Discovering Prince Edward Island - Part 1

 

Blog 40

I returned from my trip to Prince Edward Island and Halifax/Dartmouth. I was on the island once before, in the spring of 1998, when our family returned to Ottawa from a six-month stay in Halifax. However, we were limited in our adventures because of our toddler and dog. Therefore, we had a lot to explore this time.

We flew to Halifax on September 9 and arrived in the early evening. The night was warm, and after eating a nice Indian meal in the closest restaurant to our hotel, we went to the waterfront to enjoy a magical walk along the lit harbour area. 

On the following day, a gorgeous Sunday morning, we wanted to go for another walk downtown but couldn’t find any parking. We left the city to drive to PEI, taking the scenic Sunshine Trail along the coast. We stopped at the Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park to enjoy a picnic. With temperatures in the high twenties, the place was busy. People were walking their dogs, spending time on the beach or swimming.

After a short drive through New Brunswick, we crossed the impressive Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island. We continued our drive along the shore on the Red Sands Shore Drive to the Blue Spruces Cottages in Hampton. Our cottage, set back from the beach, still offered a view of the Northumberland Strait. It was already late, and we went to the neighbouring Victoria-by-the-Sea for dinner. The search for a table at any restaurant on this balmy evening was futile. Therefore, we ordered food-to-go and enjoyed a quiet evening at the two-bedroom cottage.

Unfortunately, there was a fine rain the next morning. The sun-filled landscape of the previous day had changed to a bleak sight under the grey sky. We followed the Red Sand Shore Drive to Summerside, where we walked on the Baywalk Boardwalk until we reached the lighthouse.



The sun reluctantly peaked through the clouds during our walk, and it got muggy. As many restaurants and stores were closed on Mondays, we were happy to find Moment’s Cafe, a small Asian restaurant, where we enjoyed their delicious bubble waffles.

On our way up along the coast, the weather got increasingly miserable. Cabot Beach Provincial Park looked desolate in the rain, and we only stopped at French River to take some photos of the colourful huts at the harbour.

As the weather didn’t look any more promising the next day, we drove to Cavendish to visit the Green Gables Heritage Place. The site was busy with tourists who looked for things to do on a rainy day. We started with a walk through the visitor centre, which offered information about the author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and her famous novel, Anne of Green Gables. We visited the Green Gables House and took the Haunted Wood Trail to the Cavendish Cemetery, the author’s Cavendish Home and the Post Office with its exhibition. We finished with a stroll on Lover’s Land Trail.

We took the Gulf Shore Parkway West to see the white sand on the north shore. We stopped at the Cavendish Beach East Dunelands and witnessed the destruction from post-tropical storm Fiona in September 2022. The coastal erosion and the loss of large areas of trees were shocking. However, there are signs of new growth that give hope.

Many restaurants and shops were closed after Labour Day. We finally found the Blue Mussel Café in North Rustico. While we ate our mouthwatering food on the outdoor patio, the water of the Rustico Rustico Harbour glistened in the sun.

We walked on the boardwalk along the North Rustico Harbour Trail, where we saw many grey-blue herons looking for fish despite the noise of the fishing boats. A short trail brought us to North Rustico Beach, where we walked on the beach, listening to the rushing waves in awe.



Next week, I will post Part 2 of the PEI travelogue.

Make the Most of Your Autumn

Pumpkins and plums, wool, 8" x 10"

 

Blog 39

Now that the days are noticeably shorter and the nights longer, how do you make the most of your time? How do you use your additional time indoors?


For families with children, September means the start of school and many extracurricular activities. Many parents want their children to experience activities in many different areas and often neglect to make time for themselves. As a result, they often feel stressed by the tight schedule they create for themselves and their family.


What do you want to add to your routine during the shorter and cooler days? Will you pick up a favourite activity again or plan to try something new? Your first reaction might be that you lack time. However, you will feel much more satisfied with your life if you create a space for yourself and your needs.


While some people crave solitude in their leisure time, others prefer activities with friends or like-minded people to create new memories and increase the fun.


If you are looking for a creative community and are intrigued by working with wool, I invite you to my October lunchtime Ready for Pumpkins Workshop. Please ask me for alternative material options if you are allergic to wool or prefer to work with vegan fibres. We will meet for one hour every Thursday from October 5 to October 26, 2023, at 12:30 PM Eastern Time. You can join me either in person or by Zoom.

The workshop offers you a fantastic activity to break up your day because needle felting is very relaxing and exciting at the same time. Creating art is an excellent way to express yourself in a non-verbal way and to add some fun to your daily life, especially when you have a rough day. Plus, the possibilities of working with wool are endless. Creative activities help you to focus playfully, and most of us can use more playtime in our lives. Therefore, your creative break might even increase your productivity in the afternoon.

Pumpkins, viscose, 5.75" x 9"

The rich colours of this autumn project of orange pumpkins and dark purple grapes or plumes create the perfect mood for October. Can you almost smell the delicious fall spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in the air that make you feel cozy?


Tomorrow is the first day of autumn. Enjoy the beauty of the season with its colourful leaves! Next week, I will post a blog about the fantastic time on Prince Edward Island.

Precious Memories

 

 Blog 38

Every year for a decade, I eagerly anticipated September for our KAM 7 painting trips to Kamouraska. We always rented the same house for a week at the bank of the St. Lawrence River and only missed one year due to a mixup of dates. We spent many magnificent hours painting together in any weather, took turns cooking for each other, and enjoyed our evening chats.

With the pandemic, this tradition stopped. However, I have more than one hundred paintings from the trips and even more cherished memories. At the top of this blog is a collage of some of my favourite Kamouraska paintings.

This September, I had to look forward to my friend Bettina’s visit and our trip to Prince Edward Island. When you read this blog, we will already have spent almost a week in the Maritimes. This trip is one item off my bucket list. I have another highlight waiting for me before I return to Ottawa in the middle of next week: I will see my friend Hélène for the first time again since she moved to Nova Scotia three years ago. We will spend three days together and hope for good weather to go painting en plein air. I brought my watercolours on my trip and cannot wait to explore the Halifax area with Hélène. I will tell you all about my journey in upcoming blogs.

Have a week filled with creativity and joy!

Vacation Time

Blog 37

My German friend Bettina arrived in Canada last weekend. We spent the first week in Ottawa trying to stay cool in the late summer heat. We enjoyed a lovely picnic at the Ottawa River while watching the sunset, went shopping and enjoyed the food of some lovely restaurants. We also went to the National Gallery of Canada, which is always worth a visit.


Tomorrow, we will fly to Halifax and continue our journey to Prince Edward Island. We had planned this trip since 2019, and we will finally have one week to explore one of Canada's eastern maritime provinces. I am very excited and will post the travelogue after my return.

To sign up for my newsletter, please go to my website. Once you have signed up, you will receive my e-book, "I AM READY TO PAINT, BUT WHERE DO I START?" as a thank-you. If you want to learn painting but are overwhelmed with the choices at an art store, this guide will help you with the pros and cons of watercolour, acrylic and oil paint. I will replace this freebie soon with a felting one. I publish my newsletter on the second and last Wednesday of the month with information about upcoming events and news from my studio.


Enjoy the late summer weather and happy creating!

Keeping The Memory Alive - Commission Painting of a Beloved Pet

 

 

Blog 36

I just received a new commission for a painting of a cherished dog who recently died. I feel honoured to help the family keep his memory alive with a unique artwork. Based on my experience, I know how a piece of artwork can help keep the memory of a beloved companion alive.

 

Jessie - Forever in My Heart, acrylic, 11" x 14"

When our first dog died, our deeply loved Jessie, painting her portrait helped me to deal with my pain. It was challenging, and I had to stop several times until I was strong enough to cope with the loss. Today, I still feel comforted when I look at her painting and remember the many happy moments we shared.


I painted our second and third dogs already while they were still alive. I also created needle-felted paintings of them because I liked the idea of their portraits in wool to imitate their soft fur. I look at them every day and feel happy in their continued company, even though both crossed the rainbow bridge.


Before I create an acrylic or a needle-felted commission painting of a family pet, I usually prefer to meet the dog or cat, observe the pet and take lots of photos. For a deceased pet, I rely on family photos. Looking for photos also helps the owners to relive the precious moments with their pet. They realize which pose is the one that reminds them the most of their beloved family member. I help my clients decide on the pose and a background for their much-loved family member, using several photos to create the composition of the painting.


My new clients decided they want their cute dog sitting in their garden. When they told me that a white butterfly had appeared several times since the death of their beloved dog, we agreed to add a white butterfly to the painting.

The first step of my painting process is to put the pieces of their garden, the favourite photo of their sweet dog and the butterfly together. I used pastels to draw the composition. When my client is happy with the drawing, I will add a layer of clear gesso to attach the pigments to the canvas. This step serves as my block-in.


At this point, I can still change every aspect of my painting because acrylic paints are very versatile. I can paint dark over light and the other way around.


Once I have heard back from my clients, I can make the adjustments and start painting. I am excited and will share updates with you.


To inquire about a custom painting of your beloved pet, please send me an email.