NaNoWriMo 2008, We did it!

National Novel Writing Month is done for 2008 and Karen and I both completed our 50,000 words before last nights deadline. Karen finished up last week and I limped over the finishline yesterday thanks to her encouragement (it helps having a real writer in the house!). My approach was to write the minimum number of words per day and after missing three days in a row twice in the month I thought I was beat. It was a very busy month. I started two new jobs, had a solo art exhibit, two Christmas Art and Craft sales, started math tutoring at the school where I also volunteer 2 part days a week and took a Knitting for Men workshop at my friend Carol's store Wabi Sabi among othere things, so I'm glad I was able to perservere. What I didn't do was keep up on email, or blogposts. I planned to put in a few progress reports along the way and that just didn't happen, so thanks for checking in!

NaNoWriMo 2008

Karen and I are both participating in National Novel Writing month in November. Check back for further updates.

Back at the Market, Sunday Aug. 31

I'll be back at the Market this Sunday, after my hiatus during the EX. While the Ottawa Farmers' Market was relocated to Sylvia Holden Park, I enjoyed selling at other festivals and Art in the Park events. Before and after I set up, I like to check out this sculpture by Tim DesClouds, The Cows Fly Home on Sunday, situated on a pole outside the "Cattle Castle". The following poem is on the plaque below:

The Cows Fly Home on Sunday

Wind from the east, is bad for man and beast,

Wind from the south, is too hot for them both,

Wind from the north, is of very little worth,

Wind from the west, is softest and best. Old Farmer's Almanack, 1851

Summerfolk 2008

This is a new t-shirt design that debuted at Summerfolk this last weekend. Summerfolk is a festival tucked into Kelso Beach in beautiful Owen Sound on Lake Huron. We took the boys and camped right on the site, close to the stage along with all the other artisans. The weather was perfect, the music was fine and the view was majestic. We have come to know alot of fine people there, over the past 10 or so years, and the festival has definitely become a sweet spot in my summer. Thanks to all the folks who stopped in at our booth! Hope to see you again next year.

Outdoor Art in Minto Park, Sunday Aug. 24

On Sunday I'll be at this Outdoor Art event in Minto Park (Elgin at Gilmour) from noon to 8pm. Sounds like a great time with artists, musicians, drumming circle and more. Come downtown and check out some local art and music for free!

I will not be at the Market Aug. 10,17 and 24th

The Ottawa Farmers' Market is relocating to Sylvia Holden Park during the EX, and I am NOT planning to be there on the 10th, 17th and 24th of August. The Market will continue during this time with many of the Market regulars, so stop by and check out the lovely park atmosphere. Here are the details:

Strathcona Park--keep your eyes on the weather!

Well, tommorow is Art in Strathcona Park. Keep your eyes on the skies and note that they have posted a raindate for Sunday. Currently, the forcast is for rain late in the afternoon, and there are also showers forcasted for Sunday, so...? I suspect that unless it is pouring rain first thing in the morning, that they will go ahead with it on Sat. I am usually set up at the Somerset st. end of the park, on the path not far from the parking area.

Postponed until Sunday: Urban Art in Minto Park/No Market for Me this week

For anyone planning to attend the Urban Art at Minto Park show tomorrow (Sat. July 26), it has been postponed until Sunday. Because of the probability of rain, the show organizers have opted to enact the advertised raindate, which is Sunday. Therefore, Market customers, I will not be at the Ottawa Farmers' Market Sunday, because I will be at Minto Park at Elgin and Gilmour, 10am until 7pm.

Urban Art at Minto Park/Farmers' Market

Just a reminder that I will not be at the Ottawa Farmers' Market this Sunday (july 20th), but I will be returning the following week-July 27. My booth partner Katie, a.k.a Out of My Mind will also be absent from the Market this week. It will be business as usual at the Market after the Implosion at Frank Clair Stadium. This should be over with by 9 am. For an unforgettable Market Experience, why not stop by early, watch the dang thing blow up good, then grab yourself breakfast at the food tent and pick up your meat, baking and veggies on the way out?

On Saturday July 26th I will be at Urban Art in Minto Park, where I will be selling t-shirts as well as artwork .This is a great place to view the work of local artists and craftspeople right in the heart of Ottawa at Elgin and Gilmour streets.

Implosion at Lansdowne

Just a note to my Ottawa Farmers Market customers: I will not be at the Market this Sunday, July 20th. They will be imploding part of the south-side stands at the stadium, so there will be road closures before 9 am. The Market will be open to customers, but not before 9 am, and after that it should be business as usual. See you back at the Market on July 27th! For more information about the Ottawa Farmer's Market, you can check out the website at ottawafarmersmarket.ca.

Market Day

It started out as a beautiful sunny day at the Ottawa Farmer's Market. It seemed that the weather forcasters had erred once again and the possibility of thundershowers were behind us. But at about two o'clock, with very little warning, the skies darkened and before we knew it the wind picked up and the rain poured down. After 20 minutes the first onslaught was over. This tent didn't make it. Everyone took advantage of the burst of sunshine to pack up, but before we left the rain came again and it was hard to see while driving home.

Dreaming about Canoeing

This fine warm weather has really got me thinking about canoeing. Here are two pieces which I had on display at the Glebe's annual Art in the Park last weekend.

Illustration Friday: Worry

To enlarge, click on image

Illustration Friday: Electricity

Click on image to enlarge.

Illustration Friday: Seed

Click to enlarge

Vernissage Today!

Welcome to the Gretchen Memorial Gallery (in honour of our dearly departed Kitty)

Well, the boys have been home from school for the last couple of days with sore throats. I took them with me to the gallery yesterday to drop off my work and they were inspired by all the monkey pictures there. When we got home they both did a couple of paintings, then this morning they painted another 23. That's right, twenty-three more paintings. We had so much work we decided to put on a show.

Artists

Here are the artists on the left. This portrait was done by Monsieur B., who is 7 and in grade 2. The artist on the right is Monsieur L, who is 5 and is in kindergarten.

Food

Since it was lunchtime, we decided to serve food at our event. Carrot sticks, celery, cheesy pita chips and guacamole were the order of the day. Beverages were pineapple juice with just a hint of echinacea (shhh!).

Music The Yodeling Song from the Little Cowboys cd, with the player set on repeat.

Guests

We were honoured by the presence of Miss Chloe, who despite her faint air of nonchalance, was clearly ecstatic to be present.

The Artwork

The work in the show was quite varied, although all pieces were executed with watercolour in combination with crayon, pencil or sharpie. While there is great diversity in the work, it can be grouped into several distinct categories:

Kings

(I have a feeling these are self portraits).

Cats Portraits of Chloe and Gretchen.

SquidsSpace MonkeysOther MonkeysMovies

Pirates of the Caribbean, Anaconda, Harry Potter, Star Wars (the only one they've actually seen)

Reptiles

poison dart frog vs. cobra, milky rattlesnake, anaconda, crocodiles.

Homages to Jackson Pollock

No, I'm not kidding.

Arachnids

The one one the left: a tarantula; the one on the right: a portrait of Maman, the gigantic spider sculpture outside the National Gallery.

There is one more piece which has not been categorized. It is a parrot (no picture), which could have been included with either Pirates, or perhaps along with Cats as a household pet. Also, strangely absent from this body of work are dinosaurs.

Thanks for visiting our gallery.

Illustration Friday: Wrinkles

Wrinkle Remover for Men (click on image to enlarge)

Billy Collins poem: Forgetfulness

Karen found this great animated piece online and wanted to mention it here, where people might not think to look for poetry, but would appreciate the tone and humour. Enjoy.

Fritzi Gallery, Group Show, April 30-May 3

April 30 – May 3 The Fritzi Gallery presents: “Got Monkeys?” a short exhibit (one week) at GCTC’s Fritzi Gallery during the “lawyer play” coming up in early May. Seven Ottawa based artists interpret and re interpret the images of Monkey in the light of the famous “Scopes Trial” and in conjunction with the 9th Annual CCLA/GCTC Lawyer Play, Inherit the Wind, by JEROME LAWRENCE and ROBERT EDWIN LEE , directed by JANET IRWIN May 1,2 and 3 in the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. Featuring the artists: Jennifer Gibbs Trevor Sylvain Timothy Hunt Barbara Cuerden Fabricawakuwaku Erin Robertson Kate Wetherow The Lorraine 'Fritzi' Yale Gallery 1233 Wellington Street West (at Holland Avenue), Ottawa.Entrance is Free HOURS:Monday-Friday: 10am - 6pmSaturday: 10am - 4pmSunday: 12pm-4pm For more information please contact the Cube Gallery: 613 728 1750

Illustration Friday: Fail

click on image to enlarge

Sometimes I think even the man of steel feels that he fails to live up to expectations.

Normally I like to make something new for IF, but when I read the topic, "fail", this collage book I made in 2006 popped into my head. That year, Karen & I and our friend Katie, decided to make a book a week to send to one another. The book itself is made from an 8.5 X11 sheet that is folded and cut to make an 8-page book. Each of the frames is one page and the double frame is in the centre of the book. Man of Futile Words (copyright 2006) is what I call my small press and the last frame is the back cover of the book. I reformatted it here to make it easier to read, but here's what it looks like when the book is folded out flat:

The pictures for this were all cut from a Walmart flyer.

Here is a diagram of how to make a one page book. To see some of my friend Katie's books, check out: http://plasticmasters.blogspot.com/search?q=one+page+books

Illustration Friday: Save

Click on image to enlarge

This was a bit challenging to photograph. There is a reflector on the Colonel's head, which caught the flash and I also had difficulty with shadows. I put in a detail of the text below.

My personal challenge for this week was to make something from items I've been saving for "projects". I decided instead to pick things up on a walk downtown and try to make something from the objects I found. Below are the items I picked up on a 40 minute walk . There was a lot to choose from because the melting snow was revealing layers of detritus that had accumulated over the winter. The Colonel Sander's story evolved as I was arranging the pieces on the table. I didn't use everything, and the marble and key were things I already had. I like working this way because the materials really take over and suggest the direction of the piece.

Illustration Friday: Homage

Cities and their Monuments

collage and paint on canvas board 7"X9" (click on image to enlarge)

This is an homage to one of my favorite artists, Claes Oldenburg. I like how he has taken mundane objects such as clothespins, trowels and matchbooks and made them monumental. His work has a lot of humour and his sketches of prospective works are beautifully executed.

This is also an homage to big roadside attractions; giant beavers, collossal fish, and the like, that are manufactured to bring in the tourists. I grew up in a northern mining town where the main attraction was "The Big Nickel".

The city is also home to the "Superstack", the world's 2nd tallest industrial smokestack that spreads toxins far and wide over the majestic northern landscape.

Illustration Friday: Pet Peeve

(click on image to enlarge)

When I read this weeks topic, "Pet Peeves", I thought to myself, I don't want to do that. Thinking about pet peeves just gets me all churned up. It's the same reason I try to steer clear of the Editorial Page in the paper. It just gets me wrankled, and then I can't concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day. Then I thought it would be funny (this is me being funny) to have a guy whose pet peeve was other people's pet peeves. There you go.

Illustration Friday: Heavy

Heavy Heart (9"X7" collage and acrylic paint)

click on image to avoid eye-strain

This started out as a one-liner, but as I went through my image library it developed into a bit of a story. I know, it's a bit heavy on the text, but I couldn't help myself.

Illustration Friday: Garden

collage and acrylic paint 5"X7" (click to enlarge)

"Whether it was the advances in pesticide technology, or just his old fashioned green thumb, Farmer Brown was enjoying his best growing season in years."

It was a bit hard to get into the "garden" theme, what with all the snow this past week. While Spring is just around the corner we've been enjoying record snowfalls, so it's hard to imagine those first crocuses popping their heads out of the ground, or even the smell of the earth thawing in the warm sun. I did put my snow shovel down long enough to cobble this piece together.

On the plus side, it was nice to move the clock ahead one hour and enjoy the extra hour of magnificent sunlight. Here's a picture of my boys on the top of "Mount Crumpet" at the end of our driveway.

Illustration Friday: Leap

Late for Work acrylic paint and collage on 6"X8" board

(click to enlarge)

Illustration Friday: Multiples

Traveling salesman, distracted by birds (click to enlarge)

I made this painting/collage on the bottom of a wooden orange crate. The holes in the bottom of the crate presented a unique challenge and it was a while before I decided to make birds peeping out of them. I added the branches at the end to deal with the odd shape of the border and try to tie the whole thing together.

Illustration Friday: Theory

Thinking about Fish 8"X10" acrylic on canvas

Illustration Friday: Choose

On brilliant days Mr. Sadler handled monumental decisions with quickness and ease, but in the cold dark days of winter, even choosing a tie held such enormous weight he was nearly paralyzed.

Illustration Friday: Blanket

Lingering under a blanket of suspicion made sleeping difficult.

5"X7" collage and paint

Illustration Friday: Myths and Legends

(click to view larger image)

Perhaps this is no ordinary monkey

8"X10" canvas, acrylic paint and collage