Canadian Inspiration

Spending time with loving family is refreshing to the SOUL. It's been so good to be here. If we do nothing but walk around in the orchard all day, I'm content. 

No painting, but lots of sketching. 

    Dandelion stem with one little guy hanging on

    In love with all the poppies!

    Weeping birch we found down by the lake

    Parsnip flower from the garden

    Saskatoon berries, YUM.

    Rowan meets my sweet sister Lauren!

    Walk in the apple trees

    Suppertime on the porch

    What a sweet great grandma...this boy is getting stocked up on cuddles.

    So many wineries to visit here. Ro and I went to Mission Hill  on his last day here, and had a great  

    time taking their tour and sampling away. If you haven't visited the Okanagan, or just British  

    Columbia in general, come to think of it, put it on your travel list!

    View from Munson Mountain, just a short walk from my grans house.

    Picturesque barn on the walk to Munson...possibly to paint? Loving the yellow flowers with the red  

    barn!

Best Place on Earth

 To me, the combination of my wonderful grans, my incredible mom, my gorgeous sister, crisp fresh air, a walnut tree to climb, and panoramic views of the lake and mountains makes Penticton, B.C. PERFECT.

    

Setting Goals

I'm recording my art goals here, so I can't pretend like I didn't make them later! I wrote these down a few weeks ago, setting the due date at this time next year. Some sound silly, but since everyone has to start somewhere, this is where I start.

1. Put time to paint in on the calendar each week. Do it. Continue to complete at least one painting a week. 
2. Look for practical ways to grow as an artist; read art blogs, attend workshops and taking classes when possible (aka nights and weekends. Make it happen).
3. Plan to have website completed (Ro being heavily involved in this goal). 
4. Figure out how to use this blog.  Bar for slideshow of artwork, links to other sites, etc. Play with it til you're comfortable, and not wishing you were born when there weren't computers. 
5. (Gulp...this one scares me.) Utilize Etsy shop and post at least 20 items by May 2012.
6. Display works at Lillie's in October. Contact Burrito Gallery art curator after website is up. Fill out application for Players by the Sea Gallery (thanks Sarah!). Enter work in jury selection process for beaches art walk.  
7. Ultimate goal; enter work in jury selection process for Art in the Park next Spring.  Now get painting!  

Painting Little Houses

One of the things I love most about Atlantic Beach is the variety of  houses there are. Each one a different color than the next! If you've ever been on a walk around here with me, I'm sure you know how much I loooove to comment on this porch, or those shingles, etc. etc. Surely a product of being an architects kid (how many kids can say they knew what a retaining wall was at eight?) I'm fascinated by each and every little house around here.

As I'm trying to find my style painting wise, I thought I would give a few of their rooftops a try; ultimately I've decided it was just that, a try. I'm much more in love with painting things in nature that haven't been cut, sanded and nailed together, but see what you think!

Monkey news: he's eating real food! He pulled my leg there for a couple of days (as in, he'd pretend to eat, but it was really just all on his shirt), but today he downed some sweet potatoes like a man. So proud!

I like to call that his sweet potato goatee.