I like things that change my viewpoint. My yard looks so unalike with the changing seasons yet it’s the same yard. The shoreline looks so different from the water than from the shore. Looking from a high point makes the landscape undulate forever rather than being stopped by a hill or a forest. Staring closely a seed pod affects the story of the plant behind it. And this doesn’t touch the changing viewpoints that are psychologically based.
This year I became obsessed with print making for the same reason – working in black and white instead of colour, talk about a game changer. Then finding out a relief cut leaves the black and what you remove is white, contrasted by the mezzo tint, which makes black the marks you create, and the untouched surface is white. Maybe a head banger is a better description. I love facing these challenges; they make me feel alive. Not to say I’m successful, but its’ always been the process not the result, and how I feel at the end of the day.
At show time, it’s hard to remember that I’m in it for the process. I do love painting outside (En Plein Air). Living in Saskatchewan isn’t a great choice for those of us committed to painting outside. And then there is the heat waves we’ve been experiencing, and I want to be in the air conditioning rather than sitting outdoors.
Artists' Workshop Saskatoon 