Warning!

Long, but interesting post follows, get a cup of coffee, glass of wine, or maybe even a seven course meal!

Eight weeks, YIKES!

Back in August I decided to blog only once per month, but I’m not so sure if this is going to work.  Is waiting making the process more difficult?  I think it is.  Is it a bad thing to only post once a month? There are a few con’s to waiting:  I will have even longer gaps in keeping people informed on my artistic escapades.  My posts will be more like a novelette! Getting things together is a whole lot harder as well.  I’ve worked on this post off and on over the last 24 hours, probably more once I finally hit that publish button.  I hear that you really need to update more often.  But, living life is a big priority for me, so maybe I can just re-blog something from the past?  That seems so lazy somehow.  I doubt I will will ever be comfortable with rehashing old news.  Forcing myself to blog once a week and giving a monthly recap via my new email newsletter, might be the best way to lessen my work load.  If you’d like to sign up for my mothly newsletter please do so at this link:  http://eepurl.com/bvLs1j

The other thing that keeps me hopping is running the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists group.  I keep up the website, Facebook group and page, and the weekly emails.  This group keeps me, and other wonderful artists painting.  Without this group I’d be less motivated to put brush to canvas.  Painting en plein air is not only artistic, it’s social.  The public is always welcome to join us on location to watch or even paint with us.  It’s free!  Yes, you heard right, no charge!

So, enough with my woes!  Here’s what’s been happening in my world in the last (Egad!) eight weeks!  OH!  and two very important events for you!

EVENTS:

On NOW – Plein Air Show at the Mudpuppy

Google street view Mudpuppy Gallery

I have four paintings in this Plein Air Show.  Opens on Wednesday, September 30th and runs until Sunday October 25th.
Reception  will be Sunday, October 11th from 2 – 4 pm.

Address (link to google map provided:
264 Dalhousie St.
Amherstburg, Ontario N9V 1W7 Canada

Hours of operation:
OPEN
Wednesday – Saturday
12pm – 6pm

Closed
Sunday – Tuesday

Phone:
519-890-6421

Email address:
mudpuppygallery@gmail.com

Future event: 

ARTILICIOUS – Fundraiser for the Kidney Foundation

I am participating with two tables of my art at this event.  Come to Caesars Windsor on November 3rd, from 5 pm until 8 pm, and see my new work, sample some yummy goodies, and help support the Kidney Foundation.

Sample unique and delicious food from at least 20 local eateries, shop local artisan booths just in time for the holidays, enjoy a selection of pastries, a McCafe coffee and much more! Tickets are $20 in advance at www.kidney.ca/WindsorEssex, or at Nancy Johns Gallery (4755 Wyandotte St. E., Windsor), and $25 at the door. Children 10 and under are free.

Like us at www.facebook.com/ArtiliciousWindsor for updates on featured restaurants, artists and donors!

Artilicious is proudly sponsored by Caesars Windsor, Infiniti of Windsor, Riverview Steel, AM 800 CKLW, Eyes on Windsor, Biz X magazine, Windsor Police Services, Unifor Local 444 and McCafe.

Past events:

Doors Open Event, Navy Yard,  Sept. 26 & 27

Invited, with my group to participate in this event.  We had a wonderful weekend.  The weather was spectacular!  Costumed reenactors roamed the park, and even shot off a cannon.  The blasts made me jump every time!  I took a short video of the firing of the noon gun.

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River Canard Park  Paint out Sept. 14th

When our group paints at special weekend events we usually don’t paint on Mondays.  I’d had a busy weekend at the hawk Festival.  But, it was such a beautiful day!  Wendy called me at 8:00 a.m.  “Wanna go painting?”  Yep, I could not resist!  We decided on River Canard Park.  Then I quick put out an email, and Margaret managed to join us too.  This is why I love our group.  We keep each other hopping!

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Festival of Hawks, Painting Demo. Sept. 12-13 & 19-20

Our group was invited to participate by painting on location at the Hawk Fest.  This festival is a two weekend event where the ERCA, Essex Region Conservation Authority, bands and releases Hawks and other migratory birds.  Our region is a major flyway for many species including the Monarch Butterfly.  I was told that there were about 500 butterflies resting at the waters edge ready to take off across lake Erie.  I was so busy I didn’t get a chance to go see them.  Maybe next year!  I did however see a few flitting by as I painted.  Below are some photo’s of the event along with a video of a hawk being released.

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It’s always wonderful to receive a verbal thank you, but when you receive a great thank you letter it just makes your day.

Greetings Elizabeth,

I wanted to extend a huge thank you (and your crew of artists) for your attendance as demonstrators at this year’s event.

Over the two weekends in September, we welcomed well over 2,000 visitors to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area. That was in no small part due to the efforts of the many volunteers, vendors and educators that made this year’s festival possible.

Demonstrators like you play a crucial role in striving towards the goals that the Essex Region Conservation Authority has set out. Your presence at Hawk Festival was greatly appreciated as we engage citizens young and old in the natural environment. While Holiday Beach is world-renowned in the birding community, it’s important to engage the community and make sure it’s a top destination for locals and visitors alike. You and your crew of artists were a unique and interesting addition to this year’s festival, demonstrating both amazing artistry and appreciation of the natural environment.

Personally, as it was my first year with ERCA and first ever experience at Hawk Fest, I was astounded at the positive energy and fantastic attitude of everyone involved, and I look forward to working with everyone again in the future.

Please feel free to add your feedback to our event evaluation survey. We’re always looking to improve upon our events and your comments are of great value in achieving that. You can find the survey at this link, which you can share with anyone who attended the festival. http://goo.gl/forms/knhqG99HhJ

Please pass along this message to your fellow artists. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Alex Denonville
ALEX DENONVILLE
Events Planner
Community Outreach Services
Essex Region Conservation Authority
360 Fairview Avenue West, Suite 311 , Essex, ON. N8M 1Y6

~Used with permission.

Labour Day Paint out Sept 7 Ojibway

Every Monday we paint on location and we don’t normally take holiday’s off.  On labour day we painted at Ojibway Park.  There were quite a few visitors to the park on this lovely afternoon.  It actually was a very warm day.  The Ojibway nature centre is the hub of one of the most endangered wild areas left in Essex County.  Many are trying desperately to save the area around this tiny woodland.  It is my hope that it will be preserved.  I have a policy that with the sale of any painting from my Ojibway series, I will donate $25. to the activity program that is operated out of the nature centre.

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Malden Park West Paint out Monday, August 31st

Malden Park is a 175-acre park features the highest hill in Essex County. Naturalized biking and cycling trails wind up and down the hills and through paved and wood chipped trails.  This beautiful park is a wonderful spot to paint in, and is also close to the Ojibway conservation area.  This Monday the group met at this park.  Some met on the West side, where I was located and others met on the East side where there is a pond, and the welcome centre.

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Escape to Michigan!

Trailer & Tahquamenon Falls

After the Paint Dexter event I decided that because I was already in Michigan I might as well head up to our trailer.  I am fortunate to have a get away place on my brother’s property in Prescott, Michigan.  We have a 1976 31 foot vintage Air Stream Land Yacht travel trailer.  She’s in fairly good condition, but needed a bath badly.  There is a large oak tree that drops black sap all over it.  My brother recently acquired a power washer, so I worked on my baby for three days!  She still needs to be polished, but not this year!  Ouch were my muscles sore.

I love our trailer.  But, my red neck neighbors not so much.  There is a tree on their property that they started to cut down.  I suspect they stopped when they realized it was going to fall ON my trailer.  But… then they LEFT the tree half cut!  I need to get my trailer moved, as they are not responding to our pleas to get the tree down safely.  So, hopefully next week we will get it moved.  Just need someone who has a vehicle to help us pull it out of harms way.

Before & After Cleaning the Airstream

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The trip was not all work though.  My sisters (in-law) and I took an overnight trip to the upper peninsula.  We stayed at Blaney Lodge, and took off early the next morning to explore Tahquamenon Falls.  I did a quick watercolour sketch of the falls.  It was not easy as people were jostling to get a view of the falls.  I tucked myself into the corner of the guard rail, trying not to hog the premium viewing space.  Later we stopped at Whitefish Point Light Station.  There was a very windy beach, and it was pretty cold.  While my sis-in-laws toured the lighthouse, I found a sheltered spot on the beach and painted a quick sketch of a mother and daughter rock hound duo.

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August 17-22 Paint Dexter. 

Wow!  This seems like ages ago!  Once again Dexter proved to be a wonderful experience.  There were 70 participating artists.  That’s a LOT of artists!  This year the organizers split the categories into professional and emerging artists.  This would give the emerging artist a better opportunity to gain experience.  I entered the professional catagory.  But, for me it’s not all about the competition, it’s about meeting and interacting with the townspeople while you paint their local landmarks.  The person that I’m competing against is myself.  I go into this type of event because it challenges me to give my very best.  Winning an award is a bonus.  If you are so lucky to catch the judges eye.  This year I didn’t catch his eye, but I did catch the eye of two collectors.  Two paintings out of the three I was able to submit sold.  I painted a total of 6 paintings at this event.  Painting this many in a short period of time is good practice.  Painting under pressure is also good practice.  Here are some of my paintings from the Dexter event.

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All done!

So, there you have it.  What I’ve been up to over the last eight weeks.  I’m off again to Michigan to visit family and celebrate Thanksgiving with a Fall Colour Tall Ship Cruise out of Bay City, Michigan.  Stay tuned for more fun!  Living the Dream!