When immersed in creating art time speeds up and stands still together at once. I am mindfully present and the moments stretch out, but then the hours fly by and the day is done. Art is like that. As Thomas Merton perhaps best put it, "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time."
Back when we were coming to grips with the pandemic, I had to postpone a food-safe resin cheeseboard workshop at Argyle Fine Art Gallery. We rescheduled for October. It looked a little different from past workshops, but with a few adjustments the participants were able to create some incredible cheeseboards. I recorded the tutorial and demo parts of the workshop in a YouTube video that was made available to those who had signed up to watch at home. That allowed us to gather safely for a shorter period of time to create the cheeseboards during the in-person workshop portion.
This year I worked hard to design an ornament for Made in the Maritimes that is versatile, and beautiful. It is for your Christmas tree, but also for your wall all year long. I took special care to create each mini work of art with all the detail and attention that I put into my large scale art. These have a touch of purified Nova Scotia sand incorporated. Each one is sculpted, painted, and poured onto natural pine slices and signed on the back. They have been very popular this year. I delivered the final batch for 2020 last week to Made in the Maritimes. You can see them in person, or shop online here for curbside pick up or delivery.
I also designed my ornaments for Argyle Fine Art Gallery to be versatile and visually beautiful. They are made of epoxy resin, but look like glass and capture lights on a Christmas tree as wonderfully as catching the sun in your window all year long. These are just simply too pretty to pack away for the rest of the year. See in the photos how luminous they are? You can spot more of them in the window of the gallery as seen in the photo below. There are also some of my resin/sand beachscapes available...AND a brand new series! The Golden Ocean Portal Series. There are only 6 in total; 4 with sculptural sand and drips of gold, and 2 with glossy shimmery gold resin. See available work here. Call Argyle Fine Art Gallery if interested in these unique and original pieces at 902-425-9456.
The Sand Series is an ongoing series in which I incorporate purified sand into a painting. The touch of sand enhances the texture and coastal feel. These are three new additions that are now available at Made in the Maritimes, including sand from the Bahamas, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. You can shop for them online here, or click on the photos for direct links.
Recently, Made in the Maritimes introduced me to Brandon Young of Saltwire Halifax who wrote this lovely article about my inspiration for my artwork. You can read the article here.
My new coaster design has launched at Made in the Maritimes. These ones are on wood tiles. They are sealed with 4 coats of glossy varnish and have felt dots on the backs to protect your furniture. I have had a few people tell me that they are displaying these as mini artwork. I think that's a pretty cool idea too! You can buy them online here, but there are only 50 available for 2020.
If there is one thing I learned this year, it's that you all love cheeseboards! I can't seem to make them fast enough. Here are some examples and details. I use food safe resin, so you can feel free to load them up with all the charcuterie you can eat. When I started writing this there was still 1 left, but it got scooped up just now. There will be a few more added here before Christmas. Perfect for local curbside pick up.
Last year, at the annual Preshrunk Show at Argyle Fine Art Gallery, a collector saw my tiny 4"x5" beachy resin and sand pieces. They could envision what one might look like on a much larger scale and they had just the spot for it above their dining table. This was a 5 foot x 2 foot commission artwork inspired by the Turks and Caicos. A touch of purified sand from there was added. What a statement of calm!
Here it is at home in situ at the collector's home. It was made for this space! Literally!
This hand-bound sketchbook was another commission. I can't say much about the details just yet, but here are some peeks into this special project.
During the year I painted a few works on paper. I have listed them, and a few other artworks in my online shop. You can have a look here. Shipping is on me!
The holidays are probably looking a little different this year for most of us. We can't have the gatherings that we traditionally do. Maybe we can be intentional with our time and use it as a chance to be a little extra good to ourselves and others? With my family, I plan to get out in nature, do some holiday baking and deliver it as a surprise for someone who needs a little cheer. I'll be pouring myself a cuppa and calling friends to catch up. I will probably pull out a sketchbook and do a little art practice, because it feels nice to put colour and thoughts on paper. I hope you find yourself doing the things that nurture your soul over the holidays too.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and all the best for 2021! xo
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