Owl do as You do

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

Two Hoots: What is Love?

Oh, I believe!

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