RECYCLING

Last week I was asked to speak about my art at Queen's Park, as part of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. CBRE Ontario had arranged as noon hour show called the "Art of Recycling Art Show", and I was one of five artists chosen to speak on my work.
                             






Four of these pieces were in my show in January to March, but the one on front of the table had not been seen except in a friend's restaurant in Rockwood, Heaven on Seven.

Except for the thread that holds it together, this mixed media painting has been made entirely with recycled materials, and the denim jeans on which it is stitched were worn by the late Ken Danby. Ken was a good friend. Together we fought and won an environmental battle that defeated a landfill proposal in the Speed River watershed. But while the river was saved, we must never become complacent about our water supply, or let our rivers become littered with garbage. 

The other things I have been doing is making 8" quilt squares, each based on a piece of music, to be made into a bed-sized quilt. This is to raise money for the Elora Festival, which will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2014. You can follow the project on www.festivalanniversaryquilt.blogspot.com. But in the meantime, here's a couple based on favourite pieces of music!

Peter and the Wolf, by Prokofiev.

The Goldberg Variations, by J.S. Bach (played by Angela Hewitt)

(We're Off to See) The Wizard of Oz

We are Siamese, (if you please!)

People Who Need People

So, do you get the idea I am having fun?! There are 75 more squares on the quilt blog, so take a look!

Painting Animals Again!

Hello, Gentle Reader,

It's been a while since I indulged in the fun of copying animals in paint. Here are a few of my recent ones - - - 

                               Cape Mountain Zebra in Evening Light, oils

                               Plains Zebra in long Grass, oils

                                Pride of Lions Resting, oils

                                Lions resting in a tree, oils

                                Leopard moving away, oils

Bluebells in Wakerley Great Wood, with 11 animals and birds. Commission, acrylics

Going Swimming, watercolour, commission for Sunrise Equestrian Centre

I think this one is my favourite. I was lucky enough to be given a colt when I was a young girl (he was a red bay, although I always secretly wanted a dapple grey like this one). We did swim together, although I was never allowed to get off him in the water, and he always had to have a bridle on. If I'd had a bucket of oats, he would have followed me into the water like this!

Still working in fibre - check out my other blog - www.festivalanniversaryquilt.blogspot.com.

See you!

Susan

Off on a New Tangent!

Hello, Dear Reader,
Once "Affairs of the Heart" was hung in the gallery, I went to Tanzania. It was part work (I took some design studies to work on) and partly holiday. The holiday part was camping in the Serengeti with my husband. We were lucky enough to be there for the migration, and it was amazing to see.

So I have been doing some painting again. Nothing ready to show you just yet, but I will show you some of the photographs that have inspired me to dust off my brushes!

First of all, how could you not love a lazing lion?

Or how about a buffalo having a mud bath?

Or a shy leopard having his lunch?

Here's something really rare - a chameleon changing colour from green to reddy brown as he crosses the road.

And who can resist baby zebras!

I love my fibre art - the texture and the semi-abstract nature of it. But who could resist getting the paints out with pics like these!

One more photo - from our camp. We really did camp - a mattress on the ground in a tent, with an outdoor latrine. But, we had our own camp manager, our own guide and driver, and our own chef. La-de-dah!

Here I am outside our dining tent - cheers until next time!

Susan

Great Opening!

Dear Reader,

The opening went really well, and four pieces are now sold! I want to do some more Shorelines, to add to the series, because #5 was one of the sales, and I do like this subject. This is what #5 looks like.

Clear Waters is also sold. Interesting that it's another water picture. Maybe something to do with the fact that my astrological sign is Cancer - one of the water signs.

Well, on to the next show! I have decided to enter Local Colour, the Grand National Quilt Show at Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener. Even though the piece I think is most appropriate to the theme isn't actually a quilt, it does have quilting elements. This is a picture of me with it, so you can see how big it is.

This piece is also in my show Affairs of the Heart. In fact it is the one that was inspired by Marjan Mozetich's violin concerto of the same name. I decided to call this piece "Hills of Wellington County."

About three weeks ago I was invited to put a piece into "Minerals", a show that will be at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto, during a show for mining prospectors in March. The other thing I love, in addition to water, is rock! And a favourite is sodalite. I love the clear ultramarine blue, and the crazy white veins of calcite. So I made this piece. 

If you look closely, you can see the embroidered outline of the prospector. And there is a piece of real sodalite in the man's back pocket.

Well, I am off to Tanzania, leaving for the airport later today. This is one of those "once in a lifetime" trips. I am lucky that I can go with my husband to Dar es Salaam, where he has meetings to attend. But before that we are going to Zanzibar! It is the Z on my alphabet list (I don't have a "bucket" list, since I don't intend to check out when I've been everywhere on my list!) And after the meetings, we are going camping in the Serengeti - I hope I see lots of big cats. Maybe my next show will be called "Out of Africa."  Hmm!

Bye for now!

THE SHOW IS READY!!

Hello dear Reader,
Well, the show is ready to put up at Greenwood Gallery in Guelph. It has been hard work, and exhilarating at the same time. Here is an invitation for you - I hope you will drop in!

There is a catalogue, and as soon as I can figure out how to get it on my website, I will. I still have to get it to the printer, so I will be back soon.

Susan!