Canvas Unbound

Canvas Unbound III opens on May 20th and runs to June 3 at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island. As with all FCA shows, it is a juried one. I have a canvas in this show- " Birches-Winter". It is actually just *one* birch but you don't see the trunk in the painting- you see the five sections- which is what you see looking out the window while seated at the computer. This painting should probably be subtitled "Albert's Choice" because Albert the cat was sitting on my lap. I had finished what I was doing on the computer but Albert was in no mood to move. When I looked to see what he was looking at, I noticed how nice the light was catching on the birch trunks and grabbed my sketch book to check out how it might look. There were Redwing Blackbirds visiting from the marsh so I felt they needed to be in the drawing too. After colouring up the sketch, I decided to work it out as a painting. It took quite a long time as there were so many branches to deal with, but I was quite pleased with the end result. Margreth commented that it was "very fresh". Albert has made no comment.

Doors Open Report....

Doors Open is over for another year now- but I still haven't tidied everything away. One hundred and twenty-one people came through my studio. Many were doing a complete "studio tour" as their choice of visits. There was a lot of interest and everyone seemed to really be enjoying themselves. A lot of people expressed pleasure at finding how many artists are here, working away, right in Richmond. Making art is a "must" activity for an artist. It can be lonely so it is a pleasure, too, for an artist to have people come and look and enjoy looking.

Doors Open

Doors Open in Richmond is a first for British Columbia but has been running a number of years in Ontario. The idea originated in Europe. For two days, April 26th and 27th, from 10 am to 4 pm, over 30 sites are free, open, and expecting visitors. It is a chance to visit places like the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, a Buddhist temple and a mosque. Full information and a map can be found at www.richmond.ca/doorsopen

As part of this, several artists are holding Open Studios. This is a chance to browse, meet the artist, ask questions - and have what we hope is an enjoyable outing. Along with my neighbour-artist, Alice Saunders, at 8171 Fairdell Crescent, I am holding a free draw for an original painting - so there is your chance for *two* free paintings - as well as the regular Doors Open draw for Gateway Theatre tickets, local wines and other goodies.

My address is 8751 Fairdell Place - just down the cul-de-sac from Alice, and I'm looking forward to Doors Open!

Cork and Canvas

I will be taking part in Cork and Canvas, a fundraiser by Richmond Hospital Foundation. Here is their description: "an exquisite evening of sipping, bidding and buying. Sample superb wines and peruse art from some very talented local artists. Proceeds benefit a critically needed MRI for Richmond Hospital, so please call for your tickets today! 604-244-5252
Admission: $35
Date: April 17, 2008
Time: 5pm-8pm
Place: MS Lecky UBC Boathouse (Rowing Club)
7277 River Road, Richmond "

There will be some art auctioned and some artists (including me!) will be there with art for sale with 50% going to RHF. I'm planning on bringing quite a few of my little fruits and veggies that are popular for dining areas and kitchens. Some people like to buy them in pairs or sets. Quite a few are just 6"x 6" and are $95. All are originals, one of a kind. Just for fun, several have the produce stickers on the back of the canvas.

Aerial View

Richmond Art Gallery recently had its fundraiser "Mirror, Mirror II" which is a silent auction of member's works. The theme this year was "Little Landscapes and Miniature Worlds" - with no size limit. Interpretation was left to the artists. As I had traveled over to Victoria on a day trip on a float plane, I had some interesting photo references looking down on the Gulf Islands. To me, it looks like looking at a model railway set-up. You see the trees from a different angle. Rocks that form a beach are visible underwater for an extended distance. The whole landscape looks Lilliputian. So, that became my inspiration for "Aerial View, Gulf Island". And, happily, it was purchased. An artist friend has suggested I do a series - so that is something else to think about.

Artist's Statement

"Portraits of Local Artists" is over now, but I thought I would post my artist's statement from the show. (Guess who forgot to keep a copy before?)

I decided to paint portraits of Richmond artists when I was delivering flyers about Artists Among Us. One person said, "Who is an artists around *here*?" I thought then of all the really good artists who often aren't recognized in their hometowns. For starters, we have a marine artist who is known worldwide, a sculptor who sells in New York and painters selling in Vancouver, back East and in the U.S.

To increase awareness of local talent, I decided to do portraits that would indicate the type of work of each artist. The style of the portraits would be simplified for three reasons. One- the show would have unity in spite of varied backgrounds. Two- I could work from a drawing from life and not take too much time from artists who would rather be working on their own works. Three- the style conveys a "Time magazine famous persons profile" and creates a moment in the spotlight effect.

I wanted each painting to be like a billboard for the artists and the cumulative effect to show the wide variety of talent right here in Richmond. Of course, this is really just the tip of the iceberg as 20 artists are only a fraction of the total number of artists in the community. I'd like people to think about buying real art and supporting living artists. For a modest price, people can have one-of-a-kind art instead of mass-produced reproductions. They can choose a piece with personal appeal. No one can promise escalating values in the future, but if a person loves the artwork now, then in ten years they will still love it and have had ten years of enjoyment.

There is often the tendency to feel "real" art must be imported but we need to realize the value of local artists. in 1893, John H. Twachtman spoke to a class graduating from an American art academy and said, "Some day some of you will become painters, a few of you will do distinguished work, and then the American public will turn you down for second and third rate French painters." I would hope that in 2007, people would think for themselves and discover the talents of Richmond artists.

Loraine Wellman

Waiting...

This 20" x 16" painting is being used on the poster and catalog for this year's Artists for Animals silent auction fundraiser. And, yes, you can bid on the actual painting when the advance viewing for the fundraiser opens October 22 at Autumn Brook Gallery.
The bidding for both the silent auction and a live auction - paintings ,yes, but also sculpture and other fine art - is on Sunday, October 28th. It all starts at 5:oo pm with the live auction at 7:oo pm. There will be refreshments so it all makes for a good evening raising funds to pay veterinarian and medical expenses for animals in crisis. This event is organized by the Kensington Foundation. You can read about how they got their name on their website.
Autumn Brook Gallery is located at 1545 W. 4th Avenue in Vancouver.
I was pleased to have my painting selected for the poster and catalog and to be part of this worthwhile endeavour. The painting is called "Waiting" - and whether the cat is going in or coming out is up to the purchaser to decided. Maybe, in the meantime, the cat is waiting for attention to this good cause!