Squamish, Olympic Spirit & a Running Squirrel

Running Squirrel . For Squamish B.C. & Olympic Spirit. Copyright Christine Montague

I was flipping through my iphoto on my MAC & listening to a CBC Radio One show about Squamish, British Columbia. Under the leadership of an inspired Squamish citizen,  a large team of hardworking volunteers showed their Olympic Spirit  - through  determination, teamwork, creativity, too – and successfully established Squamish  as a source of nordic expertise for the Olympics.

And there it was. A photo I had forgotten about. A  squirrel goes for the gold (seeds from a bird feeder) and runs upright through a well-worn track in the snow. Obviously he made many visits there. This focussed fellow isn’t a Squamish squirrel but he certainly represents how perseverance clears the path to success!

And now for B.C…. is they could just get some of the snow in the photo….

Curious about  Squamish. Here’s the link.

Today’s Painting

Up and out early to my studio in the Stone Building of the heritage Williams Mill this morning, I was painting by 7:30 am.  This little painting 8″ x 8″ oil painting of the stone silo at the province owned heritage  site, the Scottsdale Farm. This beautiful old stone silo  is on the Bruce Trail  (a popular walking trail – part of the Niagara Escapement in Ontario, Canada).

Stone Silo (Scottsdale Farm) oil painting Copyright Christine Montague

I love the architecture of the American Colonial Buildings at this farm which I visited for the first time January 2 of this year with my plein air painting group OPAS. With three works of art inspired by this visit completed already, and other ideas lined up ready and waiting – I guess a Scottsdale Farm series is in the works! The photo below is very glossy as so fresh off the easel & it was still too dark out to take outside in more even light.  Not a bad start to my day!And here is a better picture of the Fourth Tree  - also a Scottsdale Farm painting.

The Fourth Tree (Scottsdale Farm) Oil painting copyright visual artist Christine Montague

The Artist’s Shadow. Happy Groundhog Day?

The Visual Artist's Shadow. Happy Groundhog Day Cartoon Copyright C. Montague

Happy Groundhog Day! Wiarton Willy and Punxsutawney Phil did see their shadows today, so six more weeks of winter in sight.  Hang in there, everyone.

New Oil Painting- The Fourth Tree

OIl painting copyright visual artist Christine Montague

Finished January 31st, this is an 8″ x 8″ oil painting on canvas. The long shadow lets us know exactly what the fourth  tree  – by the little white shed at the Scottsdale Farm –  looks like. Cold, crisp winter day in Ontario. That snow didn’t stay for long though. Pretty to paint, but more attractive when gone. Will post a better photo soon – no suptleness of colour in this shot, is there!?!

Doing my best to stick to schedule and keep the art work coming. Exciting to see the new art work begin to line  up in my Williams Mill studio.

Scottsdale Farm has a wonderful array of white American colonial style buildings that are as wonderful to photograph as paint. It is part of the Bruce Trail, in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada, and is not too far a drive from my studio north of Mississauga.

New – 3rd Oil Painting in Ontario Series

Shopping in Seaforth copyright Christine Montague

My first oil painting of 2010 – the third the series “the Reluctant Tourist”. 24″ x 24″.   Seaforth  is a pretty Ontario town we passed through on the way to Bayfield ( Bruce County, Lake Huron cottage country), Ontario, Canada. My daughter was victorious in her finds in a second-hand store.  Now on to the next in the series, after I finish the little Scottsdale Farm painting I am now working on.

Warming up to Plein Air Painting

Minus 32 degrees celsius with the wind chill did not deter 8 members of the Ontario Plein Air Society (OPAS) from meeting at the heritage Scottsdale Farm, on the Maureen Smith trail area of the Bruce Trail in Ontario.

Swirling Snow at the Scottsdale Farm Silo. Plein air oil pastel painting copyright Christine Montague

Copyright Christine Montague

This was my first visit to the lovely American colonial style farm buildings, and my need to explore and photograph, took precedence over my need to paint. Long tree shadows crossing over white clapboard buildings, a stone silo dusted in snow, and weather vane topped cupolas made for inspiring photo taking.

As there was so much to see, it took me a while to settle down to draw with my Cray pas oil pastels. But by the time I did, the weather changed - everything going grey. Still beautiful, but we all became a little more conscious it was winter. Shadows disappeared, and snow  swirled off the roof tops, as in the little 8″ x 8″ oil pastel drawing on canvas I did, and am quite fond of, even though it was quickly produced, for the grand jaunte it represents.

By drawing on location, my feet buried in the snow,  in a farm pen that I had to climb over a fence to get to, for the view I wanted, I can still feel the crispness of the air, and replay the image of the snow swirling past the silo I was drawing. The paintings of Scottsdale Farm that will be created  in the comfort of my Williams Mill studio – these paintings, will certainly benefit from the plein air experience.

To see a video by Zan Barrage on this plein air day, with some great tips (e.g. how to use socks..) click here. For the OPAS blog with plein air painting info, click here.

My New Artist Studio

What joy to set up my studio at the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre, but it is still a work in progress, just like the painting on my easel. Happy New Year! Best wishes for 2010!

Christine Montague Artist Studio & Gallery, Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre

Gratitude, Hope, Great Art Neighbors & a Little Fun too, Make for a Happy New Year

For an eternity, it seems, my  painting career has been compromised by my grilled cheese membership in the sandwich generation.  Genuine teen angst faced by those of the younger generation in my household, and the  chronic health issues, and subsequent death of those in the older  one, gave me little time to pause for breath, nevertheless paint.

However, , thanks to my commitment to be in the art fair, Art-09, in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in June, I did somehow pull through and manage to create new work. It is amazing how financial pressure & a deadline will inspire, isn’t it?

And thanks to all the attention one of those paintings received (Stop and Go on the Credit), even though it did not sell at the time , in the fall I made the decision it was worthy of a quality frame. This meant, up to Four Sticks Framing – owned by the very accomplished painter Jim Reid (formally framed  for the AGO & McMichael) – at the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre.

After choosing an exquisite little cherry veneer frame (Stop and Go immediately sold!) I popped down the little stairs by Jim’s studio to the lower level of the big stone building to check out the The Red Pig Studio . I have enjoyed reading the blog of this studio’s owner –  found object assemblage sculptor and painter, Carmen Hickson. I thought I might like to meet this unique artist and see her work in person.

To my surprise, the one very large studio was now two – Carmen’s studio on one side and the other empty. Well, long story short – after a couple of hours of animated conversation with Carmen, and an email to the mill’s owner, I was the proud occupant of that empty studio space beside The Red Pig Studio.

Just in time  - my art work was included  the Williams Mill Gallery “Big Art, Small Works” show (I think I have now sold four!), and my studio was included in the Christmas Open House  weekend, where the owners of  Georgetown’s Main Street Inn toured my studio & invited me to include work in their Christmas Exhibit.

So after, what can only be described as a couple of years “ Annus horribilis” I am suddenly…

…grateful to be back painting, grateful to have my studio in this unique artist centre, grateful for all the wonderful and inspiring artists I have as neighbors. Grateful, as well, to all my clients- you let me continue to make art. And, although it has taken hindsight to admit so, grateful that I had the strength, good health and fortitude, to have been there for those I love when they needed it most. My life of art wasn’t sacrificed  as I feared, but simply waiting in the wings for my return.

Wishing you a New Year full of hope, happiness, and good health – i.e. a 2010 to be grateful for!

Fondly,

Christine

An Art Full Day in Mississauga- A show, Plein Air Painting too

This weekend, I had the unique opportunity to exhibit my paintings during the South Side Shuffle Jazz Festival. Five other Mississauga artists and I put on an art show in the historic St. Lawrence Starch Company, on Lakeshore Blvd in Port Credit, Mississauga.

The location was terrific, the venue attractively set up, and the atmosphere, with the Shuffle’s live music drifting through the doors, made for a really pleasant experience. The positive remarks on the artwork displayed, as well as the overwhelming appreciation for an art venue in the area was very encouraging. The show reaffirmed just how much an art gallery for Mississauga artists is needed.

This weekend was also World Paint Out Day, a day that individual artists and plein air groups around the world make a special effort or host special painting on location events. Ontario Plein Air Society was too recently formed to organize an official plein air event. Instead OPAS, asked its members to  make an effort to paint and to then post the work on its blog site.

My very full weekend – TIFF (The Men Who Stare at Goats gala ( yes – I saw George Clooney and Jeff Bridges) a street garage sale, and the art show, left me with only a short time to dash out a painting, while working the show at the Starch Building.

A beautiful day to paint! This 6″ wide x 12″ high oil painting is from the viewpoint of Fram’s St. Lawrence Starch Building, looking east, past the iron fence, to Lakeshore Blvd.

Although I prefer not to touch up my plein air paintings, I chatted too much to inquisitive & friendly passers by, and so need to clarify and brighten up a few parts. This includes defining the words “Port Credit” (the focal point) on the red and white banner.

09/09/09 Lucky Numbers for Mississauga Artists (well, most of them)

Today, on the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month of the ninth year, The Lakeview Legacy Project , a non profit organization, was to stand before Mayor Hazel McCallion & the Mississauga City Council to ensure that the proposed Small Arms Building creativity centre would receive the infrastructure repair funding it so richly deserves. I wondered, (as both a visual artist and with AIM, Artists in Mississauga) would the 09/09/09 date bring good news or not for the arts &  artists in Mississauga?

Now, I knew that  the team that makes up the Legacy Project has such experience, dedication and vision, that I really needn’t worry. But a little chink in my faith resulted when, as just before I headed out the door to the council meeting, my teenage daughter asked for a whopping $300 for school, and that the number on the cheque I made out  was  333! (add them up- they equal 9)

My anxiety grew, when stuck in traffic snarled by back- to – school buses, and construction everywhere, it took me 3x as long to reach city hall. Then, thinking I was lucky to grab a free  parking spot behind the Living Arts Centre – it wasn’t till I was far from my car  - I saw there were now new automated ticket booths. With no  change on hand, I couldn’t get mine to work with my charge card. I had the joy of adding some feelings of inadequacy to those feelings of frustration at being late… until  I passed a  gentleman equally perplexed at getting his card to work.

I moved my car to the Square One Parking lot instead.

Racing over to city hall, I held the door open for an out of breath young man who, all dressed up, looked quite perturbed as he ran up the stairs towards me. Aha! a fellow witness also late to this historic event!

But then, across the great hall, little flower girls dressed up in white and pressed against the glass – caught my eye . A wedding, and he made it.

Jim Tovey, Chair of the Lakeview Legacy Project, and the Lakeview Ratepayers Association was presenting his case as I entered the Council Chambers. With no further a due Council unanimously agreed the cause was worthy and deserving. Huzzah!

And then, but with a little more difficulty, the Art Gallery of Mississauga, also got approval for funds toward their much needed and deserved expansion ideas. Huzzah again!

Happily, I returned to my car only to find a ticket on my windshield. Somewhere in time, what had been part of a large mall parking lot, still looked like the mall’s parking lot, and has no obvious signs otherwise, at least not to a frustrated motorist,  was now just for private use by who knows who?!?

I could pull a “23″ story line and point out that the ticket # ended in 9 (which it did) and so did the officer’s number. But that’s not the real point. The real point is that Mississauga is getting all grown up. It is getting mature enough enough to recognize that the arts matter, and sometimes, the value of money spent is not just about numbers. And that the nuisance of traffic, and parking that has to be paid for (sigh) are simply growing pains of coming of age.