Category: Nature
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Forest Connection
There is an increasing body of research that spending time in forests improves our mental and physical health. They are also vital to the health of the planet. Forests produce oxygen, clean the air, purify water, provide shelter for plants, animals and people, protect against soil erosion, flooding, and landslides, absorb carbon emissions from the…
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Biodegradable
Everything in nature is cyclical: it goes through a system of growing, dying, decomposing, and beginning anew. It is a perfect, self-sustaining system. But we have created things that are not part of the system and do not decompose. Scientists believe that our global plastic pollution problem is nearing the point of no return.…
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Wetland Wonder
My recent painting, “Wetland Wonder”, was accepted into the In Awe of Nature juried exhibition at the Beaux Arts Gallery in Brampton, Ontario, Sept. 16 – Oct. 16, 2021. The subject is a restored wetland at Terra Cotta Conservation area. Here’s my statement about the piece: Wetlands are a significant piece of nature-based climate change…
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Painting in a Pandemic
Now that the weather has turned colder and the work outdoors has come to an end, I am reflecting on the past “summer like no other”. First of all, let me say that I am privileged. I’m not an essential worker, I no longer have a day job and daily commute to the big city,…
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Elusive Heron
One day last summer I startled a Great Blue Heron as I wandered down toward the Grand River from the trailhead. I barely had time to register its presence before it took off across my line of vision, heading upriver. I couldn’t believe the size of its wingspan — at least six feet across. I’ve…
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Gathering Seeds
Winter landed on us this week with a thump of snow and cold. Only last week, the squirrels were frantically running around the yard, looking for any nuts they missed. Like them, I have been trying to put away seeds for the winter. The past couple of months have required a focus on domestic, rather…
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Finding Bliss, plein air style
It’s my favourite time of year for plein air painting. The weather is warm enough to work outside without freezing the fingers, but not so hot and humid that you have to worry about water and heat exhaustion. The best part is that it gets me outside in beautiful natural settings such as this. For…
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Spring Cheer
I was ready for spring but the weather wasn’t cooperating, so I decided to paint myself some spring cheer. After looking at snow for months on end, having a bouquet of flowers in my studio and focussing on trying to capture the light on every petal offered a welcome change. I was trying to capture that…
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Scent of Summer
It was the fragrance that got to me. The scent of summer in February! I had to buy them, the scent promised so much and was so rare among the usual good-looking but under ripe fruit in the grocery store. Other years I have searched for something lush and full of life in February to…
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Garden Delight
A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul. — Saadi Several years ago, I was granted access to this private garden in a lovely small town as part of a plein air painting event. I sat and sketched and enjoyed the beautiful summer day, but really had no idea…