“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

- Lao Tzu

My Summer Sketchbook page 2and listening to this and this lately...

“These are the soul's changes.

I don't believe in aging.
I believe in forever altering one's aspect to the sun.
Hence my optimism.”

~Virginia Woolf
Having three kids at home all day, all summer long, is presenting a challenge for me to get over to my studio to paint lately. When my paints were here in the house, I would just stay up into the wee hours of the morning playing. However now that they are a couple blocks away, its just not as easy. So instead of getting all stressed about it, I decided to buy myself a new, small sketchbook (for my birthday) and at least do a drawing of whatever I feel like, on page or two a day.

These are quick sketches of some of the people at the pool today while my kids were taking swimming lessons...
My summer sketchbook Page 1

...desire cracks open the gates.
If you're ready it will take you through.

But nothing lasts forever, time is the destroyer,
the wheel turns again and again, watch out it will take you through.
~Starhawk

I took the day off from the massive house de-cluttering that I am currently immersed in and went to the Capital Exhibition with my family for a very hot day on a midway. I'm not much of a crowd person and never really go to large events (unless I am drawing at them) so its always interesting to be a participant once in awhile. Its been at least 15 years since I have drawn caricatures on any midway grounds and so none of my children had ever actually been to a midway before today.

We had a good time.

On Saturday I sailed up and down the North Saskatchewan River on the
Edmonton Queen Riverboat drawing caricatures with the
hilarious (and multi-talented) artist Keith Sandulak.
Thankfully we survived the 29 degree heat and did not come across any pirates.

On Sunday I drew at a summer birthday party...Hope you had a great weekend!

I wanted so much to write something profound today.
Unfortunately I can't seem to form a cohesive string of thoughts together into a proper sentence lately.
So, all I can offer are the beads of words jumbling around my head lately
...perhaps you could make a nice bracelet with them...
saturated

validation

acknowledgement

cold

leaving

Staying

Indecision

avoidance

distraction

purpose

flirtation

passion

comparison

cliche

contrived

LOVE

balance

STRUCTURE

What words are floating around your head lately?

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
~Gladys Bronwyn Stern

What a great weekend! Seeing Whyte Avenue transformed into La Rive Gauche (The Left Bank) is such a wonderful sight. A huge round of applause is owed to Kim Fjordbotten, her staff at the Paint Spot and the Old Strathcona Business Association for organizing this event, year after year. Another round of applause for all the volunteers (without which the festival would not be possible).

Finally, thanks to all of you who stopped by my booth and browsed through my journals and altered books, looked at my paintings and cards, and for all your comments and feedback. And of course...a very special thank you to those of you who bought cards, prints, and paintings, or had your caricature drawn.

If you live in Edmonton, please come down to Whyte Ave this weekend for the artwalk! It is such a great atmosphere with over 300 artists set up on the sidewalks. I am set up on the SE corner of 104 and 82 in front of Death by Chocolate.

...and yes that is me on the cover of the program from last year's Art Walk.

The Quirky Art Cafe is now Open!

Finally.

Tonight I will have my first class in my new studio and I am so excited!
My "official" grand opening Open House will be
Sunday, September 13, from 1-4 pm.
So mark you calendars!
Also, I will have details of my Fall Classes up on the website by tomorrow,
so if you would like to register for one,
please do it as early as possible because
I only have 8 spots available in each class.
Here are some more pictures for you...