Mnt2T

Going for Gold

With Olympic fever upon us, it is impressive to see what mere humans can accomplish. If there is just one characteristic of an Olympian that impresses me, it would be the perseverance. The long determined road of hard work that goes into honing a skill to that degree. I admire the same thing in great artists – singers, painters, actors, dancers and the rest. How about you? What do you admire about those who are in the spotlight in London England right now? 
TotemCC

Overrated

The stats say so. We have a tendency to overate ourselves. Apparently the vast majority of people think that they are great drivers, and better than average at sex. I’m not good with math, but I can see that 90% of people thinking they are better than average at anything, just doesn’t work with the numbers. Now, I’m sure you’d rather I talked about sex, but I’m going to take this overrating thing, and apply it to art. Let’s suppose, and I don’t know for sure how wide spread this is, but let’s suppose that some artists suffer from this too – thinking that their art is better than it actually is. What kind of things can we do to avoid this trap? First suggestion: learn to recognize your honest critics. These folks are few and far between – so if you find one, cultivate asking for their opinion. They don’t have to be knowledgeable about art techniques. They are the ones who say, “hmmm, really don’t like this one”. Or, “that area sure feels awkward”. No one in your life like that? Maybe you could to go to some art groups or art classes or retreats and network with other artists. And even in those situations, people are mostly very polite and supportive, so you will need to encourage honest responses. Finally, get exposed to the great art from history. Not only is it inspiring, but it’s hard not to be humbled in the presence of so much greatness that has gone before us. Now, it would be wrong not to mention that I have also seen the opposite problem – those who make great art and don’t see that it is. But that would be another blog post. 
WaveT

Immersion

It’s good to immerse yourself in things that are creative. Oliver Wendell Holmes suggested immersing yourself twice a week in music and you would find that it “is for the soul what the water bath is for the body.” What good advice! For painters, when not immersed in the act of painting, it is refreshing to immerse yourself in good art by others. The library is a treasure trove of art books. As for magazines, my favourite is International Artist for the diversity of good work found there. And sometimes as a treat I’ll drop in to Chapters and see if there are any other current art magazines of interest for sale. So much to be inspired by! Do you have a favourite art book or magazine? 
Fruit3T

Summer Memories

Sometimes it comes over me again – that delicious enchanting feeling of an endless summer from when I was little. The delight of many hours of sitting in a field pulling at blades of grass while chatting nothing and everything with a good friend. The unhurried breeze that came to play. Nowhere to go, nothing needing to be done. The way the grass tickled bare feet, and hopping nimbly over roads that were too hot! Popsicles! I liked the orange ones best. No polite way to slurp that last bit before it melted off the popsicle stick. Yes, summer was good, and still is. What are your favourite summer memories? 
Click to view previous painting

Sanctuary

{emailcloak=off}This island seemed remote and unreachable, nestled in a small lake hidden in the forest. Photo reference: Algonquin Park Canada.  Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks) sales tax is added at PayPal checkout  10″ x 12″    $75     16″ x 20″    $155    Note: On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account More Details Free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. The painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your print has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime! The original painting is in the collection of Sydney Stagg.  
Click to view previous painting

Autumn

{emailcloak=off}The leaves became jewels in the early morning sun, backlit by a blue mist over the farm fields. Photo reference: sugar maple copse, Southern Ontario Canada. Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks) sales tax is added at PayPal checkout  10″ x 12″    $75     16″ x 20″    $155    Note: On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account More Details Free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. The painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your print has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime! The original painting is in the collection of Sandy O’Neill.  
Click to view previous painting

The Four Horses

This painting developed in the most amazing way from pouring paint with no subject in mind. The horses emerged from the wet paint, quite awhile before I even saw them! You can actually watch it happen in this video Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks) sales tax is added at PayPal checkout  16″ x 20″ $155  24″ x 30″ $245  32″ x 40″ $395   (on 1¾” frame) Note: On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account More Details Free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. The painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your print has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime! The original painting is in the collection of the artist. 
Click to view previous painting

Veggie Shapes

{emailcloak=off}This painting is a celebration of the colour and shapes in everyday vegetables. The original was done with thick oil paint, and you will be amazed at how powerful that texture looks, even on a canvas print. Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Purchase the Original Painting 18″ x 24″ oil on pre-stretched 1.5″ canvas ready-to-hang, finished edges, unframed  Local Pickup $432    With Shipping    $472   Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks)  12″ x 16″    $125     18″ x 24″    $195    More Information On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account. Sales tax is added at PayPal checkout. For canvas prints, free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. For the original, the edge is painted a complementary colour. For canvas prints, the painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your art has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime!  
Click to view previous painting

Vegging Out

{emailcloak=off}A sister painting to Veggie Shapes, this painting would look great on your kitchen wall. Again, plenty of visual texture to make for a luscious piece of art. Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Original Painting – SOLD 18″ x 24″ oil on pre-stretched 1.5″ canvas Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks)  12″ x 16″    $125     18″ x 24″    $195    More Details On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account. Sales tax is added at PayPal checkout. For canvas prints, free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. For the original, the edge is painted a complementary colour. For canvas prints, the painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your art has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime!  
Click to view previous painting

Once A Village

{emailcloak=off}The ancient ruins emerged from a combination of pouring colour and palette knife work. This one came almost completely from my imagination. I must have been dreaming of a trip to Italy or Greece! Click to view a larger version of this painting Thanks for supporting a career in the arts by buying directly from the artist! Order a Beautiful Canvas Print giclée canvas print stretched on ¾” frame delivered to your door, ready to hang free shipping to most Canadian and U.S. locations (takes 1-2 weeks) sales tax is added at PayPal checkout  12″ x 12″    $95     24″ x 24″    $225     36″ x 36″    $395      (on 1¾” frame) Note: On PayPal, you can use a credit card;  you don’t need a PayPal account More Details Free shipping applies to most US and Canadian addresses. An extra charge may apply for remote locations (e.g. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii). If so, we will contact you before processing your order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Full refund – purchaser pays return shipping only. The painting wraps around the edges of the frame. Your print has a protective coating. It will last a lifetime! The original painting is in the collection of Sue Baker.