Weddings................

Yesterday we attended the wedding of our friends Les and Victoria. It was a small but elegant event, a bunch, which was a nice departure from a full on reception. The girls were invited also but wore grumpy faces because the other teenagers that sat at the same table as them weren't too fond of conversation. Actully, they seemed to enjoy "no conversation" Every so often one of them would head over to my table and say "talk about awkward silence, this is brutal".

It was a short service but really beautiful. John put me in charge (thanks honey)of hitting the play button on the stereo when Victoria began walking up to meet Les. Unfortunately I forgot my glasses and couldn't stand far enough away from the CD player to see what button I was pushing. Luckily I did hit the right one and on came Kenny G.

After the meal we all headed back to their house for drinks and the cutting of the cake. I ended up sitting beside this great woman named Barb who is an airline attendant and who flies back and forth between
Toronto and Hong Kong. We found out we had a lot in common and spent most of our time comparing notes on men, life, art, etc. etc. She had a quick wit and was outrageously funny. At one point we discussed age and she said "You look good for 47". I said, "At this point in time it's all in the lighting".......which of course it is. I've had my moments being under bad fluorescent bulbs when I look like I could be the sister of my grandmother. Yikes.........

Well, I had a great day as I'm sure everyone else did who was there. Les and Victoria are wonderful people and I wish them them the best on their journey.

Hope everyone had a great weekend..........happy and healthy

In The Home Stretch

Tonight I will thankfully be able to move my furniture back into the living room and tomorrow perhaps hang some art. The kitchen will be painted tomorrow and then ...yeah! it is all over.
Within the midst of all this chaos I have been trying to get organized for the show which starts on Friday. I think I'm doing alright.
This piece and the last posted "Benched" are both from my "City Streets" series.........works from the streets of Toronto. I love the urban feel to both of them as well as "Sunday Morning". I am headed to Toronto again next week to spent some time with my mom and sister so I'll have a few days to get around and take some more photos for potential art pieces.
I must say I am quite tired today. All the renos as well as the upcoming show have done me in but at the same time I am excited. I look forward to the Tour every year as it is such a wonderful experience to connect with new clients as well as old. My work this time out is far removed from what I was exhibiting last year so it should be interesting to hear the feedback I receive.
Oh, and before I forget.......Congrats to my cousin Paula on her wedding to Steve..........great woman....great guy. Your blessed.
Hope everything is great in your part of the world.

New Weddings and Twenty Years of Marriage

Our friends Andy and Laurie are getting married this weekend and the weekend after, John and I are celebrating twenty years of wedded bliss.......somedays more blissful then others of course. Andy and Laurie are getting married in their backyard, John and I am celebrating with 85 of our friends on the shores of Superior.

We have been planning this for the past year and were so pleased to know everyone we invited was able to attend. You know you've got "good friends" when they are willing to drive eight hours to help you celebrate. This week I am finalizing all the details.....caterer, wine, accomodations for guests etc. I think it was a bit more stressful than I imagined it to be but were in the home stretch now. I'll post about it when I return.

This piece was inspired by our trip to Toronto where my youngest daughter was quite mesmerized by Tamara Jaworski's "Modern Quartet". I couldn't track her down to get permission to use the image so I just threw one of my own in. The entire piece is painted in acrylic except for the weaving, that I completed in thread.

Hope everyone is well and enjoyed a great weekend.

The View From Here

Hmmm.....I really love Sundays.

John has taken off to the archery range for the day, both of the girls are headed to friends and I have a full day stretched out in front of me. I will probably work which may sound strange to some but working makes me happy. I experience great joy when I'm in my studio "figuring things out". I call it my place of meditation as I find when I am "creating" nothing else comes into my head. I am just in that moment. May sound corny but it is absolutely true. Today I'm working on a small piece, it will probably end up being 8"x10" once it is matted and framed. It is a wildflower garden with lots of daisies. I'm also working on a piece that was inspired by my trip to Toronto a few weeks ago. I will post both when they are completed and you can let me know what you think.

Last night we attended a small party for my friends Andy and Laurie who are due to get married in August. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of food. I only ate a bit of the salads as I was still feeling full from the late lunch we had.........a veggie burger (trying to be good) but then blew it with the fries that arrived on my plate. I did not ask for them but figured since they were there I would eat just a few...... well, a few led to all. That plate couldn't have been any cleaner had I licked it. My pants are not feeling any looser these days. Anyway, both Andy and Laurie are coming to see me today to pick out a piece of my art which will be my wedding gift to them.

I am currently reading a great book "Eat, Pray, Love: One woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is touted as her spiritual memoir. I am not that far into it as of yet but I am already loving it. If you get a chance check out the "Thoughts on Writing" section on her website. I love this quote

"I believe that – if you are serious about a life of writing, or indeed about any creative form of expression – that you should take on this work like a holy calling. I became a writer the way other people become monks or nuns. I made a vow to writing, very young. I became Bride-of-Writing. I was writing’s most devotional handmaiden. I built my entire life around writing. I didn’t know how else to do this. I didn’t know anyone who had ever become a writer. I had no, as they say, connections. I had no clues. I just began"

I think that is so beautifully said.

Hope your having a good weekend too