A new series my heart is creating.......Heart Mapping Series

New Heart and Mapping Series, Encaustic Mixed Media, Sept. 2011

"Listening to My Heart's Whispers", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"Roots of Change Bloom", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"Wide Open", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"A different journey knocking on my heart", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6x 12, 2011

"Heart Dream #5", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 6, 2011

"Golden Autumn", Encaustic Mixed Media, 8 x 8, 2011

New pedestals for the studio, tops made by Livio Finora...Thank you!

Another view from the side of the studio 

These photos above are a glimpse of my new work....I showed them at the Studio Tour this past weekend...they are sold, however, the customer, kindly agreed to let me get a professional shot of them...so I can get them back on loan for a day or two next week...I often acknowledge in myself the process of creativity..this being one of creating within one's own psyche first, journalling, reflecting on the journey, then creating hands on, showing and selling (as I make a living doing this)...and on occasion if I haven't lived with work long enough, I find I might long or miss the pieces for a while...

It feels like this for these new heart and mapping pieces....a sense of attachment has developed...Could be that it is new work and I didn't get to live with them long enough, or that I haven't yet gotten them professionally photographed...the good news is the person who bought them, lives here locally, and has offered to let me have them back for the day to photograph them,...and I know I have more within me, to create more with this new heart & mapping series....

I wonder how other artists manage this process of letting go of their art work?

Becoming - Soul, Elora - Fergus Studio Tour, Group Show Opening Thursday Sept. 18th, 7:30 pm

The Elora-Fergus Studio Tour 2008 group show opening is taking place this Thurs. Sept. 18th, 7:30 p.m. at the Elora Centre for the Arts, Minarovich Gallery.
The opening group show will exhibit a piece from each artist on the tour this year; it is a great place to start your tour to get a sense of all the artists' work, various mediums and the amazing diversity and talent of the 28 artists participating.  The group show is revolving around the theme of the "senses", which includes all five senses, the sixth sense and even a seventh, nonsense.  This is in partnership and support of the 11 day "Sensational Elora - A Festival of the Senses".  Check out the numerous exciting events taking place during this 11 day festival.  

"Becoming - Soul" is an art piece I developed for the group show, come and see it up close and personal...Just a reminder that all comments posted on this blog for the duration of the studio tour from now until Oct. 5th, will be entered into a free draw for a piece of my work.  Your name can be entered in as many times.  All you have to do is enter a comment with your name.  It is always nice to hear from you.  Thanks to all those who have already commented, once or several times...I am looking forward to sharing my appreciation with you in the form of a free draw prize....Your thoughts and feedback have been such a delight to read, they provide connection, community and encouragement...I am grateful for all the wonderful online virtual friends I have made.  

Phil Irish, The Adventures of Painterly Imagination, Elora Fergus Studio Tour, Free Draw Continues

Phil Irish, is a member of the Elora - Fergus Studio Tour, and will be one of the fabulous artists opening up his studio to meet the artist and see his work up close and personal.  This particular piece, is one that I viewed during the Insights Show, and I have to say it BLEW ME AWAY..it was magnificent and intriguing.

For Phil, the practice of painting has become a way of exploring the world, stimulating imagination, and of sparking deep exchange with others.

In 2007, his work was shortlisted for the Kingston Prize, Canada's National Portrait Competition.

There are many reasons this piece blew me away, one of them being that it was gloriously large and the colour was breathe taking.. what kind of art give you that feeling of being blown away, is it size, colour, the message, the detail, the illusion, the technique?  Love to hear your thoughts.

Enjoy!

Arlene Saunders, Watercolour Artist & David McCord, Metal Work Artist, Elora-Fergus Studio Tour & Enter your name for a free draw

Arlene Saunders, is a painter, primarily in watercolour.  She is drawn to subjects that evoke memories or thoughts of a more simple and quiet time.  " A peaceful feeling" are words that she hears most from her visitors viewing her work.  Arlene says that "it is the spontaneous reactions that the right mixtures of paint and water make that I find most intriguing, and incorporating these Gifts of the medium, without overworking them is quite a challenge."

Arlene will also be on the Elora-Fergus Studio Tour again this year, please pay her a visit to see her lovely serene filled work. 

David McCord, is a traditional and contemporary metal work artist using the plastic properties of hot metal.  He will be showcasing his work in the Elora Mews during the studio tour.  Visit him and see how his art form takes shape.  

I would love to hear from you, thoughts you might have about the upcoming tour and/or in general about this blog.  All comments until Oct. 5th will be entered into a draw for a piece of work from my studio and/or etsy shop.

Inspiration surrounds us, keep your all your senses wide open to catch some of it...enjoy!

Art of Barry McCarthy, 22nd Elora-Fergus Studio Tour, Free Draw Continues

Barry McCarthy's new art studio.

Barry McCarthy is opening his new art studio, in time for the 22nd Elora-Fergus Studio Tour.  

In Barry's own words, " When I was about 5 years old, I got a rocking horse and cap guns for Christmas.  Since then I always wanted to be a cowboy.  I couldn't and didn't so I decided to be an artist."

Barry enjoys working in watercolours and oils full time.  His favourite themes are still life, florals, seascapes, architecture (especially the Cape Cod Style) and landscape particularly the Elora Gorge.  This theme has always intrigued him as he enjoys doing paintings from his travels but does not have to go too far to find paintings in his own back yard.

Barry works on 7 to 10 ' canvas sizes...he likes this challenge and finds the impact from the viewer rewarding.  Barry feels that the life force in any canvas is what brings the viewer closer to the moment and that's the job of an artist.....to heighten this integral force, break away from the ordinary and mundane and bring the viewer to a different reality.

Come see first hand Barry's new studio and his fabulous large dimension work.  

What are your thoughts on what the artist's job is?  Is it to story tell?  To capture reality? Or fantasy?  There are no right or wrong answers are there...as an artist's life and purpose is as varied and diverse as there are types of art...I am so interested in hearing your thoughts on what you like art to provide for you in your life.

Any comments with your name will be placed into a free draw prize for a piece of my work.  Draw will be done Oct. 5th at the end of the studio tour...Please comment as many times as you like.

Hope to see you on the studio tour..

Jerre Davidson, Glass Artist Drawing Inspiration from the Layers of the Natural Environment

Glass artist, Jerre Davidson, a member of the Elora Fergus Studio Tour 2008, has been working diligently as an executive member of the studio tour committee this year.  She is a glass artist working in kiln forming techniques.  This shot of her is one where she is "combing" glass at 1660 degrees fahrenheit.   

Jerre finds her inspiration from the layers and structure of the natural environment, fire, rock and water all hold her fascination.  Particularly she finds the colour and beauty of the landscape, structure and rhythm of the towering rock formations and strata in Elora Gorge inform her work.

Her most recent work involves working with glass powders and frits to create imagery in glass panels, such as the ones posted here.  In Jerre's words, "The Ontario landscape pulls at my senses and evokes a multitude of different emotions.  Every relationship has a specific tempo.  It could be slow and sensuous like the waves lapping the shore or harsh and staccato like an up thrusting rock formation.  I use the fluid properties of hot glass to explore the various rhythms found in the natural world and how they are echoed within our relationships."

Plan to pay a visit to Jerre's glass studio and get the opportunity to see first hand the art of glass kiln forming during the studio tour, Sept. 27th & 28th and/or Oct. 4th and 5th, 10- 5 p.m.

How about yourselves, from where do you get your inspiration? What natural environmental formation gives you joy, inspiration and feeds your creativity?  For me it is undoubtedly 'trees'....I love the way the branches reach out to the sky and the roots draw energy from deep within the belly of the earth ...The way trees flow into each other, sometimes mangled and narly, sometimes light and airy....Trees all around the world are magnificent and stand as a testimony of our great universal energy and the endless possibility of sustainable life.

Let me know your thoughts on what you find inspiring from our mother earth's creations, gifts and blessings....Any comment made with your name, will be entered into a free giveaway draw for a  piece of my work ending Oct. 5th.  

Ode to my Creative Muse!

This week has been an odd week, feeling out of sink with my natural rhythm, at a loss and my creative muse was no where to be found....So today, instead of fighting this, I began the 'art of allowing' and just let go...So instead I sat back this afternoon, made myself a great hot lemon, ginger and honey concoction...and read and journalled to my hearts desire...I followed my heart's bliss, my soul's beckoning....

One of several books I'm reading right now is the delightful book by Rice Freeman-Zachery, "Living The Creative Life"...it is a fabulous read for ideas and inspiration from other working artists...and the one tip I began today was the one about taking myself through a sensory experience...This is a particularly meaningful activity ...as the piece I am trying to break free is a piece for the Elora-Fergus Studio Group Show, for which the committee has chosen a theme this year related to creating work to do with the "SENSES"...

Also in this book, chapter 4 explores the idea of inviting your creative muse to dinner...and I loved it...as I do feel like my creative muse is the one that is with me in the studio, creating magic.....I have missed her this week, so here is a little ode to her, for fun and encouragement....

When I let myself go

Get out of my own way,

Declutter my spaces

She graces me with her presence.

Guides my hand, soul & passion

Letting loose

the fires roar, waves collide, stars shine.

And beauty happens

All because I've released control

to her - my muse 

I'm merely the vessel for her stories.

This time of relaxing, journalling and reflecting has helped me feel less stuck, ready for a new week of creating ... What do you do to inspire creation? Do you have a creative muse? How would you describe your muse?

For the period of this month until the end of the studio tour, Oct. 5th, any comment will be put into a draw for a giveway for one of my pieces of work.

Love to hear your thoughts.

Inspiration Abounds, Heather Wood, Glass Artist and Free Giveaway from my Studio

This is the work of local glass artist, Heather Wood.  She is part of the Elora Fergus Studio Tour this year, isn't this piece magnificent!  Come pay her a visit at her studio on the tour weekends.  You may also check out her work at her online bridgestudio or contact Heather at hwood@bridgestudio.ca.   

"We do not always acknowledge the symbiotic relationship that exists between ourselves and our environment.  The imagery I create with the use of natural materials evokes an ethereal delicacy and references the fragile balance that exists between ourselves and our habitat." ~ Heather

This piece depicted here is a beautiful portrayal of that symbiotic relationship between ourselves and our environment and exudes the ethereal.

Heather's work is sometimes low relief, combined painted surfaces with glass layers, or it can be an arrangement of multiple free form glass elements.  Painting, sandblasting, slumping and fusing are some of the techniques she utilizes in her response to the transparency and fluidity of the glass.

For more about the other studio tour artists opening their studios this year, check back here.

Also, leave a comment with your name and I will be collecting all names from comments for a giveway from my own body of work.  Draw will be made at the end of the studio tour date, Oct. 5th, all you have to do is enter a comment to any of my posts, enter as many times as you want.

What inspires your creativity?  What do you enjoy about studio tours?

Love to hear from you!

Elora-Fergus Studio Tour Soon To Be Here & A BONUS Draw Prize

This year the Elora-Fergus Studio Tour has 28 local artists opening up their studios to share their artistic passion on two fall consecutive weekends, September 27th & 28th and Oct. 4th & 5th from 10 to 5 p.m.  This is a free self-guided tour, which includes surrounding areas, where you get a chance to meet the artist and see where they work, where their creative muse guides their lovingly designed creations.  

Again this year we will be offering one lucky "Tour-ist" the opportunity to win a $250 draw prize.  All you have to do is fill in one ballot at the end of your tour day.   After visiting the studios you can drop your ballot off at that last studio stop or at the Elora Centre for the Arts; one ballot per family is requested.  

As I am on the tour again this year, and since last year I have developed this blog, as a way to share with readers my artistic journey.  So this year I have decided that from this post date onwards I will share a blog post a day on one or two of the artists on the tour this year... This way you can learn a little more about our great local artists living and creating in Elora, Fergus and surrounding areas...and maybe even pay them a visit at their individual websites and/or studios on the tour dates.

If you will this can be like a virtual tour before the tour....

And as an added bonus, if you leave a comment with your name on any of these blog posts pertaining to the studio tour, from now until the end of the tour, Oct. 5th, 2008...I will collect all those names and include them in a free draw for one of my 5 x 5 encaustic mixed media collage original art pieces, framed in a 10 x 10 frame.  Which will be shipped to you if you are someone out of town.  Some examples of this work can be found on my ETSY shop...however, there will be more selection by the end of this event to pick from.  You may put in your name any amount of times with a comment.  

Generally I will be asking you to comment on some aspect of the studio tour and /or a more general creative thought...or simply comment as you like.  

To begin with I would be curious as to what you like about studio tours, if you have visited any in any area?  What do you look for within the experience?

Happy discovering what great talent we have right here in Elora, Fergus and surrounding areas.