Found supports

No, I haven't completely run out of paper, it just feels like I have. This was a test on the back of an envelope done in pastels and ink, while composing my letter to an art supply company.

I'm not one for complaining directly to companies unless I feel they're really provided awful service, but in this instance I think I am justified.

On March 2nd I placed an order with an art supply company in Toronto and after a couple of emails back and forth regarding items on my list that weren't in stock and my substitutions, I presumed the order was on its way. Silly me. They're an art supply company. They sell things to artists. Should I expect service?? Or even supplies?

Here is Monday's email from them. The fourth email on this order. Big sigh.

I am definitely so sorry for the mix-up concerning this order. It looks like the item that is out of stock is actually the sabretooth grey, not the previously mentioned sabretooth white. So as of now, the out of stock items are:

CP4 – Grey Cotton (Canal)

CP51 – Ontario Flax (Canal)

CP30 – Peat Moss (Canal)

SBGRY – Sabretooth Grey Light

Now that things are clearer, I just wanted to confirm with you which out of the INstock items you wanted to add more quantity of (or if you’d like to at all). Once I hear from you, I can make that change and send the order out as soon as possible.

Make sense to you? Remember now, this order was placed on March 2nd and its now March 14th. They haven't even figured out what is in stock or out of stock yet, let alone process or ship the order. Sigh.

I gave them one more kick at the cat with a substitution for the paper that I asked for with notification that if I have one more email from them about substitutions, I cancel the order and take my business elsewhere. I also asked for a shipping date and expected arrival date. And the store manager's name so I could inform them of the problems with ordering.

So tonight when I got home, I expected an email at the least apologizing for the delays, saying my order was on its way. Yeah, right....there was nothing. So I have no idea the status of this order. But tomorrow I will. I'll be calling them.

D is for...

Ducklings. I've made some initial sketches for the Newfoundland related alphabet book and this is one of them. Ducks aren't peculiar to Newfoundland but there will be something Newfoundland-related or farm related in the background for these little guys.

This was based on a photo of ducklings that hatched last year here. They were an assortment of Pekin and Pekin crosses, ending up with some unusual colours. They are funny, all moving in a group as if attached by invisible cords.

Momentum

Its easy to slide either way, isn't it? You get into the habit of doing something - like the blog for instance - and if you miss a day or two, its easy to justify to yourself why you don't need to keep writing. But if I make myself write something every day, its as easy to turn the justification around and make it work in my favour. The momentum of life keeps me moving, drawing, writing and living.

Looking at the self portrait that I posted yesterday, I see flaws in it. The face length is out of proportion and too long. I won't redo it, it will stand as it is, flaws and all.

I have been following Dianna Pontings pastel class in WetCanvas, but haven't had time to do much with it. I'm waiting for new pastel paper and new pastels to turn up. I decided that I needed my own reference image to play with and dug out a Christmas box of licorice Allsorts and set up a few photos. Here's a sample that I may tackle. I'll keep Dianna's class handy as her colour choices and tips are invaluable. I had to sample a few of the candies while I photographed them but I don't actually like the licorice part, except for those ones with the little balls on them. They're yummy...oops, none left...


Tripod, being Tripod, supervised.

Self portrait

Self portraits are often frank depictions of the artist at a particular moment in time. Artists do self portraits for any number of reasons - lack of another model or recording an event or time period. They also showcase the artist's skills and techniques. Rembrandt, Duerer, and Degas as well as many other artists throughout history have created self portraits that serve as a marker in history, culture and society.

So what is my reason for doing a self portrait today? Perhaps a little of all of the above, as well as simply feeling in the mood to draw a person. Its always interesting to create self portraits. Its it a narcissistic exercise? No, I don't think so. Its simply an exercise in technique and skill with the result being captured for the future.

I draw self portraits off and on during the year. This one can stand as the marker for my 53rd year of life. I'll do another midyear then another in the 54th year. A page of self portraits for comparison at the end of my life would be interesting to review. I'll have to work on the first half of my life a little more as there are gaps. Each portrait is slightly different, some radically different, but the common thread should be there.

Bernice Snowden

Bernice Snowden 1951 - 2007

Tonight I found out that Bernice had died on March 7th. Bernice and I met in a drawing forum in WetCanvas and shared private messages and insider jokes, both of us being in Atlantic Canada. Bernice was a kind, gentle person with a wonderful talent in the art world. We both participated in drawing challenges as well as classes and both chose tomatoes as our demons of choice in a coloured pencil class with Cynthia Brunk.

Bernice will be missed by many people but the product of her work is her legacy.

Her last posting of a drawing - Angel Lamp - seems somewhat poignant now. And one of my favourite drawings of hers - Chrysanthemum - is here.

Old and new

This drawing was done last year, it was a sketch that was going to be turned into something more of a woman and her grandchild. As sometimes happens, life takes over and things that were once important, become less important and are pushed aside to make way for newer, more interesting projects. But the old linger still, perhaps in portfolios or cupboards, waiting to see the light of day again or are simply destroyed.

Dragon breath

I always liked this photo of Kit. It was taken soon after she arrived on the farm in January. The weather was so cold and her hot breath billowed out like smoke from a dragon's nostrils. She had a furry winter coat that made her look totally different than in summer and represented the Newfoundland pony part of her family tree. She's been sold now, to as good a home as I know of. But I still wonder how she's getting on and what she's doing. I dare not ask or go to visit, as I know if I saw her I'd want her back again.

International Women's Day

When I lived in England I worked closely with a community based organization and Women's Aid Federation. I supervised four women's refuges, in addition to other projects in the community. While I enjoyed my years working with community groups, the refuges held a special place for me. Not because they were pleasant places, but they showed me a lot about the human race and how people treat other people, especially women. I have seen things that I want to forget but can't. I have heard stories that come from the deepest darkest parts of human life that people don't want to believe still exist. I have experienced threats with cars, dogs and guns for supporting the women who sought shelter and have had to have police escorts at time to ensure my own safety.

Battered women come from all walks of life and their abusers do as well. I came across police officers, judges, lawyers, professors - educated people who all felt their means of control was through violence either physical or mental. I also saw horrific abuse and bodily harm come at the hands of labourers and white collar workers. Whoever applies the abuse and at whatever level it is equally devastating to those who undergo it.

The most common question is why do women stay with men who abuse them? The answer is that they are scared not to. Its been shown that when the abuser feels most threatened he is most dangerous so when a woman leaves or tries to, she is at highest risk of injury. Also, the mental control that the abuser has is high and depletes the woman's confidence level, so she believes that he loves her or believes that she is not capable of existing in the world without him. It is a form of brain washing, just as cults are.

Victims are isolated from friends and family and become increasingly withdrawn and depressed due to isolation and the levels of control over them, even if they don't realize what is happening to them at the time. Women often go back to the abuser a number of times before the violence escalates enough to snap them out of the fog and make them realize that the situation is not acceptable and that they're run out of excuses for the abuser's behaviour. 'I got in the way.' I made him mad.' 'It was my fault for not having supper ready.' The rationalizing that women make when they are NOT responsible is sad in many ways, but predictable too.

Women rarely press charges against their abusers even if the violence ends up with medical intervention. That goes back to the knowledge that often the violence would become even worse if they did press charges and it would 'anger' the abuser more. It would be one more thing to 'blame' the woman for. And beneath it all, the woman believes, even if she knows better, when the abuser says he's sorry and that he loves her more than anything in the world and it will never happen again. Believe me, it will happen again. And it will be much worse.

What I did discover is that the abusers are, in fact, cowards. They are insecure and unable to control their own thoughts or lives so they resort to lashing out at others around them and manipulating them to make themselves feel powerful. That does not justify what they do or why do it, but simply that they do. And there is no specific pattern to predict who will be abusive.

Police can't act unless charges are laid and are sometimes slow to react to domestic violence especially if they return a number of times to the same scene without charges being laid.

When the woman does leave, there are safe houses, shelters and refuges where she can be secure and get immediate help from qualified staff to get on with her life. A restraining order, created to keep the abuser away from his victim, is not worth the paper it is written on. They are not enforceable unless the abuser breaks the terms of the order which rather defeats the whole purpose of the exercise! The majority of women who have been killed by their abusers had taken out restraining orders.

Women who have undergone abuse often suffer from PTSD - post traumatic stress disorder and may need longterm counseling to deal with it.

What I have learned most of all is this:

The abuser will shower the victim with words and acts of love in an effort to control her.
The abuser will be genuinely sorry and vow that he will never hurt her again. But he will. He may even kill her.
The abuser is a control freak with major anger management issues that need counseling treatment.
The abuser is responsible for his actions of physical or mental abuse, NOT the victim.

The victim needs to realize that the 'love' is not genuine - it is the abuser's control mechanism. No one who loved another would physically hurt them or abuse them.
The victim should have a safety plan in place to escape if necessary.
The victim should be careful about not letting the abuser know she has contacted any organizations or sought help. It could aggravate the situation.
The victim must stop being a victim and regain her self respect.
The victim should seek counseling

International Women's Day is celebrated on 8 March, International Women's Day (IWD) is the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

Grandma's grub

This sketch is of Kiora, my grand daughter, now 5 weeks old. I have affectionately called her 'Grandma's Grub' when I was with her as when I picked her up and layed her against me, she curled up , bum in the air, like a little inch worm. Thus the name has stuck now. I have more images of her and would like to try one as a watercolour or perhaps a pastel if I'm feeling very brave.

I received a webcam for a birthday gift so that I can let her see me and we can interact even if over a long distance as she's in Calgary and I in Flatrock. Technology may have to be the best to offer as in person visits are infrequent due to distance and costs involved.

I am considering creating an alphabet book for the baby. The book's illustrations and alphabet would relate to things in Newfoundland, the farm, the immediate family and other things that she can relate to and remember. The concept is in the early stages and may take time, but she'll receive it eventually I hope and remember it fondly over time. Perhaps it can become the next heirloom as I have no lacy christening gowns or long lists of relatives who provide family history. History is now and in the making. Only the future will turn it into gold.

Mango madness

Its not only the thistle that is prickly today. Perhaps its the time of year or the cold grey days of winter that cause it, but everyone seems to have their tales of woe today. In Australia in Darwin, the northern section, in the midst of the hottest months from September to December, there is something called 'mango madness'. Tempers flare, air conditioning breaks down, people end up in court...

Well I think there is a 'snow madness' that occurs in northern climates that is similar. Its a cross between cabin fever, mountains of snow, hypothermic weather and lack of light that causes people to lose rationale thinking.

Sketch in 7 x 10 notebook, pen and ink and coloured pencil.

Winter teaches us about detachment, numbness. But it’s
a way to get through. From winter we learn silence and
acceptance and the stillness thickens.
- Gail Barison, The Winter Solstice of my Soul

Heat thief

Tripod, the cat who thinks he's a dog, is a thief of warm spots. If I get up from where I'm sitting he whips in there faster than light to suck the heat from the spot and completely resists moving. I gave into his theft - enabler, yes, I know - and sketched his blissful heatsucking slumbers. He has that broad face and solid build of a tom cat and constantly reminds me of Garfield.

This sketch was done in a hardcover sketchbook 7 x 10, mechanical pencil. Unfortunately when I scanned it, the sketch on the next page showed through a little as a shadow in the background.

I'm calling the Pacific Arch finished and still haven't got a good image of it. There's a distinct lack of sunshine here lately which makes it near impossible to get a clear image. I'll keep trying however.

I'll work on finding the right sea arch for its Atlantic companion piece. There are a number of arches around the island and I hope to visit a few once the snow recedes. Meanwhile I'll do some practice with pastels and try to come up to speed with them once again.

Art supplies

I'm nearing completion on the Pacific arch - I think. Getting a good photograph of it is another thing. This image isn't quite there, but heading in the right direction. I'll keep playing with camera settings and my graphics program in the hopes that I can turn out the right image.

I've done a little shopping online to find some decent (I hope) pastel paper and some more pastels to build my collection. I haven't used pastels for quite some time, but I've found that I quite enjoy the process again and working on a larger scale. I was becoming confined to the space of a smaller sketchbook or Moleskine and hadn't broken out of that mold for awhile. It feels good to stretch again.

In my quest for paper and trying to avoid duty payments and large shipping costs, I browsed a few stores in Canada and came across some unique paper made in Montreal on the shores of the Lachine canal - Le Papeterie Saint-Armand. The Saint-Armand paper mill was established by David Carruthers in 1979. They manufacture the Saint-Armand handmade papers, the machine-made Canal papers, and the sanded paper Sabretooth for artists. It is the Sabretooth paper that I bought in sheets of 22 x 30 and an assortment of Canal paper also. Canal paper is machine-made paper from pulped T-shirt cuttings, linen, flax straw, blue denim, sisal and coffee bags. The Saint-Armand handmade papers are made one sheet at a time following traditional methods They have 4 deckled edges. There is no grain direction.

I ordered some new pastels and bought some locally too - Nupastels - as I couldn't wait. When I get something in my head, I want immediate gratification. The full set of pastels that I ordered will turn up in a week or two along with the paper. I have to temper my purchases - good sets of pastels are pricy and I'm going with a middle of the road price and adding as and when I can with other brands and types.

There have been a few alterations in my studio space. A new floor and rearrangement of the space with a computer in that room now and the printer. Also, the cupboard has been refitted with broad shelves to hold my large sheets of paper and drawings flat, so no more covering every available flat table with huge sheets of paper. Yeah, yeah, the guardian bears had to go somewhere ok? They're not doing any harm... All I need to add is some decent lighting and I'll be all set.

Dungeons

This is a sketch of the Dungeons in Bonavista. It is a twin sea arch but this time on the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific. Its interesting to see the different rock formations and colours that make up the structure and how they vary from coast to coast. I've been experimenting with other sea arches to see which images I like and what I want to draw as a companion piece to the Pacific sea arch.

I've added more colour and time to my Pacific sea arch but just haven't got a good enough photo of it yet as it always seems dark when I ready to take an image. Tomorrow, I promise myself I will take some photos in good light. For now, here is the best approximation that I can come to for colour in the pastel drawing, but it truly doesn't do it justice. The angle, focus, colours, lighting is all wrong. Sigh.

I lazily watched tv after the news tonight and saw Living Newfoundland and Labrador. Hosted by Krysta Rudofsky, this daily half-hour program is a local guide to better living in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was set at Clovelly Riding Stables in Logy Bay which is where one of my horses was sold - Lady. And sure enough, Lady made a prime appearance. True to form, ears back, being the sullen princess, later surrounded by 3 foot high princesses hugging her and grooming her. I'm sure she's in her element, as she always adored small children but was very wary of adults.

Virginia Woolf:

The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.

Sleep

Sleeping becomes a preoccupation when you have a small baby, whether you are the mother, father or aunt. My children now know that if you fall asleep - or even if you don't - you're fair game to be in a sketch.

Here are some of my sneak drawings on unconscious people. Done in my Moleskine sketchbook with mechanical pencil.

Pastel update

I've been plugging away at the pastel drawing of the stone arch and its taking shape. Its been many many many years since I've worked in pastel so its a bit of a journey of discovery as I remember what pastels can achieve and how they are applied. The drawing is done on mi-tientes paper with a combination of pastels - most of which are so old that I don't even know the brand name anymore. I think a birthday treat of a new box of pastels is on my cards...

Then getting a photograph of progress is the other challenge. I tried these photos in early morning light with additional overhead lighting but they're still not good. I will have to set up a good lighting corner just to photograph artwork especially during the winter months. Neither of these photos show the true colours of the pastels, which becomes a bit frustrating to say the least!

Just as I was browsing websites on pastel artists, I discovered that Dianna Ponting will be holding an online pastel class in WetCanvas beginning on March 5th. I love it when the right thing happens at the right time. Dianna is a self taught artist who has worked her way up through the ranks to become the first artist in Canada to be recognized with the distinction of both Premier Pastellist of Canada and Master Pastellist Artist of Canada along with the designation of Senior Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. I would love to take one of her workshops in person, but for now I will make time to participate in this one and see how much I've forgotten about pastel and what new tips I can pick up.

Delays

My travels seemed filled with delays from the start this time. I guess that's one of the challenges of travelling in Canada in winter. Or one of the challenges of flying Air Canada...

My original flight was cancelled due to weather - anticipated weather that didn't happen. Delayed again the next day then rescheduled with a 4.5 hour wait in Montreal to change flights. Eating Montreal smoked meat sandwiches and browsing overly expensive bag shops as well as sketching made use of the waiting time.

It seems that others were equally bored and the conversations that were overheard or taken part in confirmed the joy of travelling and the confidence in Canada's national airline.

The sketches were done with mechanical pencil in my Moleskine.

Snow

There has been far too much snow this month with storm after storm appearing, dumping endless amounts of the white stuff so that it feels like driving and walking in tunnels. These photos give you an idea of just how much has mounted. This is the back of the house and the snow is nearly up to the dining room and kitchen windows which are normally about 7 feet above ground level.

The snow is over the top of the fence and half way up the arbour so unless you have snowshoes it would be impossible to walk in it.

I bought some large (22 x 30)sheets of Mi-Tientes and chose a dark blue to make a start on the stone arch last night. The photo taken this morning wasn't in the best quality light. I've done another 40 minutes work on the drawing tonight but can't seem to get going on it. I've forgotten just how dusty and messy pastel can be. The initial colour study for this piece was done with pastel pencils and now with the main piece I'm using an ancient set of pastels - I'm not even sure of the brand anymore - which have a different range of colours than the pencils so there's a bit of experimenting going on here to get the right values and tones.

More updates will come as the layers go on.

Newness

This is the first of a series of sketches of my new grand daughter, who is now 4 weeks old. This line drawing is done in my Moleskine of my daughter holding her.

I bought some different colours of Mi-Tientes paper today but haven't had time to make a start on the new image yet. I want to do a large scale charcoal drawing on plain paper as well as a colour one in pastel. I have the need to work in a large scale as I am confining myself to small spaces lately and its becoming stifling.

Choices

I came across Stoddard's essay Have as few Regrets as Possible; an excerpt from Alexandra Stoddard's book You Are Your Choices on the blog Paris Parfait. You can read the full exerpt there.

"What are you making of yourself when those around you are lazy and indifferent? What are you doing with your life? It's never too late to choose to change yourself. Do not give up or run away from the opportunity to grow. That is the ultimate tragedy. There's no place to go and hide in life. Your job, your duty, your responsibility is to make the most you can of you." "... Don't regret that you were unable to shape up others; only regret when you don't live up to your own vast potential for good."

"Don't be afraid to do what only you can do. Rather than having chest pains trying to do work you no longer are capable of or enjoy, it may be better to cut your losses. You will feel great joy and satisfaction doing something you know you love to do. What would you choose to do if you knew you couldn't fail? Do that very thing, because it is there where you'll develop your potential."

Today I spent time developing a small study in pastel for a larger drawing that I will create. Its the start of a study of rock formations near the ocean. This one was inspired by the smooth sandy stone arch found on Laguna Beach. It will end up being about 22 x 30 and likely will continue as a pastel as its a medium that I haven't used a lot but once using it, love the feel. I need to find a suitable pastel paper locally that will fit the bill for this. I know I can likely only find Mi-Tientes in the larger size so it will likely be that.

There are a number of naturally created arches in sea rock in Newfoundland and across Canada. I will take time to explore some of these and see how they compare to their Pacific cousins.

Waterscapes

While I was in California last week, I was able to meet an online artist friend, Robin. Doing so was a unique, wonderful experience and I am so pleased that she was able to free up some time to share with me. Robin took me to Laguna Beach where we wandered on the soft, cool sand and marvelled at the colours and shapes of the sea and the rocks around us before exploring the shops and galleries in town then having lunch.

I still can't afford that $56,000 sculpture no matter how much I love it...

Some of the images that I took on the beach will translate into paintings and drawings so easily. I only wish I could magically return to capture the changing colours in the water and the landscape. I will have to rely on my memory and the photos to recreate the colours that appeared there. It will be interesting to do a similar study of the Atlantic ocean. The colours in the Atlantic seem cooler - greys, navy, blue, green, reflecting a rocky coastline, where the Pacific seems to reflect the sandy lighter bottom and pale sky. I will have to choose my subject carefully to find a similar scene for comparison painting. It should be an interesting exercise. This is a photo of the coast in Pouch Cove, about 7km north east where I used to live overlooking the sea.


But right now I will have to make do with snow scenes as I doubt I can get near a beach or waterfront as there's so much snow down and more forecast for tonight and tomorrow. Another month of winter then spring should try to make push forward. Heat is in the future, I just can't see it quite yet.

London Fog

No, not the thick, low cloud that envelopes the inner reaches of Westminster but a old drink with a new twist. I discovered London Fog in Calgary at Primal Grounds, a lovely little coffee shop with fabulous food as well as coffees and teas. They give you one of those old fashioned child's wooden blocks as your table number. (Recipe and directions found on Wikipedia.org)

Recipe

• 16 oz of milk. (2% or whole)
• 1 shot of vanilla syrup per 16 oz of milk
• 1 bag of Earl Grey Tea

How To Make

Step 1: Brew a small amount of Earl Grey tea. (Add about 1/2 cup of boiling water to your mug with the tea bag in it.) You are making Earl Grey tea concentrate. Let steep for 2-4 minutes to achieve optimum flavour.

Step 2: Heat up Milk. Preferably you have access to a steamer, or you might be able to ask your local barista for help.

Step 3: Add the vanilla syrup. (adjust according to taste)

The sketch was done in watercolour pencil and graphite in my Moleskine sketchbook. Purists should avert their eyes from the feeble attempt at the ellipse of the plate. Its hard to draw and eat...

Travels

I'm experiencing the sensory shock that only southern California can produce. Noise, people, traffic, heat, landscape. I went from -21C in Calgary to about +20C. There is greenery and flowering plants everywhere and I have to pinch myself to believe that its February.

I wrote this paragraph a few days ago while in Laguna Beach. I was, and still am, suffering from flu, but that's diminishing. However, my thoughts and memories of my short time in southern California haven't. I only wish I had more time to spend there.

I arrived home today after many many delays in flights and am so tired I don't know which way is up anymore. Delays were weather related - i.e. a pretty hefty blizzard that shut down the city for two days. Of course, that would be the day that I was booked to return home. Sigh.

So now I'm back to a touch of reality - a lot of reality. I have to go back to work tomorrow. I haven't accomplished virtually any drawing while away, but some planning. I still have a cough like a harbour seal and barely know what time zone I'm in

But right now I'll relive a little heat and put myself in a pleasant place before reality hits too hard.

Absence

My absence for the past week has been justified. I have been away exploring a new relationship for the past week.

It is with my new grand daughter who today is 11 days old. She squeaks and cries and coos and gurgles and gazes at me with unfocused navy blue eyes while I imagine her smiles at this age not to be of gas, but pleasure.

I will have little time for the blog til my return on February 20th, but will try to fit some posts in when I can. I have created sketches along the way and will expand them more and will try to upload them where possible.

Delays

The airline has just called me to say that tomorrow morning's flight has been cancelled due to 'impending weather'. Yes it snowed a little, but its now turned to rain and should be warmer still by morning. So now I have to wait til Sunday morning - a 6am flight which means I will need to be at the airport by 4am as there will be a lot of people if flights have been cancelled. Which means I will have to get up at 3am. Travel is bad enough at the best of times. It is more so when delays happen. At least I can relax a little now and stop running around quite so frantically trying to get last minute things done.

I need to be a bird and be independently able to travel at will. This little cockatiel was a little watercolour that started as a sketch. Of course on the wrong type of paper to accept water so it buckled and never regained shape, but I still rather like its form and soft colours. Years ago I used to breed these birds along with several other kinds. They were quite beautiful and good natured. I had considered starting again with some new birds, but just haven't gotten around to it.

Hood ornaments

When the Muscovy ducks were young they were light enough to fly,, especially the females, and they tended to be attracted to cars. That wasn't a good thing. Muscovy ducks have substantial claws and are fairly large birds, so they can scratch a car. As soon as someone would drive up for eggs, the 'girls' would make a beeline for their car and hop up there to see if there were any interesting bugs to eat. Most people would laugh at them but a few were car proud enough to get annoyed so the ducks were banished from getting onto cars. But often when my back was turned, they tested my patience again. Like here.

Learning

I discovered several things this week that don't please me. The latest involved the drawing that I uploaded last night in the previous post. It being pastel and prone to shedding its pigment everywhere, I decided I would give it a quick spray of fixative to ensure that it stayed put.

I don't know if it was the paper or the type of pastel but I sprayed it and the colour faded and darkened to a mere shadow of itself! So I've spent some of tonight reapplying pastel to the paper. It doesn't look quite the same however and I wish I had known that fixative would have this effect. I guess because the surface is so rough there was probably little chance of the pastel coming off too much, but old habits die hard. I've learned a lesson.

The other learning experience is that of understanding people. Or not understanding them. There are reasonable people in the world and then there are unreasonable who you cannot get through to no matter how hard you try. I come across both in work and in my personal life and neither cease to amaze and both can make me soar or sink.

I think its why I prefer animals in many cases. This photo was taken on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands which are off the west coast of Ireland and was taken in about 1975. I stayed on the island for about 3 days. The donkey was friendly and reasonable.

Oranges and Mangoes

I received a piece of colorfix paper in this intense deep blue and I wondered for a few days what to draw on it. The paper has this fine sandpaper-like texture that I can't resist running my fingers over. I cut the paper into quarters and one quarter into further quarters to experiment on.

The paper was originally produced for pastel but I've also seen it used with coloured pencil. I tried both. The coloured pencil experiments were ok, but I didn't do more than play really. Then the pastels and pastel pencils came out. This image was in the weekend drawing event at WetCanvas and the colours were perfect - blue being a complementary colour for orange and it jsut seems to flow from there.

The paper has an amazing feel when drawing. I love the texture and sound it makes when pastel is drawn across it. It also gives that orange peel texture for the fruit as well as being able to blend it to a smoother skin for the mangoes on the right.

Now I just need to track down a package of colorfix and stockpile it as I can't find it anywhere in Canada.

At last

After keeping me waiting for awhile, my first grand daughter has finally arrived.

Kiora Elizabeth
8lb 6.3 oz
3:06pm Saturday, January 27, 2007
Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alberta

Welcome to the world.

When a child is born, so are grandmothers. ~Judith Levy

Masks

I drew this image in my Moleskine very early this morning. The image is a bit unsettling to me, but I'm not sure why. The metallic sheen of the face and the half real/half unreal reed mask probably does it along with the intense gaze from that one dark eye.

Masks aren't often seen in North America except at Halloween or cultural festivals and are more comonplace in some other other countries. They do transform a person and provide mystery.

The image made me think of how many invisible masks that we wear in real life to mask our emotions without realizing it.

Blockages

Tonight Blogger won't cooperate. Each time I try to post an image, it makes my whole browser shut down. It may be Blogger, it may be my computer, it may be the snowstorm raging outside and interfering with electricity. So I'll stick with words and leave images to your imagination as I don't want to lose this post for a third time.

Each day I drive to and from work, a journey of about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. I rather enjoy that time to myself, cocooned in my car. It gives me time to think, to listen to music or to prepare for or unwind from the day. It also gives me time to consider what I will write in my blog. Some days I am bursting with ideas and am anxious to put words to computer. Other days, I draw a blank. Friends tell me to write anyway, to post images, to let my mind spill onto paper.

I can see how a writer's block is the same as an artist's block. During those times I must satisfy myself with snippets of nothing. I draw tiny vignettes that may be no more than 2 inches high on scraps of paper or sketch obscure objects, anything to keep my mind moving in the general direction. It may not have immediate effect but it eventually works and something flows, either words or images.

Tonight I'm not uninspired, but rather spoiled for choice and lazy. I know what I want to draw, but am too lazy to go through the necessary steps to make it happen. So I'm instead drawing an eye in pastel pencil on colorfix paper- one inch square. Its a test to see what detail I can fit into a tiny space. Quite a lot in fact!

Finished

I've completed the drawing of the Westie and it wasn't as stressful as I'd anticipated. There's always room for improvement and I can see some areas that I'd rework, but just doing it was a good experience as I'd avoided long haired dogs wherever possible in the past.

Now the next challenge, a long haired black dog!

A friend who I met through an art forum sent me a piece of Colorfix paper that arrived today. I have wanted to try this paper which has a very fine sanded texture that works with pastels and coloured pencil. I can't wait to try it but deciding just what to draw on it is the next decision. Should I use the whole paper about 9 x 12 it looks or should I cut it into smaller pieces and experiment. I think the latter may be a good idea. I'll see what I can come up with over the next few days.

Another winter storm is due tomorrow afternoon. Not large amounts of snow but very high winds - 100- 120kpm - which makes that wonderful horizontal snow that whips into you and around you, making visibility virtually nil. I've driven in many blizzards before, not because I enjoy driving in blizzards but its usually a necessity. Blizzards don't often cooperate and start overnight, making it a simple decision at 6:30am to look out the window, go 'nawwwwwww' and head back to bed. Blizzards usually start after you've gotten to work and then you have to fight your way home at some point when everything shuts down through snow clogged city streets, sliding sideways, white knuckled at the wheel vowing to move somewhere south as soon as the airport is open again. How many days of winter are left now??

Snow day

This is my driveway after a winter storm. Its been plowed and another light layer of snow on top of the stuff piled up there.

A severe winter storm shut down most of the city today. High winds and heavy snow put about 20 cm of snow down then turned to rain late in the afternoon. There haven't been many snow days in the last few years. Perhaps another effect of global warming. We get snow but not in the same quantities as we once did.

A snow day is a bonus holiday in the middle of the week and even though I know nothing is operating, I still feel somewhat guilty about not being at work. But I got over it. I cleaned and did laundry and drew.

I also started cataloguing photos that I have on various computers in the house. They build up quickly and take up substantial space on the hard drive. Today I catalogued and put on cd 2300 photos and drawings. That was just my laptop. I then started on the desktop computer. That one is scary.

What did we all do before computers? Where did we file all those photos or are they like the ones I have from my mother's house, in folders and boxes, rarely in any order and people racking their brains to find out who the guy in the back was?

Then comes music. I have a lot on my computer that I load on to mp3 players or listen to on headphones. Music is another space eater but using my cds in the sound system at home seems a rarity lately. Actually I prefer headphones. The sound level is more intense and I can hear more with them than when I am surrounded by music in a room.

Art stamps

In March 2007, Canada Post will issue two new stamps showing the art of Mary Pratt. Jelly Shelf, shown here is one of my favourites of hers. I love how the light shines through the glass and is reflected on the shelf. I visited Mary's exhibition Simple Bliss at the Rooms before Christmas and saw this image there. Her ability to create works of art from everyday things is amazing. From cakes under glass to basting a roasting turkey, the reality and colour of each piece is exquisite.

The second stamp will be both local and international and will feature an iceberg. I listened to an interview with Mary Pratt on CBC this morning talking about these paintings being turned into stamps and how the paintings were produced. She is so down to earth about it all and gives the impression that it isn't a big deal, in fact, quite the opposite. Its refreshing to find an artist whose career is established, accepting that art is art, and not a pretentious object to be revered, analyzed and solemnized.

More white

Its amazing what a snowstorm does for creativity. I spent more time yesterday working on the white dog, refining hair and trying to achieve that hairy, yet soft and appealing look. I can see that this drawing is going to take some time to get it where I want it to be. I'm a little worried about it becoming too dark, after all, it is a white dog. The animal has that 'I've done something wrong and I'm in big trouble' look on its face.

I used to have a West Highland Terrier many years ago. She was so full of energy it took all mine to keep up with her and keep her out of trouble. She was fearless, attacking any other dog that moved, true terrier style. I remember prising her jaws off the neck of a large German Shepard who she took a dislike to while I let her run off her energy in the corn field near my house. The GS dog was pretty unperturbed by this little hairy creature attached to its throat. Luckily no one got hurt - especially me.

In that field there was a badger sett still being used by a family of badgers. Badgers are fairly large animals and low slung with fierce jaws and claws. The sett was deep in the ground and had been there for many many years. Misty would occasionally head for the set when I let her off the lead and I remember lying flat on my stomach, arm down the badger hole dragging this dog, who was muttering under her breath out into the air again so I could clip her on. I lived in fear that my arm would become badger food one day and I so hated it if she tried to go down into the sett, so she was usually kept on her lead in that field.

Testing

I'm testing myself with a new dog portrait today.

Its a West Highland Terrier and they are so very hairy to draw. I've been inspired by Mike Sibley's book Drawing from Line to Life which I just received and want to make myself tackle more complex pieces. I've always shied away from long haired dogs and have found that it's a perceived notion of difficulty for the most part. Once I break the piece down into manageable sections, it doesn't become quite so horrific. So I'm drawing hair. White hair. I do like to test myself, don't I?

Meanwhile outside, another mini storm is hitting with horizontal snow falling. (Does it actually fall if its horizontal? More like pile up in a corner. ) Wind and snow go together here it seems. I rarely see it snow where the flakes fall straight down. We don't have fairytale snow here very often.

So I'm going to sit by the fire and draw white hair, drink coffee, eat cinnamon rolls while a home grown chicken roasts for supper. Winter demands comfort in whatever form it comes.