Snow day!

November 28th...while it's no big deal in most other parts of Canada, when we get snow here on the coast the first thing we do is grab the camera and run outside! My buddy Irma and I ventured up island going back in behind Shawnigan lake for a walk with the boys(Griffin and brother Frank). We took a beautiful old rail/trail to the lookout for the Kinsol train trestle built in the early 1900's. The largest of its kind in Canada but sadly in need of major restoration. Work has been ongoing to determine the fate of this immense wooden structure so the future will tell if it's possible to save this reflection of an engineering marvel from demolition. I love the fact that even something this grand and utilitarian is still like a work of art in my eyes....even the rotting timber has the beauty of age and a century of stories embedded within.

The beauty of looking closer

I found this dead avacado leaf on the living room floor after coming in from my morning walk with Griffin. I decided to take a closer look and loved the colours and form it had so I thought I'd take some close up shots....just looking for the details in simple things is a good way to be inspired...

In the studio...

November 27th...clear and cold....today the sun came out to warm us up on the west coast after a wet and miserable day yesterday...so I hunkered down in the studio with the fire on high...still working on the birds and loving it. I was listening to CBC talk about Christmas time and the whole gift giving thing and was glad to hear so many others out there with similar ideas as alternatives to the whole thing. On that note we need to encourage those around us to buy HANDMADE if they feel the need to buy at all! Get out to those craft fairs people! On another CBC program (yes I am a cbc head...) they talked about how the average income for an artist in Canada is around $22,000. That's in Calgary where apparently the artists are the highest paid in the country...does it make me want to move there? Certainly not but it boggles my mind to know that people will go out of their way to get a really good deal on a t.v but not put out for original handmade items...oh well..its just one of those things to whine about....

The beginning...

November 29....cold and sunny with frost on the ground...thought I would start this blog mainly as a journal and to share my thoughts and images with other like minded artists.
I live in a rural area that is full of inspiration as well as frustration. This past summer my wonderful husband decided to build me a detatched studio since my project area/workroom was starting to overflow into other parts of our small house. As the project neared completion I was beside myself waiting to get in and try out all of my great ideas that flow through my head on my daily walks with Griffin. When I finally moved in I was a bit intimidated and lost in such a space , beautiful as it is. Well after a few months of pissing around I have started working with good old papier mache and having a blast! The process is truly amazing going from little balls of mush to shapes and eventually end up with a life of there own....It's great to be motivated again.