Blog

Well, in 24 hours I'll be on the plane to Los Angeles and from there to Brisbane. I've had a great weekend at my last sale of the year--actually the most successful sale I've been in, I think! So I signed up early for next year (for those of you who are working into 2011 calendars already, it's December 2-4!)

Somehow my sales seem to take off whenever there's an event in the near future--in the leadup to the sale I was selling a painting a day for almost a week! And since the sale there have been email orders for cards, and an enquiry about the beautiful painting I did of my sister. We'll see where that goes--I'm happy to do another one, on commission!

This little card is the model for a larger piece, in progress, although I think I'll leave it until I return. I've packed some reference material for down under but really, it's summertime there and unless I'm stuck in the rain somewhere I'll likely stick with Australian images.

It's so great to be looking forward to sunshine and ocean swimming and re-connecting with all my southern family & friends. The only drag is leaving my husband and family here behind. Still, I'm hopeful that at least he will come & join me and some friends on a 6 day hike in New Zealand (The Grand Traverse) in early February. It'll be a training hike for Mount Kilamanjero, in Africa, which we are planning to climb in 2012. I think that will require much more tenacity than this Kiwi hike, given the elevation of over 18,000 feet.

While I'm in Australia I'm hoping to track down and meet with some world class artists of the Antipodean variety...it was such a thrill to meet Robert Bateman in Ontario, and since then I've been touring and assessing art studios and galleries to do some homework for a world-class studio to operate out of in our next property. And I'm still enquiring into what it is that makes someone a world-class artist--any answers out there? Do email me if you have some ideas.

This is another small painting I did after returning home from Ontario. I matted it with a dramatic black mat and the first person I showed it to bought it! I've found a wonderful framer, Lyn Thomas in Maple Ridge, Lynton Studios. If you have any framing needs, look her up & let her know I sent you. She'll give you a great discount.

Well, that's all I have time for today, since I still have suitcases to pack and calls to make and a husband to snuggle with. I probably won't be posting until just before Christmas, when I arrive in Melbourne. From there I'll be driving up to spend New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour with my great friend Di. She has just sold her family home of decades and is moving north, but she's sticking around Sydney offering me hospitality for the first part of the year. It'll be great to see her and her amazing city again--she always knows the best places to go to enjoy Australia!

So, just in case I don't get back on before Christmas or New Year's, I'll take this opportunity to wish you & yours a very happy holiday season, with lots of sun (if you like that ) or snow (if you're inclined that way!) The first decade of the millenium is over--and what a decade it was! Hope you had as much fun as I did!

Ciao for now, stay tuned for more adventures and paintings!