Sad, Lonely Canvas

I haven't painted in what feels like forever.  Again, the day job has made me super busy-crazy, as it always does this time of year and I've just contented myself with hanging with family & friends and catching up on all the new TV shows when I have a free minute.


But every now and then my eye catches a blank canvas and I feel all this guilt for not making something out of it.  It's like it's all sad just sitting there blank and lonely. Like that lamp in the Ikea commercial.


Happily, I just found this quote from Joe Brooks and I'm totally inspired.  Not only do I get to see him open for Tyrone Wells in San Diego in a couple of weeks, he's made me want to go pick up a paint brush RIGHT NOW. Unfortunately, it's almost midnight and I have an early morning tomorrow. Sigh.


Sunday, though, will be a painting day.  Guaranteed.


The world is a blank canvas, life is a painting.
I don't want a pencil to rehearse,
I don't want an apron to wear.
I want a star shaped stencil
and a palatte of the brightest colours you can find.

                                                                       - Joe Brooks

Delivery

Fall Leaves is dry enough to take to my sister!!! Which is extraordinary timing because they're listing the house this week. I always do better with a tight deadline. Just ask my boss.

I delivered it tonight after work and helped get the house ready for listing pictures and fun staging. All personal photos are down and my generic pictures and paintings are up. It looks spacious and ready to sell. Fingers crossed for a quick sale!

Here are a couple pics of the painting on the awesome orange wall. I'm so glad nothing in the painting clashes with the wall.

Fall Leaves

This is one mother of a painting. It was an ambitious undertaking to say the least. It's 36x48. Let me clarify. That's three (3) by four (4) FEET. It's practically a toddler bed.

I don't often paint big paintings and now I remember why. It's hard to keep perspective, the canvas doesn't fit on my easel very well, and it takes a shwack load of paint.

It took forever to do - mostly because I did a bunch of other paintings in the middle and every time I looked at the size of the canvas and what I had left, I got a little overwhelmed. I had to use a grid on this one so I didn't lose my place and it felt like I'd work forever, think I'd put a pretty big dent in it, and then realize I maybe did 1 1/2 grids.

But finally, after months of going cross-eyed, it's done! It's going to look so good in my sister & brother-in-law's orange kitchen/dining room. Just in time for them to sell their house and move to the fabulous new place. I'll see if I can get a picture of it on the wall as soon as it's dry enough to take to them.

Fall Leaves (36 x 48)

Fall Leaves playlist is 25 songs instead of the usual 15 because I needed a little more variety to keep me going. It has lots of songs that are favorites of the kids' (Stuck Like Glue), some for my sister (Sweet and Low), some for my brother-in-law (Typical), some that just make me think of them as a family (Livin' the Life) and some just for me (Let's Get Lost).

1. Audience - Cold War Kids
2. Dear Avery - The Decemberists
3. Only the Good Die Young - Glee
4. Smile - Lily Allen
5. Stuck Like Glue - Sugarland
6. Livin' the Life - Martin Sexton
7. I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
8. Tighten Up - The Black Keys
9. Sunshine Song - Jason Mraz
10. Sleeping Sickness - City & Colour
11. Typical - Mute Math
12. Sweet Pea - Amos Lee
13. Modern Love - Matt Nathanson
14. Worried About Ray - The Hoosiers
15. Sweet and Low - Augustana
16. OK, It's Alright With Me - Erik Hutchinson
17. Let's Get Lost - Two Spot Gobi
18. Marchin On - OneRepublic
19. This Is Your Life - The Killers
20. If It Was Up To Me - Stabilo
21.  Rock and Roll Radio - Waxpoets
22. She's So Lovely - Scouting For Girls
23. New Shoes - Paolo Nutini
24. New Amsterdam - Travis
25. Sins of My Youth - Neon Trees

Summer Lull

I've been painting, I promise! I just don't have a finished product to share yet. Fall Leaves has been taking forever, I started a few smaller ones, and I've been putting the finishing touches on some other ones. Also, it's summer and I don't want to spend all my time cooped up in my sauna of an apartment, AND I have a new nephew and would rather spend time getting cuddles.

In other news, I finally delivered Sprocket to my friend; she took her to Pat yesterday and reported everything was a hit!

Phew!


I have a week off from the day job and plan to spent quite a bit of time painting. On tap:
  • Fall Leaves
  • More Fall Leaves
  • Even more Fall Leaves

and, if there's any time left:
  • Jungle Babies (new nephew present)
  • Happy Colors
  • mom present, yet to be named

City Stroll

This is my first painting that ended up as a gift. About 7 years ago, I decided to teach myself to paint with oils. I bought a bunch of 'how to' books, followed the instructions, and this is what came out. Gotta love how much you can learn from books!

I still love it and it still hangs in my sister's house.

City Stroll (16x20)

Sunny Sunday

I had a wonderful week of holidays that was filled with art. Two paintings completed, Etsy set up, art chats with Erika, and yesterday, a day of music courtesy of the Youth Singers of Calgary, especially Kidazzle (with my friend's daughter) and OnCue (my friend's group).

All the groups are amazing and put on wonderful shows. OnCue even sang some Mraz, making it all the better for me.

And to top it all off, today is a gorgeous sunny day begging me to be outside. Nothing like a big glass of iced tea, a good book, the smell of flowers, and a little sunshine.

Happy Sunny Sunday!

Summer Reading

A friend from work moved back to Ontario about a month ago. It's been strange not having her as part of my morning 'check-in' routine or a friendly ear for when I need a movement break but I'm sure she'll be much more productive at her new job without me interrupting her and hovering in her office doorway!

Before she left, we had a team retreat at my place and she fell in love with Connemara Berries. Sadly (for her), I had already promised it to someone else. And so, I decided to paint her something as a going away gift. She chose this one from a photo by my friend Ky.

A little note about the lovely Ky. She's the most wonderful photographer. She has this uncanny ability to take something common and make it extraordinary. Things like a single rose, berries, leaves, a dew drop, a rusty fence, or a book. Makes for an abundance of options for painting!



Summer Reading (9x12)


Since my friend and I share a love of singer/songwriters & CBC Radio2 tunes, I HAD to make a playlist of my current favorites.

1. Early April Morning - Brendan James
2. Dreamcatcher - Elizabeth & The Catapult
3. Victoria - John Mayer
4. Tightrope - Green River Ordinance
5. When You Find Me - Joshua Radin
6. Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons
7. Come Home - OneRepublic & Sara Bareilles
8. Forever & Always - Parachute
9. Winter Birds - Ray LaMontagne
10. Set the Fire to the Third Bar - Snow Patrol & Martha Wainwright
11. Perfect Heaven Space - Travis
12. Drifting - Tyrone Wells
13. Can't Go Back Now - The Weepies
14. Distance - Christina Perri
15. This = Love - The Script