This is one of the early photos of the school entry after the screens were put on the openings to keep the pigeons out, but allow the swallows entry,  and the temporary door to restrict access to humans and very small creatures.

It's been a very long time since I came this blog!  Lots of things have happened since I last wrote.  Too many to completely update.
I went back to school to study Massage therapy and become certified so I could practise therapy in our town.  We had no one here and the nearest was at least 3/4 of an hour away.... if you don't speed.  Now there are two of us that practise here, which is good for everyone.
While I was studying I stopped painting and in the second year stopped singing as well.  It had been about three years since I sang in a concert for the public.  This year I also withdrew from the Perspective Art Group.  I feel there is quite enough on my plate at this time.  I need time to recuperate from study and from loss.  I worked on a few small pastel paintings after the exams were over, but Gene and I  have a huge building reno project on the go since May 2013, just before the exams.  We obtained a one room school house that was decommissioned in the early 1960's.  It had been used as a grain bin and housing for many generations of pigeons.
In May we began to work on the clean up.  Gene worked on the building and I worked on occasion with him.  I was still prepping for Massage Exams.  When I wasn't studying, or helping Gene in the schoolhouse, I was cleaning up the old wind break of trees that ran on the west and south edges of the 2 acre property.  That was my delight.  Out in the fresh air and breaking off dead branches and piling them up so they could be gathered at a future date.

Well the Perspective Art Show is over for another year.  I broke my ankle while loading the supports for transportation to the venue, the day before the Gala.  Six to eight weeks the Dr said, but I know it could have been so much worse, so I am very thankful for being spared worse.
It was another very wonderful event.... the art show, that is.  We are such a varied group, and we are always challenging ourselves to do something  different than previously.
The weather was rainy and cold but the turn-out was pretty good.  It seems the weather is always unpleasant for our chosen date, but our supporters are a great bunch and come out if at all possible.  The comments from visitors were encouraging and inspiring.  I sold two of the large paintings on burlap.  I hoped that I would sell something, so this is very encouraging.  I hope to get back to the studio in about a week to finish working on the Thai paintings and to begin more paintings of flowers on burlap.
 Here are a few photos from the Gala.

  These photos above show young ladies  modelling the hand made beaded tops... I don't know how to spell corsette... anyway they were very lovely.

These are the two paintings of mine that sold.  They are 60 x 34 acrylic on burlap.

Popp-ies not popp-ing

Worked on the poppies again.  The red is duller than I would like so I am trying out a pale green for the lighter areas on the poppies and a darker green introduced into the dark or shadow areas of the fushia coloured blooms.  I worked at home today so tomorrow I plan on getting to the studio early.

Poppies

Another late night painting because I did not get to the studio until later in the day.  Feels good to make progress though.  Hopefully I will get to the studio by 9 AM tomorrow.  I will be going away to celebrate with my grand-daughter, her 5th birthday, so if I want to get anything done tomorrow I will have to be in gear early.  Off to bed...

Here are photos of the painting I was working on today and Tuesday.

Hello Blog reader,  we were away for a couple days.... went for one night , and got storm stayed.  Yes, a spring storm, complete with blowing 80 km/h gusts and sideways big flakes.  I was unable to go online or paint so I am looking forward to the studio tomorrow.  This evening I have been looking at artists blogs and web sites.... very inspiring!

Trying A Different Approach

Two more paintings started.   I usually work on one painting at a time, but I am trying to work on several at a time now so I have more paintings done by the time the art show rolls around.  I'm not sure if any of the ones I have done for the art show are actually finished.  I plan on having them all out where I can see them and work on each of them as I see something that needs adjusting.

I had not painted in acrylics for several years and now I am getting back into it.  It seems that it will take me some time to get a system worked out to approach doing a painting.  I don’t think too hard about what colours I am going to use to start with, but I think I should plan it out so I can have colour mixed ahead of time.  Right now I start by doing the drawing in soft pastel or charcoal and then begin placing lights and darks, not always in local colour, but sometimes.  

Gene had been away for 10 days or so, so I was able to focus on the painting more than usual.  I’m glad he’s home safe, only 5 stitches, and it was fun showing him all the new work.  I am hoping I can keep up the momentum that I seem to have gained this past while in my work.  We’ll see.