New media!

Well!  After my vacation to Windermere I came home to find a very special delivery for me from my Auntie Ev.  Her and my mom were visiting in Vancouver and they decided to get some presents for my sister and I!  We were given some absolutely gorgeous beads that will be making their debut in earrings shortly, and I was given a set of gouache paints.  I have been wanting to try working with them so badly, so I was overjoyed that she thought of me and picked them up!

Last night in my 90000 degree studio, I decided I wanted to try them out.  I picked a bird that is regularly seen in Calgary and while my drawing is the pits (I will be redoing this one) I wanted to post about just how much I love these paints.  Don't judge the drawing, I know it doesn't work - but look at the pretty colours!

More of these to come, I think!

But for now, its back to work for me.  Thanks again Auntie Ev!!

xo

Jen

Some pretty new things!

Just a quick little update here, I wanted to share with you something that my dearest friend brought back for me from the UK.  She and I were best art-making friends for many a year, and she went away to Newcastle last year to follow her dreams and complete a masters in Conservation.  Yup, she is just that cool.  I got to see her this past week, as she was passing through Calgary between internships.  It was lovely to connect again (besides just skype or email which really is not the same) and spend a few days with her.  She brought me a belated birthday gift that truly rocked my world.  She knows that I have a love of old beautiful and slightly whimsical things...I think she hit the nail bang on the head.

 

She found these old postal stamps for me, mounted to blocks of wood.  They are made of metal and totally gorgeous.  She told me that they were used in the UK before the advent of paper postage stamps.  So these guys might have stamped thousands of letters before they came to live with me.  Amazing.

My brain is spinning already with thoughts of what I can use them in!  Thank you Emilie!  You are the best.

 

In addition to my awesome new collection of stamps, I was able to get a journal on to my etsy site!  Visit Turn of Phrase - You & Me to find it up for grabs! 

Thats all for now!

xoxo

Jen

Fun in the sun!

I was just fortunate enough to be able to spend two full days up in Windermere - and I can't tell you what an inspiring place that is for me.  I am lucky enough to be represented by a wonderful gallery up there called Black Star Studios and it was so wonderful to see their new downtown Invermere space.  I LOVE it there, they even let me come in and work for a few hours on Sunday.  Awesome.

The weather was quite wonderful while I was there, and I happened to spot 3 gorgeous feathers in the cabin that my father-in-law had collected a month or so prior.  I fell in love, grabbed some paints and started working.  This is the result - I am quite pleased with them.  They are simple, light and I found creating them quite satisfying.

What did you do this long weekend?

xoxo

Jen