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Thursday 10 July 2014

Inspired by the North Country

I just spent four physically challenging but wonderful days in Algonquin Provincial Park with 9 strong, brave women. It is an experience that leaves me awed by God's creation and providence and also gives me a real sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
My small sketching kit came along with me and it always takes me a day or so in my new surroundings to feel comfortable enough to sketch. One afternoon, I walked down the trail from our campsite to a spot by the water where we rested our canoes and attempted to sketch a small portion of our surroundings. The predominant colour was green which is calming but challenging to alter the greens in order to see any detail in the sketch.
I was able to get the sketch finished and a light layer of watercolour paint on it before the black flies drove me away. It's really difficult to sketch and slap bugs at the same time.



This sketch was done on a watercolour pad with a Uniball Pen with waterproof ink and some watercolour paint. When I got home, I finished painting it and am really pleased with the finished product. It measures 10 x 4 inches.


On another day, we canoed to a place called High Falls which was an area of small waterfalls and deep pools surrounded by smooth rocks and forest. We were able to slide down one of the chutes, jump off the rocks, and swim in the pools. It was quite entertaining to see these adult women do away with convention, ignore that they were professionals, mothers and grandmothers, and behave like children for a time. I took the opportunity to do another sketch of the area, this time without the nuisance of the bugs. 


This sketch was done in a moleskin sketchbook measuring 11 X 3.5 inches. I took a photograph of the same scene to help me with the colours and sun and shadow areas so I could paint it once I got home.



Much to my great pleasure and surprise, when I checked my emails upon my return home, there was one congratulating me for having my Art Quilt "Algonquin Rapids" ACCEPTED into the Fibre Content 2014 Show at the Art Gallery of Burlington! The Show runs from September 9, 2014 to September 16, 2014. The Art Gallery of Burlington is on 133 Lakeshore Road, Burlington.
 For more information check: http://www.fibrations.org/ or http://artgalleryofburlington.com/

AND for something a little closer to home, I will be entering the same Art Quilt in Impact 2014, a Juried Art Exhibition at the Neilson Park Creative Centre right here in Etobicoke. If accepted the work will be displayed July 14, 2014 to August 7, 2014. I'll find out July 14 if it has been accepted and let you know in case you'd like to visit the show.


1 comment:

  1. Congratulations. Arja. That's wonderful news. So exciting. Nice job on the prints as well

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