In the garden

Here's a view of part of the garden from just outside my studio (note I said "outside" the studio - I can't bring myself to commit to even a 2 or 3 hour session inside the studio when the sun is shining like this!).



My friends June and Mary have a passion for sedums, and I think I'm beginning to understand - I'll post an updated photo in a couple of months once all these "hens and chicks" and the String of Pearls have filled out.



I bought the elegant but dinged container at a discount from Winners a few years ago, knowing it would come in handy one day for something ... sometimes my "junque" collecting pays off. As for my friend the snail it's my nod to a stolen garden ornament - you remember Seymour, dontcha?

Enjoy today's sunshine!

Odd ball stuff

I have been busy in the garden for a month or so and haven't felt inspired to get into the studio - this is the usual part of my yearly creative cycle. The sun comes out so I go to the garden - the rain comes; so I go to the studio. We've had lots of sun lately, so my creative outlet has been my garden. I have, however, done the odd bit of work, including the monthly drawings I send to my niece. When we were together at Christmas, she suggested that as a way of keeping in touch I could send her a drawing each month of the year. We planned a topic for each month and so, with the list tacked to the cork board in my studio, each month I send her a mailing tube containing a 6" x 24" cartoon styled drawing for her to colour. I think of her when I draw it and she thinks of me when she colours it - not a bad way to stay in touch. My niece lives in the United States and has just learned to ride a bicycle, so this month's image features her riding her bicycle and the 4th of July.

First I have to be able to get into the studio

Oh dear ... my studio is a disaster, as you can see, and I don't even have room to move around in there. I began rearranging and adding a couple of upright cabinets a few weeks ago, then got side tracked painting a few other rooms and stored the artwork in the studio, then was distracted by the weeks in the garden ... and now EEEEEK! I can barely get into the room.



The weeds have been pulled, the rooms are painted, the day is overcast, and I have several hours to dedicate to clearing this room today. Wish me luck!

Spider webs

It's a pretty clear indication that I've spent too much time away from the studio when my face is attacked by a spider web when I enter the space!

It's the fault of this gorgeous weather and the weeds in my garden. Another week or so and I'll get back to work. Uh-oh - I see some buttercups in a corner of the raspberry patch - gotta go!

Reality can be very good

I'm back in the studio and must admit reality has been pretty positive this first week home: Celestial Messenger has been erected outside the offices of A&A Contract Customs Brokers Ltd. at the Pacific Highway Truck Crossing at the border and 176th Street, and while I was away Tree of Life won the top prize (Award of Excellence) at artSpacific 2009.



Today I'm working on Celtic Maiden and am planning to have it finished next week, in time to enter it into the Arts Council of Surrey's 2009 juried exhibition at the Surrey Art Gallery.

Last days before reality

Mazatlan was wonderful, despite the swine flu hoopla - we carried on as usual as you can see in the photo below ...

Actually, there were no reported cases of swine flu in Mazatlan, and the locals had many theories about what was really going on. Some folks talked about conspiracy theories relating to US pressure on Mexico to share its oil - "You won't give us your oil? Let's see what happens to your economy if we shut down tourism for a month. Others believed CNN was having a slow news week, especially as they had already covered Obama's new dog and his purchase of a cheese burger.

I contemplated the meaning of it all from a horizontal position, between margaritas, and couldn't decide anything except that it might be time for a pedicure.

Hasta luego!

Lazy Days and Lazy Nights

Hola from Mexico - yes Mexico, the country best known today as ground zero for the swine flu. No cases to date of the flu affecting anyone in Mazatlan. I've had a nasty non-swinish cough for two weeks, so have spent most of my vacation sprawled on a lounge chair on the balcony reading some very good books (The Cellist of Sarajevo, The Reader, and now The Book of Negroes).

My cough is gradually settling down, so I hope to get out and about a bit before I return home.

Hasta luego!

Jingling all the way

Although I haven't been painting, I did manage to create a few charm bracelet styled jewellery pieces before closing the studio door for the next few weeks:

This one features freshwater pearls and silver-plated starfish and an embellished toggle clasp. (If you click on the image you'll get an enlarged image and will be able to see how lovely these are.)




This one's made from silver findings, glass, fire polished glass, Swarovsky crystals, and vintage Japanese beads.


I'm pleased to report my Tree of Life painting has been juried into Delta's 2009 artSpacific show. The show at the Firehall Centre for the Arts in Delta will run from May 1st - 29th, with the opening reception being held Sunday May 3 from 1 - 4 p.m.