Guildwood Festival Weekend Update

Thank you to all who came out to the show this Saturday. It seems everyone needs and wants to get out into the world again as the event was well attended. It was great to see familiar and new faces dropping into my booth #80. As you know I love this park and this particular show.

This year I showcased fabulous prints thanks to my recent purchase of an Epson pigment-based printer. I love the results and it seems many of you did too as I sold quite a few of these during the show. Some of my printed greeting cards will make their way out into the world after this weekend’s show. And I’m happy to say that my most recent painting, “Autumn Sun” has found a new home.

For anyone who came out on Sunday, many art vendors, myself included, chose to dismantle our booths due to extreme weather forecasts. Printed materials will not do well under those conditions. Hindsight is 20/20  they say and as it turned out, I think we could have managed well enough as the predicted storms did not materialize during the festival hours. Next time a situation like this occurs, I will store printed materials in my car and keep my booth up and running. Lesson learned.

The winner of my draw for the 12 x 18 matted art print giveaway is “Roslin S.” of Scarborough. She has been notified in a separate email. Congratulations!

 Thanks again for dropping by my booth and hope to see you at another art show soon!

 Ramona

A sample of my printed reproductions for the Guildwood Arts Show

All this work is paying off. I’m really happy with the print quality results from the Epson printer and I’m very happy to have finished all of the mat cutting required for this show! An assorted sample of some of the matted prints are included below.

Still several more tasks to complete. It’s keeping me busy!

Will update again soon.

Cheers!

Prepping for this weekend's art festival!

Art work isn't all painting. Cutting mats to complement my beautiful printed art reproductions for the Guildwood Festival this weekend. A lot of work and the end results are worth it!

http://www.guildalivewithculture.ca/

Introducting my newest addition...

The upcoming Guild Arts Festival motivated me to invest in this Epson top notch printer. I LOVE IT!!!

Amazing quality prints using 10 pigment based inks to create fabulous art reproductions that will last for years to come!

Stay tuned for more updates about this weekend show and these lovely art prints

http://www.guildalivewithculture.ca/

https://www.ramonaricken.com/new-events?view=calendar&month=07-2022

First painting post-surgery is complete!

It’s been just over 6 weeks now since my surgery date and all is going well physically. That being the case, I can now put more focus on my art.

I’m happy to have completed “Autumn Sun” as my first post-surgery painting.

I’ll be including this piece in my upcoming shows. July 23/24 at Guildwood Park Arts Festival and August 5/6 at the Riverdale Art Show inside St. Barnabas Church.

Hope to see you there!

Making my way back to my art world...

For anyone who follows my art, I’ve been away from it for over a month. My husband was in need of a kidney transplant. As a result, both he and I participated in a paired kidney exchange program through Canada Blood Services and UHN. For those who do not know it is an awesome program for couples who are not a biological match to pair up with donors and recipients in similar situations. When I say other "couple", it could be a husband/wife or brother/sister or 2 friends, etc.

After multiple tests and final medical thumbs up, my husband received his new kidney from an anonymous donour and I donated a kidney to an anonymous recipient.

I'm really happy to say that my husband's new kidney is working well. So far so good! The (anonymous) recipient of my kidney is also doing well. We are on our road to recovery post-surgeries.

Knowing these surgeries were in our immediate future, I chose to sign on for only two upcoming summer art shows. It's enough of a goal to keep me motivated to move forward and not too much to take away from my needed medical recovery.

Over the past month, I’ve slowly returned to my walking and hiking routines that I love almost as much as art. I have to say that the physical activity is a big part of my recovery! Taking it all one step at a time and looking forward to what the future holds on many levels.

It feels good getting back to my art, this website, updating a few events and of course…deciding what to paint next!

See you again soon!

So that was a lot of fun!!!

As a relatively new member of the Art Guild of Scarborough, I had the opportunity to volunteer for their Round Robin. 5 artists paint for 10 minutes, then pass that painting to the next artist to work on for 10 minutes, and so on and so on. By the time you get your original painting back, it truly is a collective work of art. Interesting results! And a fun way to get to know other members!

New beginnings...

The end of the weekend and the end of the Aurora Art Show 2022. All 3 of my submitted pieces were accepted into this juried show and one of them sold. "Reaching for the Sun" has found a new home! It's been a successful art week for me.

Between the Don Valley Art Club Show and the Aurora Art Show, I'm grateful to have ended this week on a high note as a new chapter begins for my husband Pete and myself next week.

Taylor Creek Maple has Sold!

Very happy that my "Taylor Creek Maple" displayed at the Papermill Gallery sold on Day 1 of the Don Valley Art Show Spring Sale!

There's still lots of fabulous art at the Gallery until May 8th and online until May 15th. All the details can be found here:

https://donvalleyartclub.com/artshowandsale/

Art Show News!

Live Shows are Opening Up Again!

To say I am happy about the art show world opening up post-COVID is an understatement.

This week, I am participating in 2 live art shows.

The Don Valley Art Club’s Spring Show & Sale is both live at the Papermill Gallery at Todmorden Mills in Toronto and online. See 100+ new paintings in the gallery and 300+ artworks online from the club’s many talented members.

 The show starts April 27 until May 8 in the gallery and extends until May 15th online.

GALLERY DAYS AND HOURS: Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
Todmorden Mills Heritage site is located at 67 Pottery Road, Toronto M4K 2B9
FREE ADMISSION! FREE PARKING!

The annual Aurora Art Show & Sale welcomes you back live to the Aurora Town Hall. This is a juried show open to all artists offering a wide variety of styles, mediums and tastes. Artwork is professionally displayed for the public in the beautiful Town Hall.

The show runs April 30th to May 1st from 10am to 5pm.
Aurora Town Hall. 100 John West Way, Aurora L4G 6J1
FREE ADMISSION! FREE PARKING!

A few more shows are coming up this year. In July, The Guild Alive with Arts and Culture is back at my favourite Toronto Park – Guildwood. Drop by my booth to browse my art, chat and enter your name in a draw for a chance to win one of my original paintings.

 In August, The Riverdale Art Show on the Danforth is back! To celebrate this show post-COVID, we have moved the date up to align with Greektown’s Taste of the Danforth and the venue for the art show has been moved inside the beautiful St. Barnabas Church.

 As these and other show dates draw closer, I will send updated information. 

You can always check here on my website for art details and show information www.ramonaricken.com
or my social media pages for all the latest news.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtForYouByRamona
https://www.instagram.com/ramonaricken_art/

I look forward to seeing you all in person again!
Ramona

Taylor Creek Maple is fresh off the easel!

This beautiful maple could be part of a matching pair for Warden Woods Maple from a few years ago. The reference photo for this painting was taken last fall on one of my walks through Toronto’s Taylor Creek Park. Autumn colours never cease to amaze me.

Time for new landscapes!

After a hiatus from one of my favourite themes, I’ve recently gotten back to landscape painting.

Art - hiking….Hiking - art. I really can’t choose a favourite here as I love both activities and they both go hand-in-hand. While out hiking, I find many photo opportunities and painting inspiration to take back into my art studio.

My most recent completed painting was from a hike at the “Tree Museum” on our way to Algonquin Park last October. This painting is fittingly called “Algonquin Weekend”.

My current work in progress was inspired by one of my local walks in Toronto. I came across this beautiful golden maple in Taylor Creek Park.

There’s beauty everywhere!

Check back for updates on this latest piece.

Enjoy your weekend!

“Algonquin Weekend” 20 x 24

A Work in Progress

My final Sunflower is complete!

After experimenting with a few versions and a couple of different mediums, I’m happy with my latest Sunflower painting.

In amongst the unpredictable news of today, I hope this bright painting brings you some joy.

“Reaching for the Sun” was completed in acrylics on a 10 x 20 gallery stretched canvas and is ready for upcoming shows - yes live shows - they are back! Maybe I will see you at an art show soon.

Cheers!

There's more than one way to grow a Sunflower...

There's more than one way to grow a sunflower.

I’ve been trying out a few different techniques and mediums using the same image.

Acrylic versions 1 and 2 are below.

Version 3 in oils (bottom picture) is currently a WIP - waiting for it to dry before I can complete it. This one is a big learning curve for me as I come from an acrylic painting background.

Could there be a Version 4? Yes! Check back soon for the final product.

Lots of little projects

Lately I have been taking some time out of my usual painting to learn more about colour theory. There is always something to learn in regards to this topic. There are many workshops, teachers and mentors who all come from a different perspective on colour when it comes to their art practice. It’s good to find a workshop that is in line with the type of art that I like to incorporate into my own painting styles.

In between creating colours charts, I have been working on a few smaller personal projects. It’s easier to find incentive to paint indoors on these cold weather winter days than it is in summer.

Cheers!
Ramona

Little projects…

…and lots of colour charts

What to get the person who seems to have everything....

You give them a painting of course!

My husband just celebrated a milestone birthday and I was somewhat unsure of what to give him. So I created a piece of art and turned it into a large birthday card. Of course there were a few extra gifts along with that card but I’ll stick with the topic of the birthday card for this blog.

This past summer, when I was hiking around the Niagara area I came across one of his favourite vehicles. A classic French Citroen was left parked nearby, I had the opportunity to take several photos of it and this turned out to be a great reference for his birthday card painting.

A vintage car for my vintage and wonderful husband.

Cheers to Vintage!

“Vintage”. 8 x 10 acrylic on canvas mounted to artboard and made into a greeting card.

Practice, play, practice!

Although I haven't been blogging a lot these days, I’ve still been busy painting.

Trying out new techniques and mediums and having fun with it. One new medium that I will most likely incorporate into my art practice is water soluble oil paints! I have been experimenting with this medium and love the buttery feel of this paint. Its great for blending. No worries about quick drying times unlike acrylic paints. However….that being said, I’ll still be using acrylics too. I can see the uses for both mediums in different applications.

In the meantime, its more exploring and practicing for me in between commissions and other serious works of art.

Enjoying the journey,
Ramona

This is my newest oil painting. It’s a recreation of an earlier painting of mine that was originally painted in acrylics.

First Painting of 2022 is Complete!

Take a book or leave a book at my newly completed painting. A bit of whimsical art inspired by many local neighbourhood walks during this pandemic.

"Library Branch". 24 x 30 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.

Thanks to my friend Lisa May for joining me on many of those walks and being patient while I snap all my inspirational photos along our route(s).

This painting will be added to several others for an upcoming online solo show through the Aurora Skylight Gallery. Check back for details about that show.

Enjoy the painting and thanks for dropping by!

New Year - New Paintings

Starting off the New Year with what makes me happy...a new painting.

I hope you can focus on the positive in the beginning of 2022 and what brings you personal happiness.

Check back for posted updates on this first new painting of 2022.

New Year's Thoughts and Wishes to You

Hey COVID! In spite of you we will flip this thing around.

2021 has come and gone. A tough year for many and on the flipside, plenty of learning curves too.

Twice in 2021 we thought we had gotten past the pandemic only to be thwarted. Wanting to believe and having my hopes up that life was returning to normal, those were disheartening times. Reconnecting with family and friends or being able to go out to something as simple as dinner and a movie was a welcome return to normalcy. The world of travel was opening up. Live art shows were starting to happen. Even with limited capacity, all of these activities were a welcome sight. Being optimistic, all of these activities will be a welcome sight again.

When it comes to my art practice, COVID has pushed me and continues to push me forward in my online presence. My favourite part of painting is …. the act of painting and creating, not trying to figure out social media and my website. As such, going online with my art has proven to be a challenge. However, learning these new skills is “a necessary evil” (as I like to call it).

So going forward in 2022, I will continue growing my art practice in the online world AND I hope to connect with art aficionados in person at future live art shows.

Wishing all of you good health, happiness and prosperity in 2022.

 Creatively yours,

Ramona