It was a night of craziness…from beginning to end…I have recently taken a teaching contract and that has really changed the dynamic of my life.  As you all can attest, a change is sometimes exhausting for a while, until a person gets into their ‘groove’.  Getting out of school and then out to the pond with Max is a bit crazy before getting down to the Gorilla House, but both things are important to me.  Max-man has made quite an adjustment, given that he sees me so little, so a good exercise is imperative for his good health.  He is a workin’ dog, that’s for sure.

I’ve got to say that even when the temperatures are low and the air is bitterly cold, a good athletic walk in a beautiful landscape is also healthy for me.  So, off we boogied!  From there, I headed out to the store to pick myself up some new coveralls.  Wowsah!  I’ve had the same painting coveralls for about twenty years.  The denim feels like cotton now and it’s just time!

Old.

New.

So, once home, I ran to the studio and applied some texture to my panel and all guzzied up, I fed Max, gave him a pat on the head and headed down to the core, knowing that this week I’d be late!  I wasn’t there for the spin and so just grabbed two of the concepts for the week from Belinda…Fibonacci and Circus…and began to create.  I was wearing my Old Ideas t shirt from the Cohen concert and those words, old ideas, were playing over, again and again, as I drove.  I had attached the parable of the fig tree, a few precious pattern pieces that came from Mom’s sewing room and an old index page from my precious Audubon cast-off onto my panel before leaving the studio.

I further developed the layers and textures, as I considered the themes.  I knew I had no reference for a rabbit, although that was the first thing I thought to paint as my subject for the night.  I just didn’t have the confidence to produce a depiction without some information.  In the meantime, I produced a rich surface and was ready to go, blocking in my first rabbit in chalk, but quickly abandoning it because of its lack of dimension.

Next, I wandered around the Gorilla House, talking to other artists…asking them to collaborate with me on my evening piece by drawing me a rabbit.  It’s just so funny…no one I spoke to felt confident to draw a rabbit…except for Marta.  She took her brush and sketched out a very fanciful animal onto a napkin…we both laughed and I moved on.  Sylvia pulled a Telus calendar from under her palette…and VOILA!  The tone for the hour that was left, was set!  I would paint one of the whimsical, sweet animals like those that Telus has used in their ad campaign.  This was not going to be an evening of sophistication…that was all ready so obvious!

Thank you, to David, for purchasing the piece at auction, on behalf of Shauna, on behalf of darling Felix.  It was good to see you again, Melissa!  Who painted that panda?  I loved it!!  Thanks for the calendar, Sylvia and for your cheerful support always, Harold.  Marta, it was fun to meet your friend, Tina.  Thanks to all of those who attended a battle for your first time!  Here is my ‘cute’ painting.

Thanks to Aaron McCullough of Red Dot Photography for taking this photograph.  It features my new coveralls.

Aaron McCullough taking a picture of Melissa taking a picture of Kath taking a picture.

Photo Credit: Aaron McCullough of Red Dot Photography