Boxing Day Christmas Giveaway

December 26th is Boxing Day.  Its origins were rooted in giving, when richer landowners would provide 'boxes' of food or goods to servants and service people.  In Canada and the UK, it is a holiday, an extension of Christmas when relaxation, leftovers and visiting are on the cards.  In some parts of Canada, stores are open again, enticing people in with sales.  To be honest, there is little that could entice into a store me after weeks of shopping in preparation for Christmas.

But in true Boxing Day fashion, I am giving away something today.  Today is the final day of my Christmas Giveaway and I am giving two of my Fishy Bits original prints to a subscriber to my mailing list.  The Fishy Bits prints were created in 2013 in a year long series of monthly relief prints.  Two of the twelve prints will be mailed to Marlene Hamel.  Congratulations.

The series of Fishy Bits prints are still available on my website until January 31st, after which time they will go into archives. Moving into a new year, there are always changes and archives are added to, pieces destroyed or re-purposed and new work starts.  I will be offering the remaining original prints at discounted prices until the end of January.  Make sure you're signed up as subscriber to my mailing list so you don't miss details in the January Studio News.

Christmas Day Giveaway

 

 I wish we could put some of the Christmas spirit in jars 

and open a jar of it every month.  Harlan Miller 

 

Merry Christmas.  I hope you find peace, hope and joy in the season wherever you are.

This is the third day of the Christmas Giveaway and according to the Random Number Generator, today's winner  is # 24, Geraldine Gillingham.  Geraldine will receive this original 5" x 7" oil painting "Hey, Sweetie".

This impressionist painting was completed using only a palette knife.  After working on large scale pieces, I often do a couple of small paintings to use up paint left over on my palette.  These wonderful big amaretto sweets were sitting in front of me, begging to be drawn.  They're almond based, more like cookies than candy I think and taste divine.  I'm never sure if I enjoy the contents or the beautiful wrappers more.

The final draw in the Christmas Giveaway takes place on Boxing Day, December 26th at 8pm island time.  To be eligible to be in the draw, you must be a subscriber to my mailing list.  You can easily do so by clicking on the link on the right or visit my Facebook page or my website www.jeanettejobson.com

If you previously subscribed, but are not receiving my mailings, you may not have resubscribed after the Canadian Privacy laws came into effect this past summer.  I had to ask all subscribers to resubscribe to my mailing list and if you had not done so, your contact would not be still on the list.  However, you can click on the subscription link to add your name again and continue to receive my monthly Studio News and occasional updates.

Christmas Eve Giveaway Winners

Elizabeth Joan Barber

July 31, 1924 - December 23, 2014

On December 23rd my mother passed away after a short illness, so life is disrupted at the moment. This Christmas hymn Hark the Herald Angels is one she knew and loved and seems appropriate for her and the season. I hope you enjoy it as well.

I had considered postponing the Christmas Giveaway, however I will continue with it over the 24th, 25th and 26th  as planned To be honest, that little bit of daily distraction takes my mind temporarily away from the surreal  feeling of dealing with a death of a family member.  And giving is the best part of Christmas, isn't it?

Six Purity Kisses Note Cards

As Christmas Eve is always my favourite day of the season, I will be giving art to two people, instead of one today.  The first is a set of six Purity Kisses note cards.  And the winner is Sheila Howell.

Merry Christmas Hares

8" x 10" giclee

The second giveaway is an 8" x 10" giclee reproduction of "Merry Christmas Hares".  This will be going to John Perry.

To be eligible to win in the next two Giveaway draws, you must be a mailing list subscriber.  You can join through the link on the right or on my website or Facebook page.

Tibb's Eve Winner

The first in the Christmas Giveaway takes place on December 23rd, also known as Tibb's Eve in Newfoundland. An 8" x 10" matted giclee of The Winningest Punt will be on its way to Julie Dunion.  Happy Tibb's Eve!

Tibb's Eve as a particular day on the calendar - the day before Christmas Eve - is specific to Newfoundland and Labrador.  As explained, sometime around World War Two, people along the south coast began to associate Dec. 23 with the phrase 'Tibb's Eve' and deemed it the first occasion it was acceptable to have a few Christmas tipples.

In many of the outport communities, it became a day where the men would visit each other's homes for a taste.  Because Christmas Eve was still a part of Advent, and that observance was almost as sober as Lent,  most traditional Christians would never consider taking a nip before Christmas Day prior to World War Two, which was even then perhaps a little early.

Tibb's Eve became a lighthearted means to extend the season - an idea not unlike when workers in the 19th century would lengthen their weekends by taking 'St. Monday' off from work.Tibb's Eve is sometimes known by several different names depending on the community. In some places, it's called 'Tipp's Eve' or 'Tipsy's Eve' - an evolution of the name in characteristic folkloric fashion.

On December 24th, the next draw will take place for two giveaways.  Just because I love Christmas Eve. :)  A set of 6 Purity Kisses notecards and an 8 x 10 giclee of Merry Christmas Hares.  Drawing takes place at 8pm island time on the 24th so you still have time to get in the running.  Simply join my mailing list and you're eligible!   You can do so through the link on the right side of this blog, on my Facebook page or on my website.

Christmas Apples

   

Christmas Apples

 7" x 10" mixed media

Christmas is speeding towards me, but I'm not ready on several fronts. This year the season will be low key as my mother is in the Acute Stroke Unit at a local hospital and the outcome is up in the air at the moment.

So between work and painting and daily visits to the hospital, Christmas has taken a bit of a back burner. I have some lights up on the property and inside and a tabletop tree, but no time to put up a large tree this year. And, to be honest, I don't really miss it.


I'm finishing up # 14 of the series of wooden boat paintings, which means just one is left! I hope to have some time over Christmas to work on the book that accompanies the series, which will be shown in a solo exhibit most likely in June 2015. I have to have the series and book done and dusted and the final grant report in by March 31st, so want all the ends tidied up before the end of February. It sounds like a long way off, but life has a way of changing focus, so I concentrate efforts where and when I can to get things done.

 

My breaks between large paintings are sketches and studies for paintings that I can work on after my boat series is complete. These are usually done in my sketchbook, and the medium used can be anything that takes my fancy, from oils to pastel, to pen and wash. I use Stilman & Birn sketchbooks with 100lb paper usually and that takes a lot of the abuse I give it without complaining.

These apples started life as a watercolour sketch, then soft pastel got into the party and this was the end result. As a number of people asked about availability, I made reproductions available through RedBubble on a variety of products.

Don't forget my Christmas Giveaway on December 24, 25 & 26th.  I've added one more giveway on December 23rd, known as Tibb's Eve in Newfoundland for an 8 x 10 matted reproduction of The Winningest Punt.  You need to be a subscriber to my mailing list to get into the draw for one of 5 giveaways - 2 on Christmas Eve and one on all the others days.  Each drawing will take place at 8pm Newfoundland time and I will email the subscriber and mail the art to them after Christmas.  Sign up is quick and easy through the link on the right side of my blog, or on my Facebook page or website.  Good luck!