Colored Pencil Workshop!

Come join us for a day of fun and art! 

Date: Saturday, June 25th, 2011
Time: 10AM - 6PM (with a break for lunch)
Location: Allan, SK - "Allan Bowl Rec Centre" - www.AllanBowl.com
(Allan is a half hour drive South East of Saskatoon - a nice drive through the country!)
Lunch: Lunch will be provided by the facility (included in your entry fee - probably in the form of a buffet lunch)

Supplies: Included in the course price (just bring yourself and your enthusiasm!)
Price: $95/person (plus PST) Payment methods: PayPal, Credit Card, Cash, Cheque
Total spots available: 12
Skill level: anyone and everyone! If you can't draw a stick person - you're right for this course! If you can paint like the masters - you're right for this course too!
Ages: The course is geared at adults, but anyone 10 & up can participate.

I expect this course to fill up very quickly, and so if you are interested, please contact me as soon as you can. Entries will be taken as a first-come-first-served basis, and your spot will be confirmed only after full payment.

The course project will be a tiger face, and will cover all aspects of my colored pencil technique for blurry backgrounds, hair, whiskers, nose, and of course, the eye. The techniques taught can be applied to any subject matter. The supplies provided (paper, graphite transfer paper, colored pencils specific to the project, sharpener, workshop booklet) are yours to keep at the end of the workshop. And, at the end of the workshop, a draw will take place for one lucky student to take home a special prize. During the course, you will get a chance to see me demonstrate my technique and have a chance to try each technique yourself with group lessons and one-on-one instruction throughout the day. We will have a lot of fun! If you've worked in colored pencils before, feel free to bring your artwork for discussion or critique.

If you have any questions about the workshop, please don't hesitate to ask via e-mail: bigcatart@gmail.com - also feel free to pass this information along to family/friends who might be interested. Once the course fills up, anyone wanting to be added to the waiting list to the next one can be contacted as soon as I plan another one.

A vacation!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am still here and keeping very busy! I have lots to tell - the new commission is started, a couple art shows have come and gone, and a bunch of changes will be coming to my website soon. However, all of that is on pause for... MEXICO!! I'll be spending ten days in Mexico, and should be back by May 5th. Once back I'll write a few posts about all the recent news and upcoming plans. I hope everyone has a great Easter holiday!

A Much Needed Update!

I know I have apologized for this in the past, so I’ll skip the “I’m sorry for neglecting my blog and my website and my Facebook” rant… however, I hope that this massive update post will show why I’ve been so busy that my online presence has taken the back burner lately! This post is quite lengthy (sorry!) but for anyone interested it will catch you up on all the news on my art and my business.

The biggest news to most of my readers and followers will be that I have moved…again. My 2009 move to Calgary, AB only lasted a year, and I ended up back in Regina, SK briefly. As much as I have said that Saskatchewan isn’t home to me, it seems to keep pulling me back. And so, rather than fighting it, I’m finally relaxing and going with it, and even learning to like it! I’ve always loved Saskatoon; it’s a great location for the art community, and so I made the move from Regina to Saskatoon. It has been the best decision I’ve made in a long time. I found an absolutely perfect rental property, which has been a huge validation of the benefits of posting a want-ad on Kijiji. (Anyone curious about that story can message me…) My new house is in a great neighborhood close to all amenities, has ample parking, a fenced and landscaped yard with huge garden and separate fenced dog run for Duke, hardwood floors, new appliances, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and quite possibly the best landlord in the entire city. I feel like I am “home” and it has been a very long time since I have truly felt that way about anywhere I’ve lived.

One of the greatest things about my new home is the space I have for a home studio. I have converted one of the extra bedrooms into my studio space, which consists of office, workspace, and storage for all of my work-related supplies. Having a proper work-space is crucial for making a successful go of a home-based business.

With the new studio comes space to expand my business, and having moved away from Regina and hence away from my local source for quality prints, I have made the decision to begin printing for myself. This means the investment in a top-of-the-line professional printer, and taking the time to learn the process behind making quality prints, which I am thoroughly enjoying. In the very near future, I will be offering a variety of graphic services to fellow artists – and so, if you are interested in this opportunity, I encourage you to get in touch. I will also be offering incentives and referral programs for new clients. My website will soon advertise this aspect of my business, and I will post a link as soon as it’s completed.

Another addition to my home studio is a “framing station”, where I am now framing my own work. Rather than investing in a mat-cutter, and then needing the obvious space and training (not to mention time) to do that, I have found a fantastic website - the MatShop.ca - that offers quality mats cut-to-spec, as well as all the framing supplies I need to frame my own work at home. The mats, backing materials, and frame pieces arrive custom-cut, complete with hardware, I buy the glass locally, and I then assemble everything in my studio. It has led to a great savings compared to retail framing, and means that I can keep and provide stock of framed prints for sale, which is fantastic. I now offer every one of my prints either framed or un-framed, and all options will soon be available on my website.

A new commissioned colored pencil artwork will be starting soon! This piece, working title “Intensity”, has been commissioned by a long-time collector of my limited edition prints. This will be his first original artwork of mine, and it’s a project we are both very excited about. Although I call myself a “wildlife artist” who specializes in “big cats”, I may have to start saying I specialize in “cougars on rocks with snow” as this will be the third piece featuring the cougar from both ”Focus” and ”Regard”. This is another Grambo reference photo, and will be created the same size (15” x 21”) as the previous two pieces. It will be the first piece started in my new home studio.

I have always been a little different than most artists… I have never pursued a gallery showing, nor have I ever sought out retail space for my work. It may seem counterproductive to becoming a successful artist, but I have my reasons. The main one being that I’ve never felt that a gallery is worth the staggering commission that most charge, along with the fact that my slight tendency to be a control freak would mean giving up control over my work. Additionally, most galleries and retail spaces only hang original art, which is a problem for an artist like me who only produces a few per year, most of which are commissioned, and therefore not available for sale. I have instead settled for marketing my own work through my website and occasional trade shows, and previously have participated in local art guilds. Recently, however, I was offered an absolutely amazing opportunity...

While purchasing my new car at Subaru of Saskatoon, they asked what I did for work, leading to my blatantly obvious and somewhat shameless showing off of my artwork on my website. When the owner of the dealership walked into the office and saw my website, he immediately and without hesitation asked if I’d like to display and sell my work in his dealership. “Fill the walls with your work!” Mac said. His offer shocked me to say the least, but I told him I would definitely take him up on it. It took me a couple months to get everything arranged (throughout the move and setting up in a new location of course), including the framing of limited edition prints for the walls, and the creation of a contract for our arrangement. After hanging everything in the showroom, during which I was very warmly received by the entire staff, I offered to set-up in an unused cubicle to do a public demo of my work, and the owner of the dealership loved the idea. So, next weekend, (Friday, March 18th and Saturday, March 19th, 2011) I will be set up in the Subaru of Saskatoon showroom to work on some art and enjoy talking to the public about my work (and subsequently about how much I absolutely love my Subaru WRX!) This is an exciting new direction for my work, and I am so very grateful to Mac at Subaru for the wonderful opportunity. If you’re in or around Saskatoon, I encourage you to stop by and check it out. I hope to be there more often in the future as well. And if you’re looking to buy a car – well I can’t rave enough about how much I love my Subaru. I truly believe that I will never drive anything but a Subaru ever again.

On top of the showing of my work at Subaru, I have agreed (somewhat last minute) to participate in the Collector’s Show here in Saskatoon. Their show consists of guns, antiques, and wildlife art – quite the combination of attractions, and the largest show of its kind in the Prairie Provinces! I will have my booth set up at this well-attended show from Friday March 11th to Sunday March 13th, 2011. For hours and information, visit the Collector’s Show website. This show will be the first time I will be transporting my trade show booth with my new car, which will be an experiment for sure, as my car is small and my display is quite large! At least for a local show, if I have to make multiple trips to set up, it won’t be a problem. I will be doing my best to fit everything in one trip though, as I also intend to do this same thing when I travel to Onoway, Alberta in April!

Speaking of which – the third annual Night of Artists Onoway is just around the corner! The show will be held on April 9th, 2011, and more information can be found at the Night of Artists website (click on the Onoway Show). I’m excited to see everyone again, and visit family, all while participating in a fun day (and night) of art and entertainment.

And so, that’s what I’ve been up to and what I will be up to for the foreseeable future! For those of you who read this far, I appreciate your patience and thanks for bearing with me. I hope to be more diligent with my blog and website from now on, and I look forward to keeping in better touch with my fans and collectors.

"Regard" - FINISHED!

Well... it was finished quite some time ago, but being the classic procrastinator that I am, I have somewhat neglected my blog in the past few months. Once again, personal life seems to interfere with the life of an artist, unfortunately. But - thank you for your patience - here it is, all finished!

"Regard" is now framed and hanging in the home of the proud owners of the commissioned piece, along with "Focus" - the companion piece. Both "Focus" and "Regard" will be entered in "Reflections of Nature" this weekend in Saskatoon. If you'd like to see them in person, come out and attend the show!

(Print sales of "Regard" start at the show this weekend - all website orders will begin Monday, October 25th! Reserve yours by e-mailing me today!)

Reflections of Nature 2010 - Preparation!

I am currently getting ready for another annual "Reflections of Nature" show held in Saskatoon, put on by the Saskatchewan Wildlife Art Association. This year marks a very important milestone - for the first time ever, I will have a commercial booth set up at the show! It's exciting to have that kind of presence at a show of this magnitude, but it is a lot of work! (Which I should be doing right now!) Visit the SWAA website for more information on the show! After the weekend, I'll post photos and some chit-chat about this year's show. Hope to see you there!

NOAO - Show and Sale

Once again, I'll be a part of the Night of Artists Onoway show and sale, held in Onoway, Alberta. Last year's event, in April 2009, was a huge success and the town of Onoway (where I was born and raised until six years old) welcomed us with open arms. As last year, I created and designed the web design for their official website: www.NOAO.ca as well as the graphic design for their event program. It's a lot of work, but very much worth it! This event includes musicians and bands performing, dance demonstrations, food, drink, and a wide assortment of artists - sculptors, jewelers, painters, photographers, and more. The event will be on April 23rd and 24th, 2010, and for more information on the event and how to purchase tickets, please visit www.NOAO.ca. I'll post pictures after the event!

Upcoming Workshop

Because of the success and demand generated from the first workshop I taught in Hanna, Alberta (May 2009), they have invited me back to teach another workshop. This time, I'll be doing two separate workshops on one weekend - the first being a beginner introduction to colored pencils, and the second advancing on the techniques to provide examples of how to do complete scenery with colored pencils. I'm excited to be teaching again, as it's a lot of fun to pass on the things that I've learned in my experiences with colored pencils. It's excellent to introduce other artists to this fabulous medium. The workshop details are included in the poster below: (click to view larger)

"Regard" - WIP 2

I know it has been a LONG time since I have posted, but I am going to try to make a better effort to keep in touch with my few blog-readers and fans. And so, here are a couple WIP shots of "Regard". Although it's taking much longer than originally planned, it is still going really well, and it is coming together nicely. I'm excited to have it finished, and see it framed next to "Focus". They will make quite the pair.

A new workshop!

"Achieving Photo-Realism in Colored Pencils" is being offered as a one-day workshop through The Prince Albert Arts Centre (in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) on January 24th, from 10AM - 5PM. I'll be teaching the fundamentals of my colored pencil techniques to create a close-up face of a tiger with a blurred background. Adults interested in attending the workshop can contact Shaun Pikaluk at ph: 306-953-4811 or e-mail: spikaluk@citypa.com for more information. There are still spots available in the class, but they're filling quickly! I'm looking forward to the workshop, and will post pictures from the event. Anyone interested in hiring me to teach workshops for their group or city/town should contact me via e-mail. Reasonable rates, and willing to travel!

Is there an appropriate title for this? If so, I don't know what it is...

Those of you still patient enough to be following my blog - thank you so much for your continued support. I intend to reward that support in the near future by adding more art related content. However, I feel like this small and to-the-point post is required to update those of you curious as to what's going on in my personal life.

I have been through some pretty major and life altering changes the past few months, and this is why my art has taken a back burner for much of that time. I have separated from my husband of four years, and have moved from Regina, Saskatchewan, to Calgary, Alberta (which I have always considered "home"). I am just finally getting set up in my new place, complete with a little corner of my bachelor-style basement suite dedicated as "art studio space". Obviously there is a lot of emotional and personal issues being dealt with on a daily basis, but that is besides the point, and not at all the direction I'm going with this post. The point, as far as I'm concerned, is that for the first time in a long time, I feel inspired and motivated, even if I'm not quite acting on it yet. I'm looking forward to creating more new works, and hope to further my career here in Calgary, where the art scene is quite a bit more thriving than in Regina. I appreciate your patience with me while I update all sorts of things both here on my blog and on my personal website. New artwork will be posted soon!