Wednesday 17 February 2016

The Different Personalities of Ice


Sometimes stalactites form above the stream


Drip drip dripping in a brief thaw.


Sometimes in a thaw it sinks beneath the water
forming ghostly shapes.


Sometimes we wake up to find that overnight
it has formed a clear sheet
across the stream.


 Sometimes it forms crispy crunchy
bits and pieces clinging to stream edges or grasses that
rise above the watery surface.


Sometimes it creates crisp hard lines....


....and geometric shapes.



Sometimes the sun comes out
and reveals interesting warmth beneath the frosty surface.


Someone is watching her ball
it's dangerously close to rolling into the stream.
Often it does!
 and as soon as she realizes
no human is going in there to retrieve it
somehow she finds a way to get to it
usually
further down the stream.
If she didn't manage to retrieve it
it would end up a plaything for the beavers
further down our stream.


Tuesday 16 February 2016

Happy Birthday Brett


42 years ago
this young man came bursting into our lives


He started out so small 
and
grew
and 
grew
and grew!


Recently he has become a great sticker surface
for his little niece
whom he adores.


He has been the sunshine of my life
along with his brothers
He brings so much joy and pride to my life.

Thank you Brett
and
Have a great day!

Working By The Fire


As big snowflakes tumble to the ground outside
there is no time to waste inside
sitting by the fire.


I have returned to this piece that seems 
to want to be called "Low Tide"


I am filling the middle section
with bits and pieces of woven threads.
Perhaps representing the dykes that surround the Annapolis Basin
of perhaps the tops of trees.
I will let people decide for themselves once it is finished.


I believe the mud flats section is finished.


Not so sure about the tree trunk or grasses section.

Monday 15 February 2016

Little Crumbs


I have made a decision about
my crumbs from the cutting room floor.
I will make one every week of 2016
Each one will have a cruciform in it....
....some smaller than others.


Week three


Week Four
came about because of a thaw....


....turning snow beneath dripping trees
into a spotted carpet.


Week Five


....and Week Six
I do love that Sorbello stitch (down the bottom).


Because my memory ain't what it used to be
I am marking each one on the back.
It might be interesting to see how things change (if at all)
sequentially.


I use a thin cotton as a foundation
(4 1/4" x 6")
and collage bits and pieces from the studio floor....
(of which there are many)
....onto said foundation to better support 
any stitching that might occur.

But of course there are many larger pieces being worked on too!

Monday 8 February 2016

Winter's Wonder


This has been a beautiful winter
so far


The pond has been nestled 
within snowy coated trees and shrubs


The stream still wends it's way beneath
laden boughs


Rusty Pups manage to move among snowy bushes
without disturbing anything.


The fruit of the Alder trees still dangle from frozen branches.


Rusty Pup Kayla always has to have a roll in the snow.


Rusty Pup Shandy noses through the snow
ever hopeful a tennis ball might be there.


A Rusty Pup certainly adds colour to a winter's day.


Winter's patterns.


Sheltering beneath the trees.


Stream crossing.


Lots of snow but warm enough to keep the stream clear of ice.


Unlike last year, this year we have been blessed with thaws
between the storms!

Have a nice Winter's day.

Sunday 7 February 2016

Look For Mark Berens At The Artist Project


If you are in Toronto or it's environs you might be interested in
dropping by Booth 927 at the Artist Project
in the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto.
That is where our talented Mark
will be found from February 18-21.


As you can see his studio is bursting
with new paintings
of his beautiful renderings of Georgian Bay.


Some of his smaller paintings are lovely tree tops.


I have always loved his water over rocks.


Important Dates and Times


Early Access Preview
Thursday 18th 5-10 pm

Opening Night Party
Thursday 18th 7-10 pm

Friday 11am - 10pm
Saturday 11am - 8pm
Sunday 11am -6pm

for more information go to
http://www.theartistproject.com/
or
http://www.markberensart.com/

Just tell him his mother sent you!
That will amuse him!

 Night Party
Thursday  - 10 PM
Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM
Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM

Friday 5 February 2016

It is Amazing How Nature Can Rebound After a heavy Choking Snow


Alders along the stream
arched over beneath the weight of last week's storm.


Boughs and whole trees bent under the weight.


So beautiful in the harshness of
winter storms that do what they will.


Two young silver birches completely bent over.


From the other side we examined their silvery trunks
to check that they had not broken under the weight.


Two days later in the misty rains of a thaw
they had sprung back into life
and hopefully they were not harmed too badly.