"A Life In Paint"

"Shoal Brook", oil on panel, 8"x10" One of the small paintings I am taking to

Turkey with me for the upcoming art exhibit for International Women's Day

"When it's all over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms." ~Mary Oliver

Again I must apologize for being so neglectful of this blog. Blogs are, like many things, little responsibilities, commitments that we take on and try to nurture and help evolve through whatever we choose to write about, where we travel, whom we meet. I promise to pay more attention to this one in the next few months!

What with the hectic holiday season and some other challenges that have come up, time has slipped away from my regular entries on this blog, which really has become a travel blog, with the odd artistic musing as well. My robust travel schedule begins in earnest next month, with journeys to Arizona, New York City and Ankara, Turkey starting off this exciting year!

The journey to Ankara is particularly interesting because I have been invited by the gracious wife of Canada's Ambassador to Turkey. There is an art exhibit and fundraiser that will be coinciding with International Women's Day in March and I will take a small selection of paintings to have for this exciting event. Proceeds from the show will help women in need in Turkey, which makes the whole adventure even more compelling.

Two other important projects are also happening. One of them I have spoken about already. The pictorial book of photographs that Christopher McCandless took on his two year odyssey from 1990-1992 is coming together! I am working on paintings for this book, paintings based on Christopher's photographs. It is a collaborative effort with Chris's parents and the whole project is very thrilling and one that is especially close to my heart.

Another fledgling artistic endeavor that I have taken on is writing a book based on my travels and subsequent photos and paintings. It will also have a strong, personal component and have my day to day journal included. I shall try my best to steer clear of self-indulgent, navel-gazing writing here yet try not to self-edit too much. The most important thing is that this writing come from the heart, where all true art truly originates.

"Self-Portrait, Renewed", oil on canvas, 14"x11"

Another painting that I shall take to Ankara with me.

My dear friend Wyll is the one who really encouraged me to take on this writing project. I hope that people will find it interesting and want to read it. It is a terrifying yet exhilarating prospect, and on my list of things to do in my lifetime. Why put it off...why not start now? This could apply to anything in our lives...if you have been putting something off, whether talking to someone or making a career change, why put it off? Act today. As Ghandi so wisely said: "be the change you want to see in the world." Thanks Wyll...

Upcoming Events!

I will have a small painting in this year's Burlington Art Centre Art Auction, happening on February 19th, 2010. Here are some details!

"Self-Portrait, Renewal", oil on panel, 8"x10"

"Sasha", oil on canvas, 16"x12"

The cat, what can one say about this glorious creature? With its majestic form, formidable meow, rhythmic purr, and its uncanny ability to hear a can of tuna being opened from three rooms away? One cannot help but fall madly in love with such a glorious creature. Therefore, and quite happily, we as avid cat fanciers have created this homage exhibition consisting of paintings, drawings and transfer art to express our love for the cat. The show was inspired by two cat lover art friends and their cats, Zorica Krasulja and Claudette Losier, who then invited their other cat loving art friends to participate in their show: Heather Horton, Amanda Mckinney, Cathy Peng, James Wylie, Carolyn Endacott, Gisele Grenier, Theresa Dinsmore, and Patricia Robertson.

The Cat's Meow

March 1-31st, 2010

Intolerant Gallery

239 King Street East, Hamilton, Ontario

Opening Reception March 6th at 7pm

Have a beautiful day, wherever you are...

Heather

Speaking Of Art...

"Gayle With Sheet", Oil On Canvas, 30"x24"

"A good orator is pointed and impassioned"~ Cicero

Last week I had the opportunity to speak at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario. I was asked to be a guest lecturer for the fine art student body and some faculty. It was exhilarating yet a bit terrifying as well...which I suppose is a good thing. Adrenaline can do such wonders for the mind as well as the body!

The purpose of this lecture was to discuss and talk about my background, past work, present projects, accomplishments and anything else pertaining to the life of a full-time artist that the students might enjoy learning about. I have included some images in this blog of paintings that I showed to the audience.

"Bed (head)", oil on canvas, 12"x12"

I had a lot of fun preparing the lecture, partially because I was able to use Power Point finally. It was so straightforward and I almost couldn't believe it was a Microsoft product! All bias aside, I had a great time organizing, planning, editing and honing the talk around slides of older and present work, a brief bio and selected quotations that keep me inspired and moving forward when there are inevitable but rare dips in enthusiasm about one's work.

"Coming", oil on canvas, 48"x36"

The talk went really well and I was quite excited to see that a total of about 115 people attended the lecture! All of the chairs were taken and people were sitting on the floor and standing at the back of the gallery where the talk was held. I had a microphone. I had a laptop. I was ready...so I dove in and began to talk about what I do and why I do it.

After some initial nervousness I settled into speaking earnestly about how I came to be a full-time painter: how in college a small group of us decided to embark on a more traditional route of approaching our work as we had a calling to do more studio/gallery work than commercial work...and the beautiful thing is that our instructors at Sheridan College supported and encouraged this rerouting of creative spirit. I will never forget that.

"Gayle (stool)", oil on panel, 48"x36"

The main point that I tried to emphasize to everyone listening is what we have heard time and time again: that anything that we dream of is possible, that we can do whatever we want with our lives, with our careers as artists and creative people, that the only limits are those which we place upon ourselves. I was pleased to see some people nodding their heads and some were jotting down notes too. I spoke of the value of discipline and most importantly, I stressed to the listeners to find out what makes each of them unique as creative people, what sets them apart, and to capitalize upon that. The key is finding that beautiful and individual ingredient within each of us...and cultivating it.

Below are some quotations from my talk that I wanted to share here. They resonate with me very much and I use them as touchstones when I need a little push of inspiration:

"Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life."~Confucius

"In the depths of winter I finally discovered that there was in me an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." ~Henry David Thoreau

"The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave it neither power nor time." ~Mary Oliver

"The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." ~Sylvia Plath

"Painting is self-discovery. Every good artist paints what he is."~Jackson Pollock

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" ~Vincent Van Gogh

"Gayle, Snowshoeing", Oil On Canvas, 36"x48"

Speaking to these artists was very rewarding. I spoke to a few people afterwards who wanted to talk briefly and I was pleased to hear that they enjoyed the talk and were inspired. There's no greater feeling than to inspire another artist to pick up their brush or approach the copper plate with more gusto! There was a certain bliss felt in that moment, in speaking and communicating verbally what you are compelled to do with your life and work. I look forward to doing more lectures and speaking engagements in the future!

I can hardly believe it but the Newfoundland Portraits Exhibition is less than three weeks away! I will be doing an informal artist talk on November 14th at Abbozzo Gallery from 2-4pm where I will speak about the creation of the paintings and the journey to Newfoundland. I hope to see you both at the opening and at the talk!

With warmest wishes,

Heather

Newfoundland Portraits

November 5-22nd, 2009

Opening Reception November 6th, 7-10pm

Abbozzo Gallery

179 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Come out, see some artwork and listen to special musical guests

The Killin' Time Band who will be playing

some East Coast-inspired songs for your enjoyment!

Informal Artist Talk: November 14th, 2-4pm, Abbozzo Gallery

Sharing Happiness: Camping At Rockwood Conservation Area

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life,

 and see if I could not learn what it had to teach,

 and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Henry David Thoreau 

Thoreau's words have resonated and connected with people throughout the many decades since he wrote them. He speaks the truth. To live deeply, mindfully and authentically, benefits everyone, from who we are at our deepest levels to who share our lives with. I found this very passage amidst much graffiti in Union Station in Toronto, shortly after my friend Jay had arrived from Cape Breton for three weeks of camping, socializing and Blue Jays games. This passage stood out in bold green in between declarations and admonishments, dreams and fears that were scribbled all around it. I took note.  

Part of Jay's journey out to Ontario from the rugged and remote island of Cape Breton on the east coast of Canada was to go with me camping to Rockwood Conservation Area near Guelph. Rockwood had been recommended to me by other friends who have camped there many times over the years. We booked a campsite far in advance according to their suggestion. 

To say that experiences differ from one place and time to another is a huge understatement. Just a few days previous we had been surrounded by thousands of people at a Toronto Blue Jays game, deep in the company of multitudes cheering and enjoying the festivities. Here however, was an altogether different adventure. It was quite a place, possessing a good degree of civility without being a distraction from the experience of being in the woods. I had returned not one month previous from the backcountry of Alaska that you can read about here, and Jay is from a very remote area of Canada so there was plenty of discussion surrounding the contrasts and similarities to each place. We took every opportunity to appreciate Rockwood for what it was, very special, a unique and beautiful place to explore a quiet little pocket of Ontario. 

Our tent at the campsite. 

We spent a total of two nights and two days at Rockwood. On our second day we explored the two main trails that are found within the park. They were beautiful and easy to negotiate. It gave us a chance to really see the area and there were some lovely cliffs and rock formations that we encountered along the way. We saw quite a few people on our hikes but we didn't feel crowded, instead focusing on what we saw along the way and appreciating this unique place: beautiful mirrored ponds, foliage of every shape and colour imaginable, birdsong in almost every tree and the sheer enjoyment of experiencing each turn in the path for what it was. 

I loved the juxtaposition of vertical trees and horizontal rocks here.

 Perhaps a future painting?

These reflections captivated us as we walked past

Jay and I are inspired by the works of Thoreau, Emerson, Mary Oliver, John Muir and others. These are people who have outlined a philosophy of living that we respond to strongly. We possess an appreciation and reverence for the beauty of the unexplained and the sublime complexity of the natural world that surrounds us. Thus, Alaska and crashing waves in Cape Breton were not needed...all we needed was the trees, a path (or not) and our openness to experience as much as we could from what we encountered along the way. These authors and poets move us deeply and have profoundly affected our lives. I will include a poem by Mary Oliver at the bottom of this entry that illustrates what I am trying to say more succinctly than I can here. 

A path through cedar trees winding down to the water below

We rented a canoe in the afternoon of our second day, which provided another form of hypnosis: instead of the quiet crunch of foliage underfoot we listened to the soothing rhythm of the paddles cutting the water and the vantage point the lake provided us as we gazed up at tall rock with pockets of caves, framed by cedars on either side. We paddled by the old Woolen Mill which was build over a hundred years ago. It seems almost out of place in such a forested area, this shell of a regal building standing in a clearing, surrounded by the woods. 

The old Woolen Mill

We enjoyed ourselves at Rockwood and took away as many experiences as we could in that short period of time. It is very close to where I live (about an hour away) yet seemed much more remote. My tent held up beautifully in the rain and was easy to put together (so easy that it made me realize how easy it will be to travel on other adventures with Jay). Co-operation is key. We had some great fires and great conversations too, exactly what our goal had been. Half the fun of going on camping and hiking trips is the company, who you share your memories and experiences with. Sharing happiness in your life with others makes life worth living, without question. Solitude has its place too of course, but when we choose march briefly with a similar drummer, whole new vistas of appreciation and potential open up to both of you. 

 

Mornings at Blackwater Pond

by Mary Oliver

For years, every morning, I drank

from Blackwater Pond.

It was flavored with oak leaves and also, no doubt,

the feet of ducks.

And always it assuaged me

from the dry bowl of the very far past.

What I want to say is

that the past is the past,

and the present is what your life is,

and you are capable 

of choosing what that will be,

darling citizen.

So come to the pond,

or the river of your imagination, 

or the harbor of your longing,

and put your lips to the world.

And live 

your life.

My solo exhibition of Newfoundland paintings is fast approaching! I hope you can make it out to the show. Here are the details:

Portraits Of Newfoundland

November 5-22nd, 2009

Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, Ontario

Opening Reception November 6th, 7-10pm

Sharing What You Love To Do

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

The only thing stopping us from achieving our dreams is the limits that we place upon ourselves. 

I recently spoke at Nelson High School, the same high school that I graduated from in 1993. My friend Christina asked me to speak for one of her applied English classes. She wanted me to talk about my adventures in Alaska as well as about being a working artist. I was thrilled to speak about something that is so special to me. I did not even bring notes as I just knew that the talk would take shape within the moment.

I took some paintings with me as well as photos of my trip to Alaska this past summer. Christina had the kids think of some questions for me before the talk, which worked well because they were rather shy about asking questions when I was there.

I spoke for twenty minutes but it felt like five. The time flew by and I think that I spoke too quickly but the feeling of sharing with others a little bit about what I do and perhaps inspiring them to think of a creative vocation for their future was amazing! They were curious about how I worked, how traveling has affected my art, how much my paintings sell for and the inspiration for the paintings themselves. I emphasized how I felt that no matter what they did with their lives, that whatever they wanted to do was within their reach. It was great to see that a couple of the kids there wanted to pursue careers as artists. I did not glorify it and said that it really has its difficult times, but that is the case with anything I suppose.

I was thrilled to learn that the principal at Nelson heard about my talk and wished that more kids would have been able to attend the talk. I offered to return with a longer talk, more photos and more paintings if they wished. I really love speaking about working as an artist and sharing some of what I do with those pondering a similarly creative choice of vocation. Perhaps other opportunities will arise to do this.

If even one member of the class chooses a path that they previously had second guessed, I will be overjoyed. We are our own strongest critics, and the power of self-sabotage through what-if thinking and negative self-talk can be overwhelming; Fear can control us and often does. However, if we accept that uncertainty and embrace that anxiety we can overcome it. To choose the path less trodden is surely the most gratifying. I would not want to do anything else with this "one wild and precious life" as Mary Oliver so beautifully calls it.

"I simply do not distinguish between work and play."

~Mary Oliver

The Scottish Highlands from a trip there in a few years ago.