Richmond Arts Awards

In a very nice presentation at City Hall last night, Adrienne Moore became the first recipient of the Arts Education Award. We were pleased to be there as she accepted her award honouring her 35 years as a teacher where she inspired countless students, integrated arts programs with Special Needs students and developed a curriculum to integrate arts education in elementary school programs. Beyond her career in the schools, Adrienne donated art for fundraising for Richmond Art Gallery, worked on the advisory committee for Artists Among Us and has done many demonstrations for art groups throughout the Lower Mainland. Adrienne shares her home studio with a number of artists (including me!) in order that they may practice life-drawing in a non-profit group. We all get a lot out of these sessions which have added to our sense of camaraderie as well as keeping up our drawing skills. We were very happy to see Adrienne's contributions recognized. The photo shows Adrienne at the right, along with Margaret Dragu, winner of the Artistic Innovation award.

Adrienne's nomination

One of the things I've been busy working on is a nomination for Adrienne Moore in the category of Arts Education for the inaugural Richmond Arts Awards. Margreth, Tanya and I put our heads together and decided to organize the nomination. We wrote up the main nomination, got letters of support and assembled the package in time for the deadline. We've just received the good news that Adrienne is one of the three finalists in her category - so now we just hope for the final announcement to be what we want!

Finn Slough Art Show

The annual Finn Slough Art Show is on this weekend. This non-juried show is always a lot of fun - lots of artists and photographers and lots of different styles- all on one subject- Finn Slough. This historic area of Richmond makes an interesting subject. Some paintings I have painted in other years are now in homes in such places as Calgary and Victoria - and as far afield as Germany. I've painted a new one for this year - with boats almost obscured by lush growth.
The reception is Friday from 7 to 9 pm in the Art Centre Lecture Hall. Refreshments - and come to see the kid's contributions - a great mermaid and a feather-covered swan!

"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.

"Circles and Squares"

Finally, the painting that I posted about under "torture" has been finished. I have decided to call it "Circles and Squares" because of the circles of the bicycle wheels and the squares of the cobblestones and windows. It was a lot of work but ended up being a pleasure because it pushed me in a slightly different direction again. So far, people who have seen it, like it - and that is kind of what it is all about - bringing some viewing pleasure to people.