Suncatcher

Suncatcher

8" x 8"

Mixed media

Canvas

I had long admired the sunflowers in my friend’s garden. There were dozens of them everywhere but especially snuggled up next to the fence both north and east. Faces of gold, burgundy and all variations in between turned to greet the sun. It was a particularly warm, sunny afternoon when I dropped in for a visit. Gertrude is an excellent listener. I had a distressing problem I wanted to air and we sat in the backyard under the sturdy spruce trees sipping something cool. The flowers waved their greeting and nodded in agreement every time I made a point. I love flowers. Just before I got up to go the offer came. Take some home. Yes. Lovely. I filled a five gallon bucket and we loaded it into the van. There were too many for just one bouquet. I arranged two vases and took one to the studio to set on the table just in front of the window. As I entered the store I was informed that they were not sunflowers but daisies. A lively discussion ensued on the benefits of having flowers brighten our day. Laughing we came to the conclusion that the daisies were just what we both needed. Happily I installed my still-life and another Tiny Treat was born. 

The Other Side

The Other Side
15" x 11"
Watercolour

The leaves were so brilliant, intense. I collected fist-fulls. Carefully I placed them in between sheets of wax paper and dumped a bunch of phone books on top. Someone told me they would turn brown. I refused to believe, after all, they had kept their colour before. Just in case, I worked another watercolour and took a bunch of pictures. I suspected I knew the truth. My intention is to use these lovely masterpieces in a collection of abstract paintings, another series just begun. In the meantime I enjoyed my cozy view of the very soggy landscape outside wondering if the boats moored and beached on the other side of the lake were used often. Once I was home I carefully unpacked my treasures and to my dismay the yellow had begun to disappear. The red and the multicolours remained, not quite a brilliant as before. I do have a solution however. Necessity is the mother of invention and yellow is really essential to my composition. Brown will do too, red, purple, green and anything in between. Yellow comes in an artificial form carefully shaped and coloured. Tissue paper leaves will peek out here and there accenting patterns and enhancing rhythms. Next year I will select a few bright yellow real ones and seal them in acrylic. Perhaps it is the air that disagrees with the longevity of hue. Like canning, the sooner the better.

Recycle

Recycle
15" x 11"
140lb watercolour paper

Martin and I had decided to take our chances on finding a place to stay as we pulled out of Montreal. A nice bed and breakfast would be good, not too far from Québec City where we had chosen to spend most of our time. About twenty kilometers out the B&Bs disappeared. A highway sign indicated that there was a campground nearby with some cabins. Why not? The chalet was exquisite with a large front window overlooking Lac St. Augustin. Lovely. The leaves glowed. I could spend the five days just here. We bought groceries and I set about the challenge of cooking without the usual abundance of pots and pans or ingredients. Did I mention? I love a challenge. Fun fun. Our first visit to Québec, many years ago, had involved four children and a very different camping routine. As we had walked past the cafes and bistros I had promised myself that we would return when we could enjoy them. It was raining the following day so we decided to stay and enjoy each other’s company in hopes the weather would improve. I set up my paints and began to draw the scenes out the window. The very next day we set out in the rain, exploring old Québec, revisiting the Artist Alley with time to stop and talk. I was thankful not to be manning a post there. It was cold. Occasionally I really wonder about my passion and what keeps us going as artists. We explored ruins, a café and ate some sandwiches under a leafy canopy. The rain did not abate. On the subsequent day during our trip to the Charlevoix region, fog set in with the rain. There is a grandiose viewpoint overlooking the St. Lawrence where we stopped to stretch our legs. I noticed that we could not see the parking lot below but the pictures on the wall were lovely. At Baie St. Paul we explored some galleries and decided to call it quits. I was anxious to get back to the paintings I had started. We spent most of our last day in the cabin painting and reading. A blessed repose. The sun came out and we went for a walk. I would finish my paintings in the morning….There is a lesson in this. Something about blooming where I am planted and filling each present moment with joy. Sometimes why I am an artist is no mystery at all.

Treasures

Treasures
5" x 7"
watercolour/ink
140lb watercolour paper

Jet lag. That is my excuse. So I woke up at 4am this morning and remembered my blog. Knowing that sleep was no longer possible I rose to the occasion. Yesterday I did manage to take pictures of the paintings I had done this last week. The only one I actually painted en plein air is this one. It rained most of the time but not this day. This day was perfect. The morning began with sunshine and laughter as good friends shared food for body and soul. It was about noon when breakfast moved into kayaking. I had never kayaked before. I had done some rowing so I was aware of the theory involved. Dropping my camera and my portable studio behind my seat I paddled out behind the leaders. I got wet. The sun shone, a light breeze  brushed through the splendid colours embracing the lake edge and over the water, pushing me around. The panorama was breath taking. New Hampshire in September. I had parked my paddle, allowing the will of the wisp to take me. Everything moved. I prefer quiet corners. We explored many quiet corners behind islands and in reedy lagoons. My first attempt at anchoring my kayak occurred in a reedy patch. Later I discovered my draft was not always small enough to clear the rocks and mud banks. It has to do with body weight and breakfast… or many breakfasts. We skirted the shore, my camera and I often pulling up the rear. Finally turning a point we found ourselves out of the wind, the five kayaks snuggled together as we savoured our experience and friendship. The entrance to the mouth of the creek was tricky, very shallow and crisscrossed with rocks and gravel banks. Where there is a will there is a way. I knew this is what I had been looking for. I parked my kayak on a rock, got out my paints and set to work. Carefully I placed my two little jam jars of water in the bilge, propping them up with my rain gear, selected some brushes and set to work. Eventually I noticed the abundance of flowing water around me. I laughed, rinsed my brush and finished the painting.