open you can purchase online. Just click on the images.

 Birds on a Wire No. 1

$200.

available at Art Interiors

 Birds on a Wire No. 2

$200.

available at Art Interiors 

  Birds on a Wire No. 3

$200.

available at Art Interiors

  Birds on a Wire No. 4

SOLD. Thank you

available at Art Interiors

  Birds on a Wire No. 5

$200.

available at Art Interiors

 Birds on a Wire No. 6

$200.

available at Art Interiors

Bare Walls are Sad. Hang Some ART!

A few years ago when we lived in a north Toronto neighborhood, I used to go for walks after dinner. It was at this time of year when the days were getting shorter and people were turning the lights on earlier, that it was easy to see what kind of art was hanging on the walls. I always thought it strange when there was nothing at all hanging. Not a painting, not a print, not a photograph. Nothing. Bare walls.

My gallery wall, front entrance

Hanging wall art is the easiest way to add personality to a room, to add color, soften hard edges, and even improve mood. Original fine art is a great way to go (I say that because I'm an artist with lots of original art to sell) but anything goes, at least in my book it does. 

Photography, posters, decorative wall art, your kid's art, souvenirs from trip. Whatever it is that you hang, it should be something that you like and makes you happy. Whether its framed vacation photos that stir up great memories, your child's finger painting from grade one , or a small canvas you picked up at an outdoor art show, hang it. Bare walls are just sad. Hang something that speaks to your soul.

Main living space, doors to master bedroom

 Master bedroom, door to master en suite

vignette with painting and objet d'art

New paintings at Arts on Queen for November.

My Studio Table Uncensored and Unedited.

Today's blog post is part of a collaborative pop-up on Seth Apter's blog 'The Altered Page'. Seth has asked all participating artists to share their studio tables uncensored and unedited. After reading my post you can head over to the Altered Page and find links to all the other participating artists. Join the party!!

My studio table was purchased at Ikea about 10 years ago. I wanted to get one with a glass top so I could get messy on it and any acrylic paint or mediums could just be scraped away with a paint scraper. Quick and easy clean-up. I fell in love with this one at the store and the fact that it's the color of beach glass was a bonus. It was table love at first site.

When we moved 4 years ago my trusty studio table now had to double as a dining room table. Not a problem except that I'm not really big on tidying it up at the end of the day so we are usually eating dinner 'Big Bang Theory' style, on the couch holding plates in our laps.

As I am a fine artist and use my easel for large canvases, my studio table is usually piled high with art supplies that I'm using, inspiration sketches, tear sheets from magazines, and just about everything that I might need while working. And of course much needed mugs of coffee or green tea.

When I'm working on small paintings or mixed media work, I can pull up a chair and work right at my studio table. It's large enough to hold supplies with room enough for a nice work area too.

And when we have dinner guests invited my studio table gets the full treatment and gets used for dining. Cheers.

Tiny Little Birds on Wires.

"Don't Get Your Wires Crossed"  

8x24 acrylic on canvas

available here at Art Interiors

I will never get tired of painting these little birds on wires. There is just something so soothing to me about the image. I've been told by so many that it conjures up memories of summer, carefree childhoods and warm breezy days.

It's fun to paint them in different formats. I've done them as single squares, and in multiple views both horizontally and vertically. This particular version is available for purchase here at Art Interiors.

Signed Varnished and Delivered to Art Interiors.

I'm always super excited when I get to deliver new paintings to a gallery. It means that after days and sometimes weeks of working on them, they are done. Signed and varnished. Finished and out of here. Then they get to be seen by lots of people and hopefully go to happy homes. I delivered all of these paintings to Art Interiors last Saturday, so if you'd like one of them to brighten up your space please contact the gallery.

Afternoon Social  20x20  acrylic on canvas
available at Art Interiors

The Gathering 2  20x20  acrylic on canvas

available at Art Interiors

No Mis-communication  12x24  acrylic on canvas

available at Art Interiors

Don't Get Your Wires Crossed  8x24  acrylic on canvas

available at Art Interiors

Six Days  6x36  acrylic on canvas

available at Art Interiors

Original Art Giveaway Update.

If you've read this previous post, you know I have an original art giveaway happening on my fb page, Rita Vindedzis Fine Art. The idea was for people to 'like' my page by April 30th to be eligible to win this original painting in my 'birds on a wire' series. 

After much consideration I have decided that 'Afternoon Tweet-Up' will not be the painting in this give away. As I've delivered new works in this series to my galleries it would be unfair to them if I offered one as a prize here. So out of respect I feel I must change the painting offered.

Instead I am offering this original watercolor painting I did a few years ago. It's matted and ready to be displayed as is, or will fit nicely into a standard 8"x10" frame. So if you haven't already, head over and 'like' Rita Vindedzis Fine Art on facebook and you will be entered to win. Thanks