Columbia VAlley Arts Tour

Bruce and I are volunteering for the artist reception at Fairmont Hot Springs for the Columbia VAlley Tour of the Arts. The weather is breaking down as we speak but I think the artist had a good warm sunny day. Gotta go feed 'em.

One of my paintings was chosen for the passport cover and swell volunteer t-shirts. Me-likey!

A Newhouse teapot

Pauline Newhouse is a well recognized potter in the valley. She will be displaying her beautiful teapots at Pynelogs from August 8th to 21st. This is my first attempt at painting one of her teapots but i would like to do a few more for the show.

M is for mint tea

Still Painting. I have so many other projects that I want to tackle in the fall: sewing, refinishing furniture, working on genealogy, making jewelry....But first I have to get all the painting done, sigh.

L is for Low Tea

OK guys, I need your help. I need a term that starts with an "N" and has something to do with tea. I have a couple of N ideas but they are not very exciting. Your suggestions please.

And a hot tip!! I just discovered this cool website: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artistshelpingartists

Lots of good info here. Check it out.

K is for Keemun tea

Typical summer....sunny days slip by as I madly paint in my cool dark basement studio. I did spend a few lovely hours yesterday afternoon, painting on the back porch, surrounded by dogs and listening to the CBC radio. Then the mosquitoes came out. They are not that big but there are enough of them to carry me away.

Thanks to everyone who sent me feedback concerning the jasmine tea question.

Moose Mama

We were on our way to do some bush-bashing for Bruce's work and saw this duo in a little meadow. I think moose are wonderful but they must be treated with great respect as they will charge.

Check out a moose farm: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostroma_Moose_Farm

J is for Jasmine tea

I have never tried jasmine tea. Anyone have any reviews?

Red Deer Crew

Elaine, Karen, our superior model Roe, and me. Roe strove to give us great, demanding, athletic poses. I have done a little modelling in my time and can appreciate how hard he worked for us.

This was our class! The guy in the middle was our facilitator, Ross Bradley who did a great job of keeping us on track. There was no shillyshallying, we worked hard.

Our fourth classmate (Rena, I hope I have the name right) was from Prince George.

Fourteen Years

Photo taken in front of the Black Forest Restaurant where we were treated to a lovely evening. I'd like to know who did all the illustration on the location, it's very appealing.

I is for Iced Tea

You would think that in a country that has so much British influence that the people would know how to make iced tea and you would be WRONG. Canadians think that that awful sugar/lemon/tea-ish stuff in a can or (worse yet) a powder is iced tea. It's horrid.

Real iced tea is made out of tea, cooled and maybe a little sugar added (hold the lemon for me please, I don't really like lemonade). I have never been able to order iced tea north of the border and get anything but the false crap. I only have to cross the border (Eureka, Montana or Bonner's Ferry Idaho) to get the real stuff. I don't know why that is...Fortunately, I just make sun tea at home by setting a mason jar in the greenhouse until it is nicely steeped, add my sugar and iced cubes and aahhhh. I have even educated Bruce.

Another reason to like Leonard Nimoy

I just learned that Leonard Nimoy is a photographer and has produced a book, "The Full body Project".

An excerpt:

“The average American woman, according to articles I’ve read, weighs 25 percent more than the models who are showing the clothes they are being sold,” Mr. Nimoy said, ... “So, most women will not be able to look like those models. But they’re being presented with clothes, cosmetics, surgery, diet pills, diet programs, therapy, with the idea that they can aspire to look like those people. It’s a big, big industry. Billions of dollars. And the cruelest part of it is that these women are being told, ‘You don’t look right.’ ”

I personally think that all younger students should be exposed to Life Drawing. Studying and drawing the human figure in all its varieties can teach you the power and beauty of the human form and how all the advertising for otherwise is so much CRAP! Several years ago, I saw a show by grade school students (in Quebec...their attitude toward nudity is so much more natural and mature than some other cultures). The student drew a nude figure as a child, a teen, an adult and a mature person. They were some of the most powerful drawings I have ever viewed, simultaneously desensitizing the artist to the concept of nudity and teaching about the variations in the body.

Old Rosie

Old Rosie 16x16 acrylic

I have so much to do I am finding it hard to breathe. I have to get a lot more painting done. And pick some saskatoon berries before the birds find them. Anyone want to come and help?

This painting was finished just before I left for Red Deer and was sent to the "Auto show" in Cranbrook. No the best photo but I am liking the painting after it was finished.

A big shout-out and thank you to all my followers. I finally topped 50. Yeehaw!

Red Deer Life Drawings

Alabaster and old bastard sketch

A couple of friends and I just spent the week at Red Deer Summer Series, a week working with models (no instruction). We worked from 9 am to 9 pm a couple of days. We had a good facilitator and wonderful models. If you would like to see some of the sketches (35 mins. was the maximum time we had for a pose) click on the link and then click on slideshow. If this doesn't work for you let me know. These are NUDE life drawings, be warned.

https://picasaweb.google.com/pkcravens/RDSketches?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMyTnbWttd6efA&feat=directlink

Banff National Park is cool.

The Gruff Family 24x24 acrylic SOLD

Check out the link for a very cool movie based on wildlife cameras set up in Banff national Park. 4 minutes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MiVWM3SZAY

Finally...H is for....

H is for high tea 8x10 acrylic collage

Trying to get back into production. Still finishing darned classes! Beautiful summer has arrived and I am spending too much time inside, in front of a monitor...urgh. Ah well, it will be over soon. I did spend a hour or two on the back porch painting (bliss). I quite like my "working man". He could sip tea in my boudoir any time.

Happy Canada Day and Fourth of July!!!

Good Grandpa and grandkids

I am so happy to see the Canadians finally getting into the spirit of things. I used to complain because they weren't patriotic, never flew the flag, never sang the anthem but I'm here to tell you that times have changed! I know they like to stay low-key but I was thrilled to see all the red and white and spirit at the Invermere Canada Day parade.

Whenever I think I may be pushing the edge with my outfits there is always Rolf the woodcarver to show me how to really get eccentric.

This little girl is so cute she may become a painting.

My tricked out for Canada Day summer hat. We went down to the beach June 30th to watch the fireworks at dusk (11 pm) and nearly froze our tails off in the stiff breeze. Smart people were wearing their parkas!!