A painting a day workshop

Liz Wiltzen inspired a group of us to paint a "still life day".... who knew that fruits and vegetables could be so inspiring?

it is all about the light.. the shadows, the reflected light... the highlights!

 the key is to look first for simple abstract shapes .  Working with a limited pallette was the first exercise

 

first a limited pallette

                                             then the full meal deal as shown above... then if that
                                             wasnt challenging enough... the next "challenge": to
                                             paint in ten abstract shapes AND use 50 strokes or less!

                                             shopping expertise comes in handy:  how to save paint
                                              strokes is just like shopping for "bargains".... CONSERVE
                                              and RESTRAIN....  load up the brush to "stretch" your dollars
                                              and load more than one colour to stretch your strokes!  FUN..

                                              this was the result below

                                          at the end of the weekend... a happy bunch below..
                                           instructor Liz our "hero"  bottom row.. third from the right

                                           GO TEAM!

road trip to Alberta - GO BIG or go home

In late september four of us whistler folks made the trek to alberta just outside of Calgary to Canmore to paint at the River Rock Studio with instructor Brian Atyeo and host Ursula Reynolds.

painting in a group, meeting new artists, exposed to new techniques.. it was all a blast

"GO BIG or GO HOME" as they say... we painted LARGE and LARGER... I havent painted on large canvases ( 24 x 36 and 30 x 36) for a very long time so it was fun...

Painted my favourite mountains and lakes landscapes,

But for a change flowers were very fun...


 and for a total change of pace  ABSTRACTS....  colour colour and more colour!!

can't wait to return for more inspiration

a tribute to my late mom- artist Lillian Gulka

One year ago today my mom passed away suddenly following an art workshop we took together on gabriola island as pictured below

 

 

 

 

Her memoriam in today's  Thunder Bay newspaper reads:

 

 

Beloved wife, sister, mom, "chocha" "baba" and friend

 

                                      We remember her zest for life,
                                         her laughter, her smile,
                                            her warm embrace,
                                            her encouragement,
                                               her friendship
                                                and her love.

We are truly blessed to have had such a wonderful person touch our lives and our hearts

with much love Walter, Lianne, Leslie, Larissa, Carl, Will and Marko



my special art tribute to my mom is provided below

Lillian Gulka Art Tribute

We miss my mom terribly and this last week of painting on Saltspring Island brought back many great memories.  

Over this past year I am so grateful for everyone's support in helping us cope with our tremendous loss.   Thank you.





                

Just back from Saltspring Island - more "plein airing" at the FCA annual workshop

I'm just back from a week of plein air with a fabulous group of instructors and artists on beautiful saltspring island. 

Perfect weather, great instruction, tough mental work,  and great friends made for an enjoyable but intense week.

My friend Carol and I trooped around the island winning the award for "most gear in tow" ( this is jusy my pile would you believe?)

from wineries to farms with wild turkeys to beach settings enjoyed by the likes of Bob Hope, the scenery was stunning and most inspiring - our whistler crowd of susie, andrea and sue completed our team!

 

We spent one day with each of four instructors:  John Salminen, Steven Quiller, Liz Wiltzen and Carla O'Connor - lots of group demonstrations and "drills"

 

One exercise from Liz Wiltzen was ten shapes and only 50 strokes for one painting - here is my effort of a barnyard and field scene

 

 

 

Ruckles Park was a highlight complete with wild turkeys, sheep and a great beach... below a scene I painted and then a few preliminary results

 

then further south on the island near fulford harbour: just gorgeous with resident seals and whales

 

 

 

 

our smiles say it all... ( and this was the winery after all!) an unusual format for a workshop with different media and rotating instructors  - next year is in my backyard at  whistler... whoo hoo

 

in plein air - "expect the unexpected" and "go with the flow"  : this wild turkey was practically in my lap watching Steven Quiller demonstrate

 

 

 

 

A new september show - Disappearing into the Landscape at MY Place - Whistler

I am part of a group of 6 artists featured at millenium Place in whistler for the month of september - we were all participants in the whistler art workshops on the lake ( and plein air on the mountain) this summer  - an esteemed group of artists! 

On the show poster below can you tell this is my mountain scene top left: cruising over to 7th Heaven?

some of my pieces in middle ( top picture) and middle 8 above in thin frames - drop by millenium place any time until the 27th to see what our whistler artists are up to...

Plein Air painting with Brent Lynch - battling the elements

August in whistler is beautiful - it was amazing to take in the scenery "en plein air" in a workshop with Brent Lynch.  He is a master of design and colour! very inspiring

We painted outside  battling the elements... wind, extreme heat, blown over easels, fast drying paint - we had it all but it sure was fun

painting in front of the masses was interesting - the biggest compliment: when four year old children tell you how beautiful your work is!

stunning stunning scenery - particularly at the top of whistler mountain

a few of my plein-air works from the spit at Nicklaus North and the top of Whistler Mountain from the top of the Emerald Express  -

An Ode to Van Gogh - Inspiration from Ottawa

Visiting Muskoka this summer I had the opportunity to see a Van Gogh exhibit at the Museum of National Art in Ottawa... I was so enthralled I went back twice!!  inspired by his still lifes, and "up close" textural work, I painted some gladiolas at the cottage.

Whistler Art Walk 2012 - Whistler Real Estate Co "resident artist" June 15th to September

Thanks to encouragement from realtor Carolyn Hill and Whistler Real Estate owner Pat Kelly my work is being featured in their office... a fabulous place to display art... I am very grateful for their support ! Art Walk  runs through September with an opening reception July 5th...

I have 12 pieces in the WREC office, and will have an additional four smaller pieces at Millenium Place ... the show "Alpine Meditation" is all set up now...and I am donating all proceeds to Women's Cardiac Research at St Pauls Hospital in honour of my mom, and to the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada where I volunteer as co-chair of the Consumer Advisory Board.

My good friend Carolyn surprised me on our "girls' only" golf weekend recently and held a "surprise" champagne reception for me after hours at the office... how special!




Below in the reception area:  Alpine Meditation, Stillness, One Fine Day and Alpine Majesty I

Below:  Exhilaration at Elevation , and below that... Contemplation, and  Abundance

I also have four smaller pieces at Millenium Place...

Looking forward to celebrating all of Whistler's  great art and artists... should be fun!

Our second annual "art retreat" at whistler

last week eight of us collected at my place at whistler for an inspired three days of painting, eating, socializing, eating, drinking wine , painting and more eating.....

the "janice robertson alumni" group came up once again  for a very fun session... inclement weather so we converted the garage into an art studio... skis, tires, and all!

our great gang!

we all just painted away working on different things... I polished this older "glacier" piece...

and started another Blackcomb hiking piece...

just for something different... a few of us set up an orange gerber still life arrangement and did a quick study : what fun to see everyone's different take.... mine is on the far right below...  who knew that a blue tarp could drive such a composition!

great conversation, great company and great inspiration...we are vowing to paint together again!

A new hanging system - AS hanging systems

a new addition to the studio courtesy of Tristan... very exciting... I have a now hanging system for works in progress ... for the equivalent of Bob Genn's "scotch" or viewing room... feet up and more analysis

I have two studio walls covered now.. simple white nylon cord blends in nicely ... with a more polished "stainless steel" equivalent in another room

brilliant

visit http://ashanging.com  - delivery was unbelievably quick

Painters at Painters weekend - the tradition continues

It was my favourite "girls" weekend at Painters Lodge at Campbell River - a great celebration of art featuring over 30 top BC artists... four of us enjoyed a fabulous weekend of companionship, art demos, art panel discussions, gallery viewing, cocktail parties, buffet brunches, dinners, great scenery and inspiration. Hundreds attend each year and Bob Wright of Oak Bay Marine Group as art patron has definitely created a special atmosphere.... "brush with the artists"...http://www.painterslodge.com/lodge/events/painters-at-painters  for details

My 10th year now, and you always learn something new....

my favourite demonstrations and panels... Brent Heighton, Janice Robertson, Phyllis Serota, Catherine Moffat and new artist Mark Heine.  It was great to reconnect with Mike and Nancy Svob too

wonderful weather on top of all that...

An inspiring workshop at Whistler with Brian Buckrell

Last week  8 of us collected in Susie Cippolla's garage for an intense workshop week with Brian Buckrell -  great company, great instruction, great environment for creativity!  new tools developed and major fun experimenting!

visit Brian Buckrell's blog for his review of our workshop experience for the "WHISTLER OUT OF BOUNDS ARTIST WORKSHOP"
http://brianbuckrell.blogspot.ca   May 20th post: Whistler Out of Bounds Artist Workshop

some of my efforts... in progress

 we all had to paint "Fissile"  as a starting exercise.. my small piece above

Brian's demo piece next... he is such an inspiration

followed by my rendition of the same scene....

two more workshop pieces in progress