NEW Painting NEW Blog, NEW Promise for New Year!

Well... for the last couple of weeks I've had a good nudge from readers to "get on it" and write a NEW blog... so here's just a quick update.

I hereby raise my right hand and swear a PROMISE to be more consistent with my writing!

Christmas was a busy painting time for me - finishing up some commissions for clients and gifts for their loved ones.  Below is a picture of a recent painting of my favourite place:

Balcony View of Mediterranean Sea  (Vernazza, Italy)        36" x 48"

Right now I am working on another series of tree paintings for an Art Exhibition during the 2010 Olympics hosted here in Vancouver.

Both Lions Bay Art Gallery and Jenkins Showler Gallery will have new work of mine very soon, so stay tuned!

I'll be posting an invitation to the show which you are welcome to share with anyone you know.  I will also post some preview photos of the pieces for you to see and pass on to your friends and family when they are completed.

Thanks for your patience!

Recollecting a Serendipitous Art Moment

I was just working on cleaning up my computer, and I found this photo:

I was having lunch with a group of Italians at il Monazeno Ristorante a couple of years ago.  While dishing some spaghetti out for myself from the first course, I accidently dropped a couple of tomatoey noodles on the table cloth...  

...violà! The Latina Spaghetti Dancer was fortuitously born!

Cheap Thrills

"Things that Amuse Me" or "My Tribute to a Pre-Halloween Abbotsford Psycho-Type Moment"

Filmmaker/Videographer I'm not... but I can only imagine if I had iMovie (and of course some skill) ... then I might really astound my mammoth audience.

[If you believe that, then I'm sorry to disillusion you.]

Deliveries and Donations

Things to do that are part of the job...

One if by Land, Two if by Sea 36"x15"

delivered to Jenkins Showler Gallery, White Rock

Momento Espresso 18x24

delivered to Vancouver Hospice Society

Bouquet of White Flowers 24"x24"

delivered to BC Children's Hospital Foundation

My Sister Cracks Me Up

My sister and I exist in extreme polar lives... She as wife, at home with husband and 5 kids, me as artist, roaming about the planet, child-free.

I sent her the following article in jest:

Actual 1955 Good Housekeeping article.

to which she responded in semi-jest (lol):

__________________________________

What is so funny about this? I do this every day for my sweet endearing darling. When he comes home I am so gay (third bullet point) that he just feels gay himself. I am just quiet and let him tell me all about his travels and exquisite 5 star restaurant gourmet dishes while I have been happily feeding 5 children frozen dinners and gaily, continually tidying the house so that I can make a nice trail to walk through.

I minimize all noise by taping my children’s mouths shut as I comb through their knotted hair and wash their faces before he arrives. Oh, but the bliss continues as I cater to him by propping up his favourite pillow behind his tired, weary head and offer to take off his shoes from a long trip. I smile as I get a cold beer from the fridge for him.

Lastly, I make sure I have put deodorant on and touch up my hair and make-up from a long day of children pulling, screaming, and joyful demands that never cease. My husband looks to me to satisfy every personal need and I am there to provide it. I am woman, joyful friend, cook, and confidant.

I do not have any needs and have been programmed by society to be a robot with no emotions or feelings. It is so wonderful and I love life as I am cheerfully wound up for a new glorious day that awaits!

__________________________________

And so another day begins for us both, each on our different planets...

(Love ya 'Cheez'! xo)

Another Path to Inspiration

... and I mean "the path" literally as well as inspirationally.

You want a view? Here, you gotta earn it baby! No elevators, seniors' scooters, escalators or any other type of "UP" methods of human body transport, just what you've got on you.

Just so you know, you've it good - by this first photo, we are now half way there to more inspiration. This journey starts from just outside Susie's front door on Via San Francesco in Vernazza - she lives up a good few "stories" by this point.

Let's go!

heading around the first bend...

gotta stop and enjoy this...

heading around the next bend...

up the next path...

you gotta look over the edge to see more things...

her studio is in the former church which is also Vernazza's city hall now - the bells still echo thru the hills on the hour and half hour, the new church is down in the village in Piazza Marconi. Her studio space is in the former priest's residence before the church was converted into what it is today.

outdoor "lobby" of church

Ok. We're ready to enter the church... but we're not there yet...

outdoor courtyard inside the church

she's got a lot of free reign around here... they like her!

(courtyard)

just in case you need a rest, I haven't included yet another flight of stairs in this foto journey... you can thank me later.

pass by and overlook Vernazza's elementary school playground... (you'd THINK school would be fun with this view!)

Susie and Jake come to the door and...

yep... go up more stairs.

Oh, but WORTH IT!

Sepia tones can take you back in time. Never seen the sea so black as it was this day - it was the morn after a big thunder and lightening storm.

former kitchen... now another work space for her

her main work room... I'd love to rip up her floor and frame it! (she's laid a canvas sheet over the stone)

Charcoal sketches...

Another work space outdoors high up on the church "catwalk"... that sounds rather ironic!

Jake's "running room" on a rainy day (part of the outside area of her studio) - I had to catch him running... he's so sweet!

happy "Jake prints"

ready to start new pieces... at the moment, most of her work is at her exhibition in Genova.

Heading back down now...

Good exercise, beautiful view, gorgeous paintings - and also lovin' that floor of hers - refreshed my inspiration once again!

[even Jake has learned "il calcio" (soccer, or football for you Europeans!) ] :