Always Art Studio

10 Days

2011-01-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Off for 10 days!! In my other life, I am a fashion manager in a busy and large retail environment, and while I enjoy the creativity involved in this field of work, I was counting down the hours until I had10 days of rest and relaxation, self-paced days, gallons of coffee, tea and paint ... Giddy with anticipation yet slightly overwhelmed with how much I hoped to accomplish. There are works-in-progress and blank canvases everywhere, not to mention several blogs posts backed up in editing, and pictures awaiting re-sizing! Frank has an immense 7 foot abstract scroll painting on the go that is showing great prospects!

Let the creative juices flow!!

And watch for the backed-up blog posts, one including one of my favorite artists for the Great Artists Series, the irrepressible Emily Carr!

"This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last." ~ Oscar Wilde

Ode to Emily

2010-12-12T22:01:00.002-07:00

I grew up on Vancouver Island, home to famed Canadian artist and author Emily Carr. Before I ever knew anything about art or even considered myself an artist, I was awed and inspired by Emily's works, especially her portrayal of towering trees... this is one of those pieces inspired by Emily Carr's "Odds and Ends"...

Ode to Emily
Julie Cooper Young
Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

" They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality."~ Frida Kahlo

Danse de Deux ( A Tiny One)

2010-12-11T09:05:00.001-07:00

Most of the Danse de Deux series are larger in scale, averaging 2 -3.5 feet tall, but this delicate little piece would fit into the palm of your hand...

Frank's approach to these branches changes how I view things when out on a walk in nature, I see dancers everywhere now!

From the Danse de Deux series
Frank A. Waits
Natural Wood Sculpture

"What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit." ~ John Updike

Great Artists - Installment 3 : Jean Philippe Dallaire

2010-12-08T18:54:00.012-07:00

Jean-Philippe Dallaire ( 1916 - 1965)

"I work according to my intuition and whim..." ~ Jean Philippe Dallaire

Jean-Philippe Dallaire, known as a stylistic painter and illustrator was raised in a working-class family of 15. He started drawing at age 11. While he was known to have attended some art classes, he was known to be self-taught. In 1938, Dallaire left Quebec and went to Paris, where he attended the Atelier d'art sacré, the Lhote studio and worked in his Montmartre studio.

Dallaire is known to have favored the surrealists, most notably Picasso. He worked in oil, watercolor, gouache, crayon, pencil, and mixed media. His best known subjects included fantasy, people and humor.

Dallaire moved back to Canada and taught painting at the Ecole des beaux-arts in Quebec city from 1946 through 1952, and later in Ottawa from 1952-57 where he illustrated films for the National Film Board . Dallaire eventually lived and painted in Montreal and in 1959, moved back to Europe where he lived and worked until his death in 1965 of heart failure.

In 1968, the Musée d’art contemporain, Montreal and the Musée du Quebec, Quebec held a retrospective of his work.

*Please note, this is not a comprehensive biography, click on the links provided for further reading...

The first time I ever came into contact with Dallaires work was a result of photos of his work in a discarded Sotheby's Auction Catalog back in the mid 90's. I was fascinated with his whimsical and spontaneous style.

He has remained one of my all-time favorite artists ever since ... I hope you enjoy this brief snippet of one of Canada's artistic treasures...

(These images posted are some of my favored compositions of Dallaire's and not intended to represent his body of work as Dallaire worked successfully in a number of styles)

"One could say that I do not take life seriously. I always had a fondness for birds, little flags and the texture of fabrics. Perhaps it is a bit decorative, but so what." ~ Jean philippe Dallaire (1957)

"As it is in Surrealism, it is the subconscious that I express, and that is made explicit through form and color in the painting."

Frank's Work in Progress

2010-12-06T19:17:00.002-07:00

Here's a series of photo's of Frank's current work-in-progress ...untitled as of yet...usually one particular figure emerges that inspires the title. It was mid-day when he started the piece, and as you can tell by the changes in light, he worked well into the night... finished results to follow next post!

Frank started with a roller on an extended handle... he likes the randomness created by the distance in some of these earliest stages...

Bring on the yellow! (And a few inquires from my color-blind partner: "...Are you sure this is yellow?? " )

And out come random brushes of the cadmium red ....

The daylight was long gone but he continued to work with splashes of cadmium red medium, cadmium red deep and wet rags...

Frank peering down and waving off the camera....

Now the figures and faces (with a healthy sprinkling of nudes) start to appear all over the canvas ...

A close-up of one section that is currently in-the-works ...

"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not." ~ Pablo Picasso

Organic

2010-12-05T14:16:00.003-07:00

This current as yet untitled W.I.P was inspired by a photo of a rock face ... I never pass up an opportunity to play with texture ... and I am grooving on the organic feel of this larger work ~ a few issues with camera and lighting but I will post a better picture for the finished result ...

"Paint what you feel. Paint what you see. Paint what is real to you." ~ Robert Henri

Danse de Deux 5 (Series)

2010-11-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Another piece from Frank's "Danse de Deux" series ...what was once a dead branch comes alive as dancers ...

Danse de Deux 5

Frank A. Waits (© 2010)

Natural Wood Sculpture

"No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." ~ Oscar Wilde

Meet the Artists

2010-11-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Meet the artists ... well, sort of. We decided to do these two loose portraits and these hang at the head of our bed. Thanks to Picasso for lending us the 'wayward' eye idea... just having a little fun ...

Frank's goatee continues to appear and disappear ... and we have taken a little license with our ages in the paintings by erasing the smile lines, an artist's perogative! ;-)

So, I will include a picture of the real us... with the wayward eye intact.

"Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?" ~ Pablo Picasso

Waiting

2010-11-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Waiting
Frank A. Waits ©2010
Old School Photography - Hand Inked

"All art should have a certain mystery and should make demands on the spectator." ~ Henry Moore

Sunshine and Roses

2010-11-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

Easily one of my favorite pieces by Frank...

He teased me a lot in our early days about being "sunshine and lollipops" or "sunshine and roses". True enough I guess... while I am not without my melancholy moments, I believe as long as we are drawing breath, we might as well enjoy ourselves!

So, along came the inspiration for one of Frank's more recent nature sculptures "Sunshine and Roses". The "hand" of the sculpture is actually a dried rose root with an actual rosebud attached, mounted on a piece of driftwood we scrounged from a beach one day on one of our walks...

I find myself gazing as much at the interesting shadow that this piece casts on a wall as the sculpture itself. Even the shadow lends itself to magic of the art...

Sunshine and Roses
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Natural Wood Sculpture

"Great art picks up where nature ends."~Marc Chagall

Bastion Square

2010-11-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

Bastion Square is a picturesque little through-way, just steps from the inner harbor in the heart of Victoria BC.
15 years back, I had the good fortune to participate in the Bastion Square Festival of the Arts. During my first season there I was featured in the local media as a representation of the artists and exhibitions to be found at the summer-long arts festival. The turn-of-the-century buildings were like a step back in time, the gorgeous large tree was shelter to my table and displays.

Interestingly enough that gold building with the grey trim in the background of this piece was a courthouse in turn of the century Victoria (it now houses the Maritime Museum.) And that beautiful tree that provided shade and shelter from the elements... the hanging tree. People were spooked by the tree and didn't want to house their booth there. When asked about my spooky location, I would remind people that I was not the one who had conducted those hangings from a century ago, and that I was sure any lingering spirits and that beautiful tree would not mind my taking shelter there.

Years later, after moving about western Canada, Frank and I opened up a studio just a couple of blocks away and we regularly walked through historic Bastion Square. I finally decided the time had come to do a painting of one of my favorite places...and I have included 2 of my favorite people in this piece, my son Cory and daughter Belinda.

This piece is a tall detailed one. 60" x 48", so it goes without saying that alot will be lost viewing this on the limits of a smaller computer screen.

Just a snap of the same piece "in context" ...

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

Dare to Dream

2010-11-22T06:47:00.003-07:00

Dare to Dream ( Julie Cooper Young ) © 2010

There is a story to these pieces.
During a difficult period in my life, I clung to the hope of a brighter future when I painted the first piece "Dare to Dream". I painted this canvas as a silent reminder to myself, words that would inspire and then hung it in a prominent place. My secret message that with a little faith and time, life would be okay.

Two yeas later, the kids and I on our way to re-building a different and happier life. I was now seeing a man (Frank) who also happened to be an artist, and we were newly established in our shared downtown Victoria BC studio. The first piece I painted in our new studio (though I didn't even recognize the direct correlation till 3 months later) "Live the Dream"...

Sometimes, the worst things end up being the best things .. or maybe it is that the worst things shake your life up so much and remove 'what was' that you no longer fit into your old life, allowing you to open up up to a world of new opportunities that you never thought possible...

Live the Dream
Julie Cooper Young © 2010
Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

"Everything you can imagine is real." ~ Pablo Picasso

Crawling Pigtails Abstract

2010-11-21T20:54:00.006-07:00

It is quite the experience to watch Frank paint these big pieces. Random swaths of color and then suddenly hundreds upon hundreds of figures start to appear, random, all over the canvas. It is almost unconscious, the way he works, and very inspiring to see. You could stare at a piece for a full week and still feel like you have not seen all of the figures and faces! Why "Crawling Pigtails"? There is a figure crawling, and a girl with pigtails...

This canvas is one of the smaller ones at 3ft x 4 ft.

These works are difficult to showcase in thee context of a blog, the screen size and color palette of the average computer is just too limited.

Crawling Pigtails
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Acrylic on Canvas

"Creativity is . . . seeing something that doesn't exist already." ~ Michele Shea

All in Good Time

2010-11-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

Edmonton is a landscape of snow and ice these days, we could encounter as much as another 5 months of this white stuff. Out comes the big basket of mismatch tuques, scarves and gloves... But hey, in Alberta, it's about trying to stay warm, no one cares if your accessories don't match...

Yet there is something hopeful about this current climate. Winter is traditionally a time for slowing down and beneath the thick blanket of snow, there is the ongoing evolution of rebirth and renewal. Nature slumbers, and faithfully re-emerges at the first whisper of a warm spring breeze, whether that is March 20th or May 20th ( depending on your climate and locale. In our case, probably May...)
The gray days allow Frank and I to cocoon at home and pursue new art methods, ideas and inspirations. The long nights are a great excuse to watch great art flicks or debate the exact meaning of 'collaboration' ... a 4 year old ongoing conversation since we have different ideas of what we believe the definition really means...

Someday, once again, spring will come ~ though probably not on March 20th like officially recognized... but all in good time.

After the Harvest
By Julie Cooper Young © 2010
Mixed Media on Canvas
Sold

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ~ Jimmy Dean

Harp Girl

2010-11-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Harp Girl
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Old School Photography- Hand Inked

"I don't grow up. In me is the small child of my early days." ~ M.C.Escher

Storm Approach

2010-11-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

A view of the country around Douglas, Manitoba. A little license taken with the storm approach, but that it is the joy of painting... ;-)

Storm Approach
Julie Cooper Young ©2010
Mixed Media on Canvas

"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."~ Edward Hopper

Abstract in Drop D

2010-11-16T09:00:00.002-07:00

This is one of Frank's scroll paintings done on raw canvas and hanging around 6 ft long. Amongst the hundreds of figures is a portrait of Frank dumping his art case into the garbage, a guitar player and of course, numerous nudes ...two of the nudes represent me but I am not doing any detail shots of those! ;-)

Abstract in Drop D
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Acrylic on 6 ft canvas scroll

The painting in context to the left side of the photo ( for scale purposes)

"I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image... because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. " ~ Jackson Pollock

Chaps

2010-11-15T22:13:00.001-07:00

One of a series of four Chaps paintings... The things you do when you are in the mood to paint a little leather and denim!
Chaps
Julie Cooper Young ©2010
Acrylic on Canvas

"The object isn't to make art, it's to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable." ~ Robert Henri

Danse de Deux 2

2010-11-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

And to think most people walk past downed branches and just think they are sticks!

Danse de Deux 2
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Natural Wood Sculpture

"The artist gazes upon a reality and creates his own impression. The viewer gazes upon the impression and creates his own reality." ~ Robert Brault

Blog Triage

2010-11-12T09:53:00.003-07:00

Bump-bump"

Pause....

...pause....

"Bump-bump"

There is still a heartbeat, but it is irregular...Quick! Get this blog to triage!

I have signed up for a blogging course to get past my writing obstacles once and for all. Alyson Stanfield of ArtBizCoach and Cynthia Morris of Original Impulse have teamed up together to offer a live or self-study course on improving your blog, appropriately titled Blog Triage.

Years ago in the 90's, I used to write small columns for local periodicals. They were humorous little 'slice of life" blurbs for a limited audience. I even entered a local writing contest in 1995 and took the first prize which included a flight for two to Vancouver and a stay in a luxury hotel. I knew my audience, I was one of them, so writing came easy. So given that previous experience, that should have made venturing into writing an art blog even easier, right?

Ummm, no.

I find myself shy on the global blogosphere. The long list of blogs I read and admire are so varied, so clever or funny or informative! Yet venturing into the blogging world, I don't even how to achieve an audience, have no idea who my audience is. As an artist, I can spend endless hours at the easel painting and gabbing about art, but to translate those informal and spontaneous bursts into text ... suddenly I stiffen and stumble.

Alyson and Cynthia have saved the day! They have offered a 20 lesson self-study course to get me on track and on my way to a more functional and friendlier blog. This course offers an opportunity to fix numerous aspects of my blog for ease of use as a writer and for a potential reader.

Since I desire the blog to be a platform for myself and Frank to share and converse with other artists and art admirers from various walks of life, the blog triage course seems like a great place to start in finding my/our voice and creating an environment that is friendly, informative, open and hopefully fun.

My hat is off to all the amazing blogs that I follow out there on the internet highway. You bring me so much reading pleasure, pause for thought or laughter on any given day~ I aspire to return the favor!

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~Anaïs Nin

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." ~William Wordsworth

HellMart

2010-11-10T09:28:00.002-07:00

The symbolism in this picture is fantastic... Frank caught this aged veteran walking down the street with his old hard-bodied suitcases, heading towards the 'antique exchange' with the parking meter indicating 'time was running out' in the foreground...

HellMart
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Old School Photography- Hand Inked

"Art does not reproduce what we see; rather, it makes us see." ~ Paul Klee

Progress on the Mural

2010-11-09T10:02:00.001-07:00

An unusually warm month for us here in Alberta ...I never imagined wearing a unzipped light jacket in mid-November on the prairies!

Frank's seasonal work is winding down now and he is gearing up for a winter of full-time art, but my work is picking up pace for the next 6 weeks and I am going to trend towards smaller canvases for the next 6 weeks so I can continue to paint around crazy work hours and still feel like I am accomplishing some goals artistically.

Progress on the mural commission continues and the rocks are becoming more apparent in texture and color now. There is still a long way to go but at least the mural is showing the signs of what it will be some day!

"You don't need eyes to see, you need vision." ~ Mazi Jazz

Solitude

2010-11-01T22:32:00.000-06:00

I never tire of the beauty of trees and the sky. While I am very much a West Coast girl, there is a beauty and grace to the prairie landscape and I am grateful to have had the fortune to live in diverse regions of Canada.

"Solitude" captures one of those prairie moments, the prairie is not all bald and flat! I find the sunsets and sunrises there to be the most colorful and hypnotic...

Solitude
Julie Cooper Young © 2010
Acrylic Mixed Media

"What we need is more sense of the wonder of life" ~ Robert Henri

From the Danse de Deux

2010-10-29T18:50:00.002-06:00

To see these sculpture pieces assembled on one large wall is amazing...

From the "Danse de Deux" Series (Dance of Two)
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Natural Wood Assemblage

"Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul ~ and you answer" ~ Star Riches

The World is Just Awesome

2010-10-27T08:30:00.001-06:00

"What we need is more sense of the wonder of life." ~ Robert Henri

One of my all-time favorite quotes.

Today I am busy at the easel and have been for several hours since I awoke at 6:30 A.M. ( and I will have some works-in-progress pics for the next post.) It is cold, grey and bleak outside, my furnace has kicked in and the skiff of snow outside announces that winter is starting to set in here.

Today, I just want to spread a little fun. Via the most nontraditional of sources - a commercial. Yes, a commercial. Discovery Channel came out with several versions of this highly infectious and upbeat song and you just can't help but enjoy these. There are several variations to be found on YouTube and I have posted 2 of my favorites here. Short and snappy, and reminiscent of one of my favorite quotes, enjoy!

Boom De Ah Dah (Discovery Channel)

No Loitering

2010-10-25T07:55:00.000-06:00

Another poster-size original photo done by Frank... and this is old school photography, no digital tricks ~ the bus really did say "No Loitering" ... he has the negative to prove it!

No Loitering
Frank A. Waits ©2010
Old School Photography - Hand Inked

"It's a moment that I'm after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment." ~ Andrew Wyeth

Beached

2010-10-24T19:04:00.000-06:00

Memories of the beaches from home on Vancouver Island ...

Beached
Julie Cooper Young © 2010
Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

"What we need is more sense of the wonder of life." ~ Robert Henri

WPG (Winnipeg)

2010-10-23T21:19:00.000-06:00

Just love the bored scowl of this grizzled old guy that Frank photographed on the streets of Winnipeg ...

WPG
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Old School Photography - Hand Inked

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." ~ Henri Matisse

Crazy about the Amazon Kindle

2010-10-22T08:38:00.002-06:00

Well over a year ago, I wrote about my desire to acquire the new Amazon Kindle e-book reader. But, with all new technologies, I decided to hold back and wait to see how sound the product was, allow time for any bug fixes and further developments. It was well worth the wait!

(picture from the Amazon website)
Two days before my birthday, a parcel from Amazon arrived containing one of the coolest little pieces of technology that I have seen in quite some time. Of course over time, a few other companies have come out with their version of an e-book reader as well but to me, Kindle is king and the true pioneer of this little gem.

It is the size of an ordinary paperback and weighs even less than most paperbacks, yet the reading screen is the perfect size. Being a hardcore book aficionado, I wasn't sure if reading off of an ebook reader would feel 'weird', but within minutes of learning how to navigate the device, the weirdness was gone as I devoured page after page. I am still someone who will continue to purchase regular books, particularly art and Canadian history books ...but the e-reader is indispensable for books I want to read on-the-go or titles that I might not want to drag around in my permanent hard-copy collection.

It holds 3,500 books and documents, you can download a Kindle e-book anywhere, has a high contrast ( and adjustable) screen and font, free 3G wifi wireless ( no payments or contracts!), free in-unit dictionary , notes and highlighter, bookmarking system and a long life battery ( as long as 3 weeks off of a single charge if you leave the wi-fi turned off). The adjustable font is a handy thing if I have forgotten my reading glasses...

Hands-down, my favorite feature is the text-to-voice option. Time is at a premium these days and there are many times I want to read but have no time to just sit there with a book. Multi-tasking ( code for touching on a bit of everything but never quite feeling like you have actually gotten one thing done!) is a feature in my life these days.

There are hundreds of thousands of free books available, particularly in the classic and out-of-print titles and the list grows daily. I have also noticed many authors that have launched their new book 'free' or free for a limited time to Kindle readers and author Stephen King offered one particular title to Kindle readers only. You are not strictly bound to Amazon for ebooks as they are available through several other ebook websites and libraries as well. Just look for the Kindle or Mobi format.

You have the page forward and page-back button on either side so you are not reaching for either button. The screen presents itself like any printed page with no glare and I appreciate not having a back-lit screen ( which is an electronic feature in many devices and computers that seems to have played havoc on my eyes as they age. )

I chose to buy a proprietary Kindle case though there are many more cheaper versions available. It contains a built-in reading light that tucks into the cover itself, and charges off of the Kindle device so it will never require batteries. The leather case has the look and feel of a leather bound book, and if you are a book aficionado like myself, you will know exactly what I am talking about. The light is directed down to your screen yet there is no glare and the experience is similar to that of reading any other printed page under a lamp.

What are the flaws? Nothing extraordinary from my experience. A word such as "read" which has the same spelling but two different contexts and pronunciations might be used incorrectly in the text-to-voice option, but that has not been an issue since it is not rocket-science to be listening along and understand the context of the word, you are not derailed from your reading experience if it is pronounced in the wrong context.

A brief pause between announcing chapters and going on to the first paragraph would be nice in the text-to-voice option, but once again, this is not enough to alter your reading experience.

You can change the voice from male to female or speed the text-to-voice option up or slow it down but the default setting is very much the common speed in which one would read aloud.

This little gadget is awesome. For whatever up-front cost you might incur in purchasing the unit, you could read for years for free if you chose to and I have noticed there are a number of Kindle fans in the forums that have chosen to do just that and even started clubs. I just want to read a good book, free or at a reasonable price. Knowing what I have paid for my books in the past whether new or new-to-me, I find this a highly affordable option when I choose to buy a book.

One more little feature I forgot to mention... You will NEVER lose your page. If you jump up and leave your book ( not using the text to voice option), it will after a brief time go into hibernation mode, or should you have to suddenly shut it off to do something else, it will open to the last page read, whatever book you happened to be reading. I often choose to read 4-5 titles at a time, so this has been a valuable feature for me!

When the Kindle is shut off or in hibernation, you always have a new 'cover' ( or screen saver if you like) on your screen versus a blank screen. A small and interesting detail. It gave me the impression that Amazon had really put thought into their product.

What I would do to have my immense and heavy paperback "Jackson Pollock: An American Saga" on my Kindle. This particular thick 900+ page title is not yet available on the Kindle and I would probably be able to read it faster around my work and painting hours if it was. But you never know when that title might pop up in the future!

I would post my 'thumbs-up' review for anyone else that has been considering an e-book reader. I would give this electronic a full 5 stars out of five!

Till next time,

Julie

"Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book." ~Author Unknown

"My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter." ~Thomas Helm

"For friends... do but look upon good Books: they are true friends, that will neither flatter nor dissemble." ~Francis Bacon

Post Edit: After reading my post, Frank said "Ummm, it sounds like you work for Amazon..." Let me re-iterate, I do not, nor have I ever worked for Amazon, nor any of their affiliates... This is nothing more then an exhuberant review on a product I am enjoying. Frank just bought us a new bed and now ( his voice oozing sarcasm ) fears I will write a review on that now too ~ I will not... ;-)

La Trek (Lautrec)

2010-10-20T07:09:00.001-06:00

Frank's homage to Toulouse-Lautrec ...

La Trek
Frank A. Waits ©2010
Old Scool Photography - Hand Inked

"I paint things as they are. I don't comment." ~ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Slow Progress

2010-10-17T19:19:00.001-06:00

The deadlines have finally died down though our work hours remain brisk for both of us. My birthday came and went, including an awesome dinner from Frank and cool gifts that included an immense bouquet of roses, a violin, a telescope from Frank and the Kindle e-book reader from my kids! ( More on the Kindle in another post!)

Another year older. Wiser? Probably not! ;-)

Our studio currently has canvases spread about all in different stages of progress... The office mural commission continues, as do a recent spurt of abstract works by both Frank and myself. No completed works to post here today but some quick snaps of a couple pieces in progress from the current stack.

40" x 40" mixed media work in progress by Julie. I am really into the reds right now. Not sure why but I decided not to fight it.

A 30" x 40" figures painting that Frank is currently working on...Yes, the man does like to do his nudes! This piece is in the earliest stages. Anyone familiar with Frank's work knows that this canvas will eventually contain hundreds of faces and figures... a feast for the eyes! Even after gazing at it for days, you continue to see something new.

A 6 ft section of the office wall mural-in-progress ...

"A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind."~ Eugene Ionesco

Story Teller

2010-10-15T10:49:00.001-06:00

StoryTeller
Frank A. Waits © 2010
Original old-school photograph, hand-inked, approximate dimensions 22" x 30"

"It doesn't matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said." ~ Jackson Pollock

Dreams of Umbria

2010-10-12T23:55:00.000-06:00

This long painting was inspired by a friend's trip to Umbria. I was fascinated by the villages clinging to the side of the steep mountains.

Dreams of Umbria
Julie Cooper Young © 2010
Acrylic on Canvas

"Art is an outsider, a gypsy over the face of the earth." ~ Robert Henri

The Welder Abstract

2010-10-11T11:00:00.002-06:00

This is one of Frank's scroll paintings, running 6 feet in length. A feast for the eyes in life as there is so much to see. The limits of computer screen size are always a frustration when we attempt to put these large detailed works online, but at the very least you will get an idea. As always, there are hundreds of figures on this piece. Frank chooses a random subject for the title ...do you see the welder?

The Welder - Abstract
Frank A. Waits
Acrylic on Canvas Scroll

"There is no must in art because art is free." ~ Wasilly Kandinsky

Great Artists : Installment 2 - Fernando Botero

2010-10-09T21:55:00.001-06:00

(originally put together on October 4th, but sitting in drafts)

In the third week of September, the company I work for sent me to the city of Calgary for a week. As luck would have it, "The Baroque World of Fernando Botero" retrospective exhibit was being shown at the GlenBow Museum!! Are you serious??? I was almost beside myself with excitement to have a chance to see this internationally acclaimed Colombian artist's work!

At the stroke of 6 P.M. I bolted from the hotel conference room we had been working from and clutching my tourist magazine that contained the gallery address, I hailed a cab. The cab driver seemed to almost share in my excitement and hastily pointed out buildings and places of interest as we zig-zagged through rush hour traffic. (Very cool cabbies with Yellow Cab b.t.w.)

But alas, Lady Luck ditched me...

When I finally got downtown, the exhibit had already closed for the day even though the tourist magazine listed the hours for that day until 9... possibly shortened hours due to quiet evenings in the downtown after a tough year during a global economic slowdown? Damn!! I was like a kid outside of a closed candy store with a shiny new quarter to spend...nose and hands to the glass, a long sigh in the beautiful modern architecture of the empty foyer ... (yes, a little dramatic, but I seriously wanted to see this exhibit, it was to be the highlight of my week!)

A kind security guard came out of his office and spoke with me at length about other art and theatre events possibly going on around town that evening and gave a stack of great tourist magazines and brochures. His friendliness made the evening much less of a disappointment and I headed out the door to find a restaurant till I had a chance to see if there was something I could attend within walking distance.

Uh oh... lots of commuter and pedestrian traffic but not too much in that immediate area appeared to be open. I finally saw the welcoming open sign of "The Bistro" in the Art Central neighborhood and walked in. A lovely 2 tiered restaurant ...but empty except for 2 ladies at the bar on the downstairs level. Ah, not to worry...I would grab a bite and be on my way. My bite ended up being the best mushroom risotto and Maple salmon ( with a drizzle of lime juice circling my plate) that I had ever had, served alongside a couple glasses of beautiful wine that I regret forgetting the name of.

Calgary, you are a very pretty and friendly city... while missing out on the exhibit was an immense disappointment, your friendly citizens from the cab driver to the security guard to the young waiter of the Bistro kept the evening from being a bust. My sincere thanks!

(PS : If you were fortunate enough to have seen this exhibit whether in Calgary or elsewhere, please share! Even if only to relish in the knowledge that I am probably drooling enviously staring at my laptop reading your comments on the exhibit!)

Now on with Fernando Botero. I might have missed seeing his art in person but there is still an opportunity to share my enthusiasm for his distinctive works.

*Please note that these are not detailed biographies but I link to all sources available whenever possible for your further reading pleasure. The pictures presented are not a comprehensive scope of the artist's work, but rather, a few favored by myself.

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Fernando Botero ( Born 1932 - )

Fernando Botero is an internationally acclaimed Colombian artist often noted for his situational portraits of proportionally exaggerated figures featured in his paintings and sculptures. Fernando was born to working class parents, a salesman and a seamstress, and due to his father's early death at the age of 4 and the family's struggles to stay afloat, actually had little exposure to arts and museums. It is said the baroque style of the colonial churches and the city were to be the influence for Fernando's style. While Fernando's unique portraits are inevitably some of the most recognizable of his work, he is also noted for his still lifes and landscapes, and his very distinctive view on the violence of the Colombian drug cartels and the controversial exhibit in which he portrayed the prisoners of Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq war.

Fernando participated in his first group exhibit at the age of 16, but also went on to work as a set designer and exhibit and study art in Bogota and later Madrid and Paris. Botero has spent the majority of his adult life in Paris though he still returns home to Medellin for one month out of the year. He married 3 times and fathered 4 children. He has had more then 50 major exhibits. ( ~ and hopefully one day I will finally be able to visit one! )

Hope you enjoyed this brief art stroll... till next time!

"An artist is attracted to certain kinds of form without knowing why. You adopt a position intuitively." ~ Fernando Botero

"I describe in a realistic form a non-realistic reality." ~ Fernando Botero

Aura Girl

2010-10-01T11:06:00.002-06:00

Hands-down, this is Julie's favorite photo of my Animation Realism series. It was a typical summer day in the early nineties, the sun was baking, and a soft breeze was blowing down Portage and Main. I got a late start to my normal hunt for photographic composition at a street festival which was taking place in Old Market Square. I meandered around a large group of people enjoying a bluegrass performance on the main stage. Through the lens, I found what I was searching for; a sweet situation of a little girl standing on the back of her father's wheelchair, smiling down with an angelic gaze. Either because of a trick of light or something much more mysterious, a white aura seems to cling to the girl's hair.
The best thing about this story is... I have the negative to prove it... not a photo-shop trick folks!... The original looks so much better then the example posted, hope you enjoy it... ~ Frank

Aura Girl
Frank A. Waits
Old-school photography, hand-inked

"It's a moment that I'm after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment." ~ Andrew Wyeth

In Her Shell

2010-09-30T23:42:00.002-06:00

I have been busy dismantling an old and long-running blog so I am re-locating some works from the past.

In Her Shell
Julie Cooper Young
Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas
Sold

"One eye sees, the other feels." ~ Paul Klee

Day Break

2010-09-30T21:09:00.000-06:00

Working in layers of transparent colors... I love the effect when the other colors have a chance to come through. Acrylics are such a flexible and versatile media to work in.

Day Break
Julie Cooper Young
Mixed media acrylic on Canvas

"On the sixth day, God created the artist, realizing no doubt that He had far from exhausted the uses of color." Robert Brault

Great Artists - Jean Paul Riopelle

2010-08-31T23:05:00.004-06:00

In our lives, the chaos continues. Big life changes, personally and professionally. Long hours, deadlines, the uncomfortable feeling that there are times in life when you feel like your time is not even your own. I am choosing not to discuss these events for the moment until the dust settles...but until then...

I have missed blogging. We continue to create though it has been more fit and spurt in the recent weeks due to outside demands for our time and attention. Those few stolen moments of peace and quiet usually result in my burying my nose in a book for a little relaxation and distraction from the day. The latest titles include "Jackson Pollock : An American Saga" by Steven Naifeh and "The Art Spirit" By Robert Henri. AMAZING books! A must read for art and artist enthusiasts.

During these hectic days I often think of works-in-progress and potential paintings to be. It also brings to my mind artists that I admire... There is nothing I love to do more then share the art of others so I have decided that on occasion, this blog will be a platform for that. Some artists will be living, some will not. Some are so famous that you would have to have been living under a rock to not have heard of them, others, a little more obscure but no less talented! Time constraints do not allow for the amount of research and biography I would like to include, but I will include links and book titles wherever possible for anyone interested in further reading. Pictures posted will be a sampling of works, ( probably pieces favored by me) but by no means to be considered an in-depth representation of the artist's work. Please utilize the links for more comprehensive reading.

I hope you enjoy these brief art walks...

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Jean Paul Riopelle ( 1923 - 2002 )

"When I hesitate, I do not paint. When I paint, I do not hesitate."

Jean Paul Riopelle was a Internationally acclaimed Canadian abstract expressionist known for his large vibrant mosaic-like abstracts. Riopelle was an original member of the Les Automatistes, a group of Quebecois artistic dissidents from Montreal Quebec and active in the artistic revolts that characterized those times. In his obituary listed with The Canadian Encyclopedia, he was described as a blend between Jackson Pollock and Henri Matisse. It was said that Riopelle always detested being referred to as an abstract expressionist, as he was raw, edgy and physically brutal in his artistic approach and style, what he himself termed as 'action paintings'. He was previously married to dancer Francoise l 'Esperance, the father of two daughters and eventually a resident of France, but his life was also characterized by his hard drinking, passion for fast cars and a lengthy and volatile relationship with another re-knowned abstract artist of that time, Joan Mitchell. Riopelle rose to staggering heights on the Paris art scene with the aid of Pierre Matisse ( son of artist Henri Matisse) and later became the youngest artist to have a retrospective at the National Gallery in 1963. Riopelle moved back to Quebec in 1972 and continued to produce work even while suffering the debilitating effects of osteoporosis. Riopelle passed away in 2002.

Further Reading on Jean Paul Riopelle :

Riopelle in Conversation ( with Gilbert Erouart / translated by Donald Winkler)

Quotes by Jean Paul Riopelle:

"When a painter does a good painting, he does it in the throes of terror."

"In its organization, nature is my reference."

"To progress is to destroy what we believed acquired."

"If I could live without a passport, that could be ideal. What I love is to move about freely."

And the Mural Continues ...

2010-08-04T20:42:00.002-06:00

I was working long into the evening hours on the office mural the other day, thus the different lighting in today's post. The mural is coming along, though sometimes slowly due to the challenge of trying to match up our schedules. The rocks are still currently 'brighter' then they will be in the end as these are mainly the base coats still in progress. Early on I developed a few of the rocks near the center to leave that little bit of 'vision' and to show where this mural will progress to. For now, we have a case of the uglies but the clients are okay with that!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Great Movies About Art and Artists

2010-07-30T09:49:00.001-06:00

I have been on a bit of an art movie and documentary binge recently. I am on my third viewing of Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) since they posted it on Super Channel recently. A fantastic portrayal of one of the finest female artists of the 20th century. I always appreciate people who march to their own drummer, and Georgia O'Keeffe definitely falls into this category though she would falter when it came to her involvement with Alfred Stieglitz.

Joan Allen was fantastic as Georgia, allowing me to forget that this was an actress's portrayal of a complex woman, it was easy to find yourself believing this was indeed Georgia... And Jeremy Irons portrayal of Alfred Stieglitz, her lover, and narcissistic yet vulnerable and destructive leeching champion was so good that you had the strong urge to smack him ~ yet you sensed the genuine love and admiration that he had for her.

There was a sense that she never really knew just how good she was, she just painted, and was not in awe of the celebrity. There was such a sense of her experiencing and feeling her work and ideas versus consciously thinking them. The cinematography is beautiful and having never had the good fortune to see an O'Keeffe in person, I appreciated the chance to see the magnitude of some of these works by proxy. I am now a fan of the New Mexico landscape as a result of this film.

Pollock with Ed Harris (2000)

By far this is one of my favorites and one of the best biopics out there. Pollock was a man of many demons, most notably alcoholism, but such a genius at his work. There is definitely a 'tortured artist' theme evident in this movie, but Ed Harris goes out on a limb to give us the full picture of the artist and demonstrate the man at his work. This movie is rich in painting scenes and Ed Harris is the consummate perfectionist in recapturing Pollock's passion and approach to the canvas.

Lee Krasner (played by Marcia Gay Harden) is tenacious as Pollock's lover, friend and champion, literally putting aside her own career to absorb herself in his. This movie is brutal in its honesty, the ending a short, sharp shock. Watch for Amy Madigan as Peggy Guggenheim. If you haven't seen this movie, seriously consider putting it at the top of your list.

Lust For Life with Kirk Douglas (1956)

Hands-down, one of the best features of this movie is the original Vincent Van Gogh works featured in the film. The movie is well-rounded, showing the battle of Vincent's loneliness, agony and passion towards his art, spirituality and the people around him. Van Gogh's mental illness is evident but thankfully not the main feature of the film.

Anthony Quinn plays Paul Gauguin , his friend and nemesis. A great portrayal of this dance of opposites, the cold, almost bullying-in-nature Gauguin against the softer emotional and eager Van Gogh. Theo is played by James Donald, and while the close relationship to what we know is loving and accurate, it was almost eclipsed for me as I was entranced with Gauguin and Van Gogh's short relationship. A great depiction of a man's life and the location shots are not to be missed, particularly the famous 'room' from which Van Gogh went on to produce some of his most noted works. One of my favorite parts inevitably involves "Starry Night". Keep in mind that this movie is from 1956, so it is a stylized drama representative of that time, but otherwise, this movie is vivid and timeless...

Frida with Salma Hayek (2002)

Salma Hayek is brilliant in this movie in her portrayal of Frida Kahlo. This biopic captures the pain, passion and her fiery independence and the art of a woman who was definitely ahead of her time and not to be boxed in by the conventions of her society. That being said, it is painful to watch her walk eyes-wide-open into her marriage with the openly philandering Diego Rivera, yet they cannot be apart and are dependent on each other, and you cannot imagine them with any other. Alfred Molina is fantastic as Deigo and portrays with ease a lovable man that you wish you could hate, yet cannot.

Frida's enormous life-long physical pain as a result of an early trolley accident only heightens the respect you have for her as she was never self-pitying and carried herself with strength and dignity. I found myself frustrated that she would view herself as an amateur whereas Diego emerged as the champion for her work. The dream sequences that bring her inspiration and artwork to life are definitely some of my favorite features of this movie. While I am not aware if the movie actually covers all of her works, it certainly captured the works she is known for. There is such an honesty to Frida's work, and this movie does much to illustrate the complexity and talent of the woman and her genius.

Girl With A Pearl Earring with Colin Firth (2003)

A fictional story woven from the masterpiece of the same name. While the story of the Girl With A Pearl Earring is nothing more than idle speculation and/or fantasy on behalf of the writer, this period piece does much to bring to life a historical portrayal of a brilliant painter during the later 1600's who, with only 16 paintings surviving the centuries, is still viewed as a Master today.

Vermeer's financial dependence, yet evident silent resentment for his arrogant patron brings an interesting conflict to Vermeer's life in this film. He depends on commissions for his families survival and to keep them from having to flee debtors, and to perpetuate the cycle of his art, the commission needed to pursue his life in art is also in a sense, his artistic prison.

Scarlett Johanssen is beautiful in her portrayal of the young and naive maid Griet who seems to intuitively understand the artist and his work better than those who have surrounded him for years. There is an unspoken yet friendly attraction between artist and his would-be model, but something about Vermeer's true intent is left unsaid, and you find yourself aching that it is Griet that must be sacrificed for his silence and selfishness.

This film does much to give you a sense of that period, and the attention to detail and the low light and shadows does much to set the mood and tone of this time in history.

Basquiat with Jeffrey Wright (1996)

This movie is a great snapshot of the chaotic and often over-indulgent NYC art scene during the 1980's. If you could sum up the theme in only so many words, it would be "be careful what you wish for..." . This film offers a hard look at celebrity and the impact on the artist. While I only knew of Basquiat and his work through casual art book and news references, I enjoyed this movie and Basquiat's "work" ( apparently created by a close friend) a great deal. No doubt about it, the guy was creative. David Bowie is so impressive as Andy Warhol, as is Dennis Hopper as Basquiat's art dealer.

I give this movie credit for expanding my curiosity to new and less conventional forms of art.

Surviving Picasso with Anthony Hopkins (1996)

This film was based on the controversial memoir/book by Françoise Gilot, Picasso's lover, muse and mother to two of his children. I had done some reading over time and watched a number of Picasso documentaries, so this movie (and the book) was not entirely a surprise. Surviving Picasso doesn't so much tell the life of Picasso as much as to give us insight into Gilot's 10 years of observations and life with the private man when the cameras are turned off and the admirers not necessarily at hand. Anthony Hopkins was brilliant as Picasso and it is impossible to imagine another actor playing the part as well as he did.

Picasso's relationship with his friend and rival Henri Matisse (played by Joss Ackland ) was one of the high points of the movie for me. Julianne Moore is amazing as Picasso's troubled former lover and muse, artist and poet Dora Maar.

Picasso's blatant womanizing is difficult to stomach so it is a relief when Françoise finally takes a stand and leaves. Her leaving is absolutely an act of self-preservation, so the title of the movie seems appropriate. If memory serves me correct, Picasso outlived all of his women except for Francoise.

No doubt about it... he was a creative genius and few artists have ever come close to his diverse skills or prolific creativity. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was also aware of that. People in his inner circle paid a dear price to be near him to experience the extraordinary.

Plenty of studio shots and Picasso (Anthony Hopkins) at work on the canvas or creating assemblage art, and many scenes with his lesser known works. It will be only suggestions of his masterpieces (like a shot from above when he was at work on Guernica) due to the producers being unable to secure permission to show his work at the time this movie was made.

Definitely worth the watch if you are interested in seeing a more intimate and very complex portrait of the artist from the eyes of an insider. Watching this movie, it is not hard to see why people were swept away by the hurricane that was a man named Picasso.

Picasso : The Man and His Work (documentary 1986 )

There are two parts to this documentary, I wish they had been combined into one set and possibly re-mastered for release onto DVD for better quality. I have only seen the first one which covers Picasso's life from 1881 through to 1937, detailing his artistic development from the age of 15 right through his blue and pink periods and leaving off with one of his most famous masterpieces, Guernica. I am ordering Part 2 from Amazon as I speak as this post has reminded me that I had always wanted to own both. The first disc only run about 45 minutes so I suspect the second is probably the same.

I get the impression that the director/producer of this documentary might have been a friend as you really get a first hand view and relaxed interview with Picasso involving his home and studio, and innumerable views of his paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Definitely a Picasso extravaganza!

Part Two covers from 1938 and onwards, I will update this post when I finally get my hands on it!

Marc Chagall (directed by Kim Evans)

I wish I owned this, but I actually happened across this gem in a library video section. It was fantastic and aside from a great biography of the artist behind the fantastical paintings, my parting memory of this video is how the camera would linger on different works, allowing us to really see them. Lots of archival footage of Chagall and film depicting him at work...

The only thing better would be to see these gorgeous works in person~ and since that is not possible for many (especially myself) this documentary is certainly a great runner-up.
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The movie I want to see but have not~ as of yet...( time to order it from Amazon! )

The Agony and the Ecstasy with Charlton Heston (1965)

This movie is based on Michelangelo's life during the time he painted the Sistine Chapel. I have heard many positive things about the film, enough so to leave me with the desire to view it. Have you seen the movie? Do you have any opinions or details to share?
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Interesting movies with a loose art theme:

Benny and Joon with Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson (1993)

Joon is a mentally ill artist and Sam is an illiterate comedic genius and Buster Keaton wanna-be. The movie's theme is one of acceptance and hope and the budding relationship and realistic obstacles faced by two creatives, Sam and Joon. While the movie addresses real issues, Depp and Masterson put the 'fun' into dysfunctional. Not to be missed is Aiden Quinn as the older brother Benny, desperate to be free of his responsibility to Joon, yet unable to let go.

Mona Lisa Smile with Julia Roberts, Kristen Dunn, Ginnifer Goodwin, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal etc

Julia Roberts is the new art professor at the conservative Wellesley College. While there are several other themes including a secondary romance story line, I found the bigger theme to be one about art appreciation and challenging conformity. Near the end of the film > *SPOILER ALERT * (and one of the highlights for me) is when the women all produce their own unique version and vision of Van Gogh's flowers in a vase from what had once been a simple Van Gogh paint-by-number kit. There is some exceptional art by a number of masters to be seen, especially, the immense work by Jackson Pollock in a Boston warehouse, even the close up of this enormous textured work is enough to make you drool~ a must-see for Pollock enthusiasts. ( Try as I might, I cannot find the title of this Pollock piece though there was an acknowledgment to the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in the closing credits.)

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Alright, there you have it! My marathon post is complete ~ for now. I suspect I have forgotten some other great films, but the length of this post has now gotten out of hand.

These descriptions (and I use that term lightly) are strictly based on my own impressions and opinions formed from watching these films and not necessarily a description of the movie per se. Did you get something different from any of the above films? I would love to hear about it.

Have suggestions for further viewing? Please share them! I am always looking for a great art movie, old or new, to watch. Tortured artist themes abound in many, but then again, I have never known many people, artistic or otherwise, that have passed through life unscathed or without a story to tell.

*Spelling and grammar be damned, this post has already gone on long enough!

Progress on the Mural

2010-07-27T22:11:00.000-06:00

It has been hectic around here lately, visitors from out of town, birthdays, work, art works, chores and trying to indulge in the rare sightings of the sun in this summer of wind and rain. One of the things occupying my time has been a commissioned mural in an office, and the recent weekend brought more progress! I have been photographing all of the stages along the way ( and I already have far more photos then I would bore you with here! ) Upon completion of the mural, I will edit them into a 1 minute movie format.

Where I am at with the mural:

Frank's Work-in-Progress

2010-07-17T21:49:00.006-06:00

Frank and I have been painting madly... I was able to get some rare snaps of him at work. He is a little camera shy but hey, I love seeing him intent at his work.

First he puts in the broad slashes of black...

Now a thin yellow coat for an underpainting...

Still putting on more yellow. Color is frustrating for him as he is color blind so he will say things like "Are you sure this is not green??

Working in the big swatches of red...

And bringing in some bold cadmium yellow...

I missed a few pictures at this point as I was busy with my own canvas but now there have been multiple layers of red and yellow added in and he is starting to pull the figures out of the shadows, pretty cool to watch...(click on the picture to enlarge)

I am always amazed at where he sees faces and scenes where there were none...they srat to up randomly all over the place.

These works are so in-the-moment, it is mesmerizing to watch them evolve.He works hard and fast and anything that he is thinking or feeling as he works finds its way into the piece as he works it.
This piece is a 30" x 40", considerably smaller than Frank usually works but those were the blank canvases we had available at that moment.

Next post: the finished result!

"There is no art without contemplation." ~ Robert Henri

Things that keep you busy...

2010-07-04T22:33:00.002-06:00

I am at work on two things today ; My painting from yesterday (what was supposed to be a 'Freedom Painting' ~ that is now holding me captive ) and during my intermittent breaks from the easel I am either reading Twitter or Blogger, and trying to get widgets to work and make stand-alone pages for this blog. I fear I have become the poster child for what not to do when re-designing a blog, a valuable lesson on backing things up first ~ before making changes.

Blogger came out with a new template designer, but in ditching my old background and trying to load a new customized template, I suddenly ended up with non-functioning or ill-fitting widgets and lost my counter altogether. I am now currently using this template until I figure out how to customize a template without destroying all of my previous work.
(This makes a case for hiring a techie...)

Another project that has kept me running these days has been the mural I am completing in an office across the city from where I live. The wall is 10.5 ft by approx 4.5 ft high. But after 2 sessions, so far, so good!

I recently discovered BlipFM on Twitter, and have been enjoying finding all my favorite songs and posting the links to share. Yesterday's gem : "Simply Red - The Air That I Breathe"

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."~Scott Adams

Marketing Tools for Artists!

2010-06-29T08:56:00.003-06:00

Alyson B. Stanfield, the Art Biz Coach, is having a summer close-out sale on some of her art coaching audio products! Available titles of these audio products include:

Get an artist Web site that really sells your art (with Clint Watson)

Install Your Art Exhibit Like a Pro

So, you'd like to see your art published in magazines? (with Jennifer King )

Sell your expertise in an e-book

Envision your art in museums

Insights: 5 conversations with 4 successful, full-time artists. Hear how they do it!

BOOST Your Productivity ( with Leslie Shreve )

Clear Out Your Inbox Once and For All (with Leslie Shreve )

Alyson is an amazing source of art biz information, classes, e-books, and the author of the ArtBiz Blog. I participated in an art business teleseminar 2 years back where Alyson was one of the featured speakers, and her down-to-earth style and practical advice and tips made me an instant fan. Definitely worth a look!... I was very happy to update my audio collection with a few of these gems.

If you missed the link above, here it is again!

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." ~ Emile Zola

Quartet

2010-06-24T06:45:00.001-06:00

On of my favorites, Quartet is an example of Animation Realism. My technique is to apply water based inked to a photographic print which is toned with a sepia hue. I then apply black ink to everything except the main subject. The curious thing about my style is I consciously think about the ink when I'm composing the image. On this day I came across a friend of mine, Keith Dyck, who was grooving with a fellow musician with a wonderful mural in the background... Hope you enjoy the irony of the title... ~ Frank

"Quartet"
Animation Realism...Old School Photography, Hand-inked

"There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it."~Henry Moore

Peggy's Cove

2010-06-22T23:20:00.004-06:00

Peggy's Cove, N.S. is a subject I had painted on several occasions, usually commissions. What a joyful and picturesque little place!

By Julie
"Peggy's Cove"
Acrylic on Canvas
Sold

"Life obliges me to do something, so I paint."~Rene Magritte

For the Black Sheep Out there...

2010-06-17T21:01:00.007-06:00

I love Twitter for the ease of access to great articles and information. The following is a great little article by Lynn Moore that I found today on Twitter via @writeoncreative, a reminder of why it is not so bad to be the black sheep.

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember~a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic" ~Dave Barry

"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." ~ Author Unknown

"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible." ~ Frank Zappa

Sold!...Sold?

2010-06-16T10:55:00.013-06:00

So I was messing around with a large canvas last week,one of my freedom painting challenges, I was wanting to work with my antique gold,deep bronze metallic's and deep reds and some texture and was in a geometric sort of mood.
Voila, I created a textured composition and was enjoying myself immensely.

Frank came home, looked at it ...and went silent.
"So what do you think?? " I said excitedly...
Frank hemmed and hawed ...and finally said it was really different.
No doubt about it, he was not grooving on today's piece. So what if it was a departure from some of my usual styles? I go through periods where I liked to do a few extra large canvases that venture into geometric and/or non-representational compositions, something that steps away from my usual to keep me fresh ...If he didn't like it, tough!
The next day, Frank's sister came over and within minutes of coming in, noticed "that" painting~ let me note, not only was it stacked against the walls with others done with my more detailed style, but it was even half obscured from view by the canvas in front of it. "Oooohhh ," she says as she scoots the other canvases aside to get a better look at it, "I LIKE that!!"
Within a couple of days, I was on a day off and a friend came over for a visit. "Oooooh," she said ( pushing aside the other canvases)"I WANT that!!"

And sure enough, she literally bought it there on the spot!
Sold!

I had great fun pointing out to Frank that night that there was a canvas missing... only 2 viewers of it in the recent few days and sold! He he! ;-)

I like to step away from 'my style(s)' because it allows more freedom and exploration and a chance to play with palettes and new mediums. I like the freshness of working at something completely different ...

In art, there is room for all at the table!

"Painting is stronger than I am. It can make me do whatever it wants."~Pablo Picasso

Ouch!!

2010-06-09T10:46:00.007-06:00

I once again have several posts backed up in the drafts folder awaiting publishing, a backlog of photos awaiting either editing and/or and uploading... As a result, there will be a few new posts popping up on this blog. And I will attempt to not let things pile up like that again...ughhh!

It is an uncomfortable feeling how fast the days, weeks and months seem to zoom along this past year. I feel it especially strong in our current locale. The pace here would be best described as frenetic... All of a sudden I realize I have forgotten to exhale...

So today on my day off, there will be no work, no painting nor house-cleaning. No pathway through my mountain of laundry nor rushing out the door to the grocery store.
Today I am on pause. I just plan to read, and breathe.

A little mood music to go with these thoughts, Anna Nahlick's "Breathe, Just Breathe"...

"Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." ~ Robert Brault

Freedom Paintings

2010-05-30T22:24:00.010-06:00

BIG, FAT SNOWFLAKES are falling outside of my window right now. How depressing. We are at the thresh-hold of June! But weather aside, I have a day off and a big blank canvas in front of me~ My recent challenge: Step away from detail, paint a 30"x40" in a day,once a week. Fun freedom paintings!

This movement was inspired by the "Painting a Day" craze that has inspired numerous blogs and challenges throughout the arts community. I loved the concept but decided to give my own "in a day" challenge my own spin... my desire was to work bigger, looser and freer, so I ordered myself in a large batch of 30" x 40" canvases from Curry's and set about seeing what would evolve from my freedom painting style. My preferred styles tend to get a little fussy at times, intricate patterns, umpteen layers to build a *glow*, lots of detail. But juggling a busy work schedule and sometimes feeling overwhelmed by the number of works-in-progress scattered about me, this movement into large scale and loose was a big step for me. I have painted numerous monster size canvases, but have also spent weeks at them.

My only allowance: If I desire to work in texture I allow myself some time the evening before to apply my paste or other desired medium so that the canvas is prepped and dry and ready for paint the next A.M. Time is precious, so I don't want to waste any minutes awaiting drying time. I have always favored acrylics for this very reason, flexible, able to mimic any media, vibrant color and a rapid drying time if so desired.

Stay tuned, photographs of the works will be posted shortly!

"Don't wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working." ~ Henri Matisse

Abstrakt Sculpture

2010-05-14T12:38:00.004-06:00

This piece is something to see in real life. It stands at least 3 feet, created from wood and antler... so graceful.

"Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things."~Edgar Degas

From the "Pas De Deux" Series

2010-05-10T10:15:00.000-06:00

By Frank
From the "Pas De Deux" Series (The dance of two)
Wood
Approximately 3.5 ft

"Good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us."~ Roy Adzak

Miniatures

2010-04-12T22:46:00.008-06:00

A sampling of my miniatures from earlier in my career, transferred over from my old dismantling-in-progress blog. These paintings portrayed averaged about 2" or 3" though I often used to paint even smaller. I probably completed as many as 1000+ of these wee pictures and often used to use miniature work as a way to flesh out ideas for a larger composition.
These days I prefer large scale work, 30" x 40" or larger but I enjoyed coming across these and remembering another path in my artistic journey.

These works are also signed under my former married name.I guess I could have tried to photo-shop the signature out of the pictures, but it was another time and place, so I left them as is.

"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not." ~ Pablo Picasso

Collages

2010-04-02T14:15:00.001-06:00

While going through the process of dismantling and relocating works from my old website and blog, I came across some snaps of old collages I had created years back. Rice paper, acrylic dyes and plenty of scissor work and glue. Fun, simple and joyful experimentation. All were sold at that time but I thought I would share some of them here with you.

"I don't grow up. In me is the small child of my early days." ~ M.C.Escher

Invisible

2010-03-24T10:56:00.001-06:00

By Julie
"Invisible" A work in progress, acrylic on canvas. Posted here to hopefully inspire me to finally get it finished!

"There are no strangers.There are just people you know whom you haven't met yet." ~ Robert Brault

Oceanic

2010-03-23T21:17:00.002-06:00

One of a series of mixed medias completed by Julie.
"Oceanic"
Mixed Media on canvas
24" x 24"

"Painting... we do not talk about it, we do not analyze it, we feel it." ~Bernard Buffet

Spring Cleaning ...my Art Supplies

2010-03-14T08:57:00.000-06:00

I am a lover of all art supplies and accessories. Contrary to the rest of my life, there is nothing minimalist about me in this department. I am an over-the-top paint tube hoarder in need of an immediate intervention.

I finally decided to clean out my supplies and get re-organized today. Frank fixed up my microwave cart that works beautifully as a taboret with pegboard so I could hang my most frequently used tubes off the sides of my cart. I have several hundred tubes and jars as well as a couple of hundred brushes in various stages of usability, from splayed encrusted bristles ( saved for scrubbing or scratching paint onto an abstract) to the pristine $50+ watercolor wash brush that I treat as valuable as any jewel.

I even tackled my large bucket of rags from which I weeded out the paint saturated cloths so stiff from use that they could stand erect on their own. In a moment of industriousness, I cleaned my collection of palettes that range from everything from ice cream bucket lids and traditional wood palettes to the plastic portioned trays that can be found in frozen Hungry Man Dinners. (They are the best!)

I even sorted through my array of paint mediums ranging from mica flakes and clear and glass bead gels through to stiff modeling pastes and crackle mediums. My dozens of jars of mediums are a stark testament to my being a true art supply junkie.

Frank, though also an artist, can hardly bear to watch me in an art supply store. I am the picture of overindulgence and all good sense and thrift disappear when I am surrounded by canvas, brushes, accessories and paint mediums in every conceivable size, color and brand. Golden, Liquitex and Tri-Art would love a gal like me!

But I am gearing up for some productive painting days. Spring is making itself more evident through longer daylight hours, and grassy patches are over-taking the snow. The possibilities are endless and I am excited to get back to the business of being an artist with renewed energy and heart.

"Don't wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working." ~ Henri Matisse

Changing Gears

2010-03-12T07:04:00.001-07:00

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~Douglas Adams

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." ~ Jimmy Dean

Truer words never spoken.

We Are More

2010-02-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Finally!!
I had wanted to find a clip of Canadian slam poet Shane Kozycan's "We Are More" from the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, but anything 'Olympic' was removed off of YouTube within hours. Upon discovering his last name through another blogger, I am finally able to post a clip here that hopefully won't be removed. Great words by a great guy, inspiring.

Into the Silence

2010-02-22T08:54:00.010-07:00

One of my favorite pieces, hands down. A multi-layered mixed media piece consisting of the first few bars of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata,an reproduction of an excerpt from a 1940's scholar essay, the dictionary definition of moonlight and the hint of Beethoven peering through the bars of the music.

The title, a nod to Beethoven's encroaching deafness that overtook his life. Can there be something worse for a musician composer?

By Julie
"Into the Silence"
Mixed media on canvas 40" x 40"
Sold

"The pain passes, but the beauty remains." ~ Renoir

Wine

2010-01-28T09:52:00.002-07:00

Wine ~ and another chance to play with one of my favorite palettes, van dyke red, dioxanine purple and yellow. Limited palettes are a great way to experiment with painting techniques. I happened upon this palette after visiting a Rembrandt exhibition, inspired by his use of low light and glow...

By Julie
"Wine"
Acrylic, mixed media on canvas

These Boots

2010-01-22T16:32:00.002-07:00

A smaller piece, found myself in that denim and leather mood again...

"These Boots"
By Julie
Acrylic on canvas

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Chalk Painter

2010-01-18T21:03:00.006-07:00

Another favorite of mine ~ this picture of a chalk painter at work, a modern twist on a classic piece. The painting is the subject ...or is it? I love that while the audience was intent on watching the evolution of the art work, Frank was focused on the man intent on his work.

By Frank
"Chalk Painter"
"Old School" photography, hand-inked

"The artist gazes upon a reality and creates his own impression. The viewer gazes upon the impression and creates his own reality." ~ Robert Brault

2010-01-12T19:01:00.002-07:00

Playing in van dyke red, dioxanine purple and yellows...

Eavesdropping

2010-01-10T09:50:00.001-07:00

Sorry folks, I need to get this off of my chest...

I always thought it was rude to eavesdrop.
But I have been left no choice.
The prolific use of cell phones these days has made it impossible not to.

On a casual day I become party to plans for a birthday bash, an argument with a financial institution, a squabble with Mother, the dimensions of the room to be installed with new laminate or tonight's plans at the nightclub.

A loud and happy "Hello!" has me spinning around in the direction of the greeting only to discover the intended target is actually on the other end of a cell phone or ear-piece.

The friendly taxi driver is speaking to me then suddenly wanders off into another language and conversation. At first I thought he was talking to himself until I spied the earpiece. Our conversation had just disappeared into thin air replaced with another.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not anti-cell phone. I believe they can be a life-saver in an emergency, right up there with those On-Star devices installed in newer vehicles. I just haven't had the opportunity (thankfully) to witness that kind of conversation.

Though as a pedestrian in Victoria I was almost taken out on a crosswalk on a few occasions by drivers distracted with their conversation on their cell. Would that driver have cut their conversation short and then used their cell phone to come to my aid and call for help? I wonder about that sometimes.

I don't suffer from that here in Edmonton however. Since I discovered people here like to drive like the flames of hell are licking at their heels, I choose not to indulge in the pedestrian lifestyle as much. After 2 years of living here I understand why so many people opt for driving a Hummer.

I am not from the dark ages - someone waxing nostalgic for the 'good ol'days , I too have a cell phone. Though most of the time I struggle to remember my own number. I prefer to have people phone me at home.
I am from the mindset that if you call me and I am not home, that must mean I am busy.

My cell phone is a great alarm clock though. That little alarm function gets more of a work out then my cell minutes ever do.

I was taught that it is impolite to eavesdrop.
But I have been left with no choice... Many cell phone users speak much louder into their cell phone then they would face to face.

So, forget calling Cassie if she continues to stand you up. Go with the cream colored short shag vs the Berber. Besides, you just said they are the same price and the shag will feel softer to your feet. It's a great deal if the lights are 50% off but another week will garner you a savings of 70%. I think the Oilers will get their butt kicked in the next game, their vibe is off right now. Is that strange rash you are getting diagnosed for contagious? An RRSP loan is only good if you can support the additional debt that it will place on you without suffering financial hardship. To me it makes more sense just to get the extra money taken of each pay, at the end of the year, voila! You have your funds for an RRSP without having to have incurred more debt!

Pardon?

Oh, sorry ...
I thought you were talking to me...

Chaps Too!

2010-01-05T19:45:00.001-07:00

An oldie but a goodie. Chaps Too(yes, *too* not two!) was the second painting in a series of 4. All western themed paintings with the exception of one ended up in American collections. This particular painting, ironically enough, landed in Victoria Texas.
10 of my 14 years as a painter were dedicated to full time painting, so it is hard to find a subject that I have not touched on sooner or later. What is hard is finding good photos, especially if the paintings pre-date owning my own digital camera or having access to technology.

A little story about the Chaps series: I was participating in a number of fine art shows and festivals. I am notoriously shy at these events and even though they always go over very well, I can hardly wait for the event to be over.
An old gent attending the show hobbled over to my display and asked why, in those paintings, I only painted 'male bottoms'...I smiled and winked at him and told him I preferred to paint the best part! He blushed and grinned and hitched up his pants... people standing nearby laughed and smiled, and *poof*, my shyness was gone and the rest of the show went swimmingly.

Chaps Too
By Julie
24" x 30"
Acrylic on canvas

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." ~ Victor Borge.

Skytrain

2009-12-27T21:00:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite pieces created by Frank, a moment in time on the Vancouver Skytrain.

By Frank
"Skytrain"
"Old-school Photography", hand-inked

"I nod to a passing stranger, and the stranger nods back, and two human beings go off, feeling a little less anonymous." ~ Robert Brault

Bamboo Moon

2009-12-21T06:55:00.003-07:00

I enjoy working with texture and bold color ...Moonlight is a theme that shows up frequently in my work, as does symbolism. In China, bamboo is a symbol of longevity...in India, a symbol of friendship.

By Julie
"Bamboo Moon"
12" x 36"
Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day."~Vincent Van Gogh

Wpg

2009-12-18T22:50:00.002-07:00

(I just love this grizzled old newspaper man... ~ Julie)
By Frank
"Wpg"
"Old-School Photography", hand-inked

"I have tried to do what is true and not ideal." ~ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Daybreak

2009-12-16T08:15:00.003-07:00

Working in layers of transparent colors...

By Julie
"Daybreak"
Mixed media acrylic on Canvas

"On the sixth day, God created the artist, realizing no doubt that He had far from exhausted the uses of color." Robert Brault

From the "Pas Des Deux" Series

2009-12-12T06:34:00.004-07:00

Another delicate and beautiful piece from the "Pas Des Deux" series. And to think most people walk by branches and just think they are a bunch of sticks...

By Frank
From the "Pas Des Deux" series (Dance of Two)
Wood sculpture

"I'm looking for the unexpected. I'm looking for things I've never seen before." ~ Robert Mapplethorpe

I Am...

2009-12-06T09:48:00.007-07:00

A mixed media involving Micah flakes, celebrating being a woman.

By Julie
"I Am"
Mixed media on canvas
Sold

"There is no must in art because art is free."~Wasilly Kandinsky

Jack

2009-12-03T22:10:00.005-07:00

By Frank
"Jack"
"Old- School Photography", hand-inked

"Art does not reproduce what we see; rather, it makes us see." ~ Paul Klee

Storm Approach

2009-11-29T21:30:00.008-07:00

A view of the country around Douglas, Manitoba. A little license taken with the storm approach, but that it is the joy of painting...

By Julie
"Storm Approach"
12" x 48"
Mixed media acrylic on Canvas

"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."~ Edward Hopper

The Kindle

2009-11-18T14:53:00.004-07:00

Amazon's Kindle was finally released to Canadian buyers yesterday.

Now truthfully, I have never bought into the 'next new thing' electronic frenzy. I still use an ordinary flip phone rather then the iPhone or Blackberry with their 50,000 applications. Yet I never fully moved into the cell phone world either. I rarely use it, resent it if it rings and have to struggle to remember my own cell phone number at times. I never text and would probably be painfully slow at it if I did.

I am not a gamer so the world of Wii and PlayStation escape me. My computer, while reasonably solid, is not state-of-the-art with a 6 trillion GB hard-drive and all the bells and whistles( ~ though I am seriously switching from a PC to a Mac.

I bought my first DVD player a solid 5 years after they first came out. I still have a few VCR tapes kicking around here but no VCR to play them on.
In the realm of electronics, I am pathetic, a true novice.

Ahhh... but the Kindle. The Kindle makes me drool. I adore my book collection, but to have a library of 1500 or more at my fingertips? All the time?? It would be an impossibility for me to lug 1500 books around in my semi-nomadic lifestyle. I try to keep my permanent hard-copy library carved down to true classics and favorite titles for 'roam-ability', the kind I will read and re-read again and drag with me everywhere. Don't even ask me how many times I read "The Stone Angel" or "The Story of Zhara", or a number of my Pierre Berton and Emily Carr titles, it's almost embarrassing. I can almost hear someone out there saying "Good God woman, get a life!"

Don't even get me started on newspapers and periodicals. I adore publications like McLeans and Newsweek and Time, the local papers.

But I was sometimes lethargic on getting my blue bins and bags of recycled newspapers to the curb and with the thick nature of the papers today with their weekend editions and dozens of flyers, it was just a matter of weeks before you started to look like you were a hoarder and needed an intervention.

While I read a variety of genres, I am a sucker for anything Canadiana and period memoirs, historical and the classics. There are so many other books I want to read, but when moves are pending, or time is scarce, the time to peruse new titles on bookstore shelves becomes scarce. I tend to find many titles through Amazon these days. They offer a handy little suggestion feature that will offer up more titles of a similar author or genre when you are reading up on a particular title.

Amazon had a picture me in mind when they were developing their site, I am sure of it.
"Listen, if this chick likes this one, well offer her three more similar ones, she will probably buy them too!!"

Yes, they have my number.
A recent television documentary led me to the book "The Floating Brothel" by Sian Rees which led me to "The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding" by Robert Hughes. Now as a result of these first 2 books, I am considering purchasing the title " In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson . Good grief.

Hell, I will read anyone's history, it need not even be my own! And what could be more interesting than a country founded on convicts??

But back to the Kindle.

Yes, the Kindle is for a girl like me.
I can't help myself. My finger is twitching over the 'Add to the Shopping Cart", knowing full well that this will head me down the slippery Amazon path of "Proceed with the Order."
God help me ~ I am turning into an electronic junkie.

...Just a very select one.

Disclaimer: The preceding blog was NOT endorsed by Amazon or the Amazon Kindle. It just looks like it.

HeartStrings Abstrakt

2009-11-17T19:10:00.008-07:00

By Frank
"Heartstrings"
Acrylic on Canvas
5' x 3'

"All art should have a certain mystery and should make demands on the spectator."~Henry Moore

The Dogs Are Barking

2009-11-12T18:16:00.005-07:00

Just a fun little piece, an ode to summer and the season of flips flops. The pose, a testimony to any girl or woman who has spent too many hours on her feet.

By Julie
"The Dogs Are Barking"
Acrylic on Canvas

"It doesn't matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said." ~ Jackson Pollock

Halloween Abstrakt

2009-10-30T23:33:00.005-06:00

A ro" x 30" abstract by Frank...there are hundreds of faces and figures in this painting...

By Frank
"Halloween Abstrakt"
Acrylic on Canvas

"The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense." ~ Pablo Picasso

Working on Songhees

2009-10-27T19:03:00.002-06:00

This canvas is a 5ft x 5ft canvas of the Songhees Walkway, a beautiful stroll to be found on the Inner Harbor of Victoria BC. Stay tuned for more pictures of this large work-in-progress.

By Julie
"The Songhees"
5ft x 5ft
Acrylic on Canvas

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for."~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Lautrec

2009-10-22T18:43:00.004-06:00

By Frank
"Lautrec"
"Old School Photography", hand-inked

"I paint things as they are. I don't comment." ~ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Thanksgiving

2009-10-13T07:17:00.002-06:00

Re-posted from an earlier date:

" Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting." ~Brian Tracy

I am an insatiable reader and collector of quotes. I appreciate being inspired and sometimes the right quote at the right moment can be just what the doctor ordered if life is not going as you had expected. A reminder that this experience of being human is a global one, that we walk amongst our peers, not strangers.

I remember it was around Thanksgiving that I had this experience as a volunteer at an inner city mission. Fresh fruit and vegetables were very desirable ~ but also very rare. Missions and soup kitchens often make due with whatever happens to come their way, usually in the form of bruised fruits and soft veggies that are at the brink of expiring.
On this particular day a large box of fresh vegetables arrived, and it appeared to be enough to be distributed to the people present ...what a treat!! Though an impromptu long line had formed, a number of people swarmed over the box, anxious to partake in its contents and it was depleted quickly till it was all but emptied, only a head of lettuce remaining. The next man in line paused and looked back at the 10 or so people still remaining. He took the head of lettuce out of the box, carefully opened the wrapper- and peeled off one leaf. Taking a piece of bread, he spread on some margarine, laid the lettuce leaf on it, folded the bread in half and quietly walked away. The next man followed suit, than the lady behind him, and so on...

The man in the line probably wasn't even aware of it, but his actions, his grace were a gift to all who witnessed it. And I received something that day that I know I won't ever forget...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Prairie Patchwork

2009-10-12T16:23:00.004-06:00

Just a desire to take a prairie scene that was common to me and play with patterns!

by Julie
"Prairie Patchwork"
Acrylic on Canvas

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." ~Twyla Tharp

43...

2009-10-11T19:37:00.000-06:00

43.
43 used to seem so 'old'...

I sure don't feel 43, but then again, how is 43 'supposed' to feel?

The eyes have aged a little, enough so that I use reading glasses but have no other vision difficulties. The skin is still healthy except for a few smile lines that keep smiling ~ even when I am not.

The grays have stayed away thankfully. Something I am grateful for as a brunette with long thick hair, going gray could be an expensive investment in vats of hair dye or the possibility of not graying in a nice uniform way and ending up looking like a skunk...I will deal with that hurtle when I come to it.

I spent the majority of the day running around at work when Frank intervened at noon, holding a big beautiful bouquet of fuchsia colored roses with my favorite brand of paint brushes tucked throughout the bouquet. I have to say, he has always found the most clever ways to make me feel special!

Later,he gave me a table top easel and camera case for the birthday present of a new digital camera from my kids...This camera is GREAT!! A Fuji 12.2 pixel. I had fallen in love with Fuji digital cameras after having borrowed my daughter's camera a number of times. They cannot take a bad picture, honestly! The clarity and color is terrific. I am not a camera buff by any stretch, just a point and click kind of girl, so I am delighted to have this newest fool-proof camera from Fuji for clumsy photographers like me.

Frank and I finished the day with a fantastic dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant. You have not lived till you have their butter chicken and samosas! A small family run business and the food and service is always 110%.

43... not so bad!

"I don't grow up. In me is the small child of my early days." ~ M.C.Escher

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing." ~ Michael Pritchard

More Then a Few ~ Abstrakt

2009-10-07T22:08:00.008-06:00

Details of the above:

By Frank
"More Then a Few" Abstrakt
Acrylic on Canvas

“The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through.” ~ Jackson Pollock

Chateau Frontenac

2009-10-03T22:01:00.003-06:00

A piece from my earlier days that I decided to throw in here. Sorry about the grainy photograph, I did not have a digital camera back then, and knew almost nothing about photographing art. Somewhere amongst my photo files, I think I have a better picture...
It was a larger piece, 24" x 30" ... still one of the pieces that stood out as fun to paint until I thought I would count the windows I was in the midst of painting on the Chateau ...257....

By Julie
Chateau Frontenac
Acrylic on Canvas
Sold

"Your style is the way you talk in paint." ~ Robert Henri

Aura Girl

2009-09-30T10:21:00.006-06:00

Hands-down, this is Julie's favorite photo of my Animation Realism series. It was a typical summer day in the early nineties, the sun was baking, and a soft breeze was blowing down Portage and Main. I got a late start to my normal hunt for photographic composition at a street festival which was taking place in Old Market Square. I meandered around a large group of people enjoying a bluegrass performance on the main stage. Through the lens, I found what I was searching for; a sweet situation of a little girl standing on the back of her father's wheelchair, smiling down with an angelic gaze. Either because of a trick of light or something much more mysterious, a white aura seems to cling to the girl's hair.
The best thing about this story is... I have the negative to prove it... not a photo-shop trick folks!... The original looks so much better then the example posted, hope you enjoy it... ~ Frank

By Frank
"Aura Girl"
Old-school photography, hand-inked

"It's a moment that I'm after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment. "~ Andrew Wyeth

Just Because...

2009-09-17T07:09:00.001-06:00

Night themes featuring the moon show up a lot in my work. One of my favorite things to do is go for a stroll under the moonlight. Night is never just black, there are always many colors present. Add to that, I enjoy playing with patterns and textures, going off to explore a particular color palette, just because...

By Julie
Acrylic on Canvas
12" x 24"

"They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality."~ Frida Kahlo

Abstrakt No. 9

2009-09-14T06:54:00.006-06:00

So I decided to pick a bunch of colors at random and see what would happen as I put paint to canvas. Being that I am colorblind and didn't start painting until I met Julie, I usually get advice from her on which colors work well together. However, on this day I decided to deviate from my normal procedure. It turned out I guess, a different hue to my style... ~Frank

Frank's method of painting these pieces has always fascinated me. He works hard and fast, some pieces would have him painting long into the wee hours of the night. He starts with raw and random splashes and patches of color, then starts to pull the figures and faces, and sometimes even entire scenes out.
I am always awed watching him paint these works. I would call it art of the unconscious... they are amazing to see as they evolve. ~Julie

By Frank
"Abstrakt No.9"
Acrylic on Canvas

"To paint is a possessing rather than a picturing."~Phillip Guston

The Village

2009-09-09T09:49:00.005-06:00

A friend's visit to India resulted in my acquiring a bright hand-made quilt from the region they were visiting. The women of the villages that sew these quilts usually sew vivid patterns and designs distinct to their particular region and village. This quilt is one of my favorite possessions and the whimsy, joyful fabrics, sequins and beads inspired this painting.

By Julie
"The Village"
18" x 24"
Acrylic on Canvas

"A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind."~ Eugene Ionesco

Quartet

2009-09-02T16:40:00.005-06:00

On of my favorites, Quartet is a fine example of Animation Realism. My technique is to apply water based inked to a photographic print which is toned with a sepia hue. I then apply black ink to everything except the main subject. The curious thing about my style is I consciously think about the ink when I'm composing the image. On this day I came across a friend of mine, Keith Dyck, who was grooving with a fellow musician with a wonderful mural in the background... Hope you enjoy the irony of the title... Frank

"Quartet"
Animation Realism...Old School Photography, Hand-inked

"There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it."~Henry Moore

I am Every Woman

2009-08-25T09:20:00.000-06:00

We share far more in common then not. It's part of the human condition...

By Julie
"I Am Every Woman"
Acrylic on Canvas
18" x 24"

Guernica Regrets

2009-08-23T08:12:00.008-06:00

This painting is the first large scale canvas that I ever produced. It is a very unique piece to say the least, in fact it has a totally different painting on its reverse side, but that's a different story...
Anyways, this painting represents a turning point in my artist career and portfolio. I was by myself in our Victoria studio and found myself in a frustrated state which compelled me to start painting over the composition with black. Julie and a couple of friends entered the studio and seemed to enjoy what they were seeing. I took a step back and realized that there were many different forms and figures etched in black. As I began to see more and more it became clear to me that I had found my style, I could call myself a painter.
I have a cool reason for its title. Let me know if you want to hear it... Peace Out ~ Frank

"Guernica Regrets"
The first of the scroll paintings, 3 ft x 5 ft
Acrylic on canvas

Ode to Emily

2009-08-19T11:35:00.000-06:00

I am a huge fan of the work of Emily Carr. Her great sweeping trees that reached for the sky inspired this piece.

By Julie
"Ode to Emily"
Acrylic on Canvas
12" x 48"

"Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement."~Jackson Pollock

Meet the Artists

2009-08-02T07:59:00.000-06:00

A couple of self portraits... well okay...we do not actually have an eye detached from our heads, so we took a little license with these, but you know get the idea...
Both pictures are 24" x 36" acrylic on canvas.

Painting is self-discovery. Every good artist paints what he is.” ~ Jackson Pollock

Here Comes the Sun

2009-07-29T22:40:00.002-06:00

Playing with criss-cross strokes and transparent colors...

By Julie
"Here Comes the Sun"
Acrylic on Canvas

"Creativity is the voice of the spirit." ~ Maritza Burgos

Professor Derik

2009-07-24T22:31:00.002-06:00

By Frank
Professor Derik
Old School Photography, hand-inked
22" x 32"

"All art should have a certain mystery and should make demands on the spectator."~Henry Moore

Peggy's Cove

2009-07-21T16:23:00.001-06:00

By Julie
"Peggy's Cove"
Acrylic on Canvas
Sold

"Life obliges me to do something, so I paint."~Rene Magritte

Bow Man

2009-07-15T10:01:00.001-06:00

Detail shot of above piece:

By Frank
"Bow Man"
Acrylic on Canvas

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Lost in the Clouds

2009-07-07T22:06:00.001-06:00

As a girl, I spent a great deal of time stretched out on my back looking up at the clouds ~ and that was the inspiration to this piece... A moment, a memory...

by Julie
"Lost in the Clouds"
30" x 40"
Acrylic on Canvas