I have begun again!!!!

I have had a hard time painting since I have moved. It is a compilation of many things, but again, I have to adjust as well. Placing blame anywhere is not productive, so, I am instead, looking for solutions.
Up 'till now I painted when the whim hit me. Now I am regulating times for this. If I paint longer so be it, but I am not going to paint any less than the time I have prescribed myself.
I got a wonderful book from the library the other day.
It is by Chinese Artist Lian Quan Zhen.
The book covers the art of Chinese water colour techniques for painting flowers!
(ISBN #978-1-60061-088-2(hardcover paper)
Using some of the advise from this book, combined with lessons from a class taught by a friend Kathy, I have begun this:
A Dragonfly on foliage.
It is acrylic on Canvas
16" X 20"
I will post updates as I complete each stage from here on in.
Have a good one all!
~~Kathleen

Digging/Building/Tearing down & Putting up!

Well, here is where we are now at!

The builders are here to replace the roof/build a wrap around deck, and all the good stuff that comes with this type of work.
Needless to say, both the kids and myself are rather excited about this. They have planned on it for a long time, and the final result will be very pleasing.

New Art!
I have been working on perfecting florals in different colours now. This week it is Reds, and getting the shading so as to be pleasing is not all that easy. But I am getting there though!
Here is a pic of the "Martha Washington Geraniums" that I am working on.
A long way to go, but it is really falling into place stroke by stroke.

Hopefully the pics here will be okay, as I am still not on my own computer, and working with a program that I am not familiar with is trying to say the least.
Be well all I promise to be more diligent from now on in with my postings here!
~~Kathleen

The good things in Life are worth waiting for.....

FIRSTLY;
I am not on my own computer, so I apologize for the photos here.
All can be viewed much better by clicking on them! K.S.

At last, I have painted a new work!
In the last month I have moved, flown to Winnipeg (for almost a week) to attend Bonnie & Aarons wedding (that just about didn't happen, but more on this later,) Visited with my family there, and returned to Alberta, and the calming peace of where I now live.
The new painting....
Field Poppies
Acrylics on Canvas

12" X 14"

I apologize for not cropping this picture, but I am not on my computer, and cannot figure out how to do it on the kids computer.
But one might think that a bit is better than nothing.
I am proud of this one, as the delicacy of the Poppies really shows in this work. I used four colours here.
Burnt umber/fire Red/light green and sap green
the effects were quite pleasing.

THE WEDDING;
Now Bonnie and Aarons wedding ......
If ever planning paid off for a momentous event, this time it did.
everything was in order, the colour scheme, the gowns/tuxedos, the flowers and the venue.
The colours that they choose were chocolate brown and the softest mint green.
and they were stunningly coordinated, even down to Bonnies bouquet which had green and cream roses in it.

The morning of the wedding which was to take place at Elmhurst Golf course (at 4:00pm)
began Sunny, and turned to clouds and then to showers and then to a downpour and then to torrential rain.
By the time for the bride to arrive at the venue, all the power was knocked out and the whole area was without light/electricity and a sea of water.
the food for dinner was waiting to be cooked, the cocktail hour was cancelled as there was no way to serve them and the guests waited patiently in the beautifully decorated dining room.

Luckily for the kids the power company was on the situation, and the guests were patient.
At 5:30 pm the Justice of the Peace said....
"We came for a wedding, and a wedding we will have" and proceded to comandeer the bar of Elmhurst that had wrap around windows, moved a squillion candles into that area and moved everyone into that room for the ceremony!
And what a beautiful ceremony it was.
Through all the adverse conditions Bonnie and Aaron were married finally.
One wonders of the Powers that Be, and what is the meaning of signs, as in the middle of the ceremony the lights finally flickered on went out only to come on for good finally!
Yes, we not only had lights but we had complete power.
Cocktails were served as the Chef and his many wonderful helpers got to work on dinner, and eventually dinner was served, and again, it was excellent.


Bonnie was lovely in a wonderfully beaded strapless gown of white Peau de sois.
It had a princess train and was so befitting her and her personality!
Of course Aaron looked wonderful in his chocolate brown Tux. (He complimented Bonnie so well)The wedding cake was fondant covered Red Velvet cake and in itself was a work of art.
With dinner done and after the speeches while cocktails were being served familys all bonded to enjoy thenselves so very much and join two into one.
Well done Aaron & Bonnie, everyone will never forget the wedding that was determined to happen and the wonderful union of two people that we all love dearly!
Bonnie dancing the first dance with her dad,my wonderful brother-in-law Glen....

Later when I am back on my own computer, I will upload family pictures, and photos of the wonderful 65th birthday party my brothers & sisters threw for me when I was in Winnipeg.

It was good to reconnect with my brothers & Sisters and their families.
Time is all too short, and as an addendum, I got to meet Great Nephews and Nieces that I had not had the pleasure of seeing before.
What precious little people you all are.
What wonderful parents you have and how well they are doing with raising wonderful little human beings.

For the time being, I do want to thank Cheryl and Bernie for the wonderful stay that I had with them during my visit.
You both made a week of my life more meaningful!
Love to you both.
~~Kathleen

I am Offlcial as of tomorrow.

Yep, I am officially a Senior citizen tomorrow!
My life is good, and not for a nano second would I change a moment of it.
I contemplated what and how I would approach this day here.
What could I say that had meaning?
I decided to re-post a blog entry from a while back about a
"Self-Portrait" I was challenged to do of myself.
Everything (in my mind at least) remains the same as the words below!
I hope my next 65 years are as good.
~~Kathleen

"Self-Portrait"
(Acrylics on canvas 8' X 10")


My comments re the unusual design:
"I had a very hard time with this, I do not look at myself"

"I see my hands, the Moon, my Grandsons, but I do not see me.

I see the art that I paint, what I sew and design, I see my family and am proud of them, and that is me.

At this time in my life I see myself as at peace with the world, free, happy, and contented.

Learning to be a good Buddhist is important to me.

I hope that others see me this way as well.

'A person that loves, is loved, likes her lumpy body, and is happy in her own skin, and cares not what others think, when she dances naked underneath the moon.
~~Kathleen"

A new painting a new direction....

Ruffled Parrot Tulip
12" X 24"
Acrylics on canvas
I am so sorry for being so lax in posting lately, but I have been in a state of great change.
My children & I have decided that I will move out to the acreage and live there with them.
This will be a positive move for me, as it will bring me into daily contact with my favorite two little men daily,and, allow me to enjoy the blissful peace that living under a canopy of stars nightly brings.

One can sit outside and hear nothing but the birds, frogs and bees going about their daily lives in peace and serenity. While I like where I am now, I know that this will be so very much better for the artistic side of me as well.

So as of the 15th of June I will be there.
This means packing and changing addresses etc. A bother but a small one.

Today I finished a White tulip for Barb, my Son-in-laws wonderful mother.
She has a dear friend that is a gardener extraordinaire.
Carol did all the flowers for the kids wedding when they married, and from what I hear her flowers are second to none.
It was a fun paint, and offered very little challenge, as it seemed to paint itself.

I hope you like it.
Be well all.
~~Kathleen