"Harmony"

It is always nice when a painting moves on to a good home. It completes the creative circle to have it out where it can be seen and enjoyed. Somehow, it is special when the painting goes to someone you know. The recently completed "Harmony" is such a painting. The street musicians were just outside the Castle in Prague. I liked the pattern of their black and white clothing and their stances while playing their instruments. They were selling CDs but I omitted that box and just painted the hat. "Harmony" is now happily in a new home.

Landscape Show

The latest show at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island is the Landscape Show. This is a really excellent show with interesting subjects, different media and many styles. Some are impressionistic, some almost abstract, an interesting mixed media, imaginative piece - and some terrific realism. I was very happy to be juried into this show with my acrylic on canvas painting of the Nicola Valley- and very pleased that three of drawing group are in the show too - including Tanya who won an award of excellence. We are all striving to get better and better- and, hopefully, succeeding!

Cleaning and Re-Shaping Brushes

In the art supply store, I was going to buy a jar of brush re-shaper when Tanya restrained me and said she had learned that milk or yogurt works very well. Well, the money could maybe be better spent on another tube of paint, so I decided to try it. After all, there is always *some* yogurt left when the container is officially empty. So, I had a great brush sort-out and cleaning and went to work with yogurt. I left them all flat to dry. Some brushes were discarded as being beyond useful - even for scumbling but the rest all got the yogurt treatment. Amazing! It works! It was even a bit of fun and my brushes look great and work great.