The "Old-Time Hat"

The Old-Time Hat -- 8"x10" oil on canvas NFS

This was my son's favorite hat for a while. We got it at Barkerville, an historic gold-mining village in Northern B.C. where they re-enact the history. He loves it there, and he calls this hat his "Old-Time Hat".

This is another painting I finished yesterday in a few hours. I'm really focusing on being loose and painterly, and not thinking to much. It seems like if I can mostly keep my head out of my art and use my intuition, it turns out better. I still try to keep "the rules" in mind, but in the back somewhere...:)

Festival Days

Festival Days 8"x10" 

oil on canvas panel NFS

This is one of my most recent paintings. When it comes to painting, lately, I have been very discouraged and uninspired. I had a really busy summer doing shows and teaching workshops, and as good as that sounds, it really took something away from my art and I feel like I haven't produced anything very good in quite a while. Every painting feels overworked and exhausted before it is finished. Sooooo....I decided to work on materials I didn't care about, so my intention wouldn't be selling, with my beautiful kids as my subject matter, so I wouldn't want to sell...and I whipped off this one in a few hours. I had a hard start, as I was still fighting that "block", and I wiped her off about four times, before I finally committed, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. I still feel like I could have gotten a bit looser, but, maybe next time:)

Fishing for leeches

Fishing for Leeches -- Sketchbook Project

This is from a photo of my kids at the lake this summer. My husband has a band, and he was hired to play for a wedding near Tatlayoko Lake, at a ranch way out in the middle of the wilderness...Bracewell's Lodge. We were given this rustic cabin on a leech abundant lake to stay in...no electricity or running water, with mice running over us in the middle of the night...but it was still a blast. The kids had so much fun, and instead of being grossed out by leeches, they were fascinated by them...so much so that they were obsessed with catching them, which is what they were doing in this picture. 

Goodnight Sweetheart...

Goodnight Sweetheart for Sketchbook Project

The boy...I couldn't resist this one. There was still a lot of light coming through the window so I shut off the flash. The photo is blurry, but it captures the wonderful, soft window light.

I love my boy!

Once Upon a Time

  Once Upon a Time -- for Sketchbook Project

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. That's not like me. Well, my life just got silly busy. I'm catering for the road crew that's repairing the damage after the flood, and I'm working on a large painting, and I'm designing my necklace/pendants for the Etsy shop. I didn't manage to get into the craft fair this year. I was too busy cooking for hungry pavers.

But, here are my munchkins, again:) Jacob is reading his sister a bedtime story.

Maybe I'll just dedicate the rest of this sketchbook to them. The only crappy thing is that I have to send it away!  I spent a bit of extra time on this one. I'm trying to sketch using painterly concepts, and I think this would make a great painting if I could just force myself to stay simple. I tend to get caught up in the details, and try to finish backgrounds, and I want to break myself of that habit and stay painterly. I'm really happy with this one. I wish I could keep it.

Cup of Tea?

Cup of Tea?  for the sketchbook project

I found an old family photo album the other day while digging around in a box for an art book. This is a picture of ME, age six, and my dog, Max. He was so funny...every time my parents would aim the camera, he would race to be in the picture, and pose perfectly.

These Boots are Made for Walking

These Boots...for sketchbook project

My little girls' boots. I want some! I'll be sad when she grows out of them. They are so cute, and just my style...lol! I sat these in front of me on the coffee table last night and drew them while I watched t.v. Needless to say, I don't remember what I was watching, or what happened.