Catching the Abstract Fever

Lately, I have felt like painting abstracts, I keep looking for abstract paintings to admire....I painted one last week and I feel like painting another one right away! This is unusual for me...but I will go with the flow:-)
Here is the one I have just varnished...This is a photo taken with a flash last night, but you get the idea. The close-up shows some of the type of textures I created. The painting will be called "Urban Spirit" unless I can find something more inspiring. Any suggestions?
The painting is 20" x 20" on a deep gallery wrapped canvas. I have painted the sides white.
Let me know what you think...

Urban Spirit

Close-up, "Urban Spirit"

Small "Happy Giraffe"

The (small) Happy Giraffe - 8" x 8" on 1/8"Ampersand  Aquabord panel. Background in gold leaf and giraffe is in watercolor. The entire painting is sealed and is to be displayed without glass...
Some of you may have seen my large framed "Giraffe" currently at the Kevin Dodds Gallery & Studio. I personally like it so much that I decided to paint a similar one in a small size. Before I get it framed, I am offering this little long-lashed sweetie online..
.Check it out at
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/…/c…/the-happy-giraffe/449974

It is ready to be inserted into a standard frame without glass. The ampersand panel is a most archival surface and I just love working on it.
The gold leaf makes this artwork so special, but it is almost impossible to photograph. When the sun shines on this piece, the gold leaf produces a simply stunning effect. The giraffe herself has such a happy and gentle look that it brings a smile to my face.

The Golden Nest

The Golden Nest 

SOLD

This original painting is part of my nest series, but this time, with a twist: gold leaf is applied on some of the twigs of the nest and on some branches...thus, the title "Golden Nest".

I love all the symbolism of the nest: family, home,safety, promises, future, hope, anticipation etc....
I consider this painting almost a semi-abstract. It is full of movement!
I used one of my favorite surfaces, an 9" x 12" x 1/8" Ampersand Claybord panel that is ready to be inserted into a standard frame.

Forest Floor Tapestry - A Watercolor painting

Forest Floor Tapestry -Watercolour - SOLD


I have finally finished my 20" x 20" watercolour of millions and millions of leaves:-)
I will put it aside for a day or so before looking at it again to see what needs to be modified.
It is on 300 lb Fabriano Soft Press Paper.


I really enjoyed the hours and hours I spent playing on this piece.

My New Tapestry Series - Acrylic and gold leaf

My 2016 started with the creation of a new series: original acrylics and gold leaf paintings on Claybord panels. They all have a leaf motif and negative painting technique. Three types of gold leaf add richness to the surface which has a glossy finish. These are mostly intuitive paintings and I find this technique so liberating and so much fun.
So far, these paintings have been fairly small, either 8" x 10 or 11' x 14'. I am looking for the courage to move to a larger size...the claybord is a rather expensive surface, especially in Canada, so I can't afford to ruin any:-)
Here are a few photos. Please let me know what you think.

Floating Tapestry - SOLD

Jewel Tapestry - Sold

Sunshine Tapestry - More info

Fiery Tapestry -More info

Autumn Extravagance - Sold

Golden Oak Tapestry - SOLD

SOLO SHOW AT BIAGIO'S RESTAURANT

SOLO SHOW AT BIAGIO'S RESTAURANT
Three days ago, with the help of two great friends, I hung up 21 paintings for my solo show at the beautiful Italian restaurant Biaggio's on Richmond Rd. in Ottawa.http://www.biagios.ca/Home/tabid/2095/Default.aspx
We then had a great lunch!
I hope you will drop in at Biagio's if you have a chance. My show will be up throughout the Holidays and until at least the end of January.

My New Wall at the Kevin Dodds Gallery

I am a permanent artist at the Kevin Dodds Gallery at 1101 Bank St. Ottawa. The owner has just done some changes in the gallery and I love my new spot!

He has put quite a few of my miniatures and smaller paintings either on two narrow tables or on shelves. Thank you, Kevin, for displaying my art so well.

My newest painting is on the top left: a colourful giraffe with a textured gold leaf background. Looking at it makes me smile every time:-)

Have a wonderful week.

Fall Show of the Nepean Fine Arts League

Last week, from Dec. 4 to 6, I participated once again in the Nepean Fine Arts League Show on Byron, in Ottawa. As usual it was a fabulous show and I was very pleased with my sales. Thank you so much to everyone who dropped by my booth to say hello, discuss art or purchase some artwork.
Such a show always makes me feel so energized.
Tomorrow I am setting up for a two-month solo show! More info to come soon.

Judge's Pick -DailyPaintWorks

Click Here

I feel honored that my watercolor painting "Coconuts at Sunset" was one of the Judge's Picks in the October online art competition on Daily Paintworks. All the entries were great!

This original painting is in transparent watercolor on 140 lb Fabiano Artistico Soft Press watercolor paper and measures approximately 19" X 14" before matting in white to 25" x 20".

 I will soon post the WIP I am working on...a million leaves, or at least, that is the way it feels:-)

Have a great week.

"Anticipation" -Semi-Abstract Bird's Nest

"Anticipation"- SOLD

 Here is my latest "Bird's Nest" painting. It is 11" x 14" in acrylic on an ampersand panel. I framed it very simply in black.  In a semi-abstract way, I tried to suggest a bird flying with the bird's nest on top. I really enjoyed creating implied textures especially near the edges of the painting.
This painting is now on display at the Foyer Gallery in Ottawa.
Do let me know what you think.

"Colorful Zebra"

Colourful Zebra: My latest painting
16" x  20" plus frame
Watercolour (varnished) and gold leaf

SOLD

I painted a miniature zebra less than 2 months ago and it now happily resides in Wisconsin. I loved it so much that I wanted to paint a much larger one. I had great fun painting this colorful 16" x 20"guy against a gold leaf background. You have to see it when the sun shines on the gold leaf...

This painting is now on display at the  Kevin Dodds Gallery and Studio at 1101 Bank St. (near Sunnyside) in Ottawa, Ontario.On my facebook, I show a photo of this painting, framed,  in the gallery window...no sun, unfortunately at that moment:-)

The painting is on Ampersand Aquabord panel, a very unique surface I have been using quite a bit lately and now love...after almost giving up on it until I found ways to make it work for me. I am now planning a companion piece for this zebra...more to come soon.

If interested in this painting, please contact me

Hope you are having a wonderful October.

The Glebe Fine Arts Show and Upcoming Shows

My Booth at the Glebe Fine Arts Show

I should have posted this photo two weeks ago. It represents part of my booth at the Glebe Fine Art Show, September 19th and 20th.  It is a wonderful show and am so happy to have been juried in...I now have right of return as long as I don't miss a year.

I will have a fairly busy fall. Here is a look at my upcoming shows

•  a small group show at the Glebe Community Centre starting this coming Monday with the Glebe  Fine Arts Association
• Oct. 20-Nov. 8: Foyer Gallery,  Group Show, "Shape of Art"
• Nov- Dec.  Solo show at the Biagio Italian Restaurant in Ottawa
• Dec. 1- Jan. 3 - Foyer Gallery -Group Show, " A Little Art"
• Dec. 4-6 - Nepean Fine Arts Fall/ Winter Show and Sale, 
• Dec. Ottawa School of Art - Annual Fundraiser Show ( dates to be announced)   

And of course, my work is on permanent display at the Kevin Dodds Gallery 

I think I won't have time to get too bored :-)

Have a great weekend.

Good week at the Kevin Dodds Gallery

Good week at the Kevin Dodds Gallery & Studio

Thank you, Kevin Dodds for the sale of 5 of my artworks in the past week.
Here are 3 of them...small watercolours on aquabord.
I will have more of these watercolours at the Glebe Show ( see below) on the 19th and 20th.

Lunch Time - SOLD

Queen of the Pond - SOLD

Iris and Buds - SOLD

 Have a great weekend.

Upcoming Art Show

The Glebe Fine Arts Show is coming up on Sept. 19th and 20th in Ottawa, Ontario. This is one of the very best art shows in the area and I will be participating for the first time. I am honored! This show has 30 juried in participants which have right of return for the following year; consequently, new participants are juried in only when one of the artists decides not to return. This year, there were two openeings and I got one of them. I am honored and excited.

 On the poster, you can see a detail of my award-winning " Neptune's Sea Horses" - first photo on the left, second row.

If you are in the Ottawa area, please drop in!

Partnership with Carleton University in Ottawa

I was very pleased to be approached by Carleton University International Student Services Office who wanted to offer their new students some very Canadian art:. three of my Polar Series with hand embossed pewter.

I have several more paintings in this series currently on display at the Kevin Dodds Gallery & Studio at 1101 Bank St. in Ottawa.

 These paintings are on cradles birch panels and the designs on the acrylic background are in pewter that I cut from metal sheets and hand emboss. The sizes range from 4" x 4" to 24" x 24". I sometimes  ( time permitting) accept special commissions for designs in this series or in my Spirit of Africa series.

Have a great first week of September!

"Three Promises"

Three Promises - SOLD

My latest bird's nest on an 8" x 10" ampersand claybord panel. I loved creating the textures on this painting. This is a very loose painting for me and it feels very "freeing" to paint like this.
I love nests and all those interwoven twigs. Humans really would not build betternests than those tiny birds...on the contrary, perhaps!
It just sold to a couple with three little miracles of their own:-)
Wishing you a great weekend

What I Have Been Up To

My last post was weeks and weeks ago! Unforgivable!

I have been busy in spite of a pinched nerve in my back and inflammation of the sciatic nerve....I am slowly getting better.

Here are some of my latest paintings...small ones, since my back was not cooperating:-)

Beautiful Giraffe -SOLD

 "Beautiful Giraffe "  is on a 5" x 7" Ampersand Aquabord that I am starting to really like. I have been working quite a bit with gold leaf and, as for "The Zebra" below, I decided that it would be perfect for the background: the gold translates the heat of the burning African sun.
I then sealed the gold leaf and varnished the entire painting and added a resin-like finish. This finish adds depth to the painting and its shine makes it look almost like a ceramic tile. Really interesting!
I am very pleased with this piece....I hope you will be too.

The Zebra - SOLD

 I found the perfect little frame for The Zebra. It sold the first day it was posted,on DailyPaintworks.

Below are two acrylic paintings with negative painting à la Linda Kemp with whom I took my 5th or 6th workshop in July. She is great!

The paintings of birds nests are on 8" x 8" Ampersand Claybord.I have not yet had a chance to look for frames for them. With their one and only egg each, the paintings are called "Precious I" and Precious II.  I would like to make a series of these and intend to try much larger sizes...The intricate interweave of twigs in the nests really fascinate me...perhaps because I was a hand weaver many, many years ago:-)

"Precious I" - Available

"Precious II" - Available

I hope your summer has been great so far! Thank you for stopping by!

My Polar Series in Canada Day Window

My polar series in hand embossed pewter

Above is part of the Canada Day window display of the Kevin Dodds Gallery in Ottawa, Canada. Kevin chose my hand embossed pewter works to add a very Canadian touch to his holiday window.
All these pieces are on a wood panel with the pewter work on an acrylic background. The polar theme includes polar bears, Inukshuks, wolves, kayaks, whales...and a maple leaf to complete the Canadian theme.
I am very fortunate to work with a gallery owner who is so supportive of my work.

Great Fun with Aquabord

For the past week, I have been playing with 4" x 4" Aquabord, the Ampersand panels made for watercolor.
I had tried this surface once before, but without success. This time, I really like what I am achieving. The result is not the same as a watercolor painting on paper, but it certainly has its advantages. The surface does not buckle or tear, paint lifts back to the white so easily, and it is very easy to varnish.
Disadvantages: well, when you paint in layers, the previous layer will have a tendency to lift ...and you need to adapt your painting techniques. I don't think anything will ever replace for me the pleasure of working on my Fabriano SP paper, but I am certainly having fun with the Aquabord.

SOLD

SOLD

   Above are three florals I painted in the last week. I think they look great on a small mini easel, but they can as easily be inserted in a regular frame for wall display.

What has been your experience with Aquabord?

Judge's Pick Winner - May 2015- Daily Paintworks juried monthly contest

 

I have been a member of the international online gallery "Daily Paintworks" since it was created a few years ago. However, this month, for the first time, I entered one of their monthly juried contest. The work submitted was my  "Neptune's Sea Horses - Florence" a 15" x 31"  ( before framing) original watercolor....( see detail below) .....and I found out this morning that I was one of the Judge's pick winners!

Check out the winners and entries of the May competition and the previous ones :http://www.dailypaintworks.com/contests#previous

"Neptune's Sea Horses - Florence"- detail of watercolor by Christiane Kingsley

What a nice way to start the week!