I’m looking forward to working out some new ideas in the coming months. It’s been especially helpful for me to consider what Hundertwasser said about the creative act, “The work of the artist is very difficult because it cannot be done by force, dilligence or intelligence. I think that by strength and diligence and intelligence
Getting out and exploring an area for colour has been really good for my soul. And, I’ve realized some things about myself and my art making: My project isn’t about a Painting being connected to a Place (in some sort of ‘neutral’, or maybe ‘absolute’ way); it is about Me in a Place creating a
While I spent the whole day working in my studio, my favourite part was what my youngest assistant (and also my son) created from our backyard’s ice this morning. Although I didn’t know what he was up to, when he came into my studio and asked me to follow him, I did. He took me
With the drawing underway, I’ve decided to also begin working on some ideas I have for the construction of the panel. Throughout my work, I’ve always thought it was crucial to let the different materials I use influence the finished work so it is time to give the panel a voice within this process! The
As one thing has built upon another, my sketches have begun to express a little of what I’m aiming to achieve over this year of MFA work at Transart. While these are in no way finished works, sharing them will hopefully provide a glimpse of what has happened this month. Exploring the initial inspiration of
Along the Conestogo River there is a sentinel red maple tree that must be a couple of hundred years old. It is broken in half midway up it’s trunk and many of it’s branches have been infested with bugs. Still, it puts out buds every year and leaves every summer. While more than half the
Down across the Conestogo River grows my favourite willow tree. As you can see from the photos, the shape of the tree’s trunk is unique and the tree’s tenacity (which the trunk demonstrates) is probably why I like it so much. In trying to draw a tree, I don’t know if I should be creating
Since my project proposal for Transart is currently focused on trees, the immediate work ahead of me is to photograph and sketch as much as I can before the cold weather arrives and the trees drop all their leaves. Down on the flood plains of the village of Conestogo there are quite a few orchards
With the gilding and gesso ready, today was a gilding day. In designing the star, I purposefully worked toward creating some subtle effects. It was to this end that I slightly angled the star’s rays so that the light would reflect off the gold differently as the viewer (or the sun) moved. To heighten the
Every time I apply gesso I learn something. In this case, I learned about the extra patience needed when applying each coat in the summer’s humidity. In the winter, with a nice dry space, a nice thick coat of gesso can be built up in under two hours. Today, the work took the whole morning.