A Giant Puppet - the Ancestor Project

I am happily building a giant puppet for a project coming up mid-April at l'École Océane.  

The project explores personal and cultural identity through creative writing and art workshops.  

Over a two week period the primary school students will immerse themselves into the Ancestor Project.  They will be interviewing family and community members and chronicling their stories through words and masks, art and puppetry.   The giant puppet is called the Ancestor, she is a wise old woman, she knows all the stories.

That's it: I am finishing the puppet today - and finishing is the right word, it's down to the finishing twists and turns.  The bulk is done, it was fun.  I will build a sturdy nest later and will have more pictures of the nest and dove headdress to show next week.

This week, I've been listening to Salome Leclerc - here's Le vent nous portera . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSWxcXCocCQ

Magnolia - Journey to Inclusion - Life in the Studio

The days are longer, daffodil, camellia, and primulas are out, soon cherry blossoms, tulips, lilacs,
et les autres. Yum, I love even anticipating the pleasure of looking at say . . . a magnolia in bloom.

Today is March 21st - the UN International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

and from 3 to 6 is the opening of the Art Exhibition  - Journey to Inclusion 

featuring two of my paintings, one of them is on the poster.

NEWS FROM THE STUDIO

Tada! BATTLEFIELD is finished! It is now hanging in the living room.

ACCEPTANCE is done, just needs to rest a few more days before the final seal of approval.  It has kept its soft undertones, it reminds me of a garden in the wee hours of a mid-summer day.

Two smaller paintings in progress.

HIDE AND SEEK

I THINK I KNOW

The music this week is Ray Man Shabad by Snatam Kaur - 

sacred chants or angel music like a friend of mine says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yta8IQjoXdU

Studio + Projects + Finding Rodriguez

 The painting I brought to OM Town Yoga Studio this month is MOON GLOW .

 

Peace for the project "Journey to Inclusion"

In the studio today, textures and colours, not much sunshine yet!

 

 Searching for Sugarman won an Oscar for  Best Documentary

Well worth seeing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL5TffdOQ7g

Hear the Sound & Going to a Town

In the studio, there's a new big painting in the making: Acceptance. I want to keep it soft because there's something emotional about it now that needs to be preserved I think. The next layers will accentuate these qualities and add a bit of mystery. At least, it's the plan!

Acceptance (detail)

I have also been playing with 2 small paintings- Hear the Sound is finished and the other one needs a bit more work to tell its story.  Let me know what you think, and enjoy a creative week!

Hear the Sound

Hide and Seek (in progress)

My favorite soundtrack this week end was Out of the Game from the newest album by Rufus Wainwright. Here's another favorite Going to a Town:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtVyl402W5s

Creative People - Journey to Inclusion - Constant Craving

At an art event last week end in Kelowna, I was reminded how artists thrive in the company of creative people and, everyone who came to the workshops were all artistically inclined.  It made for a nice crowd!  We all returned home refreshed, inspired and energized. 

The participants were exploring textures with 5 colours and a stencil, chicken wire and textured wall paper. Some very rich pieces came out of these experiments.

'Journey to Inclusion'
Side two of the panel has lost its dove and smiles.  Here's the new look.  I really like it, it's going in a direction that pleases me and I will keep exploring it.

this morning in the studio . . . cafe au lait, chocolate and k.d. lang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i16deO9QW-M

Battlefield and Merlin the Cat

This is the newest version of the painting in progress Battlefield.  There are some interesting textures and the overall scene is softer than some of the latest versions.  Many decisions had to be made about this piece, for some reason, it was hard to get it together, I am hoping to sign it soon. 

Battlefield 3' x 5'  oil and cold wax

In the meantime, I have been working on other paintings, among which the ones for the multicultural project Journey to Inclusion. This first side Tolerance is finished and the other side with the word Peace is still in working. The final version is coming soon. Stay tuned!

Here is Mister Merlin contemplating his own little grass garden growing on the window sill.

In the studio, I have been listening over and over to Chloe Ste Marie.  Here she is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnE8k3wEt7k

Enjoy the week end.