Scraps & Scribbles

My exhibit opening was 3 weeks ago but I kind of neglected to post about it because it was crammed in between a couple other significant events, one being the tear out and installation of new kitchen. It's every bit as disruptive and consuming as everyone has claimed! Wow...who knew...

So, here I am with buddy Penny in front of a couple of my favorites from my rusty series. It was a great evening and we all had a fabulous time!! I sold 7 of my paintings and Erin has sold 2 though I haven't checked if there has been any progress lately. I should probably get a few paintings set up here in my studio - there are as many themes, compostitions and ideas waiting to be born or brought to term that I could fill an entirely new exhibit.

Northern Sunrise

8:30 am - making stew and listening to cbc as a Haida woman sings a capella when I glance up at the view to find the mountains suddenly touched with the most brilliant orange/pink of sunrise.*

I turn back to the cast iron pan, scratch at it for a couple of seconds then take another look up at the mountains.

"Okay" I think to myself

"If ever there was a moment that needed to be 'lived in' this is one"

I continue to savour the smells in the kitchen, the beautiful simple song on the radio and let my eyes feast on the contrasts of blues and pink and peach.

An eagle slowly drifts across the vista...

"Alright then" I nod reflectively.

"This is just getting ridiculous"

*had to resort to an older photo from another time of day because naturally one camera had completely dead batteries (I think it's been trying to warn me) and the other had a full card...and then the moment was over.

Alladin Opening Night

A little out of order but here goes...the photo above shows the final scene which featured a very lively musical number and we can see 'Leather John' wielding his sword.

The Market scene which was where the initial action took place following Act 1 where we were introduced to Abanazar and the genie of the ring.

Cafe scene. Guess I'll have to rustle up photos of the cave and sarcophagus scenes.

This has to be the best production On Cue has ever done. It was so well acted, funny and just a joy to watch. The pacing of the show was crack on and every detail worked. It feels like On Cue is growing and taking on a life of its own - I could see us being quite the theatre town in the near future, mill closure or not.

Magical Interlude

The Painting Crew was delayed for a couple of hours this afternoon while we were transported to an intimate and magical world of marionettes and puppets operated by a master in the craft from Iceland. He admired our sets and commented on how surprising it was to find such abilities 'at the ends of the earth'! ??
He carves each of his performers - this is his most intricate with articulated feet - but sometimes makes use of only his hands and a couple of simple props.
For more info about this amazing artist search Figura - The Art of Puppets

The Oviatts Are At It Again!

The Oviatts are creating oversized stuff - this year is the ever so appropriate inukshuk.

They're a well known local constuction company and a few years ago started to make creative use of the slower winter months to make the biggest objects that their equipment could tackle.

It all started with a snowman. A 40 foot high snowman. Last year it was giant log deer based on the more diminutive lawn ornaments, then at the end of winter they created a snow board track for winterfest and now...this.

My mom posed for scale. She and my father are in town for the first time in 6&1/2 years for my art show opening tomorrow night.

I ordered the nice weather specially for the visit.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Here comes the rain again.
And there goes another one....a little bird leaves the cage.
16 year old girl at the the village took her life yesterday. I always think I don't know people when I first hear these things and then the avalanche of recollections and details buries me right along with them in the end.
There was a little girl at the high school last May/June who - although not in one of the art classes - I allowed to sneak into the mural because she knew all the fish from going out on a fishing boat with her father. She also used the word 'epiphany' correctly.
It better not be her.

Snowhenge

It's that brief, magical time of year before the snow piles high enough that it's inaccessable - when a kid can still roll the stuff into balls. Several fairly massive installations just appeared in the schoolyard recently which give it the impression of a 'henge'. Gotta love elementary school age engineering and the efforts they put into it. Wooden forts, snow stuctures, dams...

I was here at Roy Wilcox school last year when I heard principal Janet give the following announcement:

"We are trying to drain the upper field and need to allow the water to flow across the staff parking lot. Please refrain from all dam building in this area. Do not try to contain the water in any way. Thank-you. No Dams."