Blog

Almost two week has gone by since the Wellbrook Winery/Delta Arts Council show and it's been a whirlwind. I was pleased with my sales at the show--two originals, and lots of cards, magnets, magic books and even 2 fairy caves. There were not as many artists there as I had been led to believe, but thankfully it was a beautiful day, not too hot, not too windy, and there was a reasonable crowd in attendance, especially for a one day event. A good time was had by all (although there were some artists there who didn't sell much, unfortunately. I hear this is happening quite frequently, even at the more popular shows, so I'm happy that I haven't been "skunked" yet. It would be very disappointing to do all that work and spend all that energy and money to enter, and not sell anything. My heart goes out to those artists struggling to "make it", as they say.)

However, leading up to the show, and since then, I have been distracted, to say the least, by finding our next property in the Okanagan Valley (our wine country), with a big shop just waiting for me to set up a studio in! The wheeling & dealing all happened leading up to the show. We had seen this place last fall, but ruled it out, and then the price dropped dramatically again so we went and looked at it, as a joint investment with my brother's family (it has subdivision potential as well as a great house) on June 30. We put an offer in July 8, that was accepted, and we take possession on July 30! All that in such a short period of time--and so easily. It was meant to happen!

Now with the future residence (we'll plan on moving up there later in 2012) settled, the path we will take over the next 14 months seems a lot clearer. Although I had been fussing about missing our current home, patio, friends, family, routines, and city life, knowing that we have a place 300 metres to the beach, a lovely home and property, and lots of potential and choices for exciting development prospects, that fussing seems...well...uncalled for. We will miss all those things, but we'll have lots of visitors, I'm sure, and the opportunity to establish my art in an area like that, with a studio, is incredible. Sometimes I have to pinch myself because it seems like this summer is unreal, like a dream.

The next few weeks are full of travel, including a trip to Wabumun, Alberta to a family reunion, hiking in the Icefields Parkway and Field areas of the Rocky Mountains (we'll be doing the Iceline Trail on August 1, weather permitting), and then an Alaska cruise with the family courtesy of my amazing mother (who is also an investor in the new property). Then, if the new place isn't rented out promptly, I'll be living in it for the rest of the summer! What a fantastic life! I'm getting my camera cleaned up for all the amazing shots I'll be taking, some of which I'm sure will be reference material for further artwork.

That's where it's all at right now--I'm definitely painting away in the world--along with a whole bunch of other things! Stay tuned for more adventures...and more artwork. (Right now I'm in the finishing stages of a rather genie-looking fairy. She's appeared at the edge of the painting, kneeling, with arms crossed in front of her. She has an amazing set of wings which seems to go on forever, and I'm hoping that expression on her face isn't an irritated one. I've been trying to calm her down a little because she looks like she could cause a lot of trouble. Fairies can do that, you know! Haven't they done it to you? I've definitely been at the wrong end of their tricks before...)