Acknowledging Canada Day

A sombre one it is this year, I still believe we have the potential to learn, acknowledge and grow as a country. True reconciliation is acknowledging our past, both good and bad - all sides of it and incorporating this knowledge into our country's history and identity. When we know better, we can do better. I can't think of anywhere else I would want to live and I feel fortunate that I live in this country. I hope we set an example to the world on how to go forward and offer true reconciliation to the first people's of Canada. Happy Canada Day to all of us.

Image supplied by Artist unknown

Flowers are out in full bloom in the GTA

Everywhere I’ve walked in the last few weeks, many flowers are out in full bloom. It seems to me some varieties are a little early likely due to the early hot temps we’ve been experiencing.

For anyone who loves gardening and/or anyone who loves to paint the beauty around them, there are lots of floral opportunities for reference photos to take back to one’s painting studio.

Below are a few of the flower varieties I’ve come across here in the GTA. You may see one of these as a painted reproduction in the near future.

Enjoy!

My newest creation for your viewing enjoyment

Last night I finished my newest red maple painting. This has been a work in progress for a couple of weeks. This newest painting, along with “Warden Woods Maple”, is part of a series of tree tops that I will be working on over the next several months, along with a few other projects on the back burner.

During the course of creating this piece, I took the time to learn more about social media, video editing and a little about Lightroom.

In case anyone is interested, I can recommend two great online teachers. Both are artists and both offer overlapping course content yet different enough from each other that I find valuable sources of information from each of them. Tim Packer offers fine art instruction as well as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom courses through his Tim Packer Academy. Marjolyn van der Hart offers information on social media and branding specifically geared to artists through her VDH Digital Marketing courses.

I hope you enjoy this last video of my Red Maple WIP - the Finishing Touches.

Cheers!

Firsts and Learning Curves

The past week, I have been trying out video editing to add to both my blog and my social media presence. Thanks to Marjolijn of courses.vdhdigital.ca, I found Adobe Spark. I can see loads of possibilities with this program.

If you are interested in trying it out for yourself, here’s how to do so. Most cameras these days have a time lapse function on video. From there, you can take your video into Adobe Spark to edit. They offer a free program with the basics which is what I’m using here. If you want to expand on this technology, there are paid versions available.

Back to my current video posted here…

This is a continuation of my current painting. Last week I finished the trunk and bark of this majestic tree.

Now for the crimson leaves and sky! Part 2 of my current painting continues...

In this painting, I'm working on one section at a time. I don't normally paint this way but for this type of painting, it works. When I look closely at the reference photo, there is so much going on with the leaves. Slight variation in colours and size. If I were to paint this piece in its entirety, I would miss these subtle differences. Working on one area at a time, causes me to really look at each section to see and add these differences on to the canvas.

As for a name? I do not have one yet. Maybe "Red Maple" or "Red Maple Splendour". If you have a name idea, you can message me on my contact page here on the website.

Thanks for stopping by!

Last week - part 1 - working on the tree trunk…

Part 3 coming soon for you to view.

Thank you!

Thanks to all who dropped by the Don Valley Art Club's Spring Show! We appreciate your interest and patronage. I'm very happy to have sold "Warden Woods Maple". This piece of art that is near and dear to my heart has found the perfect spot on the wall of a fellow art lover’s home.

To all you art aficionados, keep checking back here for relevant art news including upcoming shows. I try to make this blog a quick read. It’s here you will find short stories about walks and hikes through natural settings that often inspire my paintings. Included at times are short stories about current events in my life that both positively and sometimes negatively impact my inspiration to paint. Some of these stories may resonate with you.

Here's hoping we can all start attending live art and cultural shows soon! Cheers!

Warden Woods Maple has found a permanent home!

We all could use a few laughs....

From the general feedback on social media, it seems I’m not alone in finding that this most recent lockdown has been the most difficult.

So…before this blog post gets too depressing, I’ve created a little rap song for you all to enjoy. I hope the song and the attached memes bring a smile to your face.

“This rap song is not tryin to be controversial
This grandma just wants to sing ya a couple of verse-ials
If this recent lockdown has you falling into a funk
You gotta dig deep to retrieve your spunk
When COVID drags on for months on end
And you can no longer meet up with your friends
Family have now become distant relatives
Cuz we are all sitting at home like isolated captives
Visits with grandpas, grandmas, kids, and in-laws,
Now make you all a group of wanted outlaws
So you decide to go out and play
But wait – HEY – no you cannot do that today!
So, I’m relegated to wandering my local hood
Daydreaming of world travel, oh!...if I only could!
Instead I’m making frequent trips to the refrigerator
In hopes of a new discovery in there
Only to find the same food stuffs as an hour before
So I decide to go back outside to walk some more
As I settle once again into my neighbourhood walk
And decide the flowers are really pretty on this city block
And I notice the birds singing galore
Suddenly the urge to pee cannot be ignored
Now finding a washroom is an urgent request
McD’s, Timmy’s and libraries no longer have facilities for guests
COVID has no mercy on every level
Even taking a walk these days is at your own peril
Eureka when I find washroom open!
And realize…
It’s the best find of the week – my life has become so patheteek!
Tick tock tick tock –
Vaccine lineups – a little price to pay
So that we can all eventually go back out to play!
Let’s hope this is the last lockdown
For every province, city, suburb and town
Not sure how much longer my cuckoo can stay in its clock
Before it flees the coop for freedom from this deadlock
I hope you all stay safe and sane
For when we all get to meet up again!”

 Cheers and I’m so looking forward to meeting up with friends and acquaintances soon!

Ramona

(Note for copyright purposes that the attached COVID memes are a collection I found on the internet – they obviously are not my originals. However, the rap song is mine.)

Keeping my hubby warm with my Coiffid updo

"Necessity is the mother of invention" - Art Shows During COVID

The phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” has proven its worth during this pandemic. Ontario is now under its third lockdown and we are all feeling the pandemic blues.

I found yesterday particularly tough. Yesterday was my youngest grandson’s third birthday and it was the second time during this pandemic that I had to miss the celebration.

So at this point I have a choice here. I can allow myself to sink further into a funk or I can take advantage of what is immediately available to me to help keep my spirits up. Note that by this I do not mean finishing off a nearby bottle of wine lol.

There are options. Today is sunny and mild and there is a park system nearby. Spending time outdoors definitely helps to uplift my mood. I have lots of art supplies and blank canvases. I have to admit its getting difficult to find the inspiration to paint lately but usually once I get started, it does propel me to want to finish a piece and that can be rewarding and at the least, a learning experience.

So what does all of this have to do with art shows? Out of necessity due to the lockdowns, many artists, art clubs and organizations have had to move their operations online. It is forcing us all to learn new skills (whether or not we wanted to).

I am fortunate to be a member of the Don Valley Art Club. Beginning last spring in the first lockdown, the art show committee scrambled to learn how to move our biannual live show to an online venue. Since then, we are now showcasing our third online show. The art show committee has done a professional job of showcasing all the members’ work online for the general public to view and/or purchase at their leisure. All members owe this committee a debt of gratitude.

So without further adieu, Don Valley Art Club’s Spring Online Show & Sale (its 3rd online show), is now live! Over 100+ artists are showcasing up to four pieces each for your viewing enjoyment.

I do miss interacting with all of you art enthusiasts during live art shows and festivals and I am looking forward to the return of such in the near future. For now we have a great online option. With a (optional) glass of wine in hand, “I hope to see you online” at the spring show.

Cheers!

Below are my submissions and description links to the show.

“Warden Woods Maple” - main piece submission for the spring show.

“January Path to Gibraltar Beach, Toronto” - spring show submission.

“Sunset at Leuty Lifeguard Station” - spring show submission

“Garden Party” - spring show submission

Spring's Debut

Spring is bursting open here in the GTA! The grass is getting greener, birds are busy chirping, flowers are starting to bloom and trees buds are opening up.

Too often I have been so focused on my hiking destinations that I have not taken the time to look at the unique features of local trees. While the tree limbs are still bare, nature gives us one last chance before the seasons change to see the unique aspects of trees. (Photos are included for each description.)

Leaves from many local trees and bushes begin their journey as flowers. Here in Toronto, we often think of the spectacular and attention-grabbing cherry blossoms and magnolias that make their debut before their leaves emerge. Taking a closer look at other tree varieties, one will find lots of “green” flowers blooming prior to their leaves emerging.

Other than moss or fungus, I thought that plants growing off another tree only happened in the tropics but we have the same phenomenon here in Canada. “Air plants” (epiphytes) have no attachment to the ground. We spotted a few of these on our recent Colonel Danforth Trail hike.

The amazing ability for trees to self heal is on display at an east end school yard. I suspect to prevent children from climbing the tree on school property, a majestic pine has evidence of its lower limbs sawed off at various times over the years. Fresh cuts are evident higher up. The older, lower cuts have healed over with large lumps of growth and bark.

With or without their greenery, barren trees along the Highland Creek offer the viewer beautiful sights to behold. Large welcoming tree trunks and roots offer a seat and a rest stop along hiking routes.

So many inspiring sights and painting ideas for me. I hope you can take the time to get outside and find sights that inspire you.

“Green” flowers are a preview to the budding leaves.

“Air plants”

Self healing tree

Beautiful scenery along Highland Creek

Convenient rest stop

Engaging Your Observation Skills

Toronto’s many hiking trails are sometimes interrupted by side street detours. For those of us looking to decompress in natural surroundings, we need to engage our observation skills along these side street excursions. There is beauty and innovation to be found everywhere..

A recent example is from this past weekend’s walk through parts of Taylor Creek Park, Glen Stewart Ravine, the Beaches boardwalk and Kew Gardens. It was easy to find the beauty and inspiration in these natural surroundings. However, getting to these greenspaces required detours along quiet side streets and busy main roadways. It’s here that our observation skills were rewarded with colourful and unique creations, both natural and manmade.

Images from this walk are included here. I hope they engage your imagination and motivate you to observe the beauty and ingenuity in your local neighbourhoods.

Hobbit House - sold over asking!

Beautiful sunflower mosaic on the porch of this house, steps from one of the subway stations.

Eclectic mix of garden items. It certainly is a conversation piece for pedestrian traffic.

This ordinary walkway is now a temporary piece of art.

Spring flowers popping up in a local garden is a welcome sight.

Heading back into one of our greenspace hiking routes in between these unique urban detours.

The Force of Nature

The force of nature never ceases to amaze me. On my hikes along various trails in rural areas, I have seen trees growing out of the sides of cliffs, growing out of the thinnest layer of soil and even growing out of rocks!

Here in the city amongst the fenced off laneways strewn with litter, nature still makes her stand. The photos here demonstrate the tenacity of life itself. Tree limbs entangle fences in a tug of war battle. Some trees disregard the fences altogether and continue their growth skyward engulfing the chain links along the way. It’s as if the man-made barricades are merely an intangible inconvenience.

The painting of mine, “Home Sweet Home, included in today’s blog post, was completed a few years ago. At that time, the sight of this tree growing out of a rock ignited my imagination. The centerpiece, the rock and tree, became a home for a couple of the forest’s denizens and the painting itself became a piece of magical realism that many people, young at heart, can enjoy!

I hope you have a chance to explore the beauty and inspiration of nature that surrounds you, wherever you call home.

“Home Sweet Home”, acrylic on canvas

The tenacity of this tree weaving its way through the chain link fence.

“What fence? I was here first.”

One Last Blast of Winter Art

Spring time often inspires a different take on art for me. As warmer weather slowly approaches, I will be switching gears in regards to my hiking and painting. But before I embark on new hikes, scenery and painted memories, I have one more winter creation to post.

Inspired by recent walks in and around Guildwood Park, my recent painting, “Winter Solitude” represents the beauty of winter. The sun warms the snowy scene and reflects colour throughout the landscape. The long shadows of winter are evident amount the tall trees. I hope this painting warms your soul at any time of the year.

Next Sunday the clocks spring forward. I’m looking forward to the longer days. Extra daylight hours can only do us all some good.

“Winter Solitude”. 18 x 24 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

First of March...Warmer days ahead!

The month of March welcomed us with minus temps thanks to wind chills but I’m happy anyways. January and February bear the brunt of the winter weather. For me March 1st means longer days, warmer weather and spring is just around the corner. A welcome change for everyone. I think we are all a little COVID weary at this point and brighter days ahead will do all of us some good.

I will have one more winter themed painting to post very soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a past painting of mine, “Garden Party”…a reminder of good things to come in the near future.

“Garden Party”. 20 x24 acrylic on canvas

Just when you thought you’ve seen it all…there’s Tommy Thompson Park

Are you are looking for a unique wilderness space to explore in the midst of an urban jungle? Do you want to spot a red tailed hawk, a beaver or a coyote within sight of Toronto’s skyline? Have you ever thought that an urban park is just a park? Then you need to make your way over to the foot of Leslie and Unwin here in Toronto and visit Tommy Thompson Park.

Over the years, I have spent many leisure hours traversing the trails and have watched this park grow. It was conceived as a breakwater to protect Toronto’s shoreline. Originally known as the Leslie Street Spit, this park was built with construction waste. Natural processes have shaped this area into an “accidental wilderness”. You can read more about this unique park and its origins at this link: Accidental Wilderness - Nature of Things.

As an artist, this park is a gracious source of inspiration. I never grow tired of it. This past Saturday’s changing sky added a spectacular backdrop to my photographs and once again changed my view of this familiar landscape. Near the end of our hike, we spotted a red tailed hawk casually perched on a branch overhanging the roadway.

For those of you reading this blog, I hope you enjoy these photographic images and any paintings of mine inspired by the accidental wilderness of Tommy Thompson Park.

Beautiful sky backdrop to the city skyline.

Someone’s home away from (my) home.

Sky and Ice.

Red tailed hawk (thanking us for stopping by).

Came across a set for movie shoot - that is the first time I came across this type of activity in the park.

Exploring the movie set.

Crimson Beauty in Toronto East

Continuing from last week’s blog theme…beauty can be found everywhere. Sometimes you have to search for it. Sometimes it’s more obvious than others.

If I showed you the reference photo for my latest painting, you would likely assume the shot was taken in a rural location. In an area that is known for its splendid autumn colours….Muskoka maybe?

Last October, this beautiful tree was spotted in Warden Woods. Industrial buildings sit along this park’s eastern edge, downtown Toronto looms to the west, subway trains run along the southern edge and busy St. Clair traffic runs to the north. When it comes to splendid autumn colours one would not normally include these urban items in the same sentence, or even the same thought. Yet all of these urban sights are a short walk from the location of this majestic maple tree.

For those of us who can’t always get away from the city to enjoy nature, you can find its beauty throughout this city. I hope this crimson beauty brings you joy for your soul.

Warden Woods Maple. 15 x 30 acrylic on canvas

The Beauty that Surrounds You – Sometimes You Have to Search for it – Sometimes You Have to Create It

Hiking along city streets this past week took me along parts of the Gardiner Expressway’s underbelly. Most Torontonians are familiar with this eyesore and most have taken part in the To Be or Not to Be debate in regards to this expressway’s continued use or demise. One really can’t argue the convenience it provides in cutting across the south end of the city. Likewise, most will agree its an eyesore and cuts off easy pedestrian access to the harbourfront.

Looking for beauty in this part of the city is a challenge...but it’s there! Thanks to a few creative souls who have left their artistic marks on the pillars at the corner of Lakeshore and Cherry Streets. These artists beautified this languid corridor and helped to brighten up my day. After some research, I found that the art on these pillars is connected to Art Spin (public art in unexpected places) and STEPS Initiative (promoting public art in the city). The names of the artists I came across (if I left any names off it’s unintentional) are Daniela Rocha (musica), Fathima Mohiuddin (fatspatrol), Stephanie Bellefleur (bellefleurhaus), and Meera Sethi.

Further east on the Lakeshore along my route are the remnants of the Gardener Expressway East. Torn down in 2000, a few creative souls chose to incorporate some of the remaining pillars into public art along the walk and bike paths between Leslie and Carlaw. A series of 114 bronze mosaic tile images tell a bit of the story of the surrounding area. This public art display helps to break up these straight pathways in a pleasing manner. The artist involved, John McKinnon, was hired as part of the design team.

As I neared Ashbridges Bay and the end of my walk along Lakeshore, I came across the last construction site on my route. When it comes to construction sites, one would think it can’t get much nastier than the new sewage purification plant site. But thanks to a group of about 100 artists in a project called Wallnoize in partnership with StreetARToronto, this bleak site is a beauty to behold.

This urban walk was interesting, thought-provoking and inspiring. Wonderful art can beautify any space.

Lakeshore and Cherry St. - below the Gardiner Expressway

Lakeshore and Cherry St. - below the Gardiner Expressway

Public art made of pillar remnants of the old Gardiner Expressway East

Public art made of pillar remnants of the old Gardiner Expressway East - one of the bronze tile images

Wallnoize art mural - Lakeshore near Ashbridges Bay

Wallnoize art mural - Lakeshore near Ashbridges Bay

Sharing My Winter Inspiration with You

Even on the coldest days of winter when barren trees appear dormant, we can find beauty and inspiration. Without my regular walks in and around the parks of Toronto, these short winter days would be become all too bleak. This is especially true for me during our current lockdown.

The image you see uploaded here is my painted interpretation of the beautiful boardwalk path on to Gibraltar Beach here in Toronto and is a continuation from last week's blog post. I'm grateful to have spent a few uplifting moments at this very spot on the islands.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the beauty around you during these winter months and this pandemic lockdown.

Image: “January Path to Gibraltar Beach, Toronto” (24 x 30 acrylic on canvas)

What revitalizes you? What inspires your imagination?

Every week during this pandemic, I hike throughout the many trails and pathways of this city. Toronto is known as “The City Within a Park” for good reason. There are many great trails to experience here and to get back in touch with nature. I am grateful for these long walks that rejuvenate my body, mind and soul.

The picture taken here is of a pathway leading to Gibraltar Beach. It is one of several great photo opportunities on that day hiking around the Toronto Islands. This scenic photo ignited my imagination and is the source of inspiration for my current painting, a work in progress, on my easel.

You can see the finished result on a future post here.

How are you looking after yourself during COVID? I hope you take the time to revitalize yourself in the great outdoors wherever you live.

New Year - New Goals!

First New Year’s Resolution of 2021 accomplished! Having the courage to sunbathe on Hanlan’s Clothing Optional Beach here in Toronto. A realistic and attainable goal served up with a dose of humour.

Believe it or not, this goes hand in hand with my art goals for 2021: Expanding my art practice. This includes more painting, more online presence, ecommerce (to come) and last but not least, starting this blog.

With my blog, you can learn more about the sources of inspiration for my paintings that appeal to you..

2021 - the year of more art about connecting to our environments. Colourful art sometimes whimsical, sometimes served up with a sense of humour and always geared to those curious souls with great imaginations.