Friendship - My friend Leigh...

My friend Leigh's birthday was Monday...and I had a great get together with her last friday.....I have been meaning to blog about her and how special she is in my life..all week...but alas...here it is finally, 

Things I adore about Leigh:

Her quirky sense of humour, her funny sayings...."Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy", 

Her acceptance of all, her non-judgemental presence in the world, 

Her love of animals of all kinds, cats, dogs, bunnies, etc......She will go to great lengths to meet dogs that are being walked in and around the neighbourhood, her ability to listen, and empathize, be wacky and wild, serious and frivolous..her creativity and flare....

 Leigh is a blessing in my life...and I cherish her dearly...and most of all I celebrate her each day 

Thank you Leigh for your love and support..from one Frida freak to another..happy belated birthday...

Here is the Frida piece I created for her ....

Spring Perspectives - Changes and Fresh New Beginnings

Here are some new pieces I've completed -- they continue the theme of seeds, pods, blooms, fresh beginnings, growth.  These panels were a delight to work with, I used Rodney Thompson custom birch bark panels , which were purchased last June at the Encaustic Painting Conference in Beverley, Mass.

I love them and can't wait to buy a few more...

What's on the Horizon - Changes, Growth and Possibilities

"Just Arrived", 2010 Encaustic Mixed Media Collage 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 

Well, lots of changes are on the horizon....I guess that is what is to be expected with the changing of seasons...much like spring, I am choosing to view these family changes as possibilities to open new doors, for growth...like seeds for new life, new beginnings...

Perhaps that is why a lot of my new work is depicting seeds...seedpods, bulbs, tulips, birds etc. All of which symbolize birth, growth, and the ever changing of life like the seasons.

After a year long search for a new job, Jeff, my husband/life partner has found work..What a relief..but the bittersweet thing is that it is FAR...and it means a real look at where this will take us as a family....one moment at a time is the mantra I repeat in my mind, spirit and heart...perhaps this will open new doors, new adventures...we will see....

Other things on the horizon are: new teaching schedule, for spring and summer anyway...New dates are posted on my website...As usual I am excited about teaching and look forward to the spring and summer sessions...the one addition this year is a WEEK LONG Altered BOOKS program I am offering in the Summer in July...can't wait..students have already signed up but there are a few spots left.

The altered books format with encaustics is really beckoning me..and I am happy to announce that I have been accepted to show a piece of work at the second WAX LIBRIS II exhibit at the Fourth Annual Encaustic Painting Conference at the Montserrat College of Art in Beverley,Mass. this June..the piece is called "Ponder"...it too has seeds, pods, and organics symbolizing birth, growth, possibilities.....take a look....

"Ponder", Encaustic Mixed Media Collage Book Structure, 2010, 10 x 12 x 2 (closed)

Detail of bottles in "Ponder", 2010 Encaustic Mixed Media Collage Book Structure

Some Glimpses of the Spring One of Kind Show and Sale - Toronto, Artists of Elora-Fergus Booth I 34

Another Group Shot with the lovely Deb Dalziel, from Centre Wellington Tourism, who was the one that organized and birthed this project.

Artists of Elora-Fergus Studio Tour: Katherine McManus, Supria Karmakar, Mandy Deskur, 

Jerre Davidson and Barry McCarthy

Missing is the lovely Deb Dalziel of Centre Wellington Tourism

Right side of our 10 x 30 ft. booth

Left Side of our 10 x 30 ft booth

Six Elora-Fergus Artists showcased there work at the One of A Kind Show and Sale in Toronto these past five days, from March 31st to April 4th.  It was a great way to promote the area and let people know about what great things are happening in our region, Elora and Fergus.  Barry McCarthy, Oil and Watercolour Landscape Painter, Jerre Davidson, Kiln Formed Glass artist, Mandy Deskur, Jewellery Artist, Tim & Katherine McManus, Blown Glass Artists and Supria Karmakar, Encaustic Mixed Media Collage Artist.    We had a great time building our gallery style white walled booth, we got lots of great feedback and hope to see many wonderful people out to our area for the studio tour which opens in Sept-Oct. this year.

10 Days until Spring One of Kind Show Opens - Come visit me at booth I34

Well the time is quickly slipping away....10 more days until the Spring One of a Kind Show Opens...I will be there with the Artists of Elora-Fergus at Booth I 34...This was the vision brainchild of Deb Dalziel, who works for Centre Wellington Tourism...Thanks you to Deb for such a great project idea...

5 artists got juried into the show by One of a Kind: Barry McCarthy, Jerre Davidson, Mandy Deskur, Tim/Katherine McManus and Myself, Supria Karmakar..we will be representing the Elora-Fergus Artists and Centre Wellington booth.

It has been exciting..as a group we have been busy designing, building and creating our booth walls and working on product for the show.

If you plan to visit use the code on the flyer to enter when ordering your discounted tickets!

International Women's Day - Blessings to all of you!

Yesterday was International Womyn's Day...I hope you had a wonderful day of celebration of self and had a cheer, toast and / or some other merriment with womyn or for womyn in your lives....

I had a great weekend opening "Woman's House" at Wise Daughters...the exhibit will be there until May 1st..so check it out if you are in Toronto sometime soon. It was a great opening, and I thank all my lovely friends and family that took the time to come out and support me on this day in this opening.

Sunday, I hosted my very first Womyn's Day Festival. It was successful for the first year..and it was great to see the womyn who came out and who believed in the cause enough to set up their tables and share what they do for a living and for their passion...thank you for attending this first year and it will get bigger and better with each year I am sure.

Wishing you all blessings...a day late...sorry.

I was so exhausted with a full weekend of activities..sitting at the computer to blog about it had to wait..that is the rest I took on IWD day.

Woman's House - Encaustic Mixed Media Collage Exhibit opens on Sat. March 6th

Opens Sat. March 6th, 4 - 6 pm with a reception celebrating International Women's Day, and featuring a belly dance performance by Souhaer Zarik of Hip Kik. Free, light refreshments will be provided.

Woman's House runs through May 1, 2010. This exhibit will feature a variety of encaustic mixed media collage works related to womanhood. Narrative works portraying women's journey, as related to mind, body and spirit.

Wise Daughters Craft Market, 3079B Dundas St. West (at Quebec); 416-761-1555. 10 % of the sales from Woman's House will go to Nellie's Women's Shelter.