This was a challenge on Facebook to artists to post one of their pieces of art every day for 7 days. I was challenged by Judi Walker to do this. At first I was skeptical of this whole idea but then, as I started to post my artwork, I saw how rewarding it was to share my art. Also, it was a lot of fun.
Below are the pieces I posted over the 7 days. Each posting featured a picture of the piece of art and a write-up on how it came to be.
I hope you enjoy this mini-exhibition as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
Day 1. "at the water's edge" (8 0f 35)
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I went to Pangnirtung in the Canadian Arctic for a summer holiday. This is an original wood block print I created when I returned home to Montreal.
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Day 2. "the heart of the forest" #1
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I have chosen one of my original wood block monoprints from the series "heart of the forest". The tree, over one hundred years old, had fallen in a storm at Geneva Park near Orillia. The people who were removing the tree kindly cut two pieces off. Schell Lumber in Stouffville trimmed the wood in their upstairs wookshop. Then it went to Century Mill. They used a belt sander to smooth it further. They sent me to Mr. Currie, the shop teacher at Stouffville District Secondary School. He warned me that the wood could break into pieces when he put it through his machine. They survived the ordeal. Ron Pajot, my neighbour, did some fine sanding. I was ready to carve my images.
I used wood carving hand tools, and a Ryobi electric tool, to carve the images. I printed with water based printing inks on rice paper. Because it was a hardwood, the rings showed up when I printed each colour. I feel this is not only my work. I was helped by others, and the tree itself, in creating this art work. |
Day 3. "forest lair"
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"forest lair" is a series of original wood block and lino monoprints which I created. In this series I have chosen to reveal the beauty and mystery in the forests on our Oak Ridges Moraine. A forest has many layers. What is hidden in it's depths as we walk by? In "forest lair" I reveal some of these secrets. You can find how old some of the trees are by counting their growth rings revealed in the layers of the wood block prints. Squirrels and birds are are there as well. The crows are there with their loud cries, announcing our presence as we enter the forest. All this and more can be found in the forests on our Moraine.
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Day 4. "mystic lake"
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This watercolour is of Lake Memphremagog in the eastern townships in Quebec.This is looking south at mont Elephantus and Owl's head. I spent fourteen Augusts in a small rustic cottage (Stan Ferry Cottages) on this lake. The lake appears in many of my paintings.
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Day 5. "after the thunder"
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I have chosen a planned intuitive watercolour, "after the thunder". This is done by painting the sky, the mountains, and the water separately. I put water and drop paint into the wet. Then I put wrinkled plastic wrap on the surface and let it dry. In this painting I created the wild trees first with maskit. When it was dry I removed the plastic wrap, and the maskit. This,to me, is another painting of Lake Memphremagog. The lake is 40 kilometres (32 miles) long from Magog in the north, to Newport in the south. I LOVED the Thunderstorms on that lake in the mountains. That is what this painting is about.
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Day 6. "western brook pond"
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I have chosen a painting of a very special place in Canada, in Newfoundland. It is a painting now owned by Megan Tanner. When our daughter Kathryn moved to St. John's we went to visit this special place. As a family we went to see Western Brook Pond. It is a most powerful landscape. This is the image.
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Day 7. "moonlight birch trees"
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I have chosen a painting of trees. "moonlight birch trees" . I have painted many trees over the years. You could almost say that a tree is my symbol. I think it is nature.
Back to "moonlight birch trees. A few years ago a local artist James Bessey passed away at 90. He lived on our street in Stouffville. He created paintings of nature in beautiful ways. One of his favourite subjects was birch trees. I had never painted any birch trees. I painted three paintings to honour the life of this wonderful neighbour. This is one of those paintings. |