Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Watercolours of Fall



Finding colour harmonies whether subtle or bold and experimenting with what colours work to achieve the results you envision is often the challenge of Fall. It's hard being an artist and not be inspired and challenged by the brilliance of the reds and golds as the leaves change. Achieving a balance within a painting so that more subtle browns and greys support the bright colours and not allow them to overwhelm a piece gives rise to the desire to know more about colour. There are several colour theories and the study and mastery of colour is an ongoing joy. An exploration of colour and how to use them and combine them seems to be an area of  study that comes naturally with the arrival of Fall in my classes.

Fall classes will be starting soon. I run six week sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and they will be starting September 11th and September 13th. The classes are small and my approach to teaching is to inform but also support each student in finding their individual expression. Developing skills are always important and an ongoing endeavor, but equally important is being creative, intuitive, having fun and exploring watercolour as a medium. I welcome beginners and more advanced to bring their imagination and artist child. If you'd like more information please phone or email shamanstree@gmail.com.

   As the breath of light awakens colour
 may the dawn annoint your eyes with wonder"

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Pine River Retreat

The light dances and shimmers on the trees and river and it feels  magical on a warm Summer afternoon. It's quiet and peaceful as I paint , read a book, or stare at the water. This beautiful place is a friend's cabin located on Pine River in the Mulmer Hills area northwest of Toronto. Pine river is one of many small rivers and streams whose existence could be threatened if a large mega-quarry opens in the the surrounding area. It will go far below the existing water table for the area, thus affecting many small rivers and streams, not to mention that it will destroy prime Ontario farm land. Much of toronto's food comes from this area.
There is an effort to bring awareness of the situation to Toronto. Coinciding with the Fall Beach Studio Tour this Sept 19th, 20th, and 21st there will be a "SoupStock" and also an Artist's against the Mega-Quarry art exhibit. Studio Tour artists if they wish will be offering support and aligning with the effort. At my home studio for the weekend I will be donating proceeds from certain paintings to ndact. These paintings will be those specifically inspired by the  beautiful scenery of the affected area. In a year of drought and crop shortages study and thought needs to be given to any mega-Quarry that could so profoundly affect our food and water.