Audrey Hayes Art - Canadian Artist

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We are a week and a half into the new school year and I don't quite feel like I have gotten into a routine yet, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I should be able to pull it together in the next few days and get my life organized.  Then I can really focus on my art.

You may remember a couple of months ago I mentioned that our friend Kevin had just received a kidney and pancreas transplant.  It has been 10 weeks now and he is doing great.  In fact, last weekend he participated in a 3 day, 100 km walk from K Country to Calgary.  He is an inspiration.  The reason I am telling you this is not only because we are so proud of him, but because the Kidney Foundation of Canada needs our support. Here is some information that may interest you:

"Canadians are facing an epidemic growth in kidney disease. The Kidney Foundation of Canada needs your financial support to meet the increasing need for programs, medical research, organ donation awareness programs and kidney health initiatives. Today, an estimated 2 million Canadians are living with kidney disease or kidney-related health concerns. Many are not even aware their kidney health is at risk. The Kidney Foundation of Canada is the only registered charity dedicated to helping people affected by kidney disease. The Foundation does not receive government funding. They rely on the generosity of funds generated from individual donors, corporate sponsors, clubs, association and foundations."

To donate to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, click here.

As important as donations are, please don't forget to become an organ donor. Organ donation saves lives.  My friend Kevin is the perfect example of this.  

Check out this blog.  An old friend of mine has a little baby boy Chase who received a heart transplant about two weeks before Kevin received his transplant.  After catching a virus that doubled the size of his heart and rendered it useless, Chase lived with a Berlin heart for several months before being given a second chance at life, thanks to a donor.  

You can easily register online to become an organ donor.  Click here for BC residents.

Speaking of donations, it is time for me to donate blood again. I try to do it a couple of times a year.  It is an easy and very important way to help others.  As they say:  blood...it's in YOU to give.  

I like to think of my blood type as my own personal motto:  Be Positive!

Be well, everyone!!

just a bit more

DAY 4

On our last full day on Thetis we wanted to cram as much into it as possible. First, the men took all four kids [2 1/2, 4 1/2, 5 & 6 years old] down the beach to collect clams and oysters for our seafood feast later that day.  Upon their return, Sean and Jason hopped in the boat and went fishing.

Then they took the four kids out and each of them got to reel in their own fish including Sophie who is only 2 1/2.

Riley, 5, was proud to reel in a lingcod on his kid's rod.  However, the lingcod had to be released.  They did keep a couple of rockfish to add to our seafood feast.

Most people might think the boat was fun enough, but not our guys.  They decided a camping trip wouldn't be complete without building a raft from a found piece of plywood and a couple of logs. Luckily Sean, for some reason, had brought some large nails with him. [This is Jason working hard]

So after constructing this seaworthy vessel, they plopped the kids on top and sailed out to sea.

I know the kids had fun, but I think the guys enjoyed the raft even more.  They floated out to the crab trap and brought in a couple of crabs.  Now it was time for our seafood feast.  Clams, oysters, crabs, rockfish, and to make it surf n' turf, we bar-b'd up a steak as well. All of the kids tried the clams and oysters, even finicky Emmy. 

After the feast, it was back on the raft.  All the kids, big and small, took turns jumping/diving off the raft.  
 

Once everyone was dry, we roasted up some s'mores and popped some Jiffy Pop. The kids were so wiped they crashed.  Then it was time for the grown-ups to whoop it up with a game of Taboo.  Girls vs guys.  I won't tell you who won as I don't like to gloat.

Thetis Island Camping - to be continued...

good times & great news

We just got home after 4 fun-filled days in Parksville.  We managed to pack so much into each day.

Thursday was so hot, it was almost unbearable, so we headed down to the ocean for a evening dip and it was perfect.  Warm, shallow water....aahhhhh.

Friday was another scorcher and we spent it at Paradise Fun Park on bumper boats, mini-golf, penny arcades, and ice cream.  We topped it off with an evening playing at the Beach Playground and then my sister's campsite.  

Of course, no trip to Parksville is complete without a trip to Coombs to see the goats on the roof.

 

We wrapped up the weekend with Sean and my BIL watching the World Cup in my sister's RV.  Then we headed home.  What fun!!

As enjoyable as our little trip was, the best part of the weekend came when we arrived home to a voicemail telling us that our best friend Kevin, who has been waiting for a kidney/pancreas transplant, finally got his transplant. He is doing very well.  We are thrilled by the news and thankful to the family who through their tragedy, were still able to give this great gift.  My heart goes out to them.

What a weekend!!  Hope you survived the heat.

luck

Well the end of the school year is finally here.  Macy has officially finished her first full year of school.  I had hoped that Macy would enjoy kindergarten, but I didn't expect that I would enjoy it as much as her. We have been lucky. She had an amazing teacher and a great group of classmates.  And I have to say, I really enjoyed hanging with the parents.  I can be a bit anti-social when it comes to forced relationships, but we all really clicked.  I am sad to say good-bye to our school friends but look forward to seeing them all again in September. 

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One of the benefits of being teachers is that we get the summers off together.  I always look forward to Sean being home to help with the housework to enjoy family time together, but unfortunately I get to play butler while he recovers from a sprained ankle.  I guess we should look on the bright side, he could have broken it. He was lucky.

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On Friday night we watched from our deck as a flames and black smoke billowed from a house up the street from us.  Scary stuff.  Luckily no one was hurt (as far as we know), but I think the house is in bad shape.  

Be safe this summer!  Watch this video that I saw on another blog.  Talk about luck...

Ciao!

tours continue

I know we've been having weird weather lately, but at least it isn't snowing like in Calgary.  No worries, I am sure a chinook is on its way ;)

It may not be snowing here, but I am sure we can expect some rain this weekend.  If you are looking for something to do on a rainy day, how about another studio tour.  In fact, there are two this weekend.  The Gordon Head Studio Tour and the Cordova Bay/Broadmead Studio Tour.  I think I may only go to one or two studios this weekend. 

 

I went on both of these tours last year and most of the artists are the same.  

Plus, I don't have a lot of extra time this weekend.  We are having Macy's 6th birthday party with 9 energetic girls.  Should be fun, but exhausting.

MY ART:  I am just finishing up a little painting that I've been working on.  I am hoping to finish it up tonight and post it this weekend.  

Six years ago today I was 9 months pregnant and ready to pop and my friend Alexis was giving birth to her first son.  Happy 6th Birthday, Bailey!!  

4D

We had a great time at the Vancouver Aquarium on Wednesday.  We met up with some old friends who have 2 girls similar ages to Macy and Emmy.  The girls became fast friends.  Within 10 minutes they were holding hands...so cute.

    

The aquarium was pretty cool. We saw beluga whales and dolphins and a lot of other marine life.  But the highlight for me was the Spongebob Squarepants movie in 4D.  If you have never experienced 4D, it is totally fun.  The movie is in 3D, but you also experience other sensory effects such as wind, mist, vibrating seats, scents, bubbles and dramatic lighting.  Something poked me in the back and tentacles tickled my feet. My favourite part was the scent of pickle that filled the theatre. YUM!!  It was quite an experience.  And I take back what I said about 3D the other day.  If it is done properly it can be really good.  This movie was done well and I don't even like Spongebob.

Our trip home from Vancouver was as quick as could be...only 4 hours from the aquarium to our house. 

Well, Spring Break has come to an end and I haven't painted at all.  I thought I'd get loads of studio time this week, but that is hard to do when I'm in Vancouver.  That's okay, being away was worth it.  I am going to try to paint tonight and tomorrow and get back into it.  

Have a great weekend.

first post

I just realized I haven't posted since 2009.  This is my first post of 2010.  We had a great New Year's Eve with old friends from Calgary, cheese and chocolate fondues, and a whole lotta fun.  We let the kids [four girls, 5 years and younger] stay up until midnight and we rang is the New Year with 3 of the 4 crying - one because she was going to miss 2009; one because she wanted to bang pots & pans outside; and one because she was awoken from a slumber by the other two crying.  Oy, just like old times ;) 

How was your New Year's?  

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MY ART:  I have been working on a new painting, but I am not sure how I feel about it.  It is another "Sleeping Beauty" type painting, but at dusk.  It isn't quite finished.  

 

It isn't really the colour palette that I am used to or comfortable with.  But I want to experiment and try different things - stretch my painting wings.  

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Well, I have officially been a blogger for one year now and I have only just got my "About Me" page done.  It is actually my artist's biography and artist's statement, but you get the gist of who I am.

It will be nice to get back to our regular routine.  As much as I love the holidays, they do exhaust me.  Hope you enjoyed your holidays, too.  Now back to reality.

teacher, teacher

Back when I was in high school, there were a few teachers that I really liked. But I don't remember them being "cool".  Certainly not cool enough to do a music video.

Sean has been a high school teacher for 10 years.  For the past 3 years, he and fellow teacher/friend Jason have been performing songs for the grade 12s' Christmas dance.  They thought it would funny to film a music video to go with the song and put the video onto the Grad DVD as a bonus feature.  The idea was to sing a cheesy song and make an even cheesier video.  But the truth is, they take these videos very seriously and put a lot of time into them.

Here is their recently released 3rd annual video.  "Love Remains the Same/Ayer" [Gavin Rossdale/Flo-rida]  Performed by Sean Hayes and Jason Earnshaw.  Music recorded by Sean Hayes ["Love..."] and Matt Longpre ["Ayer"].  Sean is the one without facial hair.

If you didn't get enough of these two musical geniuses and you really want more torture, here is their (1^st) Grad 2007 video "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder.  Their 2^nd video for Grad 2008 was "Rockstar" by Nickelback.  Enjoy!

MY ART:  I haven't accomplished much recently.  I am currently working on a study painting.  I have had a request to paint something for a potential client.  So I'm trying to see if I can work my own style into it. I also have a few ideas for new paintings, but I have to get started on a couple of paintings that need to be finished before Christmas.  So I'd best get at it. 

Did you have any "cool" teachers?

p.s. Sorry for the poor formatting on the bottom half of this post.  The blog is doing it without my consent.  Hmmm.  Can't figure out the problem.  

TGIM?

M?

That's right...Monday.  I usually don't look forward to Mondays, but we had an exhausting weekend...fun, but exhausting.  So, I was very happy to see Monday, this morning.

We spent Saturday with some good friends from out of town and they brought their two little boys, Max and Finn.  Sean made us all a yummy brunch.  

On Sunday morning, we went nuts getting ready for a big, family party to celebrate Macy's 5^th birthday, her cousin Alex's 3^rd birthday, and, of course, Mother's Day for all the moms.

The good thing about having a party at your house, is that it forces you to give your house a major cleaning.  The down side is that once everyone leaves, you have to give your house a major cleaning...again.

A good time was had by everyone and I am happy it is all over so that I can relax.  Yeah, Mother's Day for me wasn't very relaxing, a lot of running around, cleaning, getting the kids organized, etc.  

Now, before you curse out Sean for not doing all those things, he was awesome...he made ALL the food for the party from scratch.  

The chicken was amazing and the chocolate cake was perfect. Mmmmmm!!

I have to also mention, that in the midst of all the party planning during the week, Sean was paying attention and he bought me a new easel, which I really needed wanted.  Thanks, Sean...I love it.

  

MY ART:  After Sean set up my new easel last night, I continued on with my BIG painting. It's starting to take shape.  By the weekend, I am hoping to have it done...or close to it.

Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.  Now, go and have a good week.

cupcakes anyone?

I have sweets on the brain today.  We are planning a combo, double birthday/Mother's Day party on the weekend.  I personally like cupcakes for parties.  They are the perfect serving size for young and old, and you don't make a mess cutting into them.  But Sean likes to make cakes, so, we'll see.

   

Look at these cool baby gifts.  My sister's friend, Shannon, makes them.  She makes cakes, popcorn, cupcakes, and lollipops out of washcloths, diapers, onsies, receiving blankets, and burp cloths.  How awesome is that.  So, if you are looking for a unique baby gift, check out her website, Cuddlecakes.  And they are very affordable, too.  

She also makes these cute Cuddle Clips for girls, which I love. Cuddlecakes sells them 3 for $4 and they are awesome quality.  You can't do better than that.  Shannon was so nice and gave me a couple of sets, and my girls love them.  I will definitely be buying more.

MY ART:  The big painting I've been working on is a bit challenging. Mainly because it is taking me a long time to see results, due to the large size. I get impatient. But I am enjoying the big canvas. It just might be a while before I finish.   

Have a great day and enjoy something sweet.  

kfc...it's not what you're thinking

So. March is Kidney Health month.  Why do I care about this?  Well, my good friend, Kevin, has kidney disease...as well as, approximately 2 million other Canadians.  The Kidney Foundation of Canada does not receive government funding, so if you are able, please donate.  You can do so by going to the KFoC website or go to Kevin's site.  

Hey. Look. This is Kevin.

Now that you feel good about donating, go check out these inspirational prints by Kal Barteski.  How fun are these?  

 She does custom posters, too.

ART:  no painting done last night, just blogging.  But here is one of the paintings that I peeked to you yesterday.

 

acrylic on canvas panel. 8x10.  "xox"

I hope to have something new to show in the next few days.  Until then...

welcome & enjoy

"Well the names have all changed since you hung around, but those dreams have remained and they're turned around." 

No. No.  Don't worry this is not a tribute to Gabe Kaplan or anyone else from that 70's sitcom. (I have to admit, I am old enough to remember it well.)

This is a Welcome to all my friends, family and anyone else who is visiting my blog for the first time.  And of course, Welcome Back if you've already been here.

I have been receiving lots of emails from my friends and family saying nice things about my new blog.  I really appreciate your support.  For those of you who don't really know what a blog is, this is a blog (short for weblog).  You can leave comments (only if you want) below.  At the end of each post it shows the time and comments.  If you click on comments you can leave your comment there.  You should know that everyone can read your comment, so if it is personal, maybe email me instead ;)  So come and visit me here as often as you'd like and if you know anyone who is interested in art and might like my art blog, feel free to spread the word.  The more the merrier.

I apologize to those of you on PC.  Not all the images are showing up (I'm working on it) and, of course, the graphics look nowhere as nice as on Mac.  Love Mac for that. 

So Welcome to all and Enjoy your stay. 

happy saturday.  aud xx