Many years ago I walked into my print shop to pick up an order of business cards. The owner greeted me with a proposition. Desiring a new format for their business calendar, he saw an opportunity to both showcase a local artist and exhibit professional skill in designing and printing an upscale art calendar. 

I agreed to his offer wholeheartedly. 

The calendar was generously distributed by the publisher through our community.

It’s through this calendar that many of you found my work, and our friendships. 

One recipient, an instant fan, has connected me with as many collectors as any gallery representing me has. And that’s quite a feat. 

A tremendous champion of the work, she has:

• Become of a subscriber to all my news & social media.

• Suggested my name to Nature Clubs for presentations.

• Brought collectors to my Studio who have purchased work.

• Enthusiastically shared my website on all her social media platforms, and with those who collect art, without being intrusive.

• Attended every show, presentation, and brought friends.

• Asked her office to display original art with rental fee.

• Continued to send words of encouragement, remarking on how the work brings her joy and uplifts her. 

You might assume she has collected the work, yet she has not purchased a painting. 

Not everyone has the budget, space, or desire to collect work, even if they love it. 

She is an amazing example of what a fan of the work can be.

Being a patron of a business, and community minded is also finding ways to share what you love. If you are restricted from purchasing because of budget, or if they carry a product you may not like, you may know someone who does. 

Media requests ‘support’ for small business are written with wonderful intention. This language can suggest a charitable act. Being a patron of a business isn’t charity work, its beneficial to consumer, who receives goods, and the business, who receives payment for those goods.

Your favourite restaurant has your patronage, and you enjoy their amazing homemade soup.

( Thanks Anchor CoffeeHouse! www.anchorcoffeehouse.com ) 

There are many ways to be a champion of business’s you love. You make a difference with your actions, Yes. You also make a difference with your words.

 We share what we love, because we love it, and know others will too.

This particular fan, like the generous calendar publisher, are now collectors of my work. My gift of originals were received with surprise. Unexpected, made the giving even sweeter. 

With gracious thank you to all of you who spread the word, collect the work, and share what you love. You unite us all by sharing and shine much light in the world. 

New, evolved “Light in the Valley” 24×30 original oil $ 2170.oo

P.S

A few years ago I had the pleasure of a private chat with an internationally known singer songwriter. She spoke of her definition of fan. She said “many call themselves fans when they hear your music on the radio. But a real fan is more than that, a real fan shows up. They buy tickets to shows and bring friends, they buy your Cd’s and share your music with their networks and friends.” ( currently, stream live shows, paying for virtual tickets).

She said,” I , in turn, show up too. I work hard, and I show up to do my best work. I show up for performances, and stay, signing ever single autograph no matter how long it takes. ….We both show up.”

In the art of conversation, great listening skills prioritize listening, rather than reacting to the speaker. 

Focusing on the conversation, and not dwelling on contributing can be challenging. 

Characteristics of good listeners include patience, compassion, and observation. Communication reaches beyond vocal, using body language, tone of voice, and variations in speech. Words alone can mean very different things to others. Expressions communicate different emotions for each individual. 

Clarity of understanding is possible when listening without judgement, observing, and absorbing all information as it’s presented.

This is how I consider my work, subject matter, and audience. 

While in nature, there can be a sense of urgency for the brush, to react, to paint it before I forget. Like in conversation, it can be at the expense of losing that engagement. Without complete focus important elements can be missed. 

Patience is key.

Recognizing my personal influence may reflect in the work helps me to step back, remember my purpose, which is not to self express, but to communicate. To serve you, and in a way, to serve nature. To connect you with wilderness in a positive uplifting way. 

Recalling intention offers a sense of newness to experience, and surprisingly, relaxation. 

Leaving ego out of it, with intention to be of service brings open minded observation. I’m at once immersed, with a wealth of sensations, emotion and wonderment on what is going on in the natural world at that very moment. A witness.

In my process, contemplation may be more time consuming than physically painting. By the time brush touches the canvas, I have already been in this kind of deep listening mode. 

An important skill in art is to reduce what we call ‘the noise’ in a scene. To bring forth the important elements, without bogging down the viewer with buckets of needless information. Stimulation overload, without quiet spaces, or neutral zones can be confusing and overwhelming to the viewer.

Have you ever sat in a busy loud place trying focus on conversation with one person while chaos erupts all around? 

Artists learn the ability to tune in, and tune out what isn’t relevant or important. It’s a trained skill anyone can acquire.

Worthy elements in and outside conversation, patience, compassion, observation, focus are displayed richly in all forms of art.

Our first language was in art form. Drawings communicated, brought clarity to events and geography. Art educated, connected people, defined cultures, recorded families and historical events.

It still does.~

P.S For a truly enjoyable read, I highly recommend Robert Genn’s 2013 newsletter “Patience” which includes one of my favourite stories by Jill Ashton-Leigh.

“It is a process of diverting one’s scattered forces into one powerful channel.” James Allen.

“I don’t prefer music while I paint, it’s nice to listen to the sound of crickets from the open window.” Myah

Achieving quality sleep can be elusive to many of us. You may not think art, what you display, how you display it can inspire sleep, but it can.

I share elements to consider when creating a restful environment for quality sleep in my newest Instagram video.

see link here https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKW5cBkghiQ/?igshid=xu4j0bcfbrhm

New work this week:

Pink Clouds ( feel the light and delight in pink clouds) 14×18 original oil $910.oo

and Winter Haven ( peaceful haven where chickadees gather) 8×10 original oil $500.oo

From my Parents private collection, rare early originals are available for purchase. These originals express exploration in drawing with charcoal & coloured charcoal. The Canadian Park painting exhibits realistic style transferring to canvas, and glimpse of discovery of colour. They range in size: All untitled, as they were always in my parents collection. My Mom had these framed immediately, and displayed them with pride in the family home.

( Elder) 1988 8×10 charcoal sketch framed $500.oo

( Portrait simple sketch study ) 1980’s In right in photo 16×20 framed $700.oo

( Lady portrait, detailed sketch) 1986 Centre in photo~ coloured charcoal framed 18×13 $1,030.oo

( Landscape)1995 original acrylic 16×20 $1,030.00

~

Thank you for your business & for your wonderful response & letters!

~ Please note: Feb 1 price increase will be in effect.

Hello Art Family!

Thanks so much for your great response on Friday’s new video release “How to Boost Your Mood & Creativity”! (see Link here)

Thanks for your tremendous response on all the newest videos. It’s a pleasure to serve you in ways that involve art and beyond.

I am excited to unveil two new paintings!

“After the Storm” was a lesson in patience. Many of you love the large sky paintings, requesting this genre on smaller canvas to work with your budget. This 8×10 is my first attempt of this style on a small canvas. It required just as much work as the large ones, and more patience. Thank you for your suggestion, and for keeping me on my toes. I am so happy with the result. It has the detail depth of light, with a nice balance of fresh brushstrokes.

After the Storm 8×10 oil on canvas $500.oo

The second has been swirling in my mind for awhile. This painting is all about gratitude, nostalgia, and communication.

Having the opportunity to grow up in Provincial parks, live and explore in some of the most beautiful regions of this country, I wanted to pay homage both to Canadian wilderness and vintage art prints that advertised parks and natural spaces. In order to do this, I needed a less textured feel, clean lines, less detail. Acrylic is perfect for this style of painting. 

The subject matter is one of great love, the Canadian boreal forest, a region I wish to revisit and paint consistently. 

I also wanted this painting to have the feel of a Canadian stamp, so I applied the same font style, and canvas size perspective. 

Living remotely growing up, long distance phone calls were outrageously expensive. We relied on handwritten letters to keep in touch with family and friends afar. It was always a delight to retrieve the mail and feel that connection with loved ones. 

Recently people have returned to sending handwritten letters and cards. Humanity is craving tangible connectedness, and these help satisfy that need. Compared to electronic communication, the tactile feeling of holding a card with a handwritten message is very special. I love the idea that we are finding ways to enlighten each others lives. In physical separation, there is still a sense of unity and togetherness.

It’s also brought my attention to the possibility of creating a selection of art cards for sale. More on this to come.

“Canada” ( Boreal Sunrise) 9×12 original acrylic on canvas $530.oo

Referring back to the video focus on positive emotion combined with movement, I wanted to share these little nests I created with pure delight, from wire and blue clay.

Thank you for your continued interest in the work, wishing you all health & happiness.

“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Martin Luther King Jr. 

See Art section of website for all original work available for purchase.

Thank you! d

This new painting is all about paying attention.

My initial inclination for the first painting of 2021 was of the dramatic skies I have been experiencing on my early sunrise runs.

Yet it occurred to me, much of my focus in the recent year is paying attention to the small things I am truly grateful for. It’s easy to be grateful for the big stuff, for health, love of family and work success. Of having work at all.

The easily forgotten tiny gifts we experience daily keep life abundant in so many ways. Daily treasures of delight, noticeable when you really look. It might be the friendly wave of a neighbour that keeps you buoyant thru the day, a small act of kindness, or the discovery of a new flower in your garden, transported from an unknown source.

It’s easy to see and feel the inspiration in a dramatic landscapes with a brilliant sunrise and feel joy witnessing miraculous skies overhead.

It may not be so easy in what appears to be a cold snowy hilltop scattered with brown bushes, and sky overhead seemingly void of dramatic colour.

Yet when you stop, and pay attention, it’s teeming with beauty. Reflective light of the morning sun in the fresh clean snow. Lavender and rich cobalt blues dramatize windswept banks and shadows. Hints of deer tracks pepper along the ridge. Warm whisper of the sunrise appears on the crest.

If we pay attention and allow ourselves to be absorbed in the moment, there is colour and life everywhere. The evolution of change in the promise of new beginnings lay before us.

Art can be a gift of this daily reminder.

This new 9×12 original is available for purchase. My intention is to create a much larger version of this glorious landscape.

Cheers friends, thanks for the welcome back.

9×12 Snowy Hilltop original oil $530.oo

The studio is open for pick up, delivery and shipping. I am excited to hear from you!

Thank you for your incredible response on the recent work! Your encouragement fuels me. It’s wonderful to connect with you, hear your stories, and to be contributing to your art collections. 

I am super excited about the body of work I have created this year, and continue to stretch my boundaries.

While creating this latest sky painting, a science phenomenon came to mind, which is,” to immediately boost your mood… look up.” 

The science behind this practice states head position dramatically affects mood. It has encouraged me to reflect on what we do to lift our spirits, and the part art plays in this.

Recent collectors mention the positive role the paintings has in your lives. It’s so motivating to see you choose powerful vibrant colour and immersive skies to infuse your spaces.

They are part of a whole that we create in living consciously, knowing we are a product of our environments. Choices matter. Who we keep company with, how we nourish, body and spirit, and what we surround ourselves with matter. I am so inspired by your proactiveness and steadfast commitments!

This is my full time career, without your collection of the work, the art wouldn’t exist. Thank you for this and for following the newsletters, social media, sharing the art, letters & links with friends, colleagues, and fellow art collectors.

I will be available to assist with your art collections, with many original selections for you to choose from until Nov 26, when the studio closes for the remainder of the year. I am excited to hear from you!

I am always available by email and phone if you wish to stay in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you wellness & joy always, d

~

NEW WORK! ~SKIES~ yet to be titled

3ftx4ft original oil ~ $4,345.oo

20×30 original oil~ $1,650.oo

You have 3 weeks to purchase paintings at 2019 pricing!

If you are considering art for yourself, or gift giving, consider original art handmade with love. Celebrate being a patron of small business. 

Now is the time to secure your favourite or favourites! Paintings are wrapped securely and Shipping is done promptly. E transfer makes the transaction safe and easy. Locally, I am available for safe deliveries or pick up. Shipping will be available until Nov 24.

One of the advantages of having the gallery and studio filled with new work is the opportunity to explore my creative reach. It’s given me time to test new tools, and focus on new concept ideas. I have been knee deep in paint.

Assessing the work with thoughtful approach includes culling paintings, and being a strict self critic on what doesn’t make the cut.

I may wrestle with wasting precious material and time, but growth includes failure and risk. Offering you my best, means pushing creative boundaries. I have a bright vision of where I want the work to go, and it’s so very exciting!

I am feeling a vibrant emergence in the new work, and hope you can feel it too.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sending healthy, happy. warm thoughts to you all.

~ 

New~ !!!

Red Sky 9×12 oil on canvas – squeegee $530.oo

Autumn Tree 6×8 oil on board $400.oo

Autumn Light 18×14 oil on canvas $910.oo

Ski 12×24 oil on canvas $1,030.oo

( Grass & Sky 6×8 NFS)

Birch and Purple Sky  16×20  $1.030.oo

Lake Sunset 9×12  $530.oo

Until the pictures were up, she never considered her house a home, my client said. “They are the most deeply personal items in the home.”

Pictures are windows and gateways. They are treasured memories, connections to family, travels, culture, and nature.

Think about who you are when you walk into a room, and when you leave it. 

That room, and everything in it, will influence you to degrees you don’t even consciously recognize. 

Each room has a purpose to serve you in some way:

~Does the kitchen inspire healthy meals, collective gatherings, celebrations?

~Do the home office & gym induce productivity, energetic efficiencies and focus?

~Is the bedroom relaxing?

~ how do the artwork and pictures contribute? do they reflect the emotional experience you desire? do they infuse you?

Great art, is as much about who we are, what we strive for, how we restore.

Art can transform. In our every day spaces, that’s so important. 

Arriving and emerging from restorative dwellings fuels energy for life’s demands, peaks and valleys.

Decisions of what you surround yourself with matters. Habitat is life foundation.

Who you are begins within these spaces. Home is where we express individuality and celebrate connectivity to each other. It is an energy source,  where we nourish, body and spirit. 

Walk around your spaces consciously and decide what does and doesn’t serve you. 

Choose what nourishes you, brings joy, and reminds you that you are not alone.

Healthy, replenished, and happy people express more loving kindness and rational decision making. They handle crisis better, and contribute big ideas. Creativity and innovation soar. Choose the good stuff, because you, and those around you deserve it.

~ NEW Waterfall ~ 16×20 original oil $1,030.oo

All artwork shown available for purchase with the exception of collectors photos: Lavender bedroom/ Ocean bedroom/ water lily office/ tundra canoe.

New~ “Blue Sky Reflection” 9×12 Original Oil $530.oo

New ~ “Rising Summer Sun” 16×20 Original Oil $1,030.oo

Sunset~ SOLD