And then it happened!
I am excited with the completion of each petal. Then I look to see where I should take my brush next. Drawing further. Analyzing and looking to understand the negative spaces between the petals. Then getting brave enough to go in with my brush.
And then it happened. I had my brush fully loaded with a deep shade of blue. Went to the painting and for some unexplained reason, my brush flicked out of my hand and landed on a light coloured petal. There are words for moments like these. None that I can share here, but boy-o-boy I moved fast! Fortunately I was able to lift the wayward paint and work the stain into the petal. Jeepers Helen!
Picking and packing
It always amazes me how fast time goes. Last year at this time, I was already at PACE 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. Facebook kindly reminds me each time I open it up, greeting me with last year at this time photos. AND here I am, getting ready for PACE 2017 in San Diego! Five more sleeps!
I think the hardest part of all this is getting organized and making decisions. I spent the better part of this weekend trying to figure it all out. I took out my amazing Soltek Easel only to realize what I have to keep learning. It is too heavy to fly. Then I took out my Plein Air Pro for watercolours. And decided this trip would be about watercolour! That decision made it easier to get packing.
Donation Kermesse Art Show & Sale IWK Auxiliary
One of my favourite charities is the whole world is the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax. My beautiful son lived there for much of his 3 1/2 years. Although life did not take us down the path I so hoped and prayed for, I hold the hospital and the care team is such high regard. Each year I donate a painting – this year I donated this painting to their upcoming Kermesse Art Show & Sale in May. The painting is called “Anxiously Waiting” and I think it personifies all the emotions that I felt and that most parents feel when one of their children is unwell.
Hurry up and Wait and Anxiously Waiting a tough code to live by. And April is the Cruelest Month also resonates. Anniversaries are tough. Maybe just maybe I am finding comfort in all these Amethyst Shades of Blue with two paintings of blue hydrangeas on the go.
I have a profound love for spring. A promise of new beginnings and fresh starts. And it has finally arrived on the Canadian East Coast (although please do not look at the weather forecast for tomorrow night). Five more sleeps and may I not hear the snow wor again until Christmas!