…and the world weeps with you.
Month: May 2020
a bouquet with love
A bouquet today with love for my beautiful granddaughter who has broken her collarbone and who helped me with the painting over FaceTime; I couldn’t have done it without her. I can’t wait for the day when we can be together again and I can give her the biggest hug. ❤️
arrest unwarranted
On a day when I’m proud to say the mayor of Vancouver declared this will be a Day of Action Against Racism, this is America today, May 29th 2020, a day on which Omar Jimenez a black Latino CNN reporter was arrested with three other members of his team for simply doing their job. To quote the words of Marcellus in Shakespeare’s Hamlet “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”.
exploring the possibilities
“Being inspired by Turner is all about being creative and exploring the possibilities, just as he did.”
Tony Smibert.
colour harmony
“In the chart of exercises…the sketches are all quite tiny – deliberately so – because the idea is to experiment quickly, identify techniques, and move on.”
Tony Smibert on exercise in Colour Harmonies in Turner’s Apprentice.
In memory of George Floyd
and the need for a very different colour harmony.
Turner’s Apprentice
Last week I received Tony Smibert’s new book, Turner’s Apprentice, A Watercolor Masterclass and started on his watercolor exercises in the studio today.
I learnt so much from his previous two books, Tate Watercolour Manual: Lessons from the Great Masters and Painting Landscapes from your Imagination that I already know the next few weeks will be another inspiring and memorable journey. Once again I thank my dear friend and wonderful Australian artist and teacher Debi Riley for introducing Tony Smibert’s books to me.
…to be continued.
From Park Walk to Art Work
Pacific Spirit Regional Park I – 25.5.20
Four years ago I posted From Yardwork to Artwork and was honoured to have it featured as an Editor’s Pick on WordPress Discover, which I posted about in a day like no other.
Pacific Spirit Regional Park II – 25.5.20
To celebrate this special anniversary for thechangingpalettte, yesterday and today in the studio I continued to create Art Works from our daily Park Walks in the beautiful Pacific Spirit Regional Park, which as you know I have featured regularly in the last few weeks since the pandemic started with photos and paintings.
Here’s a look back at the post that WordPress Discover featured for those of you who may not have seen it.
From Yardwork to Artwork: The Photinia Story Part One May 24, 2016
Photinia I 23.05.16
Today’s post is all about learning to find beauty and inspiration in the mundane chore of yard work on a holiday Monday.
Yesterday was Victoria Day here in Canada, the perfect time to prune the photinia and clean all of its dried leaves from the studio roof and gutter.
With the concrete cleaned and swept the afternoon was free for painting and photography in the studio with a rescued photinia branch making for the perfect subject…
and a few of the trimmed branches new tools for drawing with.
Now all I had to do was put the two together. What could be better than an ink drawing of the photinia created with one of its own branches?
Well, perhaps some additional watercolor to complete the picture…
and we’re almost there…
So ended a very satisfying day turning the hard work of yard work into art work.
to be continued…
Blowin’ in the Wind
Today is Bob Dylan’s birthday. He was born on May 24,1941. He wrote Blowin’ in the Wind in 1962 with lyrics that seem as relevant today as the times they were written for.
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ’n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ’n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
The wind blowing in the Pacific Spirit Park Regional Park, Vancouver.
Happy Birthday Mr Dylan
spring tra la
A celebration to uplift us all of spring in our neighbourhood…
…and a look back six years, together with a little Gilbert and Sullivan:
Blossoms around the world May 21, 2014
Blossoms giving colour to our lives the world over.
return to venice
Venice 22.5.20
Five years ago today I was also in a Venice frame of mind.
Studio 365: Day 142 22.5.15
Venice study I 22.5.15
Painting this watercolour and ink sketch in the studio this afternoon allowed me to re-visit our magical trip to Venice in July 1999, a visit documented in a precious journal that I kept throughout our Italian travels that year.
thechangingpalette 