December 6, 2009 - Christmas!

So what have I been up to and what's my excuse for not painting since the 2nd? Well, I have spent time promoting my work and also organizing my photos (a lot easier with my laptop). And Friday was "getting into the Christmas spirit" day although early in the day I was put into a mood that made me not want to do that. But it was sunny, I had a drive from my parents to Ikea to get a cheap but lovely tree (thanks!) and it made for a nice surprise for my husband when he got home. I have the time this year to do this all in one go so I put on some Christmas music and had a hot chocolate at the end of it.

Hence the Christmas theme. I'll even post some pics of the decorations as proof later on. I'll see if I can get some good pictures at night.

Very prolific today. Thought I would dole the paintings out over a few days but why wait.

Here goes.

December 2, 2009 - 3 photos and a watercolour

More playing around with Paris photos yesterday afternoon until a headache got the better of me. It cleared and I did a small painting of a door in Paris. Probably shouldn't have. Anyway, it's just okay. For instance, you can tell it's a door. I used the very "bleedy" smooth paper I got in Germany. It's a bit of a challenge. I love it and hate it at the same time.

Well, I'm pleased with the photos. I'll probably post them on redbubble today.

December 1st, 2009 - new photos

Okay, so no new watercolours after my productive Sunday. But that's because I have a new toy so I've been concentrating on photos instead and playing around with textures so I'm posting these instead. I also just opened a shop at redbubble. Check out my shop. I'm under "easelarts" there as well. Maybe you'll see these images there.

Once again, I'm going through my Parisian images. Most of these date back to 2007 but now with a new twist.

November 29, 2009 (again!) - Kensington Market

So it was worth tracking those Kensington market photos down. Here's a painting based on one of those images.

I loved that week-long course. I need to plan half a day to shooting a neighbourhood or place in Toronto like we did everyday that week. I enjoyed it so much.

November 29, 2009 (again!) - Toronto

See I said I would do it if I found my photos. Well it was touch and go there for a while. I had to use finder and run a search which takes a long time. I was already consoling myself with the fact that my first day of class's photos taken in Kensington market were gone but I had the others. However, finder found them and I transfered them to a proper file.

Now this image isn't based on Day 1's class. This was day 4 at the western end of the beaches. I liked the colours that this committed walker was sporting. Just a quick sketch but it's done.

November 29, 2009 - Now for a different city

Leicester! Yes, I went to Leicester. Why? Well, I had ideas of pursuing another degree. I wouldn't actually have to go there but could do it by distance. Well, I would have to show my face once a year and to defend my thesis but that's it. But my plan to meet with some people to talk to them about the course but more especially about funding my studies fell through. It's still at the back of my mind but there it will stay for a while if not forever. I also wanted to see what Leicester looked like. For awhile I was employed by a company based there and I like taking the train especially from the newly renovated St. Pancras station.

Anyway, it was a beautiful sunny day there. Leicester is quite quirky and has a lot of old bits that are interesting but also some newish bits that you rather avoid (the centre shopping area is an example of 60s ? town planning that doesn't work so well). It also seemed to be well stocked with Subway sandwich places for some reason. I ended up leaving it too late for lunch and grabbed an awful sandwich at the train station (very nice train station by the way). I spotted the Turkey Cafe earlier in the day and loved the tile and the name of the place. It looked very art nouveau. Unfortunately, it had a Burger King right beside it.

I should really continue painting today to make up for yesterday. I have to find some photos that are lurking on a defunct Aperture library. I've been putting that off for way too long. Maybe they will inspire more paintings. They're photos taken from my week-long course at the Toronto School of Art in June so maybe Toronto will actually feature in a painting. I feel bad that it doesn't usually. Poor old Toronto but you're rapidly falling out of favour with me for a number of reasons that proper management could fix.

November 27, 2009 - Dutch house in New York

Again, this was from my April trip and on the same walk. I spotted this little house that was nothing like any of the others and reminded me of Dutch architecture.

And once again I'm not happy with this work but felt I had to do something today. We're off tonight for a birthday concert to see James Ehnes at the new Koerner Hall. So glad we can make it. Anyway, that's the excuse. I didn't want to do anything too time consuming since time is ticking but then again, some of my favourite works didn't take that long. Oh well. Better tomorrow? Let's hope.

November 25, 2009 - London tea

Another London memory. I took a picture of this cafe near Borough Market/London Bridge. It's actually in one of the archways of the rail line. Too bad it was shut, I would have liked a peek inside.

Anyway, no images today. Bad back and very sleepy. I'm not as happy with this one compared to some of my other ones lately so I don't want to push it and be unhappy with another one. Off to watch tv then early bed. I'm that crazy...

November 24, 2009 - New York (again part 2)

Yet another image of New York and once again this image came from a photo taken during my spring trip there. I love the brightly coloured restaurants. I'm fuzzy about location again but see below about my walk one Saturday with group friends, savouring wine, eating good food, and crossing a bridge for ice cream and a magnificent view.

November 23, 2009 - London

More blasts from the past. I took an image of this place on the South Bank near the Design Museum in London May 2008. It looked like a combination restaurant and gourmet shop. Very nice area which used to be old warehouses and are now lofts and restaurants and shops.

November 23, 2009 - New York (last trip!)

Been getting a lot of ideas for paintings by going through some old photos. Perfect day to get that done.

I believe this restaurant is in Greenwich Village but honestly, we walked around so much that day in April that it could be Nolita or Soho because we walked through all of those and Chinatown and lower East side and Brooklyn. You get the picture - lots of walking. This was interspersed during part of the afternoon with tastings of rioja wine in several liquor stores. Not something you will get in Toronto.

Anyway, I wanted a sketchy quality to suggest movement and to just suggest people rather than a study of individuals.

November 22, 2009 - red vehicles for Emil

Finally got around to my Christmas commission for a special 1 year-old who loves things with wheels. The rocket was the original inspiration (because he has one). So that sort of started the theme with red. I like bicycles and he's part Dutch so that had to be included. And who doesn't like an old-fashioned double-decker bus. But this is only the first stage. I want to mount them to wood blocks and put a layer of acrylic over top. Not sure how to do this last part since I don't really have the tools to polish the edges at my disposal anymore but we'll find a way.