Painting as a journey

Painting As a Journey

"Dreaming of the Sea"    Watercolour             $500.

I sometimes joke that starting a painting is similar to a journey and requires being  open to the fact that each one is a unique learning experience and never knowing exactly where it will take me. Sometimes it all goes as planned and I  love the finished work and  feel a creative high like no other but all too often it can hit creative lows as well. This is where opportunity opens to discover a new technique, throw in a different media or turn the painting upside down and find it greatly improved or a different subject altogether.
Too often we take a journey and plan to get from A to Z as quickly as possible. I can hop on the 401 and get to where I want in an hour or I can take the old two lane highways that meander through small towns and beautiful areas that I didn't know existed. Einstein said "Logic will get you from A to Z but imagination will take you everywhere."
 A willingness to create and a willingness to imagine have led many artists, poets and Einsteins to places they could never have dreamed.

Check out my classes page for new workshops and classes starting in March.

Beach Studio Tour will be May 5th, 6th, and 7th with some of my newest work on display.

Creating from the Heart

One Day Saturday Painting Workshops

Art of the Heart  "Mixed Media"

"An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all....feeling is the principle, the beginning, and the end; craft, objective, technique-all these are in the middle."
Paul Cezanne

We are most of the way through January and heading into February. This is when winter can wear a little thin.  February is Heart Month and Valentine's day so what better time to think of love, what we love who, how and what it is.
How do we hold a place of love in a world that seems a bit insane at the moment?
How is love expressed in a symbolic, energetic, subjective or literal way through art. Come and explore in a playful way through paint in my February workshop. No experience necessary.

Saturday February 11th

10 am-2:30 pm

fee $65.00

Small workshop so register early:416-699-8609

New painting Class Schedule, New Beginnings

Beginning Anew

Schedule of  winter painting classes

"Windswept"  Watercolour 

Christmas is barely over and a new year is about to arrive and my thoughts are split between what is ending and what has not yet materialized. On a personal note 2016 was a challenge for me in a physical sense starting with a broken wrist thanks to my lovable energetic mutt. From there it moved to hip replacement surgery. Needless to say it was a challenge but what touched me so much was the care and support I received from friends, family, students and a wonderful community. I feel such a deep sense of gratitude to all who touched my life during the past year. Thank you.

Painting continues as it is my way of being in this world. Teaching is a love and a way of sharing what I know and my views. My schedule of teaching is changing a bit for the winter  and I look forward to those who return and new ones to start. My training ranges from a traditional academic fine arts degree to various workshops embracing art in its many forms.   A sense of creative play is what continually keeps art alive and interesting for me. Picasso said that "Every child is an artist but it is hard for the artist to keep that child alive in the adult." I welcome those with a playful curiosity to engage in the artistic journey to join my classes or workshops. No experience necessary.

 Schedule of six week classes for the winter
 Instead of offering two evening sessions I am offering one session on Tuesday Mornings
 and one on Thursday evenings.

Six week Tuesday Morning Session
January 17th  10am-12 pm
fee $130.00 materials fee $30.00

Six week Thursday Evening Watercolour Session
January 19th
7:15-9:15pm
fee $130

Saturday one day workshop January 28th
10 am -2:30pm 
fee $65.00

Seeking the Light

The time changed this weekend. It means winter darkness and short days and days of unending grey one after another. Magical days filled with sunlight become treasures to enjoy and perhaps try to capture in a painting. Clear blue skies and the sparkling white of snow are magical vehicles of light. Watercolour is a favorite medium I use to capture the light and transparency of colour and mood.
Even the winter grey's have a depth and  beauty captured so well in watercolour. Some of these will be on display in a new show coming up.
    In celebration of winter and the start of the Holiday Season I am holding a Studio Open house in my home on Sunday, NOVEMBER 27th. It will have some of my latest pieces as well as a new series of small paintings I will be offering. Seasonal cards will also be available and sales and discounts on many pieces. Would love to see you!

Studio Open House
17 Fernwood Park Ave.
Sunday November 27th
11:00am-4:00pm

416-699-8609 for more infromation

Inspired by Nature

Abstracting from Nature 

Colour is starting to appear everywhere. It's that time of year. I see a leaf on the ground and have to pick it up. It feels like a little gift of amazing colour that I can hold in my hand. My six year old child emerges and I cannot resist gathering a hand full to carry them home. Some of them find their way into paintings and especially into subject matter for painting classes whether it is about pure abstract colour or amore realistic approach. How did nature get such glazing, such richness, such texture and how would it be done in watercolour or acrylic? Questions and challenges!

A childlike playful approach is encouraged in my workshops. Picasso said something to the effect that as children we are all artists but the problem is growing up and still maintaining that creativity.
Being in nature in awe and wonder awakens the child. Classes and workshops are coming up through October and November covering a variety of techniques  as well as focus.  Check out my class page, sign up and have fun.

The Beach Studio Tour is a Spring and Fall event in which I normally participate, I am not participating this Fall but will attend October 21-23 to support my artist friends who are in it.

I will host a one day open house November 27th, featuring small paintings, cards and matted works. An invitation will soon be issued.

Fall Painting Classes in the Beach

 Watercolour, Acrylic and MixedMedia

      Watercolour can be so much fun. It's a joy to share the fun of washes, colour and all that watercolour will do in my six week ongoing painting sessions. This Fall there are three one day Saturday workshops that will cover some of the great things that can happen with mixed media. This is when a painting might start as a watercolour but find that a bit of ink, pastel, or acrylic has found it's way into the mix.

My ongoing weekly sessions start Tuesday evening September 13th and Thursday evening September 15th. If you can't join a weekly session try a one day Saturday session. The first one is Saturday September 17th with more being offered throughout the Fall: October 1st and October 15th. These one day workshops will offer more of a taste of acrylic and ways to use it on it's own or mixed with watercolour and inks. The classes are limited in size so register early. The location is the Beach.  Imagination is the limit.

Check under classes on my web site for more details.

Art Camp

Summer Art Camp for Grown ups

The call of Summer is here with all it's beauty and my summer art camp. 

August has been full for a while but July had cancellations so there is space available.

July 11-15th paint each morning by the beach or inside. My studio is located a few doors from the lake so there is opportunity for both. Bring your inner child or dreamer and just play.

Time is 10 am-1 pm each day for a week. 

The week is always special to me because of the wonderful sense of creative play.