Her & Her Dogs

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JANET HILL ART

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Just before Christmas I shared with you the beautiful holiday card I received from my mother. That card, a gift in itself, was the creation of the incredibly talented Janet Hill. Janet’s work is romantic, chic and glamorous – it reminds me of ‘Old Hollywood’.

After viewing the collection, I knew I would be ordering other pieces. I would pick two – but WHICH two? Christmas was nearly five months ago and I’m still unable to make up my mind. I think they will feature ‘Miss Moon’. What do you think?

Check out the links below to view the entire collection.


Thank you Janet for sharing with us.

What inspires you?

Old movies, dog walks, and currently lifestyle photography from the 1960s

Do you have a favourite subject(s)? If so, what is it about that subject that speaks to you?

I paint a pretty wide range of subjects but I tend to focus quite a bit on women and animals. I’m a dog lover, so there are plenty of dogs featured in my paintings.

What is your preferred medium, why?

Oil paint. I like the richness of oil paint and the slow drying time.

Where is your favourite place to paint?

I only have one place that I paint which is in my back hallway. My easel is right by the screen door, so in the summer it feels almost like I’m painting in my backyard.

Artist’s favourite colour?

Kelly Green

http://janethillstudio.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/janethillstudio?section_id=all

donna greenstein art

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I had the pleasure of meeting artist Donna Greenstein, and viewing the life-like images of farm animals she creates, at the King Township Studio Tour last year.  Thank you Donna for taking the time to answer the following questions, and permitting me to share your work.

What inspires  you?

Nature, greyhounds, Belgian horses,  Highland cattle, dreadlocked Lincoln sheep , fresh snow, my garden, peonies,  calla lilies, lakes, streams meandering through a snowy path, spruce  trees.

Do you have a favourite  subject(s)?  If so, what is it about that subject that speaks to  you?

Animals inspire me; I adore them.  I grew up at an animal hospital as my  dad was a veterinarian.  We always  had our own dogs, cats, various birds, piglets, calves, etc.  I was a horse “nut” when I was  young.  I drew horses, read horse  books and spent any money I could earn riding horses at local dude ranches.  In the summers I went to a horse camp  called Arrowhead Ranch near Collingwood Ontario.  I have lived on a 50 acre cow-calf  operation for 40 years.  We owned an  ex-racing thoroughbred named Meadowlark. 

What is your preferred medium, why? 

I prefer both oils and  watercolours.  I used watercolours  for about 9 years then transferred to oils about a year ago.  It was a large learning curve to change  to the oil medium but a lot of artistic concepts were transferable, such as  composition, colour, unity, value, texture.

Where is your favourite place to  paint?

I love painting on a large table at a  cottage our family goes to near Haliburton Ontario.  I can look out over beautiful Lake  Kashagawigamog.

Is there anything (else) you would like  people to know about Donna Greenstein?

I also am an avid gardener during the  summer and a Math tutor.

Artist’s favourite  colour?

I like all earth tones.  If I had to pick only one I would choose  “burnt sienna”.

According to Wikipedia, “Siena  earth”, is an earth pigment containing iron  oxide and manganese  oxide. In its natural state, it is yellow-brown and is called  raw sienna. When heated, it becomes a reddish brown and is called burnt  sienna.[2] It takes its name from the city-state  of Siena, where it was produced during the Renaissance.[3] Along with ochre and umber, it was one of the first pigments to be  used by humans, and is found in many cave paintings. Since the Renaissance, it has been one of the brown  pigments most widely used by artists.”

 

To learn more about Donna visit http://donnagreenstein.com

it’s the lil’ things

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My Favorite Things – Rodgers & Hammerstein, RCA Records 1965

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,
brown paper packages tied up with strings,
these are a few of my favorite things.

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels,
door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles.
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings;
these are a few of my favorite things.

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,
snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,
silver white winters that melt into springs,
these are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites, when the bee stings,
when I’m feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
and then I don’t feel so bad.

This was one of my favourite songs, from one of my favourite movies, when I was growing up.  I admit, I still set the PVR (Tivo) to ‘record’, if I see The Sound of Music, scheduled for broadcast.  I doubt there is anyone reading this, that does not recognize the lyrics from ‘The Sound of Music.’  Most of you are reading along to the tune, playing in your mind.

Have you ever made a list of your favourite things, do you take stock of the little things in life, that make you happy?  If not, take a few moments and jot them down somewhere.  Now, imagine this list, transformed into a work of art.

Provincetown 2013 087

This summer, I attended the Purple Turtle Art Festival; an amazing display of original paintings, photographs, jewelry, sculptures, pottery, woodcraft, native art, and more.

Set in a lush meadow, and catered by chefs from The Briars – Ontario Destination Resort, Spa and Conference Centre; The festival, includes works by more than 30 artisans from Toronto to Tory Hill, Ontario, as well as local artists.  This, is where I first learned of Nadya.

It was a very hot and humid Ontario day, as we entered the festival.  My husband was growing impatient, at being dragged from one booth, to the next.  Eventually, I made my way, to the far corner of the exhibition, from which, the colours from Nadya’s display beckoned me to visit.  The use of vibrant colours, still managed to evoke calm.  The serene imagery, and philosophical quotes were thought-provoking; each piece, an affirming meditation on canvas.

Nadya had stepped away from her booth during the time I perused her work.  Helping myself to one of her business cards, I knew I would be contacting her very soon;  I wanted one of her creations, displayed in my home, so that each time I walked past it, I would be reminded of the lil’ things.  Reminded, that it’s important to take time to appreciate these things.

Describing herself as a girl from the North Country, Nadya says; “I live in the forest with my very tolerant family and a plethora of animals. Mr. CFO is my husband of eons, my children Miss Know-It-All (self-proclaimed) and my son ‘The Juicer’, are ever-present to guide me through this wild, strange thing we call life. I am a person who could easily withstand being under house arrest, I love to be in my home studio creating. I find beauty in my everyday life and transform what inspires me into jewellery & art. I love taking pictures, loud music, red wine and cute babies. I enjoy hats and wear many of them. I am a work in-progress and passionate about what I like & love. I enjoy letting my freak flag fly and observing how true honesty makes people uncomfortable. I try to be fearless.”

Nadya collage_2

I corresponded with Nadya, initially via email. I described myself as an advocate for animals, and mom to pups Henry, and Reese.  I wondered if she would do a piece, reflective of this, and was invited to visit Nadya at her home. When I arrived, it was like visiting an old friend; we visited for ages.  I met Nadyas family, their protector, Lacey the cat, and hens; Thelma and Louise.  My husband accompanied me on today’s visit.  We toured ‘the farm’, met additional hens, quails, and new arrival, Sofie – the baby hedgehog.  On this day, I was also very excited, to collect my charming, whimsical, ‘li’l things by Nadya’ artwork. 

I am very pleased to introduce you to Nadya; a wonderful person, a lover of animals, with a positive outlook on life; this, I believe, is translated through her beautiful works of art.

http://www.purpleturtlearts.ca/

http://www.briars.ca/

http://lilthingsbynadya.com/

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