Day 131

"Evening out at the Jazz Bistro (SING Festival event) with Duly Noted friends"  Art journal, ink

Day 129: Mothers Day

Day 129: Mothers Day

My mother, Edna, is a real dynamo: super smart, extremely generous, vivacious, fun, beautiful... no less so now at the age of 83 than she has always been. I love her very much.

Read More

Day 127

It's a lovely day. I've been working away in my front porch studio, finally warm enough to work comfortably. I have three watercolour pieces on the go -- the ones with layers and layers of frisket and paint. I am putting them out on the table on the back deck to dry in the sun (hurray!), which really speeds things up. 

While they were drying this morning, I started sticking things on a little canvas I started and abandoned a few weeks ago. This piece, similar to the one from Day 81, is the result. Mixed media, 12 x 12".

Day 126: A Milestone

Today marks a milestone for me. I started my first art journal in 2004, but my efforts were sporadic. I would often skip a day -- or two -- or more. Then weeks would go by, sometimes months. You get the picture.

My longest run of doing a page a day was in 2007 -- until now. At 126 days, I have beaten my previous record of 125 (which was the longest run by far). And as it happens, this piece is on the last page of my current art journal. Tomorrow I get to start a new one.

Meanwhile, there's a bug in Squarespace; it won't let me put a photo caption (in case you were wondering). So, the title is "May Flowers" and it's mixed media. Yesterday's was called "Specimen."

Day 125

A propos of nothing in particular, some late-night, last-minute, mixed-media madness in my art journal.  

Day 124: More Singing

"The Joy of Singing"  Art journal, watercolour

This quick watercolour doodle was inspired by this evening's rehearsal of Duly Noted, the a cappella women's group I sing with (along with my daughter Stacey). It was energetic and fun and made us all feel happy. We are performing this Saturday evening, as well as June 7. It's going to be a blast!

Day 123

"Choir! Choir! Choir! Remembers Prince"  Art journal, ink and watercolour

Tonight I went with my friend Kevin to sing with Choir! Choir! Choir! for the first time. It was a special event in remembrance of Prince. Two thousand people gathered at Massey Hall and sang "When Doves Cry" in three-part harmony, then spilled outside for an impromptu "encore" in Dundas Square. Quite a phenomenon. We got there really early, so I had time to doodle this, based on Prince's symbol, in my art journal. But I got home late, with just enough time to throw on the requisite purple, Prince's signature colour, before my midnight deadline.

Day 120

"Pear 44"  Pastel on Japanese paper, 8 x 8"

Some years ago I did a series of paintings I called "Pears in Squares." There were about 100 altogether, some of them in pastel and some in acrylic. For the pastel ones, I was experimenting with different surfaces. I found a few boards I had prepared but not used back then, so now I am adding to my old series. It's like a homecoming.

Day 119: Begin It

Day 119: Begin It

I did a page in my art journal back on Day 96 that I really liked and have been thinking that I should try to do a big piece like that... some day. But some day never comes. Why not TO-day?

Read More

Day 118

"Reunion"  Art journal, watercolour collage with string.

This was inspired by a lovely lunch and walk along the lake today with dear friends, one of whom I hadn't seen in 20 years -- far too long. 

Day 115

"Frustration" Art journal, mixed media,

My sewing machine had me tearing my hair out this evening. So I stitched all over my journal page then added stuff that seemed to express my frustration. Too close to bedtime to even let it dry before posting. 

Day 114

Art journal, ink

Today is my mother's birthday, and two days ago was my eldest daughter's. These have landed in the busiest week I have had in a long while, scuttling my accidentally formed habit of drawing portraits of my loved ones on their birthdays. Two belated birthday portraits to come! 

Meanwhile, we had a nice family outing to Ripley's Aquarium here in Toronto. I took my art journal along.

Day 113

Art journal, ink.

Blind contour drawing (OK, I peeked once or twice) of daughter Stacey as she tells me about her day.

Day 112: Happy Birthday, Kayla

"Kayla's Birthday Tulips". Art journal, ink and watercolour 

Happy birthday to my darling Kayla Rose, born 19 years ago today at home, with a morning moon outside the window. Didn't have time today for the birthday portrait, so it will be belated. Here is a quick sketch of her birthday tulips.