Something Old, Something New I'd like to steer away from talking about Winterlight purely from a technical standpoint, and instead talk about the doors that it has reopened. A few months ago, I asked friends of mine to suggest some fantasy books, particularly ones that had a fairytale-like feeling to them, or took place in a northern setting. I was seeking inspiration for new works that had a bit of a fantastical twist, that felt like they could've been set in a landscape similar to Northern Ontario. I received a bunch of wonderful suggestions, but the one that stayed with me the most was the The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. I'm going somewhere with this, I promise. The suggestion came...
I don't know what it is about marshes, but I absolutely love them. Maybe it's because they're always full of song. Perhaps it's the slight sense of the sinister that appeals to my fairytale-loving heart (lets face it, marshes can be kind of spooky). Whatever it is, this marsh has been a saving grace for me throughout the pandemic, somewhere that I can go to recharge my energy when I feel trapped and frustrated. The Backstory This particular marsh sits on the edge of Depensiers Lake in North Bay, which is really more of a giant pond. Part of the snowmobile trail network, winter unlocks more of the marsh for exploration, because it functions more like a highway of recreational...
It's difficult to put into words how excited I am to be announcing this show. I have been thinking, hoping, dreaming, planning and preparing this show for months, and it's time to reveal both the concept and the name! If you want to watch the YouTube video revealing the name and concept, you can do so by watching below, or simply read on! THE SQUARE FOOT SHOW One of my goals this year was to increase the quantity of work that I produced, as opposed to only working on large pieces. Those large paintings often take me months to create, which means that my ability to teach that painting is somewhat limited. As such, I wanted to create a show...
When you know, you know. Sometimes there's just this inescapable feeling of this is The One. This is meant to be. I'm not talking about romance, of course. I'm talking about a house. Over the past two years, I have been very aggressive about snapping up rental properties in North Bay. It started with a student rental in the late spring of 2019, and has since gone on to include a triplex (January 2020), a fourplex (May 2020), and now, this historical gem that I can't wait to get my hands on (closing June 2021). It is a legal triplex, but there is a twist to this that I'll reveal in the months to come. Back in October 2020, I wrote into...
It's the most wonderful time of the year! I absolutely love Christmas. I love carols, twinkling lights, and the food. But like so many families this year, my husband and I find ourselves in a precarious position. We are fortunate enough to live in a green zone. Half of our extended family resides in a grey lockdown zone, which means there is a good chance we won't be able to be with them for Christmas. It's particularly heartbreaking because my little boys are two and a half, and their grandparents miss them dearly. That being said, we are figuring out ways of coping. I've been playing around with watercolours more, and I'd like to start sketching again in acrylics, just for...
