What a small world it is...

Last night I was drawing at a wonderful wedding at the Italian Cultural Centre with my talented colleague Susanne Ritchie. It was a rather large wedding with about 500 guests and the funniest part was that over the 5 hours, I kept drawing people that I knew from my own life that were in no way connected to each other (except I guess through the bride and groom)—my dentist (and his wife) from when I was 6 years- 16 years old, a comedian I worked with when I did art for Comedy West back in the late 80's and then the husband of a woman that I played women's league basketball with about 6 years ago.

Sometimes I often wonder as I am drawing someone that if we just talked long enough we would find some common person or connection (at least when I'm drawing in Edmonton).



Yay, it FINALLY really truly feels like spring!

A busy, drawing weekend! On Thursday night I drew at the St. Albert Recreation Centre for a year end wind up party of the Pink Thunder Girl's hockey team. Then out to the town of Morinville to draw Friday, Saturday and Sunday at their Volunteer dinner and their town's trade show. Thanks so much to the town council of Morinville for hiring me and for providing me with my wonderful assistant, Melinda. (Thanks for all your help Melinda!)
Here are a couple of my willing victims, sister and brother — Leah and Owen...



These are the gift pictures for the Morinville Town awards that I did prior to the weekend...

Paul Hann

This past week singer/songwriter Paul Hann has been the artist in residence at my son Ryllan's school. They have been writing songs and playing music and having a blast. He has been a real musical inspiration to my son (and to many other's I'm sure). As a thank you gift, my son asked me to do this caricature for Paul. You can check out his web site at www.paulhann.com.

Easter in the Mountains

This is my son Ry and I (or should I say our shadows) on the chair lift at Lake Louise.

We just spent a fantastic Easter weekend in the glorious Rocky Mountains with close friends; skiing, watersliding, rock throwing (into the Bow River), walking, playground visiting, museum hopping, hot tubbing, martini drinking, wine tasting (ok...it was actually wine drinking too), easter egg hunting and (of course) chocolate eating. The weather was absolutely beautiful on Saturday and Sunday—sunny and +11C, gorgeous days for Spring skiing.

30th Anniversary Career Gift Caricature

Secrets

Every night before I sleep, I tell my secrets to the moon

Imagination

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.
~Edgar Allan Poe

"Retail therapy" Journal page

...for the never ending winter blues.

A 65% discounted winter coat from Gravity Pope, 2 new $9 hats from Divine, a large, funky, waterproof bag for swimming towels and bathing suits from Elephants Never Forget, small $12 summer slip-on shoes and an $8 striped summer T Shirt from Superstore, a recorder, ANOTHER pair of spiderman pajamas, a wooden backscratcher and a pair of Gap jeans —all thrifted from Value Village. Oh yeah and a used pair of tap shoes for my 2 year old daughter Piper (that she has yet to take off).

Sigh...its going to take forever for ALL our snow to melt.

There Will be Time


There is time still
for sitting in cafes
in Paris
sipping wine.

Time still
for going to meet
the guru.

There is time still.

Now I am caring for eternity.
Carrying bodies soft with sleep to beds
of flowered quilts and pillows.
Answering cries deep out of nighttime fears.
Buckling shoes.
Opening doors.
Pretending.

My soul is now dwelling in the house of tomorrow.

Tomorrow there will be time
for long leisurely conversations,
for poems to write,
time still.

So I surrender now
to them and this,
knowing it is they
who will teach me
how to do it all.

~Peggy O'Mara

Wish
Believe
Live Joyfully


This is a series of paintings I did (for my wonderful friend Silke's birthday present) this past week. I used some of the techniques that Misty Mawn shares in her Cloth Paper Scissors- Summer '06 article (and a few of my own). My Monday night journaling class had a blast playing with the techniques. Thanks Misty!

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso

Logic never could quite explain Mark's intense FEAR of numbers...

"Feast on your life" Journal page...


The time will come
when with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart,
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you,

all your life, whom you ignored,
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the loveletters from the bookshelf

The photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
—Derek Walcott

Happy Family Day Everyone! (at least those who live in Alberta) ...It was a busy drawing weekend for me...
Brandon's first birthday party, Phil and Helena's wedding reception, and Maia's 5th birthday "Princess" party...

Photos from Phil and Helena's wedding reception taken by Carlin Getz of Carlin Photography
cmgetz03@yahoo.com & carlin@getz.ca

Painting Piper...

Sami's Valentine Caricature...

"February Blahs" Journal page

" Simple" Journal page...

"Island Life" Journal page...

Gordon's 50th Birthday party guests...