Showing posts with label figurative art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label figurative art. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sketching at the National Ballet of Canada

On Sunday I went with a friend to the National Ballet School of Canada downtown Toronto to watch a class which was being instructed by Greta Hodgkinson, who is a principal dancer at the National Ballet.
Half the time I was mesmerized by the dancers and their elegance... It was wonderful though to have been able to capture some movement on paper.
Such an amazing opportunity for aspiring ballerinas and ballet dancers to be able to be taught by a star like Greta!

I haven't been near my computer recently to. One visiting you all.
I hope you are all well.

Hugs
Char.x

Thursday, September 15, 2011

dance dance dance...


































































































































Such a beautiful day...fresh...sunshine and a breeze which clears your head, especially when you're working outside.
I started the dance mural...remember the preliminary sketches HERE? 
Look at the landscape I have behind me to look at when I need a break from painting...beautiful isn't it!
There are areas I need to correct. Like the tap dancer's HUGE left foot...lol...miss J was with me and questioned 'Why is her one foot SOOooo big?", she notices everything...which I love about her...she also hears everything...she doesn't miss a beat.
So...I'll be back up there finishing off the figures and then the logo has to be painted.


**excuse the photos...I forgot my camera!


I know I haven't been able to visit your Worlds this week much...but I will get there soon, I promise.


Have a great day.
HUGS
Char.x


BTW : yes, the last post's silhouettes are for Miss A and J's daily school notes and can also be used as bookmarks. Thanks for all your sweet comments...I hope you know they're very much appreciated.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

figurative drawings...















I found a few old drawings I used for gift cards approximately 8 years ago...I really love some of them...which is your favourite?


HUGS
Char.x

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tell ALL Tuesdays : Jennifer Posti

Hurrah...it's TUESDAY again!



I'm really very excited to introduce you to Jennifer Posti...she's a good friend of another "Crafty soul" I know over here in Canada...


These Tell ALL Tuesdays are so special to me...we get a glimse of our Fabulous Readers and they have all been great with me and responded SO positively to letting go of their daily ongoings...so that all of you (and I) can enjoy their stories.(Thank you!)

So...without further adieu...let us introduce you to the the lovely Jennifer, she creates such unique pieces...

Tell us a little about the Town you live in... and have you always lived there?

I live just outside a little town called Kirkfield, about an hour and a half drive north-east from Toronto. It’s very rural, but close to many lakes. For many people it is cottage country, but for us it’s home! We moved here about a year and a half ago, and we’ve never looked back, we love it!

If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?
I’ve been waiting so long to finally settle down in our own place, I never want to move again! Plus, I love the four seasons of Ontario, especially Fall, which I am loving right now. Soooo beautiful!

How structured is your day usually?
It may not look like it, but my day is pretty scheduled. We stay home most days, but we stick to the same routine day to day. Get up, drag myself downstairs to make coffee. Have breakfast all together (me, my husband, 2yr old boy, 4 yr old girl). My husband goes upstairs to work in his office for the day, while the kids and I do chores, play, make meals and tidy them up. In the afternoons I go into the studio to paint/quilt while my son naps, and my daughter plays beside me. Then it’s into the kitchen to make dinner, clean it up and then it’s night night routines. Somewhere in there I fit in all the other projects that are happening around the house as we renovate. A mother’s work is NEVER done.

What did you do today?
So far we have followed the same home routine. This morning we spent our outdoor time cleaning up the limbs of the trees my husband felled. We’re clearing space for a garage. The kids are still in the stage where they love to help out. So we all stacked wood together that we can use to burn in our wood stove next winter.

Are you a cat or dog person?
I’m a cat person for sure.

Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?
I’m a dinner person.

If you had 6 friends over for Dinner what would you make for them?
Oh my, I don’t think I’ve ever had a fancy dinner party. Just family get-togethers and such. I usually bbq something like shiskabobs of marinated mixed meats, yellow and orange peppers, zuccini and mushrooms. I’d also make a few salads that I can make ahead of time. Pasta salad with sundried tomatoes, black olives, feta, red peppers and an oil/balsamic vinegar/herb dressing is yummy. Another good salad is cucumber, tomato, feta, and black olives with a greek vinaigrette: oil, lemon juice, honey, oregano(from the garden) salt/pep to taste and minced garlic. For dessert I would make a few pecan pies…sooo good.

How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?
I’ve known since high school that art is my passion, but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped second guessing whether I’m on the right path in life.

Who /what drove and inspired your love to create?
It has always been a way for me to express myself, and I just love art, it is so limitless and interesting! During high school my mom was going back to University, she took some art courses and was always sharing her appreciation of fine art as she was learning it. That was definitely inspiring for me.

Tell us something not too many people know about you.
Hmmm, I love to read Agatha Christie novels.

Shoe choice::flats or heels?
Flats for sure. Heels only really work on concrete, or hard surfaces….it’s mostly gravel, dirt and grass around here!

What was the last book you read?
A book on symbolism in still lifes.

What advice would you give others just starting out?
To be honest, I feel like I’m just starting out and still finding myself. But I would advise to just keep experimenting and do something that you totally love, and that joy in creating will show through.

 
Name 5 blogs you love visiting, and tell us why.
Umm, I have only sporadic access to internet, so I never really get a chance to surf blogs or anything else. But I do love this blog, and also my own blog which I treat as a website – http://www.jenniferposti.blogspot.com/

Thanks SO much for taking part in our Tell ALL Tuesdays Jennifer!!!
 
And for any of our readers who are in Toronto or surrounding areas...Jennifer has an exhibition coming up::

I am going to go for sure..I've never seen anything like this before and know Jennifer's viewers are going to become HUGE fans instantly,her work has such a raw and honest reality to them...but a beauty which parallels the rawness.LOVE them!

Have a wonderful Day...Miss A is home sick today...but Miss J is keeping her busy (in-trouble)...lol...it's true, little miss J keeps coming downstairs and asking to do the wildest games...and if it's ok. "No Miss J, it's not,your sister is sick...quiet play please" I say...it's going to be a long day!

HUGS
Char.x

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tell ALL Tuesdays :: Jordan Grace Owens

Hello everyone...as most of you know...every week on Tuesdays we introduce to you another one of our *Fabulous Readers* who we have gotten to know through Blog Land over these past 2 years.(that's right...it's been 2 years already!!)



When I first stumbled across Jordan and her amazing creativity...I was in awe. She has a very unique style which I just wanted to see more of. I adore her Paper Dolls...and her paintings have wonderful warmth about them.


It's a wish of mine to one day own an original painting of Jordan’s.
Perhaps one day I could sit in that chair next to her...and chat up a storm...she looks so happy in that photo...


So...without further adieu...


I welcome...Jordan Grace Owens

Tell us a little about the Town you live in... & have you always lived there?


My home is in Greensboro, North Carolina, where I live with my long time boyfriend and our two cats. We have a small apartment in a lush and pretty historic neighbourhood right on the edge of downtown. I've lived in Greensboro for about four years, although my hometown of Winston-Salem is close by.



If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?
Paris in 1960 (via a time machine).
How structured is your day usually?
I have a day job at a graphic design shop, so out of necessity; I have to structure my day around a tight schedule. I'm always rushing from work to the post office to ship packages, running errands on my way home, answering emails and packing orders before dinner, and squeezing in as much drawing and making time as possible before bed.




What did you do today?
I started today (Saturday) with a bagel from my favourite local coffee shop before stopping by our neighbourhood farmer's market for zucchini, apples, corn, and honey. I teach drawing and painting classes to teenagers at my city's cultural arts center on Saturday mornings; today we started self-portraits. Then, back home for a quick lunch, and to wrap up some projects that didn't get quite enough attention during the week. I packaged some orders, answered some emails, and tidied my studio. Right now, I'm hoping to take a break from work and go out for dinner, drinks, and a maybe a movie.
 Are you a cat or dog person?
Cats, absolutely. Over the past three years with my pair of kitties, I've noticed myself happily slipping into crazy cat-lady land.
 

Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?
Breakfast—I love it all. Pancakes, bagels, jam, fruit, and juice. Yum!




If you had 6 friends over for Dinner what would you make for them?
I prefer potlucks, since I have a teeny-tiny kitchen. For my last potluck, I made savoury tomato and pesto pastries.


How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?
I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I'm constantly editing and reevaluating the specifics as I go along. Part of what I love about having a creative career is that I can try new things and make up the details as I go along.


Who /what drove & inspired your love to create?
I've made art for as long as I can remember, and I have my mom to thank for all her encouragement. She's also an artist, so when I was growing up she always kept me busy with crayons and paints in my messy little hands.




Tell us something not too many people know about you.
I love old movies, and I obsess over my favourite actresses. Most of my wardrobe purchases depend on whether the item is something Anna Karina would wear.


Shoe choice::flats or heels?
Usually flats, but I'm breaking in a new pair of wedges which I'm absolutely loving.




What was the last book you read?
Creative, Inc. I learned so much!


What advice would you give others just starting out?
Be genuine and follow your gut.




Name 5 blogs you love visiting, and tell us why.
1. Design*Sponge—It has a little bit of everything. It's like a beautiful favourite magazine full of pretty new products and helpful advice.


2. Apartment Therapy—I love to peak into other people’s houses.


3. Pikaland—It introduces me to so many great new artists.


4. Modish—For its impeccable sense of style.


5. Etsy blog—For creative business tips and inspiring stories


Thank you SO much Jordan for taking part in our Tell ALL Tuesdays...

It really does mean a lot to have all these wonderful Artists, photographers, illustrators and crafters share with us all parts of their Lives.
REMEMBER:: there is a page at the top of our Blog to access all the interviews we've done on Tuesdays...so you can go for a browse and read some of the other amazing creative souls we've had so kindly visit us.

Please pass by Jordan at her WEBSITE here and don’t forget to say hello to her in the comments below...


Ok...back to work...I have to use every given second to build inventory for The Mamas and Chicks Show next week....

Hugs

Char.x

Monday, October 4, 2010

remember these...

Hello...sorry I haven't posted recently...BUT it was lovely of Tam to show us how vibrant their Autumn leaves are over in England last week...thanks for that Tam!!!
Hope to see some wonderful Parisian photos some time this week...I'm sure she had an amazing few days.
We ALL love our kids,husbands...family...but as she said she'll have time to read a book...time to herself! This I find is SO important for a stay at home Mum...just a couple of hours every now and then to enjoy who we are...alone.
So...I am alone today...the girls are in school...and thought I would keep you in the loop of a few little projects I am up to right NOW...do you remember this:
and this:
 and these:
well...these are the final touches on a couple of PINS which I am taking to our Mamas and Chicks Show in a couple of weeks...

They're my World Nations Pins...I have a few more people to paint, and then onto my chicks.It's so much fun trying new things...and our girls are ALL over them...they keep saying...when am I going to paint them...
So I think it's time for a trip to the craft store for some more clay, and that's what we'll be doing this afternoon.

What have you been up to today?

HUGS sweet readers.
Char.x

Monday, July 5, 2010

Across the Ocean we go...

a belated Happy 4th July to all our friends in the US...sorry if I haven't visited your Worlds recently!

I have been packing for our trip to the UK, we leave this afternoon...
Mum goes in on Saturday for her double hip OP...
the girls are excited about seeing their Mormor and Morfar, Aunt and Uncles and cousins...
there will be lots of berry picking and riding little Shetland Ponies, making camps in the woods and going for walks...

I,amongst cooking,cleaning and looking after Mum...will be working on illustrating a book a friend has written....my FIRST one...
the above painting is a snippet of what's to come...
I am excited about it...

I will miss Mr.R lots...and am hoping that my parents internet connection will enable me to blog and check mail.

check back tomorrow...I'll be sharing lots of English Countryside...it's been a couple of years since I was there in the Summer...SO different from Winter there...the days are extremely long and the flowers and fauna are beautiful and luscious.

I better catch my wings...cheerio!

HUGS
Char.x.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Seeing double?


don't worry...it's not your eyes...remember a couple of weeks ago I gave the picture on the right to my neighbour for her Birthday?
well, the very next day she went to the framing shop and was sifting through mats for to frame it...and she left the picture behind...but, didn't realize until she got home.
She rushed back to where she just came from...not 10 minutes was she gone...and it had gone...
She was SO upset and said she couldn't believe(and neither could I) that no-one would just hand it in.
This is the reason for the other one which I managed to squeeze in a few hours to draw yesterday,I know,I should have been doing other things....prioritizing....but I felt like doing it.
I didn't want to make it exactly the same...although I love the boys in the first one but prefer the baby in the second.
C'est la vie...
Do you believe in Karma?
I do...if someone did steal it...because it's definitely stealing...well, we all know that what goes around comes around...
I can see if you found a drawing in the middle of a forest or just flying around on the street, then yes, own it...but this was in it's packaging...and in a store.
Anyway...Happy Birthday again D.
Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday...it's calling for snow here....I know it's only October!
Char,On

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