A Few of the Artist's at the Quaaout Lodge Art Festival

Riley Charters setting up her paintings, cards and jewelry. watch your step as you step into the bridge. Dave McKeown is in a booth behind Riley with his dream catchers, drums, beading and more.

Nelson Leon, I made the mistake of telling him he looked so cute, I had to take it back and say how manly he was, loved the colors,  he was the MC and singer, drummer.

Alisa Nielsen sparkled as much as her lovely glass work. Spirit Wolf Design.

Maynard McRae sits proud among the colorful bead work produced by Maynard and Janie. Sun Eagle Bead work & Designs.

Shirley Babcock, loving what she does.

It was difficult getting close to Melissa Nasby's booth, her felting was extraordinary. Soul Fiber Studio.

Dewey Smith, with his carving tools laid out on the table, he carves away at a mask.  The totem smiles and smirks for the camera.

Rikki Kooy modeling her designer vest. Spirit Elk Design Consulting.

Meagan Louis, such a beauty, I hope one day I see her wearing her beautiful bead work, I can imagine the amazement.

Lisa C. Dunphy with her painted landscapes of bright, bold colors.

Cam, Bear Skin Art & Design, native prints and apparel.

I was thankful to Bill Lowe for taking the time to call and tell me about this show, I would have enjoyed staying if we could have, the lodge was beautiful. Visiting with Riley and Bill was a inspiring. The lunch was good and sitting across from us was Hilary and her husband, Hilary and I sing in a Bulgarian folk choir together. The Quaaout Lodge was a wonderful setting for this art festival, now I know where it is next time they have an event I may be interested in. Just not the Golf.

Frustration!

I spent most of yesterday morning working on a post, about the art event at Quaaout Lodge, that Steve and  I attended on April 18, 2015, the post went wrong and disappeared. I will try again another day. It was wonderful to see Bill and Riley!

Riley Charters and Karen Durant, the women in the painting is in my hair, looking for dragonfly's.

The Five of Us

Steve Fultz on guitar, Karen Durant, Jackie Rudsvick, Mimi Kim, Joyce Taguchi, at Mimi's Tearoom March 26, 2015.

April 10th "River Talk" www.enderbyrivertalk.com finally came out and this is the picture on page 13 that Jette Russell took. Thank you Jette what a great picture of the  five of us!

International Purple Day for Epilepsy

I would like to thank Cassidy Megan, founder of Purple day, for bringing us together. Without Purple day I might not have had the courage to put together the “Dessert and Entertainment” at Mimi’s Tearoom, in Enderby BC. We had four women vocalists, one a piano player, and my husband Steve on guitar. I emceed the event weaving information about Epilepsy between music interludes. We sang jazz tunes, spirituals, show tunes and opera. The tearoom has seating for fifty people and we were sold out; we could have sold another 20 tickets, but that would exceed the fire regulations. Next year we will be in a bigger venue.

Jackie sang and bravely told us about her mother who had epilepsy and how hard it was growing up with the bulling of her mom, being called a drunkard and more. She was so pleased to hear what we were doing to bring about awareness. They had nothing like this in the 80’s. We touch so many lives.

The event gave me strength. The audience was glowing with smiles; they enjoyed the music and the information. Some of the feedback was “What an amazing evening, all that talent in little Enderby.”  “You did well.” “What a fun night.”

I shared a bit of my story.

I have been living with Epilepsy for approximately 20 years and didn’t know it, until 2013 when I started having Tonic Clonic or Grand Mal seizures. The first  few seizures in the mid 90’s were more like visions, the most interesting was the night I went to bed and suddenly I was in outer space. My thoughts were “I’m not asleep how can I be dreaming, what is this and where am I?” It was amazing. Floating in space with me was a circle of hands; I could float down to the circle and feel secure and safe inside the circle or float away and watch it spinning around.

 It left such an impression I had to draw it. With Scottish-Irish as part of my ancestry I drew the circle of hands with Celtic knots. I silkscreened it to garments, put it on our wedding stationary. The circle of hands has become a symbol of the support system of family, friends and community that help me through my days.  Recently I had the circle of hands printed onto greeting cards, I have them for sale $4 each or three for $10.

For me Purple Day is not just about bringing awareness for Epilepsy, it is also about saying thank you to family, friends and community for their support, this difficult journey called epilepsy would be much harder without them. Your support and understanding helps me and others with epilepsy get through our days, thank you.

Mimi finished with Phantom of the Opera’s “Think of Me”; what a voice she has. Thank you to Mimi for your songs and piano work, her husband Jong and Mimi for the venue, the tea and yummy dessert’s, young Christian for donating cookies, Joyce for song, Steve for guitar, Jackie for song and the story of her mom, Donlea and Tom for greeting and taking the tickets at the doors.

If you think someone is having a seizure; stay calm, let the seizure take its course, speak calmly and protect them from dangers.

For more information check out www.epilepsymatters.com

Comments are welcome

Taking 2014 into 2015

Where has the year gone...it's already January 11th! My daughter Yolanda, her husband Chris, their dog Scout, and my sister Jessica all came to Enderby on Christmas day from Vancouver and Abbotsford. What a wonderful time we had laughing, cooking, eating, playing cards, and walking the dogs. Jessica was very curious about the fact that Sir Anthony Hopkins had recently been in Enderby starring in the movie "Go With Me". The last day of the visit we all headed down to the D&E Diner for a delicious lunch. Jessica's first question to Heather (one of the D&E's owners), was where did Anthony Hopkins sit? She stood in that space and absorbed his energy. 

Chris, Yolanda, Jessica and Steve; a booth for six at the D&E Diner.

We had a big snowfall while they were here, or so we thought, the BIG snow was the weekend after they left, with no way to get out of our driveway for two days, no work, no school, many hours of shoveling and early mornings with a constant be-hp, be-hp, be-hp, of heavy equipment moving snow around. We had so much snow we didn't know where to put it. Getting beyond the volume of snow, the world of snow and ice fascinated my creative nature and the pristine beauty was everywhere.

Having fun with the settings on my new camera. 

This is a frozen puddle made by a car tire, I have never seen ice freezing in the shape of a snow flake.

Before we read the rules, we were ending up with too many cards in our hands.

The big snow, over a two day period we had 50 cm of snow. This is our side gate.

The back of our house, with Mattie sitting on the porch. Steve knocked the many snow piles off the plum tree. A lot of trees lost branches and some communities lost power.

The Enderby Cliffs, behind a snow cone piled on a sunflower.

Dried Echinacea flower and ice.

A dogs eye view, Mattie patiently waiting for us to finish shoveling the snow, so we can go for a walk, if we can.

Pear Pie, paper, Brandy Beans and holiday cards, what piles up on your table?

This pear pie I made for the gathering of the Balkan choir, wonderful time eating, socializing and singing!

Me and my camera. 

January 11, 2015 Shuswap River a misty Enderby Cliffs and the bridge.

Little Treasures Art Show at The Courtyard Gallery

Can you believe November is here. This morning the temperature was below 0, 6 degrees below 0. I was happy to have the hand me down snow pants from my daughter Yolanda. She stopped wearing them when she was 10. They keep me warm, that is what matters.

Sunday the 9th I took a large box of my art work into the Courtyard Gallery 61 pieces, photo greeting cards, small fabric zippered and lined bags, for jewelry, makeup, travel, great for small gifts, watercolors, wood and acrylics canvases. One of the Artist and writer Howard Brown built a tree to hang the glass painted ornaments, I hear it is beautiful, and the gallery is jam packed with small canvases, pottery, felting, glass, wood, books, jewelry, and much more.  

It can take days just to prepare a canvas. This 8 x 10 is being prepared for the small canvases with the dragonfly and flower.

Saturday the 15th is the opening of the show, after we vote for whom we feel is going to do the best job for our community, we plan on hanging out at the gallery. Virginia says she is bringing chocolates, how can I not go. 

The finished work.

This 8 x 10 canvas has many layers of experimentation, creating interesting textures and crackling effect. I painted what I saw in the textures.

4 x 4 canvases. Steve was sitting at the table admiring my small canvases and he started laughing. He said "It's like a totem, that tells a story, went for a sailboat ride, walked on the beach, had a heart attack.
  

I took this picture on November the 11th, In memory of my nephew Ian, this morning the flowers were frozen.

Hope to see you at the show, enjoy.

Ideas Pop

Ideas  flit around my head, popping up unannounced, expecting me to do something about it. I take them in and roll them around my head, evaluate their necessity or if I need a ladder to get it done. In my life before epilepsy I could pounce on each idea with a reassurance that I would be able to do this.  At least in my mind I don't need a chaperon to take me there. The writing I love has been minimal, it's in there just give it time, it could come in abundance.  When the weeds are shouting, their love for the garden and the sun beckons  you into it's warmth, I will leave the confines of this house and roam the garden, taking in the pleasures of scent, color, taste and the intricate patterns of nature. Then again I might just sit down and read a book, which insights more ideas, and regrets that I push away. How much can I let go? 

On my trip to Trout Lake I collected rocks, this is a small 4" x 4" canvas, inspired by Sheila Peter's Facebook profile. I'm also reading her new book "Shafted" a mystery.

I Have been busy with new art projects, Enderby has been busy too, with some wonderful new art around town.

Another 4" x 4" canvas, reminiscent of Pete's boat "Constant Virtue" "Connie" for short. 

The Enderby downtown breeze way has had a major lift of color and whimsy, you must check it out. This is Todd McCormac  the artist hired by the Arts Council to do the make over of the breeze way. I love how the butterfly has fluttered softly through his head.

This is at the skate board park, if it says something it is beyond me but it looks great, well done!

The Girl Guides of Canada were happy to swamp Enderby this summer, more than doubling the population. Heather was hired to help the girls paint the building that houses the washrooms etc, Thank you Girl Guides for the amazing visit, if I could just inspire you to change your cookie receipt to no chemicals, GMO's and all organic.  

The birds didn't want to be outdone and left and artfully dropped "Yin and Yang".

I finally finished my Creature from a dream. I'm hoping that when I look at it next I don't see another touch up.

My latest 4" x 4" canvas, abstract "Heart Attack".

It is good to pause, step back from progress, do I go straight, do I meander left or right? Day dreaming is a good tool, and I love what it brings, even if it doesn't suit me. Let it in, let it out, stomp on it, embrace it, give it the juice it needs to unfold and give you what you need to live.

Works in progress, if the table isn't a mess, nothing it being created. Where does sewing fit on this table?