Gearing up for the Opening of the Art and Gardening Season in Bear River.

I’ve been enjoying the euphoric aftermath that comes from a successful art show – the result of a winter of intensive painting.  The accomplishment of a completed project is a good feeling, don’t you think?

My Winter’s Work

But how long did I think I could rest on these laurels? Apparently TIME’S UP because the 2 summer art venues that I’m part of are around the corner. Yikes! That would be the:

Two years ago a group of 6 artists in Bear River rented a big, beautiful space in our old school-house and the Bear River Artworks Gallery was born. We rent it year round and take turns working there during the tourist season. We have an additional 6 guest artists this summer. Visitors come from all over the province, the country, the continent and the world. It’s neat to meet travellers and to hear about their travels. It’s also interesting to get their reaction to Nova Scotia and our sweet village in particular.

Some members just finished repainting the gallery walls after filling holes and scrubbing the beautiful wooden floor. Plinths need repainting,

Getting ready to paint

I’m updating the Bear River Artworks Gallery website and Facebook page. Our brochure is going out to all the Visitor Information Centres and local B & Bs. There are lots of tasks to prepare for the opening. Next week the paintings, sculpture, jewellery, glass, and pottery will be placed in the gallery in time for our opening on Saturdy May 20, 1-4 pm

In a later post, I’ll show you all the beautiful art treasures we have for sale.

And as a compliment to that, Larry and I are also part of the Bear River Artists’ Studio Tour group. Over 10 local studios are open to the public. Our studio and  is open to interested folks pretty much anytime we’re home and from Tues-Thurs 10-3.  In anticipation of that, Larry has repainted our studio floor and the walls too. It looks fresh and clean and I’m eager to get working in there again. We had to empty it out which gave me a chance to sort through all my paintings. I feel inspired to add more paintings to this website.

Foam mats in the studio make standing much easier.
Newly painted floor covers many acrylic paint marks!

Sorting, organizing and tidying.

But not painting. And that part is starting to really bug me. Especially while I am tempted by watching the rapid growth of the plant life around me. I’m talking iris and lupins. You know that excitement you get from knowing there are a couple of wrapped surprises under the Christmas tree for you? That’s how I feel about each wave of flowers that bloom in the garden. But none are as exciting as the first of the season.

Plus THE GARDEN THE GARDEN! I won’t even begin to tell you how far behind I feel. I am downsizing the garden. haha. Tell that to the new rose-bush and rhododendron waiting to be planted. The new pea shoots breaking through the soil, the iris and lupins inching up, the blooming cherry trees – it’s all painting material.

Measuring out the vegetable beds.

Finally, I’m taking an online course in monoprinting, collage and painting. I’m behind in that too, but thoroughly enjoying playing with the colours and with my Gelliplate. That too deserves its own post and it’s definitely on the list.

Using a Gelli Plate for Monotypes

If you ever need a kick-start with painting, drawing or printmaking, I highly recommend a class with Jane Davies. There is a lot of homework, but it all has to do with trying out a variety of effects possible with whatever medium, which is just the right kind of homework. 😉  There is interaction via a closed blog and lots to learn from postings and images of other participants.

Meanwhile, I’m also reworking a lupin painting that I can’t wait to show you in full. I want to share some of the steps and techniques I used in creating it.

Painting detail – work in progress

 

Painting detail – work in progress

The paints are ready and so am I. Come on lupins! Grow!

This art making is not for the faint hearted. 🙂
Thanks so much for reading.

 

8 thoughts on “Gearing up for the Opening of the Art and Gardening Season in Bear River.

  1. I love your posts, I have to come back and re-read it. I hope that you can get some time to paint! I have been interested in monoprinting and have been meaning to watch your videos and explore it more deeply, I have a lot of creativity buzzing. Love your wip of the lupines.

    1. Hi Margaret! I’m just moving things back into the studio and it’s still a bit smelly from the fresh floor paint. But by the end of next week I’ll be painting for sure. Thanks for your comment…and I love your recent watercolours. Very dynamic!

  2. True Flora, It is not for the faint hearted. Love everything you have done. That show looked soooo amazing. And this is a wonderful post.

    XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

    1. Hilda, here it is almost a month later and my veg garden is still not in. On the other hand, the flowers are blooming in waves and I’ve got a painting of Solomon’s Seal on the easel. Thanks for commenting and reading. 🙂

      1. Probably you should start painting veggies as much as you do flowers…then you will be more inspired to GROW them! 🙂 I like your blog, Flora, I find it interesting AND it moves at a pace I can keep up with!! 🙂

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