Forest Magic

I loved working on this painting.  It was a totally new venture for me in that I not only moved away from the larger landscapes that I have been doing but I decided to try something new and worked on a black canvas.  

It was as if the mossy rocks and stream arouse out of the darkness that was the canvas itself.

It truly felt like magic.

If fact, the scene itself makes me think of magic - forest magic.  Can you hear it?  Can you smell it?  I feel drawn into the secrets of the forest.  As I pause here absorbing it all the solace of the forest seeps into my soul and I am at peace.

Forest Magic

20  x 16

acrylic on cavas

A personal favourite

I love this painting.  It brings back so many wonderful memories of a trip my husband and I took a number of years ago.  I've wanted to capture this image on canvas ever since.

One of the few items on my rather short "bucket list", visiting the Netherlands in the springtime was very special.  The day we rented bicycles and rode along the canals amid the windmills of Kinderdijk was especially memorable.

Kinderdijk Moment

10 x 30

acrylic on gallery canvas

It's been a while...

It's been quite a while since I took time to post to the blog.  After completing the mural for Edgewater Elementary we were extremely busy assisting our daughter with her house.  Then we had a wedding in the family. 

It was well into the autumn before I made time to get back to painting.  I got Lake of the Hanging Glacier started before I got sidetracked with an incredible four day workshop with Mike Svob.

I learned so much but it also seemed to mess with my head and painting for a while.  Between life and the dark gloominess that is our valley, I was unable to get much done for the next few months.

I was finally able to complete it in February.  

Alpine Blue
Lake of the Hanging Glacier

30 x 24 acrylic

Installed!!!

 

 

Hurray!  The Edgewater Eagles now have their new home.

I can't believe it's done.  The mural and I have been together for what seems like a very long time.

I rode the three blocks to the school with the heart in the back of our truck.  It was almost too large to fit so I needed to sit and stabilize it.

I arrived early at the school to find the maintenance men already there to install it.

It was so heart warming to hear the students say "I know where that is!"  They recognized it as being a view of the pond on the north end of the school property.

Staff response was also very touching.  A huge "Thank You" to them for their support and encouragement and a special "Thank You" to Sharlene for daring to dream with me and make this a reality.  Let this be a legacy for all for your wonderful years of service and the incredible community that you nurtured in our little school.

I am so glad to be able to have done this for this delightful little school. 
A huge "Thank You" to my husband for his patience with me and this project and all the support he supplied from cutting out the native animals, trimming the heart, creating a way to hang the heart on my easel for painting, and all the myriad of details involved in the final preparations for hanging all the items. You Rock, dear!!!

 



Final preparations

 

My genius of a husband, spent several hours strengthening the back of the large heart; stabilizing the joints; trimming down the wood used to hold it on my easel; and attaching the hanging brackets.  In our tiny house that meant working on the kitchen floor as there was no other space large enough to lay the heart flat. 

 

 

 

When he was done preparing the heart for hanging, he turned his attention to modifying the backs of the eagles, beaver, and salmon before attaching the hanging brackets onto them.

Next step:  installation!!

 

 

Nearing Completion

 

The large painting for Edgewater Elementary School is almost done.  I'm just working on the reeds and the foreground.  I'm feeling the pressure to get this completed this week and it's not helping the creative juices.

 



At Last I Can Share This

I created this little painting as a wedding gift for our nephew and his new bride in Switzerland.  They were here two years ago and for a couple that has most everything, it seemed the perfect little gift.

 

Castle Mountain, Banff National Park, AB

8 x 8 on gallery canvas

 

I am thinking about creating a few cards from this although I shall need to look into different sized cardstock.