Same Mould, Same Mould

The day before my birthday, on June 3rd, 2014 I had a egg tempera painting exhibit at Struts Gallery in Sackville, New Brunswick. It will be up for two weeks. The exhibit for me was a very affirming experience, and I enjoyed myself immensely, though I admit it was stressful leading up to the opening, being that I was not so thrilled about the subject matter, and found it very difficult to get motivated to paint, however upon  completion of the series I was feeling happy, and satisfied. I choose this subject matter as something entirely different, as a change in what I'll normally paint, with the thought, that it would be a good exercise, which it was.

 I certainly learned from the experience, painting ugly and rather gross things. My sculpture teacher first encouraged me to paint these illustrations from the recipe book, Davis Dainty Dishes that I had showed her a couple of years ago, when I was still at Mount Allison University, completing my BFA. She attended my opening, and I reminded her of the time I'd brought the recipe book into class, and told her, this was now all her fault that I was painting these moulds! She stated it was good to paint ugly things! Indeed!

 One of the ugliest of the " Dainty Dishes " is called Tongue Mould. Not that it is the ugliest, but the thought of eating cow's tongue brought back an old memory in my mind, the sight of a big old cow tongue laid up on the counter, in my mother's kitchen, that she was lovingly preparing for supper, when I was a teenager, and at that very moment I swore this would never ever pass my lips!

This one has got to be the ugliest!

Lobster Relish

 I couldn't bring myself to even think about painting tongue mould, not unlike many others in the book.  Before  my sculpture professor left the Struts Gallery on Tuesday night, she requested a commission painting of, you guessed it " Tongue Mould!

Now for you visual pleasure, I 've posted below the picture I have been commissioned to paint of  tongue mould. The other six are from my series of six egg tempera paintings I have hanging at Struts Gallery. They will be up until Saturday June 14th 2014. Here's to painting ugly things!

 

Tongue Mould From Davis Dainty Dishes

Charlotte Russe - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6"x6", 2014

Carrington Mould - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6"x6", 2014

Pavlova - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6" x 6", 2014

Beetroot Mould - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6" x 6", 2014

Fruit Jelly Mould - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6" x6", 2014

Salmon In Jelly  Mould - Egg Tempera on Ceramic Tile, 6" x 6", 2014

The Sweetest Little Thing

The Sweetest Little Thing 2013 from Owens Art Gallery on Vimeo.

If you are on your own this Valentine's Day, and God only knows most of us are, and single be sure to take your own Valentine self or your own Valentine, get your best duds on and come to a very special fundraising event in Sackville, New Brunswick, Friday February 14th on Valentine's Day.

Here is video collection of The Sweetest Little Thing

You can bid on this now, my Float Rope Basket !

New Painting - The Ugly Duckling

On the 2nd of December until the 14th , I had my first solo show, "Woman Who Runs With The Wolves" at Start Gallery in Sackville New Brunswick. Start Gallery is the student run part of the larger Struts Gallery, and artist run centre. It was a very special night for me.

I have never been one much interested in aspiring to display my work in commercial run galleries. Partly due to the fact I was intimidated and not really confident. I have since demystified some of these issues and become more aware of the importance and necessity of artist run centres, where artists have an egalitarian and cooperative, supportive relationship, and the chances of power struggles and personality conflicts are lessened, if next to non-existent.

It is hard to put into words what this show meant to me. The fact that I returned to school at the age of 56 and am about to graduate this coming Spring made it all very poignant. I had a dear friend I've known since early adolescence attend, along with some other good friends that have been very supportive and encouraging to me these past three years and for this I am so very grateful, because it has made all the difference.

I have started my next group of paintings, the ongoing series, depicting my own images from Clarissa Pinkola's book," Women Who Run With The Wolves." This one is "The Ugly Duckling". It is a very relevant story I think, especially this time of year when we all want and need to feel a sense of belonging.

 "See to it now that you spend less time on what they didn't give you and more time on finding the people you belong to. You may not belong to your original family at all."
--"Women Who Run With the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes