November 2018: A Month Honouring Great People

I was so excited to be heading to Toronto in the beginning of November to visit and sketch at the Royal Winter Fair, but when I showed up at Exhibition Place, I discovered that the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees IATSE Local 58 stage technicians were still being locked out and I refused to cross their picket line and I sketched them instead.

They really appreciated the support and my sketch was well received on social media. 

IATSE 58 Members on the picket line at Exhibition Place, Toronto

Painting & Sketching In A World Where There Are Octobers

October is a favourite month of mine. The colours of the trees changing, birds migrating, sweaters needed and hats and mittens taken out of storage. Here is a brief summary of some of my October art encounters and activities.

Artist Talk

I love exploring new art techniques and learning about and meeting other artists. One "artist encounter" that I enjoyed in the month of October was an artist talk given by Brian Turner  at the general meeting of ArtEast in Orleans. Brian works in watercolour and he also teaches an 8 week watercolor class through the Kanata Art Club website for details (www.artforall.ca)

Brian Turner gave an artist talk on composition at the ArtEast General Meeting

The DRAW 2018 October Exhibition & November Soirée

The Dumoine River Art For Wilderness (DRAW) art retreat took place on the Dumoine River in Quebec this past August.

In October 2018, on Thanksgiving weekend, the Canadian Park and Wilderness (Ottawa Valley chapter known as CPAWS-OV). held an Exhibition (October 5-8) in Bristol, Quebec

In November 2018, art donated by the artists will be sold by silent auction at the Ottawa Art Gallery and the proceeds will be used to protect the magnificent Dumoine River in Quebec

DRAW Exhibit: October 2018

Making Art Inspired by the Dumoine River

I previously blogged about the art retreat that I had been selected to attend that was organized by the Canadian Park and Wilderness (Ottawa Valley chapter known as CPAWS-OV). The retreat is called the Dumoine River Art For Wilderness (DRAW) and it took place on the Dumoine River in Quebec this past August.

Group photo taken at the Moore Farm in Gatineau, Qc. at the June DRAW2018 Meet and Greet

Where Did August Go?

Where did the summer go?

My Summer Plein Air Painting & Sketching Adventures

I am feeling so grateful to have spent the last four weeks urban sketching and plein air painting with other local artists.

Summer 2018: 60 Minutes to Better Painting?

My quick sketch of "The Turning Point"
Block Sketching 1: Ottawa Urban Sketchers

Dumoine River Art For Wilderness Retreat 2018

I am delighted to announce that I have been selected to attend the 2nd annual Dumoine River Art For Wilderness Retreat in Quebec this August.

The Ottawa Urban Sketchers

In 2015, when I was in New York city with my daughter, I spent the day sketching with the NYC urban sketching group and after I had returned home to Ottawa, (and with the encouragement and coaching of Mark Leibowitz), I started the process of establishing an official chapter of the International Urban Sketchers group in Ottawa.

The application process began in 2015 but the Ottawa Urban Sketchers chapter became "official" in January 2016.

The Ottawa Urban Sketchers Chapter

2018: Taking Stock

With the weather in Ottawa finally warming and LOTS of new, exciting, and inspiring art events kicking off (see links below), 

I've been taking stock.

My Mexico 2017 palette recently decommissioned