Paul's Trophy Trout

Paul's Trophy Trout painting is completed.

My sweetie suggested a pose with the trout painting by the fence I painted this summer, kinda like a double advertisement.

 what do you think?

does it work?

I'm pleased to note Paul exclaimed that the fish seems to come right out from the picture plane, I have to admit I've outdone myself on this one as he is right, it does project forward. I am so happy to have accomplished this. This painting was a real pleasure to work on. Paul gave me a photo of his mounted trophy fish to work from, then twice I watched Paul's fishing video at http://www.wee-hours.com  After that I viewed online underwater photography of fish to figure out movement and lighting, then researched Alberta lake plants and roughed out a sketch for approval. Once the task of painting started I went through it all again to refresh my concept and topping it off, a wee bit was learned about fish and freshwater aquatic plants during the process.

While painting I thought about the pleasant times spent in a canoe fishing Alberta lakes many years ago, and of times sitting on the wharf in BC listening to the waves lap the pilings as fisher-persons, heron and kingfishers brought in their catch.

Thanks Paul for bringing pleasant memories alive with your request to paint your Trophy Trout.

textiles art furniture

It rained all night and is snowing all day. I need to photograph a painting just completed but the tripod attachment was left in the car and the car is not here so I will have to wait till tomorrow to do that so instead I decided to snap a few images of one of my recent projects; refurbishing a rocking-chair.

For awhile I was collecting scraps of heavy material with the objective to create some pillow shams till  an alternative idea caught my eye. Cruising online I came across two designers, Hoda Baroudi and  Maria Hibri who created "Bokja Design"  these two very talented ladies created a line of refurbished furniture using varied textiles in patchwork designs to give a fresh new look to cast off furniture.

 On the left is what the original chair looks like, as we have two I need to start collecting more heavy fabric scraps to cover it as well.

 Gerald had to bring the chair downstairs so that I could cut and sew to fit, otherwise I would have not been able to create this art chair.

 I don't follow patterns when I create a large project as this. I just pin, assess, cut, stitch, cut, alter, pin,  re-assess continually till the piece takes shape. Decisions on randomness of color and fabrics are made off-the-cuff so to speak. Its all double stitched and top-stitched for durability. In all it took four full long days to complete, whew, what a process. And through it all I only had to rip out stitching twice, now thats amazing.

Initially I was going to sew the textiles to the chair but then decided for ease of cleaning to make it as a very fitted cover, so its actually two sections that can be removed plus the seat cover.

I like eclectic furnishings, art and ideas that bring out ones creativity in varied areas. 

Enjoy your day, hugs!

Jasper

I will be bouncing around a wee bit with my summer postings depending on where the images are presently stored. Our Jasper camping was a mix of wonderful and dreadful. The days were a might hot in the mountain meadows and lake shorelines, though if one were to seek the coolness in shade under the trees needle-stabbing blood-seeking mosquitoes pounced their prey. Ouch!  Mornings and dusk into the night mosquitoes were deadly; settling into bed was a nightly slap-fest, and I am not talking spousal abuse here, our poor wee van was a mess of bloody bug carcass. So during the days we took advantage of the respite from being needled and did much slow wandering scouting birds, but before I get to the birds I thought you might enjoy to see images of the event we went to Jasper to attend.

These photos are from The Nations of Jasper mini powwow in august, though this is at a public event most  shots are taken from behind to preserve the dancers privacy, especially young dancers.

 This beaded buckskin dress cape is a beautiful work of art which must entail hundreds of hours work. I know it would take me years to do that much beading. The dancer said she made a good trade, a car for the dress. That amount of beads are quite heavy, such a strong stately dancer.

Men's Fancy dancer

 Fancy Shawl dancers remind me of butterflies flitting across flower filled meadows.

 Jingle Dress dancers.

I was once told that a person may gift a jingle dress dancer and ask them to dance a prayer to help someone who needs healing.

 Traditional Women's dancing

Dancing the flags and staffs out of the arbor concluded the powwow. I have no photos of the dance-in as we had been invited to dance-in with one of our elders.

The setting sun giving one last blessing for the day.

I love how the sun's last kiss adds blush to the mountain tops.

I hope you enjoyed this tiny visual of a portion of our summer adventures. Hugs!

“For The Love of Nature” Paintings by Teresa Stieben

Tess invites you to an open house reception
& exhibition of wildlife and floral paintings
July 11 6:30-8:30 pm at the Jeff Allen Art Gallery 10831 University Ave, Strathcona Place Senior Centre. Edmonton Alberta 
for info call 780 433 5807
The exhibition runs June 29th to July 25th
Jeff Allen Gallery is open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. 

Skruff

This beautiful fella is Skruff. 

A memorial image recently completed. Skruff was a pleasure to paint.  Knowing that my artistic skills have made someone else happy by doing that which I love to do is priceless.

have a wonderful Day
Hugs!

ps, there are a couple more paintings posted, to view, click on the sandhill crane icon to the right.

Birding around Empress Alberta

I was told by a local that for the past four weeks birds were abundant as Empress is located on a main migration route. It's close to where the Red Deer River merges into the South Saskatchewan River which is an important IBA (International Bird Area).

 Puddling for nest material. Cliff Swallows are major engineers creating massive mud-daub-nest colonies under bridges. These were busy gathering mud, rolling it up in and onto their beaks. It is so amazing the variety of nests birds make by use of feet an beaks.

Though this Swallow looks similar to those above it has a deeply forked tail and does not nest in large colonies, although it does make mud nests attached to structures. Its a Barn Swallow. When I was young swallows made nests under an open shed and my Mother made sure we knew not to disturb them as she considered them "lucky" birds. My father said if a swallow flies at the forefront of your canoe it foretold a good journey.

Western Kingbird. 

One of my bird books states the Western Kingbird is not abundant in Alberta and as its the first time I have ever seen them I guess they are not abundant in the western part of the province though they sure were plentiful from Empress to Hanna. 

 Eastern Kingbird

The Eastern Kingbird on the other hand is abundant throughout the southern part of the province. Kingbirds are flycatchers notorious at retrieving bugs on the wing. 

 Lark Sparrow

This beauty was everywhere in the grasslands. It seemed once we spotted our first we then saw them often on the fence lines and posts. To our delight there were a couple that spent much time serenading each other at the campsite.

Lark Sparrows flirting on the road. Not a great shot but an interesting one taken through the vehicle window.

 Chestnut-Collard Longspur

Once an abundant bird in Alberta this species has declined as it does not survive in cultivated landscapes, it needs undisturbed prairie grasslands. I feel blessed to have seen this one an only beauty.

  Vesper Sparrow

I tend to acquire used bird books when I find them as it seems no one book gives all the birds or all the markings to look for. Recently I picked up a field guide Birds of North America and must say that the comparison charts especially for sparrows has helped greatly in identification. 

Clay-colored Sparrow

At least I think it is.

Before leaving Empress we went for a picnic down by the river and as we left the river bank four Curlew's flew overhead, of course to my dissapointment my settings were not set to capture flight shots and it all happened so fast there was no time to make changes. So can you imagine the delight when we stopped to photograph these wee bunnies

and...

up-ahead this strange large bird bird of the open range prairies and its mate obliged by being alongside the road way. Its a Long-billed Curlew, what a nice sendoff for our north-home-ward journey. The Curlew is another declining bird due habitat loss. We watched these two from the vehicle so as to enjoy the moment without flushing or rushing them off so when they did take flight I again missed the flight shots due sitting in the vehicle. Oh well, such is the nature of bird photography.

 Enough memories told for today, have a wonderful day and fill it with a smile.

Hugs!

A tail of a rattle

Gerald and I were invited to camp with friends at Empress Alberta last weekend and what a wonderful weekend it was. Good friends, good food, good times birding and not to forget a heart thumping gazelle leaping experience of almost stepping on a rattlesnake while photographing a Gray Catbird down by the river. And no, there are no photos of the rattler. Now I tell you I was keeping an eye out for snakes so was very surprised that I did not see it till after its tail rattle shook and it slithered they are so wonderfully camouflaged. My husband laughed at my sportily retreat. but my goodness this snake was thick and big, though not to sure how long it was as it slithered of into the grass while I spring-boked to the vehicle. I am no snake lover and have decide that open prairie is not the place for me, besides there are six foot Bull snakes there which they say will chase you, yuk! Noway, nadda!  Though I am not fond of snakes I do appreciate that they have their place keeping gophers in check and note, rattlers are endangered due loss of natural habitat. A photographer from the area said that rattlers will swim up onto her kayak when she is out on the river, I never knew rattlers would swim.

 The infamous Gray Catbird

 Mourning dove blends into the terrain.

Prairie flowers, it would have been lovely to see cactus in bloom but its a tad early for that.

This was a long shot on a hillside by the river so a tad soft but look at the colours, delicious combination.

 Pronghorns were few and far between, just the odd loner out in the field, second photo cropped.

Cultivated Prairie.

Next post will be some of the Prairie birds we captured.

Enjoy, have a great weekend, and share a hug!