painting cross eyed at 4am...

Everything has been flying along smoothly in the studio these days (and nights) as I've been preparing for an upcoming show at the Bau-Xi Gallery here in Vancouver (opens August 7th, 2-4pm).

The show is going to be a big one. Lots of large paintings. Lots of paintings, period. My studio is crammed full of canvases and I'm running short on space for things to dry.

These days, I'm up at 3:45am, in the studio and painting shortly after 4, back home between 7 and 9am, then in the studio again in the late afternoon until I can't see straight anymore. This new schedule (as of July 1st), is to accommodate my partner in crime as his new whippet puppy has arrived.

*Three weeks until delivery.*

Riko prefers me to deliver the work two weeks before the show opens, as she likes to allow time for a special interest list of collectors to be able to view the pieces before they hang. But, well, I might hang on to some of the work a little longer... Seems harder and harder to let work go these past couple years. I could never breed dogs and let puppies go, like Emily Carr did.

Everything is wet and continually getting wetter. This, by far, is the most stressful time in a show's life, yet somehow this puppy (who's name is 'Easy') with some kind of magical surgical precision, seems to have very cleanly inserted me into the very quiet center of what feels like a large swirling tornado...

Walt Whitman

Matching the Couch...

For a while, there was a joke circling about making paintings to match the couch. Or for a gallery client to find "something that go's" with their decor. A joke not among artists and gallery staff... but solely among artists. "Make a painting of a couch on fire," one artist suggested.

Instead, I've chosen not to participate in the whole thing.

The strongest affirmation I've had of this belief, is having been told of a client who purchased a very large painting a few years ago. It was a two panel piece and she wanted it in her dining room. Unfortunately, the antique dining room table stood a little bit too high, and interfered with the bottom line of the piece. Instead of choosing another painting, she had the legs of the table cut down.

This is my position: own only what you love, or, what you need.

Matching the couch is a fad. What happens when the couch is out of style in half a year, and then you have to look for a new painting to match your new couch anyway... ?

...

Lately, I've been noticing that the colours in some of my paintings and colours in other things, are similar. While drying a bathing suit on the arm of my rocking chair in my studio after swimming the other day... And eating a cantaloupe while gazing at a painting I was currently working on.

Environment impacts painting. Maybe if someone lent an artist their couch for a few years... a painting would show up to match it. Although, there would probably be a lot of paint left on it as well...

The Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria

Thank you to The Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria for acknowledging me as one of 150 significant BC women artists.

http://www.bcwomenartists.ca/living25%2B.html

Two people who help me make this work... work.

Yesterday, while painting in the studio, I felt a substantial amount of gratitude for two people here in town: Kevin Head, and Stand Rath.

Kevin Head is the master mind behind Kroma Artists Acrylics, down in The Net Loft, on Granville Island. Although I work in oils, I rely heavily on Kroma's high quality gesso and Escoda brushes from Spain. Not to mention the dose of positive calm that Kevin manages to dish out every time I see him. http://www.kromaacrylics.com/sitemap.html

Stan Rath is another person I depend on. Stan builds all my stretchers, and provides me with Holbein and Kama pigments. As well as any sketch books, pens or introductions to Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun (!)

Spending long hours in the studio offers little opportunity for social interaction. I value these two people. Not only for the essentials they provide, but for their dedication and love of art, kindness and generosity of spirit they share.

Thanks Kevin.

Thanks Stan.

The new website is finally up ! Please feel free to check it out if you like. Sure is nice to be able to do things myself.

www.sheribakes.com

Looking is half the painting...