Who are we?

Not that I remember, but that I am

Memory, am all that has befallen

Unbroken being and knowing

Whose flow has brought me here, laden with the forgotten

Time and places, once here and now

Of those where were, from day to day

From life to life as I,

Presences of that omnipresence without end or beginning

Omniscient through our being,

That brings and takes away the unremembered living

Moments of joy and wisdom, the once-familiar

Rooms and temples and fountains, the long ago gardens

Of a thousand summers, music once heard,

Travelling through me and on, like a wave

Of sound, a gleam

Irrecapturable. And who we are

Who gather each one leaf, one life of the myriadfold tree

Of the lost domain, and mourn

The flowing away of all we never were, or knew?

Promises, messages reach us, instruct us,

The untold, untellable, undying

Heart’s desire, resonance

Of elsewhere, once, some day, forever

Kathleen Raine

August, Remains of the Day, oil on canvas, 18x24in, 2011

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Greenbelt Harvest Picnic

Harvest 1, encaustic on panel, 8x11in, 2011

I have finally recuperated from Saturday’s outdoor Greenbelt Harvest Picnic, and, exhausting as it was, it was also F#-ing BRILLIANT!!! My only regret is that I didn’t get any photos of my set up. 

The location couldn’t get any better, as the visual artists were exhibiting right beside the stage!!!!!

Thousands of people attended and the music line-up was fabulous, with performances by Canada’s Sarah Harmer, Gord Downie (Tragically Hip), Daniel Lanois and others.

Sarah Harmer

The highlights were EmmyLou Harris and Ray Lamontagne. I had not heard of him - and by the time he came on we were starting to pack up the tent-but when his band started to play and this absolutely powerful, sensitive raspy voice started to sing, I floated to the edge of the stage and stood there mesmerized for song after song after song....

Yolanda's Garlic, acrylic on canvas, 30x30in, sold

There was a large area with farmers’ booths chock full of fresh, regional produce as well as baked goods-it was so refreshing NOT to see the usual vending trucks with their processed foods.

Harvest 2, encaustic on panel, 8x11in, 2011

                            

Harvest 3, encaustic on panel, 8x11in, 2011

Lanois wants to make this an annual event and I am hoping to be a part of this next year. There was a fabulous response to all of the artists' work that was juried into this show and I am so very pleased to have participated in this inaugural art/

/music/ farming event. (it was a long day though-set up at 8AM and by the time we tore down and left it was after midnight!)

Daniel Lanois & EmmyLou Harris

a time for every purpose (under the sun)

This is another painting that I began last August and it is another that I purposely waited to resume until this August.

It is under-painted with oil and cold wax because in subsequent applications I wanted to manipulate and draw into it. In order to build  dimension with impasto I also enjoyed working into the waxed surface with a large painting knife.

August, Remains of the Day

oil/cold wax on canvas

30x30in, 2011

available

 I’ve made a conscious effort to assess and resume work that I’ve put away for long periods, sometimes because at the time I was ‘hitting a wall’ and feeling lost, or others, like the one above, simply because now the time is right.

in progress

I enjoy it when other artists post their works in progress so thought I'd share mine.

This is the path behind my studio that leads into my beloved painting mecca. Right now it is chock full of August--goldenrod, dried grasses and fruit that are trying their best to emerge from unkempt  trees.

Yesterday was so lovely re light and temperature as the humidity was taking a hiatus.

August, in progress, 24x36in, oil on canvas

I think I more session might tie everything together but I like the composition and movement thus far. I just have to wait for a day with the same weather & light to continue. !

Rendezvous with Queen Ann

I had started this painting last August and did not have time in that same month to complete it. Driven by the seasons I don’t like to resume a painting at a different time i.e. I could never paint summer when snow is flying outside. well. Having said that, sometimes I do-just to warm me up and keep my memory sharp(:0

The days here this August, with the atmosphere overcast and heavy, inspired me to resume ‘August with Queen Ann’. I am always struck by the patterns and shapes that wild flowers make and lucky for me, these vineyards have been left ‘un weeded’

August with Queen Ann

acrylic on canvas

36x48in, 2011

available

The intention was to build the work with an acrylic under painting.  Although I made preliminary sketches I knew there would be compositional challenges. Acrylic, for me, is a little easier to work with until I get the underlying structure and pallet sorted-especially on a large surface.

I kept going with it though as I enjoyed working thin and with glazes. Also since my studio has been boiling hot with all of this humidity (miss my big shady tree) painting with lots of water and a spritzer felt a wee bit cooler. The downside of working with acrylic in hot humidity is that it does not completely cure-especially if you use it with a medium.  Because it is a polymer and really works like glue, in the humidity it can adhere to itself rather than the substrate you’re working on.

I had to use my blowdryer a LOT to thoroughly dry the work between layers. Hence contradicting my ‘keeping cool’ theory…

below is another rendezvous with Queen Ann ...

August,  Morning with Queen Ann 

acrylic on canvas, 12x24in, 2009

sold