New Paintings and Changing Direction

Moving to an urban area from a more rural one has brought about more changes in my art than I expected! It really brought home that my artist self is very much connected to what I see and experience everyday. When I moved to the rural area, my art evolved to almost completely landscapes, without a conscious decision to do so. When I moved up here I kept seeking out those natural areas to paint, but I'm not surrounded by them here, and the need to paint that has been fading. But it has taken quite a few months of feeling frustrated and blocked. I used to shy away from figures and man made things. But now I find myself feeling more drawn to them. What a fun adventure! So here are a couple of my most recent.

This one is called "Repose". It is 9"x12" and was done at a figure drawing session. I love this group at Studio 30 at Cathedral Park in St. John's. They costume their model in interesting ways and some wonderful artists attend. I love fabric and texture and color, so for me this is more interesting than the nude figure. Looking forward to the next session! Available in my Etsy Shop

"Heading Home" is an 18"x24" acrylic on canvas. I love the St. John's bridge. I came across this late afternoon scene and was enchanted with the airy lightness of the bridge in this light. I'm also really enjoying the contrast and harmony of the urban elements with nature. I've been playing with repetition of shapes as well. I like the way the evergreen tree on the right mimics the cut out shapes in the bridge. I tried to follow that general shape in the other trees as well for a subtle sense of the harmony of man and nature. Available in My Etsy Shop

These two will be on display at Anna Bananas Cafe in St. John's in March and April, along with a bunch more (if they don't sell first!) It's a sweet little cafe with great food, espresso drinks, beer & wine and a really comfy atmosphere. A favorite!