Art Trip to Venice

gallery cafe booth with a view

Last week I took an art trip with my friend Trudy, to Venice. I had never been before. As a young girl, when I'd heard about Venice, my thoughts of a city with canals for streets seemed quite impossible, and so in my mind it was kind of like a fantasy to me. Perhaps this is why I was swept away by it's magic. It's a stunning city.  Venice in October is perfect for getting out and about, not too hot, but not cold either.  There are less tourists in the fall than in the spring and summer months, so that's a bonus.

shop window on a canal

What impressed me about the city more than anything else is the emphasis on art & culture.  It's everywhere!  In the architecture, the food, the music, the people(fashion) and of course the art galleries, of which we took in as much as we could.
The Venice Biennial is on and so we saw some of Britain's contribution, Damien Hirst's exhibit titled:  'Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable'...a massive effort of inventiveness, both freakish and beautiful. 
The Gallerie dell' Accademia transported us to Byzantine & medieval Venice through the renaissance and baroque periods.  Most paintings from these era's are huge canvas's or panel's or even mosaic's.  Commissioned by the wealthy or by churches to adorn palaces & places of worship, they are huge in scale.  Some are allegorical, others depict scenes from important occasions;  most tell us how life was lived in Venice during these times. (made me glad I live in this century though) If I had to choose a favorite Italian painter from the academy gallery, it would be Bellini, so much emotion in his work.

Joaquin Sorolla - Mending the Sail

Felice Casorati -The Young Maidens

We went to the modernist art gallery Ca Pesaro, to see works by Klimpt, Sorolla, Rodin, among others, and found joy in discovering some modernist Italian artist's whom we had not even known about before: Casorati & Bosioni to name a few. 

 In the same gallery, a whole floor features 82 portraits by David Hockney of the artist's friends, family and aquaintances; done in 3 day sittings, painted in garish acrylic, all sitting in the same chair with the same background.  
Here's a piccy of me sitting in the chair ...a mock-up of the setting for the benefit of museum visitors taking photos. ha ha.

I hope to do a body of work inspired by my time in Venice. As of yet, ideas are only percolating, we'll see where it goes.

ART AFTER DARK September 29th

Intention - oil on panel, 24 x 18 - $600

Very happy to be a featured artist showing my new works this Friday Sept 29th for ART AFTER DARK at Kingston Frameworks this year.   I'm looking forward to greeting friends and clients on this fun evening... and...if the weatherman is correct it looks like it will be a beautiful evening for an art crawl.  Come and enjoy art in downtown Kingston this Friday evening.  The galleries and studio's are all open to the public for this event between 7-10pm.  My new paintings will remain in the show at Frameworks until the end of October. 

Looking Up

Looking Up - oil on wood - 48x24 - $1500

Oh September, here you are! Cool temps in the air, a host of activities going on. 
My studio practice, fit between trips and visits and weekend jaunts is still a calm in the storm when I get to hang out there.  I am liking working on some large pieces with a contemplative layered approach.  I will show some of these new pieces at ART AFTER DARK at Kingston Frameworks, Sept 29th 7-10pm.

xoxo love these lil sweeties xoxoxo

I'm getting excited to see my grandkiddies real soon :)  Porter airlines begins direct flights from Ottawa to Fredericton on September 9th, so yours truly is booked shortly after...great news as previously Air Canada only offered inconvenient flight times at a more expensive price too.  I hope to take advantage of this new service from Porter...A LOT!

A good friend and I have booked an art trip to Venice, Italy for October!   Woohooo!!  I'm over the moon as I have never been before, and it is somewhere I've always wanted to visit for the history, beauty and art. I'm hoping to take away some new inspiration / direction for my own practice, maybe a series, don't really know yet. Lots to look forward to!

Dive Right In

Big Love - oil on wood - 20x20 - $600

 When starting a new idea for painting, diving right in is the only way for me.  I may have a bunch of preconceived ideas about what I want,  but if I dwell on it for long, it can be like throwing blocks across my path.  I prefer the spontaneous energy in just getting going...choosing a palette,  laying in paint in a bold and decisive manner with the intent of getting what I want.  Of course I don't always get it, but occasionally something happens on the canvas that I hadn't planned, and a truth is born. 

 works in progress in my studio

Somehow starting in this exciting way in the beginning stages leads me to the right balance of energy upon which to build the rest of the painting. After this excitement bit, I slow down to consider the aesthetic I am after.  What areas can I simplify to keep my intent?  What areas are just noise?  There are choices about wiping out (sometimes huge!) areas that I have spent a long time laying in.  wierd. and funny. that language of art. 
My recent work is going to be featured at ART AFTER DARK at Kingston Frameworks this year.  The evening art crawl is on September 29th, 7-10pm .  My new works will be on display there until Oct 31st.  
After the work leaves Kingston Frameworks it will be hung at a solo exhibition at JAMES BRETT COIFFURE  Gardiners Road from Nov 6- Dec 31.

Something that ALWAYS works...

Hugh MacLeod's art blog says the one thing that always works in art is love.  He's onto something there I think.  Love is the something that ALWAYS works. 

Memory Garden 1 - oil on canvas - 24 x 8" - $500

Sorry if you thought that translates into 'the art will always work out' 😌  
Nope... That's not what it means.  We all have to put in our time with the learning that comes from art that doesn't work.
 
What it means is that it's worth doing because you have a love for it.  A love for your subject, a love for a process, or a love for a concept or idea.  It's all about the experience. If the art itself doesn't work out, so what?  You had the experience and that little bit of communing with love was worthwhile.

Memory Phlox - oil on wood - 30x30 - $1200

It's easy to be inspired by other artists work, but the art will never really resonate if the artist doesn't fall a little bit in love with the making of it. 

In my art making life I've tried lots of things. A huge love for the city of Kingston in 2002, when I moved here after several years away, saw me painting a gazillion townscapes with the heartbeat of Kingston thumping away in my heart as I worked them out.  Pastoral landscapes showed up in my work, because I loved the views around my house, north of the city.  I don't think I ever lost my love of light falling on form, and rhythm. Intuitive painting, is a love of process, especially when my routine is disrupted like when we were selling and moving house.  It fully satisfied the maker in me.  Love is also the inspiration for my garden memories as I explore space and light and pattern now.

Solvent Free oil painting

I've been painting with oils for a good long time now, and love their buttery quality and the true colour that stays the same when dry as when you make the mark.  These qualities are the main two reasons I love working with oils. 
What I dont love is the toxicity! My studio doesn't get the best ventilation. (there are 2 small windows but if it's freezing out or pouring rain having them open all the time isn't ideal) After a couple of hours of oil painting I notice the air quality isn't great, and I always take a break at these times.  A slight headache/watery eyes can be symptoms too. 

'Summer at Chaffey's Locks'
oil on panel 9 x 12 - $250

I was aware of Gamblin's solvent - free gel oil painting medium and found it good for panels but not great for my practice on larger canvas's because it has a rather thick consistency.  Then I read this Muddy Colors blogpost.  Yesterday I took a trip to Ottawa to the new DeSerres art store in Bell's Corners (its where the Wallack's was on Robertson Road) and I noticed they had the Gamblin solvent-free fluid medium, so I bought some.  Also purchased some Gamblin solvent-free safflower oil for cleanup. I'm excited to give these products a whirl and see if I can incorporate them into my process, because I'd be really happy to stay with oils but get rid of the toxic solvent issue.

Art at Victoria Airport

Every time I fly in and out of Victoria BC airport I am always impressed and even blown away by the level of support to which local art is celebrated in this corner of the world.  
The AGGV (Art Gallery of Greater Victoria) is a vital public gallery in Victoria.  It houses the largest (20,000 pieces) public collection of art in BC and is a vibrant & active part of Victoria's artist community. 
The AGGV runs a thriving Art Rental & Sales Gallery and it is this program that is responsible for providing works by local Vancouver Island artists exhibiting in the beautiful airport spaces.  
Not only is the original artwork doing its thing providing joy, interest & delight to travelers;  but the exhibit mounts large vivid signs with info about the AGGV as well as how to follow up on how to go about purchasing any of the art.  That really impresses me.  No wonder the AGGV thrives as it does.  It is an integral part of the community and part of the culture of Victoria, not separated from it.  Everyday people at the airport get to mingle with art from artists who are part of the fabric of the region.  I like that.