Summertime. Yay!

Ocean View  48x60 acrylic on canvas

$4000.

email me for purchasing info

After so many days away from the studio it's been kind of hard to get back into the swing of things. When we got home from Vegas I had to do piles of laundry and vaccum up a ton of cat hair. I looked at the canvases half done waiting to be finished, but they would have to wait a little longer. There was the weekend to enjoy and then of course another day off to celebrate Canada Day. 

Summer is in full swing right now and I'm ready to hit the beach. Unfortunately those lazy days will have to wait awhile longer. Vacation time is done for now and it's time to get back to painting. I was fortunate to have two of my galleries contact me for new work while I was away. No time to waste, I must finish up what was started and get started on more new paintings. I came back with a ton of inspiration so I'll be painting up a storm for the next few weeks. I'll also be getting the portfolio up onto ritavindedzis.com very soon now. Thank you for your patience. In the meantime work that I have available in the studio for purchase can be viewed on the 'available in studio' page right here on my blog.

Paintings Available in Studio.

Did you know you can arrange a studio visit? If you're in the Toronto area and are interested in purchasing directly from the artist (that would be me) you can arrange an appointment to come and view the paintings I have available for purchase in my home/studio.

 Coastal  12x36x2

acrylic on canvas  

$1500.

I've just updated the 'Available in Studio' page. Scroll down to see a select list of landscapes and abstracts that are available for purchase. 

I have many smaller works on canvas as well as works on paper. There are just too many to post. These will be available at the next studio sale, but if you just can't wait contact me to arrange a studio visit.

Still don't see quite what you're looking for? Customization is available and can be as simple as changing the size of the piece or color palette. I'm happy to create a completely custom commission just for you. Drop me an email to discuss.

Back to Work.

The weather is perfect today to start a new project. Humidity is gone and there's a great breeze happening so I can paint with the balcony door and windows wide open. This huge piece of canvas is for the Cityline segment that I'm working on. You can read how my 'dream project' came to reality here and here. When complete, it will be a one of a kind floor cloth.

In looking at this photo I kind of feel that I've bitten off more than I can chew at this point. The piece of canvas I'm working with is quite large, about 6'x7'. So far I've only used this painting technique on stretched canvas that was 4'x5'.

As the canvas is much larger and un-stretched I'll have to paint it on the floor. It will be a bit of a challenge painting it this way but I'm definitely up for that. I don't want to share too much of my process as I want to save it for the big reveal. Stay tuned.

One DIY Project Completed.

Last week my studio was a little crazy. While working on my summer DIY from my previous post, in a burst of creative energy I started on two more projects. I even grabbed my camera (yes, I was fearless!) and started filming my progress as I worked. I held the camera in my left hand as I painted with my right hand all the while describing my technique. I don't think any of it is good enough to share, at least not without a lot of editing, but with the right set up I could definitely get into it. Is Youtube in my future? Perhaps. Maybe a few segments on Cityline? now that would be fun. But enough daydreaming...

Here is the inspiration that started this whole project. These gorgeous carpets from Modern Weave. They are sooooo beautiful but not in my budget at the moment, so I decided to make my own.

I had an old abstract landscape painting that I painted a few years ago, on a stretched canvas. A good size for a carpet at 48" x 60". The idea was that I'd paint it and then remove it from the stretcher to use as a carpet.

The look/feel I was going for is from the Modern Vintage collection. I used my fave Benjamin Moore paints and instead of a brush I used my trusty brayer to apply all the paint. By using the brayer all the textures and even some of the original painting show through giving it that vintage look.

From the Benjamin Moore Colour Trends 2012, Earth & Sky I used Wythe Blue, Sharkskin, Fresh Olive, and Battenburg. I also used Crown Point Sand and Lemon Chiffon. There are only hints of the old colors (cobalt blue and unbleached titanium) of the painting showing through in spots. By using the Benjamin Moore paints it will hold up to the wear and tear that a carpet would get.

I could have started with a large piece of new canvas but it made more sense to me (and my wallet) to recycle and re-use the  painting that I didn't want anymore. In this detail you can see how painting with a brayer picks up on the texture from the previous painting on the canvas.

Here is the finished canvas. At this point I could remove it from the stretcher and fold the ends under and use it as a carpet as I had planned, but I decided to put a wire on it and hang it in the bedroom just to see how it looked.

Well, you guessed it. I think it looks great here and works well in the bedroom. I like it so much that I'm having second thoughts now about using it as a carpet at all.

I think I'll live with it for awhile and perhaps it will stay on the wall for good. Then I'm back to square one and will have to paint another canvas to use as a carpet in the living room. Stay tuned.

*Please note you can see the colors I used as well as all the colors in the many Benjamin Moore collections here in the color gallery.

My Corporate Collection 2

Last September blackDot.ca moved into a new office space and so my corporate collection moved along with them. You may remember from this post that I was asked by blackDot.ca to paint large abstracted landscapes in corporate colors. I was happy to paint them quite a few larger works in exchange for a website and hosting services (and yes being married to one of the owners helped lol) I'm looking forward to a major site update very soon.

It was great seeing blackDot.ca mentioned in two episodes of Kevin O'Leary's newest show Redemption Inc. on CBC. Egils and Jani offered custom designed websites in the exit packages for two of the participants.

A Peek Inside My Home/Studio

Living and working in the same space can be challenging at times. My tiny studio space is just a corner of the living/dining open concept room. Every inch of space counts and having canvases all over drives me crazy. So I've started to make use of all the wall space available. We are lucky, we have more wall space than many of the newest condos going up in the area-they seem to be all glass. Where does one hang their art??

    
At first I thought it odd to hang artwork so high but as we have 10 ft. ceilings it works. Here I've hung a 12x48 in. landscape above the entrance to the master bedroom. The framed painting on the left hangs above the large flat screen television.

I finally got four "Birches" paintings framed together and am very pleased with the look. Separately they are four 12x36 in. canvas panels, but stacked on top of each other and framed in a black floating frame, they look like one large "Birches" abstract.

This space by the window in the master bedroom is a perfect spot to hang one of my vertical "Birches". I painted this one just for me. 

This spot above the kitchen sink and stove top area is perfect for display. I've set up a little retro vignette with some favorite items. The "R" was a gift that I received this past Christmas (thanks sweety) It came from Metropolis Living.

Stage Your Home with Art.

Friends of ours have put their luxury condo up on the market. They had the condo cleaned and staged and it looks gorgeous. I am always thrilled to see my paintings hanging in people's homes.

The painting above was done a few years ago. It's still one of my favorite cloudscapes and I'm lucky enough to get to see it every now and then.

The framed painting above the fireplace was painted as a wedding gift. The bride requested one of my cityscapes. It's similar to "Lonely Street" that appeared on an episode of HGTV's "Income Property" but of course it is one of a kind. It was delivered last week just in time for the open house.

I'm happy to report that this beautiful unit in the Merchandise Building sold within a week.

Abstract Expressionist Artists at the AGO.

 Jackson Pollock

 Mark Rothko

Last week I went to the members preview of "Abstract Expressionist New York, Masterpieces from the Museum of Modern Art" at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Out of all the artists included in this group, and there are many, my two favorites have always been Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.

Abstract Expressionism was an American painting movement that flourished in the 1940's and 50's. This generation of artists experienced the Great Depression, the Holocoust, and the dropping of the Atom Bomb. This quote from Jackson Pollock explains the movement very well. "It seems to me that the modern painter cannot express this age, the airplane, the atom bomb, the radio, in the old forms of the Renaissance or of any other past culture. Each age finds it's own techniques."

This show continues until September 4, 2011 at the AGO.



This was a generation of artists who had just come through the Great Depression of the 1930s, and who had witnessed the Holocaust and the dropping of the atomic bomb. Instead of falling into despair, they sought to invent a new language of art, which by extension would imply a new culture, a new civilization and a new beginning for humankind in general.This was a generation of artists who had just come through the Great Depression of the 1930s, and who had witnessed the Holocaust and the dropping of the atomic bomb. Instead of falling into despair, they sought to invent a new language of art, which by extension would imply a new culture, a new civilization and a new beginning

Art in a Corporate Setting Part 2.

Art in a Corporate Setting.

I was invited down to the offices of Odgers Berndston today to take a tour. Thirty-A Retrospective, runs until April 22 and if you read this post, you'll know that 30 selected paintings are hanging in this corporate setting. I was pleased to see that my landscapes, abstracted landscapes and abstracts fit well in this office setting. I received many compliments from the staff which was very nice. Although all the paintings are for sale this show is by appointment only.

Inspired by the Street.

I've been inspired lately by what I see in the streets as I make my way around. They seem to be everywhere in this neighborhood.

Graffiti. Street Art. I don't know who the artists are but I admire their free spirit. The bold colors are in your face.

I see them purely as abstracts.

Bold uses of shape and color and graphic black and white.

"Art Is"  40x40  Mixed Media on Canvas.
$2300.

I finished this large mixed media abstract last Friday with graffiti walls as inspiration. I began by covering the entire canvas with magazine pages from an old issue of Canadian Art. Then many layers of paint and a few circle stamps later "Art Is" was completed.

"Art Is" detail. I left some small areas of magazine pages showing. Upside down is more interesting don't you think? This painting would work well in an urban loft or in an office or public space.

I thoroughly enjoyed the process of collage and painting on a large scale and am quite happy with the results. I think I'll continue with a series of abstracts.

Thirty. A Retrospective.

Distant Storm

36x48 Acrylic on canvas

$2500.

Evening Glow

40x40 Acrylic on Canvas

$2300.

Autumn Lake

48x60x2

$4000.

Thirty of my paintings will be hanging in the offices of Odgers Berndston Toronto, for three months. Thirty-A Retrospective, curated by Donald Brackett is a collection of landscapes, abstracted landscapes and pure abstract. Although I've titled this show a retrospective in that it is a collection of paintings completed over the past five years, I've chosen to include three large abstracts which I just completed this month. Honestly, I'm varnishing them this week so yes, they are very fresh off the easel.

This show is also different than any art fair or gallery show that I've participated in the past in that it's 'by appointment only'. The paintings are displayed throughout the offices along with the permanent collection so it must be done this way. Not a problem though, as I'll have new postcards made with my contact information available there for people to take with them, and those interested in seeing the show can just email me to arrange a viewing. I'm happy to answer any purchasing inquiries you may have. I'll also be posting images here on my blog.

Donald Brackett is a Toronto based art critic and educator who teaches an integrated culture course at OCAD, exploring the history, issues, theory and practice of art, design, and architecture.

My Corporate Collection

blackDot.ca recently moved into a much larger studio space. Here are a few views of my paintings in the new larger and much brighter space. These paintings are quite large, 36"x36", 36"x60", and 48"x60", as I was asked to make the paintings large, abstract and in keeping with the company colors.