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| Lady in Red, acrylic, 8" x 8" |
April Blog
We are at the end of April already. How does time pass so fast?
April was a very productive month. It began with spending another week at the cottage with my husband, friends, and dog. We own a share in the building that allows us five weeks at this place every year. Except for our fixed summer week, the weeks rotate. This year, we received most of our weeks in the first half of the year. Unfortunately, we never get more than one week in a row, but I still enjoy these mini-retreats to recharge.
My friend Janis came again to paint together. We were so lucky to spend two days at temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius, enjoying the sun and blue sky. The geese were chatting happily. However, the wind was fierce.
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| Left: On the Rocks, acrylic, 10" x 8", unfinished, Top right: Rocky Shore, watercolour, 5.8" x 8.3", Bottom right: Spring at the Bay, acrylic, 8" x 10", unfinished |
I struggled with the first outdoor painting of the trip. After weeks of not painting outside, the challenge is especially eminent. You feel out of practice, and it usually shows. Moreover, I wasn’t too excited about the subject, but it was a sheltered painting spot. We could have moved, but we would have lost precious time. As a result, the painting still needs a lot of work. (On the Rocks, acrylic, 10" x 8", unfinished)
In the afternoon, we sat on the beach, and my watercolour box landed a couple of times in the sand because of the fierce wind. Nevertheless, we had more fun than in the morning. Painting while blown in the wind still beats work and chores at any time. Later, I wanted to add more detail but decided against it to keep the true spirit of the outdoor experience. (Rocky Shore, watercolour, 5.8" x 8.3")
We headed to the peaceful bay on the peninsula’s north side to paint the following day. We had a perfect morning at the bay, listening to the geese and observing the first turtle. Soon, the area will be overgrown with grasses and not accessible until the late fall. (Spring at the Bay, acrylic, 8" x 10", unfinished)
In the afternoon, we explored the region, walking through the marsh in Cobden and then further to Beachburg, where we found a lovely beach. There were no other people, but the frogs and toads offered an enthusiastic concert. We even observed an enormous turtle crossing a road slowly but unharmed. We continued to the Westmeath Scenic Lookout. We painted there before, but we would have been disappointed this time because the landscape that is spectacular during most seasons was still mostly dormant. Plus, the wind would have blown us away if we had planned to paint.
In the early days of our careers, we spent every minute painting during painting trips. We thought we had to make the most of our time away from family obligations by painting as much as possible. Nowadays, we are almost 20 years older and pace ourselves, something we can all learn from animals living in the moment and achieving such balance between activity and rest.
We still love painting together but take time to appreciate our surroundings without constantly feeling the urge to create something.
On the days without Janis, I painted a tulip painting (at top of page) for the upcoming Petite Art Show and prepared another one. It was so mild that I could paint, sitting on the patio. However, once the sun disappeared, it felt cold fast.
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| Pink Tulips in a Blue Vase, acrylic, 14" x 11", unfinished |
I completed a winter painting from our March trip on the only rainy day. Plus, I drew every day and started a felted painting of tulips. It was a very productive and still relaxing week. I made time for yoga, walks, games and reading in the sunshine.
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| The End of Winter, watercolour, 8.3" x 5.8" |
By mid-April, I finished my sketchbook with drawings and wanted to continue with a new watercolour journal. However, when I looked at my drawing and watercolour journals and pads, I found a beautiful 16” x 12” Moleskine book and decided to fill this one first. Because the pages are so big, I have divided the pages into three spaces so I can fit three drawings on each page.
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| drawings from the time at the cottage |
However, I have only drawn one image since then due to my bookkeeping and administrative tasks, parts of my business activities that have to be done but are not necessarily enjoyable.
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| sketches at the Ottawa Little Theatre |
I miss it and want to continue starting today. It is hard to get into a routine and easy to fall off. I still drew during an outing to the Ottawa Little Theatre and in preparation for and during classes. Aside from the three Cartooning & Comics classes at the local Francois Dupuis Recreation Centre, I also teach a session of four virtual drawing classes in cooperation with the Orleans-Cumberland resource centre. It is such a joy to see people who have never drawn before, or at least not for many years, having fun creating art.
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| Drawing Class for Beginners |
I will publish my next blog on May 31, 2024. I will write about my experiences during the Ottawa Tulip Festival and another trip to the cottage.
To stay in touch, I invite you to the following two events:
Felting Experience – Tulips: Sunday, May 5, 2024, from 2 PM to 4 PM, virtually and in person
To see if you enjoy needle felting, join my two-hour May workshop, an introduction to needle felting. You will create a cheerful painting that brings a piece of spring into your home at any time of the year.
For a social get-together, I invite you to the next in-person Art Café Meeting on May 26, 2024, at 3:00 PM. We will create a mixed-media artwork. The meeting is complimentary. RSVP here.
