A New Year, New Art, New Adventures

I find creating a new illustration is usually easier for me than writing a post.  I sat here for the last half hour trying to come up with a title and what to write about. It was hard, but then I thought, it is a new year, I am creating new art and I have new adventures coming up in 2018. I have created several new illustrations that I am now putting color to.  I usually carry my art bag with me and when I have time, I work on new pieces. I only need my pencil, pen and eraser when I am away and save the coloring process for when I am at home. I am also redoing several of my older illustrations on illustration board. My first work was all done on illustration paper and I now only work on board.  I like the firmness of it and have been testing my work to see how the alcohol ink illustrations stand up to light.  I find the board absorbs more ink and when a piece is finished I spray it with Kamar Varnish and then UV spray.  I left one illustration that was protected with UV spray in a window, half covered with paper, for over a year.  I recently lifted the paper and saw no change in the color of the two sides.  Alcohol ink art as with any fine art should not be hung in direct sunlight or under florescent lighting.  If I have the original framed, I have it framed with conservation glass. Now that I have taken the time to test my illustrations, I feel more confident displaying my original pieces in gallery shows.

My new adventures include being Artist of the Month in the Village Gallery in Lumby for the month of March and April.  I will be displaying my prints and giclees for that show.  I am then displaying my original artwork at Nadine’s Art Gallery for the month of May and I have just been informed that my proposal for an art show at the Armstrong Art Gallery was accepted and I will have a show there in September.  So busy times ahead but a good busy.  I love to create and come up with new ideas.  I also have a short You Tube video that was put out by Shaw Cable that shows the process I use to create my artwork.  I have included the link on my website under “Links”.  Many thanks to Patricia for interviewing me and making me feel comfortable.

I have taught a couple of “Happy Art” classes at the Vernon Community Art Centre and today was the first one for 2018.  It is fun to spend time with people who are interested in the type of artwork I do and I have the pleasure of working with seven lovely ladies for a couple more classes this month.  The next set of classes will be in April so if you are interested in taking a session, contact the art centre for more information and to sign up.

Artsolutely 2017 was a very successful event at our centre.  It is a major fundraiser for our art centre and it was fun to participate and meet all the artists and artisans that were there this year.  We are lucky to have such a wonderful centre here in Vernon and I have to say my life changed when I first walked through the doors four years ago.  I have met so many lovely people and am happy to be a part of a very lively art community.  If you live in the area and have never been there, check it out and see what it is all about.  Well, I did not think I had much to say but I guess I did so I am wishing you all a very happy January and a successful 2018.

Winter is Upon Us

We are making weather records here in the Okanagan. Record cold, record snow and it is only the 9th of November. So what better time to put up some winter scenes than now. We may as well get into the spirit so I am adding some cheery, happy, snowy, snowman pictures to hopefully bring a smile. One piece is called “Winter Wonderland” and one is called “Wish Upon a Star” which has a house in it exactly the color of the house we had when we lived on the coast in Maple Ridge. I was the neighborhood rebel and had our house painted turquoise. We built our house and were at the stage of painting the outside. When my husband and kids left for work and school, the painters had just arrived. They wanted to be sure that the color they were putting on was really what I wanted and of course I said yes. When the family got home, they all thought I had lost it. “What have you done” is what I was greeted with. But I told them not to worry, I had great plans for this place and the plan was to create an amazing garden. Which is exactly what I did. It has been featured in the Vancouver Sun, the Home and Garden Channel, and the magazines Gardens West and Canadian Gardening. So color has always played an important part in my life, both in the garden I created and now in my art. So here are the two winter pieces I just finished. I also just had the pleasure of being interviewed by Patricia Doyle for a Shaw Cable video which has just come out on You Tube in which I talked a little about our garden. Once I figure out how to link it to my webpage I will put it here but in the meantime you can check out You Tube, Artisans Alley, Episode 7-Nancy Vince. Not sure if that is enough information to get you there but I will figure this out and get it on my webpage. Hope you are all keeping warm. Happy November.

Great to See Summer Arrive

It is great to see summer arrive along with the flowers and the hummingbirds. Nothing is more delightful than seeing those tiny little hummers buzzing around your feeder and bathing in your fountain. Spent the long weekend in May shopping for plants and getting our deck ready to enjoy some downtime. It has been a hectic spring with preparations for the Artist Studio Tour [coming this weekend], getting ready to participate in Creative Chaos [just finished] and helping to create labels for our Art Show at the Vernon Community Art Center. Check out the great artwork on display from the members of the Okanagan Artist of Canada for the month of June. I had a great time at Creative Chaos meeting old friends and having the chance to display my artwork. When I think of how often I was afraid to call myself an artist, it was great to hear people say “your artwork is amazing” “so happy”. So I finally feel comfortable calling myself an artist after all these years. One artist I would like to brag about is Jeanette M. She asked permission to use this piece to create a quilt for the Children’s Section of the Vernon Library.

From my little 9″ x 12″ artwork, she created a 3′ x 4′ quilt that is stunning. She is truly the artist here and I could not be more proud of what she created. It was hung in the library this past week and if you have a chance to see it you will be amazed by her work.

Seth Godin says “Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient. The medium doesn’t matter. The intent does”