Brush Strokes

A high and mighty wind

A broad blue canvas set higher

A palette of cloud set between

gifted a busied weekday

with strokes of genius

Lifting my sight to the sky 

I felt my heart and soul expand.

“On the canvas of life,

Every sweep of the brush matters,

Counts for something…"

~ Scott Hastie, poet

The Artist

 

It was only the colours 

out of place 

that my eye saw, 

my consciousness recognized. 

But how? 

I laughed at the old sun

using the fountain’s spray 

to sketch a tiny rainbow

of colour on the water.

“…..just happy little accidents.”

~ Bob Ross, artist

Beyond Van Gogh - The Immersive Experience in Regina

There are few words to describe this exhibition. Amazing is too trite. Beautiful is not enough. Awe inspiring? Whatever adjective I could give to Vincent van Gogh’s work does not carry the movement and depth of his paintings. The artists that put together this incredible digital display must have channeled the master, giving life and real movement to his monumental talent. Using their own talents to bring his works to us, they have offered his memory a very lasting legacy when he so often felt lost. From Starry Starry Night, to music of the Beatles,  music accompanied  his paintings covering giant walls. They flowed into one another, colours changed, water rippled and birds flew, colours and shapes spilled over onto the floor. The windmills spun slowly, ‘smoke’ floated from his pipe, sometimes his eyes blinked!  His own words tell only a fraction of his what he believed.

“I want to touch people with my art. 

I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly,”

~ Vincent Willem van Gogh

Artistic License

I have seen one or two 

before ~

blank white canvases

with one thin 

red, blue, or yellow 

brush stroke

across or diagonally

and I wonder ~

did the artist look at

that white blank canvas

~ pace and pace ~

brush poised, 

pick up a palette of paint

 ~ suddenly inspired to

gently stroke in that line

and there it is

a finished, priceless canvas.

Much like this 

blank screen

covered with only 

the thinnest attempt 

at open verse.

“Artistic license sneered through the thin fabric.”

~ Ingmar Bergman

Cheerful #2

Tiny acrylic painting
 by Ruth Van Egmond
Victoria Artist

Long and tall

Not me at all!

“A person’s a person,

no matter how small.”

~ Dr Seuss

Play Review: Bang Bang by Kat Sandler

Always a struggle to write a play. Writing a successful play that involves the topics of police brutality as a result of systemic racism, artistic license, and gun violence with a dash of gender equality on one stage is a struggle that goes beyond the usual. Playwright Kat Sandler was up to the challenge. The play Bang, Bang at Belfry Theatre, on Sunday afternoon was a triumph of humour, anger, and frustration culminating in a standing ovation. Bang Bang, presented at the Belfry, played in conjunction with the The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg.

These emotionally charged topics came together in the living room of Karen Hines, played by Warona Setshwaelo, a psychologist and the mother of Lila Hines ~ both of them black. Lila had returned home to live with her mother, when her career as a police officer was derailed following a serious incident when she was on duty. Tim Bernbaum played by Tom Keenan, is a playwright who was inspired to write 'a play' based on this serious incident. Lila definitely does not want to talk about this incident. While doing her job as a police officer, she shot a young black man. Tim arrives, unexpectedly and unwelcome, to talk about his play. An extremely awkward, often hilarious, and circuitous conversation takes place with Tim trying to be politically correct ~ and failing badly ~ about race (Tim is white). He, with this same awkwardness, blurts out that a movie is to be made of his play which details Lila’s experience far too closely for Lila’s liking, except for a couple of important details. Two other characters, involved in the movie, come on scene: Jackie Savage, played by Sébastion Heins; Tony Cappello, played by Alex Poch-Golden. Jackie Savage is a young man who is played the role of Lila ~ the movie company changed the gender to further usurp Lila’s story. Ultimately, there is a hilarious ‘play reading’ of Tim’s play which devolves into frustration, misunderstanding and sadness.

The skill and sensitivity that playwright Kat Sandler had in writing this play, using humour and pain, drove home the sad reality of these issues that are prevalent in our society today. In this writer’s opinion, the characters of Karen (Lila’s mother) and of Tony (Jackie’s bodyguard) were the strengths that balanced the grief, anger and anxiety of the two main characters (Lila, Tim). Lila was in deep pain, Tim only wanted to write a play and make a movie to bring all of the issues into the light. Jackie Savage (to play Lila in the 'play'), was distanced from the actual pain that Lila experienced, often shifting his opinions about the entire dynamic, only concerned with making a movie. Because of the intensity of the subjects involved and the dynamics between the actors, the language was quite blue throughout the play, which may put some people off. To accept this as a very real part of such a situation will allow any playgoer to be treated to a wonderful work of art.

“The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas.”

~ George Bernard Shaw

Bang Bang by Kat Sandler

Sébastien Heins - Jackie Savage

Tom Keenan - Tim Bernbaum

Beverly Ndukwu - Lila Hines

Alex Poch-Goldin - Tony Cappello

Warona Setshwaelo - Karen Hines

Director: Kelly Thornton

Set Designer: Ada, Parboosingh

Costume Designer: Joseph Abetria

Lighting Designer: Scott Henderson

Sound Designer: Brian Linds

Fight Director: Jacqueline Loewen

Firearms Consultant: Dave Brown

Consulting Director: Audrey Dwyer

Apprentice Director: Eric Rae

Stage Manager: Jennifer Swan

Assistant Stage Manager: Zahra Larche

Painting Lessons

Painting Lessons

Rising in the morning, I went into my studio. As I stood looking at the old painting, tears streamed down my face and memories flooded from my heart. It was not a particularly good painting because I was only ten and hadn’t been painting long. All the tools an artist needs had been given me by my grandfather. He had painted the original portrait of my mother that I had tried to paint as a child. My grandfather had taught me so very much about life and about painting. We would paint together, our easels side by side. If I wanted a certain colour, grandfather would teach me how to mix up colours to find the shade I wanted. He showed me how to create light, texture and distance. It was always a joy to be with him in his studio overlooking the water. Grandmother brought us lunch and we would sit outside on the patio. There were times when my parents wondered whose house I really lived in. The tears streaming down my face were not only tears of sadness. They were tears of sadness sparkled with the gold of these wonderful memories. Just before lunch, my twelve year old grand daughter would be here. I had her easel set up beside mine and we would be overlooking the sparkling blue water. Her grandpa told me he would have a lunch of tomato sandwiches, lemonade and watermelon for us before we started painting our own memories.

“All you need to paint is a few tools, 

a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.”

~ Bob Ross

Walking Inspiration

What a lovely day for Fairfield Artist Studio Tour! I set out with a light jacket on, hoping I wouldn’t be too cool as I went. Along the way there were beautiful gardens and many friendly hello’s. Ushered into homes and cosy backyard studios to view the many forms of art, I was welcomed smiles and information about each artist’s work. There were places where there were too many for the one artist to say much more than ‘Welcome’ so I listened to the question that was being answered. Beautiful and quirky paintings, delicate hand work in cotton fabric and fine string, fine sculptures, gift cards, puzzles and jewelry from up-cycled items. Then, there was a clean and shiny work shop full of fun. Other worldly ‘sculptures’ from old kitchen equipment and tools to the nuts and bolts holding them all together in imaginative cars and robots. I must admit my ‘Inner Critic’ was

having a field day telling me that I just might as well give up on any creativity of my own. But I just dismissed this as completely irrelevant and took in the ideas that came to me as I went. Having only gone out in the afternoon of the second day, I was only able to view about eight of the Artist’s Studios. I took my light jacket off when I realized I was really uncomfortable warm! Tired, hot and thirsty, I took a bus for the last 10 blocks home. It was a very inspiring afternoon. 

“Through the years, I have learned there is no harm in charging 

oneself up with delusions between moments of valid inspiration.”

~ Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life

Every Day Matters

Every day matters that we dream 

and see reality until patterns emerge 

with gaps, shapes and focus ~ brush strokes hidden in the colours, corners and swirls until we look closely 

to see where the artist has been.

Every day matters are as simple as washing sheets worn and worried with busy, unsettled sleep tossing and turning in awakening lives, tripping through daisies on our way to reality.

Every day matters become real and important

when it is the novels and mysteries that we read, 

the gaudy or dowdy clothes that we wear 

or food that we eat with gusto or just because. 

Every day matters are at least as important 

as grand schemes at the top of the heap of humanity 

that ebbs and flows around us seeking progress

that seems unreachable because of the crowd.

Every day matters are the cogs on our own wheels, 

the gears that we shift to find the right speed 

to take us over rocky or flat terrain, rivers or streams

with or without sustenance, peace and joy.

Every day matters not what we think 

but what we do while our thoughts tell us 

what screw to turn, what ladder to climb, what speed to go

never a thought to what does come first ~ thought or action. 

Every day matters to each of us 

but we may not know what has mattered or 

we may know what matters for us but 

not what matters to the next guy.

“It’s not the extremes and the treats that are the problem. It’s the everyday.”

~ Jamie Oliver

Elegance on Brick

Walking to a bus stop this afternoon, I was only two blocks away and was stopped in my tracks by this elegant mural. A small brick building, it has been a part of Cook Street Village for many, many years, housing a dry cleaner and a convenience store. As far as I can recall, there has been no mural on the side of this building. I was just so struck by this elegant painting and the artist patiently working on it, oblivious to traffic and passersby. It was the first time I had actually seen an artist at work on such a stunning subject. When we see the various urban murals are we curious about the artist ~ so tiny against the expansive painting? How they can envision such a large piece of work? How long it takes to create such whimsical or magnificent works of art? What brushes they use? Types of paint? How one person can complete this art work? These artists have created veritable art galleries in our own cities with many pieces of beautiful art. 

“Street art is nothing else but urban poetry that catches someone’s eye.”

~ Christian Guémy, aka C215

A Victoria Curiosity

Unveiled October 13, 2010

Emily Carr - a Victoria born, Canadian icon of the art world. A massive amount of information about artist and writer Emily Carr can be found on the internet, in libraries, museums and art galleries. In the confines of this small blog, I really cannot do this justice. A bit of my knowledge about Emily Carr is that she would not likely be found on a busy city street corner but out with her cherished Indigenous people, in the old growth forests or inspiring mountains with her Javanese monkey ‘Woo’, her dog ‘Billie’ and her paintbrushes. 

Frequently going to and coming from my pool exercises I take the opportunity to pass by ‘Miss Em’s’ (my name for her) bronze statue on the corner of Government St. and Belleville St. here  in Victoria. I greet her with a brief hello and pat her on the arm. On my return trip from the pool, I often will sit for a moment to watch and listen to comments from passersby. I am curious about what general knowledge is. There are those who have never heard of her. Some have been to Emily Carr University. Some have just a passing interest on their vacation. And then there are the little ones who really just want to pet ‘Billie’ and would like to climb the statue to pet ‘Woo’. To me, this statue, unveiled  October 13, 2010, creates an aura of calm on this busy corner by the Empress Hotel.

The day I took this photo in the bright sunshine, I had tried to capture the bouquet of flowers, rather unsuccessfully, someone had set in the crook of her arm. One more bit of very lovely curiosity. I wonder if she is given flowers often? 

“The spirit must be felt so intensely that it has power to call 

others in passing, for it must pass, not stop in pictures…”

~ Emily Carr, December 13, 1871 - March 2, 194

Salt Spring Island She Shed Tour 2018 - #7

In the ‘all u need workshop’ the natural world becomes art, the old becomes recycled and artistically repurposed. Kelp from the shoreline curled around broomsticks or any tubular object, allowed to almost dry and taken off when still pliable creates loops and curls for home decor. Grasses dried and woven into mats for wall hangings. Seed pods dried and gathered together in upside down bouquets. Very old postcards, that did the work in a day or longer that cell phones and texting does in minutes, Melanie embroiders mountain tops and tree-lines. As rain began to drip down through the spaces between trees, we helped clear off an outdoor table of sketch books. All the world looks so much more interesting after visiting Melanie Thompson’s all u need workshop that displays her love of nature’s gifts. Discovering this gift for ourselves is available every day.

“Never miss an opportunity of noticing anything of beauty….”

~  Ralph Waldo Emerson,  Nature and Walking

See more of Melanie’s works at craftymelanie.wordpress.com

Fundraising event for: Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse