Holy Chalk?

Here is a piece I recently created in my Grade Two classroom as an illustration to the story of King George and the Dragon.

Chalk on down to Creekbread!

How happy I was this summer to be asked to create chalkboard menus and art for Creekbread Restaurant. I enjoyed working on every piece and felt great because it is a restaurant with heart!
Below, their specials board which is in their entrance:

Next came their commitment to using local, quality ingredients (sorry for blurriness):

Next came an art piece above their stone oven:

Then a large board hanging overhead that illustrates why I say 'a restaurant with heart':

And finally a small, tidy drinks board:

More fun with bunting!

I was happy to have some of my banner sell at the Vancouver Waldorf Christmas Fair and look forward to sharing them at the Whistler Waldorf School Christmas Fair this Saturday, Dec. 8th!

Good will bunting??

So I guess the official term is 'bunting'...whatever it is called, I sure enjoy sewing them!

Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival

I had the pleasure of painting the stage set for the play Agnes by Stephen Vogler that was performed  at the Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival this evening. The backdrop is to depict the interior of Harrop's Tea Room that used to be located right there at the Point where the play was performed.
The windows would have looked out onto the lake and mountains that can be seen behind the stage set. I was impressed to see how well they matched in this photo.

I once wrote little verses for my Grade One students, giving each student a woodland creature. Later in Grade Two, I wrote a story for each student starring their woodland creature, each creature displaying the wonderful qualities that I saw inherent in the students. These students are now going into Grade Seven and will be with a new teacher! In gratitude for the six years I spent with them and learned with them, I am working on one last little painting for each student.
Depicted here are the Pika for CJ and the Stellar's Jay for AO.

The poster for Whites reds and blues - our school's annual fundraiser! I was happy to be able to contribute the wine glasses/grapes image that was used for the poster. Do come out to support us!

Sew, a little creating this morning resulted in this:

Slow Food...

A series of paintings for a friend created over the last year...

Wildflowers...

More gratitude! And part of my plans for my Grade 5/6 botany Main Lesson.

Gratitude

When we were growing up, my mom always insited that we send thank you cards or letters after receiving gifts (so birthdays and Christmas for certain). Now that I am older, I still feel this is a very important thing but have encountered a slight difficulty! I feel like sendng my gratitude in the form of some artwork. But when faced with the prospect of sending handpainted or drawn gratitude to all those who I wish to thank, I encounter the issue of time...

The result this year, one painting:

I don't know that it really is enough. However, this is what I can manage at the moment. And, dearly beloveds, know that it comes with heartfelt appreciation for all you have given me and all you do for me!

Love rushes in...

Painted with some dear friends in mind.

I can't believe I never mentioned the pie!!!

Here are the menus I created for Aphrodite's Pie Shop in Vancouver a while back.

It was a joy to create delicious boards for delicious pies!

(sorry for the poorer quality of the above photo - it was taken with my phone and after a good many months had passed)

Well Oil Be!

Having only attemted two oil paintings so far, there is clearly much for me to still learn about this technique. However I am not altogether unhappy with the results of these two pieces.

The first piece was created at a workshop of artists in Whistler when I had the opportunity to learn from Rod Charlesworth. Here I "distinguished" myself as a watercolour girl in an oil landscape:My second piece was commisioned/encouraged/supported by my colleagues and was created to be an item in the silent auction at our school's annual fundraiser. It has a different feel to it than the first. Titled: Birch (seen here unframed)

Chalking in class

A mouse I didn't mind having in the classroom for a little while... The Theft of Iduna's Apples - illustrated Norse Myths for the class:

The Red Columbine

Another birthday card from last year...I just love columbines and wanted to share this.

This year I get to do more flowers and also Rune stones for Birthday Cards!

Chalking Big!

Well, pastel on paper actually. This piece is for our school and is almost 3 x 4 feet. As it is not a chalkboard but is on paper, I had no surface big enough to work on it aside from my window. So there it hung for a good 2 weeks while I worked on it.



This is our creative approach to celebrating the donations received in our Annual Giving Campaign. It represents the 4 seasons. In addition to adding some specially created leaves, snowflakes, flowers and fruits to indicate the achievement of smaller goals (based on when the donations are received), the "empty" rainbow will be filled in as we work towards the goal of a down payment for a Early Childhood Programs Building.

Chalk on the Fringe...

"Jimmy" is about to take off with the Vancouver Fringe Festival...

Chalking it over...

Due to a less than satisfactory coca-cola "glaze" I used on a recent chalkboarding gig (long story, not so happy ending), I chose to redo the board entirely.

So, before:

and after...

I am much happier now...seeing as I go into this local cafe regularly and was constantly reminded of the "glaring error". Perhaps the difference is hard to see, but I will give you a hint - it isn't the writing, but the black chalkboard itself which is now more even.

Chalk it up!

Literally! I alternately stood and knelt on a barstool-high booth to chalk up this drink menu which hangs on the wall of a local restaurant. 6 hours later...
Sorry, about the colour on this first close up.