Back In the Studio

The past weekend was warm enough that I could work in my unheated studio. It was glorious to be back in there and able to get into painting again. But first I did a bit of house-cleaning, which is necessary after everything has been sitting for 5 months. I found some old work as I was dusting and vacuuming. I don't usually do landscapes, and this is one of the few exceptions. It is an oil painting, not very big (11x14), showing scenery typical of where I live in the country.

I did this painting at the same time, about 3 or 4 years ago. This is a field not far from my place. I like it because of the ghost of a road that pulls your eye into the space. However, this painting and the one above are my only attempts to do scenary and I decided it was not really my thing.   

I also found this little (5x7) chalk pastel drawing that I had done last year. Much more typical of my work.

And here is a view of my studio after I had finished cleaning and was starting to work, with my easel on the left and my drawing table on the right. This used to be Peter's sculpure studio but I had it fixed up and re-built last year so I could work in it. Don't you think it's fabulous? So light and airy and inviting.

Ah, Spring! Time to Clean Up the Mess in the Garden!

This weekend was perfect for that all-important spring ritual - cleaning up the mess in the garden. The snow was finally gone and it was warm, so I put on my wellies, gathered various tools, and faced the bleak, brown clutter of dead vegetation in my three flower gardens. Looks awful, doesn't ii? Nothing to do but get in there and start pulling and cutting and raking.

I filled up my wheelbarrow several times and hauled loads of dead vegetation and weeds down to my firepit to burn in a good roaring fire. Another spring ritual!

And here is my reward. I uncovered these pretty little crocuses that were hidden under the mess of stuff. They were just coming up. My first flowers of the spring! And as I yanked and raked and pulled, I found dozens more little plants just starting to emerge - the tender green tips of tulips and daffodils and perennials. All very exciting!

I had to stop because it was getting late - also, my poor hands were all scratched and sore. But just before I quit for the day, I put this copper sculpture back in place. This is a very special piece for me because it was made by my late husband, Peter. Actually, we collaborated on it. I drew the outline of the cat and flower, and Peter cut it out of copper and welded it to a piece of pipe. We made it as a marker for a cat we had had for many years. She died and we buried her in the flower garden and put this marker over her grave. Her name was Titi, and she used to love to sit in the garden and look at the flowers. About a month ago, I noticed Titi's marker had fallen over but I couldn't fix it because the ground was too frozen. It felt good to put it back in place this weekend - a final touch to set things right in the garden. 

The things one finds on the sidewalk!

On my way home after work, I walked past one of my favourite galleries, Lafreniere & Pai. In particular, I love their sign, which sits in a welded metal cone-shaped sculpture on wheels on the sidewalk in front of the gallery. But today, there was something extra stuck into the sculpture/sign.  

It was a wooden chair-shaped thing-ie. At first, I thought that it wasn't supposed to be there, that someone had stuck it there as a joke. But when I looked in the window of the gallery, I saw hundreds of miniature versions of this chair form, about 6 inches high, all part of the current exhibition. So it was there on purpose.  

Down the street I found this wonderful display of mats, the kind you are supposed to put outside to wipe your shoes on. But they were so colourful and had such great designs. I couldn't imagine intentionally getting them dirty. And there they were, all lined up on the sidewalk in front of the store.

As I looked at them, I had this terrible urge to.....well, you know! To run down the length of them. They just looked so inviting, all laid out like that. But I took a deep breath and walked away. I wonder if other people have had the same feeling. I wonder if anyone has ever given in to the urge!

Bright-coloured things in store windows

This can be a rather dull time of year until the grass turns green and the leaves come out and the flowers bloom. But there are always lots of bright things to look at in store windows. I saw these wild sunglasses in a store in the Byward Market the other day and just had to take a picture of them. Love the guitar sunglasses!

Aren't the skull glasses great? But the beer steins are pretty cool too.

Just down the street, there was another store with some strange critters in the window. Very bright, though, whatever they are.

Finally, I passed by one of my favourite stores in the Market -- a wonderful greeting card and wrapping paper and stationary store called Paper-Papier. It had this brightly coloured display of stuff for a children's birthday party in the window. I like the way the bunny is peeking over the cupcakes.

Mellos

One of the treasures of the Byward Market in Ottawa is Mellos, the best place around for a great breakfast. It has this wonderful funky sign out front.  

It is just a little hole-in-the-wall place. Inside, there is a long counter with stools and some booths on the other side. You walk in and the 200-lb waitress says "Coffee?" and slaps a cup down in front of you. Then you watch while the short-order cook fries up bacon and eggs and sausage and homefries on a massive grill behind the counter. It's like being in an Edward Hopper painting. Mellos is very popular and usually crowded, with everyone from construction workers to university profs.  

In February, I happened to be in Mellos having breakfast when 4 guys sitting in a booth near me suddenly started singing barbershop quartets. I talked to them later and they told me they were practicing for a couple of performances coming up. They were wonderful, and everyone in Mellos cheered and clapped when they sang. Just before they left, they stood at the front of the restaurant and serenaded us all with one last song and I took this picture. Mellos is just that kind of place!

End of March Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)

On Saturday March 26, the Dunvegan Artist Trading Card (ATC) group had its monthly trade. This is a photocopy of the cards I made for the trade. I made them with some wonderful brightly coloured and patterned paper. I cut out little shapes and made animals and masks with them. The rabbit was my favourite.

Here are the traders in the midst of the frenzy of trading. Lots of leaning over, saying "Can I trade with you?", and then selecting the card you want.

And after the trade, the pleasure of organizing the cards you got into the plastic collector sheets. Here is one of the traders (Barb) happily arranging her cards.

The Llamas in My Neighbourhood

Today was a beautiful sunny early spring day. I decided to check out the llamas that live on a farm just down the road from my home in the country. Most of them were behind the barn but this guy was out front and seemed to be aware that I was taking pictures. He or she was sniffing the air and looking around with curiousity.  

Then he (or she) turned around and I got a better view. There is so much soft-looking wool on the front. Perhaps still his/her winter coat?

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Another llama was running toward the back of the barn. This one was darker than the other. He/she was very fast and this was the only shot I was able to take. Maybe I will go back to see them later in the spring when everything is greener. This really is a "brown" time of the year, don't you think?