"Through The Open Door" Art Exhibition Opening Reception

The opening of the art exhibition Through The Open Door was held last Saturday. I was so pleased to see so many people come out to it. We had the privilege of having the founders of both organizations present at the opening! Here is Brain McConaghy, Founding Director of Ratanak, chatting with the owners of the Madplatter, Daneta and Tim, and Pastor Chris in front of my very large painting Conversations, how fitting!



Blain Sylvester, founder of Place of Rescue, in conversation with Pastor Graham, Sr. Pastor of the Alliance Church in Stony Plain.
My friend Rhea and Blain's wife in the background laughing about something!! I think a good time was had by all!

A bit of background on this exhibition...

This project was inspired by my church family. The congregation was encouraged to use our own unique skills and circles of influence, create a small group of people to work with and come up with a project to bring awareness to human trafficking as well as raise funds for Ratanak and Place of Rescue. Each small group was given seed money to cover costs. This whole thing is called Traffic Jam, there are many other projects going on for the purpose of raising awareness and funds.

I worked with a good friend who organized people to pray for this project and who was such an encourager when things got crazy! I also have the privilege of knowing many talented artist with various world views, beliefs and opinions! I knew exactly what the project was going to be! I couldn't sit by and not do anything to help this horrendous brokenness in the world! I was discontent!

I read this excerpt from an entry on the Ratanak blog spot today. It quotes Bill Hybels and describes Holy Discontent this way:
if you expose yourself to all that’s broken in our world but neglect to view the brokenness from heaven’s perspective (which promises that everything is in the process of being restored), then you’ll get sucked into an impossible downward spiral of aggravation, frustration and anger. Once that frustration and anger is understood as being your ‘holy discontent’ through your spiritual connection to the God who’s working to fix everything, it’s as if an enormous wave of positive energy gets released. This energy causes you to act on the dissatisfaction that’s been brewing deep within your soul and compels you to say ‘yes’ to joining forces with God so that the darkness and depravity around you gets pushed back. Your perspective shifts from that which your eyes can see to that which God tells you is true and it is in this reality that what is enslaved can still be set free, what is broken can still be mended, what is diseased can still be restored, what is dirty can still be made clean and what is wrong can still be made right. It is that one cause or purpose or problem that grabs you by the throat and just won’t let you go. It is that “one thing” in your heart that God is stirring a passion for. Your ‘one thing’ brings you to a place where you feel you simply must do something. When you have a deep desire to see things change, you are compelled to show up. Your soul doesn’t give you a choice in the matter. Ultimately you have no idea what the end results of your labor will be; all you know is that it is critical that you engage.



If you came out to the opening and saw a piece that may be for you, I encourage you to come back and purchase it! Remember 100% of the sales go to Ratanak and Place of Rescue in Cambodia.

If you haven't yet been to The Madplatter Bistro in Spruce Grove, please make plans to go. The exhibition is up till March 31 and would love for as many people to see it as possible.

Here is a taste of what you will see, but you must go and check out the art for yourself!


Paintings left to right: Coming Home by Judith Martin, Grip by Daphne Cote, Marsh Marigold: Protecting the Young by Marika Wierda





Untitled painting by Reece Schulte





Far wall: Celsius Two by Linda Rempel; Feature wall: Conversation by Deltra Powney, No More Owies I and II by Linda Rempel, Caribou Rock Art by Jean Elizabeth Tait





Celsius Two by Linda Rempel



When you visit, leave a note in the guest book, and drop a few coins in the donation jar, every little bit will help save lives!

Art Exhibition

Hello!

I want to pass along news of a project I have been working on.

I have curated a show of 11 artist (myself included) to raise funds for two non-government organizations in Cambodia who help children as young as 5 years old caught in the horrors of human trafficking. These organizations focus on prevention and protection. Ratanak and Place of Rescue

Art is a powerful way to communicated the most difficult of issues facing society today, human trafficking being only one of them. Art also has the power to move people to the point of action. It is my hope that by the presenting of this exhibition, conversations about human trafficking take place, creating awareness, which contributes to the prevention and protection of the most vulnerable in our own society.

If you are in the area, please, make a point to attend the show at the Madplatter Bistro
I am very proud of all the work and artists who have generously contributed to this exhibition. And the food is very good too!

Yellow Mug and Small Apples

6x6"
Oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian Funds)

The walks I go on with my kids I am often inspired by the foliage all around. I clip branches of blooms, leaves and ornamental fruit from the trees and bush as well as grass from the creek I live by. If you take the time to look, there is a wealth of inspiration right outside your door! I always try to put something more organic in my still life set ups. I feel it brings a bit of softness to the work.

Information...
The class being offered at the Color Crush Art Studio has been canceled. I will not be teaching any classes at this time.

I am thrilled to announce over the next year I will be focusing on producing work for my first solo show at the Multicultural Center Public Art Gallery from August 17 to September 19, 2012. This show will feature larger sized work. I will keep you posted on my progress for this show through posts on my blog and emails if you are a subscriber to my blog. I will also announce any other shows I will be having, as I have quite a few irons in the fire so to speak in regards to showing my work!

In light of these opportunities, once again the focus of my blog is changing. I am finding the administration part of being a regularly producing painter to be very time consuming. Because of this most of the posts in the future will be show announcements and my progress on producing for these shows as well as any teaching opportunities that come my way. My web site will be up and running this fall too and will send through that information when the time comes.

Thank you for your interest in my art and hope you will journey along with me during this next phase of my painting path!

Blue Sugar Bowl

6x6"
oil on panel

I found this sugar bowl at One Man's Treasure, a second hand store here where I live. I have mentioned this shop to you before. I love going here when I need some inspiration!

Iris on Display

12x12"
oil on gallery stretched canvas with 2"profile
$278.00 (Canadian funds)

Iris are so architectural with all the folds and sections that make up the blooms. This one was challenging but I think it turned out okay.

I have some news to pass along. I am teaching at Colour Crush Art Studio in Stony Plain this fall. If you are interested in learning how to paint dynamic still life paintings, this class is for you. Checkout the side of my blog for details. Or go to Colour Crush Art Studio website and click the link to my information page.

Also want to pass along I have my work up on Daily Paintworks. If you want to find original art this site is full of it! My work is in the All Art section usually on pages 2 or 3.

Thanks for viewing my art!

Drops of Cream

6x6
oil on panel
$150 (Canadian funds)

the apple blossoms were in full bloom in May. The blooms when they first open are a soft pink. I was happy to have painted this little one to record the time.

Wide Open

20x20"
Oil on two inch profile gallery wrapped stretched canvas
$489.00 (Canadian Funds)

I love painting this red vase. Especially with the green cloth underneath. The complimentary colors make these wonderful grey reflections in the vase that are so much fun to paint!

Abundant Knowledge

30x30"
Oil on two inch profile gallery wrapped stretched canvas
$987.00 (Canadian Funds)

Knowledge and all that is involved in gaining it. I don't often like to reveal the meanings behind the paintings I paint, I want the viewer to interpret the work for themselves to make it their own. However I felt I wanted to share what is behind this one. For me this piece is about acknowledging the letting go of the things that need to be released and enjoying the fruit of what comes of that. This whole year so far has been about that and I felt I needed to work that out on canvas some how.

Ode to Orange

20x20"
Oil on two inch profile gallery wrapped stretched canvas
$489.00 (Canadian funds)

A funny thing happened with this one. I really didn't want to paint with orange. I was so focused on that that it was all I could think about so I got it out of my system and went all the way orange with it!

I have become quite fascinated, well maybe the better word is obsessed, with the science behind light. I am on a journey of capturing the perfect balance between dark and light, discovering that one can not exist without the other and more so how to convey their ways of coexisting. Yes I am speaking of the capturing of light to the canvas however this is so true of life. I have been living in a bit of dark place lately however there is a movement toward light, partially because spring is finally here, but also because of some personal choices. LIfe is brighter and somehow I want to capture that. I am captivated by light and want to celebrate it!

Daisies Blue

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

It is snowing today. 5 inches and counting. Yuck. These daisies are making me smile today!
I painted this one in only 45 minutes. How much fun is that!

Daisies Dressed in Red

4x6"
oil on stretched canvas
nfs

This was a demo done for a private student I teach. It was so fun to do.
I am finishing up with my students now just in time for spring. I have also been working on some more bigger paintings for various projects coming up in the future that I will announce closer to the dates. Happy Spring!

Creative Insight Workshop

I had the privilege of leading a group of women through a creative insight project a few weekends ago. The content of the project talked about the importance of community, how we need others to walk along side us to make sense of the tangles we have in life. The beads represent friends in our journey and how they are like jewels to be treasured.


For more information on Creative Insight Workshops please contact me.
Thanks to Beth from Ryan and Beth Photography for taking such great photos! Check out their site!

Strawberry Tag

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

Doesn't it look like these strawberries are running around this little vase trying to tag each other? Okay maybe its just me. I have had this vase for a very long time. I think it originally belonged to my Grandma Kae, my dad's mom. I love the shape of it and will be painting it again!

Red Gems Spilled

20x20"
Oil on two inch profile gallery wrapped stretched canvas
$489.00 (Canadian funds)

Okay, so I said I wasn't going post my larger work, well the thing is I have ran behind in painting little ones and won't have the time this week to do anything but teach so here you go something I did a bit ago. It was a challenge painting this juicy subject as it started to dry up and shrivel under my lights very quickly. But what a lot of fun it was trying to capture all the busyness of this one!

Red on Read with Bowl

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

These object are all in a larger painting that I did. I loved painting this little red vase. It was fun to capture all the various reds in in. I am not posting many of my large one in hopes of having a website up soon. You will be able to see my larger work there.

ps. Sorry for the glair in this photo, I will replace this photo with a better shot soon.

Bottle with Bowls

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)


I have had these bowls for a while now. I bought them specifically to use in a painting one day and here they finally are making there appearance. I find I purchase a lot of dishes for use in paintings more so than for use in the kitchen!

This photo came out quite saturated, and the background is more purple in real life. I just can't get good shots lately. I haven't invested in photo equipment yet. Maybe some day.

Oh and by the way this is painting 109 on this blog! Wow what an adventure this has been! Thanks to all of you who have been along for the ride!

Cozy Up

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian Funds)

I just got some dental work done. All I want to do is cozy up with my lemon tea and my blanket. I thought the title for this was appropriate!

Different Levels

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

These dishes have just been washed and are waiting to be placed back in their spots in the cupboard. Not really an event worthy of celebration, unless you live in my house were counter space, not to mention the time to do the dishes come at a premium! The dishes are clean! Party on!

Apple Plated

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

We go through bushels of apple in our house. I have quite a sweet tooth and I find they meet my need for sugar quite nicely and they are much more healthier for me.

Red Apple and Classes

6x6"
oil on panel
$150.00 (Canadian funds)

This was a demo I did for my Tuesday night students.

Yes I have taken in a handful of students for the winter. They are a great bunch!
In the spring I will have three evenings set aside for classes. Check out the side of my blog for classes and updates.
All classes are based on how I approach my paintings so if you like dynamic color and bold strokes these classes might be for you!

Please let me know if you are interested as soon as possible as my space can only accommodate a very limited amount of people.