The long view

How you frame a photo gives you insight into compositions that interest you.  I would love to say I take all kinds of time setting up shots and giving conscious thought to why I'm framing in a certain way, but it would be a bold faced lie.  I put  the camera up and snap in a second or two; it all boils down to impatience.  It's only after I get home that things start to make any sense for me as I analyze what I've taken.  I think we are attracted to things unconsciously and patterns are only revealed at a later date. Alas, photography is only fodder for my painting.

Here's a collection from beautiful Devon  I've put together for your perusal and comment.

 

 

 

Hope you 're not leaving without your say.

The new landscape

Guess the mystery material for this very abstract work.

 My eyes  always wander once I've had a good close up look at something.

 I shot this in Berlin.  It seemed appropriate with my I Pad weighing down my shoulder bag while I looked at remnants of the Berlin wall in Potsdamer Platz. The unusual material for the abstract work is on the wall.

Painting on and off

 Focused

It seems I'm about to break my  painting focus  assumed over the last month.  On August 24th we leave for three weeks in Germany and then a week in England. Having visited both countries before I have a good idea of what is in store generally, but each visit brings something new to my life.  Travel offers  much inspiration for my art.  While I never create work while travelling (not even sketching) I take numerous photos.  They often end up in mixed media work as image transfers or when sorted at a later date they provide new themes to explore.  Every major trip I've taken in the last ten years has resulted in subtle changes in my thinking about the work I create.  I can never predict beforehand how I will be affected, but I know I will be.  It's like Christmas.  You know you'll get a gift but you don't know what. I'm looking forward to a fall of interesting blogging.

Ready to eat it all up!

Stay tuned.

Ready to go

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go on my painting holiday. I just have to remain patient until tomorrow morning when I leave St. John's at 6:15 a.m..  One of the major problems living so far east is the early rise to catch a flight if you want to be somewhere else at a reasonable hour.  I fly into Boston and will arrive at 9:00 a.m..We have a whole day  before we leave to drive to the encaustic conference.

 Conference founder and director Joanne Mattera, in conjunction with the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, are pleased to announce that The Fifth International Encaustic Conference will take place June 3-5, 2011 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, with Post-con Workshops June 6-10 at the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill.

Where are the ducks?

I've been busy all week attending to all those details of your life you have to get organized before you go on a holiday.  My ducks will not submit to organization of any type!  I accomplish one task and another is added or mutates into something else.  At one point I misplaced my lengthy list - not organized at all.  I'm sure that when the morning of June 1 arrives I will be in tip top shape as I fly off to Boston to meet my friend Carol Bajen-Gahm who is attending the International Encaustic Conference with me.

I have a new Ipad and I plan to use it to write a few posts during the conference- if I have it figured out by then. I know I can take pictures and I assume I can get them into a post.  My granddaughter who is 41/2 is very impressed with my new toy and not afraid of it at all.  She knew all about apps and has the idea of free and paying for them. She has been impressing me with her ability to read free and use it as an argument to download kid friendly apps.  How different from my childhood of meadows and seashore, marbles and playing house.

Slow

The pace of my life has decreased considerably this week. I am back at my summer house and the painting I am doing is limited to walls and doors! It has been very warm even by the ocean and the whales are beginning their yearly visit to the harbour. This is my favouite time of summer. Nothing can beat the feeling you get when the sun sparkles the water and the whales skim and blow. The quietness of it permeates your whole being.

I have four 16 inch square canvases lined up on my painting table. Nothing has changed their pristine surfaces yet. I go into the studio, sit in my chair and read and sometimes look up to see their blankness - the perfect example of minimilism! I've been waiting impatiently for a book to arrive from a second hand bookstore. Color in Contemporary Art was recommended by a friend of mine. It would be the perfect reading diversion right now but it just won't show up on my doorstep.

Re- purposing in sculpture

It seems my last art trip became more about viewing three dimensional art than my usual 2D. It just happened that way. My friend took me to Storm King Art Center which is in Mountainville, New York.

Storm King is a museum that celebrates the relationship between nature and sculpture. There are 500 acres of landscaped lawns, fields and woodlands which provide a backdrop for the sculptures of international artists. Certainly we didn't walk the 500 acres, but we did get to see quite a bit of the property. We opted to begin our explorations with a tram ride that highlighted many of the major works on display. This gave just enough information for us to decide where we wanted to spend more time and get close up views.

I had my favourites which I'll continue to explore in several future posts. One of the themes I noticed was the re- purposing of materials.




The re-purposing of of materials to create objects that are both functional and beautiful is artfully accomplished by Johnny Swing. Among other things he's created a series of Coin Furniture. His Butterfly Chair (2002) was created by welding7000 half dollars together and the Nickel Couch is self explanatory. Additional works in this series can be found on his website. The undulating curves were very inviting and made me want to caress the surfaces. The overall appeal was one of softness but sitting on them was anything but! They were hard, cold and damp on the overcast day we visited.


A Moment in Time (2004) by Chakaia Booker was created using rubber tires, stainless steel and wood. The organic shapes and the texture drew me in immediately. I couldn't imagine that such delicate forms could be created from tires. My mind was running wild with questions about her process. I wasn't familiar with this artist when I first came upon her work but further research when I got home reminded me that indeed I had seen some of her sculpture in various art magazines. This Africian American artist was born in 1953 in Newark, NJ and attended Rutgers University, receiving a degree in Sociology and a Masters of Fine Art from City College of NY in 1993. She began working with rubber tires in the early 1990's and continues to work in this medium. Writings about her work indicate a concern for social issues. Want to find out more? Check out these articles in Art Daily and The Village Voice '

Blue is the colour

I'm back from my ten day vacation. We covered a lot of miles driving from Calgary, Alberta to Kelowna, British Columbia and saw the most spectacular scenery as we drove through the Rockies. I don't think I've ever been up that high. Living in a city that is 483 feet above sea level makes me a sea level gal. Huffing uphill in Banff (5198 feet above sea level) was a chore.

Yes, there's still ice and snow high in the mountains. I've decided it isn't possible to recreate that green blue colour that is the result of high mountain run off. I saw it so many times in rivers and lakes. My husband went with a friend to Lake Louise while I slaved away at meetings in Banff. It was spectacular he tells me. Looking at his photograph I'd have to agree.

Seeing mountains and sky up close has awakened my senses to the many colour of blue that exist in the environment. Some are subtle leaning toward gray while others are vivid like the sky below. I have difficulty mixing such blues and now they seem to be ingrained in my mind. Some experimentation is in order. One of the things I've decided to do over the summer months is start a colour journal where I will record methodical colour experiments. I already have a haphazard colour journal to keep track of mixes I've used, but there is nothing methodical about it.


Do you have favourite formulas for blue or tips to share to make a blue an easy study? I'd also be interested in any recommendations for excellent books about studying colour.

Travelling gal

I'm home! Do I still remember how to write a blog post? I guess I do. Today I have the opposite problem I usually have when I sit down to write. There are too many topics rattling around in my brain and all my reference photos have yet to make the journey from camera to computer.

I plan a series of posts about the highlights of my two week trip to New York, Springfield, Boston, and points in between here and there, but it will be awhile before they are composed because my immediate life dictates time in the studio. I an off to Banff, Alberta for CARFAC's National Conference of Visual Artists on May 12 and then to Kelowna, British Columbia to visit friends before returning home on May 23 .

With just one week in between my two trips I have a short window of opportunity to do all those last minute things to get my work delivered to the gallery on May 25. My heart is beating a little faster these days. I haven't felt this time crunch and the resulting body stress since I left my full time job as a school board consultant nine years ago.

Today I have to revise my artist statement, write a draft press release (this takes me days) and begin to consider titles for 11 works. Then there's repainting the sides of all my cradled panels and varnishing eleven pieces, wiring backs, signing work, and sighing many times as the days progress.

For the regular readers of my blog.... I was very excited to meet Kathy Cartwright and Carolyn Abrams at the Clark Museum during my trip . My friend Carol drove for two hours so I could have this experience. For that I am very grateful. Reading blogs gives you a good idea of what people are like as individuals. I was not disappointed in meeting Kathy and it was also great to meet Carolyn and talk about her independent study with Kathy. When Kathy posted about our meeting, I had a great chuckle at the photo of me. Tip: never stand in front of a beige wall for a photo if you have white hair. I was the great disappearing act and certainly not the center of interest in the photo!

Stage One

The weather was in a good mood on Wednesday and I managed to leave St. John's and make it to Newark just in time to be greeted by a thunderstorm. I can't seem to get away from the elements.

I am still visiting my aunt in Brooklyn but tomorrow I meet my friend Carol in front of the Met and the art trip begins. I'm keeping a journal and my camera is fully charged to remember all important parts of the adventure for future blogging.

It looks like Kathy and I will meet next Wednesday for lunch. I'm excited . Pictures are planned. It seems hugs will be in order - I have to follow all instructions from Don.

Let the trip begin

Tomorrow morning I'm supposed to fly off to New York. I have my doubts that it will actually happen. One Continental flight leaves St. John's each morning for Newark, NJ. It doesn't have a very good track record in the spring months because the airport is often fog bound. It seems I always visit New York in April and I always have the same concerns about actually getting there.

I will spend three days with my Aunt in Brooklyn and then meet my friend and fellow artist Carol Bajen-Gahm on Saturday when we will begin our meandering art holiday that will see us in Manhattan, Kingston (at R&F Handmade paints), Springfield and Boston and where ever else art related we might end up. While driving from Kingston to Springfield I am hoping to have lunch with Kathy Cartwright. That will be a lovely treat.

Stay tuned for updates.

What about these?

There's nothing like a trip to spark your creativity. Everywhere you look you see something that either fits with your perception of the world or causes you to questions it. I have many favourite shots from my recent visit to Europe but these are a at the top of the list.

Inside looking out at the Aquarium in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.

Part of a beautiful wall in Tallin, Estonia. I never pass a grid of any type without photographing it.

Combining old and new in a seamless design in Tallin, Estonia.

This is not your usual form of insulation.... Folk Village in Oslo, Norway. You know from my banner pic that I am attracted to gardens on rooftops but I thought this one takes the prize.

This is not something I would ever consider. We were standing right under this twirling plane at Tivoli Gardens when my husband reminded me that we were not in the best spot for the possible side effects of this ride. We moved - FAST.

Getting ready

I am getting ready in a number of ways this weekend. We are organizing to move to our summer house in Duntara until the end of September. That means trying to get to all the things my garden demands in my main house so it doesn't go completely wild. I have to stock up on the staples (e.g., good olives) that a small supermarket might not have. It also means organizing to move everything I need to paint for that time which takes a lot of planning. I have to know, in a general way at least, what I will be producing. Any colour photocopying has to be completed ahead of time, any new paints and papers have to be bought. All my favourite brushes, mediums and other utensils need gathering. While I may sound like I'm complaining, these are rites of passage every summer that lead to great painting times and usually a lot of work completed. The one downside is no computer access unless I go to a community access site 5 km. away. I will be using a bank of computers at the local school so my posts will be mostly pictureless for awhile.

This is the back of our summer house taken before the shrubs in my two beds were in bloom. in spring the only thing moving is icebergs. My studio window is on the left. There is another window on the other side and this is my view from it.

Surprises

I was not paying attention to the sun and just snapped this bed of flowers near the Viking Museum in Oslo and moved on with the tour group. When I reviewed my photos that evening I was pleasantly surprised by my poor photography. I think it is a very fitting self portrait for an artist who loves flowers -right down to the boggly eyes. My best art is never the result of careful planning!

Can you see how this photograph is connected to the one in the previous post? I like how I am present without actually being in the picture but the shadow shape also speaks of something removed. I am intrigued by the idea of presence and absence in art. Lots of thinking for me here that will hopefully lead to painting. Is there such a thing as too much inspiration?

Reflections

You never know what might happen when you take a photograph. My intent was to capture the fabric design on the curtain of this house in Stockholm, but I got a great photograph instead that I hope will end up in a paining. This fluke led me to take other window shots. Isn't that the definition of inspiration in art?

Back on track

I arrived home at noon today after a wonderful holiday. I saw many sites in eight different counties and documented them through writing and photography. Tomorrow I plan to get my photos downloaded and organized and then I'll begin to share some of my inspirations. I came away from my holiday with new ideas for work and my interest in creating has been rekindled. Before I left I had lost interest in painting and was doing less and less work every week.

I am currently in two group shows which both opened while I was away. The first show is at The Leyton Gallery and the other, titled Time and Place is at Sir Wilfred Grenfell Gallery.

I'm including the work I have in Time and Place because not all the works in the show are on the website.

On Vacation

Vacation time! Whenever I see my trusty black travel purse, my heart starts to flutter. Almost every vacation shot of me over the last three years has this purse. My vacations could be titled: Black Bag Travels!

We are spending a month in Europe. I'm hoping to spend time in private and public gardens in the south of England during the first week while visiting friends. I have my camera and journal to document my observations. This information will help me continue with my "reading a garden" series- part 2 hopefully. The middle two weeks will be spent on a Baltic Cruise and the final week we will see friends in Germany who live in a small village about a half hour from Frankfurt. Lots of posts coming up from these experiences once I get home on July 7. Whenever I can get computer access I will post a short update during the trip.

Back to reality

It is liberating to go off to Duntara for almost a week and not have any connection via internet. I forget how ruled I am by this form of communication until I have to do without my daily fix. I especially found it difficult to leave my blog and the blogs in the community I follow. After about day three I had all but forgotten that part of my life.

I had a lovely time painting, reading and thinking. I took some photographs, made decisions about new work I am considering and celebrated my birthday with several friends who live near. It was so good to get back into the swing of what my summer space means to me. I was disappointed that I only saw one iceberg and that was well out to sea. It also snowed! It gave new meaning to "summer house".

"Yes, it was sunny, no it wasn't warm!"

A close up of my beach collection, nestled up in snow.

The community of Duntara, across the harbour from my patio. There are currently about 48 year round residents. When I spent summer vacations here as a teenager the population was several hundred. It is a beautiful, peaceful community.

A promise of things to come.