a tempest of teacups

So tonight there is a local fundraiser gala event for the Gabriola Arts Council and in honour of this group’s 20th year, the theme is all about CHINA!

China Affair 2017

Of course, when the call to artists went out inviting us to create something along this theme, I had to join in!  I love painting tea cups and using fancy china to drink my tea.  Any old day can be a tea party if you take a moment to pull out the good stuff.

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I started playing with ideas and really settled on this idea of using the good stuff any time, like taking it to the beach for picnics (something I love to do with my girls)! Using photos from a recent picnic with my youngest at Drumbeg, I started playing with some new photo transfer techniques and I love how well this technique works on a wood surface!  You should really try it with your favourite photos!  Here is the one that worked out the best, I love the feeling that comes through.  ”Making Memories” is a mixed media photography piece on a 10×10 cradled panel and it will be for sale at tonight’s fundraiser event!

making memories

A couple weekends ago, the amazing woman who runs ArtziStuff (the gallery in downtown Nanaimo that carries my art and cards) hosted an art party with her mom (thank you Tanya and Diane Streeter)!  I was so lucky to be invited to this gathering of incredible creative women and had so much fun sharing food and stories and art supplies and techniques! I worked (played) alongside Janice Hofman who makes amazing stencils – you can find Janice’s stuff on etsy and at Iron Oxide (an amazing art supply shop in downtown Nanaimo).  She showed me some fun new stencil techniques and we had a giggle over the fact that we packed the exact same paint colours to bring for the afternoon of creating! Her stencils helped me jazz up this other painting I did for tonight’s art auction….

tea party pink tea cup 8x8 2017

I loved working on this sweet piece while surrounded by all my new art pals.  I painted tea cups all afternoon while drinking tea (first black, then mint) and later prosecco in a fancy pink and gold tea cup.  The delicious biscotti made by one of the artists at the party was just so perfectly paired with my mood (as were the stories she shared of her time in Italy). Thank you Mirella Trozzo, I must come find you again at Biscotti Di Notte in Qualicum!

tea and tea cup arttea art party so many tea cups cr

I had so much fun brewing up a collection of tea cup paintings at this little art party (and since then in my home studio).  There truly has been a Tempest of Teacups in my life the last couple of weeks….with my art and with all the tea we have been drinking as my family has taken turns with the flu.  Now we are all still fighting the lingering effects of the cold that came with this nasty bug and drinking more tea!  I am hoping to join everyone at the Tempest in a Teacup event tonight, but I will have to see how I feel… luckily I still have all afternoon to drink healing cups of tea.

Cheers to all of you who also enjoy a good cup of tea (or prosecco)!

cheers at tanya and diane art party

Tea parties really are perfect any time — at the beach with your kids, while creating with friends or home alone to help you heal from a cold!

IMG_9729btcrart party photo credits go to Mirella Trozzon and Janice Hofman – thanks for capturing the magic!

 

fill me up

I just finished a little piece for the second annual A Small Gesture Art Show and Fundraiser happening this weekend in Nanaimo.  If you are in the neighbourhood, please pop by Iron Oxide Art Supplies tomorrow night and Saturday to have a look.  Maybe you will find the perfect little piece of art to gift your mother (or yourself).  This painting would be perfect for someone who loves the little things.  I have included several of my favourite things in the piece — tea cup (with clear direction to be filled before anything else happens), envelopes (can you see them, from mail received), a doily (they always make me smile), aqua (the sides are painted aqua too)…and a hint of pink (a colour my girls introduced me to the joy of)…..I hope it makes you smile!

first things first, fill 'er up

 

2014 calendars are READY!

Where does the time go?  It keeps zooming along and here we are looking at the last month of 2013!  It has been an amazing year and I am hoping for more good things in the coming year.

To get us all started, I am happy to announce that I have completed my 2014 Year at a Glance Calendars in time for holiday gift giving!  Many of you requested I do so after I launched them a little late last year (in the New Year).  After much deliberating and polling of some of my artsy friends, I have decided on four designs for this year: “Rain Meets the Sea”, “Trust the Universe”, “Milk Please”, and the very popular “Tea Cup To Do List”.

Thanks to my hubby for creating a beautiful template and a local print shop for zipping up my order, I now have some for sale in my etsy shop and at Artzi Stuff in downtown Nanaimo.  And I mean SALE — since I want to spread my art around with a smile, I am offering these once again for a great price — just $7.50 for each 12 x 18 inch poster!

These poster calendars are is printed professionally (and locally) on 100% recycled paper. Good for the earth and great for the office, kitchen, or studio to help you count the days. I highly encourage reusing this calendar too — at the end of the year, crop off the months and save the art for your wall.

Have a look and make an order soon if you want some in time for Christmas gift giving.  I am placing my first print order on Wed Dec 11th, so can deliver or ship the first orders shortly after that.  Of course, I am happy to take orders from you any time and will get them to you as fast as possible (printing takes 2-5 business days).

I am going to settle in and enjoy this busy festive last month of the 2013 and when January comes I will be ready for another year of amazing-ness with a brand new calendar! Tea Cup will be at my work office, TRUST will go in my studio, Milk Please will go in the kitchen and my man has chosen Rain Meets the Sea for our home office.

I wonder, which 2014 design do you like the best?