Sunday 30 December 2012

Merit badges



For the family that does not want for things, a little commendation. I made a merit badge for each person in my family.


For trying new activities: 

Running

Yoga
Wood-working

For first-time experiences:
A teaching job

A new career path
Traveling with a passport


For exceptional performance:
Most appearances in 'The Canadian Mennonite' in the family.

Most miles traveled on the Yellowhead Highway in the family.

Becoming a superb cleaner in his 80's 

Creatively working through a transition
Life time achievement award:


For 63 years of shortbread cookies.
May the cookie-press rest in peace.




Friday 21 December 2012

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Small canvas 1

You have seen this, and this

Now we have this:





A "peace barrier" was thrown up over night!

Monday 17 December 2012

Moving on involves revisiting "We must"


In September I posted about 2 projects: one completed We must.... and one beginning 26 x 24. Time passed, travel happened, Christmas preparations happened, but the painting with a beginning did not happen.   


Try as I might to get the vibe for the new painting, conceiving and discarding loads of ideas, I could not push it forward. I don't necessarily know when a painting action is right, there is always risk that the idea or execution will fail, but I try to avoid the ones that I know are clearly not right. So nothing happened. Finally I imposed a picket fence on the beginning painting. Then nothing. 

In doing some shifting around for Christmas, I moved We Must.... When I walked past it in its new location I knew that what was bogging down where I was trying to go was too much happening in the one before: We must ..... was too full and busy. Something was lost because too much was there. My intention when I started the frame part was to just have enough to suggest or imply it, but it was fun to do and I didn't stop until it was all there. Finally I could see that it was overwhelming the can't get around it template. Everything needed more space to breath. Here, once again is We must.....    





And here is 26 x 24, becoming: 




Friday 14 December 2012

Just Food online exhibition

In 2010, 18 artists from Canada and around the world were asked to interpret the meaning of the human right to food. I was one of 6 artists from Canada involved. The show will finish touring at the end of this year, but is now available at any time online. My 2 paintings are at the very bottom. 

Justfoodart.com

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Monday 10 December 2012

Parade....................9


2009
Acknowledging roots in their crazy splendour.





The getting-ready-to-move edition. It was time to think inside the box.   2010




A partridge in a pear..... 2011
Our new yard had 2 uberproductive pear trees.                    

Friday 7 December 2012

Parade..................8


"Take time"    2006



"Merry Christmas time"  2007



2008
In Norway, tassels on wedding clothes promise fertility. 
This paper Christmas tassel promotes fertility of gardens, ideas, etc.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Parade.................7


Both of my children were away to school. The light was in the window to guide them home. Our cat, forever watchful (and still living at 19 1/2) on the lookout.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." 
2003



2004



Homage to Gaudi. I spent a month in Spain in 2005.
Feliz Navidad

Monday 3 December 2012

Parade..................6


The year of house renovation    2000
"O hush the noise and cease the strife and hear the angels sing."



Writing off the Rural West, edited by Roger Epp and Dave Whitson published   2001

"When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendours fling."



"O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing."  2002

Friday 30 November 2012

Parade..............5


The flying frog - my turning 40 symbol     1997


"God rest ye merry"    1998


(Year of the 'Camrose Doors' poster)   "Joy abound within"    1999 

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Parade..........4


The 'hanging-on guy' (some years are like that)  1992



1993



 Angel     1994

Monday 26 November 2012

Parade .....3


Obi knot   1989


Mary and Elizabeth   1990



madonna    1991

Friday 23 November 2012

Parade....... 2


May your Christmas be merry ..... and white  1986


1987


(No_L) 1988

Thursday 22 November 2012

The Christmas 'card' parade - 1

I have always made cards. A lot of years ago my Christmas 'cards' became less card-like and more like decorations. The self-imposed rules are:
1) A design has to merit repeating about 65 times. It has to be simple enough to make many times, even given an unconventional dedication to this project.
2) It is preferable if the design has some element of 3 dimensionality.
3) It is OK if recipients have to do a little work to put a 'card' together.
4) The 'card' has to fit in a regular business-size (4 1/8" x 9 1/2") envelope and be sent flat. 

Some years there was no assembly work. One year, the red hat year, there was too much. I suspect that some ended up as a gluey mess in the trash can, although no one ever admitted it. 

What will follow over the next several days is a review of the 'cards', dating back to 1983.






Warm wishes    1983




1984




Tonight earth is blended with paradise   1985 

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Its here!


That's my painting on the cover. I am looking forward to reading the essays inside.




In the meantime, it looks really nice on the coffee table.

Monday 19 November 2012

Small canvases, many experiments



These little paintings have already appeared as 'Blinders', and seem to hang around the studio for experiments. What I have done is not very profound, but I wanted to see how simple little landscapes would work out, possibly for another project.