This painting found a good home via a fund-raising event for a middle school here on the island. They were raising funds for an afterschool arts program for the kids. Gotta love that.!
"Tranquility"
Trusting
Sometimes my paintings whisper to me, calling me over... "We are not done yet", they sometimes tell me.
And so I must hold my breath and take the plunge, trusting that what will come will be even better than before, and that I can indeed do what is asked.
On the Topic of Seaweed
I do love seaweed. I like eating it. I like watching it. I like painting it. When it gets windy around here and the trees bend back and forth in a rhythmic sway, I often feel like a tiny fish in a kelp forest. The light falling through the trees is green and blue and the sound of the wind, when it gets determined, has the crash of breakers in it.
There is nothing I like more than painting seaweed paintings, and bringing that swaying movement into the house. A reminder too, that though we live on soil, our planet is a watery world. It is good to bring that element into the home. So although I say good-bye to my lovely painting, "The Salish Sea", I know it has gone to a good home where the denizens feel the same way.
Good Bye Earth Flowers
So not only was my work accepted at the Sidney Art Show but my piece also sold! So good-bye to "Earth Flowers".
"Midnight Dandelions"
It was nice to have one of my big paintings up in a bigger space than the wall of my studio.What's new?
"Song of the Earth" is sold.
In the Elemental Studio
What's been going on lately? Well I sold "The Threading of Amethysts". I'm glad I remembered to take a photo before I shipped it off!
Earth Flowers
I found out which painting got accepted into the Sidney Fine Art Show! It was Earth Flowers. (One of my favs...shhh don't tell the other paintings.)
Shadows and Light - At the Show
So, for those wonderful people who couldn't come to the gallery show but supported me from afar with kind words and cards and email, I wrangled together a little video clip that is all a humble minute long (and yet took 3 bajillion hours to make because I AM SO SLOW with these things). Please to be enjoying muchly.
Shadows and Light
Next month, the Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art is hosting our show, "Shadows and Light". The show runs from June 14th -28th, with the reception on June 14th at 4:30, so if you are around, do drop by for a glass of wine and a look around. It is always nice to share what we have been creating in our studios. Peter Allan creates powerful pieces out of soapstone; introspective and earthy. I feel there is that element of Myth and Beginnings to his work; the beginning from whence all our universal stories come. Have a look here: Noble Sculpture Studios to see what I mean, though to see them in person is when you get the impact. The sculptures try to contain themselves and fit "properly" into the gallery space but you have a feeling, that given the chance, the sculptures would not try to behave. Yes, there is a bit of the labyrinthine quality to his work, a darker, more earthy side; the part within all of us that asks, "How deep within yourself are you willing to go? What will you do with the answers?"
There is a poem by John O'Donohue called, "For Light", and the first stanza makes me think of Peter's works.
Light cannot see inside things.
That is what the dark is for:
Minding the interior,
Nurturing the draw of growth
Through places where death
In its own way turns into life.
Thank goodness for poets. They can put into words what we can not.
