Audrey Hayes Art - Canadian Artist

seeing red

Yesterday, I went to an art demostration by local artist Linny D. Vine.  It is always fun to watch artists in action.  Interesting to see their style and how they accomplish their look.  

After this two hour demo I stopped by a new gallery on Oak Bay Avenue called the RED Gallery.  It is owned by another local artist Marion Evamy whose work I really like.  Fun, colourful, contemporary.

While I enjoyed seeing two fun artists in one day, what I didn't realize until today, was that someone had hit my car bumper while I was at the art demo.  There was a note on my car but I didn't realize it was an "I hit your car" note until I looked at the note again this afternoon.  SUCKS!!

TULIP SERIES:  yet another tulip painting.  I don't have a title for this one yet. Any ideas??

30 x 40. Acrylic on Canvas.

Another busy week ahead.  But I am still hoping to find some time to paint.

Happy Monday!

studio tour + gallery walk

STUDIO TOUR:  I found a couple of hours to myself yesterday and I took advantage of it.  I headed off to some artists' studios on the Oak Bay Studio Tour.  What I love about the Oak Bay tour is that not only are there some really great artists to meet, but you also get to see some beautiful Oak Bay homes. So if you've never been on an studio tour before but you'd like to start, then this is the one you want to go on.  But it ends today (Sunday).  It is on from 12 noon to 4:30 pm.   

If I were to recommend just one studio to go to it would be Marion Evamy Morrison.  Her beautiful house (at 1183 Oliver St) was full of her bright, bold, colourful art.  There was a steady stream of art goers while I was there and her husband was giving out freshly popped popcorn to enjoy while viewing her magnificent paintings. [Marion will also be at ArtSee Eyewear on Thursday - see below]

GALLERY WALK:  If you are just too busy to go out this weekend, you can still take in some art later this week.  Oak Bay is giving the community another art experience.  On Thursday, April 22 from 6 pm to 8 pm, Oak Bay Avenue will become "Art on the Avenue Gallery Walk".  

Not only will the five galleries along the avenue be open for special receptions and art exhibits, but merchants will be open late.  There will be guest artists and artisans, food and wine tastings, music, art demonstrations, and a great atmosphere. 

MY ART:  As soon as I got home from the studio tour I went right to my own studio and started painting. I painted for hours but I don't really have anything to show for it.  But through the process I figured out a couple of paintings that I have now started on.  If I can manage my time properly this week maybe I will at least get one painting complete.  

Here is to an artful week.

everyone welcome

Tomorrow, Monday April 5 is the Opening Reception for the FCA's Spring Art Show.  If you find yourself downtown on Monday between 2:00pm and 4:00pm drop into the CACGV Gallery.

I'll be there along with many other artists and I'd would love to see you there. The gallery (Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria) is located on the corner of Douglas and Broughton in the Sussex building. 

I will be showing Cinq Poires which is one of 30 paintings on display until April 14.  I was told that out of 81 paintings submitted, only 30 were chosen, mine being one of them.  YAHOO!!! 

If you can make it, please make sure to say hi, especially if you are a reader I've never met before.

I'll tell you how it all went, tomorrow.  

viewers rock!

The "Beginnings" art show came to a close yesterday.  I drove out to the Coast Collective Gallery to pick up my three paintings that had been on display for the past 10 days.  When I arrived, I was congratulated and presented with a blue ribbon.  Cinq Poires won VIEWERS CHOICE.

At the opening reception and throughout the art show, visitors to the gallery were asked to vote for their favourite painting on display.   

 

From over a hundred paintings to choose from, I was obviously shocked to find out that my painting was chosen as the favourite.  As I picked up my painting, the curator mentioned to me that not only had I won, but by a landslide.  How 'bout that?!?!

As I have mentioned before, one of my goals this year was to be in an art show which I have now accomplished, but I had never expected to win an award. This is a total bonus and I am thrilled.  

Thank you, Viewers!  You made my day.

UPDATE ON GIVING:  Just read on Kal's blog that she and a cool company called Uncommon are donating all proceeds from the sell of her Spread Love iPod [Touch/Phone/Blackberry Storm] case to Haiti Relief.  Check out Kal's blog for more info on how to buy. And don't forget she is also selling Sigg bottle and donating proceeds.  Here is a pic from her blog showing you the cool case.

my first

Yesterday was the opening reception for my first ever Art Show.  It was a great experience.  The show was and is being held in two large rooms of this old mansion now known as Coast Collective Gallery.  It overlooks Esquimalt Lagoon and is a lovely venue for the show.  The rooms overlook the lagoon, and the ocean and downtown beyond it.

 

The reception started at 2 pm and it was packed full of people for the whole two hours.  My paintings were hung in great spots.  Cinq Poires was right over the entrance between the two rooms.  It was hard to miss.

   

Starlight was in a prime spot...right across from the food.  It was one of the biggest paintings there so it was impossible to miss.  

  

I received several nice comments from complete strangers and that made my day.  I also overheard some ladies saying nice things about my pears.  Yay!

After non-stop rain for several days it was nice to see the sun shining all day yesterday and as I drove away there was a beautiful pink sunset over the lagoon.  Perfect! 

The "Beginnings" art work will continue to be on display until Sunday, January 24.  

Thank you to everyone who came.  I really appreciate your support and it was great to see you all.  Don't worry if you couldn't make it to this one.  There will be future art shows and I hope you can make it then.  I'll keep you posted.  

After a busy, busy week and an exciting art show, we ended the day with our friends, the Earnshaws, and a fondue dinner...chinoise and chocolate. YUM!

I am looking forward to a less busy, but more productive week.  Have a great week, too.

 

You're Invited

Hi All,

I just wanted to remind you that I have three paintings on display at the "Beginnings" art show at the Coast Collective Gallery from January 14 to 24. I'd also like to invite you again to attend the Opening Reception on Saturday, January 16 between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.  I will be there along with many other emerging artists.  

The address is 3221 Heatherbell Road in Colwood.  The easiest way to get to the Coast Collective Gallery is through Colwood. Drive along Sooke Road for about 2 minutes past Royal Roads.  Turn left onto Metchosin Road.  Stay on Metchosin for about 2 minutes until you come to Lagoon Rd.  Turn left onto Lagoon Rd at the Lagoon corner store.  As you come down the hill turn left on to Heatherbell.  Follow Heatherbell as far as you can go, through the gates.  The driveway will take you right to the gallery.  

Pop in for a quick visit if you can.  I'd love to see you there. Be sure you come and say "hi" to me.

Have a great weekend.  I'll let you know how it goes.

good news

The other day I mentioned I had some good news.  Well, I am moving to Winnipeg!! Joking. As much as I'd like to meet all you lovely people in friendly Manitoba, I don't do well in extreme temperatures.  And -41 degrees Celsius is well below my cold tolerance. But I would love to visit there again one day.

Back to my news...One of the goals that I set for myself this year was to be part of an art show.  Well, I am happy to announce that I have accomplished that goal in less than two weeks into the new year.  I am going to be part of an Art Show...NEXT WEEK!  It is called "Beginnings", an annual art show for emerging, local artists.  It is being held at the Coast Collective Gallery at Esquimalt Lagoon out in Colwood.  

Last week, I submitted three of my paintings and they were all accepted for show.  How cool is that.  Today I took them in to the gallery and they will be on display starting January 14 to 24.  There will be an opening reception next Saturday and all the artists will be in attendance.  I think there are about 40 artists.  I am really looking forward to it.  This will be my first ever Art Show.

The Coast Collective Art Centre is housed in Pendray House (formerly Pacific Centre) as part of Essencia at Esquimalt Lagoon. This development, now in the planning stages, is expected to become one of the most innovative resort community developments in Canada. Nestled between a picturesque migratory bird sanctuary and some of the most spectacular urban forests in North America, Essencia strives to honour the past while building a holistic and sustainable vision for the future.

I will post directions and the invitation next week.  I would love for any and all of you to come.   If you can't make it to this show don't worry, I plan on exhibiting my paintings again soon.  

The whole point of setting goals is to focus on what you want to accomplish. Once those goals have been achieved, set new ones.  I am going to continue submitting my work to future art shows, but I would love to have my own show sometime, too.  That is my new goal.  

I mentioned last month that my art group, South Island Artists, is looking for a venue for an art show this year.  As a group, we submitted out work to Goward House and they have accepted all of us to exhibit next February, 2011 [that is next available date]. It may be a year away, but it will come fast.  So we are going to get started on organizing it while we continue to look for another venue for this year.  

2010 is feeling really good.  Lots of great things on the horizon.  However, I can't exhibit if I don't have any paintings to show.  So I'd best get down to my studio and get my butt in gear.  Let the painting begin.

Have a great weekend!

rainy day

It was absolutely pissing today (pardon my French).  It has been threatening to rain all week and the skies finally let loose today.  It bucketed, it poured, it pissed.  My first reaction was to curl up on the couch and watch TV all day, but with two little kids going stir crazy, that is hard to do.  So we decided to head downtown to the Royal BC Museum...perfect for a rainy day.  Neither Sean nor I had been in years.  It wasn't quite as long as I had remembered, perhaps because we missed the whole ship area. oops!  The girls enjoyed themselves.  It is always fun to go out and do new things.  

Then for lunch we went to White Spot for Pirate Paks, of course.  By the time we got home we were all tired and wet.

While the rest of the family dried off, I drove out to the Sidney Fine Arts Show.  This is a 3 day long art show featuring some of Victoria's best artists. The exhibit is made up of oil and acrylic paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, textiles, glass, and mixed media.  Pretty cool stuff.  It finishes tomorrow.  If you don't have anything to do and it's a rainy day, you should check it out.  It is $5 admission.

MY ART:  I started another painting last night.  I was going to try something new, but instead, this one is similar to Sleeping Beauty.  I am going to go work on it right now, so I shall bid you farewell.  

Hope you're having a good weekend, despite the weather.  

me + 3 gals

I had an unexpected visit with some gals yesterday...galleries that is.  After a quick stop at the art store I had some time to waste. [did I just say that?]  I didn't have enough time to get anything accomplished, but it was too early to pick up the girls.  So since I was near Chinatown I decided to check out a couple of galleries.  

First, I went into the Dales Gallery which I've been in before.  The featured artist was a photographer.  Sorry I can't remember the name.  

I then scuttled down Fan Tan Alley to the Boucherat Gallery. [I didn't really scuttle, I just like that word, and it is kind of a creepy alley, making me feel like I should scuttle.]  Anyway, it was an interesting "gallery".  I hadn't been before.  Peter Taylor was the featured artist.  Interesting work. 

After the Chinatown galleries, I had to go to Oak Bay.  So I stopped off at the Avenue Gallery where Laura Harris is showing her new work.

It is always fun to see what other artists are doing.  I like going into galleries. I need to do it more often.  There are many galleries in Victoria and I've only been in a few.  

Do you have a favourite gallery I should visit?

weekend in review

I was absent from blogging and painting this weekend due to a much needed getaway with the family.  We headed over to Salt Spring Island to camp on my in-laws' property which overlooks St. Mary Lake.  

Saturday, we spent much of the day getting ourselves set up and spending time with my MIL, FIL, BIL, SIL and our two nephews, which was lots of fun.  We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and ate way too many s'mores.

Sunday, we went fishing off the docks with fishing rods that my creative FIL made out of bamboo, fishing line and tiny little hooks.  All the kids caught fish. Then, Sean and I took off to do a little studio touring and we made sure to stop at the Blue Horse Folk Art Gallery.

It is a very funky place.  Not only is it part of the ongoing SSI Studio Tour, but it was also on this weekend's SSI Eco-Living & Home Tour.  So we couldn't not make a stop here.  

Not only is it a gallery, but home to the two artists/gallery owners, and a bed and breakfast with rooms above the gallery.

We drove up Mt. Maxwell and took in this amazing view.

And we ended the weekend with this beautiful sunset at Vesuvius Beach.

It was a lovely couple of days.  Now that we are back home, I will get back into painting.

island living

Yesterday, we took a day trip to Salt Spring Island, one of the Gulf Islands, which is a short ferry ride from Sidney.  

 I don't mean to gloat, but it doesn't really get better than this. [Sorry to any of my landlocked readers]  You just can't beat living near the ocean.

My in-laws own some property on Salt Spring.  Once we arrived the in-laws were nice enough to look after the girls while Sean and I headed to the Farmers Market.  It was a beautiful day, so for lunch we went to the Tree House Cafe which is completely outside...no inside seating.  I think this cafe is owned by Tom Hooper of The Grapes of Wrath and Ginger fame.

After lunch we stopped into a couple of shops and a few galleries.  First we went to Jill Louise Gallery, then Steffich Fine Art, and finally, J. Mitchell Gallery.  Nothing really caught my eye at any of these galleries other than Jill Louise Campbell.  I do like her paintings.  We were given a limited edition print from my sister for our wedding.

Apparently, Salt Spring Island has a really great Artists Studio Tour which I wouldn't mind doing sometime.  

Anyway, we had a really nice day and it is always nice to get away.

Have a great week, y'all!

galleries & stuff

gallerytour_*onagain

In this post, I mentioned that I was going to try to get to more galleries.  Well the very next day I went downtown to pick up some art supplies.  When I realized the art store wasn't open yet, I decided to do some window shopping.  It was a pleasant surprise to see the West End Gallery with doors wide open [it was a very hot day], welcoming me in.  I wasn't expecting to visit a gallery that day, but there it was.  They were showing several paintings from various artists, but I really liked some of the glass art that was on display.    

Well, I am now half way through my 30 Day Shred.  And I have graduated to Level 2. YAY!!  I have to say I am really liking this work out.  I found it a bit tiring to do it everyday, in the beginning, but now it is just part of my daily routine.  It is only 20 minutes/day.  Very doable.  I've lost about 2 lb, but more importantly, I am seeing a change in my body shape.  Firming, tightening, all that good stuff and it's only been 2 weeks.  I'll let you know how it goes over the next 2 weeks.  Will I be ready for a bikini?  Okay, let's not be ridiculous.

MY ART:  I painted a bit last night and I have definite plans to do loads more tonight.  The girls are having a sleep over at their grandparents', so I have no excuse.  

THIS WEEKEND:  The girls are watching the Oak Bay Tea Party Parade tomorrow and we are going to a Fun Day on Sunday.  The weather is going to be more reasonable this weekend.  Hope you have a fantastic weekend, too. What are your plans?

arts

Last Friday, I needed to make a quick stop at Opus, for some art supplies.  I wanted to go gallery hopping, but my time was limited.  Just down the street from the art store there is a shop called Full Circle Studio Art.  I've passed it many times but wasn't quite sure what it was.  So in I went.  It turns out it sells some original art & prints, sculpture, jewelry, etc.  If you live in town, you probably recognize their sign.  What I learned was that this sign was painted by a local artist, Kristine Paton, whose abstract work I really like. 

MY ART:  Here is the painting I completed the other night.  What is interesting about this painting is that the texture was created from layers of paint, while experimenting with squirting, writing, splattering, and scribbling over the past several months.  I finally painted over it and ended up with quite an interesting look to the final piece.  I can even see one of the words I wrote, coming through the paint.  I had fun with this one.  I did some scribbling and splattering. FUN. 

"FIREFLIES"

 acrylic on canvas board. 14x18

I'll be working on my other painting tonight and hopefully get started on another idea I have.

P.S.  A couple of weeks ago in this post, I mentioned that I don't grow daffodils because deer eat them.  Well, after being lectured by my mother and seeing several gardens glowing with yellow, I stand corrected.  Deer DO NOT eat daffodils.  They eat tulips and just about everything else. I told you I am not a gardener.  I just assumed since I don't have any daffodils in my yard that they must have been eaten.  Turns out I just never planted any.  

Enjoy your day and your daffodils, if you have any.  

stores & tours

I made a quick stop at the art store and picked up a few things I needed for the painting I am working on.  Unfortunately, instead of buying black paint, which I really need, I came home with white.  bummer!  We'll see if I can finish with what I have.  

My GALLERY TOUR continues.  After the ART STORE, I skipped over to China Town and snuck into the Dales Gallery on Fisgard Street.  I hadn't been there before today.  It displayed one artist's photos.  It seems like a cool, little gallery.  I then walked along to the famous Fan Tan Alley, where all the addresses end in _^1/2, and where Studio 16 1/2 _{^{is located, but this gallery wasn't open.  So I'll save this one for another time.  That was all I had time for yesterday.}}  

^{_{ART:  I had no time to paint last night because I had to prep for the grade 2 class I am teaching this afternoon.  Prepping usually takes me quite some time and doesn't leave me much time for anything else.  At least it is an art lesson I have to teach.  If I can put in some serious time over the next few days, I hope to complete my painting by the end of the week.}}  

Happy April, Fool!

it's official...

Spring is here and everyone has come out to see.  The golfers are out, the sailboats are out, the beachcombers are out, and the cherry blossoms are finally out.

 

(it's hard to see the sailboats, but there are many.  click on the photos to enlarge)

I apologize for being absent from blogging the past few days.  Thank you for coming back.  It has been a combination of computer problems and having a busy weekend.  Whew!

Friday - hair cut

Saturday - wedding reception.  We had a good time with friends and a few glasses of wine ;)

Sunday - my sister and I took the kids to Concerts 4 Kids with Judy and David (from Treehouse).  The kids enjoyed it.  No comparison to The Wiggles.

The GALLERY TOUR continues.  On the weekend, I stopped by a cool design store called Place.  It has a small gallery in the back (P.S. Gallery @ Place). They usually have only one or two contemporary artist showing, as there isn't much room.  So I had a quick peek.  

ART:  I did have some time to paint over the past few days.  I am close to finishing a piece.  I had a lot of response on which painting(s) were people's favourites and the palette knife painting is a clear favourite. Thanks for responding.  My new painting has been created using palette knives, although it is different.  

happy monday.

gallery fun

On Sunday, the girls were invited to a mini-golf birthday party.  When we arrived the birthday girl's parents told me I could go and come back in an hour for cake.  Instead of leaving the most precious things in my life with complete strangers lovely people and going home, I chose to stay near by and go to the charming little outdoor shopping area known as Mattick's Farm.  The stores are so close to the golf course I could hear Macy's laughter as I strolled through the shops.  I took advantage of this guilt-free hour to browse.

At the end of this excursion, I found myself in The Gallery.  I love going into galleries and seeing all the different types of art, not just paintings, but sculptures and jewelry, too.  I get to see different styles and I always feel a bit more confident and hopeful when I leave.  

I am going to attempt to go to more galleries, more often.  

ART:  tonight I am going to put the last coat of gloss on my current painting and I'll show it to you  tomorrow.  I may start something new today.  I need help to decide what style to go with this time.  I've had a lot of positive feedback on my pear painting and my palette painting.

 

                     

Let me know which painting(s) you like the best from previous posts and maybe I'll start another piece in that style.

Thanks for visiting.  See you tomorrow.