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| Our Green Willow tree, Cordelia, has finally dropped her leaves. A Cherry tree stands to the right and produces tasty cherries that drip down your chin in the summertime. Mostly the birds get the bounty as the limbs are too high for us to reach. Our studio is the red building. The other two 'public sides' are painted periwinkle blue. We heat it with a wood stove and a small space heater. |
2010 was the 'birthing' year for our Green Willow Studio. We started with an uninsulated garage and transformed it into a warm, walled and electrified studio! It took us some time to get everything arranged so that a silversmith and a painter could work in the same space. Together, yet apart.
Most of the time it works. We listen to music or to podcasts. We break for tea or coffee and either talk about our work or we go for a walk around the garden to get a different perspective.
It is a thrill for us both to have the luxury of such a well lit room (there are windows on all four walls!) and to be surrounded by garden and a wild field where pheasants live.
As part of the Bear River working artists studio tour it was essential for us to have our studio ready for the beginning of the tourist season in May. We set up a display area in the studio where people can buy our work. We have met some wonderful people that way and have sold some pieces.
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| Tulips. Acrylic on canvas by Flora Doehler. SOLD |
My painting sales this year at the Flight of Fancy, at Paint the Town and in the studio were motivating and rewarding. A series of one-on-one art coaching and tutoring in painting has helped me to share my painting techniques and to practice teaching. Attending the Bear River Artists and Farmers Market nudged me to develop affordable art as well as gave people a chance to see my work.
Larry received jewellery commissions and is showing sculptural pieces at Art and Jules Gallery in Halifax.
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| "Growth Spurt" hammered copper vessel by Larry Knox, 2010. |
Now 2011 lies before us like a blank canvas or like a shiny sheet of copper waiting to be formed.
The possibilities are infinite; the ideas are many and there are decisions to be made about content, about intention, about the best way to express one's creativity.
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| Blooming summer flowers were a constant inspiration. |
I will spend more time posting to this blog and sharing step-by-step, the creative discoveries and techniques that I am using in my work and that Larry is using in his work. Up until now my blogging focus has been on our day to day lives in our adopted village of Bear River. After three years there are over 100,000 hits on that Blog and it has even brought visitors to Bear River. It's time for me to shift some of the energy spent in promoting Bear River into sharing our artistic life and promoting our work to the world!
We are opening an online store to give readers the chance to take home an original work of art from me or from Larry that was created by hand in Nova Scotia. Stay tuned for that announcement within the next few days!
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| Copper pieces. |
Larry and I are excited about these developments and we look forward to sharing our creative journey with you in this coming year. Thanks for your virtual visit!
Happy New Year and may you experience many creative moments in 2011 and may some of them be inspired by our creative journey.
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| Painting outside in the summer. |
Happy New Year Flora and Larry! This is just the most incredible blog - yes it must be heaven to have a studio with windows on all four sides - practically like being outside - and I loved your previous post from Vancouver as well on Emily Carr - most inspiring!
ReplyDeleteHi Flora,
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and Larry. What creative souls you are. And brave to head out across the cold to the studio. I am proud of you. Some days I can barely make it into the studio right beside the kitchen. Your work is beautiful, the two of you wonderful, and I wish you both another incredible year in art.
XOBarbara
Marcia, Happy New Year to you too! It's true that having light on all sides is the greatest thing. Before we moved here I worked in a tiny office with a permanently closed window that faced the brick wall of the office next door. It didn't bother all of my fellow library workers, but it felt like a form of incarceration for me. SEVEN YEARS!!!!! The good part is that it makes me appreciate the access to light that I have now, every single moment!
ReplyDeleteTake care!
Flora
Barbara, it was so wonderful talking to you on the phone yesterday. You give me great inspiration and I am SO EXCITED about your debut on CITYTV with your portrait work.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, there are days that I don't go out to the studio...this week I've been forcing myself to get moving on some computer work.....an online tutorial I'm making, the online store, blogging stuff. My next project is to work on a piece that combines fabric, paint and images for a show here in Bear River. But working on that starts on Friday! ha ha.....This week I feel as busy as you! xoxo
As usual, a most enjoyable and illuminating read. Thank you Flora.
ReplyDeleteI love Larry's "Growth Spurt."
ReplyDeleteAs one of those visitors that came to visit you (and Larry), I will enjoy your transition to more sharing of your art journey.
Thanks Derek!
ReplyDeleteHi Carol......it was so great to meet you and Ted after admiring your work for so long! Larry was happy to hear your comment too! He has been working on some jewellery lately........to be unveiled soon, I hope!
ReplyDelete