the neurotic nature of re-working

work in progress - 12 x 16

Yesterday I started re-working a painting that I had previously scraped down, because it bugged me...I went in with cobalt blues and glazing 3/4 of the board and I can actually say that I'm liking the direction it's taking now.  There is something that seems a bit neurotic to me about spending all day painting, only to scrape it all off, then spend umpteen hours contemplating if I might be able to bring it back to life in some way.  ha!  I think it's the challenge of ressurecting something that's failed.  anyways.......

work in progress - 12 x 16

While waiting on glazes to dry I got interested in some resource photos I took at Frontenac Provincial Park on my ipad a while back, then before I knew what was what I was squeezing out oils onto another palette to start on this beaver dam.   It felt good to just follow where the muse led.

Canadian shield rock pool

watercolour - 11 x 15  -$250

Thought I'd post one of my watercolour's from the weekend workshop in Westport.   Doug Mays was  instructor and he did a marathon of 4 demonstrations throughout the weekend ranging from watercolor landscapes to florals.  We all got to paint too, and I found it relaxing and pleasurable splashing around again. (it's been a while since I got out my watercolors) This landscape feature, near Eel Bay, is a glistening little rock pool completely surrounded by mossy Canadian shield, situated high on a granite cliff.  The brilliance of the water reflecting the sky was fun to paint, and the point where I started.  I may have over-exaggerated it a bit.  The challenge for me while painting this one was to leave some whites of the paper, which is something I have gotten out of the habit of...but I feel I managed it.

galleries, moving and other fun stuff

One week ago I dropped off a bunch of new paintings with Johanne at the Perth, Ontario gallery 'Gallery on Gore'.  It's always such a treat to make that gallery delivery!  Johanne is enthusiastic and excited to see the new work.  Usually I trade my new pieces for my current work that she has in the gallery, but she's sold most of it, and so didn't want to give me back the pieces that are left.  All good for me, because I'll be needing storage space anyways for some of my art while our house goes back on the market next week! Yes!  It's back to a return of cleanliness and tidiness for showings again.  aaargghh!

Porch gallery this morning is
squeaky clean and almost empty!

My porch gallery got an overhaul yesterday!  I needed to make it suitable as the primary entrance point to our home for showings, so I spent the entire day removing all other work in the space and now it holds only a sampling of my own work(stuff that is not out at other galleries).  I wont be operating The Gallery At The Porch Door as a seasonal gallery now.  It was bittersweet for me cleaning it out yesterday, because it was such a fun venture for me...but 5 years since I opened it, life brings changes, and I'm happy to roll along with them and try different things.  It's going to be a big downsize (think Kijiji will be my new go to site for a while!) for us getting ready to move into a smaller rented house than this sweet 200 year old charmer of a house.  Dave and I have been looking at rentals to prepare ourselves for making stage 1 of our move (we will move to a rental here in Kingston, then when he retires in 4 years we will move to Victoria), and have seen a couple of suitable places already, we are looking forward to when we'll be able to commit and sign a lease...but first we must sell our own place.  As you can guess there is not a lot of painting going on with me these days... too much other stuff on my mind with the impending move.
I am however,wearing the cap of coordinator for workshops for RLAA this year, and will be attending a watercolor workshop with Doug Mays this coming weekend in Westport, which I'm sure will be enjoyable, especially as I'll be meeting with a few close art friends for it, and will be painting with them.

I just returned from a week in Halifax  with my daughter Rachel, Matt & Ella(grandaughter).  I was needing my Ella fix...20 months old;  pure joy for Grammie!  A perfect distraction it was. We painted a birdhouse, and did lots of other fun stuff.