the iceberg

There's an interview with me up on The Iceberg today. Thanks to Aldrin for doing such a nice job of it!

return from Killarney

We had a wonderful time at Killarney Provincial Park - it was everything we had hoped for. I only wish we could have stayed for more than four nights. We had mostly great weather, a perfect campsite, did the best hikes ever, and took soooo many pictures - mostly of rocks. Killarney has amazing geological features, which is something that is of great interest to both Andrew and I. Between the awe inspiring views and the incredible details at our feet, there are going to have to be a few posts to cover all the beauty we saw. For now, here are a few shots Andrew took of me along the way.

home improvements

There hasn't been much action on this here old blog lately. The summer is just racing by. Lately it has been a blur of family visits, good times with friends, and lots of work. We've had some major apartment improvements courtesy of Andrew and our good friend Clayton (new bookshelf - details below), and my Dad (while visiting last weekend, he installed new ceiling lights for us in the dining room and bedroom - replacing the hideous fixtures that have been tormenting us for the last three years. Thanks Dad!).

This bookshelf has transformed our living room. All these books used to sit on the floor, in a long line at the base of the wall, curling around into the dining room, collecting dust bunnies. Now our living room feels like a library (there are several other full bookshelves in addition to this). Andrew and Clayton made it using reclaimed wood that Clayton acquired from an old mansion in Rosedale. The wood itself is spectacular. So thick, heavy and rich, with beautiful grain. They planed the surfaces smooth and did a decorative paint effect on the rough edges of the boards. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when Andrew described it to me as several colours of spray paint randomly stenciled onto the wood and partially sanded off. I tend to prefer more minimal and natural surfaces on furniture, and to get my colour dose from textiles and artwork. But once I saw the results I was totally won over. I think it looks amazing, especially full of books. I love how the colours of the books themselves play off the subtle colours on the shelf edges.

Our place feels so much better with all these improvements, and it's good timing, since I'll be locked in the house working furiously to finish my paintings before we go camping (!!!) in a couple of weeks.

melting

Oh man, it's hot in Toronto right now. I spent most of yesterday afternoon spraying myself with the hose in the backyard. Alas, today I must accomplish something, so I am going to try to finish this painting of fluorite. I love this specimen. The colour zoning inside (the stripes of green and violet) is so neat. This is the second fluorite specimen I am painting for my show. Fluorite is so frosty and matte compared to most of the other minerals I have painted, which have tended to be very shiny, crisp and clear. This specimen in particular looks very cool and icy, which makes for a strange sensation: staring something that looks so cold, while feeling so hot.

Oh yeah, and... kitten! (not mine :( but my upstairs neighbour's) It's a bad blurry nighttime picture, but I had to share his cuteness. He is dark grey (part Russian Blue) with matching dark grey eyes and a white tip on his tail. His name is Q Tip.

summer bunnies

On Tuesday of this week I had Sonja over for another bunny photo shoot. It was super fun, and man, somehow these little guys just keep getting better and better. These are two of my favourite shots. Sonja's in town from the Yukon to present her bunnies at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition at Nathan Phillips Square this weekend. The show runs Friday through Sunday. If you are in Toronto, you should check it out! These bunnies should not be missed, and among the completely overwhelming masses of art and craft at the show, there is always plenty of inspiration and some real treasures to be found.

Plus 1 in NY

The group exhibition I will be participating in in New York opens next week at Sloan Fine Art.

The opening reception is Wednesday, July 6, from 6-8pm, and the show runs from July 7-28th.

Here is a link to the press release for the show.

It is called Plus 1. A selection of the gallery's artists were asked to each invite one artist to show along side them. The artist who chose me as his 'plus 1' is Montreal-based Brad Woodfin. I have been admiring his work for some time, and am so thrilled and honoured to be a part of this with him. His paintings are absolutely stunning! I wish I could visit NY for the opening, however I just don't have the time or funds to get there this summer. boo.

Here is the piece I made for the show, Pyrite 2, 10" x 10", oil on panel:

And here is some of Brad's incredible work (not specifically what will be in the exhibition):

Ibis, 16" × 20", oil on panel

Curlew, 8" × 10", oil on panel

Gerenuk, 12" × 9", oil on panel

web

Last weekend we went for a hike at a place we'd never been before. It was a beautiful spot, and such a relief to escape the city for an afternoon. I took many pictures, most of which turned out awful, thanks to the lovely, but much too-dim dappled light. But this series is quite magical, I think. 

iris

painting, painting, and more painting

Although you wouldn't know it from following this blog, I have been doing a lot of painting in the last bunch of months. I have wanted to keep most of it a surprise for the show in September, but here's a sneak peak of one I finished recently. The collection is coming together nicely; I have 10 pieces done now, and hope to get another 4 or so done by the end of the summer. 

A bit of exciting news: I was just invited to be part of a group exhibition in New York in July! I'm doing a new piece, which I am hoping to finish this weekend. I'll post more info about it soon.

a new view

You may have noticed my new header. Well, I'm hoping to do some more sprucing up around here, but it will likely happen in bits and pieces as I find the time to figure things out; little improvements here and there - nothing drastic. Hopefully I won't mess it all up in the process;)

backyard cat season begins

I have a new friend. This big beautiful guy was hanging out with me all afternoon while I worked in the garden. He would lounge in the shade for a bit, then come over to visit me every once in a while, check out what I was up to, get a little attention, then lumber back to the shade. What a sweetheart. I hope he keeps coming around!

roses

(top two images from David Austin Roses, bottom two images ??)

This is my new plant obsession that I alluded to in a previous post: roses. I have long been dreaming of having climbing roses in my garden. It seemed like a small step towards achieving more of a Secret Garden vibe, rather than the junky-backyard look I'm rocking now. Once I started looking into rose options seriously this spring for the first time, I got totally sucked in. There are just so many amazing varieties. I chose 4 bare root roses from Pickering Nurseries. They are (clockwise from top left) Sombreuil, Comte de Champagne, Louisa Stone, and Leverkusen. The Sombreuil and Leverkusen are climbers. The other two are bushes. I love these big pouffy old fashioned types, and round cupped petals. Basically, I like roses that look like peonies. But unlike peonies, these roses should keep blooming throughout the summer! I have always thought of roses as tricky, labour intensive plants, but as I have been learning more about them, this really doesn't seem to be the case. All the research I have done lately has also taught me how to care for the couple of climbing roses that were already in the garden, so I've finally pruned and trellised them properly for the first time. Here is a photo my mom took of me when I was planting my new babies. I'll keep you posted on their progress!

Do any of you have experience growing roses? Any tips? Favourite varieties?