Pink for hope...

The recent Pink Garden Spa Tea was sheer delight.  Between the feast for the eyes,

the bountiful tea,

and the care that was manifest for those who are dealing with cancer, it was truly a remarkable event.

Everywhere one looked, there was something beautiful and heartful to see.

With speakers from the valley and from afar (Lynda, a poetess, was from the coast),

and a garden that was lush, green and voluptuous with riotous colour,

the time flew by in a rush of pleasure.

Laura Leeder, a local watercolourist who specializes in paintings of  timeless beauty, had donated a painting for silent auction.

The painting, A Cup of Hope, was a huge hit with the attendees, and raised a considerable sum to support women locally who are experiencing the ravages of cancer.

Please enjoy the experience through the eyes of my camera, as you consider the fact that grass roots efforts like the Pink Garden Tea are happening throughout the world, in support of all that is good and right about community.

I know that we often hear and see so much that is difficult and horrendous in the news, and perhaps we forget how many people are working to make this planet a better place on which to live.  To those who care, and show it, to those who work for the betterment of society, to those who volunteer, to those who give and keep on giving, I thank you.  You're walking the world another step closer to home.

A summer rainbow

By now you likely know I get my colour fix from the garden in the summertime, and at this time of the year it's lush and rich.

From the deep cool reds straight through to violet and white,

it's a growing carpet rainbow.

And best of all, in this beautiful Creston Valley, it's largely unaccompanied by rain.  What colours are rife in your garden this year?

Nail it!

There are so many things around the house that can be used in your artwork to interesting effect.  Take nail polish remover, for example - it makes a lively background when used as a resist.

You merely need acrylic paint, a paintbrush, a support, an eye dropper, water and nail polish remover.  I'm starting here with a paint-splashed mat board pulled from my stash of starts.

Making a very thin wash of burnt umber, I'm ready to paint it on to the support.

 Once it's painted,

 I splash on some polish remover using the eye dropper.

When it's dry, I decide it can use another layer of colour, this time quinacridone burnt sienna, using the same technique.

The addition of another colour really changes the look.

It's starting to look very interesting now.

I think some quinacridone burnt scarlet would finish this off nicely.

I really like the rich depth of these layers and think it will make a lovely background for a painting.

It might be fun to add a nail polish resist in antique gold - what do you think?

No summer is complete...

...here in Creston without several Saturday morning trips to the Farmers' Market.

From 9 am to 1 pm, the market is open for business at their new location just beside the Chamber of Commerce, rain or shine, although it's pretty much shine from June through August.

From produce

to flowers,

and baked goods

to canned wares,

the market sings with colour.   In each tent, 

you'll find something that will delight your eye,

tempt your taste buds,

or feed your soul.

Are you looking for something new to try?  You'll find it here.

Or do you need some blue to match that special piece of china you're using at this afternoon's tea?  No doubt it's at the market too.

Best of all, it will be locally done, and likely presented by your next door neighbour.

And you can rest assured that you'll catch up on a week's worth of socializing, and feed all your senses at the same time.

What's happening at your local market this summer - are you basking and buying there weekly?

Perhaps you need a tissue?

Well, certainly I do - it's a constant in my studio!

Playing with artist tissue is more fun than a cat in a room full of seniors with motorized rocking chairs (apologies to Opal, the Studio Cat).

Secure a piece of archival artist-quality tissue paper, and away we go!

 Spritz your tissue with a healthy dose of water,

and then crumple it. 

Pull it gently apart, distressing and mushing (one of my favourite technical terms) as you wish, and place it on a still-wet support that has been coated with liquid gloss medium.  Allow it to dry thoroughly.

Now you can over-paint with your choice of thin wash, allowing the wash to pool into the folds of the tissue.

If you like you can paint the whole support, and blot some areas with a paper towel (save those for use in another painting) for texture.  Again, allow it to dry.

Here I've added three dryer-sheet 'moons' for additional interest.

'From the Woods' was created completely with this technique, utilizing vertical pieces of tissue with layers and more layers of paint.

From the Woods  Mixed Media  ©Win Dinn

So if you had a tissue, how would you use it?