April has flown by!

Lily Pad Pond will appear on a banner near the Owen Sound harbour in 2017.

April has been a roller-coaster. My grandson was here for a visit with his mom in early April. Then I finished up marking papers for a course I teach for Queen’s and prescreened150 stories for the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story Writing Competition. And all the while I awaited feedback on some art submissions I’d made.

Recently I contemplated why it is so important for me to be creative. Frankly, I have no choice. It’s part of my DNA. How do I know this?

My mind doesn’t shut off. If I am on a walk in the woods, I am ‘copy editing’ a story or considering how I might improve a painting or trying out dialogue in my head.

My work challenges the status quo. It is never ‘normal’ or like other people’s work. It is always pushing boundaries.

‘June Day’ also goes by the title ‘Iris Explosion.’ It was recently awarded 3rd prize in the category  ‘Works on Paper’ at the Walkerton Juried Art Show.

I’m always observing. I listen in on other people’s conversations when I’m at coffee shops and I stare at people, gathering impressions of their looks and quirks in the hope I might use this information in stories.

I focus deeply. Sometimes I don’t want to stop because I am ‘in flow’ but I know I must in order to make dinner or do chores. But I don’t want to.

And finally, I battle resistance. Sometimes I just don’t feel that what I am doing is good enough. I suppose that is one of the draws to submitting work to the public, whether writing or fine art. I must take the risk of showing others what I have created in order to ‘prove’ over and over that what I’m creating is in fact more than just ‘okay.’

I leave you with this quote:

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

-Martin Luther King Jr.

My Creativity Newsletter Theme continues this spring. In April I’ll be discussing my thoughts about stepping outside of your comfort zone. In fact, I applaud it. Please subscribe to the newsletter via this website.

In May my first poem will be coming out. The prose poem is part of a ‘Canada 150’ project, an anthology of poetry and short fiction about every territory and province in Canada. So exciting. More about that in a future blog update.

Recently entered a few writing and art contests. Best approach to those types of contests is to ENTER and START A NEW PROJECT. Yup. Best to forget all about entering and throw yourself into something new and exciting. I just put the finishing touches on my 2018 calendar project, an annual project in which I feature a thematic approach to 12 images and produce a desk calendar. NEW IN 2018 is a choice of a desk OR wall version of the same calendar. The theme is: Animal Farm, based on the novel of the same name by George Orwell.

Here’s an earlier version of one of the images I’m including in the calendar.

Speaking of entering contests: My abstract image, ‘Red Dress,’ received a ‘SPECIAL MERIT’ award by Light Space Time Online Art Gallery. This leaves me tickled pink (or, in this case, tickled red).

Just as I was updating this blog, I received a phone call that two of my 150 mm x 150 mm ’tile’ art were snapped up by buyers in the Owen Sound Artists’ Co-op so I guess I’ll be busy tonight replenishing inventory. How sweet is that? The image below shows you one of the tiles that sold. Thankfully I uploaded this image to my Art of Where web store, Painterly Cindy and More so more people can acquire the art in the form of a print.

Well, December is here. It is raining in my part of Canada as I write this update. How bizarre is that? Earlier in the week it was 15 degrees C. And, where is the snow?

Did you know? I have so many cool art ideas to try once the wind howls and the snow blows. I’ll be working ‘loose,’ as artists like to say. I’ll be using acrylics, watercolour, alcohol ink, mixed media and, wait for it, hot wax with oil paint. You can bet the colours will be bright and the textures bold. In the meantime, here is a reminder of some of the things I have done for you, the art lover.

I have desk calendars. Each year I create new designs for the calendar. The 2017 theme was ‘In Flight.’ The majority of paintings are of dragonflies. There is a ladybug and a butterfly. What fun and joy they bring. $15 buys you one calendar. I include the shipping and taxes in that price. Contact me through the link on my website to order.

A client special-ordered Frog Themed 2017 desk calendars and if that is your preference, I can ship directly from from where they are produced. NOTE: Sooner is better! Same price point: $15 ea, includes shipping / taxes.

I do a lot of writing in summer & more visual art in winter. Don’t ask me why! Maybe it has to do with the seasons. In summer, I can sit and compose on my porch. Later I transcribe on my iPad, while by the pond.

I have cotton tote bags. The cotton is high quality and washable. A large ‘Deluxe Classic’ Tote (18×13) is $25 (shipping and taxes incl.) and the smaller ‘Classic Cotton Tote’ (13×13) is $20. Something for the book lover, the gardener, and the stressed-out! Again, the contact me button is the way to message me about purchasing these gifts.

In winter, I spend a lot of time inside, in my studio, with meditative ‘pondering’ and then creativity. I keep an art journal where I jot ‘ideas.’

I do not use all of the ideas but I sure have fun capturing them. I also spend time out-of-doors snowshoeing or cross country skiing. During this time, I reflect on the patterns in the landscape, the negative space made by branches, the sun on the snowy surface, and the shapes all around me. You get the idea. The harmonized movement of legs and arms pushes blood to my brain and energizes me.

I still have more gift ideas for you and/or loved one but you’ll have to pop over to Painterly Cindy and More and shop from the Art of Where online store based out of Montreal. There are tons of new and familiar patterns and art. I recently uploaded some new scarf designs and wall art.

Happy Holidays and Best to You and Your Loved Ones in 2017.

Today I installed my floral and tree art work. I worked in watercolour, ink, acrylic, and mixed media. There are also scarves and bandanas available in this show. All items are available for purchase. The show runs May through to the end of June and is available during regular library hours.

What’s new? Writing, Workshop, Story, Art Show, Shop Online, Scarves

I have a new fiction story ‘Factitious’ in The Winnipeg Review.

Original fine art

My Art Show ‘Intoxicating: Teeming with Radiance’ is coming up at the Chesley Library May 2. I uploaded new scarves to my online store this week so why not drop by Painterly Cindy and More and shop online. I use a production studio in Montreal to custom-create high quality wearable garments and accessories printed with my artwork.

I will be co-leading a writing workshop for the local CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women) at 7:00 p.m. Monday, April 25 at the Saugeen Airport.