Opening the Gallery at the Porch Door for the season!

 It's that time again...time to open up the Gallery at the Porch Door! Woohoo!  It's my third season of business and once again I'm looking forward to greeting the spring/summer visitors who will grace my porch this year.  The past 2 days have been pretty hectic; I stopped by a gallery yesterday morning that was showing some of my recent works; I decided I want to show it in my porch this summer, so asked to make a switchermaroo with them. I was happy to find out they were totally fine with the short notice, and so flexible too. Win, win. They got a fresh change on their walls, and I got my recent work back for my gallery.  
If you're in my neighbourhood, please stop in and have a peek...I'm open Wed- Fri 1-5pm and weekends by chance throughout the spring summer until the end of August.

Art Among the Ruins - June 15th

This is the postcard I just received for a wonderful summer art show I'll be participating in this year. Posting it here for a little early advertising. 

"Art Among the Ruins" is a large annual outdoor art show and sale set among picturesque ruins of a 19th century mill beside rapids of the Napanee River. in Newburgh, Ontario. Featuring over 55 local artists showcasing juried-quality paintings, sculpture, mosaic tile, fibre, wood, paper, photography & more! BBQ lunch is available to purchase. Music. Free admission. 613-378-6516.  www.artamongtheruins.com

beachside

Worked on a few small ones last week while away in Florida, though i must confess to being pretty lazy the majority of the time:) ... I did find plenty of inspiration for my beach blocks series... I love the colour combos and holiday feel of beachside dwellings. Check out the pink chimney to match this cute one.

On morning and evening walks around the village, I  noticed the gorgeous tropical floral scents in the air.  

 
 

summer pub

Worked on this painting again this afternoon.  Even though it was raining outside today, i had the windows in the studio open and was listening to the birds singing while I painted. Lovely. I guess they're happy for rain and not snow.  Me too...although they are forcasting a winter storm warning for the Ottawa region for Friday.  bah humbug.  I hope our flight isn't delayed.  Our holiday to Florida starts Friday, and we're meant to be flying from Ottawa.  fingers crossed.  I am so looking forward to sunshine!

The abundance of spring fundraisers

It's that time of year...seems spring is the season for fundraisers!  I do get my fair share of requests for donations of artwork to help good causes.  After participating in creating a door to auction for a cancer support club last month, I have had three more requests, all within a week.  I chose one of the three, and have decided to pass on the other two.  This is the painting I chose to donate for the auction at a spring ball for Juvenile Diabetes. 

Window Seat on the Water - acrylic, 18 x 18"

While all of the causes are good ones, juvenile diabetes has special significance for me as my close friend's daughter was diagnosed with diabetes when she was about 8, and I'm well aware of what a challenge it is for people dealing with the disease.

Today in my studio I completely changed the pub painting that I started a few days ago. I kind of knew I would change it, after I could see it was heading in the wrong direction.  This is where we are today...quite different.

The one in the background hanging above the shelf is the block in for the Merchant;the evening light on the stone building is the main event.  The one on the easel is the Ports and i'm painting it over an orange ground.  I want the summer evening light to be the purpose for it too.  I'm planning to put figures in both of them, to keep them from looking like haunted houses...I'll post when done.

summer pub evenings

Back in the studio this week, I'm feeling like painting Kingston again...an old pub or two...these are some of my fav's in Kingston. Last summer in the evening I took some photos. I've been wanting to paint them ever since...something about the atmosphere... a feeling of pleasant anticipation...friends meeting up, sharing stories, a pint , possibly a musical evening...
I started one painting yesterday, but still working out the design of it. This will change drastically before I'm satisfied.  I hope to post progress as I go. 
Dave and I dont go to pubs much anymore, mostly because we live in the country, the drive to town and back is a deterrant. The Merchant is one of the pubs we enjoy. It's an oldie.  When i was a student in Kingston, i used to sometimes go with my friends to the Portsmouth Tavern, it's been the heart of Portsmouth village for many years too.  A sense of history surrounds you in both places.

Mini Reproductions, Art shows, and the winners of the Classic

These are 4 x 4 inch blocks with mounted mini-reproductions of some of my artwork.  I propped them up in the sunshine here near a window sill, but i will take better pictures for etsy sales.  I like the presentation better than offering them in cello bags. Each one is centred and mounted on a sanded, gessoed wood block, then finished with a protecting coat. The titles of each one is onthe back. They're finished with a small saw-tooth hanger. I will offer them for sale in my gallery when i open it in May(not long now!) and they will come with me to some summer art fete's. 
I will be at Windsor park in Ottawa south for a one day arts and crafts show on Sunday June 9th.  I will also be at Art Among the Ruins this year on Saturday June 15th.  In July I will also be participating in Fantasy in the Forest, which is a fun weekend show taking place on July 20, 21st near Perth Road Village.
Two more piccys from the Easter Classic below; me throwing  a bolo, and here's the champions this year, brother and sister team Jeff and Lori, a.k.a: Betty's Angels

 

Easter Classic weekend

We were thanking our lucky stars on Saturday as our Easter Classic Bolo tournament swung into action...the sunshine and warmer temps between days of gray and cold were such a tonic.  Having the family here is a special gift for Dave and I, but the sunshine was icing on the cake; especially since Easter was so early in the season this year. Everybody was in a good mood, Dave too...the sun was in his eyes here. heh heh.  Nights saw us enjoying campfires.  Matt, who is Rachel's boyfriend played guitar for us, setting a mellow mood.  You might have to cover your ears from our singing!