Summer has finally arrived and we have had a streak of warm clear weather this week. Today it got up to 31C but is very dry, and a nice breeze so very tolerable. Besides, after 8 months of cold weather, I’m not about to complain at a little heat.

‘Daze’ seems to capture it too – not a lot of speed these days, but that is okay. I am taking a break from volunteering, scaling back on the intense level exercise classes, and just noodling around in the garden a lot. I am doing a yoga class instead of step, and walking outside with our group instead of aerobics. It is great. Except that I managed to trip and scrape a hand and a knee – not watching properly. I figure that it was clumsy day that day anyway – dropped my dish of yoghurt on the floor, spilled orange juice down my front while at the seminar on vines and groundcovers, and knocked over various things during the day.

Today was better.

I have a new small painting of a succulent sketched in, so ready to get working on it. Last weekend, we went out to Solar Gardens for their final open weekend. I got a few new succulents to add to my collection. I got them all reorganized and repotted, including the ones I had from overwintering. So the group has grown! I hope to use them for painting subjects during the winter. They will grow more yet, so it will be interesting to see how their colours and textures develop in the next few weeks.

I finished a third little painting, this time of a peach. I have to get some good photos of the 3 little fruit paintings. I’ll have to get out early in the morning, or wait for an overcast day. It is just too bright right now to get good photos. No rush though, so I won’t wish for cloudy weather yet.  I did do this fun photo, putting them in my old crabapple tree.

This past week was my birthday, not one ending in 5 or 0. We did go out for a very nice dinner for a change. Usually celebrations are very low key, just barely acknowledged, which is fine. It is somewhat a reflective time though. I have now outlived my mother. She died of breast cancer before her 62nd birthday. So I am very aware of how young she and my dad were when they died. My dad died just after his 63rd birthday. I certainly don’t feel old (creaky some days maybe), and in my mind I am still as curious and ready to go and try and learn as ever. I hope that it continues for a long time.

So I will just continue to enjoy these summer days, paint a little, garden a little, take some photos, write a little, read a little, a little of this and that – the way it should be.

This week I managed to do two of my little paintings and with all the great fruits in season, I thought – perfect subjects. These will be going into the August show at the Willows. I am going to have small things on hand, and I really enjoy doing these small studies. I hope to pick up some interesting subjects at the Farmers’ Market tomorrow. I am thinking that I might also be able to get some photos of the market itself to do some small paintings. I am still not very brave about sitting and sketching in public. Will have to overcome that shyness factor one of these days! Maybe if we could get a group together it would be fun. Hmmm. Something to think about – maybe one of our groups would like to do it. I’d have to check with the market management first though.

Tomorrow I am volunteering down at the Farmers’ Market for a couple of hours in the morning. This will be with the Master Gardeners group, to promote the upcoming Hort Week, the annual horticulture conference at the university that is for the community. It is always lots of fun. I think I will catch a couple of the workshops for sure, now that I know I will be in town.

We have had several days of rain finally, and I am very glad I had the chance to weed beforehand. There will be another session required, but not three days worth this time!

Well, back to general cleaning up before the day is done. Nice sun, nice breeze, nice day, finally.

I ended up being out in Vancouver for just about 2 weeks. We managed to get a lot of the medical things done, new doctor confirmed, and a test done that would otherwise have to have waited until October. Now to wait for results.

It was good to spend that time with AK, mostly just ‘hanging out’ with her, taking her to various appointments and grocery shopping. We haven’t had ‘just us’ time in many years, so it was good to just be able to spend time together, even though not under the best of circumstances. In some ways though, it was better, because no rushing around to do. In the mornings, I would head out and walk around the west end. A few days she had to do some work from home, so I went to Granville Island, to the north shore, and downtown. Mostly low key though.

I did get to have a little visit with my brother and family, but didn’t get to see my uncle and aunt as he is undergoing chemo for the cancer which has recurred. Hopefully next time, hopefully in the fall.

It took a while, but I did wind down a bit. I find that the atmosphere there is so conducive to going slower. It is still my landscape more than where I live now and always will be. I don’t know if we will ever move back to the coast, but I would like to at some point. Maybe we can start by going out for a block of time during the late winter/early spring. I just like to be near the ocean.

I did get to visit Kiff Holland and Dene Croft’s new studio in North Van. I knew it was near Opus, so one morning I took the seabus across and thought I’d just look for it. Well, walking down the hill, who should be crossing the street but Kiff. So I got a tour of the studio. A great space. They do classes and mentoring, so maybe sometime? They really do need a simple website though.

When I got home, there was lots of work in the garden. Two weeks of elm seeds! Am about 2/3 done, but today is showery, so staying inside. I hope to get back to painting soon. Lots of ideas, and a one day show and sale coming up in August. I am going to have just small paintings, plus cards and reproductions as each person will just have one table space. Should be interesting. Well, better get some stuff done, see if I need any supplies etc.  More on the show later.

Showcase of Saskatchewan Artists – Art Show and Sale, plus performances

Willows Golf and Country Club
382 Cartwright Street
Saskatoon, SK

Sat. August 21, 2009, 5 – 10:30 pm

Tomorrow I am heading out to Vancouver to spend about a week with my daughter. She is having some health problems and I am going to make myself as useful as possible. I am only glad to do what I can. Being at a distance is always frustrating when things like this happen, but at least most of the time I can get away. Getting away alone is the trick though as DH has issues with being by himself for a few days. Not being an easy traveller makes it difficult when there are other things that will take priority. It is easier for me if I know that things will be taken care of at home while I concentrate on AK. Getting away on short notice can be done for one; when both go, all those things that have to be looked after are harder to do – dog, mail, yard, plants, house etc. So will just have to be as reassuring and appreciative as I can until I leave.

Iron Mountain Movies is an Irish web site that has film shorts made by Ronan Gallagher. He is a photographer and filmmaker in western Ireland. The short film below, called ‘Spirit’ is an example of some of his work. A number of them focus on the beautiful Irish landscape. Another is a short thriller, another a film about remembering an Irish writer, John McGahern, who I do not know but intend to check out.

This is a quote from the beginning of the movie….

‘…I think we’re talking here about feelings of belonging, feelings of being a part of something, feelings of having our own ground under our feet. Ground on which we can stand, and be.’

In this film and in the one about John McGahern, there are a number of pictures and comments about the lanes. That reminded me of when I was growing up in White Rock. Also, I have recently been in contact with one of the girls I went to school with, from grade 2 through to high school graduation. We saw each other once again at our 20th high school reunion in 1989, and had not been in touch since then. So it was a great surprise to hear from K. She is in touch with three others from our class, one of whom I had known since we were about 3 years old. K reminded me of how we used to play in the woods behind the house where I and another classmate lived. As children we roamed those woods and walked the roads and lanes unhindered. As I said to K, it all seems to incredibly old-fashioned now. We walked everywhere, not having cars available. Our dads had the only car to take to work. Even as teenagers, very few of the kids had a car, mostly the ‘fast’ boys. I can’t even remember is any of the girls had their own car. I don’t think so; a few could drive their parent’s car on the weekend. I didn’t learn to drive until I was past my university years, as there was no point, or money.

The talk about the landscape, and lanes and walking in the countryside in the films sent me back to those long ago days of trails in the woods, trees overhead, wildflowers (I remember finding trilliums), berries, ferns. That kind of landscape still resonates for me, and it seems to me that is why I felt so at home in Montaigut, which had lanes and trails galore. We walked a lane every night to supper. There were little side roads and fields and trees everywhere much like when I was growing up. It also made sense as to why the prairie landscape, although beautiful in many respects, is not ‘my’ landscape. The spirit is not here for me. Whenever I go back to BC, and when I was in France both times, I feel a calmness and a settling that just does not happen here. It is very interesting to reflect on this.

This may also be why I have not been able to paint any prairie landscapes, that is, the grassland landscapes, although I have tried. There are trees here where I live, but they have all been planted in the urban landscape. Originally there were tall grasslands here. A tiny bit still exists just north of here. So no, this is not my landscape, and I won’t feel badly about not being able to capture it. My spirit just doesn’t connect with it, and that is okay.

I wonder sometimes about going to Ireland. My grandfather’s family (Dad’s side) came from there originally. I once had a woman, who was from Ireland, say to me – if you went there, you would find  many people that look like you. I thought that was such an interestingand intriguing comment. I have always thought of myself as a bit odd looking, so it would be fun to see if that is where I originate. I also wonder if there would be a strong attachment. When I went to France, I was going to a purpose, to learn about painting and art, and the place was incidental. Once there, I developed a strong attachment which surprised me as that was totally unexpected. The idea of spirit in the landscape, and landscape as spirit makes sense of it though, and I can understand it better. The Celts did come from there too, particularly around the area where we stayed, so maybe some ancient spirits were hanging about too. I don’t usually think about this much, but as the decades go by, I wonder about where I feel right and why, and conversely, where it isn’t quite right, and why.

Also, I find I can write about these sorts of thoughts, but I rarely can talk about them, not being a great talker anyway. Live too much in my head I guess, but that is the habit of most of my life and a difficult one to overcome. I have seen another book I want to read, called ‘The Book of Silence” by Sarah Maitland. The library doesn’t have it so will have to see if I can track it down. Amazon likely.

Well, have rambled on too much. I have been distracted of late, by a variety of things, and find my thoughts drifting all over.

The top one is what it looked like yesterday, and the one below is what it looks like right now, while I am taking a lunch break. It is starting to have quite an organic look to it, sort of muscular. This has given me another idea for a possible grouping of paintings, if and when I get them done – Organic, inorganic. I like this semi-abstract idea, close ups of real things. It would make an interesting complement, to take inorganic things and make them slightly organic looking, and organic things, particularly the succulents, which are somewhat mechanical looking because of their rigid and often symmetrical shapes. Something to think about.

I am hoping to get it pretty well finished today, so still some more to do on it. I see there are some more dark bits to work in, but otherwise it is getting there. This photo is a bit bright and overexposed because it is sunny out today and my little studio room has windows on both the north and west sides. Great for painting, not for photos.

I only realized a couple of days ago that tonight is the final piano recital of the season, not next week. So that will take tonight out of the picture for any further painting work. Plus my usual lesson is this afternoon. I am playing a jazz piece, ‘Portrait of Tony Bennett’ by Marian McPartland. I really have enjoyed playing it. Another something a bit different. It is good to stretch in different directions now and then.

So….back to the brushes.

I am listening to a PBS special concert of Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood – good to paint to.

The Mendel Member’s Showcase, their 5th Annual, will be held in the lower hall of the gallery from Friday June 5 to Sunday June 21 during gallery hours.

This year, there will be an opening reception for the public and artists at 8 pm, Friday, June 5.

I am submitting two pieces for the show again this year. I hope that you will have time to drop by – it is always a good show and has unfortunately been underplayed for the past couple of years. This year the Mendel seems to be making a better go at advertising.

See you there!

I wanted to try something a little different from what I usually paint, so this is going to be the first in what I hope will be a series. I am really intrigued by all the colours and shapes that you see in rusted metals, and I thought it would be interesting to do a semi-abstract set of paintings based on old rusty metal pieces. This is also the biggest piece I have ever worked on – 24 x 28 inches, so it will be getting me accustomed to working a larger scales. After the little 4 x 4 inch pieces that I did for the show this is another change.

This photo shows the underpainting, which is the orange and green shapes. I have begun the final painting from the top down, the whitish part. This is an old rusted wall I saw on one of the big sheds on Granville Island. The swirly colours and dents and loose pieces were so cool. So far it has been fun to work on something so free form. It is also quite different to work on this scale, using big brushes. I keep running out of paint because I’m not used to how much it takes for this size of canvas. Lots of learning again.

I’ll put up a few more photos as it goes along.

Heading west towards Langham, going to one of my favourite greenhouses to get some spring plants and a new shrub, it was another cold overcast day, but I decided I’d go anyway. I was one of 3 people there, so no jostling amongst the flats of flowers going on. Once on the highway, it rained a bit, but there was this little blue ‘eye’ straight ahead. I just pointed the camera out the front of the car and hoped for the best, and it worked. Yes, it is very flat in this direction. If you go east or north, you come to hilly and forested areas, but west is just flat for the most part until you hit the Rockies.

We have a frost warning for tonight, so all the plants are tucked up on the deck against the house, under a blanket. It is supposed to start heading back to normal tomorrow – we sincerely hope! I bought a new Nannyberry tree to put against the east side fence, where the new duplex townhouses are being built. They are tall with lots of windows that look directly into the yard now. So I am planting the Nannyberry to provide a bit more privacy. The old house that was there before didn’t have windows on that side, and a deck on the far side so it wasn’t a problem. Hopefully there will eventually be good neighbours – fingers crossed.

I got some new canvasses gessoed yesterday, and ground colour put on the one large one I want to use right away, plus on the 9 more tiny canvases I will work on whenever I find something interesting.

I think the post show blahs are passing now, feeling more energized and ready to tackle some new things. Plus getting out into the garden, digging, planting, so that I can enjoy that too – great.

Today I got the regular email for UBC alumni, and it had a link to the Uybbssey, the student newspaper. All issues since it began in 1918 are now on line, so I checked out the one from the first week I was at UBC, Sept 14 1965 – oh the memories. The bands that were playing frosh dances – the Shantelles, my favourite, whom I had totally forgotten. There were 3000 frosh, the biggest group ever, as we were the beginning of the baby boomers. I am going to do lots more browsing – there was a lot going on in the late 60s. Gerry Rubin came, Joan Baez, draft dodgers, anti-Vietnam demonstrations, marijuana debates, dancing, bands. Even though we were a Canadian university, being on the west coast and close to Washington state, there was a lot more north-south activity, California included, than east-west. So it will be fun to time travel.

Well, off to decide which rusty thing I am going to paint. You’ll see as it gets going.

What is it about waking up at 4 in the morning? I don’t know if it is an age thing, a random thing, an annoying thing or a useful thing. Maybe all of the above. When it happens, I know it will be a while until I can get back to sleep. I often wonder if it happens so that I have time to muse on things that have been in the back of my mind but haven’t really taken time during the day to address them. I’ll have to think about this the next time it happens. That might make it less annoying!

I am not a list maker, other than the one that is usually in my head. During the most recent 4 am stint, the thought of making actual lists – either on paper on on the computer – occurred to me. There are lots of things that need to be done, and in the end, it invariably comes down to me to get them going. So making the list, doing whatever needs doing and then getting on with whatever might reduce the edginess level could be a useful thing. So that is what I am going to start – to do lists.

Here is a beginning -

• gesso some more canvases
• pick up some more fence stain
• go to Dieter Martin’s greenhouse
• go to Costco
• call a plumber
• practice the Marion McPartland piece lots for the upcoming recital that is only 2 1/2 weeks away.

The middle three I could do in one trip. Maybe tomorrow. I like to do errands in bunches so that they are all done in one go. The last one shows that there is a deadline and recitals always have a certain level of anxiety and nervousness attached, so that is something to deal with.

The first one is obviously first in my mind as I would like to get a painting that I have been thinking about, done in the next couple of weeks, to try to submit again to an open show.

This list thing might be good. So, off to gesso the canvases, then practice piano. The others tomorrow when everythings is open again.

And then there is also the Leonard Cohen connection, Famous Blue Raincoat, which starts out – It’s 4 in the morning…. The Jennifer Warnes version on the FBR record (I have both the original record and the cd) is my favourite. Must see if there is sheet music. Put that on the list.