Blog

Well, now I've finished my Christmas shows all I have to do is get my new studio/gallery ready for a private opening in 10 days. The first part of my hanging system was installed today, my paintings are back from all their travels (well, except for the ones that found new homes at the sales!) and the wood stove is working just fine. I still have to pinch myself every once in a while to believe that I have my own big studio, just a short walk from the front door! I'm really enjoying the time I spend in it, although I've hardly painted there, just done some matting and framing of pieces to get ready for my shows.

I was really happy to sell the larger canvas wrap of "Faerie Woods" (left) and got lots of admiration for the limited edition prints on paper. One of my little hand-done prints sold as well, and my new credit-card reader worked beautifully at the last sale, on my new smart phone (which is truly outsmarting me, I have to say!)

Both sales went well and I had to re-order business cards--the new ones have a little map on the back with my address and went over really well in the Vancouver area craft sale. I'm hoping to see lots of traffic next year, with the studio tours and my own customers from the Vancouver area. What a nice day it would make, touring in the beautiful Okanagan Valley--wineries, orchards and art studios! Put the studio tour dates in your calendar--May 25 & 26, and November 2 and 3, 2013. It would be great to see you in my studio!

As the weather gets colder I can hear Australia calling me, and look forward to my annual migration starting January 1. I'm also starting to get prepared for my print-making workshop in Bellingen--images are running through my mind and I'm dying to see what they look like as prints! This year being my 4th experience with print-making I'm starting to get better ideas of what will work well--stay tuned!

My smart phone and smart lap-top (on Windows 8) are giving me lots of challenges and I think I'm being dragged into the new decade! Hopefully I can adapt and make good use of the advanced technology they afford me. At some point in time I'll be more efficient, I hope!

This little print to the right is the one that got sold at the Coquitlam sale--it was nicely framed. I'm finding that good presentation (ie, framed or at least matted) makes all the difference to selling. My great framer, Lyn Thomas of Lynton Studio in Maple Ridge, is sorely missed here in my new location. I had to stop into her studio while in Vancouver to pick up a huge stockpile of mats for my upcoming work. She is a gem and I'm not sure I'll find someone so reasonably priced here in the Okanagan.

Well, that's about all to report for the day--I hope you're happily getting ready for the holidays and thinking about what you want to create for 2013. We've had such a fantastic year--I don't think there will be one to match 2012 in my lifetime. Big dreams came true, and I'm just enjoying living them. Maybe next year I'll set my sights on something else but right now, I think I have things just like I want them! Aren't I fortunate. The moon and the stars have aligned.