The Little Gull

The Lake Huron Carolers

2012-01-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say The Lake Huron Carolers art cards were a big success this Christmas! It was quite fun to watch these little cards fly across Canada to their prospective customers. I was thrilled to think about how many hands would hold the image, and pondered over how far The Little Gull has flown since its creation.

Many thanks to Tall Tales Books, The Cadboro Bay Book Company, and the University of Victoria Book Store. Your support was greatly appreciated!

Lake Huron Carolers - Art Card for Sale!

2011-11-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

Cards are 5 x7, high-quality printing done at Art Ink Print.

Proceeds from the sale of this card go to support the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society Music Therapy Program.

If you know of anyone looking for art cards to give this Christmas, please direct them to this site. Many thanks for helping to spread the word!

Together we're better!

Carol N.

Camp Goodtimes

2011-09-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Materials: acrylic paint and collage on wrapped canvas.
Status: This painting is on auction at Eagle View Elementary School. Bids close on October 7th.
Notes: Our friend, Alvin, is one of the riders in this years Tour de Rock (Cops for Cancer). He is biking 1000 kilometres to raise money for pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes. Watching Alvin train for months - riding up Mount Washington, dyeing his hair pink, then shaving it off at a school assembly - and seeing the enormous commitment and support of his wife and family has really opened my eyes to the depth and breadth of this endeavour.

Our school has a goal of raising $5000 by October 7th - the last day of the ride. Our two oldest boys, Kieran and Liam, shaved their heads to show support for Alvin and the Tour de Rock team. I am so proud of them!

Very Fond of Tea

2011-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic paint and collage on 5x10 wrapped canvas.

Status: This piece was a commission for a baby shower.

Notes: This is the first fox I've painted - and I must say it is my favourite part of the piece. The text in the house and on the tree trunk is taken from a book about Emily Dickinson. The text above the group is a quote from Alice in Wonderland.

Lemonade for Superheroes

2011-07-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

Materials: acrylic paint on high-quality watercolour paper with collage.

Notes: I have donated this painting to Tall Tales Books in Victoria to use to promote their Superhero Society. It is first prize to the member who names the Superhero Society Newsletter.

So - if you've joined the club - enter your choice of newsletter name! Contest ends on July 31st. Hurry, hurry!

For more information, contact Drew and Kate at Tall Tales Books.

If Birds Read Poetry 2

2011-06-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic and collage on 10 x 10 canvas.
Status: For sale.

Notes:
Collage has opened a whole new world to me with my paintings. I have been dipping into my memory of poems and text I read twenty years ago as an English Literature Major at Trent University.

I have a little someday dream. . . to have The Little Gull Studio in a floating house at Fisherman's Wharf. I would sell paintings, cards, t-shirts, mugs, and host little painting workshops. It would be cozy and lovely and a way of life to make you happy. The best part? Aidan would work with me. And, perhaps if he wanted to, he could live on the Floating House.

Ah, to dream a little dream.

The Owl Swing

2011-06-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

Material: Acrylic paint and collage on 8x8 wooden cradle.
Status: Gone to a very good home!
Note: The text is taken from the Down Syndrome Creed. . . and is used in honour of my son, Aidan who moves beautifully at his own pace.

Our Family at Sea

2011-06-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

Materials: acrylic on paper.
Status: Father's Day gift for my husband....SURPRISE!
Note: About a month ago, James mentioned he would like a painting like this one. It was a lot of fun to do, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I put in a representation of our family into it; can you see the 3 boys? Can you see me and James? Can you see both sets of grandparents?

No? Okay, here's the cheat sheet:

The 3 trees on the right are the boys in order from oldest to youngest.
The two houses on the escarpment are for the grandparents.
James and I are on the boat between.

Not sure what Freud would say, but there you have it!

The Teacher

2011-06-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic and collage on wooden cradle.
Status: Gone to a good home.

Sailor

2011-06-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

Material: Acrylic and collage on canvas.
Status: Gone to a good home.

Little Blue Bird

2011-06-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic paint and collage on wooden cradle.
Status: Gone to a very good home.

If Birds Read Poetry

2011-06-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic and Collage on wooden cradle. Text is taken from a book about Emily Dickenson.
Status: Gone to a wonderful home.

Owl do as You do

2011-03-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Status: Gone to a very good home.
Material: Acrylic paint and collage on 6 x 6 inch wood panel.

Notes: This is the first time I've used a wooden panel, and I'm definitely looking forward to painting on them more often.

The text in this painting is from the poem: Down Syndrome Creed by an unknown author. I wonder sometimes if the author is aware of how popular this poem is in the Down syndrome community? I hope so....it speaks to so many of us.

This painting is dedicated to my son, Aidan, who is bringing out the best in all of us.

Charlie de Gull

2011-03-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

Material: Acrylic paint and collage on 5 x5 inch wrapped canvas.
Status: Gone to a good home.
Note: I would like to dedicate this little guy to my Grandmother, Irene Wilford. She had a playful spirit - and would get us excited about spotting the gulls at her cottage on Lake Huron. The text was taken from a book about Emily Dickinson.

Two in a Canoe

2011-02-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

Material: Acrylic paint and collage on wrapped canvas.
Status: A commissioned piece for a baby gift.

Notes: It is so much fun to work on commissions because they challenge me to try different techniques, colours, etc. It's a good thing to go outside of my own mind for ideas! The name of the baby and date of her birth is collaged in the bottom left-hand corner. I wasn't sure if the family would appreciate being "out there" on the blogosphere, so I've censored it for now. They haven't seen it yet, so after they do I'll ask what their preference is.

Walk on the Beach

2011-01-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Material: 5 x 7 acrylic paint on paper.
Status: Gone to a good home.

Being a sailor's daughter, I love the water. I also grew up with a fondness for gulls. My grandmother used to call them Charlie - after Charles de Gaulle. Long ago and far away, my sister and I found an injured gull....and in a moment of grand bravery, Bev wrapped her hoodie around it, and took it back to the cottage. My grandfather was a doctor, and so we had it in our minds that we could fix Charlie up with whatever medical supplies we found in the closet.

"Charlie" lived in a cardboard box for a few hours until Mom convinced us that we were terrifying the poor creature. We took it to the shore where it could feel at home.

I like to think he made it to a lovely island and had a peaceful rest of his life.

Sailing to Africa

2010-12-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

Material: Acrylics and collage on wrapped canvas.
Status: A commission which has gone to a beautiful family.

Notes: This was so much fun to paint! It is the first time I really got into collage - first with the tea tab as the flag on top of the mast - then the vintage map of Africa for the sail, and finally, the Canadian flag.

This painting was a commission for my dear friend`s sister. The family is moving to South Africa in the new year, and she wanted to give them a very special gift. I hope they like it!

2 boys and a dog

2010-12-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

This painting was a commission (thanks Jill!). The request was to depict 2 small boys and their dog. One boy was to be on the trike, pulling the boat trailer out of the water, with the younger boy still in the boat, fishing.

It was lots of fun - I LOVE commissions!

Oh, I Believe!

2010-12-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

Materials: Acrylic and collage on wrapped canvas (4x4)
Status: This painting was presented to Santa Claus while riding with him on his private jet. Really! Our littlest was invited by Telus Flight with Santa. We were so grateful for this unique opportunity, we wanted to give something back to the big guy :o)

And there in a wood, a piggy wig stood

2010-12-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Materials: Acrylic paint on 5 x 10 wrapped canvas.
Status: Available.

Two Hoots: What is Love?

2010-11-29T09:45:00.000-08:00

Oh, I believe!

2010-11-27T17:34:00.000-08:00

Materials: Acrylic and collage on wrapped canvas (4x4)
Status: Available

The Huron Carolers

2010-11-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

Status: Available
Materials: acrylic painting and collage on 5 x 10 wrapped canvas. Unframed....sides are painted, so no frame necessary

The Rustic Lighthouse

2010-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Materials: Acrylic paint on paper; painting knife used to give texture; 5 x7 painting in a 15 x 13 frame.
Status: Going to a good home.

First Kiss for the Frog Prince

2010-11-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

Material: mixed media (acrylic paint, coloured pencils, collage) on 6 x 6 wrapped canvas.
Status: Gone to a happy home.

Notes: I have long had the princess and frog painting in my head, and I have always loved when other painters used bits of print in their work. I am so pleased with this concept - I can't wait to do it again!

My very good friend, Kat, said I might want to add some other skin-tones to my paintings...and so I did. I love the mocha-latte coloured skin with the bubblegum cheeks.

For the text, I opened a book about Emily Dickinson, and came to a poem with a prince in it....I had to do it...I cut into my book, with no regrets!

Owl and Pussycat on-line auction

2010-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Owl and Pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea-green boat...

Material: This 12x12 acrylic painting on wrapped canvas.

Status: This painting was donated to Strawberry Vale Preschool's Fall Fundraising Event. It went to a lovely home.

The Cottage

2010-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Note: This is part of my grandmother's cottage. My grandpa built it for her on a point on Lake Huron so that she could see the sun rising and the sun setting every day. It was a magnificent place to grow up every summer.

Material: acrylic on canvas paper.

Status: a gift for my mom :o)

Four Seasons Tree

2010-10-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

This was a commission for a friend. It is a gift for a family that recently adopted a little girl from China. The idea was to represent each of the four seasons, with the words: "through every season may you: Imagine, Believe, Love, Laugh." The words are all on the inside edges of the painting; a hidden message.

The maple tree, a symbol of Canada was a must in this painting.

Materials: Acrylic paint on 4 separate canvases.

Status: Gone to a good home.

Q is for Quail

2010-10-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic paint on 5 x 10 wrapped canvas.
Status: A commissioned piece. Gone to a very, very good home.

Owl Love

2010-08-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Material: 5 x 5 wrapped canvas, acrylics
Status: Available.

Gully

2010-08-30T10:21:00.001-07:00

Materials: Acrylic paint on 5 x 5 wrapped canvas.
Unframed - painting extends to sides, so no need to frame.
Status: Gone to a good home.

Owl Looked Up to the Stars Above....

2010-08-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic on wrapped canvas.
Status: Gone to a good home!

The Boat on the Beach

2010-08-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylic on watercolour paper.
Status: This painting has gone to a good home.

Waiting for Friends

2010-08-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Material: 10x10 Wrapped Canvas.
Status: This gull has flown to a good home.

Our Family in a Yellow Submarine

2010-06-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylics on wrapped canvas.
Status: Original painting is in a good home (ours!). You can order a custom painting of the yellow sub with your family in the portholes. E-mail Carol for details: carolnaha@yhaoo.ca.

And there in a wood, a piggy wig stood...

2010-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Materials: acrylics on wrapped canvas
Original painting available at Sprouts in Downtown Victoria.

The Owl and the Pussycat

2010-06-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Material: Acrylics on 8 x 8 wrapped canvas.
Status: The Original has been sold to a good home with young grandchildren.
Giclee prints and art cards available soon.

The Knight's Gift

2010-06-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Materials: Acrylics on wrapped canvas.
Size: 8 inches x 8 inches.
Status: The original painting has gone to a good home with young children (and a horse).

The Cat and the Bass Fiddle

2010-06-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Status: Original painting has been donated to the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society to raise funds for their Music Therapy Program.
Material: Acrylic on Wrapped Canvas