Mermaids Skating

During 2013, I am creating an original print each month of a cold water marine fish found in the waters around Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

The print for July is Mermaids Skating. The Winter Skate, (Leucoraja ocellata) is also known as the big or eyed skate, is one of the larger species of skate found in Atlantic Canada, reaching a maximum size of about 109cm or 43 inches. The egg cases from skate and other members of the shark family are unique, known locally as "Mermaid's Purses" and sometimes "Devil's Purses" and can be found on the beach from time to time, washed up after the young skate has hatched. You can read more about Winter Skate here.

This is an original print in sepia oil based ink on kozo paper with deckled edges, titled and signed. It is an open edition print and available from my website, along with previous prints, for $25, including shipping.

Fish get everywhere!

Its been a bit of a whirlwind lately with painting, an exhibition, planting, work, all coming together for the perfect storm and leaving me exhausted by the weekend.  It seems when my body has any downtime after being really busy, I get sick.  Not seriously sick but generally feeling blah and Saturday my body decided it was the day to regenerate and catch up with itself.  So naps and snacks and snack and naps were the order of the day and today I feel better, so its back in the saddle again.

Thursday evening was the opening reception for the group exhibition at Peter Lewis Gallery.  Four other artists, Michael Kilburn, Sarah Jane Conklin, Julie Duff, JJ Allwood and I took part and it was great to see new art and meet new friends.  The exhibition is open until August 1st and if you have time, I'd strongly suggest you visit and see the Come Rain, Drizzle or Fog exhibition.  You won't regret it.

I put in a couple of water/boat pieces as well as a couple of fish, one gyotaku and one oil painting of a koi, as seen above.  That yellow boat is a magnet for everyone who sees it.  I think bright colours do bring in viewers' eyes, but ultimately, beyond colour, a memory kicks in that gives an emotional response that becomes the trigger to want to see that painting every day on your own wall.  Cross your fingers that these paintings provide the triggers!

I'm plugging away with the capelin painting and making progress.  I'm building layers and adjusting colours as I go.  I find the colours of the rocks and fish are very similar, a perfect camoflage for their environment no doubt.  There is still a fair bit of work to do on it but its more detail work now that the main colours and values are in place.

I have another painting in the wings, a larger, palette knife piece, full of bright colours and great shapes.  I can't show anything at the moment as its in its ugly stage.  You know that point, where you wonder if you can ever turn it around into something worthwhile and the self doubts kick in?  I'm fighting hard to overcome the doubts and keep moving ahead on the path I want.   Wish me luck!