Staying Creative During Summer

Flowers and produce from the garden, watercolour pencils

 

Blog 8


August was the eighth month since I started my daily artworks. I have used watercolour pencils most of the time to capture something I have seen each day. This month, I fell hopelessly behind. I needed to prioritize several needle-felting projects to upload my fall schedule to my website. One of them was the Holy Family for my three-part November workshop. The other was a chickadee with wire legs and feet. To create these cute chickadees during my September 14 and 15 workshop, don’t miss the Sunday, August 31 registration deadline. I need at least three registrations by then to run the workshop. Additional participants can still register until September 11.

Concentrating on my needle-felted projects resulted in many missed days of drawing. I admire a friend who has managed to paint every day for many years, regardless of life’s events. Often, he is happy with the outcome; other times, he is just pleased he stuck to his routine. Because my inner perfectionist still pushes me to create finished drawings instead of sketches, I struggle with the time needed to complete each drawing.



However, while I could regret the missed opportunities, I will highlight what I still created. Often, we are our worst critics. Therefore, let’s celebrate the triumphs instead of concentrating on the perceived shortcomings. As mentioned earlier, art is not a race but a delightful pursuit that allows you to escape the world and find your happy place.



Here are my August artworks:

Sketches from the Ottawa Little Theatre production Hilda's Yard

Nature art, watercolour pencils (top), watercolours (bottom)

Macbeth, outdoor play of A Company of Fools

pencil, watercolour pencil (bottom right)

In September, I will face another challenge to continue my daily drawings due to the Arteast Studio Tour and a two-week visit from German friends. However, the changing fall colours will offer lots of inspiration to keep making art. Have fun! The more you create, the more your creativity will bloom.



In the meantime, I am excited about an autumn filled with numerous opportunities to connect with you and strengthen my creative community.

My friend, Janis Fulton, and I will participate in the second Arteast Studio Tour on September 7 and 8 from 10 AM to 4 PM. We will be at my house to share our beautiful art in Studio P at 1270 Kinsella Drive, Cumberland, Ontario, K4C 1A9. Janis and I often paint together, and it will be fun to see our unique interpretation of the spots we visited. Twenty-seven members will participate and invite you to visit their studios to see where and how they work and why they create their art. There will be five additional artists in Studio O in Cumberland.

A downloadable list of the Fine Arts Studio Tour artists and their addresses is available here.

Keep Memories Alive in a Visual Journal

 

Blog 7

 

My July was very productive even though I didn’t create anything in the three days between my return to Canada and my trip to our family vacation. I was too busy catching up with medical appointments, household chores, unpacking and packing again.

During my time at the cottage, I usually finish a couple of paintings. However, this time, I had forgotten my watercolour paints. Luckily, I had my watercolour pencils, brushes and pads with me to create a painting of a summer flower bouquet and my daily sketches to keep my memories fresh long after the time has passed.


I also captured a daily sketch and used watercolour pencils for most images because I love colour. I created two drawings because I took a breathtaking canoe trip with my husband and dog on the last day. In the evening light, I sat on the rocks at the edge of the Ottawa River, capturing the rocks, moss and bushes in front of me. 

The canoe ride was the most magical I have ever experienced because the water was smooth like a mirror, and the evening light turned the whole landscape into a magical place. I am always mesmerized by the deep reflection of the trees in the water. Maybe I will take one of my big canvases to attempt to capture this sight in a painting this winter. It would certainly be a challenge. 

 

 

My latest needle-felted painting is of a Bird of Paradise plant, which is progressing nicely.

Bird of Paradise, wool, unfinished

Enjoy the collages of my July art!


Stay connected by joining my mailing list. I send out two newsletters monthly - one with teaching news and the other with information about my latest artworks. By subscribing to my newsletter on my website, you will receive my free e-book titled I Am Ready to Paint, but Where Do I Start? I will publish my next blog on August 30.

A Joyful Heart Brimming with Memories

Mutti's Pink Hibiscus, watercolour, 5.8" x 8.3"

Blog 6


My heart and mind are brimming with joyful impressions from my trip to Germany. Not only did I spend unforgettable hours with family and friends, but I also saw many beautiful sights which will continue to provide new inspirations for my art. Many times, I wished that I could spend time with my painting buddies to capture the scene.


One of the highlights was my dad's 90th birthday with family and my parents' circle of friends. I am thankful for the chance to celebrate my dad's fulfilled life. 

For the rest of the time, my daughter and I combined meeting with my friends with visits to cultural sites. We went to the Palm Gardens in Frankfurt at the time of the rose festival and strolled through the gardens of the Schwetzingen Palace. 

We also spent two days in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a romantic Bavarian town with many half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets. We walked on the Medieval town wall, from which we had breathtaking bird's-eye views of the old town.

For the first time, we saw Chagall's windows in the Saint Stephan’s Church in Mainz. We were lucky to receive an introduction to the history of the breathtaking windows. Chagall, a Jew, was initially reluctant to create any art for a German church but changed his mind after he developed a friendship with the pastor. You can find more information here.


During an outing to Mainz-Laubenheim, we walked in the vineyards with a breathtaking panorama view of the surrounding cities, the Rhine River and the Taunus. We could even see the skyscrapers of Frankfurt.

I love getting inspired by the creativity all around me. It brought me great joy to admire the craftsmanship and innovative ideas at an arts and crafts market in Ober-Ramstadt and during visits to friends' studios. Luckily, I had my suitcase in mind because I could have bought some exquisite pieces.


I created less art than I expected. However, I focus on nurturing human connections during visits to Germany. While I still have regular contact with friends and family through emails and weekly video calls, they are no substitute for in-person meetings with actual hugs.


On many days, I created drawings with pencils and watercolour pencils in my daily journal. I drew most sketches of people during our train rides and the rest from photos. I also had to use reference photos for most other artworks because there often was no opportunity to draw while chatting with friends. Most of my painting buddies approve of seeing me draw at all times, but many other people probably find it peculiar. I know some people who don't comprehend my need to capture the world around me. However, I could not live any other way. I feel compelled to draw what I see to preserve it for my memories.

I also finished a watercolour painting (see top) and two felted pieces. The needle-felted painting of a rose is on a felt bag I purchased in a store. It is my first piece of functional art. I will write about the process after I have finished the bag. 

 

I will be back with my regular blog on July 26. In the meantime, I invite you to join me for the Art Café on July 21, at 1 PM in Cumberland, Ontario. We will create graffiti on paper. Please RSVP here.

Let Nature Inspire You

Pink Tulips in a Blue Vase, acrylic, 14" x 11", CAN $375

May Blog

I love sharing my passion for art with others to encourage them to express themselves through art, whether to capture nature’s beauty, tell stories, work through life events or relax. Teaching also challenges me to try different subjects because the participants are more engaged when I show them how to create what they want to capture.

Cartooning and Comic Courses for Children

 

Most of the time, I find a balance between teaching and my own creative projects. This month, the scale tipped towards preparing classes and administrative tasks. 

Drawing Classes in Collaboration with the Orleans-Cumberland Resource Centre

I taught three Cartooning and Comics children’s courses, a drawing course and two needle-felting workshops. I also hosted my Art Café. While chatting, we inspired each other while we created the fruity mixed-media artwork. 

Tulip and Beach Workshops

Fun Mixed Media during the Art Café

The schedule for the second half of the year is on my website. You won’t find the Art Café there because it is foremost a social get-together. Please email me to learn more about my next Art Café on July 27, 2024.


Next Friday, I will leave for a trip to Germany to celebrate my dad’s 90th birthday. Keep informed about my art and events by subscribing to my mailing list. Due to my vacation, I will publish my June blog on July 5.



I enjoyed participating in the Arteast project to create panels for containers for the Byward Market. Painting together was fun. However, to combine the different visions and styles, it is best if everyone has their specific tasks. Our team painted Spring in Ottawa with a view of the National Gallery and The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica with tulips from Major’s Hill Park in the foreground. 

 

Spring Panel in Progress

I also finished an acrylic still life of tulips in a blue vase (see above) and worked on several needle-felted paintings.


My friend Janis and I painted the stunning tulips in Major’s Hill Park. Even though we both have other favourite mediums, we brought watercolour paints because of their easy portability. The second painting is a very loose sketch because we ran out of time.

Blushing Pink, watercolour, 8.3" x 5.8"/Tulip Bliss, watercolour, 10" x 7"

Disappointingly, I couldn’t stick to my daily drawings until I went to the cottage for a week. However, my drawing journal for Germany is ready. I plan to create a visual diary. 

Stag and Doe at the Ottawa Little Theatre

At the Cottage

Flowers and a Visit to the National Gallery

Here are the paintings from our weekly virtual Painting Buddies meetings, which create an always anticipated creative break with dear friends.

Strawberries, Sunset at Presqu'ile, Sunny Tulips, Apple Blossoms

Do my images inspire you? I would love to hear about your projects.
 

Have a fantastic June!