A Year in Review 2017
It is always fun to reflect on another year. For me it helps put a little perspective on where I was , where I am and where I would like to be. 2017 was overall a pretty good year. I continue to pursue art in its many forms from creating to teaching and to sharing my passion for using art as part of an overall approach to health and wellness.
2017 was Canada's 150th Birthday . Here is me and my husband celebrating with our annual Canada Day run. Always fun to dress up in Red and White and run through the streets of Temiscaming. The most fun was running through town with my daughter with a flag connecting us. That was brilliant.
I wanted to mark this anniversary artistically with an art exhibit and what better way than 150 small paintings, each capturing vignettes, landscapes, wildlife or people that were representative of Canada. Each canvas was 4 x 4 inches. It was a challenge to paint small but choosing the subject matter was easy. I have been fortunate to have traveled across Canada, coast to coast. Here is a selection of some of the paintings that I created. There is a story behind each painting, not necessarily grand or CBC worthy (actually my paintings did make it onto CBC haha) but maybe that's what makes it even more Canadian to me: simplicity.
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| Red Fox Temiscaming , QC |
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| Backyard Birches, QC |
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| Montreal Bagels ,QC |
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| Yoho National Park, BC |
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| Loon, Manitoba |
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| Rick Mercer, Mr. Canada |
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| Mud Lake, QC |
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| Old Power House, Temiscamng, QC |
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| Peggy's Cove, NS |
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| Lake Louise, AB |
It was also a year of window painting. I love window painting. It is so challenging. It seems easy but not really. Painting the way I do which involves blending has been a challenge. What people don't realize is that painting on the inside , looks different on the outside and involves reverse painting.
Inspired by my collection of mini Canada 150 paintings I tried to depict something special about each province and territory on different windows throughout Temiscaming and also in Kipawa. Each window was designed to capture either a landscape , wildlife and sometimes both and also the floral emblem of the provinces or territories. . Temiscaming is a Garden City and I thought the floral emblem was a unifying theme.
Here is the collection of paintings. Try to guess the provinces or territories :)
One province is missing . I ended up painting it on my own patio window.
Here are some close ups of some of the paintings.
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| Ontario, Fishing and the Loon |
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| British Columbia. Grizzly and Salmon and Yoho National Park |
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| Ontario Lakes and the CN Tower and Niagara Falls |
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| Newfoundland Iceberg |
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| Newfoundland Puffin and fishing hut |
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| PEI Beahes |
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| Nunavut |
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| Alberta, Big Horned Sheep, wild rose and Athabasca Falls |
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| Quebec Moose Perce Rock and Montreal Biospere |
I also decided to do a series of faces depicting our multicultural diversity. Now this was a challenge but I was really pleased with the results. I was really excited to see this project mentioned on CBC as well as including some of the images in a montage of Canada 150.
This was a fabulous project working in the community. Enjoyed by myself in challenging self to create something new and it was well received by the community.
Managed to get a few art works published which is always exciting. Third year of having art work published in CP Hidden Treasures which is pretty exciting as I have been working predominantly in acrylics these past years.
I would really like to publish my own work. I wrote a story years ago ...and I mean years ago and maybe this is the year to work on the illustrations. Working on a few other illustrative projects that will finish up this winter.
I was super pleased to have my art work "Ottawa River" juried into an online exhibit of the Federation of Canadian Artists. What was more exciting was to have it selected as one of the 14 art works for the 2018 Calendar and put on the front cover. Have had a few other works juried into the Federation of Canadian Artists exhibits for 2018. In the process of shipping to Vancouver.
Although I did my first Painter's Palate: Canvas Paint and Wine event in 2016, 2017 marked the beginning of successful series of painting events. Great turnouts and super fun. I am planning to expand it this year to include more family or children events and parties. I am always amazed at what people can create in only a few hours. When I look at everyone's paintings , I am so excited by their abilities. Although a step by step process each person brings their uniqueness and personal creativity to the canvas.
Here are some other window painting projects I endeavored to try out. Lettering ...not so easy free hand. Need to work on that one but it worked out well for this sign. The tree design was created by the owner but was tricky to reproduce . Initially , it was just going to be an outline but I felt it needed color and by adding that as well as the loon design , well the sign just popped out! I love the Autumn Moose design . I was particularly excited to do a moose design for a window. Again reverse painting, so a little tricky. For those that may not know what reverse painting means, well it means working backwards, painting highlights first than gradually working in the background.
The Dance Studio was fun to design. The owner wanted particular colors in line with their logo but otherwise, I was free to design. I am always nervous at the beginning. I free hand most of the work so I am sketching on the window. I don't always have an exact design as once it starts going on the window I get a better idea how it will work and that's where the changes start happening. I really like this design : simple but I think it really stands out.
Here are a few Christmas designs and an elaborate woodlands themed windows on my own house which will be there until summer lol
This year I also started work on some watercolors and here are a few of my favorites. I love this format as the watercolor sheets are 6 x 9
So what's new for 2018?? Well I plan to expand the painting events to include children's events and also family events. I am starting with some new art courses in January for adults and children . Just check out my FB page "joanneabbott-artist" .
One thing I put on hold this past year was my Art Therapy degree which is now a major focus to complete by June. That being said I plan to put on some workshops that look at unleashing one's creativity and art and wellness. So lots of planning .
I have some illustrations that I am working on and designs for paint events. Not as easy as one would think. I really like to design my own, so takes more time to design and than break it down into easy steps. But it is also fun to do.
I am also planning a few proposals for art exhibits and am looking into funding. Haven't done that before so it will be a challenge.
So lots and lots to work on.
Well it is January 1st 2018. The new year has arrived with a blast of cold air but with that cold air, there is sun. Can't beat that!
So yes this blog post has been self indulgent but for me sometimes I need to remind myself of things accomplished , things not accomplished and where I am going and how I will focus my time in the New Year. It is a process I go through every year: a reminder to myself .
So having said that I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year . May this year be full of wonderful adventures and may each and everyone's creativity be explored and unleashed into the world..
