Paint on my cheek, a smile on my face, tears welling up as the live version of a beloved song comes on, I snap this photo to capture how I feel after finishing this painting.
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I’ll be honest—I don’t remember much about making it.
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I remember tearing the plastic of the wood, running my hand along the panel, getting a feel for which way was up.
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I remember knowing I’d chosen the right surface to paint this memory onto as I found the horizon, the tree’s knot, the clouds, the ice, in the grain of the wood (do you see them, too?).
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I remember carefully putting the blue tape around the edges and outlining the trees.
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And I remember stopping to eat something after the ice and before the sky.
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And I remember saying to myself, “stop now, it’s done”.
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When I fell asleep Monday night, some memories of applying the gobs of paint came back, dancing before my tired, closed eyes, but most of that is lost to the ether, and to the painting itself.
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I find, so often, the pieces I love most are the ones I stare at in utter bewilderment—just moments after cleaning off my palette knife—because I can’t quite remember creating them.
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The ones where the process was so overpowering, where I lost myself so completely, that I feel more like a conduit than an artist.
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This one will always be a favourite. I can just tell.
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And so I’ve given it a special name, for a much-loved song. One I’ve been holding onto for just the right piece.
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For the one that—if he could see it—says to the one I miss most: “I’m thinking of you and all the miles in between…I miss you, baby, good luck, goodbye.”
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Bobby Jean
24x24
Oil on wood panel
$555
Available as soon as it’s dry
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#oilonwood #oilpainting #landscapepainting #paletteknifepainting #paletteknife #oillandscape #sunrise #daybreak #ice #memory #paintitout #orange #pink #island #islandlife #islandliving #lakeside #lakesideliving #lakesidelife #lakeontario #amherstisland #wempsbayamherstisland #icy #pastel #artist #conduit #frozen ...

Profile pic repost. Here Moxie sits at our favourite anchorage on a very special weekend with some friends. Little did we know then that we actually be living right behind where moxie floats. Here’s to us and what adventures lie ahead orlarawley We are going to need a new favourite anchorage now! ❤️😜 #antigín #amherstisland #newbeginnings ...

My island sure looks good in blue.
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And as we near the end of the bluest month of the year, I’m struck by how many of my recent photos are coloured by this hue.
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Whether from a clear, sunny sky, the shadows of the trees on fresh snow, or a twilit-glowing snow storm, the blues are all lovely.
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Still, many of us are feeling blue this month, despite all the beauty.
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If this is you, know you’re not alone. The natural world is right there with you. And so am I.
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Even for someone who loves winter and snow and ice and the cold, crisp air as much as I do, the darkness is still strong. And long. And challenging.
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And yet—already—the days grow longer. The sun shines warmer. The earth tilts its way back to equilibrium.
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And there’s a good deal of bright, shimmering hope on the horizon.
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And there’s a lot to find comfort in, even here in the final days of this blue month. Cozy pyjamas, hot tea, and brilliant sunlight pouring in the window.
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And, of course, the beauty of the blues.
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#blue #bluemonth #january #sun #sunshine #snow #ice #cold #dirtroad #island #islandlife #islandliving #amherstisland #cerulean #cobalt #indigo #pthaloblue #prussianblue #paintinginspiration #runningroutine #scenesfromarun #snowshoeing #playoutside ...

The perfect winter day.
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Cold. Sunny. Snowy.
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And so much of it spent outside.
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There’s a lot to be said for getting to enjoy the fresh air for good long stretches at the start and end of the day.
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First: solo, running, breathing, grinning, my teeth sore from the chill, happy, grateful, feeling whole and like I belong.
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Later: with the dogs, slow, pausing to appreciate the changes in the sky, bundled and warm, grateful, feeling completely at home.
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I’ll be forever grateful for days like this.
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For the sunshine breaking through to illuminate the darkness and warm our spirits, if not the air.
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For the magic of making the most of the sunlit hours.
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#perfect #winter #perfectwinterday #sunshine #sunny #cold #sky #lakeside #lakesideliving #lakesidelife #lakeontario #island #amherstisland #islandlife #islandliving #sunset #sunrise #moon #fullmoon #snowbank ...

Inspired by the startling beauty of yesterday’s skies, I created my first painting of 2022 today in a frenzy.
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Sometimes, I feel called to create something I hadn’t planned on, or bought a surface for.
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And I don’t feel at ease again until I’ve slathered paint all over the place and got the darn ache out of my bones.
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This was one of those times.
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I don’t even know if I love this piece, but I do know I needed to paint it. And I know I’m glad I did.
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It’s the view from the corner, the last turn before the road home, of an old barn, a crossroads, a high point on the island.
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I often stop here to stare at the sky, especially in the wintertime when the sun sets over the bay and it’s harder to watch from our home.
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It’s a spot I love. One I’ve painted many times already. One I’ll no doubt paint again.
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It’s good to paint because I need to.
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It’s a different process than painting for a project or on a deadline.
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Both are good, neither one is any better than the other. They both feed different parts of my brain, spirit, energy.
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But the release I feel after painting because something is clamouring to get out of me is unique—and exceptionally gratifying.
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And, now that it’s done, I feel a wash of peace.
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And that is always a welcome feeling.
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“The Ache”
18x18
oil on wood board
$275
available as soon as it dries
dm to inquire
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#art #artistsoninstagram #theache #paintitout #sunset #startling #peace #oilpainting #oilpaint #oilonwoodpanel #amherstisland #islandlife #island #islandliving #crossroads #snow #paletteknifepainting #paletteknife #painting #artastherapy ...

Snowy Owl • Bubo Scandiacus • Amherst Island #amherstisland #Ontario #wildlife #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography ...