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From this to this:.

I finished off the old year with my best show ever and a few extra big sales of very large canvas birch reproductions. At 5 feet long they looked fabulous and that was before they were mounted over master bedroom beds!

I also had a foray into some pottery work, as a giveaway for customers I the Summerland Gift Shop Seasons Sparkles Christmas market. These little quail were such a hit there were more copies made to sel.I was also delighted to sell two pieces out of the Penticton Art Gallery!

Now looking into this year's plans, I was disheartened to hear that the organizers of two of my best shows are not continuing on in 2016. I hope that someone will step into the gaps but meanwhile I will be looking for alternative sales to replace them. If you can recommend any Christmas shows in the Vancouver or south Okanagan area please let me know.

Meanwhile I have a big year of traveling happening and am taking every opportunity to visit other art studios and galleries that come my way, now in Australia, and later in South Africa and Scotland. I'm particularly interested in printmakers so send an email with any of your favorites so I can work them into my plans.

Meanwhile of course the studio is closed until at least the middle of the year. Some work remains available at the Summerland Art Gallery and I have a selection of cards at the Penticton Art Gallery. I have taken my work out of the Comox Valley Art Gallery as it was a long way to go to check on it--and their mandate is to serve local artists, as is my own local gallery.

Now that I have some experience being on the board of a non-profit organization I am getting more insight and appreciation for what goes on in the administration of community galleries. There is a great effort to engage the whole public into support and involvement in this field. Yet where would we be without art and public demonstration of it? Funding for every little piece, from building operation to staffing to promotional expenses is unreliable from year to year and subject to the vagaries of government and the varying generosity of business sponsors and individuals. This is the part where we all wish for a fairy godmother or an angel to look over us!

Well, enough musings for the end of the first month of 2016. Signing off with the evening view of the Kalang River near Coffs Harbour, NSW. I hope you're taking some time to enjoy nature wherever you are in the world--and whatever season it is!