I had a very productive day in the studio yesterday, working on a piece for the Aspiring Metalsmiths' April Design Challenge .
For this challenge, we are to design a piece of wearable art with a favourite artist or style in mind.

I have many favourite artists and styles, but I chose to focus on Lawren Harris, a Canadian artist who was one of the founding members of the Group of Seven.  I love the lines in his abstract landscapes.

 

 

Unfortunately, the photos I took of my work in progress didn't t...
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I know I must seem obsessed by spring.  After several months of being house and studio bound due to a cold-related health challenge, being able to go outside for more than two minutes makes me a bit giddy.  I feel like a caged bird that's been set free!

One of my favourite things to do as the warmer spring weather melts the blanket of snow is to walk around and see what is uncovered.  

The other day while out exploring with the dogs, we found the long lost Dora the Explorer ball. 


We hadn't be...
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While walking up to my studio yesterday, I saw my first flock of geese flying north.  There have been robin and killdeer sightings, too, but not yet by me.  These are fairly good indicators that spring is truly on its way, although it is not unusual to see robins looking for worms under the snow.

Getting back into my studio to work on the backlog of portrait commissions and other projects feels wonderful.  Even though I was fretting the whole time I was away, thinking about all the work I had ...
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Last month I posted a work-in-progress shot of this memorial portrait of my daughter's dog, Tilly (you can also read a bit about Tilly in that same post).  I tend to procrastinate when it comes to finishing things I create for my family, but we are going down to visit my daughter this weekend, so I pushed myself to finish it so I could deliver it in person. 
 
A bit of tweaking, and the mixed media portrait is now finished and at my printer/framer to be scanned for future prints, and matted and...
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