Newsletter

I finished and framed my last piece that  will appear in my next solo show at the Dow Centennial Centre (Fort Saskatchewan). It was a bit of a struggle as I have been producing many new works this year for my solo shows. It is wonderful to be accepted for solo exhibitions but I did not realize how much work these shows are! For each show I had to produce quite a few new pieces (naively I thought I had enough inventory). For one show currently at the Londonderry Public Library I produced ten new acrylic paintings of varying size. I can not believe how many pieces artists who exhibit in larger venue must produce. Kudos to them for all the hard long work that is required to create some wonderful art. 

So, my last BIG solo show is in Fort Saskatchewan at the Alberta Lottery Fund Art Gallery (Dow Centennial Centre). It opens May 28 and runs until June 24. The gallery is open every Thursday and Friday from 11-2 p.m..

Along the River Bend (my last piece)

This past month I have been quietly working but in a new direction. The subject matter has remained constant (the Alberta land) but I have moved into acrylic paint. The sizes of my paintings vary from 8 x 8 to 18 x 24 and all on cradled birch panels. Most of these new works are in preparation of a small solo show at Londonderry Public Library for the month of May. I am enjoying this new venture more than I anticipated (I never really embraced acrylic paints prefering the "juiciness" of oils). By using a glazing medium with the paint I am able to build up layers of colours similar to my pastel works. I have also incorporated the palette knife in many of my works. I think that these early paintings are a good start in a new direction...

I find that giving a name to my art pieces can be a bit of a challenge especially for my print work which is often more non-representational. For print work I think that a single word often looks better when signing the monotype. It does take a while...I look at the print, the colours, the overall design. Sometimes, but rarely, when I am working on a piece I already have the name/title in mind. More often than not, I will walk past a piece for several days looking at it with "fresh" eyes. Often it is as I am drifting off to sleep that I run through a list of potential names....very much like mind mapping/brainstorming.

This last print was particularly bothersome... I liked how atmospheric it looked, at least in my eyes. I initially thought of the atmospheric pollution, the planets, the Milky Way until I arrived at Nebulous. I don't know if it works but I like it.

I am very pleased  and excited to announce that my fused glass work will now be available at the St. Albert Art Gallery in their gift gallery. Currently, my fused glass work is available in Sherwood Park at the Loft Gallery (Ottewell Community Centre/Red Barn).