A Brush with Life - Issue #108 Just Breathe
There has been this rolling over-and-under ease between work and rest these past two weeks. My mantra has been - just breathe. I am waiting and preparing for a turn in the tide that usually flows through my artist’s work life. This year’s summer lull as I wait for the Gallery Pod leaves my energy so
A Brush with Life - Issue #107 Loafing Around
The creative genius hidden in idle loafing around should never be underestimated. The art of doing next-to-nothing is a practice that deserves to be well honed, revered and celebrated. This is what I tell myself. I am truly not very good at loafing even though I practice several times a week. I will
A Brush with Life - Issue #106 Hints of Summer and New Painting
The southwest coast and much of British Columbia has been having a hard time warming up and dying out. We are at least a couple of weeks behind recent years. However, the wild flowers have flourished and it is still pleasant out as long as you keep your sweater on or at with you. I shall evidence ev
A Brush with Life - Issue #105 Artist Road Trip - part two
We have never had an issue where two weeks of artist adventures requires that it be broken into two parts. But there is always a first for everything. If you haven’t read part one that arrived at the usual time on Friday morning in your inbox, you might want to start there. Or, if you are a person t
A Brush with Life - Issue #104 Artist Road Trip - part one
Artist road trips are likely when work most seems like play in a slow and meaningful way. We left Mayne Island on Wednesday morning May 11th and by Wednesday May 25th had slow travelled 3,520 km, delivered two paintings to art collectors in Lethbridge Alberta, completed two plein air painting sketch
A Brush with Life - Issue #103 Mixing Things Up and Still Mixing
There are times when the only way to make something work is to mix up stray bits until something comes together in a cohesive formation. This is what the past two weeks have been like for the new ISLAND TIME ART room and the home studio… except things haven’t quite come together yet. In fact, I thre
A Brush with Life - Issue #102 Art Studio Organizing
The edges are painted on the last of the commissioned paintings and now it is time to work on getting more of the edges done on the red line series and deciding where to focus my painting next. This is a perfect time to do some studio organizing. Besides, a freelance writer and photographer has come
A Brush with Life - Issue #101 OPEN - ISLAND TIME ART
We would be fibbing if we said there was anything happening over the past two weeks except doing a long list of tasks both in getting the physical space and the online and social media connections in place for opening ISLAND TIME ART. And we did it! With the Made on Mayne Spring Studio Tour starting
A Brush with Life - Issue #100 Within An Ordinary Day 100 Times
As recent weeks slip past in a tragic and unsettling rattle of explosives that results in rubble and far too many losses, I ask myself - is there still such a thing as an ordinary day? And if there is, can I really write about it every two weeks for one hundred times? Apparently there is an ordinary
A Brush with Life - Issue #99 Moments of Abstraction
Every ten to twelve years I will paint an abstract painting. It is a process of working that never really sticks for me but sometimes it is the right approach for a specific idea. Both of these small abstract studies in this issue were done as part of my course work for the Contemporary Landscape Pa