2015 Art Update!

A good thing to remember! Thanks JKR:)

   My last blog entry was posted an embarrassingly long time ago, so I had better get caught up! Last year was crazy busy with teaching a grade 5/6 split class for the first time, and I am now gearing up to teach a straight grade 6 class. I figure I should update my website now before school starts! 
   Recently I decided to make some "quick" art to spruce up the walls in our new place. I took a gamble and spent about $100 at the dollar store and got three large canvases to play with, knowing full well that they may warp or have strange gesso on them. (Safest bet is to go to your local craft store such as our amazing Creative Zone, which I usually do!!) Turns out the canvases haven't warped after being saturated with water and paint, and I kind of like the gesso! I have had pre-primed canvases before that have almost a waxy finish so you REALLY have to apply the paint on thick in order for it to stay, but this gesso had a tendency to absorb water a little bit so it felt more like I was painting on watercolour paper. I had lots of fun with this. Here are small sections of two in progress works:

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Work in Progress

Work in Progress

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   The one on the left is a sort of abstract landscape, and the one on the right is a sky full of flower-topped clouds. Still working on choosing the background colour with this one and adding detail to the flowers and clouds.
   For my cousin's daughter's first birthday (is that a first cousin once removed??) I painted a small burlap canvas with an owl and added an ornate frame to it. I believe I picked up the supplies at Michaels in Victoria. Here is cutie Clara with her gift and a bunch of furry friends!

Clara with her birthday owl painting.

   One of my bestie's birthday gifts was this charcoal sketch that started as a demo on how to use charcoal at school one day. It was losely based off a beautiful photo of a herd of deer from a National Geographic magazine. I simplified it to just one deer (why draw seven when you can just draw one?) and added a moon, because our moon is so majestic and gorgeous! Here it is on Janet's wall in a frame --> 

Charcoal sketch

   Through working at schools in the district I have had the opportunity to help out with various school musical productions. I know the immensity of time and effort that go into these productions so it feels good to be able to help out where I can. In the past I have designed, helped to build (my dad and my boyfriend did that part), and painted set pieces for a few high school musicals such as Beauty and the Beast, Grease, and Carousel put on by the highly talented Robin MacLeod and Geoff Parr. 
   Another dedicated and passionate teacher, Robin Hollett put on the show Oliver with her students at our elementary school this year. With her guidance I designed a backdrop and organized volunteer parents and staff to paint the biggest canvas I have ever seen. I may have almost fainted when I saw it laid out for the first time, but really, it could have eaten all of us whole if it wanted to. At 36 feet wide and 16 feet tall it was the most immense blank sheet of whiteness I had ever tackled. Thankfully I didn't have to do it alone! 
   My sister came to visit so, naturally, she got put to work! Here she is working on the clouds in the school gym.

Mary helping out with the clouds on the canvas backdrop.

And here it is hanging at the REM Lee Theatre all ready to go! 

REM Lee Theatre Photo

Mini Lake reflection painting

Speaking of Robin Hollett, she and her wonderful family saved Werner, Mary and me from a record breaking snowpocalypse weekend of epic proportions in February when we were staying out at the cabin. So, (MONTHS LATER) I made her a little thank you painting inspired by the lake and its glassy reflections, along with this wintery card that sums up how Werner and I felt after three days of digging ourselves out of a kilometer long road in the woods with no power. (Big eyes emoji.)

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Snowpocalypse thank you card.

My sister and me where the road meets the highway. Looking uber Canadian with our toques and Tim's!

Digging out the plow part 1 of 50.

Digging out the snowmobile:)

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   Well, I still have more to catch up on so I will be working on another post right away. I am doing lots of art right now since the countdown to the school year starting is not very long! I post works in progress and art related things on my instagram account as well, if you are interested in following that. My username is amywarnerart. Thank you for reading, and HAPPY FRIDAY!