I don’t usually go to the salon to get my hair cut – it’s a pretty rare event- once, maybe twice a year. But I am lucky to have found someone I really like for those times that I do go! She is creative and good at what she does. Of course, it probably helps to have a client who says, “Do what you like! Give me something interesting, and don’t worry about cutting too much!” (that would be me). I’m super happy with this cut! It’s even possible to see some brown hair in the back now!
Shopping with my daughters. Hanging out in the funky change rooms.
Feeling beaten by the gremlin after a day of self-bashing.
Pre-dance reflection.
Post-dance gratitude. Enjoying the late evening sun.
I love looking at other people’s self-portraits, but putting my own up is a real test for me. It makes me feel really vulnerable, much more so than showing my paintings. I guess I am way more critical of my own face than of my own paintings – someday I’d like to get to that place of complete acceptance – especially without my glasses! Part of this is getting over the “what big eyes you have” complex that I developed as a child. In the meantime, I am splurging on new glasses – 2 new frames! Can’t wait.
My first ever Instagram shot with my brand new phone!
Do you think coincidences are just coincidences? Or do you think there is something more going on there? Back in April, when my Mom was visiting, we went to the book store to waste time while waiting for my son to finish school. Mom and I started doing some collaborative drawing (which we do almost every time we see each other). A woman (who I had already noticed, perhaps because I recognized her from somewhere, or because of her beautiful grey hair) leaned over and asked if I had my art in the library a little while ago. Yes! That was me! I was flattered that she recognized me, seeing as there was no picture of me at the library during the mini-exhibition. She said she had seen my blog and admired my work. I found out her name, but didn’t have any business cards to give her, and that was the end of that. A really cool experience, but nothing too out of the ordinary.
Yesterday, as I was driving home, I saw the same woman running (I guess you don’t say “jogging” anymore, right?) up the street, 2 blocks from my house. I stopped and we chatted for a bit. It turns out that her brother has children who attend the same school as my kids and she lives a few blocks away from me! About 3 hours later, I saw her again at the natural food market!
So, just a coincidence? Or are we supposed to meet each other? I’m curious, and open to seeing what happens.
Having fun painting! One of the guys working at the art store gave me a big lecture about using my hands to spread the paint on the canvas. Something about metals and health… blah, blah, blah…(kidding). I know he’s right so I bought myself a box of gloves. They are working well, even if they are a bit too big. It doesn’t make too much difference to the process, and my hands are clean at the end, which is a bit of a bonus.
In other taking-care-of-myself news, I am aiming to drink my full litre of water a day. But not just water, slightly (Celtic-sea-)salted water – in order to not be in the washroom every 10 minutes. I just learned this yesterday, and it seems to be working!
This is a drawing I did in 1988, when I was a camper at National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI. Gotta love the big glasses!
Self-portrait with cookies and blue nails.
It’s been awhile since I painted a self-portrait! I painted this one for the Self-Portrait Project, put on by the arthouse co-op. Everyone who signed up received a 4×4 mounted canvas; all the self-portraits will be displayed together on one wall, later this year. I would love to be able to see the wall of faces!
Me and one of my many self-portraits of 1990-91. This was at an exhibition of Grade 13’s art at the U. of Waterloo, I think (maybe Ang can help me out on this one!). I was so proud of this painting. It became toast, quite literally, when my mom and step-dad’s house burned in 1998. Fashion of the times: high-waisted jeans and a silk shirt!
This song reminds me of my time spent as a counselor and assistant painting instructor at Camp Manitou-wabing, in Parry Sound, Ontario. It was one of my first jobs, and I hated it, with a passion. I couldn’t wait to leave, but I stuck it out, remember, Ma? Seal takes me right back, but not in a bad way. It was one of the good things to come out of that summer – a discovery I was happy to make. The song I picked (especially the lyric about “angel”) reminds me of my BFF Angela, who visited me that summer, making my stay a little more manageable.
Drawn From the Fire 