Emmaus Fine Art Group presents...

                         This piece is being presented this weekend in Calgary.

Star-thrower

textile 18x20 inches

To view full click on Tess'S Textile link on the right.

Have a great weekend, hugs!

The Emmaus Fine Art Group 

is proud to present a group show

"Inspiration, Motivation and Exploration"

at The House, 126 10th st NW Calgary AB

March 23-May 4 2012 

hours 9am to 10pm daily

All Welcome to an official opening

Sat afternoon march 24, 2:00-4:00pm

Artists in attendance   snacks served

finally a new painting

Billy in the Wildflowers

8x8 inch acrylic on canvas

Its been months since I have worked in paint. I became frustrated with the Art Market so took a much needed break and worked with in alternative media since last Oct. Well I am now back and in the groove. I painted two small 8x8 canvas this week but cannot share the other one till next week as I want it to be a surprise to a special person in our life, more on that next week.

Hugs, enjoy the day!

Drive around Beaverhills

We did a circle tour along the roads of Beaverhills today starting in the SE we made our way up around the N end then S again.

Just off the highway a ribbon of red caught my eye.

Very little snow left in the stubble, overall its been a pretty dry winter.

Old mud-chink log barn, things I snap when birds are elusive.

We were searching the landscape for...

this fella on the treetop. 

We noticed Snowy kept looking over his left shoulder and though I was not prepared when he lifted off he was beautiful to watch as he did a full circle turn lift off from the tree facing our direction. Generally Snowy owls tend to sit for a long time to conserve energy though I should have realized the way he kept looking over his shoulder into the field that he might be eyeing potential dinner. If I'd been thinking quicker I would have changed settings for a flight shot rather than, but its all a learning experience and makes for a wonderful adventurous day. 

Can you see him? 

Here he, or she is. I shoot with a 300m lens so this shot is greatly cropped for viewing benefit. 

We had hoped to spot a snowy owl today as we saw three last weekend, though I would think they must be moving north by now. On my wish list was the Short Eared Owl and Horned Lark, and we got lucky with a lark.

Wandering down the road they blend in so well that I wonder how many Horned lark we obliviously drove past. Earlier the lark was on me as I saw one fly into a field but no way on earth could I find it even though I had watched it land. Later watching this one scurry along the roadway I realize why they are not so easy to spot. One; they have excellent camouflage for this terrain. Two; they lower their body and sorta scurry-run with heads down.

To send us on our way home was Mr Merlin.

Hope you enjoyed the day, hugs!

One down one up

Last night the Milner Gallery exhibition came down and a few hours later we hung an exhibition at the Carrot Community Coffee House.

Hanging paintings on gridwalls in the window after the cafe patrons left.

Stop by the Carrot, you may be entertained. When we stopped in today to secure a few paintings there was open mic happening, last night there was a Slam Poetry reading which we greatly enjoyed. 

 Artsy fartsy shot of exhibition in mirror reflections.

Photographing from the street front.

Enjoy!

interview posted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6J-vAy2s4w&list=UUXc_4g5FXPtHWBD6c20XimA&index=11&feature=plcp

A most amazing talented young leader

Ta'Kaiya heralds from my neck of the woods. I have found that she is the daughter of an old classmate.


A most amazing young leader and inspirational speaker and singer. This is a must see, very moving.
http://youtu.be/d9dBrlDXVsk

In an interview Ta'Kaiya speaks of how the people were displaced from their traditional gathering grounds and that a pulp and paper mill built in Powell River caused decimation of sea and land life. I grew up there and believe this to be true. One of my aunties made a story board with shells showing the variety of shells she had gathered on the beach, I am not sure of the dates but it was when the Mill was fairly new, then when I was in high school she was asked to make another and found less than half of the original shells, they just were not to be found. Did one mill contribute to the decline of half the shell fish species in the area?

When we were young we could collect clams, mussels and oysters to eat, the sea was a generous buffet. By the time I was in my early twenties signs began appearing in areas where we collected stating the shell fish were tested and found toxic. At times there were red tide blooms which made shell fish inedible, then toxic pulp and paper waste, feces and garbage was pumped into our sea. Then add toxic "Atlantic Salmon" fish farms to the mix (if its labeled Atlantic it is toxic fish grown in small pens fed antibiotics, these fish are carrier of fish lice and disease)  Fish were never meant to be penned in small cages. These farms pollute and spread disease to wild fish, its a known fact yet fish farms still exist. Now deaths are being attributed to diseased fish. Have we gone too far? I believe so. We have destroyed at an amazing rate and must change our ways. Ta'Kaiya is a wonderful spokesperson I pray officials in government and industry would listen, really listen and take heed to what she has to say. Has it not been said that a child shall lead the way.

http://youtu.be/52Yh0oatVvA

Think about it, what effects your foods effects for body. Are you dining on man-made mutant spawn or Creations wholesome and natural foods.

Hugs and do please share Ta'Kaiya video.

Shaw cable interview and exhibitions

I was interview by Angelika from Shaw cable a week ago thursday regarding Feathers and Flash exhibition at The Gallery at Milner downtown Edmonton Library. What a wonderful interviewer, Angelika and team made me comfortable so I quite enjoyed the experience. Feathers and Flash exhibition continues till Feb 29. I was informed the interview would be posted on Shaw cable last friday then be posted online though I've not seen it posted as yet.

Feb 29 a exhibition of work different from that shown at Milner Gallery will be hung at the Carrot Community Arts Coffee House on 118Ave Edmonton. Now the decision making as to what to show and what not to show. Presently my sitting room is wall-to-wall paintings whispering, "choose me, take me"

It takes time exhibiting. First off the work need be created, then photographed which is a lengthy process of getting the lighting even and colour correct unless you have a professional set up. I find midmorning light in winter gives truer colour than later in the day which tends to yellow images, so it may take days to photograph works during the two hour window of consistent natural light. Sculptural works require a different set up than flat works, and once the image is captured its downloaded, checked and tweaked to assertion the "best" Next the lengthy process of compiling submissions which constitute a CV (a list of exhibitions, etc), bio, artist statement of which mine always changes as my work changes which means re-writes, plus the quality images on cd to the size specifications requested, plus whatever else is required. Some places may want a specific write-up about the works and inspirations for them as well as a submission sample of work to check quality. Items are placed in a large envelope, fingers crossed hoping to be accepted and dropped off or mailed. Proceed to studio to create more works till you receive the wonderful "your work is accepted to show" or the depressing "we have had so many quality submissions that we could not accept your work at this time, please do apply again"

Once a show is in the works there is deciding which pieces to exhibit, compiling the info as to title, medium, date, size, and price if for sale. Then the packing, delivering and hanging. Many shows I am in require the artist to hang the show, of which my sweetie excels. I've experienced when shows are dismantled by inexperienced people work invariably gets damaged due lack of forethought in how to properly pack items. I had a show where three paintings came back damaged due being crammed too tightly into a box one against the other with no buffer protection. The sad note is all the packing boxes were left when the show was dropped off yet when we got the works back one packing box was missing. So instead of the work returned in five boxes, they were crammed into four, ouch!
This tends to happen more often than naught, I guess I build too good of boxes as they do disappear at some point if left at a venue. There has been times where we had to scramble to acquire boxes to pick up paintings cause mine went awol even though name and "artist box" are written large and black all over them. There are many aspects to exhibiting than may be realized.

I enjoy having exhibitions as that way more people get to view and enjoy that which inspires, and when the pieces sell all the better.

Smile and a hug.