nora's art for bare walls

OH ME, OH MY

2011-04-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for neglecting my blog. I have not painted for a long time. Watching Isaiah and Micah draw is the closest I come to art. I have been busy with work, family life, moved twice more and dived into my other passion - making softies and plushies. I have designed and made a few patterns with two available on my Etsy store - Boo and Tic Tic.

I have a separate blog for my softies and plushies - Booandtictic.blogspot.com. Do come and visit me there.

Don't give up on me painting. I have a feeling I am going to start again soon. :)

ART BEING KEPT ALIVE

2010-06-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

I love making art with all my heart but I am bad at making this passion of mine a priority.

Very fortunate to me, Tarama Swanson of Ladybug Designs approached me and made two of my paintings into counted cross stitch kits.

To Tamara: A big thank you for letting my art live.

Check out her site http://ladybugdesigns.com/

Tamara kept me informed and updated of her work in progress.
It was very exciting for me

The finished project.
The Busy Harbour. Amazing what Tamara can do!

Tamara is very inspiring. Always busy with creativity. I should really be likewise and set up my art room and sewing room.

SUNFLOWER'S LITTLE ADVENTURE

2010-02-16T20:04:00.000-08:00

I was sad when I was not sold at the last craft show in December. But mom said, "cheer up. This means you are going to be mine." Mom is very good to me. She even took me on a trip to L.A. and on a cruise with dad. I travelled well in moms handbag. Security at the airport looked at mom funny travelling with a doll but luckily she did not not care, she is happy I was with her.

We went for a stroll on Venice Beach, L.A. before the cruise. Everyone there were very colourful and interesting. Mom loved the warm weather.

Mom loves palm trees. She only loves the papaya trees more than palm trees.

We went on a cruise from L.A. Long Beach. Mom was not too sure. She does not like motion sickness. I am full of fluff so I was not worried about being sea sick at all. Dad had traveled on cruise ships a lot when he worked on them when he was a very young young man.

We had a nice cabin. The housekeeper keep tidying up our cabin when we were out and made little rabbits, or dogs with our towels. He also left us yummy chocolates. Mom was very excited about the bed been "turned down". I don't know why as her bed at home is mostly "turned down" from the night before.

Mom ate too much on the cruise so I kept her heart burn medicine handy for her. She kept saying she will not eat as much the next day, but then she did again.

At Ensenada, mom went shopping for marakas for Isaiah and Micah. She found a red one for Isaiah and a yellow one for Micah.

After our cruise we stayed a night at the Queen Mary Hotel, Long Beach. Dad said "pretty please" to mom as he never thought as a young merchant navy man he would ever have the opportunity to stay there. Mom said "okay" though she heard that the hotel is quite run down and haunted. She told me she does not believe in ghost but she seemed very relieved when she did not see any. I was disapointed.

Dad was so happy to realize his dreams to stay the night at Queen Mary.

Having my picture taken by dad sitting on mom's shoulder. But dad said that mom and I were not allowed to talk to each other as it freaks him out. My feelings was not hurt, I understand, and mom knows I understand.

I really enjoyed the fresh ocean air from the pot hole.

A beautiful tree on Santa Monica beach walk. Dad walked into it and graced his forehead. Mom tried to be so supportive and sympathetic for dad but could not help giggling under her breath.

Mom and dad took a last stroll on Seal's Beach Pier in the morning before our flight home.

Then we are back home again in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is still winter but quite warm at -10 degrees. Mom said "North south east west, home is best". She was so happy to see Isaiah and Micah, Richard, William, Tonya, and of course Boo & Trillian.

WHAT A PREDICAMENT!

2010-01-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, a year ago, I am not good on computers and have not been too smart on my blog, and it seems I have not been any smarter after 1 year of using it. I don't know what I did but I think I am a "follower" of my own blog. Have to get some help somewhere to remove myself.

ONE MORE RESOLUTION

2009-12-31T22:56:00.001-08:00

This last move in December has made me realized how much junk the family has collected over the years. I am going to organize and declutter, pare down and organize a big garage sale this summer to get rid of things we no longer need or use.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

2009-12-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

I have not made any New Year's Resolution for years. Looking back, I don't really know why. For years, my new year's resolution was to give up smoking. It was not easy but I did give it up successfully 12 years ago. Since then I have not really made any serious resolutions.

For 2010, my resolutions are:
To stop aiming for perfection. Good enough is enough
Stop seconding guessing my decisions.
Give in to chance.
Make more dolls.
Paint more.

Have a great 2010 everyone!

PINK

2009-12-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

Pink is very pretty and has impeccable manners always remembering her "please" and "thank you". She is always neat, clean and tidy even when she is making mud pies. Her favorite indulgence is chocolate chip cookies. She would eat all the chocolate chips first before finishing off the cookie. You would think that is a messy job but Pink does it all spic and span without a single crumb or chocolate smear insight.

JOLLY PIRATE

2009-12-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

This jolly pirate does not want to rob anybody. All he wants to do is run around and shout "ARR" at everyone (including his cat and dog). He has given his mother quite a headache so she was very relieved when jolly pirate's eye patch made him dizzy and he had to stop for a juice.

LITTLE BANDIT BOY

2009-11-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is a Polly doll made by me.

Little Bandit does not want to steal anything. He loves running around pretending to be really bad screaming "WHAAAA" gruffly. Truth be told, he is a very well behaved little boy. He helps his mom to put away dishes from the dish washer every morning and he sweeps his grandma's front porch without being asked. Grandma is so pleased that she sewn a little fake fur tail on his suit. Little Bandit is over joyed with his little fur tail. Now he runs twice as fast trying to make his tail fly in the air.

SOFTIES ARE LISTED ON MY ETSY SHOP

2009-11-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I have listed some of my softies on my Etsy store. Go to www.norayuen.etsy.com.

NEW VENTURE - BOO & TIC TIC

2009-11-11T15:08:00.001-08:00

I started a new venture, Boo & Tic Tic, - making and selling softies and plushies. My first client is my younger sister in Australia. I just sent off 19 assorted softies to her. Lucky little softies immigrating to Australia and living in warmer climate. The last time I tried to move to Australia they told me I was too old - me!

Anyways, I will be starting a new store on Etsy - soon I hope. I have quite a few shows to attend before the end of the year so it is likely that my new Etsy store would not be up and running till early next year.

NEW BABIES

2009-09-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted more babies though I stopped after 2 boys. Making these softies are like having more babies, endless babies. They are so much fun to make - my housework is so neglected.

A DAY LIKE ROMAN HOLIDAY

2009-08-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

I had a great day the other day and at the end of the day I told my husband it was just like a day in "Roman Holiday". He nodded and smile. Not that he really understood what I meant but he can see I was clearly in a good mood. My day started well, make up in place, hair did exactly as I wanted it, I did not look fat in my clothes, my favorite songs played on the radio on my drive to work, everybody was so pleased to see me at work, met nice people and strangers smiled at me at the store. For a second I was paranoid that maybe I had my knickers on the outside. I did a quick check - no everything is good. it was just a delightful day. You may say "what? That is nothing like the movie". I know I did not spend the day with Gregory Peck, or rode a scooter through Rome, or was slim, beautiful and graceful swan necked like Audrey Hepburn but I felt like I did and was - everything was great and everyone I met liked me. Must be those new medication!

WHAT DOES BEING 50 MEAN?

2009-07-23T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am 50 today.

For some, they dread their 50th birthday, some have a big party to truly celebrate, some have a big party to pretend it does not bother them that they are 50.

For me, it means REHEARSAL IS OVER - TIME TO LIVE FOR REAL!

29th WEDDING ANNIVERSAY

2009-07-20T21:03:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe but Jeremy and I have been married for 29 years. We were married on July 17, 1980 in Portsmouth Registrar, Hampshire, England.

QUOTES FROM PICASSO

2009-07-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite quotes from Pablo Picasso:

Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Bad artists copy. Good artists steal. (Shocking!)

If only we could pull out our brain and use only our eyes. (I agree)

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.

Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility. (I am glad I am not successful yet).

The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense.

The world today doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?

There are only two types of women - goddesses and doormats. (That is not nice. I know some very nice doormats.)

To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic.

A LEAP OF FAITH

2009-07-13T22:06:00.001-07:00

This beautiful painting is the work of my youngest sister, Ting Yuen, a talented artist. And yes, she is like all the girls in her paintings, slim, slender and graceful. This painting is call “Leap of faith” depicting her leap of faith in daring to live the life of an artist. Like me, she is a self learned artist but unlike me she is braver than I. The actual action of leaping escapes me. I am one of those who cannot run without looking funny and absolutely useless at leaping. Needless to say, I am no good in sports and no one wanted me on their team in school.

In the last year I have arrived at the cross road in my life where my sons have grown and I could, if I am brave enough, concentrate on doing more artistically. But I could not commit myself being always hard working in the secular world and bringing home my half of the bacon. Ting has always encouraged me to do more artistically and fulfill my dream as an artist. She always tells me to “take the leap”. All my life I would miss the other side when I leap and fallen in between. I would summon all my courage and take a run at the leap I am about to take only to freeze into etty bitty steps nearing the edge to leap off from and fall short of landing on the other side. One of the most awful leap failure happened when I was three. My mom and I were visiting my grand parents who lived in a small town where not everyone has running water or proper sewage systems. People living in the outskirts of the town use outdoor latrines. Not the pit latrines but latrines built over a stream running on the outer side of the town. So no flushing and you can imagine the role of the stream. Anyways, during this visit there was a bad fire and the whole town was nearly burnt down. I remember the panic and commotion. The whole town was running to the other side of the stream on the outer side of town to take refuge. My mother was busy with my grandmother packing my grandfather’s jeep with valuables and she asked her younger sister to take me across the stream. I was crying off course, so scared and not knowing if I would see my mother again as the fire was fierce and I could see it approaching my grand parents’ house. Anyway, my aunt ran with me and we got to the toilet stream. It was a tiny stream. My aunt asked me to jump across and it would all be ok as she would hold my hand. I was crying and kept saying I can’t do it and the stream was too wide. She pointed out to other children leaping across the stream and encouraged me. I was not convinced. I had to try when I notice my aunt getting impatient and mad at me. So I held her hand and took the leap – I fell into the latrine stream. I know - euuuw!!! I did not remember the next thing but apparently I passed out and nearly drowned. Next I know I was awake on the other side of the stream and my mom was there. I felt safe to be with her again and we sat on the grass and watched across the stream where the fire was finally conquered and died, sparing my grand parents’ house. But no other kids came close to me that day because I smelled. Years later they still made fun of me for falling in the shit stream.

ISAIAH & MICAH

2009-06-19T20:26:00.001-07:00

These are my two favourite little people, Isaiah (dark hair) and Micah (lighter hair), my beautiful grandsons. Isaiah is 3 going on 4 and Micah is 2. Isaiah loves Duplo and strawberries, Micah loves choo choo train and raspberries. Best of all, they love me!

DREAMER

2009-04-14T19:15:00.001-07:00

These are the other 3 paintings I did. These last 4 paintings were painted in my living room instead of my art room on the first floor of my house. I like my art room but it is reclusive. I paint mostly in the evening after work and my husband likes to have my company in the evening though all he does is watch tv. So what I did was moved my art table into the living room (a well stained and used 8ft folding table)with all my supplies to keep him company.

Any way, have you notice how all my paintings tend to travel up hill towards the right? I can't help it. I try so hard not to do it but it is most obvious in the painting of the dock with the moon. When I was a little girl a teacher commented on my writing up the hill and illustrations traveling upwards. She said "interesting. You are a dreamer." I remember I felt so bad for being a dreamer. The opposite is of course someone who is practical with both feet on the ground - certainly more valuable and sensible. But I know it was all just me. Had she said I am practical, I would probably feel bad for not being a dreamer!

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

2009-04-02T19:06:00.001-07:00

I have been around busy with my other life - working. Ah, the necessary evil. But I have been painting again. I create 4 pieces of work. I am going to release the paintings one at a time so I can drag it out. This painting is call "Bouys oh Bouys". Clever play with words eh?

I HAD A BAD DAY

2009-01-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

No, I was not at this beautiful place - I stole this picture from my sister's Picassa album - but I am wishing I am there.

Bad day at work. I remembered this poem on my way home. I came across it when I was a teenager in Singapore and I thought it was rather long and quaint. But back then my English was really bad - same as my taste in boys at that time - I was badly infatuated with David Cassidy and Donny Osmond -oh cringe, cringe on my bad taste. I came across this poem again when I started treatment with my deep tissue massage masseur a year ago. He has it printed on a plain piece of paper (slightly worn), unframed, and probably stuck on the wall with blue tag. I read it and was overcome by the simple and yet deep wisedom. The poem is Desiderata by Max Ehrman, a poet and a lawyer who lived from 1972 to 1945. To me it seems that Max Ehrman must have lived several life times to arrive with such insight about life. It was said that Desiderata was inspired by an urge by Max Ehrman to leave "a humble gift".

Desiderata
(Latin for "Desirable Things)

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

This poem calms me down and peace wash over me. A good strong drink helps too!

HOW ABOUT GETTING BACK TO PAINTING?

2009-01-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

I have not painted for over a month. My art room is in a mess especially because my son has borrowed my 8 feet long art table for a dinner party and has yet to return it. My paints are all over the place and the sight of my chaotic shelves hurt my eyes and sense of calm. There is a nice lady I met at the craft show last November who has commissioned me to paint a painting for her stairway and I have been putting it off. First thing first, get my art table back - or maybe tidy the art room first, then the table.

By the way, I use a whole mish mash of different mediums and brands but I started using Tri Art 2 years ago and love them. They are great in quality and excellent in price as they are made in Canada.

PETRIFIED OF FACEBOOK

2009-01-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine proudly shares with me her new Facebook today. I am pleased for her but I did try Facebook a year ago. Everyone at work had their own, my children had theirs, my daughter-in-law share photographs of the grandchildren with everyone on hers, so as computer unsavy as me, I tried to belong to the facebook exciting society. My facebook did not last more than 1 day. People want to be added as a "friend", including people I don't know, I was "tagged" and "poked" and some people I have not been in touched with for a long time (for very good reason) found me, my son posted unflattering photographs of me (at home with my eating fat clothes on). I totally freaked out by evening and took myself off! I know I am chicken for being afraid of the brave new world of communication and technology.

MERRY DIM SUM

2008-12-24T16:44:00.001-08:00

Had Dim Sum last night. It was good - but the real experience never match my childhood memories of dim sum. I remember crisp starched white table cloths, the sweet smell of Chinese tea and the delicious yummy food. My favorites are Siew Mia, steamed rice roll with deep fried dough, egg tarts and coconut pudding. As usual, it seemed I ordered too much food but hardly anything was left at the end of the meal. By the way - I love food - all kinds. And food loves me back.

ERNIE MANDARIN RUBBER DUCKY SONG

2008-12-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

I heard Ernie's Rubber Ducky song in mandarin for the first time in my life and I LOVE IT - I REALLY LOVE IT! Big thanks to my youngest sister who sent this Sesame Street CD to my two grandsons. We listened to it on our road trip today. It is a delightful CD full of wonderful Sesame Street songs in different languages and my favorite is of course the Rubber Ducky song by Ernie in Chinese. My two grandsons are a quarter Chinese (each) and I don't think they could understand why grandma is so excited each time the song is played. You have not truly lived until you heard the Rubber Ducky song in Chinese. It is truly delightful.

BOO & TRILLIAN

2008-12-10T09:23:00.001-08:00

These are my two little dogs. Boo is the silver back Shih Tzu and Trillian is the Poodle mix. They keep me company whenever I paint in my art room. They are at my heals at all times and sometimes I think I will trip over them down my narrow stairs. They have such personalities and are happy most of the time. The only time they are down is when I am putting on my make up or drying my hair - they know I am going to leave them to go to work. They sit on top of the sofa by the window waiting and watching for me to come home. I love them.

I AM A GATHERING BEE

2008-12-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I lasted at my office administration job for only 1 week. I just could not do it - its not me. At my age (young 49) I am surprised that I do not yet realized that I can't work in an office admin environment. I thought I know everything about myself - I am not as smart as I thought I am. Those dear ladies working there day in and day out have their unique talents and mine is different. They are the working bees in the bee hive and I am the kind of bee that needs to go out and hunt and gather honey for the hive. Both types of bees are just as important and vital as the other.

I got a new job. I returned to the automobile industry to a job and an environment more suitable to me. The great thing about working in the car sales industry is that you work different shifts everyday. So, one day I will work from 9am to 4pm and the next day I will work from 2pm to 9pm -which provides me with the luxury of sleeping in on the mornings I start at 2pm and the luxury of painting in the evenings when I finish work at 4pm.

All is good again. Phew!

MY BRAIN HURTS - REALLY!

2008-12-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

It is 1st of December and I started my new office administration job. My brain hurts like buggery (I imagine). Spending the last 7 years in sales and not using the administration office side of my brain, today has proved very challenging. So much to learn. All the different computer programs, all the sitting down in front of a monitor, all the data entering, calculations, and attention to detail. If only everything is as easy as painting to me. All the ladies around me were working happily and diligently - like working bees in a hive - I felt so out of place - like a ladybug in a bee hive. In the middle of the day I thought "this is not for me - I should go now". Fortunately, or unfortunately, I did not have my car with me or I know I would have nipped out and home. If only I don't need to pay bills - I would paint all day with my little dogs under my feet - oh what a blissful dream.

SHOWS IN NOVEMBER

2008-11-30T16:31:00.000-08:00

I have been to a couple of shows in November. They have been entertaining. I love watching people and guess their life stories. Unfortunately for my waist line, I also love buying and sampling baked pies, tarts and bread sold at the shows. Its great to meet other artisans, swapping ideas, and exchanging my work for their goodies.

I sold my original Blackbird Sings painting at the last show. I have brought the painting along not with the intention of selling it but to show it to people when they buy the print. I was reluctant to sell it but it went to a very lovely and deserving lady. She came by my stand and liked the last framed Blackbird print and asked me to put it aside while she grabs her husband. Her husband came up to my stand 5 minutes later and asked to see the original and purchased the original painting instead of the print for her. What a sweet man!

At the same show a elderly gentlemen came and looked at all my prints and paintings very closely. He said he really likes my style but he has so much stuff and there is no empty space on his walls. We had a nice chat, he walked away and I thought that was that. He returned 30 minutes later and bought a 5X5 inch print. He said he likes the scenery very much and it is small enough that he can it in his study desk and look at it when he wants to. How lovely is that?

Anyways, no more shows for me for a while. I am returning to work after having 3 months off. Its been a wonderful 3 months. I stock my Etsy shop, painted, and spent some extra time with my two favorite little people, Isaiah and Micah, my grandsons.

BIRDCAGE AND BUTTERFLIES II

2008-11-09T22:47:00.001-08:00

With this piece here, I painted on a blue damask wallpaper with white acrylic ink.

This is a oriental pagoda style birdcage. You may have noticed that the door is opened. This little bird here loves her mistress. Her mistress lets the little bird out regularly so she can spread her wings and fly about the courtyard. The little bird sits calmly on the branch, singing until the mistress say its time to go. Then the little bird will hop into its cage and looks forward to going home with her mistress.

BIRDCAGE AND BUTTERFLIES

2008-11-09T22:08:00.000-08:00

I am really into birds, birdcages and butterflies at the moment.

I remember as a child in Asia watching older men going to the park or tea houses with their birdcages. I suppose it is like us taking our beloved pet dogs to the park for a walk today.

For this piece I imagine a cool afternoon in a court yard with beautiful older trees and butterflies flying in the air. I hung my birdcage on the branch of the tree so my bird can enjoy the fresh air and sing a beautiful tune for my enjoyment.

MEMORY LANE 2

2008-10-31T00:47:00.001-07:00

If you join the 2 pictures together, you will get the whole painting. I took these photographs before digital camera was available. To make sure I get all the details of the painting, I took pictures of the right section first, then the left. This painting is titled "Lagoon". I painted this in 1997. It was entered and accepted at the Sooke Fine Art Show in British Columbia and was sold at the show. It was painted in Henri Rousseau's style. My two boys wanted me to paint Elmer Fudd peering behind the vegetation with a hunting rifle, but I refused.

MEMORY LANE

2008-10-31T00:35:00.001-07:00

I was just looking through some photographs my husband had scanned and saved on my laptop when I came across the two photos above. I painted these paintings in 1997. I was really in love with Matisse's collage at that time. In the summer of 1997 I visited my youngest sister who lived in Vancouver then. We went to see the Matisse exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. We were both so in awe with his work. I returned to Victoria (where I lived at that time) and painted the paintings above. I think I should have them photographed professionally and make them available as prints. What do you think?

Blackbird

2008-10-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

The painting is inspired by the Beatle's "Blackbird" from their White Album. I had wanted to paint this song for so long and I finally did it.

Some say Paul McCartney wrote this song about the civil rights struggle of the blacks in US and some say he wrote this about troubled young girls in South America in the late 60s.

Some people tell me that this song reminds them of their childhood as it was sung to them at bed time. Most people have their own meaning to the lyrics of the song. This song makes me feel stronger when I am down.

Usually, when I finally reach rock bottom, I would kick myself for the self pity I have indulged myself in. "Enough is enough" I would tell myself (kindly). Never mind about the broken wing(s) and sunken eyes (disadvantages I think I possess), my life is my own and I should make the best of it and fly out of darkness and into the light (hope).

Recently, my poor little sister fell down the stairs and tore her the ligaments of her ankle in both places. Needless to say she was quite depressed about the whole thing . Like the little blackbird in this picture, she will have to take her bad ankle and all and continue living her dream (she is a fantastic artist and has her own art gallery in BC). We can't change the past or the unforeseen things that befall us all. We have to take whatever injury (physical or emotional) and soldier on and still realize our very best life. I know - some days, that is easier said than done.

In the painting, you will notice the little blackbird has flown out of its cage and started to sing its little heart out. It is saying "enough" to all the band aids and bandages. In fact he ripped them off so fast that a couple of his feathers came off. If you look very carefully, you will see the lyrics of the song scribbled on the windowsill. This moment was caught just before the little blackbird flew towards the light of a new day.

This print is for sale on my Etsy shop.

Winter Blues

2008-10-20T14:33:00.001-07:00

It is beginning to get cold here in Edmonton. The weather forecasts for snow by the end of the month. There is something about the cold that slows me down and I am not fond of it. So, I kept busy by painting and this is one of the two paintings I just finished. They both have blue skies and a promise of warm breeze. This one is call Busy Little Jetty (acrylic on 10 inch square stretched canvas). This painting is inspired by one of Leon Morrocco's work. I always know roughly what I wanted to paint at the beginning of each painting but not in detail. With this one, I know I wanted to paint a jetty with a red fish stage and a fish trawler at the end of the jetty. Then I decide there should be another 2 trawlers and how they should face or dock at the jetty. It all has to make sense - these two trawlers dock face in - so they will have to back out when they are going off to work. I then work in other little boats. Then I ask myself if the green trawler has caught anything - I decided that it has, and I painted in the boxes of fish. Then I decided the dock looks too empty and painted in some ropes, buckets of fish, crap pots and boyes. But the dock must not be over crowded or the fishermen will trip over themselves. I then decided the other two trawlers are going out later to put down lobster pots and I fill the inside of the trawlers accordingly. I know I overthink my paintings sometimes - it worries me if there are not enough posts to tie up all the boats and trawlers. Silly me ....

Big Horn Sheep

2008-10-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to see some big horn sheep in town at Radium Hot Springs. Unfortunately, they were very camera shy so all I got are pictures of their butts.

Lovely Time

2008-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Took some time off and went on a driving holiday with my husband (the handsome guy here with me) to White Fish Lake, Montana. The journey there was such a treat. We stayed at White Fish Lake Lodge, very restful and quiet.

We dropped in at the Radium Hot Springs in B.C. on the way home. The mineral water in the hot springs did wonder for our bodies and the view from the pool was just wonderful.

Back Again

2008-10-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hi again to anyone who read my 2 days old previous blog which I deleted by mistake due to my ineptness to computer technology.

Never say die and here I am again and this time, I am not going to touch any buttons I am not familiar with to avoid the same mistake of another wipe out.

In July 2007 I registered with Etsy - again by mistake by clicking buttons and filling in blanks without knowing what I am really doing. So last month when I decided to open a shop on Etsy, I was surprised to find out that I am already registered. To begin with, I stock my shop with 4 prints from my original paintings and I was really delighted to have made my first sale in the first few days. Then I stock my shop with 4 originals and they too were gone in a few days. I am very grateful to these customers for helping me to kick start my Etsy shop. My shop is still scantily stocked but I am working at adding more orignals and prints to it.

Do you like the Green Tree painting above? The quote is from a Chinese proverb - Keep a green tree in your heart and a singing bird will come. A reminder to always keep something good and alive in your heart so you can receive the better things in life.

I plan to do a free painting instruction on this painting. It is quite simple to do and very enjoyable once you know how. So keep checking back.