The Queen

...presides over this year's batch of paintings to be displayed at the Spring Craft Fair.

I transferred a drawing originally composed by TwinB, putting it on on this piece of watercolour paper that I'd smooshed paint onto a couple of years ago.  It helped determine the choice of colours.  I was informed that it originally was a fop (note the Adam's apple) but TwinB liked the colours I chose.  So, it's all framed up now and sitting with the other 10 to 12 pieces that I've been frantically finishing and framing.  It's supposed to be the Art Club's display but I'm not too optimistic about many other paintings joining ours.  Always good to knock off a whole batch.

After this I have to tackle the sets for The Sound of Music and then create a design for an award winning mural!  The Award Winning component isn't part of the criteria but I figure it will motivate me.

Smashed Sheds

Each spring, our glaciers retreat; releasing, revealing winters' casualties. Benches, fences, sheds and outbuildings lie scattered on the dank, wet ground like the aftermath of an explosion.
Metal sheds + our climate are not a great pairing. 
Fragile ornamental shrubs and trees can really take a beating and this drives Kitimat gardeners to go to great lengths to bind and barricade prized specimens, leading to such odd sights as a globe shrub beneath its own temporary sturdy shed or the ubiquitous 'Klu Klux Cedars' all in a row sporting pointy, burlap hoods.

Not An Art Lover?

Or maybe they are and couldn't resist a little self expression.  Noticed this in the craft aisle at Walmart today in my relentless search for metallic pens.  Big ones.  Not little, bitty fineliners but big fat markers oozing with gleaming goodness.  I did find some and so far have determined the silver is super and I'm working on the others.

We Did It!

Well...almost.

TwinB was too tired to return to school this afternoon so will hand in her project tomorrow for a 5% deduction.  5% per day?? Why that's almost asking for late papers.

She also ran it by someone at the new Writing Centre and will apply his corrections. Alls I'm hopin' for is a pass, though it would be nice to see her do a bit better. Her recent Humanities paper was returned today with a 90% so...hurrah!

Just can't believe how much sleep she's needing.


Update Apr. 16: it was returned to her with a 93% so she nailed it...less 15% late penalties but Man, what a relief!

Lil' TwinBlue

TwinB met me in the ACAD library yesterday, discovered this massive book and pretended to be a gnome.
It's the closest I've gotten her to resource material so far except maybe for the art history textbook that we checked out that I placed on her bed at her request so, so late this afternoon.  I'd been trying to get her to read through the intro which contains much useful info...in only 13 pages for goodness sakes!

I'm rolling jello up a hill.

And it's melting all the way down.

She's lying in a puddle of sheets, gravol and hangover unable to even partake of the tea I brewed for her 'round about 5:30 p.m. ( Double Bergamot: the Best. Tea. Ever.)
I went down to the Ctrain around 2:30 planning perhaps to be away when she awoke, then returned 5-ish hoping that she noticed my absence but....no.

No...

She's out for a day or more.  I had a nice visit with my brother and his off-site partner but apart from that I was ALONE.  I'm aware that in a foggy sense she knows but it's so hard for me to be right here  and not make any difference.

She doesn't even have  to tackle this shit. All I want is for her to be alive and produce her lovely saleable art.   But NOOOO she had to aspire  to things that are daunting for most mortals and I have to assist and go along for the ride.

Ask me about MLA citation and annotations...no, really...ask me....I'll tell ya'

Over The Wild Blue

First step of my journey lifts me over glaciers, massive mountains and countless unnamed frozen lakes. A passenger beside me returning home for a few days off remarks on the wonder and beauty.
We land in a rather cool, damp Vancouver.
Frenzied family visiting ensues.

Yesterday I head back to the airport, through very tiny hail, looking at frosty roofs and yards; not so typical for Vancouver of the 21st century, though it wouldn't have been at all out of place prior to my mid teens.  I remember the turning point - it would have been mid March 1974 - there had been a powdery snowfall and I looked up through misty clouds at the stars, a rare glimpse and a pause following any precipitation. The weather seemed to rapidly 'warm' in the next months and years, warm being a relative term when going from cold, wet to cool, wet.
I'm happy to live in the Land of the Snow.

So...I take my seat in the middle of three. One of the last passengers to board requires that I and the aisle guy get out of the way so he can take his window seat.  He gets settled in, starts his movie and pulls the freaking blind on the clearly visible landscape below.
Asswipe.

One more evening of intensive visiting: a sister-in-law not seen for 15 years, due to estrangement from The Husband, little grand neices/first cousins-once-removed, son, daughters, brother.
Pizza, beer, babies, bombardment of words...
Quite glorious.

Mrs. Hutson On The Move

I'd been somewhat apprehensive going in to  this one...
Up to 21 participants, all residents of Multi Level care with mild to severe mobility and sensory ailments. 
They loved it!! We did a very simple landscape in watercolour and many turned out quite well.  Even those whose paintings didn't work out as well enjoyed the experience very much.  We tried a Mount Elizabeth because I'd painted a Mount Elizabeth on the tall mural that clad on the fireplace to the right of the photo.  Also made it easy to point at it and basically say "That."
Boy, was I hopping!

A few minutes after packing everything away I headed over to Nechako school for an afterschool recreational art class and then this evening, Art Club.  My front tooth cracked yesterday as I bit into a chocolate bar and I didn't realize what had happened until that evening.  My dentist was kind enough to squeeze me in for a last minute Gluing Together Of The Crown so now I don't have to wander the streets of Vancouver and Calgary looking like a hillbilly.
Bless his soul.