2023 Advent Calendar Days 23 and 24

 

Today is Christmas Eve, the last day of my Art Advent Calendar. As a result, this special blog post includes the final two pictures from the 2023 review. It is rewarding to see that my creativity translated into beautiful works of art to entertain and fill your days with joy.

Day 23: Farm in Winter, watercolour and watercolour pencil, 5. 8" x 8.3"

This watercolour painting is another from our Painting Buddies one-hour Zoom meetings, showing one of the old farms in rural Cumberland. My friend Janis took the reference photo. In our group, we share the images with the permission to use them for any purpose. This image is from my sketchbook and not even on watercolour paper. It captures the beauty and tranquility of winter perfectly. It is one of the few images that I finished within the hour of our meeting. Sometimes, the brush effortlessly flows over the paper, and the painting seems to paint itself.

 

 

Day 24: Hoary Redpoll, wool, 8.75" x 11.75",
              custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, CAN $450 + shipping

 

In February, when I looked for the next winter subject, I found another photo of one of the birds that visited us in the winter of 2021/2022. We only saw hoary redpolls or purple finches that winter. They came when I needed cheering up while I was in a wheelchair after a terrible accident.

 

Whenever I see birds, I think of my parents, who enjoyed spending time each winter in Canada. They fed the birds and had so much fun observing them. The had several bird books to read up on each species. 

If you enjoy my blogs and want more information about my art, I encourage you to sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website www.KerstinPeters.ca. I publish a newsletter on the second and last Wednesday of every month. When subscribing, you will automatically receive my free eBook, "I Am Ready To Paint But Where Do I Start?".


Starting in January, I will reduce the blog post to one on the last Friday of the month. I love connecting with you, but I will offer more interactive ways to build my community. Stay tuned!


In January, it is time for the annual Creativity Challenge to return to a creative routine after the holidays. I plan to create art for 15 – 30 minutes daily. I encourage you to attempt it, too. I will write about my successes and challenges to follow through in my blog on January 26, 2024.

I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy the holidays with laughter and good food. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope your holidays will be joyful and relaxing.


Thank you for supporting me this year with your kind feedback.


I will celebrate Christmas with my husband, children and pets. On December 28, I will fly to Germany to see my parents. 2005 was the last time I visited them after Christmas, 1999 was the last time we spent Christmas together. I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time together – the most precious gift you can give someone. I will be back at work on January 19, 2024, and will respond to emails and registrations at the latest upon my return.

2023 Advent Calendar Days 16 - 22

 

We are almost at the end of the countdown of my 24 artworks. Today, I have posted images inspired by summer and fall scenery. What is your favourite? If you have fallen in love with one of the paintings for sale and would like to buy it, please email me.

Day 16: Hydrangeas, acrylic, 8" x 10", on cradled wood, CAN $250 + shipping

My friend Janis and I got together on the long August weekend and painted in our backyard. Often, you can find a great subject right in front of you without driving around searching for the perfect location.

I am glad we painted the beautiful hydrangeas early in August because a pair of cardinals built a nest in the bush soon after and loudly protested when anyone came too close.

 

 

Even though it was only my second acrylic painting this year, I was excited to work with Golden Open acrylic paints. Luckily, we stayed in our yard because I was not as organized after hardly using my painting equipment, and would have been without my palette and paper towels at a different location.

Day 17: Kamouraska’s Brilliant Sunset, wool, 8.5" x 11.75" CAN $450 + shipping

 

When I put together the paintings for this Advent Calendar, I noticed that I never posted the finished artwork because I finished it the day before our trip to Germany at the end of April.


For many years, I spent a week in early September in Kamouraska with some of my painting buddies. One of the daily highlights was the brilliant sunsets that sometimes even interrupted our dinner time because we could not stop watching the quickly changing skies that created these breathtaking landscapes that make you dream of vacation destinations. No wonder that many people including many famous painters are fascinated by nature’s light spectacle at sunset.

Day 18: Pumpkins, wool, 8. 5” x 11.75”

 

This needle-felted painting of three pumpkins is the result of a recent workshop I taught. Even though I have offered the workshop several times, my artwork looks different every time, which is exactly what I want to show my students. I want them to create a unique painting reflecting their energy and style, not copying mine.

Did you know your artwork might also look different depending on your mood? Our mood has an impact on our energy level, which subsequently affects the colours we choose. When you feel happy, your colour choices might be more brilliant. On a day when you are sad, you might pick more subdued hues. Creating art under different light conditions can also influence your choice of colours and their values.

 

I noticed this fact for the first time when I hosted a painting party days after a friend of mine had died. Compared to the original painting, the artwork of that evening contained warmer and toned-down colours, making my flowers look more like fall than spring. It always fascinates me how our energy flows into our art.



Day 19: Lying Low, watercolour, watercolour pencils and white ink, 8.3" x 11.7"

 

The fantastic weather enticed my Painting Buddies and me to go plein air painting to Petrie Island at the beginning of October. I had planned to paint the view of a small bay when I discovered the frog sitting in the grass directly in front of me. Because I didn’t want the little frog to be all by itself, I added a second one, which in reality was the first frog from another perspective.

 

December 20: Fall Colours at Petrie Island, watercolour, 8.3" x 11.7"

In mid-October, we returned to Petrie Island to paint the turtle pond. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any turtles that day, but large groups of Canada geese communicated loudly.

When we arrived, it was sunny and very windy. However, soon clouds moved in and changed the light and, therefore, the colours dramatically.

 

Despite being surrounded by dark clouds, it did not rain. Plus, I had most of my colours blocked in and could finish my work with the help of reference photos.

December 21: Beppo, wool, 14 3/4" x 19" custom-framed, CAN $600 + shipping

After I painted this cute dachshund in acrylic, I wanted to recreate him in wool. The needle-felted painting is a 10" x 12" felted version of my 11" x 14" acrylic painting with the same title.

It took me a lot of time to capture the dog the way I wanted. I had the needle-felted painting framed, only to discover later that I still was not happy with the eyes. I postponed the modification until this week when I wanted to add the image to the Levanta magazine.

After correcting the eyes, I needed to readjust the snout because the proportions had changed. After many hours of frustration, I am finally happy with Beppo's expression.

December 22: Fall Leaves, watercolour, watercolour pencil, white ink, 5.8" 7.5"

This painting is also from from our Painting Buddies one-hour Zoom meetings. The image shows a bush from our front yard whose green leaves turn into vibrant colours in the fall. I started the painting in November 2022 but only finished it this year on Halloween when we spent a week at the cottage. Whenever we go there, I bring a couple of unfinished artworks to reduce my pile of pieces in progress.

To highlight the veins of the leaves, I used white ink at the end.

This week, you will receive a special blog on December 24 with the last two images of my Art Advent Calendar.

I hope you are ready for the holidays and can enjoy the time stress-free. My daughter and I will bake cookies tomorrow, listening to Christmas music to finish the last task on our Christmas to-do list. What are your plans for tomorrow?

2023 Advent Calendar Days 9 - 15

 

There are only ten days until Christmas Day. Are you ready for the holidays? Or are you still shopping for gifts and stressing to make it the perfect Christmas? While I cannot help you prepare your home and feasts for the holidays, I offer gift certificates for artworks and workshops that make gifting easier. Your loved ones can decide to bring a nature painting for continuous enjoyment to their home or register for a needle felting course. You can even register together for even more fun and lasting memories. Please contact me to order a gift certificate.

The images of my Art Advent Calendar might intrigue you to take a felting course. If you want to purchase any of the paintings, please email me.

 

Day 10: Cardinal in Spring, wool, 6" x 8"

I created this artwork during the felting workshop, where I am always more concerned about my students project than my own. After the first class, I was therefore unhappy with the composition. It looked like the bird was growing out of the tree trunk. I added another branch, more leaves and blooms. I also adjusted the bird's body before sending my cardinal into the world.

Day 11: Three Poppies, wool, 8.75" x 12",
custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, CAN $450 + shipping

Some years ago, I painted the scene in my friend's backyard in acrylic.

In the spring of 2022, I started a needle-felted version of the three poppies in front of blue irises. I usually don't use a lot of red in my artworks, but these bright flowers framed by the blue irises captured my attention.

I put the artwork aside during the summer and winter and finally finished it on January 1, 2023.

 

Day 12: Thatched-Roof Houses, Sylt, wool and mixed fibres, 9" x 11.5",
custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, $450 + shipping

Sometimes, when I get homesick, I think of German destinations I still want to visit with my children. I love Sylt, the island in Northern Germany, and the happy memories of family vacations that included my beloved grandmother. The thatched roof houses are so beautifully rustic and blend into the landscape. Many people who have visited Sylt fall in love with the island and become regular visitors.

Day 13: Wild White Roses, watercolour and watercolour pencil,
5.8" x 8.3"

This watercolour painting is another from one of our Painting Buddies one-hour Zoom meetings. I love wild rose bushes and have painted them often during our painting trips to Kamouraska. This piece is my first watercolour painting of a white rose. It is fascinating to see how many colours you see observing a white flower or any other white object. Nothing in nature is as white as the colour from your tube or pan. Check out the white snow lit by the sunset and see for yourself.

Day 14: Morning Chores, Venice, 18" x 24",
custom-matted to fit a 24" x 30" frame, CAN 800 + shipping

This image is the first artwork inspired by my travel to Italy this year. It is the largest needle-felted painting I have created so far. For the first time, I drew the rough areas of my composition onto the fabric.
Working on the large piece was challenging because it took a long time to see progress. Keeping the shingles more or less parallel took some patience.

My excitement rose when I started creating the woman tending to her plants. I considered felting a person in the left window but decided against it. Instead, I added laundry and flower boxes under both windows for additional colour. Creating the battered walls of the house, with the plaster crumbling and exposed stones, took a long time. Most of the time, my needle-felted paintings progress fast in the early stages, but the details take a lot of time. I enjoy seeing the pieces come together and take my time until I am satisfied with the result. Therefore, I had to postpone publishing the image a couple of days ago because I just finished the artwork in time for today's post.

I love that the image captures the beauty of the crumbling old house and the ordinary household chores, which we often see as necessary evil. Although seen from the outside, there is beauty in someone putting up the laundry and the clothes flying in the wind. Many artists have been inspired to capture everyday activities in genre paintings, often romanticizing household activities. 

Day 15: Hay Fields, wool, 8.75" x 11.75",
custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, CAN $450 + shipping

I painted the scene a couple of years ago with acrylic paints and sold the painting almost instantly. When I painted the image, I struggled to capture the impression of the fields for a long time. I was curious to find out how I would succeed with the details of the wool image. Again, creating the hay bales was a struggle.

 

The artwork reminds me of the smell of late summer and my home town where I took the reference photo.

 

Have a wonderful third weekend of Advent!

2023 Advent Calendar Days 2 - 8

 
After I gave you a teaser with last week's Day 1 post, here is part two of the 2023 Art Advent Calendar with a review of more of my artworks from this year.

Day 2: Bunny Among the Dandelions, wool, 8.75" x 11.75",
custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, CAN $450 + shipping

 

 
In time for the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit, I finished the needle-felted painting of the cute bunny. The same bunny was already the subject of my acrylic painting, Meister Lampe (see below, top left), which I sold many years ago. When I ran into the new owner a year later, she told me that the painting still brought her joy every time she looked at it. That is one of the biggest compliments for an artist.

There were no flowers in the reference photo, but I added dandelions to break up the green in the foreground.

Day 3: Strolling Elephant, wool, 8.5" x 12", SOLD

I created this felted elephant for a friend who loves elephants. I enjoyed bringing the majestic animal to life, but it took some experimenting until I was happy with the background. My friend's reaction was the most rewarding. Her face lit up when she opened my present.

Day 4: Chickadee, wool, 6" x 8"

I have always loved watching the birds in our garden. Don’t you find it fascinating to watch their interactions? With the milder weather, you can hear them chirping happily, which makes you feel like spring. I finished the needle-felted painting of the chickadee in preparation for the Bird Watching Workshop. I started out with a 6” x 6” felt piece but later enlarged it to 6" x 8" to allow more space for the bird's tail.

Day 5: Spider Mum, wool, 8.75" x 12", custom-matted to fit a 12" x 16" frame, CAN $450 + shipping

 
The pink and white spider mum in the foreground is the focus of this artwork. It took me a long time to discover the name of the flower I had seen in many bouquets as my knowledge of plants and flowers is limited to the most popular ones. Spider mums are stunning in a bouquet and last a long time. That's probably, why they are so popular. The spider mum is ready to brighten up your room. Do the brilliant colours of the painting bring you into a cheerful mood? I am probably biased because royal blue and magenta are among my favourite colours.


The most challenging part about this painting was creating the pink colour of the flower. I was not happy with the magenta wool I had. Instead, I used fluorescent pink and toned it down with white.

 

Day 6: The Snow Dress (Winter Sunset), 8.3" x 5. 8", watercolour and watercolour pencils

This watercolour painting is from one of our Painting Buddies one-hour Zoom meetings. It captures the fir tree in front of my office window in the festive snow dress. The tree is not beautiful because it is very skinny and has lost a lot of needles on the lower branches. However, in its snow dress it looks like Cinderella decked out for the ball. I finished the work after the meeting. It is one of my daily images I created between January and March. 

Day 7: Firework of Sea Anemone, watercolour, watercolour pencil and watercolour markers, 8.3" x 5.8"
 

I started this painting with watercolour pencils on the bus from Toronto to Ottawa after my daughter and I visited Ripley's Aquarium, a long-time item on our bucket list. Later, I added watercolour markers and watercolours to make the colours even more brilliant.

December 8: Clematis, watercolour pencils, 8.5" x 5.5"

I created this painting in my parents' garden, a blooming oasis for most of the year. It was the evening before my return to Ottawa. I was upset that I had to leave while my mother was in the hospital and needed some time by myself to escape my thoughts of worry. I love that creating art transports me into a peaceful bubble where I forget everything around me.

I could spend days painting on their property. My parents still love gardening even though they are both in their late eighties. While I only know the most common flowers and bushes, they are very knowledgeable about plants. 

 

Have a happy second weekend of Advent!

2023 Advent Calenday Day 1

 

 

It is time for the annual Advent Calendar. On December 1, many children (and some adults) start to open their Advent calendars to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas.


In the past weeks, I started putting together the 2023 Art Advent Calendar, a review of the artwork from this year. While I want to share my art with you, it is also a rewarding realization that my creativity translated into beautiful works of art to entertain and fill your days with joy.


I have started publishing the daily posts on my Facebook page and Instagram feed today. I will post a weekly summary with images of the progress of each artwork in my December blogs at https://kerstinpeterspaintingblog.blogspot.com/.


As today is December 1, you only see the first image of the calendar.

 

Day 1: The Four Seasons, wool, 11.75" x 9"

 

The needle-felted painting, The Four Seasons, is one of few that started with a drawn design. I usually only create a drawing before I begin my needle felting for an image not inspired by a landscape or still life.


A quilt was the theme for the September Creativity Project. I had fun creating my design, so much so that I transformed it into a felted painting.

When you compare the drawn design and the finished painting, you see that I made some changes while I worked on the felted piece. My tree now reflects the four seasons. I also added some raindrops next to the snowflakes.

Progression

 

Have a wonderful first Advent weekend!