Seeing through eyes of change.

Wow I just love having high speed internet... lol two years without and it's so great to finally get it back! I can get back to seeing what's happening in the world! I am watching all sorts of amazing videos, they are very inspiring. I love LOVE the vids by Sigur Rós. Glósóli is one of my favorite videos they created as it deals with something very interesting to me, growing up. The changes that happen, how the magic changes things are not quite as fairy tale with time. We learn there is ugliness in the world as well as beauty. I think that is such an interesting part of humanity, sitting on the verge and just learning about life. The music is quite beautiful as well, they really are experimental in that the lyrics themselves are in a non-existent language. They just create what sounds good and seems to have meaning even though there is no way to really know what they are trying to convey. Beautiful Neverland style children run through fields slowly growing in numbers and learning about firsts of life. They end at the edge of a huge cliff and .... jump off... it's so beautiful. Something to say about the courage needed to grow up. I find it so inspiring. I MUST paint more children.

I have always found that delicate age to be facinating. Before society pushes it's views onto us. Before the newness goes. I have many ideas for works dealing with that. An artist who did some facinating paintings of young girls on the verge of womanhood was Balthus( Balthasar Klossowski de Rola). I just discovered his work a few months ago but find it quite interesting. He has a very twisted sense of Alice in Wonderland that he painted into his work. Loaded with mirrors, and cats who observe the young women. The subjects he chose seem to have an innocence and yet a power that has yet to be revealed. He was also a master of light, the contrast and the delicate observation of tone he used set the atmosphere to something magical and yet harsh.

Well I must be off as I am to dine with the parent's in law this evening. We are going to the restaurant which we ate at after Ian and my wedding. It's such a cute place in the old port. Amazing Italian food and great place to take a walk after! I will tote my camera along incase I come across something eye catching. There always are things to be seen and captured :-P

Water Lillies and rainey days

:-D What a beautiful quiet day it is! A little too humid but hey, there is good energy in the air today. I was informed that today is my 4 year anniversary! 8 years together already.. times flies! Good thing family remembers these things for us! Neither of us seemed to keep good track LOL! Oh well, the main thing is we are still together and now have an excuse to celebrate with our favorite foods tonight! Pretty good in todays age to still be very much in love after 8 years! Things just get better with time, like good wine ;-)

I am sitting here with my favorite Billy Holiday songs playing, the rain is coming down in buckets, my parrot is sitting on my lap, a Caffe aux Lait at my side and an amazing water lily that I found this morning looking stunning. Things feel pretty good. Quiet and beautiful. I love rainy days! Just something about them... they have a comforting feeling.

What a beautiful gift I found this morning in a white water lily that washed up on shore along the bank of the river. It was just waiting there for me, to inspire me. I had quite a good time taking photos of it in an old basin. It's so inspiring when something like that happens really it seems like a gift from nature. I made good use and I might just have to get my sketch pad out now and see what comes out. Oh ideas ideas! gone gone and gone. Here is the lyrics to one of my favorite songs that Billy Holiday sang. Seems appropriate for today with the rain and my anniversary.

I'll Be Seeing You

I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day and through

In that small cafe
The park across the way
The children carousel
The chestnut trees
The wishing well

I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way

I'll find in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way

I'll find in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

Billowing Skirts are fun to draw!

Well I guess you can imagine I am drawing out a watercolor of a friend when we were hanging out along the Lachine canal in Montreal. Her skirt is flying around with the breeze in the photo that I am working from. Terribly good fun to paint fabric blowing.... for that matter her in general hair flipping around, certainly has the early summer atmosphere with the soft breeze and amazing sun. I am just contemplating if I should have some writing in this painting... might go then again might NOT! LOL It's difficult to say, especially it being in watercolor... the other thing I am thinking is if I want to add some pastel... eeekkk decisions decisions.. :-P Either way I am having a good drawing day FINALLY! I had been feeling a little stuck. I think there was too much to think about aside from my work.

So I am making a plan of action for my return from Gaspe. Things that need to be ironed out to make life easier. Mainly backing up some of my supplies so when I hit inspiration I can grab a panel or paper and start right away. Also supports, need more. Ah the fun stuff, not like I need a to do list online here in my supposed journal. All I mean is that things need to be corrected to make my life easier! Still have to work out my framing issues as well. Gah! So much to get done! Oh well life would be boring without.

I have been thinking about some new subjects to work on and a few different techniques. For new subjects I am thinking of doing some interesting still lives of old stuff I find. Old toys, old ceramics and glass, mirrors, bottles, mmm and yes more glass birds!! I'm also thinking of doing some works on Mylar paper to create layers. That type of paper can be really interesting, if properly used it can give you some very deep and creepy atmospheres. Anyways there are ideas in the works. MMmmm and some new models as well. Anyone interested?? ;-) I can always use a model in amidst my crazy old artifacts... nude... LOL no no that isn't a spider crawling out of my old suitcase... :-P But honestly there is so many amazing ideas I have with interesting lighting and playing textures against each other.

Well enough blabbing for now I should go and start the washes for my painting it's sitting waiting....

Weeewwhhh, Jazz Fest, retirement party done done and done!

Wow soo much going on this month! Now I am just looking forward to kicking back and relaxing a bit before our trip to Gaspe. Some time to get some art done and things tied up.

So, my mom and aunt's retirement party was a success, everyone said that they had a great time. There was quite the abundance of food :-P ok maybe a little overkill but hey! I had many yummies left to snack on for a few days. Everyone was such a help, arranging food and just extra hands to keep things running smoothly. Anyways all in all I think it was a decent send off.

Oh and we had a chance to go and walk the Jazz Fest in Montreal, though sadly it's never enough time for me. I have always loved the atmosphere at the festival, so next year I have to do double time to make up for my lack this year. I was still able to take some interesting photos and find a new musical group to discover.

The group is called DJ Dolores and Aparelhagem. Really amazing mix of sounds. They are a Brazilian group, very jazzy tone with yummy, lusty trumpets, I do have a big love affair with dirty trumpets. The website for them is : http://www.djdolores.com/ there are some clips of their music on the site. mmmmm one more for my growing collection :-)

It really is quite amazing the faces that reveal themselves in that crowd. So much that would be paintable! Amazing men with long dreads, children smiling and playing, old faces and young faces, people of every color and background. It's just so amazing and beautiful. The music is just amazing and so varied. I have discovered several groups who I have continued to listen to and follow over the past few years. Really the feeling of the fest is something so energized with creativity I am like a bee to a flower, it nurtures me and my creative spirit.