Legion Paper Featured Artist

I am thrilled to be the latest feature artist for Legion Paper, and have been testing 12 new-to-me fine art papers. The program involves testing the papers and sharing the results in a blog for their website, as well as doing an Instagram Takeover of this week (Jan 22 - 26) Below is the entire blog. Hope you enjoy!

Tell us about yourself and your work!

I am a full-time Canadian painter working primarily with watercolour and/or charcoal on paper, with the goal of creating expressive, luminous and finely detailed paintings of historic architecture, landscape and still life. My professional art career began in 1989 after graduating with Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta. My paintings are exhibited and collected worldwide, have received significant awards, and are included in many curated fine art publications.

I am an elected member the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC), the American Watercolor Society (AWS), and Signature Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA). I regularly serve as critic and jurist for many arts organizations, served on the board of the CSPWC as director and was Chairperson for the CSPWC’s 96th Annual International Open Exhibition. My work has been represented by prominent Canadian Galleries since 1989, including Canada House Gallery in Banff, Alberta (since 2009.) One of my proudest accomplishments of 2023 is reaching the 30th anniversary of my annual one-night solo exhibition held in Edmonton Alberta since 1994.

“Europe on Time” Watercolour, Arches CP 640gsm 28 x 40”

“Winter Encore” Watercolour, Arches HP 640gsm 24 x 36”

My process begins by searching or waiting for light in urban and wilderness landscapes through travel and backcountry exploration, gathering reference and details with a camera and notebook. Back in the studio, the design and drawing stages are the foundation of each work. My technique includes everything from undiluted paint to thin washes, dry brush to wet-in-wet application, and single strokes to repeated layers. Finished paintings take from several days to several weeks depending on size, detail, and depth of colour and complexity of execution

“Paradise Valley” Charcoal & Gouache, 42 x 15.5” Stonehenge

“Time Piece” Charcoal/Watercolour Arches HP 640 gsm 21 x 21”

Which papers did you test?

Since I already use Arches and Stonehenge, I tried the following papers:

Acquerello Italia CP
Coventry Medium 320 gsm
Coventry Smooth 335 gsm
Bockingford CP 200 lb. white
Lanaquarelle Smooth 1114 lb. white Lanaquarelle CP 1114 lb. white
Legion Bamboo 530 gsm white
Saunders Waterford CP 300 lb. White Saunders Waterford CP 200 lb. High White Saunders Waterford smooth 300 lb. High White Saunders Waterford smooth 200 lb. White Stonehenge Aqua 275 lb HP white

All of these papers are considered archival,
PH Neutral, and made of 100% cotton
(except for the Bockingford which is
High alpha Cellulose, and the Legion Bamboo.)

To test the papers, I lined them up and used a single stroke of the primary colours across all, as well as pencil marks and charcoal so I could do a side-by-side comparison of the effects. Then I painted patches of paint on the front side, and painted wet-in-wet with the same colours on the other side. This allowed me to compare how the paint applies to the paper, how colour reacts with and appears on the paper, how much lifting, erasing and scrubbing are tolerated, and after leaving them to dry over night, how flat the papers stay.

Next, I made a shortlist of four papers to make four small paintings in order to more completely test their characteristics. I chose still life as the genre as it works well for small paintings,
and completed two watercolours, one charcoal and one combination.

Lanaquarelle Hot Press White 640 gsm

I enjoyed this paper the most for its balance of absorbency and lift, the velvety refined texture and bright but warm white colour. It did not warp, and the surface integrity remained intact with erasing and lifting. Edges were easy to blend, lifting was clean, and the colours appear vibrant.

“Night Music” Watercolour, 7.5 x 7.5”

Saunders Hot Press High White 300

Though I liked the surface texture, I found the paint lifted too easily, and so I would not choose this for larger paintings. The creamy colour is useful for the right image, and lends to the warmth of the parchment map in this painting, but would not be my first choice for paintings needing a brighter white. I will try a charcoal on this paper in the future as I think it has the right tooth and texture.

“Map & Compass” Watercolour, 7.5 x 7.5”

Stonehenge Aqua
Hot Press White 550 gsm

I liked the bright smooth texture for fine crisp detail when using wet brushed charcoal, and the bright white colour which results in clean specular highlights. The hot press doesn’t have quite enough tooth to hold dry charcoal for the deepest blacks, so I will try the cold press next time. The surface tended to pill with scrubbing, erasing and burnishing. (I am rather tough on paper!)

“Silvered Sugar” Watercolour, 7.5 x 7.5”

Legion Bamboo 530 gsm

The slightly ivory colour & luxurious feel and weight of this paper is lovely. For me it doesn’t have quite enough absorbency for layering colour, and slightly too much texture for the smooth effects I try to achieve with charcoal. Though it is not an optimum paper for my particular style of painting, I appreciate the use of alternative fibers to produce artist’s quality materials, and I look forward to learning about more innovations in the industry.

“Operetta” Watercolour, 7.5 x 7.5”

What are important characteristics of a paper for your particular kind of work?

1. Acid-free archival quality paper is a pre-requisite to any paper or surface I use.

2. Size is always a consideration as I work outside the usual full or half sheets, so I prefer the largest sheets I can get (eg. Arches 40 x 60” 1114 lb, 640 gsm) and always have a roll of Arches on hand.

3. Sizing: the right balance of absorbency and lift is critical for my technique of repeated washes/ glazing, direct undiluted application and the ability to remove paint for highlights, soften edges or correct mistakes. The paper needs to hold the previous layer enough to allow subsequent layers to be be applied without removing the first layer to achieve luminosity, saturation and a full range of values.

4. Surface strength: needs to withstand repeated washes, scrubbing, lifting, and erasing without pilling, damage to the surface, or pencil imprints. If using charcoal, the paper also has to withstand the physical application of charcoal with a variety of tools, whether applied directly or with a stomp, fingers, fabric, paper towel, etc...

5. Texture: I look for certain textures depending on size and subject matter. Generally, I prefer a smoother surface for fine details (still life and refined archicture) and more texture for larger less precise imagery.

6. Tooth: For charcoal, the paper needs to have the enough tooth for the charcoal to adhere but still be erased.

7. Stability (dimensional strength) : I prefer a heavy paper that will not cockle with application of water (640 gsm is preferable.) That being said, I soak and stretch all papers regardless of weight to ensure a flat painting.

8. Colour & brightness: Since watercolour is transparent, the paper colour is part of the paint palette and its brightness is a determinant in creating lumosity and highlights. I gravitate to bright paper with slightly warm undertones.

What will be your go-to paper moving forward?

I have used Arches hot and cold press papers as well as Stonehenge drawing paper for the past 35 years and will continue to do so. However as a result of this expermiment, I look forward to adding the Lanaquarelle hot press 640 gsm for smaller and highly detailed paintings and the Saunders Waterford smooth for charcoal work.

Feel free to add anything else you think is important!

As a professional working artist, deadlines and demand can be barriers to experimentation. Most often, “tried and true” wins out over experimentation due to time, cost and maybe also fear of the unknown. As any artist does, I know what I like in terms of materials, however I haven’t really thought of why. This partnership with Legion has afforded me the opportunity to experiment with new papers, to think more deeply about what I’m trying to achieve in my work and appreciate how important materials are in process and outcome.

“Age of Steam” Watercolour, 26 x 39” Arches CP 640 gsm

News for the New Year

There is much to catch up on, so of course my strategy is to procrastinate until I can’t possibly write it down in one blog post or newsletter. A vicious cycle of “oh I should share that bit, but added to other things to share it will be too much to share, so I’ll share it later,” and somehow I convince myself of that “logic.” So to break the cycle I will take a few small bites, share a few bits, over the next few weeks instead.

We’ll start chronologically with my 30th Anniversary exhibition that took place on November 9 in Edmonton at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. It is a milestone I couldn’t possibly have predicted when starting the show back in 1994, and it is thrilling that this ‘crazy- risky-conjured up out of necessity & naivety & drive & luck’ model of marketing my work continues to be a success, but also scary that 3 decades have passed in a blink! I would like to thank all of the supporters of my exhibition, whether you are a collector, admirer of the work, volunteer, supplier, or flag waver - you have made this unconventional exhibition possible. Over the 3 decades we only missed holding one exhibition at the hotel (2020) due to Covid-19 restrictions, but instead held it at my studio over a period of 10 days, if anyone remembers that. A pretty solid record and one I am proud of and looking forward to continuing, albeit maybe in a slightly different way. I’ll keep you posted!

Modern luxuria

Online magazine

Modern Luxuria has profiled me and my work in their “Enchanted” issue published Dec. 1, 2023. Modern Luxuria is Edmonton’s premiere online lifestyle magazine, featuring local businesses and fine products. I enjoyed the interview process with Matthew and it was no small task for him to distill our 2 hour interview into 500 words or less!. One point that should be clarified is that early in my career as an emerging artist, it was challenging to make a living with galleries alone - which is one of the reasons I started my annual exhibition. I have in fact been continuously represented by galleries since 1990 and am fortunate to have been able to strike a balance between my own exhibition and gallery representation.
The article is available to read online

Well, that wraps up the last of 2023, so I will leave it there for now. Coming up next - CSPWC exhibition and award, new magazine feature, Gallery announcement, and paper testing. Thanks for reading!

A New Corner of the Old World

We have just returned from 4.5 weeks of travelling; elated, exhausted, inspired. It has been 6 years since I’ve done a European working trip for research/reference photographs for my paintings, so I planned a pretty cramped itinerary in a new-to-us corner of the old world (don’t worry, I know the world doesn’t have actual corners…) with as many cities as we could reasonably fit in. Since light is central to my work, seeing the subject matter at all times of day or night is key, but particularly during the evening when light is long and chandeliers and street lights glow (we won’t talk about morning here) so we tried to stay a minimum of 2-3 nights in one place.

The trip started in New York city at the American Watercolour Society’s 156th Annual Awards dinner where I received my elected Signature Member pin (more on that on the previous blog post “February…Already.”) We then bounced to Barcelona for a week. One of our goals was to visit Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, an astounding work of architecture and ingenuity. We’ve seen a lot of (mostly Gothic) cathedrals in our travels, but this is like nothing else. Based on organic themes and the geometry of nature, the impression is of being inside a great forest, it’s columns are shaped more like trees forming a canopy of stained glass, dappled light bathing the interior. (I can’t help but think that Tolkein and/or Peter Jackson were inspired by La Sagrada in their creation of Rivendell, and that Art Nouveau inspired all things Elvish.) Still a work in progress, it is a marvel. Will I try to paint it? Maybe, probably. I can’t fathom doing an inkling of justice to its enormity of size and detail, so I will instead focus on capturing a few small details.

We then rented a car (thrilled to have the independence) and drove through the Wallonia region of Belgium, into France to see Reims and its massive Gothic cathedral, Epérnay for its picturesque champagne houses then to Sedan for it’s great fortress. We dropped off the car (thrilled to return it unscathed ) and continued by train to the next set of cities: Brugge, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Brussels. Some of the highlights were seeing the Vermeer Exhibition at Rijksmuseum and Rembrandt’s house and studio in Amsterdam, the canals of Brugge, Antwerp’s unbelievably beautiful train station, and Brussel’s Grand Place - one of the most beautiful squares I’ve seen in Europe. It is bordered by Gothic and Renaissance civic buildings and guild halls, all with decorative cornices and embellished with gilt. The effect is of being inside an enormous glittering jewel box open to the stars.

Another highlight was finding out that some dear friends were to be in the same corner of the world at the same time, so we met in Amsterdam for a couple of dinners and to visit the Rijksmuseum, then a few days later for dinner in Brussels. How welcome friendly faces are after being away for several weeks! I managed to take nearly 9000 photographs, replenishing my “idea bank” & reference archive for the next several years of painting. Many are just a record, typical tourist shots or just plain lame, but still precious as memories or maybe for a tiny detail in a painting. It’s taken me several days just to do a first review, and I am now starting to distill ideas and plan the first several paintings which I look forward to sharing with you in the fall.

From “Rembrandthuis” Rembrandt’s home and studio in Amsterdam. Thank goodness we don’t generally mix our own pigments anymore. If you are an artist who does, hats off to you (or berets as it were.)

Travel expands one’s horizons and at the same time focuses one’s appreciation of home. One of the best feelings is flying into Canadian airspace, reinforcing the understanding of what a privilege it is to be Canadian in spite of the alluring beauty of other cultures and lands.

There is so much more to say about this trip and travel in general eg. post-covid tourism, seeing great art in great architecture, connecting with people, bike chaos in Amsterdam, the joy and humiliation of fumbling through foreign languages, recognizing our strengths and weaknesses. I won’t burden you with all of that just now, but I will express my extreme gratitude and respect for my partner in travel and life, Neil, not just for lugging out-sized suitcases up the 78 spirals stairs to a microscopic hotel room, calmly navigating 8-sprocket traffic circles or patiently waiting for me to get my photographs, but because he is just the best company.

Thanks for reading, and safe travels to the travellers out there, happy art-making to the artists, and happy summer to all.

Neil, hugging a giant tree as per usual.

February... Already?

It seems as if everyone I know has the same impression, that time is speeding up somehow. Maybe it’s that we’re making up for the time lost during the pandemic, or that back-to-back-earth-shattering world events seem to accelerate perception of time, but egads, I can’t believe it’s February already. It has been a busy and exciting year thus far, and I know we are all short on time so I’ll try to keep it brief.

American Watercolor Society

The big news this year and I think one of the top 5 of my career, is that I have been elected as a member of the American Watercolor Society. Notification came in January that my painting “Saisons, Versailles” was accepted into their 156th Annual International Exhibition, which fulfills the final requirement in a longer acceptance process. The painting is safely in NYC already and we plan to attend the awards ceremony and exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City this spring, where new members are accepted and I believe given the official membership pin. I’m not certain as to how many Canadian artists are elected members, but I’m working on finding that information. We were just there last spring at the 155th Exhibition and certainly had not planned to return so soon, but this is a milestone I don’t want to pass up.

“Saisons, Versailles” 14 x 21” Watercolour

Federation of Canadian Artists: Toronto Chapter Exhibition

Both of my entries into the 2023 FCA Toronto Invitational Exhibition were accepted by the jury and will be exhibited online from March 1 - 31, 2023. They are based on our 2022 trip to New York; “47, Fifth Avenue” is an interpretation of the entrance to the Salmagundi Club where the American Watercolour Society is based, and “Beaux-Arts” is based on one of the grand staircases in the New York Public Library, Schwartz Building (Central) branch. Congratulations to all of the successful exhibitors - I look forward to seeing the exhibition!

“47, Fifth Avenue,” Watercolour 18 x 18”

“Beaux-Arts” Watercolour 12 x 18”

30th Annual Exhibition (!!!)

30 Years. 3 Decades. 33.333% of a century - okay I’ll stop there because it’s freaking me out. This November will mark the 30th year of my annual solo exhibition, held at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton. I feel incredibly privileged, shocked and delighted to have held this show for 30 years in the same venue with many of the same volunteers and patrons returning each year. It has marked the passing of time as any annual event does. Children of patrons have grown up and become patrons themselves, people have come and gone and come back again to the city, the absence of people that have passed on is deeply felt. In spite of those inevitabilities, it has been a remarkably stable event especially in the capricious world of exhibiting art. To everyone who has been a part of the show in any way - thank you, thank you, thank you.

29 Years of Annual Invitations

The new work will be based on this year’s travels, including an upcoming trip to Barcelona, Brussels and Netherlands, where I hope to gather a fresh supply of reference and inspiration for the next several year’s of architectural paintings. I am currently working on the landscapes and still life paintings which will comprise about half of the exhibition. The exact date will be finalized and announced in the coming month or so.

There is more news coming in the next few weeks, but I’ll leave it here for now. Thanks for reading.

Gratitude, Decompression, Gingerbread

My Annual Exhibition is over for another year, and I am slowly coming up for air. Whew! The one-night vernissage, held each year since 1994 at Edmonton’s historic Hotel Macdonald, is an all-consuming event, the culmination of a year of painting inspired by a travel, backpacking and canoeing. Searching for interesting subject matter and light, planning, creating, executing and framing a large body of work takes the better part of my waking hours, and there is an intimidating amount of work and detail required in organizing the event itself. (I also have a knack of streamlining some systems only to unecessarily complicate others or fabricate new ones.)

This year was more challenging, with the expected unexpectedness of life, and as I was forced to simplify the exhibition and ultimately exhibit fewer paintings. During my usual flurry of head-down-brush-up-don’t-leave-the-studio final two months of preparation, Covid-19 found me twice, and wreaked havoc on 4 weeks of productivity and creativity. It is unclear if anyone but myself and my team of volunteers noticed much change in the exhibition itself, but I know my exhaustion showed and likely people were too polite to say so. In the end though, it was a fabulous event thanks to my loyal and enthusiastic fans, patrons, volunteers, friends and family. People were so happy to see each other, have an evening out and enjoy original, local art in a warm setting. I am filled with gratitude to be able to share my paintings with you in this way.

After the installation and before the doors open | November 10, 2022 | Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Edmonton

There are still several new pieces available including two inspired by our spring trip to New York City where we attended the 155th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolour Society. “47, Fifth Avenue” is the entrance to the Salmagundi Club where the event took place, and “Beaux-Arts” is one of the elegant stairwells leading to the Rose Reading Room in the main branch of the New York Public Library.

47, Fifth Avenue | Watercolour | 25 x 25” Framed | Available at Annesley Studio

“Beaux-Arts” 24 x 30” | Watercollour | Framed | Available at Annesley Studio

We are taking a short break to enjoy some fresh mountain air and friendship in Banff National Park. One of our goals is to ski the high alpine meadows along the great divide to a viewpoint of spectacular Mt. Assiniboine, “matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies.” I pick my jaw up out of the snow every time I see it, towering unchallenged over its comparatively diminutive neighbouring peaks. It will be a time to decompress and stretch the legs, and also a chance to recharge in order to create the next set of new paintings. “Mt. Assiniboine” the charcoal (below) will arrive at Canada House Gallery on November 27.

“Mt. Assiniboine” | Charcoal on Board | 50 x 28” | Available at Canada House Gallery, Banff

While in the mountains, we hope to see the December People up to their usual adventures. The little gingerbreads appear each winter to ski and climb in the Rockies and if we are patient, we may come across them playing in powder, practicing turns and knots and swings, laughing all the way. They can also be found on Instagram. Better get baking…

Wishing everyone a warm, creative and sparkling holiday season.

Self Portrait in Gingerbread | Paradise Valley, Banff National Park

29th Annual Exhibition

It never ceases to amaze how time flies, and how all of a sudden it’s that time of year when I’m busily preparing for my 29th Exhibition, held at Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. Just the words “29th Annual” is a hard one to wrap my head around.

A busy year is hard to summarize (made worse since I haven’t posted since February) but here is the speed version. It started with a solo exhibition “Tree Lines” at Canada House Gallery in Banff, then to New York City for the 155th Annual American Watercolor Society exhibition and a post-covid reunion with my brother, sister-in-law and niece. The summer entailed an 8 day canoe trip in British Columbia and a 9 day backpack trip in Alberta’s Rockies. These travels provide the seeds, the raw material, for many of this year’s paintings.

At the Salmagundi Club, NYC

Taking a break

Uphill, both ways.

The invitations went in the mail yesterday and by email today, and I’m on the home stretch of finishing the paintings. The myriad of details that surround the one-night exhibition are being finalized. The frames are being cut and joined by my long time supplier, Kamena Gallery and Frames ltd. , which Neil and I will then assemble at my studio and package them for the short trip across the river to the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald the morning of November 10th.

With the relaxation of Covid-19 rules, we are not requiring 1 hour viewing appointments as we did last year (to encourage physical distancing.) You are welcome to attend anywhere between 5:00 and 9:30 p.m. It is busier for the first 3 hours, so if you would like a quieter experience, plan on coming around 7:30 or 8:00. Masks will not be required but are certainly welcome. We look forward to seeing everyone in person, as we inch back to (somewhat) “normal” after the great pandemic interruption. If the covid situation changes, we will post any updates to the exhibition evening on this website.

For those unable to attend or just not sure about being in a crowd again, the entire exhibition will go online on Saturday, November 12 at 2:00 p.m. Four of the paintings are currently on preview. If you did not receive an invitation and would like one, please contact us.

Ok that was a lot of fairly dry and hastily written information, but off I go back to my brushes. I look forward to sharing my new work with you.

And we’re off: 2022

It seems that each year starts out slow, and crescendos to the craziness that is December - the flurry around Christmas, the attempts at finishing projects and fulfilling obligations in order to start the new year fresh. So now that we’ve circled around to a new year, there was a short moment of “slow” with a clear slate ahead and the clear head that goes with it. That lasted about a day. This year has started in a bit of a sprint.

AWS 155th Annual Exhibition

“Arisen” Watercolour, 30 x 42””

“Westminster Abbey, Watercolour, 14 x 21”

I am very pleased to share that "Arisen" (Watercolour, 30 x 42") has been accepted into the 155th Annual International Exhibition of the American Watercolour Society, April 11-30, 2022 at the Salmagundi Club in New York.

This is the second AWS exhibition I have been accepted into, the last being in 2015 with "Westminster Abbey" (watercolour 14 x 21")

We were fortunate to attend the reception dinner at the Salmagundi Club in New York in 2015, and if the stars align and the world isn’t navigating another covid wave and borders are open, we hope to attend this year.

If so, it will be the first airplane trip we will have done since 2017, an exciting and curious prospect.

“Tree lines”

Solo Exhibition | April 23, 2022 | Canada House Gallery, Banff

I am preparing for another solo exhibition at Canada House Gallery. My last solo at the gallery was “Light Moves” in April 2020, when I delivered the entire exhibition to an essentially quarantined town due to the first serious covid restrictions. The exhibition went ahead online without an opening, which was necessary though a little disappointing. The gallerists worked hard to accommodate collectors and did a fantastic job, and for sure it would not have been easy. I am optimistic that this year will be normal-ish and people will be able to see the work in person. I hope to see you there.

“Treelines” | Watercolour | 55.5 x 40” framed

“Tree Lines” examines in detail the graphic lines that trees create, as well as the broader influence of the natural treeline on experience and landscape. Trees, by their very form and the shadows they cast, create graphic lines that function as compositional elements in painting. A single tree is sculptural, structured, abstract, - a vertical sentinel mirroring its image in linear shadows across fresh snow, water, land. Lines of evergreens march up the flanks of mountains, thinning out until just a few brave ones cling to a precipice. The serrated black silhouette of the treeline against snow or emerging from low lying clouds provides contrast and is useful for portraying dimension. Wood grain resembles closely stacked lines and is an opportunity to explore texture and pattern (hinting at the still life paintings here in case that was vague.)

It dawned on me this year while backpacking in the high alpine, that each back country experience is defined by the treeline, the upper edge of habitat at which trees grow. The treeline dictates so many aspects of a trip from what to pack to way-finding, travel times and setting up camps. Below treeline, the forest provides shelter from weather and sun, provides limbs to hang lines, string tarps, cache food. Living can be easier in the treeline. Of course there are also drawbacks, but I am not one to disparage trees.

Above treeline, the landscape is another world, with vast open views and clear sight lines to where one might venture, even a different quality of light and shadow, and an earthier colour palette. When climbing out of a forest there is a feeling of freedom, and if the weather holds, clarity. One is certainly exposed to the elements which requires different gear and skills, especially in winter, but the reward is the feeling of being on top of the world, light and unconfined.

Okay, off I go back to the easel (drafting table actually.) For snippets of paintings I’m working on for the exhibition, follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Visit the exhibition page here, or visit Canada house Gallery.

Thank you for reading my ramblings on tree lines.

Above treeline (Jasper National Park)

A whole bunch of tree lines. (Kootenay National Park)

The 28th Annual Exhibition: Postscript

Thank you to everyone who attended the exhibition on November 4th at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. For many it was the first time attending an event since the beginning of the pandemic, and I feel it is an honour to have provided that opportunity. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces (or at least the top half) and many new ones, and to see people enjoying the paintings in the same space we have held this exhibition in since 1994. To hear laughter and chatter and feel the electricity of being together was a gift.

Allow me to back up a step. For those who are new to my work, a brief explanation: Since 1994, I have held an annual solo exhibition at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton. It could be considered a vernissage, as it is the unveiling of most of my year’s work to invited guests before it is seen by the wider public. With the exception of 5 or 6 paintings that are previewed online in the months leading to the exhibition, the paintings have never been seen, and none are pre-sold.

It all adds up to an intense and busy event for all involved. We arrived at 8:30 a.m. at the hotel, unloaded 28 paintings along with a plethora of tools and supplies, and began unpacking and hanging the exhibition. With a team of five, we were finished in about 6 hours. Running mostly on caffeine and adrenaline at this point, we then had a short while to have a quick bite to eat and get dressed before guests start arriving.

To add yet another layer of work (because that’s just who I am) I also tried my hand at capturing the rooms for a virtual tour. It would have been way smarter to practice before, but I had zero extra time, so I winged it. The end result is barely passable but it does give some sense of the exhibition space. Feel free to giggle at my attempt by visiting the online exhibition.

Virtual Tour

I would also like to thank those who signed up as members on our website for private access to the exhibition to coincide with the in-person exhibition. Unfortunately there were some technical difficulties. I believe only 10 of 28 paintings displayed for the first half an hour until the correction could be made, and there were some broken links. Tech support (me) was busy talking to guests and was rather slow in fixing the issue. Thank you for your patience!

The online exhibition is open until November 14. If you would like to see any of the available work in person, please contact us to make a private appointment or join us at our open house November 13 and 14. (Masks and proof of vaccination are required.)

I have many more people to thank, including my volunteers who help set up and make the evening run smoothly, the fantastic staff at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald who are incredibly accommodating and efficient. Thank you to the admirers and collectors of my work, and to my friends and family who are a constant source of support and inspiration. Lastly, thank you for reading this post!

Some Unexpected Positives

…and I don’t mean Covid-19 tests. I mean the good things that happened during and because of the pandemic. We have all had to face challenges and loss; the loss of loved ones, good health, business, time with friends, vacations, celebrations to name but a few. However, since the news has the negatives well-covered, I’ll refrain from more of that and ramble about some unexpected positives.

It is amazing what humans can do when necessity demands it - the incredible speed with which vaccines were developed is the obvious example, but there are many. I love that cities were able to quickly redesign/reallocate streets to accommodate pedestrians, patios and bikes - something that would normally take decades. I appreciate technologies such as Zoom (though I don’t really love zoom meetings) and that so many people learned and adopted new ways of communicating. Many people experienced the outdoors for the first time, hopefully leading to better appreciation and understanding of nature. Many learned new skills, bought bikes, changed their diets or grew closer to those in their “bubbles.” We undertook a major renovation of our second floor including my studio which we’ve been putting off for many years. Many simply survived, and that is a positive. We are almost through this thing and that is, well, you guessed it.

For many artists I know, the pandemic has a been a time of intense creativity for both their artwork and businesses.  The absence of performance and exhibition opportunities was crushing for so many and necessitated developing new (mostly online) platforms for sharing their art, which will likely now augment if not replace many traditional platforms. For many, their work was seen by new audiences across the planet which may not have otherwise happened. A positive. And I don’t mean the blood type. Ok I’ll stop.

Work in progress | watercolour on board

The pandemic has sparked a kind of creative renaissance, as artists were even more cloistered in their studios and needed to express themselves more than ever. (See my post “Creative Isolation” for more). As we are all consumers of the arts, whether it be music, theatre, dance, film, literature, or the visual arts, we will have a lavish abundance of creative works to enjoy over this next few years. Definitely a positive.

Another unforeseen and welcome outcome is that since much of the visual art world moved online, artists could enter more juried exhibitions and competitions with digital images instead of physical paintings. It is a challenge to submit actual paintings that have to a) be available and b) be shipped across the globe at substantial expense, effort and not at zero risk. Online digital submissions have allowed artists to enter work from their archives that might reside in art collections or are committed to other exhibitions. I took this opportunity to complete more submissions than usual, and am pleased (and lucky) to have had my work accepted into ten adjudicated exhibitions and to have received several awards. I also earned my SFCA status (see “FCA: A long Story”).

I have just sent out my semi-annual newsletter and so subscribers won’t hear from me directly until October when invitations to my 28th Annual Exhibition will be mailed.

The exhibition will take place on Thursday November 4th. (More details to follow in another post.) The next preview painting will be posted on July 4.

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Over the summer I will be working hard on new paintings, going on a couple of backpack trips and as Chair of the CSPWC’s Open Water Committee, I’ll be working on the details of that exhibition. Wishing you a great summer (maybe even the greatest summer ever for those in Alberta… ) of reconnecting with loved ones, maybe even travelling and generally enjoying those things that we have necessarily had to forfeit. Thanks for reading and see you in the fall - I’m positive! (not that kind of positive 😉)

Federation of Canadian Artists: a Long Story.

I am floating around on cloud 9 after receiving news yesterday that the Federation of Canadian Artists has elected me to Senior Status, and I am now officially an SFCA. (And no, not “senior” in terms of age.) It is the highest level achievable at the FCA. With more than 2800 members across Canada, only about 80 have Senior signature status.

Let me back up a bit here with some history of the FCA for context (excerpt from their website:)

The Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) is a registered charity founded in 1941 by professional Canadian working artists including Group of Seven luminaries Lawren Harris, Arthur Lismer, and A.Y. Jackson. The first National Executive Council was led by Andre Bieler, and Lawren Harris was the BC region’s first Chairman. Other notable founding members included Emily Carr and the Honorable Mark Kearley.

I received my Active membership (first level) by jury in the year 2000, which required submitting 10 images. It was done by actual slide back then, and required shipping 3 paintings to Vancouver for live adjudication. A few years ago, I accidentally let my membership lapse and had to re-apply, essentially starting from scratch. Last year I received my Active status by jury for the second time, and proceeded to work on applying for Signature status.

Attaining Signature status is a long process, requiring being accepted into a minimum of seven adjudicated exhibitions within 4 years. I got to work and managed to be accepted into seven exhibitions within a year and a half, and was awarded 3 honourable mentions along the way.

The second requirement is a submission of portfolio of ten paintings which are adjudicated by a panel of 20 SCFA jurors. Once the digital portfolio is accepted, three of the ten paintings are shipped to Vancouver for the live jury. This is the first time I have applied for Signature Status. I was hoping to attain Associate Status, but completely prepared to have to apply again and then someday apply for Senior Status.

The phone rang yesterday - it was the FCA calling to inform me that the jury didn’t think my work met the requirements for associate signature status level ….long pause… but rather Senior Status level. In other words, I had moved past AFCA and straight to SFCA.

I am thrilled and honoured to be part of this group of Canadian Painters, and pleased to share the portfolio that I submitted, below.

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All but three of these works reside in private collections. “Arts and Vines” is available, while “London in the Rain” and “Soho” will be part of my November exhibition.

Congratulations to all of the new signature members for reaching this creative milestone! An exhibition of the new associate and senior members is now on at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island, Vancouver B.C. Entitled “Success! A Celebration of Creative Milestones” runs until May 2, 2021.

Creative Isolation

As many artists do, I work under solitary conditions in my studio so am quite accustomed to being alone most days, but the pandemic has certainly intensified the alone time. I have been able to use the additional isolation to work hard and be creative, and I feel super fortunate for that.

The travel restrictions were certainly disappointing (and certainly necessary,) but we took the opportunity to spend more time in solitude in the back country of the Canadian Rockies, including two 2 extended backpacking trips and several ski/iceclimb trips.

The landscape is a salve for the awfulness and daily tragedy of the pandemic, as we have seen in the incredible number of people spending time in the wilderness this past year. It is for me also an opportunity to gather reference material for the next couple of years of landscape paintings. “East Ridge, Mt. Temple” is the first of many. Getting lost in the rendering of detail and the sculptural quality of couloirs and ridges is a meditative, restorative process. (charcoal, available at Canada House Gallery.)

On another note, last May I became 2nd Vice President of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC) as well as chair for the Open Water Committee, the society’s flagship international exhibition. It has been a challenging learning curve but the other board and committee members have helped me along the way for which I’m grateful. Submissions for the Open Water exhibition will open on June 1, and the exhibition will be held online from October 15 to January 15, 2022. If you are a watercolourist from anywhere on the planet, you are welcome to apply.

I will have more exhibition news in the coming weeks and hope to embrace these (hopefully) final few months of heightened creative isolation to create new work. Meanwhile, enjoy the spring weather, and let’s hope that the marathon is coming to an end. The finish line is nigh!

Tradition and Tacking

As many of you who follow my work know, since 1994 I have held an annual one-night solo exhibition in Edmonton at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. It is a kind of armature around which I have formed my art career and way of life really, shaping each year in terms of time management, travel and creative output. For my collectors, volunteers, friends and family, it is a time to gather together to see most of a year’s work, to socialize and to celebrate the start of their Christmas season. It is a tradition.

And then... 2020.

After 27 years of finely tuning the exhibition, I was forced along with the rest of the planet, to change tack (I resist using the overused and now-annoying “pivot”) and I’m grateful and fortunate that I had the choice and ability to do so. That being said, I felt whiny and put out and unsure, and well - scared.

(It was even more unsettling as my bi-annual solo exhibition at Canada House Gallery opened this spring at the very height of the first wave of the pandemic, when the town of Banff was actually closed to visitors. It felt like I had delivered an entire exhibition into quarantine. In spite of the limitations of lock-down, the gallery made sure the work was seen and appreciated in a covid-safe manner. They changed tack.)

Following that, and as the pandemic accelerated in scope, it dawned on me that my November show really could not take place as usual. So, I kept calm and carried on. NOT. It was closer to panic than composure.

I moved the exhibition to a hybrid model, holding the opening as an online event, becoming somewhat more "techy" than I’m comfortable with in order to bring my website up to exhibition speed. That was part one. Part two was to schedule timed, private appointments over 10 days for those who wished to see the work in person, which meant moving all of the furniture out of our house, hanging and lighting 27 paintings. It meant sanitizing every surface between appointments, of course wearing masks, and keeping the house spotless. It meant giving up the celebratory atmosphere and energy of an opening night, and a fair degree of certainty. It also meant being more flexible than normal while trying to uphold those traditions we were able to.

27th Annual Exhibition, Annesley Studio, November 2020.

Having more time to converse with viewers and collectors without the pressure of a crowd was enjoyable and valuable, which I feel was a shared sentiment.

I learned that art seems to be more meaningful and necessary in this time of isolation, and that is reassuring. I learned that even though we all may feel as if we are working in a vacuum at this moment, your supporters are still there, and you and your work, whatever it is, are needed.

I also learned that sticking battery operated LED spot lights to your ceiling will likely not end well. Another post for another time.

Hopefully over this next year and especially during this next few weeks you can maintain at least a few traditions, and that you can change tack when necessary and enjoy the new direction it takes you.

27th Annual Exhibition, Annesley Studio, November 2020.

P.S. After we struck the exhibition, I took the opportunity of a furniture-less house to clean and polish the floors, as well as re-paint. The “removal” of the stick-on spotlights also may have had an influence on this decision. It has taken the past 3 solid weeks but it is finally done. Though it is “just” wall painting, there is a certain freedom in using larger brushes and tools to make big gestural physical strokes; a complete departure to my usual controlled and detailed work. The change of colour and pattern is refreshing, and I can’t wait to host friends for dinner as soon as it is safe. I also can’t wait to return to making paintings instead of walls.

(Sculpture by Susan Dancer)

27th Annual Exhibition Update

The show will go on - just differently.

After 26 years of holding the exhibition at Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to change the format of our one-night show for this year
to protect the health of our guests, volunteers and staff
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
An online opening will be followed by an in-person exhibition
at Annesley Studio over 11 days by appointment.

“Age of Steam” Watercolour | 25.5 x 40” (39.5 x 54” Framed)

The paintings will be unveiled and available for purchase
on our website commencing at
5:00 p.m. November 5th.
The paintings can then be viewed in-person by private, timed appointments at
Annesley Studio | November 6 - 15, 2020

Curbside pick-up, private studio visits or shipping
will be arranged for collectors.
Our first come - first serve / no pre-sales policy is still in place.

Though we won't have the pleasure of being together at the lovely Fairmont Hotel Macdonald for the first time in 27 years, we are looking forward to accommodating our valued patrons by presenting the new paintings in a physically distanced and safe manner while keeping as much consistency in the show as possible.
As always, the invitations will be mailed in early October. The next online preview will be on October 5th.

The 2020 exhibition model is a work in progress,
and details will be announced here
and on social media platforms as they are confirmed.
As with everything 2020, this is all new for everyone and hopefully some creative ideas and new opportunities will be the result.

The Show Will Go On

Ok I know it’s a variation on a cliché, but there is truth in the statement. In this time of incredible turmoil and uncertainty, I can share a bit of certainty.

The 27th annual exhibition will be held on November 5th, 2020 as always. We plan to hold our one-night exhibition at Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, but we realize the pandemic will require flexibility.

It seems particularly important in this moment to uphold those things we are able to, to recognize the things that give us comfort and a sense of normal, and to make plans for something to work towards and look forward to.

This isn’t to say that everything will be the same. With social distancing measures there may be changes to logistics such as the line up, food and wine service, the purchase desk and limits to the number of attendees in the exhibition rooms at one time, we are not quite sure yet. However, we will be sure to take all precautions to ensure the safety of our guests and volunteers.

If we are not allowed to gather together once again, the exhibition may have to happen in smaller shifts or move online only. I’m getting ahead of myself and speculating at this point, but one way or another, the show will go on.

As those who follow my work know, my November exhibitions have a central theme based on our recent travels to a specific city or country, with a smaller series of landscapes from back-country trips in Canada. Since we are not able to travel this year, I’m taking the opportunity to look closer to home for the beauty I normally seek while travelling. We are all likely getting to know our own homes, communities, cities and province much better these days, which I think is a gift - opening ourselves to all that our own back yards have to offer. However I am also dreaming of and remembering the places we’ve been fortunate enough to see and am enjoying reliving these experiences through new paintings.

The exhibition will include several series: architectural paintings comparing scenes from home and abroad, landscapes based on our own “back yard”, and a series of still lifes exploring vintage music and fabric, two of my favourite isolation therapies.

Another sure thing is that artists of all disciplines are in a highly creative moment, producing new works and new ways of presenting their achievements to the world. As part of the audience I take solace in and am grateful for this outpouring. As an artist I am fortunate to count myself among this group and look forward to sharing my new work with you in November. Meanwhile, take care of each other, stay well and safe.

Art for Music

I have decided to expand my sale/fundraiser idea (and give it a name - “Art for Music”) to include the giclée reproduction “Precipice.” 5 signed and numbered giclée reproductions are now on sale for 20% off, and I will donate $100.00 per print to the CKUA Radio Spring Fundraiser. Available in the Paper Shop

“Precipice” Giclee Reproduction | 23.75 x 12.5” | archival Ink on archival paper

Let me back up a bit. When CKUA’s Grant Stovel interviewed me a couple of weeks back (Thanks Grant!) about my gesture of support (a price reduction on card packages and a 25% donation of proceeds to the station,) it was a fledgling idea and I wasn’t sure how to articulate the “why,” other than it just felt right. I just wanted to do what I could to support musicians, their industry and the station that supports them. Now that the fundraiser has started and the C-crisis (which shall remain unnamed) is continuing its devastating path, it seems right to expand the initiative.

Refer to my last blog post “There is Always Beauty” for more background.

The “Precipice” giclée is a reproduction of a watercolour painting I did in 2018, depicting the view from the Alpine Club of Canada’s famed “Abbott Pass Hut” in Yoho National Park, defiantly sitting atop the Great Divide. The view from almost 10,000 ft. is astounding and I have made several paintings from our hike there. The hut is closed now, not because of the C-crisis but because some of the ridge had fallen away and destabilized the building and it’s being remediated for the upcoming season. So for those who have made or dreamed of making the scramble to take in the breathtaking views, or are feeling frustrated at not being able to visit the mountains, may this image bring the mountains to you. If you decide to purchase one, enjoy the music that your purchase will support.

Fine art card packages continue to be 25% off with 25% of proceeds donated to the fundraiser. Thank you to everyone who has already purchased cards! I hope you are enjoying them and if you have sent them to loved ones, that they appreciate the physical connection you have made.

“Art for Music” will continue throughout the CKUA Spring Fundraiser to the end of April 2020. My hope is to raise $550.00 to support one hour of programming. Visit the Paper Shop

There is Always Beauty

This is a trying time for humanity, full of tragedy and fear, pain and uncertainty, but you don’t need a anthology of the awful from me. There is great generosity happening around the world, as well as ingenuity, creativity and yes, beauty. Artists are still creating works of art to sooth themselves and their followers. Those spending time in self-isolation may pick up a brush or guitar or pen to pass the time, and for some it may even turn into a new direction but at the very least it is creative, comforting and beautiful. There are also many who offer their time, their talents, even their own toilet paper, and that is also beautiful.

For actual and eloquent writing on beauty I suggest poet Shawna Lemay’s blog Transactions with Beauty It is saturated with beautiful writing, images, observations and wisdom.

Sale in the Papershop

Yesterday I was trying to think of what I could possibly do to join in supporting the beautiful efforts. As someone who mostly works in daily isolation, listens to the radio most of my working hours, and an avid traveller, I cooked up a small & simple idea. To help with the disappointment at cancelled travel plans and isolation, I decided to offer my fine art card packages at 25% off (featuring locations from at home and abroad, perhaps sparking memories or future plans.) Sending physical cards are one safe way we can connect with each other to help deal with isolation. I also decided to donate another 25% of proceeds to the upcoming CKUA radio fundraiser. The arts in general are suffering badly right now, especially the performing arts. CKUA supports the local independent music industry and they in turn support our well-being and will help get us through this challenge. Visit the Paper Shop to support this gesture.

Light Moves

Solo Exhibition | April 18, 2020 | Canada House Gallery

“A Fine Prospect” Watercolour | 54 x 42” framed | Private Collection

For the past 6 months I have been working on my upcoming exhibition at Canada House Gallery April 18 in Banff. Due to the pandemic, there may not be a physical opening per se, but we plan to deliver the paintings next week so they will be available at the gallery. The physical gallery is now closed, but will maintain their virtual presence through their website,  Instagram and Facebook and will continue to have a staff presence in the gallery, available by appointment only. You may reach them 403-762-3757 to make arrangements.  All paintings will be online later this week and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you.

“Crowfoot” Charcoal on Board | 54 x 41” framed ) Private Collection

26th Annual Exhibition: Footnotes

My annual exhibition was 4 weeks ago, and it feels like I am just now getting myself organized after the intensity and work involved in the show as well as visiting with out of town guests, family and friends. I am still surprised and delighted when people travel from afar to Edmonton in November for the show. It has often been suggested that I move the date to a nicer time of year, but my logic is that it is a bit of warmth and light in the cool grey of early winter.

“Northumberland” Watercolour | 33 x 43” framed) Available at Annesley Studio

Another surprising thing to me is how my year’s work looks installed in one space. While I am making the paintings throughout the year, they get stored in plan chests or stacked against walls, waiting to be completely finished, signed and framed, all of which happens the few weeks before the show. We then fit them in frames, package and store them until taking them to the exhibition space on exhibition day. It is like Christmas, opening the packages and deciding where they will hang. When it’s all done and everything has been properly lit and labelled, I have a few quiet minutes to walk around and appreciate the work in its entirety for the first time. When the doors open, the invited guests also see the paintings for the first time and I love seeing their reactions. The paintings only hang in the space for the evening, and everything gets re-packaged and whisked back to my studio the next day.

I am interested in people’s perception of the body of work as a whole as I am often too close to the paintings to notice changes. Some people felt that there was a certain “openness” or “lightness” in the paintings, others commented on the intense detail and even more intense sense of light. Someone else noticed that the roundness of sun doesn’t have to be specifically rendered but rather is suggested by the dissolution of form and the geometry of rays around it. It is rewarding and somehow affirming when people notice and understand those details. I love getting comments on the door prize entry forms and read every one, so thank you for leaving those. We look forward to seeing everyone next year!

“Fire Island” | Watercolour | 31 x 24” framed | Private Collection

We just returned from the annual holiday party and exhibition at Canada House Gallery in Banff, Canada. This was our 10th year attending, and I am grateful for the opportunity to meet or reconnect with fellow artists, catch up with the staff, and just be in the company of mountains. We squeezed in two days of ski touring to clear our heads & stretch our legs while processing the very busy past few weeks. It was also time to contemplate the next crescendo, that of holiday festivities, and planning our longer annual trip to the mountains at new year’s. Fingers (or skis) crossed for good light, fresh snow and dramatic vistas to inform my next exhibition, scheduled in April at Canada House.

“Wayfinding” Watercolour on Board | 24 x 24” framed | Private Collection

Exhibition Madness

Dear Blog-ary, it has been many months since I’ve last posted…

The summer of 2019 flew by, marked by a fantastic kayak trip to the Broughton Archipelago on the west coast of Vancouver Island and enroute, a few long-overdue visits with friends. We saw all manner of land, sea and sky creatures while paddling through a maze of islands and soaking in the beauty of the coastal landscape. We were accompanied by the gentle sound of paddles in water, and the (somewhat) louder song of laughter and conversation from our paddling companions. Back in Edmonton, we had little time for much other than work, but since we both love our work it is no sacrifice. That said, now that fall is here, I’m lamenting the dirth of outdoor pursuits compared to other years but looking forward to the winter ones ahead.

“Archipelago” | Watercolour (34.5 x 25" framed) | Available on Nov. 7 at the 26th Annual Exhibition

Art Live | Canada House Gallery

Another highlight of summer was painting live at Canada House Gallery in Banff alongside four other gallery artists in August. It was a little daunting at first as I am accustomed to painting in solitude, but everyone had great questions and observations, and seemed genuinely interested in the process. (Robert Lemay, Kerry Langlois, Terry McCue and Sheila Kernan) I discovered that painting in public wasn’t the hive-inducing exercise I thought it might be, (and hopefully not painstakingly dull for the audience) but rather one of good conversation, connection, and great fun.

Photo Credit: Shawna Lemay

International Juried Exhibitions

And then autumn came, and I was honoured to be accepted into 3 major international juried exhibitions: the Federation of Canadian Artists “Limitless” exhibition, The Federation of Canadian Artists “AIRS” exhibition, and the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour 94th annual “Open Water” exhibition. I won’t go into detail about each competition here but suffice to say, it was a flurry of framing, filling out forms and shipping. (For more information visit the current exhibition page.) I was a bit disappointed to miss travelling to the openings, but alas, preparations for my annual November exhibition are all-consuming this time of year.

“N.O.L.A.” charcoal | 10.5 x 30”

“Crema” Watercolour | 14 x 9” (22.5 x 18" framed) | CSPWC Open Water Exhibition, Leighton Centre, Calgary | Sept. 28 - Oct. 27 2019
”Crema” will be available at the 26th annual exhibition on November 7.

“N.O.L.A.” (Charcoal, 10 x 29.5”)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 18, 2019 | Federation Gallery
1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, B.C.

I am grateful to Canada House Gallery for parting with this piece for the Federation of Canadian Artist’s “A.I.R.E” exhibition. I don’t normally enter paintings that are at the gallery but since acceptance into these competitions is always a long shot , I took the chance as a last minute thing, fully expecting a rejection letter. After the end of the exhibition, it will be returning to the gallery in time for “Joy” the annual Christmas Exhibition on November 29. (more on that later.)

Alpine Club of Canada Mountain Guides Ball

I have donated “Winter’s Keep” (giclée reproduction #30 of 50) to the Alpine Club of Canada’s annual Mountain Guide’s Ball Silent Auction, in support of the ACC’s environment fund. Online bidding closes at 9:15 October 19. There are lots of great things to bid on besides art - gear, books, outdoor experiences, accomodations etc… For more information on the ACC and the important work they do, visit Alpine Club of Canada.

26th Annual Exhibition

This brings us to the next major happening, the 26th Annual one-night exhibition held at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton on November 7. I am feverishly finishing the paintings, ordering frames, and juggling the myriad of details required to bring the show to life. It is still a scary and stressful time, even after 25 years. Certainly there are tasks that get easier and more efficient, but time saved on one detail gets spent on another self-imposed bright idea (or not,) so the level of complexity in the preparations seems to grow each year. Hopefully the result is a pleasurable evening for everyone who attends, whether they are collectors, art appreciators and supporters, or volunteers.

The preview is almost complete, with one more painting to be released for online viewing on Thursday, Oct. 24 for a total of 6. The exhibition will be comprised of 26 paintings, unveiled and available for purchase at 5:00 p.m. November 7. If you are new to the exhibition and wish to receive an invitation, contact us. (*Please note, the hotel is not a sponsor or host of the exhibition, and any questions about the event should be directed to Annesley Studio.) If you are coming from out of town or would just like to have a micro-holiday, we have arranged for a special rate at the hotel. Enquire here

My feeling is that after this divisive and attention-stealing soul-eviscerating federal election campaign, we will all need an evening out to simply enjoy each other’s company in the company of paintings in beautiful surroundings. Hope to see you there.

Balancing

It seems to me that each year is one long crescendo, starting with a relatively clear slate in January and ending with the frenetic busy months of November and December. As any artist / self-employed person knows, one of the biggest challenges is how to structure your time when there are very few parameters. In January, the horizon looks pretty clear to me, with that wonderful anticipation and curiosity of what the year might bring. Ideas, opportunities and obligations start to accumulate, and decisions need to be made as to what is important, what is possible.

So here we are, all of a sudden, well into May a.k.a. mid-crescendo. Spring has sprung, summer is sown, and the year is speeding up and filling out. Paintings are evolving, exhibitions are scheduled, trips are planned. I am fortunate to love what I do so completely that I have to crowbar myself out of the studio to tend to the other necessities of life - to rest and recharge, spend leisure time with loved ones, broaden horizons, get some daylight. It is a happy yet tricky balancing act.

Here are some of the events filling out this year:

Associates of
The Vancouver Art Gallery

I am honoured to welcome 17 Associates of the Vancouver Art Gallery (AVAG) for a studio tour next week. As part of their national travel program, the Edmonton tour will also include a visit to the Alberta Gallery of Art, the new Royal Alberta Museum, the Aga Khan garden, and various local restaurants. Edmonton will no doubt impress them with its beauty, culture, hospitality and neighbourliness.

“Sunshine” | Charcoal | 21 x 29” (33 x 41” framed) | for Canada House Gallery Demo Days Exhibition

Art Live at Canada House Gallery

August 17, 2019

I am pleased to be a part of the annual Demo Days exhibition at Canada House Gallery in Banff with five painters and two sculptors. We will be demonstrating our processes in the gallery on Saturday, August 17, and exhibiting six new works each. As I have not painted “in public” since studying at the University of Alberta, I am admittedly a bit nervous. My process is slow and probably tedious to watch. There are no dramatic brushstrokes, no flourishes of sumptuous impasto, and very little physicality, just painstakingly small and controlled strokes. Pollock I am not.

Nervousness aside, I look forward to sharing the experience with fellow gallery artists Robert Lemay, Terry McCue, Sheila Kernan, Kerry Langlois, Paul Reimer, and Neshka. If you are in Banff that weekend, drop by and say hello.

26th Annual Exhibition | November 7, 2019

“Edifice” (working title) watercolour | 25 x 40” (40 x 54” framed)

The event that gives my year most of its shape is the annual November exhibition. I build a collection of paintings over the whole year, then exhibit it for one night at Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald - a kind of crescendo for my work. One of my professional goals was to reach the 25 annual exhibition mark, which happened last year. Some people wondered if I would continue with “the show,” as 25 years is a long time to do any one thing.

My answer is…absolutely.

The exact format may change slightly to make sure it stays current, focused, and enjoyable for all involved, and in balance with my gallery commitments. We will be sure to inform you of any changes well in advance. More details of this year’s exhibition will be announced on June 7th, along with the first of five paintings to be previewed online each month leading to the exhibition.

Wrapping up the Year

It is not easy to summarize a year without getting trapped by either too much detail or forgetting major events entirely, but here is my attempt. 2018 has been a whirlwind of a year having had 2 solo exhibitions including my 25th Annual, and one group exhibition, as well as several trips to the Rockies and further afield.

“Wildlight,” my second solo and fourth major exhibition at Canada House Gallery in Banff, opened in the spring and was very well received. The work explored how light changes our perception and experience of landscape and architecture.

“Light sculpts the landscape with shadow, gradation and highlight, paints surfaces with unexpected colour, softens edges and sharpens lines. It can transform a cold winter’s day to golden warmth, or illuminate hidden detail in dark interiors, forests or river beds. Light can change the unremarkable into the unforgettable. ”

“Lightshow” Watercolour | 26 x 38” | Private Collection

I pushed the tolerances of watercolour in pieces such as “Lightshow” with an array of warm dark shades and intense colours at the very limits of saturation.

“The wonderful window seats at Rundle Lounge at the Fairmont Banff Springs remind me of a loge at an Opera House, with your own private view of the stage. The show here is the sun rise painting Cascade with warm light, a row of light posts outside like footlights on a stage, and the viewer has the best seat in the house to watch the unfolding scene. Warm leather and wood contrast with cool snow, the order and elegance of the architecture are a foil to the wilds outside the window.”

Something I’ve been experimenting with over the past several years is combining watercolour and charcoal, a technically difficult and unconventional technique that solves a number of visual issues. Both mediums have always been central to my work, but I hadn’t endeavoured to mix them until about 5 years ago when I took the risk (there is no going back or erasing colour from a charcoal drawing in my experience) on a nearly - complete charcoal drawing and have been enamoured with the technique and aesthetic ever since. It is now an established and recognizable part of my “toolbox” resulting in pieces such as “Wildlight” and “Crimson Castle.”

“Wildlight” | Charcoal & Watercolour

42 x 28” | Private Collection

“Crimson Castle” | Charcoal & Watercolour

43 x 30” | Private Collection

We travelled to New Orleans after the Wildlight Exhibition, then I needed to finish the paintings for The TREX exhibition. At the same time I was planning and working on my 25th Annual Exhibition, “Silver” held in November. The landscape, architectural and still life paintings were based on 25 years of travel at home in Canada and abroad. I certainly felt the import and significance and yes - pressure, of the twenty-fifth annual. To do anything for 25 years in a row is probably not too common, but to do it on the same night at the same venue with many of the same volunteers and guests is an entirely different thing, a bit of a unicorn. Many guests express their gratitude and appreciation for the consistency of the show, something they enjoy and anticipate each year, and I am grateful in return for the enthusiastic support I have received over the years from my friends, family, volunteers and collectors. Thank you. Looking forward to what next year brings!

“Morning Light” (Watercolour) 25 years ago we chose the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald as the venue for my annual exhibition for its architectural beauty, historical and personal significance and location atop Edmonton’s river valley.

We were fortunate as well to undertake 2 back country trips with dear friends, canoeing Maligne Lake in Jasper, and backpacking into a remote part of the Canadian Rockies. Not only do these adventures challenge and strengthen mind, body and friendships, they provide fire and fuel for new paintings. At the moment we are planning our winter adventures in the Rockies, with new work to follow in the spring.

As the year comes to a close, I would like to wish everyone the best of the season. May you celebrate what is important to you with those most important to you. See you in 2019!

“The Backcountry” Watercolour 21 x 7” (Private Collection)