Studio Activity

Picking up the Pieces

In the fractured life of this pandemic and my blog is long ignored. Starting again, as spring welcomes us all outside with blossom laden streets.

Am working a series based on things seen during my autumn and winter walks as those images need moving from my mind as new ones begs for space. This is the first one of a clumps of leaves that I watched slowly transit to autumn colours. They have the last of my birds from medieval studies, as a farewell gesture to them. The piece has no name yet; names arrive with a body of completed work.

detail from “My Walks …” series

A Break from Painting

Packing an exhibition to go out of town: https://www.theoldschoolhouse.org/exhibitions

Am just back from taking my exhibition “Birds in my Life” to Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. It consists of 26 paintings on cradled wooden panels, in sizes from 8″x10″ to 11″x14″, which all fit nicely into a suitcase, making the move a simple one. It was with great pleasure that I handed my pieces to Iliana Hester, the vivacious artistic director at TOSH (The Old Schoolhouse gallery). I felt very pampered not doing a thing until arriving back two days later for a busy opening with an enthusiastic audience, live piano music, and sunlight pouring in the windows. I am now back home – until March 15th when I go return to collect the pieces.

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  Qualicum Beach walk

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  Heading to Horseshoe Bay

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  Back on the mainland,
  waiting for the bus home ..

A wonderful four day holiday in sunshine every day, with delightful new people. No new drawings but a promise to post fortnightly from now up, whilst at home.

Travels in Argentina

At the end of my travels, I sit drawing, in a peaceful garden in Pinamar unwinding with a pencil, thinking about Salta and all I have seen. Next day, with paints I sit under this pine, listening to parrots chattering and squawking. These small green birds are wild. In summer, they party in a cherry tree once lower branches are picked and fruit has begun to ferment. The result: rowdy drunken parrots falling onto the lawn; their large messy nests must be filled with hung-over birds.

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