Art About Finn Slough

The Finn Slough Art Show is this week- always fun to see what others interpretations of the Slough are. Interestingly, there is always something different to see. The reception is on the Friday night and I'm looking forward to hearing Michael Kluckner speak - and, I must admit, also hoping that he does not go on too long. The problem with some speakers is that, while they may be interesting, it is just too long to sit - and even worse if the seats have run out! I painted a new painting for this year's show and had fun with the light and shadows. Also, it was different to have the fishboat not by the houses. Anyway, I hope people like it.

Ian Tyson at Vancouver School of Art

The new issue of Maclean's arrived today - with an article about a long time love of Ian Tyson. I was interested to read it as Ian was at VSA when I was there. I don't remember a lot about him - somehow he didn't especially appeal to me - and obviously he wasn't especially taken with me either! I do remember that he came from a fairly well-to-do family in Victoria and his mother went to London, England each year "for the season". This used to amuse me in later years as Ian cultivated the "old ranch-hand" personality. I also remember that he seemed to drink a lot, even then. He and a friend had part-time jobs in a bar - or a restaurant ??- and used to drink anything left in customer's glasses - or so he said. I don't really remember his girlfriend although she was a lovely looking girl. I guess I was too busy doing my own thing and figuring out where I was going with art. In my second year, I took an extra class of life-drawing in the evenings. I had some art supplies in a tool box and I remember being on the trolley when it broke down. I think the trolley just slipped off the wires- but a more conventional looking office worker commented to a friend that maybe I could fix the vehicle. Ian comments on art students being a different breed in those days - I guess we were- and sometimes tried to dress the part! .... "Streetwise" is a little cat that just wanted to be featured this time.

Newsletter done-

I've just done the February newsletter - although there are no actual events or shows in February, for the public. Our drawing sessions and meeting take place, however and work goes on in organizing upcoming events.I put "Memories" on the newsletter, after trying this one of the pan-flute player. Unfortunately, he really didn't fit the space well. Too bad, I like his character face. This was one of series of using the tall, narrow canvas for figure studies. It can be interesting to play around with canvases in different proportions. In real life, the pan-flute was a lighter colour - but it made too stark a contrast so I glazed it over to a deeper golden colour. That is one of the things I like about acrylics - you can change your mind even when the painting is pretty well "finished".

More Marathoning-

There was another Marathon weekend at Phoenix Art Workshop this past weekend. This time, there were three sessions. One evening one was 30-minute costumed poses and the other two were 5-hour sustained poses. The first long pose went well but the next day the model woke up ill so the planned set-up (alas! no Medusa!) did not happen. However, Lawrence saved the day by coming in to pose and some very nice work resulted. I haven't photographed anything yet so this is Wanda from a previous Marathon. Coloured conte' on pastel paper.
It is always interesting to paint with other artists and see all the different interpretations.

One of the Men in Hats

The weather is wet and windy today - quite miserable out- the kind of weather of which my grandmother used to say "It's not fit for man nor beast- send Father". Nevertheless, I delivered the re-done "Abandoned Farmhouse" and it was happily received. The owner says she didn't think it could be improved but now she sees it has been. So that is a happy ending. .....and it may be wet out there but it is easy to get around. Last week, with the snow, we weren't sure if Life Drawing would take place so the model ended up being cancelled. Some of us went anyway. Happily, although a lot of Richmond had an electricity blackout, the lights were on in the Art Centre. We improvised by taking turns posing for 10 minutes each and had a successful drawing evening anyway. This is Marv, posing with a hat on, as befits one of "The Men in Hats." the 10-minute sketch was done in water-soluble graphite pencil.

37 and 1/2 years later

I don't do watercolours now- except maybe in a sketch book- but I did some years ago. I don't remember all the particulars of this painting. I'm sure I painted it en plein air - and maybe I was running out of time -?- but looking at it later I felt the foreground just wasn't interesting enough and was too flat. I offered a painting exchange to the owner, but she liked the old deserted farmhouse. Then it was loaned to someone else. Then she got it back and said I could "touch it up" if I wanted. So, figuring it had my name on it and I should try to "fix" it, I borrowed it back. It was a challenge doing watercolours and realizing they would dry lighter whereas acrylics dry darker, but I ended up happier about it. Then "in for a penny, in for a pound" as my grandmother used to say, I knew it needed re-framing as the mat took too much from the edges and didn't give the painting breathing room. Anyway, it is done now and I plan on taking it back this next week. I'll report on the reaction.

Collage completed

It was nice to work upstairs where it is a little warmer - so I worked on the collage and got it done. It is very time-consuming but interesting work and I ended up putting a few different twists on the actual model set-up. He got a tropical garden - or is a conservatory?- to be near. I think he looks like a magistrate or official. Could he have some power in a more tropical place? Or was that a winter wish on my part? At any rate, I have decided that one of the few perks of winter is hot chocolate! I'm not sure if this collage will be "shown". I think it needs to be under glass and that is a whole other level of expense. I may look into some kind of interchangeable frame and then just always do collages the same size.