Enjoy What You Are Doing

Winter Glow: You can see the acrylic painting and the felted artwork during my Open House.

Blog 49

It is already December: a very busy month for most of us. Many of us are attending more social events in December than at any other time of the year. Then, there is the preparation of the house for the festivities, the baking, the cooking, and last but not least the buying of gifts.

With all this busyness, it is important to ask yourself whether you are really enjoying what you are doing or whether you are only striving to prepare the perfect holidays for the people around you.

Last weekend, I went to Baz’Art, a local winter arts market, to volunteer at the Arteast booth. Arteast is a visual arts organization in the East Ottawa area that is very active not only for their members but also in community projects. I have been a member for almost 20 years. Even though this is a busy time of the year, I have helped out at their table during this event for a couple of years. We are allowed to bring greeting cards and one painting for sale, but participating is not about selling our art. It is just a pleasant opportunity to spend time with fellow members, while giving demonstrations and talking to the visitors. It is such an energy booster.

I feel the same way about my yearly Open House. It is my chance to invite my customers to my house to show my latest paintings to them. I get a chance to talk to them about my art and hear their reactions. I don’t feel rushed, because I did not have to rush to set up my artwork. Plus, I also enjoy to see my new art decorating the walls of our house. When I made the list of 2017 artworks, I was surprised that I have created about 40 artworks this year despite my lack of creative time. My painting trip to Kamouraska definitely helped to raise the number of paintings. However, it is not about the number of artworks that I created but about the memories I associate with them, how looking at them makes me and others feel.

For many years, I wanted to make everything perfect for the holidays, especially for our kids. Over the years, I have learned that it is more important to cut down on some things to enjoy the time together. It is also important to take some time for yourself. Art is a wonderful way to get lost in a different world, whether you create it yourself, visit an exhibition or a show, or immerse yourself in a book.

If you enjoy looking at art and live in the Ottawa area, I would like to invite you to drop in for my Open House at 1270 Kinsella Drive, Cumberland, ON, K4C 1A9, from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, December 2, 2017. You will be able to see my new paintings in the setting of my own home. If you are not available this Saturday, you are always welcome to make an appointment with me in order to see certain paintings in person.

There will be lots going on this Saturday in Cumberland Village: The Cumberland Farmers' Market has its Christmas Market, the Lions Club hosts the annual Breakfast with Santa, the new gallery Da Artisti on Old Montreal Road will be open, and from 3pm  to 8 pm the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum will also be open with its Village of Lights.

Thank you for reading my blog.