Art House Co-op Sketchbook project

I got my sketchbook yesterday. The blank pages are very intimidating. More so than an eight foot canvas. Stay tuned while I quash my fears.

Update: The book is gessoed and I have a theme. It is now quiet at home so I'll be starting the actual "work" before New Year's.

Sketchbook Venture

I'm venturing into new territory. I haven't been able to paint since my surgery. I still have 4 to 8 weeks more of recovery to be healed and gain my strength. So in the meantime I have signed up with Art House Co-op for their 2013 Sketchbook Project. 







I'll keep you posted !

Retirement: Third Age New Beginnings: The Love of my LIfe

My loving husband, Larry wrote this poem about me.

Girona Spain

Retirement: Third Age New Beginnings: The Love of my LIfe: Sitting on the Edge of Time Looking through the window of my computer Listening to the outside world With over seventy years of life...

Remembering

158 Canadian soldiers  lost their lives in Afghanistan.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS POEM
The World’s Most Famous WAR MEMORIAL POEM
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915
during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

2013 I'm on my way!

During the last week I had paintings accepted into a local show, major surgery and my 63rd birthday. All in all a fairly successful and eventful week. 

work in progress, 4'x3', encaustic on panel

I'm chomping at the bit to get painting larger pieces and ideas for both 2D and 3D projects  keep popping up. I'm writing them all down because I know no matter how good the idea, it  probably will get lost unless I pin it down in writing. What stimulated all this thought is an offer of space for a solo show. I'm looking at a specific site that has challenges that need to be taken into consideration. The theme I'm thinking of is Reflection/Refraction which addresses properties of light, thought and identity.

My goal this year is to identify the annual local shows and make a timeline for working that considers the trigger dates for the shows. The themes change each year but depending on the organization there are elements that recur. I'm hoping that if a piece doesn't work for one show it can for another. I guess I'll find out if this strategy will work.

In addition to the work I plan to incorporate networking into the mix. It's going to be a busy productive year. I guess I really have graduated.

A big thanks to all my bloggy friends who teach and encourage me. I'd be a little lost without you all. :)

I'm In!

Just got an email saying all my paintings are accepted for the show. Yippee! My second juried show. See paintings in the previous post.

3 pieces for the Anonymous Art Show

Earth, Lift n Brine

I submitted 3 paintings to the Anonymous Show which I managed to finish and deliver before my surgery.   

Each painting is acrylic which I'm still learning to use but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I'm looking forward to experimenting more with the various acrylic mediums. 

Everyone is required to us an 8"x8" canvas unframed. No signatures on front so as to remain anonymous. 

Stay tuned for more to come.

If you go into the woods today

Hammer, Hammer, Hammer

Anonymous Art Show  

Sale & Opening Reception at CityScape Gallery: 

7:00-9:30pm Thursday, November 22, 2012 Exhibition & Sale continue until December 15

Seize the Limitations

A colleague recommended this video. It is an inspiring talk about approaching art making from a different angle. Hope it inspires you as it did me.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Future?

I am still adjusting to being a graduate instead of student. I am not sure if a Masters is the right direction for me. Part of the difficulty is my age. If I were in my twenties or even forties I could afford to take my time but I will be 63 this year. I feel the pressure of the clock ticking. The financial side is also a pressure because I can't predict income to repay the student loan. I have very specific goals around my art practice but not a specific plan to achieve them. Retirement isn't the bowl of cherries investment ads portray. A fixed income is the reality without the same avenues for future income. I know this because when I was laid off from my last employer I wasn't able to get even an interview despite my rich work experience. Either a younger person or someone with a Masters was preferred and most often than not a young Masters. However it is this circumstance that brought me into the world of creating art. This I do not regret.

So back to the here and now. I am encouraged by my first juried show," Mirror, Mirror". I am painting three 8"x8" paintings for a local Community Arts Council's fundraiser next month and another 4'x3' encaustic for a 2013 show called Earth which is juried next month. It feels good to be focussed and working. I ignore the "what ifs" by paying attention to what is emerging on the canvas. This is good for now but I'm a person who likes to see her ducks in a row and right now I don't even know what ducks they will be.

My new business card

I picked up my new business cards today!

Is Photorealistic Drawing Art? | The Creativity Post

Is Photorealistic Drawing Art? | The Creativity Post

This is an interesting essay, certainly a question in relation to the bigger question of What is Art?  that my fellow students struggle with doing studio work. I have felt inadequate when I couldn't make something "real" enough.

Elizabeth Anderson: Mirror Mirror Opening Reception

Elizabeth Anderson: Mirror Mirror Opening Reception: This Saturday, September 15th Reception and Artist Talk 6:30: artist talk 7:30-9:30 Reception. It's exciting to be along side the artist...

How to Break Out of a Creative Rut | The Creativity Post

Was reading the Creativity Post and found this post. The points are all simple and seemingly obvious but easy to ignore when you're caught in one. Thought I'd share it so I would remember and recognize any of the traps I get in and also if anyone else might find it useful to look at when mired in a block.

How to Break Out of a Creative Rut | The Creativity Post

email change of address

I just found out that my Kwantlen email address has not been accepting any mail since April. Yikes they told me it would still be open but did not say that it would no longer work.

So sorry to anyone who tried to reach me through that email. I wasn't ignoring you. You can reach me at elizabeth.b.anderson@gmail.com

Below is a photo from  graduation.

Kwantlen's First Fine Arts graduates from left to right Kenny Chiu. myself, Debbie Langtry, Chelsea Lawrick and Nancy Duff Fine Arts Chair, far right

Exploring myself while discovering Richter

My exploration of what it is my art consists I have been continuously attracted to representation through metaphor and symbol, the relationship between painted images and the photograph and how each medium can lead the process of constructing a piece of art.

As I learn more about Gerard Richter I find myself exploring and learning more about myself. I am influenced by a life lived over sixty years. I don't want to be literal but instead want to be more ambiguous yet specific. I guess I'll learn more about what I mean as I continue to explore these ideas.

I wasn't able to see the documentary I mentioned in an earlier post so I have been searching youtube for others that give a glimpse of Richter and his art. I just finished watching the one below and want to share it with you. I realize Richter isn't for everyone but such is life.

Current Influence

Recently I was introduced the the art of Gerard Richter who I think is amazing. I saw a review of a documentary about him which will be shown at the Vancouver Film Festival this week. I like the layering, his use of materials, use of photographs and the fact that he's still painting in his late seventies. Good news for a late bloomer like myself.

Gerhard Richter Painting trailer from Kino Lorber on Vimeo.

Mirror Mirror Opening Reception

This Saturday, September 15th Reception and Artist Talk 6:30: artist talk 7:30-9:30 Reception.

It's exciting to be along side the artists in Scenes of Selves, Occasions for Ruses . I'm really looking forward to the artist talk.

Scenes of Selves, Occasion for Ruses
Dissolving the limits of the self and others through new forms of portraiture

In an era of status updates, photo sharing websites, and profile pictures, one's image and therefore one's identity presented to the world is more important, changeable and multi-dimensional than ever before. Scenes of Selves, Occasion for Ruses features artworks from 10 artists in a wide variety of media including drawing, painting, photography and video that explore the nature of self-identity at the beginning of the 21st century. (Surrey Art Gallery promo

Slippage,  2011.

MIRROR MIRROR: 

A JURIED EXHIBITION OF  

SELF-PORTRAITS 

I recently entered Slippage, a piece I painted last year into the Mirror, Mirror show put on by the Art Council of Surrey. This is my first venture into juried exhibitions. I thought it important that I take the risk to face my fear of rejection. I faced my fear but instead of rejection it was one of success. There were 60 submissions and 30 were accepted and I was one of them. The show runs from August 18th to November 18th. It is in conjunction with the Surrey Art Gallery exhibit, Selves, Occasions for Ruses. I am very excited to be showing a painting I did outside of school. I really feel like I've graduated.

Shipping Your Art

I have been researching various topics in order to answer the question "Who am I?" and "What do I need to know and do?"  after graduation. I came across this tutorial about shipping your art work. It is a slide show from Harriete Estel Berman from her Professional Development Seminar. She gives clear directions and information about packaging artwork for an exhibit or consignment.

PACKING one-of-a-kind artwork for SHIPPING

View another webinar from Harriete Estel Berman

I thought some of you may find it useful information. Berman not only notes what not to do but also provides instructions on how to construct your own box for shipping one of a kind artwork.

Have a lovely week my friends.

PAPERGIRL Vancouver: How to Be a Papergirl!

Looking for a fun project?!

PAPERGIRL Vancouver: How to Be a Papergirl!: Come one! Come all! Whether you are a girl or a guy, a professional or a novice, the Papergirl project needs YOU! People donate pieces of original artwork ...

Surreyalists Collective "Altered" Art Show Invite

Altered Art Show E-Vite

Simon Schama's Power of Art: Van Gogh documentary

Found this site that lists free courses online. This one, Van Gogh, is originally a part of BBC Series (link here) "Power of Art".  You can buy the series Simon Schama's Power of Art at Amazon. Thought I'd share it with you.

Have a great week everyone!

I updated the link to a youtube site which is working (for the moment).

Grad Catalogue

I found a site, Scribd that posts pdf files to blogspot! The catalogue cover is a separate file and is posted first The first page in the catalogue is the poster. You can scroll down through the entire catalogue and find all the artists, their work and statements. Kwantlen Polytechnic University BFA Visual Arts Grad Catalog April 2012

Still here!

It's been a while since my last post. There have been many life bumps in the road and I lost my equilibrium. The bumps are still there but I'm finding new ways to balance. One is accepting that sometimes I won't meet all my expectations. It doesn't mean everything has stopped. It's just at a slower pace. So I'll give a quick update.

• We had our grad show in April which was a big success. Photos to come. I did the catalogue which was an intense endeavour. If I could post a pdf it would be up but alas blogger doesn't like pdfs
• I graduated last week so I am officially a BFA graduate
• I moved my studio from the kitchen table to the laundry room. It has great light and more importantly it has doors so I can close them and not be interrupted (well most of the time, heehee)
• The Surreyalists Collective I belong to are having a show, "Altered", July 8th
• I have been exploring using acrylic paint and did a study using 3 photos as sources
• Currently I'm working on a 4' x 3' canvas for the "Altered" show. My starting off point is from the painting I did last year called "Slippage".   I'm using a canvas that was painted by a student's who I don't know. I washed over his painting. The previous image can still see it faintly. I am interested in exploring how history - personal or collective - is altered as soon as it is named. Another aspect of exploration is how our identity is named by events and values that are automatically ascribed to who we are. The process is a bit scary because my approach is nonlinear. I don't know for sure how the end will look. I hope it's successful.

I am disappointed that I wasn't able to follow through and participate in Art that Circles the Earth project. Please visit and find out about this wonderful project.

That's all for now. I will get photos up at some point but it takes more energy than I have at the moment.

Hugs to all my dear friends. Hope you all are in good health.

Grad Show

It's finally going to be a reality! I know many of you are not near by but I want to invite you all anyway.

I hope my next bout of surgery happens after even though I want to get it over with and on to healing.

RAG International Mail Art Exhibit now online

After the Math, 2011
Ink, acrylic on paper

I just received my art piece, "The Disappearing Universe" by Glenna Richards from the Int'l Mail Art Exhibit at the Richmond Art Gallery. The exhibit is now online and the artists are in alphabetical order. There are also photos from opening night My work "After the Math" is there! It's a bit of a rush to see my work among many other artists. Very happy :D

I'm preparing for the Grad Show, "Friday the 13th". The opening is on Friday, March 13th. I'll keep you posted.

And the Surreyalist collective is also getting ready for a show scheduled tentatively for May.

Slowly getting back on track

Between my health and the house restoration it's been difficult to get a routine going without the escape to the school studio. Slowly I'm getting control over my life and am looking at projects that I've had to delay. None too soon since next month I see about my next surgery which I'm looking forward to in an apprehensive way because recovery is always the challenge.

Our Grad Show is April 13th so I'm looking at how and what I want to exhibit. I've had further thoughts about the light box installation and am developing it further. I can hardly wait to install with new elements.

The Surreyalists collective is also preparing for another show. I hope it is in May or June but I'll have to wait and see how that pans out.

I'm moving my studio from the kitchen to the laundry room where there is a lot more natural light and I'll have more seclusion because there's a door to close, haha.

I do get a chance to pop in on your blogs but haven't said much. Hopefully as the dust settles and I get a routine I'll say something more but know that you are all an inspiration to me as I struggle to get control over my life.

Hugs to you all from the Canada's west coast!

Installed!

I installed two of my pieces from Open Studio & Thesis, my last course for my degree. I'm excited because it is the Arbutus Gallery which has a lot of traffic because it's in the library foyer. One is a video installation piece and the other is a collection of eleven light boxes, made of sheet metal with images that are printed on tracing paper and coated with cold wax. I can hardly wait to see how it will look in its new location.

I was able to take a few shots at the new location

Title of Projection: Fragments of Light

Materials: sheet metal light boxes, digital images printed on tracing paper coated with wax.

Video Projection: Near Journey's End
I'll get a better shot next time I go in.