Each year is a new opportunity to add a bit of colour, some texture, maybe collage, perhaps some outright dribbles of paint, until little by little, over time, something interesting emerges on a blank canvas. Some people turn pages, others write a new book, artists begin with a blank canvas in January.
But first, a few of last year's commissions...I can now show the whimsical pet portraits on flat oval ornaments I painted and delivered before Christmas. I also included the natured themed ornaments I painted on wood, as well as Huxley, a gift shipped to New Brunswick and arriving on time for the big day.
Last year’s canvas is done and set aside after one last glance.
Happy moments that added so much colour to my canvas (real and metaphorical) included:
- Celebrating the new year in the Dominican Republic with the whole family.
- Learning more techniques of impressionism for my art (Country Garden Flowers).
- Deep cleaning our home and giving much needed household items to a newly arrived family from Morocco.
- Visiting Vankleek Hill Garden Path Soap once again with a friend.
- Receiving requests from repeat clients for more pet portraits.
- Painting a shoreline to hang in our guest bathroom. (Sea Kissing Sandy Shore).
- Spending time with an American friend I hadn’t seen since before Covid. She visited me in September. We met in Italy in 2006 and have been friends since then.
- Painting Florals on paper bags after watching Amanda Evanston tutorials (From Plain to Pretty Painted Paper Bags).
- Finding new ways to display floral work in lucite and then selling out (Summer’s Last Blooms and Heartfelt Beauties and Painted Hearts).
- Making new friends in the choir.
- Learning new songs in the choir.
- Spending another week with the family in Mexico.
- Delivering commissions before Christmas.
- Having a waiting list of commissions for 2025
- Disconnecting from social media and not missing it. (Those are the few blank spaces on the canvas where I am allowed to breathe).
Some lines and texture are added to 2025 blank canvas.
As of today, Eden is finished but that's for another post.
It’s a beginning.
After all, this is only day 6. It feels good to have accomplished something tangible within only a few days in 2025.
With the postal strike ended, I can now mail the finished art to central Ontario.
And I am working on a really fun portrait of a Chihuahua in a nightrobe having a bourbon nightcap while smoking a cigar. The client will gift this portrait to a friend. I am painting on 9 x 12 watercolour paper and it will be sold within a white matte ready for framing.
Those are adorable, well done!
Thanks Craig. Hope your new year is off to a great start.
Wow Louise, what a huge collection and such a busy busy year, unlike me, but I am up and running for 2025, giving the writing a bit of a miss for awhile. You always come up with something new and the fact that you have return clients is indicative of the quality of your work.
It has been a busy year but more so, as usual, in the fall. I didn’t publish all my work in this post but I know that I am always surprised to see all I have accomplished. This website helps me keep track of everything. Keep doing what you enjoy most Sally, but taking a break is also necessary. When I need a break, that’s when I usually find artwork I have painted previously to post. Thanks for leaving a comment Sally.
What a busy New Year, so good that you’ve also found time for your art. Great gifts Louise, which much make many happy. All the best for a great 2025.
I like lots of variety in all my activities. Happy new year Vivienne.