Spring post

Spring has come, albeit with snow today but at least the temperatures are allowing me to get outside and do a bit of carving.  And being a new season I decided to try something new.  I have rescued a 7 x 7x 60 fir beam  the has resided beside our house since we moved in and who knows how long before that.  I cut it in two  and found the surface rot was minimal and there were few checks in the wood.  The two pieces sat in the shop for almost a year and I finally got up the courage to try to carve in a sort of  refined chainsaw style.  I like the result but still need to finish the base and for ideas I'll take it to my art group for critique and help in finish and base design.  One of our Fri. group (Alec) is a long time carver and is always willing to help with ideas;  it's always nice to have his blunt but accurate assessment. 

My other project is still on the easel.  It is a portrait done in the pixelation style.  I think I have figured how to get a better balance for it and will work on that the next week along with the finish of the carving.

In other news, our Regin|Art show in May is starting to take shape.  We have a phenomenal cast of artists but confirming sponsors has slowed the process.  This means the planning of the adverts and printing booklets, posters etc. are behind where I would like it.  But things are moving along.  Mark May 17 on your calendar and join us at the Shumiatcher Room at the Conexus Centre of the Arts.

Our sponsors in Saskatoon are also preparing for a show on October 24 at the TCU Place.  Rather nice in that they do all the planning and ads, etc and we just move in and sell.

Next blog I'll show the finished works of owl and portrait. 

Spring Post

Well spring has sprung, sort of; it snowed today but at least the weather has warmed.  OK, so by warm I mean around 0 which has allowed me to get outside and do some carving.  Being a new season, I decided to do something new.  I have had these 7 x 7 by 28  pieces of fir beam in my shop for about a year.  The wood sat beside our house when we purchased it and had some surface rot but very little checking of the wood.  I began a carving from one of the pieces and I think things have worked out reasonably well for a first effort.  I still have not finished the sanding nor the design of the base but I like the Owl shape and style.  I will take it to my art group and have them pick it apart and ask Alec about doing the finishing.  Alec is a long time bird carver and is always willing to help.
My other project, a portrait, is still on the easel but I think I know the change I need to make to get it to the frame.

Plans for the ReginArt show in May are starting to come together, but seems to be a bit slow in finalizing the sponsorship details and therefore printing and advertising issues.  We have a phenomenal group of artists lined up so mark May 17 on your calendar and join us at the Conexus Centre of the Arts, Schumiacher Room.

The Sponsors in Saskatoon have booked TCU Place for a similar show in that city on October 24.  Having them do the organizing is really nice, all we do is set up and sell.  How great is that.

The pics are of the wood carving and the yet unfinished portrait.

NEW Ideas

Vacation is done and we have returned to an icy paradise. 

I have be doing some painting but really not much to report as most of it is sort of experimental.  trying to figure out how to create images using squares.  I kind of like the effect of pixalations on digital photographs and am trying to emulate that in paint with only some degree of success.  The photo of my attempt at a portrait of Ovide Mercrede is partially done and I think it is working but is sure hard to create small curvatures with cubes.

Am also preparing for two exciting shows coming up.  ReginArt, a group of local area artists in various art forms, are putting on a show |May 15, 16, 17 at the Conexus Centre of the Arts.  We have brought together nine of the areas best artists in eight different art forms.  Joining me, are Dale Lowe, Anna Hergert, Jackie Berting, rod and Denyse Simair, Richard Loffler, Rachel Mielke, Howard Nixon, and Val Moker.  These are world class artists and are being sponsored by Wolfund Financial Group on an exclusive first night at the Shumiachter  Room.  If you have the time and love wonderous art pieces drop in on the 17th when we are open to the public.

The other show is in Saskatoon on Oct 24th, sponsored by the Prairie Investors Group and we are trying to get the same space for a public showing on the 25th. 

I am attaching photo of my Ovide painting and on of the sculptures to be at the show in May.  WEED PLAY was part of a provincial art show called Dimensions.

Well another month has come and gone and I have been busy but I can't quite figure out what I have accomplished in terms of my art.  I have a couple of new small paintings done and by request, one new carving that is not quite finished.  We did the Reflections of Nature, Wildlife art show and competition.  Didn't put anything in the competition but set up a display booth.  My two lovely grand daughters did enter photographs in the junior competition and showed very well.  They each took home some well earned in the ribbons.

A carving of a Lynx I had in Canmore sold.  Another person came in the next day wanting the same piece so All in the Wild Gallery asked me if I would do another similar piece.  I had to find appropriate stone and did that.  The carving gave me some problems, mostly because I have not been doing much in stone lately, but after two attempts I am ready to start the fine sanding.  I'll do the fine detail once that is done and then the finish.  The pic is of it as of today.

October 14 up coming shows

The  end of summer and I have been most remiss in doing this blog thing.  For those of you who know of the health issues that hit me two years ago and threatened to cut my carving career short I would like to say I have returned to the world of stone and dust.  For how long I am not sure but I have done a few small carvings and am still marketing those along with the paintings that I have done in the duration.  Hopefully I can continue both art forms in the future.

Just to let everyone know that I will be doing Reflections of Nature Wildlife Art Show in Saskatoons, Prairieland Park;  October 25-27 followed by Wintergreen in Regina Centre of the Arts: November 15-17 and Sundog in Saskatoons, Credit Union Centre: November 29, 30 & December 1.  That will close out a very quiet year.

I will probably follow the same pattern next year with a spring REGINART show .  The latter is an artist organised show we did for the first time this spring at the Regina Delta to excellent reviews.

I am also taking a painting class on doing prairie skys next week so that I can improve my technique and get to meet some other Regina artists besides my Oldtimers Friday drop in at the Balkwell Centre.  below are examples of the small carvings done recently.  The first is a soapstone otter and the latter an alabaster polar bear on soapstone base.  These are about six inches long with the bears base representing icy water and that being about 9 inches long.

Well that is it for now but try to drop into one of the sales if you can and catch the reality not relayed by the photos.

After the TRIP

My latest small carvings,  for scale reference these are about the size of my hand.  I have concentrated on smaller pieces for the up coming fall sales.  Reflections of Nature in Saskatoon on Oct. 25-27;  Wintergreen in Regina on Nov. 15-17 and Sundog in Saskatoon  Nov. 29-Dec. 1.  If you are in those areas during those dates be sure to drop in and see the new art works.

The recent trip to Yukon/Alaska/Haida Gwaii/ Vancouver Island/Fernie/Waterton  was a great trip and we brought back many photos of some great places.  The highlites for me were Dawson Cityand the Alaska coastal communities especially Sitka and Petersberg; and Haida Gwaii.  But the entire trip was absolutely fabulous.We live in such a great and beautiful country with such a diverse wonderful population, we really should take better care of our world so everyone gets to enjoy it.  Hopefully I can develop some paintings from all of the stunning things we have seen along the way.

We are off to Alaska and rather than drag the trailer we have modded the old Honda van.  A friend of my son put a raise bed in his and so after seeing his design we added a few ideas of our own.  7 feet of 5/8 plywood cut into three sections and hinged.  The knobs on the end underside are to hold the abs legs.

The backseat is removed to give the depth needed to hold the electric cooler and large items

.The whole seven feet of platform is 12 inches higher than the middle section of floor held up in the center by plywood on edge and the ABS legs made to level the two hinged ends.  this gives enough room to carry an extra spare tire and suitcase etc.

 

 

We also made screens for the rear window so that we can get ventilation without insects, we hope.

So now we have to try this whole thing out and hopefully it works the way it is planned and the van lasts the trip.  Oh by the way I plan to paint while on the trip.  Next blog ???