What inspired you to start painting?
For as long as I remember I have been a creative and love to use my words and art as a place to reflect and unwind - calming my soul.
My dad was a recreational painter (pastel and oils) and my mother was a very creative crafter (sewing, knitting, quilting, handicrafts, and baking) so I was exposed to creative experiences throughout my family life which cultivated imagination, and a love to create things I found pleasing to the eye. I enjoyed the challenge.
I began painting more regularly after I was diagnosed with stage III oral cancer and a soon after with an autoimmune disease. Both creating enormous exhaustion and a need for some soul care to maintain an optomistic outlook. I found the process of watercolour freeing and calming to my mind and my spirit. Sometimes watercolour does its own think and bring me surprises. It helps me become expectant to what might come. Combined with this calming aspect, I consider it part of my soul care time.
What is your favourite medium?
Most of my work is created with watercolour although I have dabbled in acrylic and briefly in gouache - my favourite, though, is definitely watercolour.
More recently I have dabbled with working on my ipad to try to create two art pieces: 1) loaves of bread and 2) a peony. That was interesting experience and super easy to fix mistakes by just hitting the “undo” button. Even though they turned out well, I didn’t particularly like the “feel” of the artistic process, consequently, I think that is why I still prefer a paint brush, paper, and water to paint. I guess I’m old school as they say!
How did I get started?
I began with a school style yellow HB pencil and blank sketch book. When I was a young mom I could only find time during holidays and work/school breaks to sit and sketch. At that time I’d sketch animals and eyes, and hands mostly - the kind of thing I could easily put down and pick up when I had time.
Then once my kids were grown I decided to prepare for my future retirement days and knew that having a hobby would be good for me, so I enrolled in a few local classes at private art studios to gain some skills - first drawing then painting. Some I enjoyed; others I didn’t so much.
Finally, after years of searching I came across one group where I was able to stay for a few classes and learned how to paint with acrylics. I enjoyed the teacher and other artists but found the medium messy and expensive for my liking so I looked around for watercolour classes in my neighbourhood and during the pandemic, while I was recovering from cancer surgery and treatment, found one at a nearby community centre and enrolled .
I’ve never looked back.
What kinds of things do you like to paint?
My favourite things to paint are flowers and landscapes. I am quite keen to learn how to do portraits, although I’m not sure I’m patient and brave enough right now.
Most often I take a photo and then begin with that. Sometimes I draw, other times I trace the outline and keep the photo to see where I need to shade with my paint. I’ve tried to do plein air but here in Alberta the paint dries out quickly outdoors and I am a “slow” painter. What I enjoy the most about plein air is being outdoors which is one of my soul care keys!
Where has your art been displayed?
A group from my church participated in an Art Collective gallery showing at a local private university where they hosted guests and each artist said something special about their artwork. There have also been a few times where I displayed my art in my church’s foyer where the theme of the art fits the sermon topic. It can provide the onlookers to reflect in a different way on the messages spoken about.
Every once in a while I’ll participate in a local craft fair and have a display of my art, but I think I feel like an “impostor” around all those other wonderful artists!
I’m also pleased to say that some of my art is hanging in the homes of several of my friends, and family members as they have supported my fundraising for cancer research where I donate all of the art funds I receive. And of course, I have several of my originals and prints around my house and in my art room and bedroom and family room.
What do you do with the art you make?
As I mentioned above, I have sold my art at craft fairs, other ways include donating pieces for silent auctions, and toward raising funds for special interest groups like the time I helped initiate a large group of artists (painters, sewers, quilters, and others) from my friend community, network, and church to paint sunflowers in order to raise funds for the Ukraine crisis. We raised 10K towards that effort and donated it to an agency supporting the Ukraine crisis - all during the pandemic in 2022 (note the distancing and the mask).
After I was diagnosed with cancer I wanted to figure out a way to give back to those who cared so well for me at our cancer centre, so I chose 4 of my favourite paintings to create limited edition prints (10 copies each) and am selling those on a donation basis (while supplies last) to raise funds to donate to cancer research. If you’d like to learn more about this effort and see more art, click here: Be a Beacon of Hope: Purchase with a Purpose.
Finally when I’ve been invited to speak about my cancer journey and award winning book, “Embrace Life Embrace Hope: Cultivating Wholeness and Resilience through the Unexpected” I have a table set up with my book with the limited edition prints for sale.
I’d love to hear from you about your art and what you make! Be sure to leave a comment.
I do not paint but I do enjoy looking at good art. Your pieces look great. I enjoyed reading your post.