All of this leads to the question: when do I follow the crowd, and when do I follow my “heart” (not to sound too flaky)? Perhaps I need a mentor who can give me wise guidance and critique from a standpoint I can understand artistically. I don’t like painting with the goal of meeting trends, and satisfying the fickle preferences of the mob.

Eventually the moment of truth came when it was time for the live auction… and I sat down wishing I could be invisible. Funny the thoughts that came to mind then.

What does “Lady Driven” mean?… Growing up I thought it meant only what Chrysler Ontario’s website says: “A few decades ago, when women were less likely to drive their own vehicles, it was meant to imply that the car had been driven ever so gently.” … But guess what! I actually fit within the obsolete stereotype to a degree.

There is increased tranquility when I settle within myself that the object of my art display is simply for me to be available for whatever conversations may be valuable.

Each year an undeniable sign that summer has commenced is the profuse deluge of mulberries that fall from our front tree, staining our front walk and driveway; attracting birds for a feeding frenzy; and even tempting our pup to snack – we just discovered.

I hope you are able, and willing, to join me in creeping out of social hibernation to thaw and be re-energized with some wonderful human interaction this Spring. If I can do it, you can too!

I was extremely humbled and encouraged to read a golden nugget in an email from one of my amazing collectors who recently provided a home for the little Boreal Owl who was featured in last month’s update. She wrote “Art and artists are so important. So thank you for…expressing yourself visually. Beauty, awe and wonder are so needed these days.”(emphasis mine). I love that idea!

As I was working away on these portraits of powerhouse women, some thoughts came to mind based on their attire. I’ll plainly confess, I don’t know much of significance (if anything) about the worlds from which these two hail. Consequently my following mental musings may lack some critical background information…

Wherever you are, whatever you find yourself doing at the end of 2021, I hope that you can to peer through the gloom of difficult circumstances, and focus on the things that bring a smile to your heart. There is Light to be found in the Christmas season, but sometimes we have to look hard for it and push the shadows out of the way very intentionally.

Until recently I had only a superficial appreciation about them; however, as with most things, the more one focuses on it, the more one’s interest or awareness of it grows.

Part of the reason I suggested this scene to my client was that the river rock is composed of a lot of greys and blues that meshed well with the décor and feel of the lobby and office space. Looking back I’m astounded that I didn’t see more in the reference image.

Despite the riskiness of it, being an Artist is actually a good path for me, but it has pitfalls about which I must be aware.

I’m enjoying creating a small series fungus paintings on round canvases as a fun (!) start to the year.

When Pat opened the brown-paper package, delivered later that week, she gasped. It was that delightful. McClintock Bay and her sister’s front-lot trees were captured perfectly in the reflecting windows. Her sister would have her lakeview memorialized, along with her wilderness cabin—if Pat could now part with it.

With this update come sincere hopes that you and your loved ones have faired well through this difficult few months and are healthy and well. I also extend a caring “hang in there” to those for whom this Pandemic lock-down has been especially trying.

2019 was to be a ‘production year’ for me to restock my supply of art for exhibitions; consequently, I only participated in three shows…. 60% of my work was commissions (custom paintings ordered by specific clients), some of which were extremely involved, and were quite challenging.

My mother…excels at all things food-related. From the sourcing and procuring of delicious food…to the storage of said food, to the preparation and serving of it, she sails though the tasks with a calm, controlled, enviable knowing….The kitchen is her domain, to be sure. And she is not stingy with it, or its bounties.

Spurred by this age of selfies and social media presence/followings, I have been thinking about how much we, as a society, are desperate to portray ourselves in ways that we perceive as positive.

I was invigorated when I pulled through a gruelling training session. I liked to think I was developing “grit”. Angela L. Duckworth says “Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years, despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress.”

I was always a “dog person” and therefore never considered having a cat. And then I met the man of my dreams, and low, he came with a cat. One doesn’t simply discard such a rare opportunity because of a feline. So, by marriage, I became a cat owner.