Pround and grateful to be Canadian past1: Kemptville, Ontario to Quebec city

Usually, I post about leading trips to amazing places to paint around the world with a groups of students. This trip was conceptualized when I found out about the Pastel Society of Eastern Canadas' plans to host a very large pastel exhibition in Quebec city. 

During covid, I had time to think about what I'd accomplished in terms of my painting trips, and realized I'd been to many very cool places all over the world, while not really investigating fully, the many very cool places and amazing beauty of my very own country, of which I am very proud and grateful. I had always wanted to discover more of the eastern side of Quebec. Here's my chance!   

Driving partner arrives night before, and early the next morning, we are off on our adventure. I met Carol as a student in Haliburton many years ago. Multi-talented, Carol works in pastel, but also paints in several other mediums, and  is majorly, a photographer.  

        

Having planned this trip many months in advance, I was antsy to get painting, but needed to putmany hours of driving in to get to our destination first. So, stopping for photo opps was one way to stretch the legs,  entertain new ideas for paintings, and practisos, every time I took a photo. As many of you know, I love repeat pattern. 

       

Needs some editing, but a good composition, with good split up of picture plane, something I always look for. Eastern Ontario means swamps to me. 

Our first destination, the home of my friend and fellow artist, Jennifer Gow. Jenn treated us like royalty and we had a quick but good catch up. Thank you Jenn! 

We continued our way through what was left of Eastern Ontario and into Quebec, still stopping for stretches and photo opps. 

If you are reading this and are an artist, you will know what I mean about having thousands of photos to glean new paintings from. Ideas happen in a flash, paintings take a little while longer. Documenting ideas. 

If we had time, I would have liked to paint here, Spencerville. and it's mill. But no, we had to make our way to Laurier Station, just outside of Quebec city. Yes, a 2 day drive for an oldie like me. 

Ste. Antoine-de-Tilly

A small village on the St. Lawrence, just before Quebec City was a wonderful discovery. I am an architecture junky, especially old buildings, with so much charm. 

and barns too. 

This building is entirely shingles with the most beautiful tile. Gorgeous. Lovingly cared for. 

And in this little town, a quay, as the sun came down low in the sky, and gave us some contrast and warmth in an otherwise lackluster day. My first 2 paintings done here! 

My first piece, cold, tired, but did it anyways. just glad to be out of the car and into a new atmosphere. 

More charm from St. Antoine de Tilly. 

Just outside the provincial legislature, Quebec city! Always finding composition, statues, architecture, mountians, skies. Composition, Everywhere!

Unique views up on the ramparts. 

A famous street with restaurants going down a steep set of stairs in old town. Love different perspectives. 

Love green. Here's my interpreatation:

I call it, Sortie. 

Magical musical interludes 

Charm everywhere you look

And, a little romance? 

Stay tuned for the next phase of the trip and getting into some very exciting dynamic images, thanks to good old mother nature. Waterfalls, canyons, mountains and vivid fall colours. 

 

Sunshine Pallette Mexico Part 3 Process and Teachers work.

Before my class arrived in Mexico this past March,  I was lucky enough to have some time to myself at a friends place. This allowed me to draw a lot. I could go through my whole process, but I think drawing is the one thing I need to keep the creative juices flowing.  I've learned over the years painting on location that what really matters is composition, creating a mood, and getting things down loosely, not being precious about anything. 

Colour comes very easily to me. What I really need before teaching, is a period of time to explore ideas, shapes, composition. In this series I'm showing how I see the initial shapes, choose the proportions of my picture plane, composing, then add the smallest amount of detail, and value sketch. Lots of people don't love this phase, but it's actually the most important part of creating a painting. Concept, visualizing, and seeing if it works. 

                                                

I like to give many examples of what I'm drawing, and then the value study. You can go back and forth and note the details in the photo that didn't make it into the value sketch. I'm a bit strict about identifying your darks, mediums and lights at this phase. that's really how you'll see if it works. It's too bad there are many terrible examples of "thumbnails, which more represent the mess in soemones' mind, rather than how the painting will look. 

                                                

You can also tell how succesful the painting might be from yoru initial response to seeing each value study, know as a notan, or a thumbnail. I like to call it a value study because that is what your thumbnail should be. A drawing that tells you where your darks, mediums, and lights should go.  The viewer should  be able to see and figure out what the painting is about in a split second. 

I loved the two tones on this stucco exterior, so typical of many Mexican homes to be painted in a lively intense colour,  the subtle shadows, and placement of leaves and petals. I loved the drawing. The colour version is also small, I consider that a "field sketch" meaning a small piece in colour to see how the composition in colour would work in a painting. If it doesn't work out at this stage, I've only used up a small amount of time trying it out. By working small, you can try out more ideas. Creative people are swimming in ideas for paintings all the time.  This piece doesn't represent  the colours accurately. One of the things that happens when travelling and painting. You must "make do" with the selection at hand. And not fuss too much over being too particular. 

In my teaching life these days, I'm teaching more about creativity, working through ideas, and how to maintain your creative motivation. To stay in love with art.  That's why, on this recent painting trip to Mexico, we spent time talking about ideas, organizing them. Which ideas are best painted on location, and which ones come back home by way of sketch and photo? We only have so much time on these trips, so photo opps with no painting does happen. Here are some ideas that worked, got done, or may be in the future. 

Not only does honing your photography skills take the pressure off of painting everything while there, it is also a visual journal of sorts, a memoir to look back on and remember all the amazing things you saw while travelling. There are amazing things to paint everywhere, you never have to go far from home, if you know how to compose. What you do get from my trips is some guidance, the pleasure of travelling with many other like minded people, and the sharing of our creative spirit. It's just something you can't top, coming together under the umbrella of our love of art. 

Stay tuned for an announcement about my next trip, exotic, exciting, with a distinct culture.

Cheers, Margaret  

 

Lived the Dream, Selling the Dream: Ice House Studio Gallery and my Home, for Sale.

In 2019, I moved here, to Shanty Bay, Ontario. A small charm filled town with trees, forests hiking trails, and a very large lake (Simcoe). 

The property was perfect for me as it had a 2nd building which I have joyfully been using as my art studio and gallery. It's 750 square feet of heaven! I have loved my time here. Surrounded by trees, I fill my studio with nature, music, and every creative idea I have. The studio is named The Ice House Studio because This building was once an ice house, used to store ice that was harvested out of Lake Simcoe, a stones' throw away, and sent all over north america, in the time of ice boxes. .

Between the main house and the studio gallery, I have built a deck,  gloriously surrounded by trees. It is heaven. This is my creativity contemplation couch. 

As you walk to the end of the deck, you can see the backyard, and terraced gardens, filled with many different types of plants and flowers. 

And now for the interior of the house:

Here's the living room, with a stone wall, a gas fireplace Cheery hardwood floors, and lots of light. This room is 19 X 23.

The cherry hardwood floors are continuous from kitchen and dining area and through to the living room. The kitchen has a cottagey warm feel, with off white cupboards, and lined with finished maple. All appliances included, otr microwave, dishwasher, range and fridge. 

Kitchen dining area from the other side. Very country, lots of charm. Not your standard IKEA, but something unique. 

Behind the kitchen are 2 rooms, both with 7' wide windows, spanning the width of the house at the back, overlooking the backyard. Over the years, I have spent much time in this room, writing in my journal every morning, letting the sky tell me what kind of day we're in for. 

Bathrooms

Ensuite bathroom, 2nd floor. 

 and main floor full bath below:

Bedrooms

Large master bedroom 16 X 25, with stone wall and gas fireplace. 

2nd bedroom

3rd bedroom

There's also a full basement, with high ceilings and a walk-out to the backyard. It is unfinished. In the utility room,  there's a tankless hot water heater, a water softener, washer and dryer, and water filtration system.  

The house is priced at $850,000. If you'd like more information or a viewing, please contact me at marg.ferraro@gmail.com. If this post is still up, the house is still for sale. 

This house is just outside of Barrie, Ontario. It's about 5 km. off hwy 11, between Barrie and Orillia. If you are interested in a great location within driving distance of  Toronto, but close to nature, hiking trails everywhere, gateway to cottage country, you may wnat to consider this location. 

Thanks for listening, Margaret marg.ferraro@gmail.com or 249-359-8886.