Sunday, December 24, 2017

Somersaulting Santa!

Santa's on his way! 
Happy Holidays to you all 
and
have a Wonderful Creative New Year!
See you in January. : )

Friday, December 22, 2017

sharing a piece of chocolate cake

$60 - original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.

It's the holidays! I spent my first afternoon off at a cafe, drinking a hot chocolate and drawing some people. These two lovely women took a break from shopping to share a piece of chocolate cake. : )

Sunday, December 17, 2017

the bus home

8x10" original watercolour
This is a work in progress. I kinda like the white left in the background but I haven't decided if the piece is balanced. This isn't a painting of me, but it feels like me, as a university student heading home for the holidays.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

purple tresses

 $80 - original 8x10" watercolour painting
I've been experimenting with my new Fude fountain pen. It's got a bent nib!
The nib allows you to move sideways across the paper with a thick strong line. It's actually quite heavy to hold, but it's wonderful. I got it on amazon. It's called The Duke.
The ink I used was not waterproof, so it's a bit tricky adding watercolour. It's from Scriptus '17 which is a Pen and Writing show held every year here in Toronto. The Confederation Brown was this show's handmade specialty ink. It's beautiful. It's olive green when drawing with it then a slight brown warmth emerges when it gets wet. Lovely stuff.
I believe waterproof ink in a fountain pen can cause it to clog up the nib, due to the shellac that is in it (which makes it waterproof). So, it was challenging to add water and colour to this free flowing ink. Fun though.
I got the photo ref from the awesome app called Sktchy.

Monday, December 11, 2017

guess where I hid it...

$60 - 5x7" original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.
This little Jack Russell may have hidden his toy in a place you'll never think to look. The question is, will he remember where it is!

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

cute bangs

On Sunday, at the awesome Don Valley Art Club portrait session, I got about half way with this one. I thought, just get the drawing right in the 25 minutes we have, since I can always finish painting it at home. Usually, as is the exercise, I try to completely finish the painting in the allotted 25 minutes.
I am very happy with the finished portrait. However, despite having a photo to work from at home, I really think finishing the painting from life at DVAC is the better choice. I think some slight kind of energy or freshness escaped the portrait. So, for now, I'll finish from life whether I have 25 minutes or 3 hours... ; )

Sunday, December 03, 2017

true stripes

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat, ready to frame!

The pleasure of being an artist is being introduced to all the subtlties in life like... I never noticed the white blobs on tigers ears until I painted one. Wild cats markings are truly marvellous! The stripes were a joy to discover and paint. This guy has big meaty paws, one of the few ways to tell a male from a female. 

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

can you spot me ten bucks?

SOLD
$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.
This title, which my sister came up with, cracks me up. 
It was wonderful to create dark colourful blobs with soft and hard edges, sometimes on dry paper, sometimes on wet, when painting this spotted friend. The spots are blue, brown and purple. 
Lately I've been drawing wild cats. Here are some lioness'.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Portraits at Todmorden Mills Gallery

The Don Valley Art Club show at Todmorden Mills Gallery ends this weekend. Last chance. ; ) 
We spent our Sunday portrait session at the Gallery instead of our usual studio. It was wonderful and challenging to be in this new setting. The space includes an auditorium so, during intermission, many of the audience members wandered past us as we plugged away at our 25 minute portrait sessions. It was great to combine all the arts together. The Don Valley Art Club is my faaaaaavourite art group in Toronto!

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Rudolph Cards!


4 handpainted cards with 4 envelopes for $20! 
(plus $3 shipping). 
Please consider 7 business days for shipping.
Prices US dollars. Toronto friends email me. ; ) 

Drawn with pen and painted with watercolour, each 4x5"Rudolph card is one of a kind. I've been painting these cards for 3 years now and selling them at annual X-mas art shows. This year I decided to offer them online. 
This item is seasonal. Envelope colour may vary.
Happy Holidays Everyone!

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Toronto East Rotary Arts and Crafts Show 2017

Yesterday was the 6th Toronto East Rotary Arts and Crafts Sale show for me, and the 8th running. 
Here's my table with many small original watercolours and my one-long-line drawings in colourful frames.
Also, me with my lucky Koala pin on!
The one-long-line drawings had a dog walking theme this year. I start with a big dot and then see where the line takes me.
Also, my hand drawn cards and my annual Rudolph Cards
 
People are always thrilled by the concept of the one-long-line drawings so they, and Rudolph, did well. Otherwise.... a slow show this year. Nonetheless, I'm already looking forward to next year's show. : )

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Dogs and Cats and Shows!


Here are a few pages I just finished in my sketchbook. ; )
I've been crazy busy preparing for the Don Valley Art Club Show, which opens this Wednesday, and my Saturday Arts and Crafts Show. However, I always find time for some drawing. 
Here are the show evites again. Hope to see you there!



Monday, November 06, 2017

Arts and Crafts Sale!

It's that time again, in just a few Saturdays, for the arts and crafts show at Chester and Danforth, in Toronto. Lots of vendors with lots of wonderful handmade objects, all at affordable prices!
My table is on the main floor by the windows. This is my 6th year participating. Come by, say Hi and see my art in person!!
Saturday Nov. 18th
310 Danforth Ave. (near Chester and the Carrot Common).
10-5pm
Free!
Fun!

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Watercolour Portrait Sketch

Here's another piece I did during the Janet Rogers workshop. My goal for the three days was to see shapes. I'm a line and colour artist and, knowing how important it is to be able to make a clean decisive shape, I stuck with the program. ; )

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Janet Rogers Workshop was wonderful!


Here are two quick sketches I painted during a wonderful 3 day workshop with the lovely watercolour artist Janet Rogers. We used 140lb Arches Cold Pressed, which I haven't used in years, since I use the slippery Hot Pressed paper. It was wonderful to get back to it however, I think I'll stick with HP since it takes pencil drawings so nicely. ; )

Friday, October 20, 2017

toss

SOLD
$60 - 7x5"original watercolour painting with 10x8"mat.

The tennis ball toss game never ends with this little guy. ; )

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

portrait study

I found some time to get back to portraits on Sunday at our weekly portrait session. The 3/4 angle is such a tough one... because of the far eye... I'm still working this angle out. 
; )

Monday, October 16, 2017

a reason to be proud

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat, ready to pop into a frame!
There's lots of anticipation for this beauty to arrive at the distant waiting crowd.
; )
And here's the initial drawing, before I added watercolour. : )

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

free lunch

$60 - 7x5"original watercolour painting with 10x8"mat.

Turns out there is such a thing as a free lunch! This hungry girl is enjoying the last of the season's flowers.

Sunday, October 08, 2017

rosie glow

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.
I really relaxed into the pen markings with this one. ; )

Saturday, October 07, 2017

just calm

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with acid-free 8x10"mat.

It's cloudy today so my mood took me in this direction. I'm trying to respond to the colours, which I put down first, when adding the simple pen lines. Previously, I've always drawn before painting and this reverse process is really stretching my artist muscles.

Friday, October 06, 2017

sun mountain

$60 - 5x7" original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

I'm really enjoying making beautiful colourful washes, that only watercolour can make, with a new pad of cold-pressed paper. I'm still devoted to the hot-pressed that I've used for years but, to be honest, it doesn't take washes well. However, it does keep the incredible vibrancy of watercolours. I started watercolour painting with cold-pressed, as most artist do, and it's a treat revisiting it! 
; )

Thursday, October 05, 2017

pink trees

 
SOLD
$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"acid-free mat.

I was creating watercolour washes on some new paper and the next thing I knew, this happened! I'm super happy with it and I'm super duper excited about a new direction in my work. : )