Feeling Sick- In More Ways Than One

 Duck Pond in October, Forestry Farm
20x16"
acrylic on canvas
sold

The paintings I am posting today were purchased by a dear friend and her husband at my last art show. I know they make her happy which absolutely thrills me... and after this last week, I need to remember the joy art brings me and the people I share it with. The top painting is 20x16, the middle one is 8x10 (also the first abstract reflection I ever did) and the bottom one is 7x7. They are all acrylic on canvas.

 Reflection, Spruce River

8x10"

acrylic on canvas

sold

Reflection for a Writer

7x7

acrylic on canvas

sold

Whew! It really was quite was a week!

I was so fatigued this week, all I felt like doing was sleeping and in fact, three out of the five afternoons Tommy was at Kindergarten that is exactly what I did! The sore throat came on Thursday and the fever hit on Friday.... crazy shivers and heat waves. The highest temperature I took was 103. I felt like I was in some sort of altered state. Anyway, the worst seems to have passed. I slept most of today and now I will probably be up all night! In case anyone is wondering what differentiates a cold from the flu here is what I found out... headaches and fevers rarely accompany a cold, so if you have them with your stuffy nose and sore throat you have the flu. Also, extreme exhaustion never happens with a cold, but with the flu it comes early and is prominent.

Aside from feeling physically sick this week, I also felt psychologically sick after the meeting John and I had with our financial planner on Tuesday evening. This economy took a round out of our "portfolio" and although some things are recovering it got me feeling very guilty. Before we had Sammy I had a full time career and John and I had a pretty good lifestyle. After my year maternity (I love Canada) I went back to my job and Sammy went to daycare full time. I lasted 6 weeks and then gave my notice. I could not do it. Since then, for the most part, I have been a stay-at-home-mom. I know deep in my heart this has been the right choice... especially for my children, but this week when I realized the impact of the economy on our finances, I got thinking that if I had been working for the last 6 years it wouldn't be so bad. We would have been able to save more and invest more. I say that for the most part I have been a stay-at-home-mom because when Tommy was 18 months old I needed to get a break, so I got a very part time job working in a retail store when John was at home and I am still doing that now. My ideal world would be that I continue to do this and sell some of my paintings which would bring in just that much extra to keep me home with the kids while they are in school. I would love it if they could continue to come home for lunch and if they could always have a parent available to help with field trips or see their assemblies or volunteer for school activities. I would love it if they would never have to be part of a before and after school program. Unfortunately I am starting to wonder if this dream is very realistic. I'm really starting to think that when Tommy is in school full-time next year, maybe I will have to consider changing my role again.

At this rate I'll never figure out who I am!

Galleries and Playgrounds- A Good Day

After a morning of being domestic (laundry, dishes, tidying) I spontaneously decided there was no time like the present to pack the kids in the van with a mittful of candy, a DVD in the player and head out on a little road trip. I had been wanting to get out to Rosthern, a town a 1/2 hour away, to check out a group show that some friends have right now at the Station Arts Centre. They call their group "Men Who Paint" and they are really terrific landscape artists. It was great fun to see their work all framed up and looking so official. Of course I saw a few pieces I would like to add to my fledgling art collection, but I didn't commit to anything.

The kids had been so good for me so I took them to a nearby playground at a Regional Valley Park and they had a blast. There was even a zip-line! Sammy really wanted to try, but had to build up his courage. He finally did it and thought it was so awesome he proceeded to do it 3 more times! Little Tommy decided not to and that was fine by me because I wasn't sure he could hold on the whole way.  

It dawned on me while at the gallery today that I still have loads to do for my upcoming show. Since the theme of the day was " there is no time like the present", I went to the studio after supper, put my head down and got working on the tasks associated with painting. All that finishing work that is necessary, but not creative. I signed and varnished 14 paintings and packed them up to bring home so that I can hopefully get some decent photos taken over the weekend. Once that is done I have to make arrangements for framing. And I still have come up with names and pricing. There are still 3 paintings at the studio which may or may not be finished. My show is running from November 1- December 17, so time is ticking and I need to get all of these things sorted out. The paintings will all be landscape images from the Boreal forest in Northern Saskatchewan. The following painting is likely going to be part of the show (I think I need to retake this photo- there seems to be a glare on the top right corner).

The Gift

24x30"

acrylic on canvas

sold

This one is 24x30" and is acrylic on canvas. This was the most spectacular fungus; there were actually five layers growing with the largest being the size of a dinner plate. My friend Steve took me to see it and it was like receiving a wonderful gift. As long as there is nature I will never be bored.

I am already beginning to think I may need to start a second blog! One that is more directly about my art; one with smaller entries and more images. Hmmm... must think some more.