It’s that time again! Join me in my studio this weekend on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday from 10-5. I’ve got lots of new work to show you, including collaged animal paintings and something new for me: watercolours! I completed these on my recent trip to Ireland, and they are quite a departure for me—come see what you think! See more images on the ‘New Works’ page in the Works section.
Tenacious watercolour 9 x 9 framed $250
To the Sea watercolour 9 x 9 framed $250
Join me and my fellow Landing Artists this weekend (July 23/24, 11-4 each day) at the beautiful Sunshine Coast Botanical Gardens (5941 Mason Rd., Sechelt) . I’ll have paintings, cards, and books on hand, including a fun new series of mixed media/collage pieces celebrating our animal friends. See you there!
I’ll be launching the third book in my Sunshine Coast series, titled Those Who Return, on Friday, May 13th, 730 pm at Sechelt’s Seaside Centre. This story takes place in the same time frame and has similar themes to the first two books (Those Who Wander 2019, Those Who Stay 2020) but is a stand-alone novel. It tells a multi-generational tale of Japanese Canadians who suffered through internment during WWII, and the resilience and grit that helped them survive and thrive despite these hardships.
Hope to see some of you there! If not, books can be purchased from me at my studio, at Talewind Books in Sechelt, EarthFair in Madeira Park, or through Amazon.ca (print-on-demand and e-book formats).
I am delighted to announce that I have been asked to deliver a four day Introduction to Pastels workshop at the well-known Gibsons School of the Arts this coming summer, from August 1-4.
This four-day workshop will introduce students to the brilliance and possibilities of soft (“chalk”) pastels. Students will complete 2-3 landscape paintings and go home with a starter set of high-quality pastels and a workbook by the instructor. Additionally, they will learn the 5 critical elements of design, and how to apply these to painting in any medium.
By the conclusion of the workshop, students will be able to
1) trace the history of soft pastels as a fine art medium;
2) identify the supplies required to complete successful pastel paintings;
3) apply the elements of Concept, Composition, Contrast, Colour, and Clarity to the creation of pastel paintings;
4) create pastel paintings that make use of a variety of underpainting techniques;
5) describe the proper handling and framing of finished works in soft pastel;
6) identify sources of further learning related to this unique medium.
Registration is limited and is filling up—go to http://gibsonsartschool.net/register.html to register by Feb 28th and get the early-bird rate of $500 (on March 1, it goes up to $550). There is an additional $100 materials fee payable at the time of the workshop, which covers all art supplies for the session and provides a starter set of pastels and an instructional workbook to support your further studies.
As my studio lesson schedule is currently full, this is your best chance of learning about this medium in a concentrated time frame, with a reasonable initial outlay for supplies. Hope to see you there!
Sometimes you suddenly see an older work with fresh eyes. I was showing this painting (Facing the Light: Tashina 3) to a visitor and a comment he made stayed with me. I’d always felt slightly uncomfortable with the angle of my model’s front shoulder, and after this feedback, I decided to go back and fix the issue. The original pose was itself a bit awkward, making Tashina’s forward shoulder look strange. So—when you can’t fix it, hide it! By repainting the jacket and adjusting a few other small things, I think I’ve improved the piece greatly! Maybe she’ll find a new home sometime soon.
Facing the Light: Tashina 3 oil on canvas on board 18 x 18 $800 framed
