Art Festivals Anyone!

Never Fails - 24x24"

It's Friday already! The weeks do fly by and summer is half over.  With August just around the corner, I'm getting ready for a couple of art fairs.  Finishing up some pieces, wiring the backs of others, touch ups where needed and all the boxing, bagging and tagging that comes with such things.

The Dooryard Art Festival gets under way August 7-10th, with the Art Market being held on Saturday the 10th, which is what I'm participating in, along with many other talented artists, crafters and vendors.  I do hope to take in some of the amazing line up of entertainment happening over the four days. Through the efforts of The River Valley Arts Alliance and volunteers, there is music, visual arts everywhere, workshops, performances, truly a creative outpouring in the town of Woodstock, NB!

"Dooryard Arts Festival is four days of music, art, theater, children's programming, open-mic storytelling, local short films, workshops, and a Saturday open-air market in downtown Woodstock, NB!

Then on the 18th, comes the 'Lake' art fair.  My husband, Jean and I got in on the action last year at the 'Golden Unicorn Art Fair' we had so much fun, he signed us up again for next year on the spot!  Len and Sarah Sherman open their farm and grounds in the lake area of Fosterville, East Grand Lake.  It's cottage country and the atmosphere at the art fair last year reflected that and more!  Sarah was kept busy providing all of us with home cooked/baked yummies will Len shared his stories and art, amazing both. If you've not heard/read of Len's adventures crossing the Northwest Passage, not for the faint of heart and something few have accomplished, do check it out,  he has stories to tell!

Can you tell I'm pretty excited for these events?  Not to mention that I get to share my booth with the wonderful photographic works of my younger sister, Kellie Graham! And of course my Grand-daughters may join in on the fun too. Family events for sure!

Alright, time for me to get back to work! But some words of wisdom from Michele Cassou:

"When the Dragon of Product has got hold of you, boredom and tiredness inevitably arise... what you think you should do is fighting with what you want to do. The appearance of boredom and tiredness is a sign that you are not listening to your intuition."  

Mixed-Media Fun

Enjoyed my Birthday weekend, especially the Ginger Bread Cake with fresh whip cream that my Mom made for me.  Can you imagine, she is 89 and still baking her girls B-Day cakes, among other things!    We are enjoying some beautiful summer time weather and I am grateful every day for air conditioning!

Finished painting these three mixed media collage pieces.  I have a few more in the collage and texturing process on the table while an idea for an abstract simmers in the background of my brain.  These are painted on wood panels and I've got to say, I love using the panels for the mixed media!  The ridged support makes all the difference when doing gel transfers as well as all the texturing, why didn't I try this sooner!

I'm back to taking pictures with my little point and shoot and missing my daughters big girl camera.  I can see I'm going to have to save up to get myself a decent camera!

NOTE: Truck photo provided by Kellie Graham Photography (Thanks Sis!)

House & open road photo provided by the talented Frances Robinson

Creative Challenges

Phew! I'm finally on the home stretch in finishing up current commissioned pieces so I can focus on creating works for up coming fairs.  I wonder does every artist need that ebb and flow between doing specific pieces for clients and the free fall of creating whatever appeals to you in the moment?

Taking on special custom pieces always feels risky to me.  I love being able to give collectors something deeply personal and special, but it does bring a level of stress with it that I don't feel when just painting for my own pleasure.  I guess that would be true of anything we might be attempting to do for another.  Always, my biggest concern is, do they have too detailed a vision of how they want it to look, and do they 'love' my style and voice in painting.  Either of these can put you in deep water when doing custom work.  So far, all my clients have been happy with the results and for that I am abundantly thankful.

Interestingly enough, as I work on these various custom pieces, I am forced often to explore and develop new ideas and ways of painting to make it work, which leads to whole new opportunities of exploration with the free flowing pieces.  Learning curves, all of it!  I've been on a major learning curve for the past four years, ever since I took up painting.

Unfortunately I can't show you the completed pieces, this is just snippets of one that looks like hammered metal, all copper, bronze and gold and with the Dorland's Wax as a finish, the look and feel is quite sumptuous.  Needless to say all that shimmer does not photograph well :-)

"I am less interested in what people profess than what they do.  What do you do every day in your life to enhance creativity and imagination? Creation is an aggregate of many small things as well as bold actions."  Shaun McNiff, Trust The Process