A Very Happy New Year To You

Thanks so much everyone for a wonder filled year, for the meeting of new friends, for joining me on the journey, for making me use spell check, which you may have noticed but have been far to polite to mention that I sometimes forget to use it, for leaving comments, for making me laugh and think, for expanding my world in ways I never dreamed of, and especially a huge thanks for providing a place for my work. So here is a toast to you all, with all best wishes for 2016, and some of my favourite words that I have written around the kitchen window....


Deep peace of the running water to you,

Deep peace of the flowing air to you,

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,

Deep peace of the shining stars to you,

Stars and moon pour their healing light on you,

Deep peace of the light of the world to you.


A Gaelic Blessing

Boat [for the New Year], oil on panel, 16 x 20 in, 2015

boat supported, oil on panel, 16 x 20 in, 2015

Happy Solstice

This is my favourite day of the year; I've always thought that today should be called New Years Day. Today the sun will rise here at 7.25 am and set at 4.10 pm, tomorrow the day is a minute longer and so on and so on. It really is amazing to think of us twirling through space at a speed of 1000 miles an hour and now we start to tilt back toward the sun, I love this. And as we speed about the universe I've been watching the pond freeze and thaw, frozen at the moment and reflecting glittering light. Welcome back light.

Sunrise at the pond, 2015

trees and sky reflections, 2015

glittering light on the thin ice, 2015

a beam of sunlight on the ice, 2015

More Wonderings

I’ve run out of my favourite charcoal and so until I can get some more I’ve been playing with the drawings on the computer. And as I was working "The Diamond Sutra” kept popping into my mind.

From Thich Nhat Hanh

Opening Gatha

How may we overcome the fear of birth and death

and arrive at the state that is as indestructible as a diamond?

What way can direct us in our practice

to sweep away our thousands of illusions?

If the awakened mind shows its compassion

and opens up for us the treasure store,

then we may bring into our lives

the wonderful diamond teachings.

And goes on to say

All conditioned phenomena

Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,

Like dew or a flash of lightning;

Thus we shall perceive them.”

Dream 9az, from the charcoal drawings, digital image, 2015

Dream 8a, from the charcoal drawings, digital image, 2015

Dream 9a1, from the charcoal drawings, digital image, 2015

Dream 9abc, from the charcoal drawings, digital image, 2015

Wandering

As we head towards the shortest day of the year and the world is filled with more darkness, charcoal has re-entered the studio; deep, velvety charcoal that I push into the paper with my fingers and the palm of my hand.

Dreaming deep #1ab, 22 x 30 in.,  digital image on paper, 2015

Dreaming deep #1a, 22 x 30 in.,  charcoal on paper, 2015

Dreaming deep #2, 22 x 30 in.,  charcoal on paper, 2015

Dreaming deep #2a, 22 x 30 in.,  digital image on paper, 2015

Dreaming deep #16 22 x 30 in.,  charcoal on paper, 2015

25 Years Later

Today is the 25th anniversary of what came to be known as "The Montreal Massacre", when 14 women lost their lives to a deranged gunman. And after the last few weeks, months and years' events, and the despair that fills me re our crazy love of war, death and destruction, there was a note of hope this week with the Quebec Government bringing back the Long Gun Registry. I created this work "The Singing of the Stones" in 1997 to commemorate the lives and spirits of the 14 women murdered on this day, December 6, 1989.

IN MEMORY OF

Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Marie Klueznick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne- Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte

"The Singing of the Stones" [Link]

14 stones, 7 women, music, video, poetry, tableau vivant, installation

Fortunae, [Stations of the Cross ], 24 in x 18 in x 3 in, Mixed media, 1996-7

To see a video clip from the performance of The Singing of the Stones,  Fortunae, click here


And if you have problems with that link here is a direct link to YouTube.

To see the whole performance here is the link.

Found

Searching through my flat files the other day and found these collages from the big studio clean up of the spring. I thought I had put all the bits and pieces that were torn up in the trash, but somehow these were saved; actually I was glad to find them, I just need to take better photos.

broken / enclosure 1, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

broken / enclosure 5, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

broken / enclosure 6, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

The Joys of Country Living

For years I have wanted to have Mike Stone [of Stone Haven] lay a new surface of flat stones on the patio where we sit and drink coffee every morning; the one I laid years ago left much to be desired. Earlier this fall Mike started the job and with his first load of stone that he brought across the lawn went into the septic tank. Not far, he was fine, and so was the tractor but it meant that as soon as he finished we would need to replace the tank. So for the last week a huge cement tank sat on the front lawn, waiting. Yesterday Francois came and installed it. Today, as soon as the ground melts, we will start the rehab of the lawn. Fun fact...did you know you need to feed a new septic tank? Francois advised us to flush a kilo of chopped pork liver to help build the bacteria in the tank, we did. Ah, the joys of country living.

3 levels of terrace, all the gorgeous work of Mike Stone [yes that really is his name] 2015

Finally, flat stone on the terrace, 2015

the tank, 2015

the tank about to be buried, 2015

From Notebooks to Pop-ups

Here is a short article I was asked to write for Book Arts Canada: with thanks to Frances Hunter for her encouragement and editing skills. This is the longest essay I have written since university days and quite the challenge. You can click on the photos to see  /read in a larger format.

Book Arts Canada, page 1, 2015

Book Arts Canada, page 2, 2015

Book Arts Canada, page 3, 2015

The Frozen Pond

Dawn was wondrous this morning; there had been a hard frost last night and the ground was covered with glitter. The pond was frozen over, the golden early morning light bouncing across the surface. Within a few hours the ice had started to melt.

the golden light of dawn on the pond, 2015

trees reflected in the ice, 2015

patterns of ice on the pond, 2015

the pond ice beginning to melt, 2015

the brilliance of day, at the ponds edge, 2015

Housecleaning

Housecleaning is definitely not one of my favourite jobs, I always want to move out once it's clean so that the house stays clean forever; that being said seeing these reflections when I cleaned the fridge made me happy.

Dust If You Must 

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better,
To paint a picture or write a letter,
Bake a cake or plant a seed,
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
Music to hear and books to read,
Friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come 'round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not always kind.
And when you go and go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.

by Rose Milligan, with thanks to Martin and Hanna for bring this poem to my attention.

Cleaning the fridge #1, 2015

Cleaning the fridge #2, 2015

Cleaning the fridge #3, 2015

Waiting

I'm still waiting for the first ice to appear on the pond: meanwhile I'm loving the frost on the dock and the fact that we are still outside each morning having breakfast, wearing our winter boots and coats and warming our hands with our coffee mugs.

Frost between the planks, 2015

A lone maple key on the dock, 2015

A maple leaf caught between the planks of the dock, 2015

A Sneak Preview of Rebelles / Rebelles, 2015

The hanging is done, the labels are up and the show Rebelles / Rebelles at Galerie Arts Plus opens today with the vernissage this Saturday, November 7, at 2 pm. With forty one artists and over 300 small sized works; it's a great chance to add to your collection or dare I say buy Christmas presents for everyone on your list. Artists participating are Diane Lavarière, Isabelle Chartrand, Jean-Pierre Rivet, Hélène La Haye, Guy Parent, Sanders Pinault, Micheline Proulx, France Lamontagne, Francine Denault, Myriam Bardoul, Jocelyn Guilbault, Liz Davidson, Brigite Normandin, Monique Genest, Anne-Marie Dupont, John F Marok, Marie Bonneau, Françoise Lamothe, Lucie Daigneault, Peter Raymond, Johane Durivage, Danièle De Blois, Catherine Panchaud, Francine Potvin, Nicole Larivée, Josée Barrette, Carole Lebel, Denise Lamy, Michael Newman, Hélène Plourde, Marie-Claude Paradis, Claire Bienvenue, Nycole Julien-Gémus, Akycha Surette, Susan Surette, Richard Surette, Louise-Andrée Roberge, Brigitte Dahan, Katherine Godbout, Daniela Zekina, Peter Boyadjieff, Lucie Hébert.

Some of the work in Rebelles / Rebelles at Galerie Art Plus, 2015

Can you spot me, Rebelles / Rebelle, at Galerie Art Plus, 2015

Late Fall Colors

Every morning I walk out to the pond wondering if this is the morning the first ice appears. It's been a warm fall and I am still waiting, and in that waiting there is the enjoyment of watching the pine needles, shaken off in last weeks wind, form their patterns on the waters surface. Bright gold when they first fall the color has dulled and become more subtle.

Pine needles forming their patterns against the water lily leaves, 2015

The colors becoming more subtle, 2015

at the pond, 2015

Patterns of pine needles, 2015

Rebelles / Rebelles, 2015 Edition

Opening next weekend, Rebelles / Rebelles, a group show of 41 artists, at Galerie Art Plus. This is a small format show with each artist working within a 9 inch x 9 inch frame. I will be showing new works from the Streams and Rivers series, charcoal and pastel on paper. It would be great to see you there.

So Much To Be Thankful For

The amazing weather, a balmy 23 C. today, the golden light, breakfast outside in our dressing gowns, the storm windows washed and put on, the wood brought in and piled ready for winter, the pond gardens cut down, the garden on the east side of the house transplanted to the west side and visa versa, front porch washed, stone wall repaired, daylilies cut down, hostas also. The list goes on; and did I mention it's been heaven working outside and it keeps me from checking on the polls every 5 minutes; so very thankful they are beginning to trend the right way.  So many birds, geese honking overhead, bugs too. The studio calls but can wait 'till it rains. Happy Belated Thanksgiving all!

Yesterdays light across the pond, 2015

Pond light, 2015

Towards the pond, 2015

Frost

Finally the 1st frost; I've been waiting for this, looking forward to seeing the leaves outlined in white, that delicate tracing of their edges.

Eye Candy

I  love the lights in elevators, I keep telling myself that I don't need any more shots of elevator lights as I click away.

Hotel elevator 4, 2015

Hotel elevator 1, 2015

Hotel elevator 2, 2015

Hotel elevator, 2015