Outside Painting Challenge

Opus Art Supplies in BC stores sponsored an Outdoor Painting Challenge today, which got me off my butt...no, actually on my butt...and I painted for the first time in eons.  The challenge was to paint outdoors in a designated area between 10am and 3pm.  I started around 12:45, just in time for the pouring rain to begin.  So I found a great sheltered spot in Market Square, and "arted" away for a few hours.  

The place was almost barren except for one other painter who took my photo and a some guys playing sweet tunes on guitars.  Interestingly, a security guy came and made the musicians stop playing even though they were not busking for money.  The security guard left me alone in the middle of the courtyard. I guess watercolour paints don't have the acoustic effects of guitars; too bad since the music was so nice.

While most of the artists painted what they saw around the city, I went down a different path...for some reason I have been thinking about monsters down under...under the bed...  

The monsters I painted today were influenced by the graphics and illustrations of Elise Gravel.  But I am excited to transform and create more monster friends in the next while...words and paintings to come...

Friday night musical headliners at the Makehouse

An island in the Pacific, ukulele, and Yoko Ono??

I was just told I look like Yoko Ono in this selfie...hmm does she play the ukulele too?  I wonder!

It's so sweet to live on an island in the Pacific ;)  Ocean breeze, otters, pods of porpoises just offshore, crashing waves...should've brought a board but at least I brought the uke.  

Wild Sundays

Here's a sneak peak from a wild Sunday photo shoot of the Wild Sundays! Aren't these the sweetest boots on Vancouver Island?  

You can find the Wild Sundays at
https://www.facebook.com/genevieveandthewildsundays?ref=stream

Wildflowers in Spring

Shooting stars and satin flowers are popping up as spring arrives on Vancouver Island.

Dance class fun

Having some fun in our dance class...photo session with random jumping!

Red Carpet Oscar Gala at Oak Bay Beach Hotel

The theme is "the Great Gatsby" in honour of the Oscars.  In fitting with the 1920's Gatsbiesque evening, the images are in Black and White.

Time stood still for a long time...CUBA 2009...but things are changing!

Plastic toy camera, Cuba, and remembering little things

Five years ago this month, I went on an amazing trip to Cuba. The first ten days were spent with a great group of photographers in Havana, followed by a few weeks backpacking the country on my own...at least until I met up with other cool travellers. 

Along side my dslr, I brought a Holga 120N plastic toy camera and shot my first two rolls of 120mm film ever...it was also my first time using a toy camera.  It was also a toy camera that I decided to modify right from the start so what you see are the effects of unmasked images with multiple exposures and strange vignettes.  

The camera shy dancer