Good Night Jeff

I often think about the miraculous gift of the senses...how much I love good food, how smell is so tangled up with taste, how touch informs our every move, without sight, I couldn't be an artist...but hearing, how I would miss the music that fills my days as I paint if I lost the gift of hearing.

So today has been a sad day, the news that jazz blues guitarist Jeff Healy had passed away at just 41. As I spoke with a friend and fellow fan tonight she said how it seemed like his music had just always been there. He was respected not only as one of the greatest blues guitarists, but also for his wonderful spirit. He will be missed by so many...Good Night Jeff.

But before I turn out the lights, I will share a new piece, a sort of medieval princess...pale and romantic.



Title: Mysterious Magic
Size: 12 x 24 x 1 1/2 in
Medium: Acrylic, Wood, Liquid Gold

*All image rights reserved © Wendy Ryan*

Winter Snow and Easter Promise

As I look over the drift of snow before my window, it's hard to believe that both Easter and spring are around the corner! Perhaps in response, I've painted a sweet angel and her little bunny to bring us all the heavenly promise of renewal.



I've used a box frame again, so it really doesn't need to be framed. It's a bit of a rustic look but nicely suits the subject. I've used a traditional folk pairing of deep wine and blue and I've finished it off with a light beeswax finish, giving it a vintage look and feel.

Title: Heavenly Hoppy
Size: 16 x 20 x 1 1/2 in
40 x 50 x 4 cm
Medium: Acrylic, wood, beeswax
Date: 2008

Snow and Cold but Oh So Sunny!

Finally, something to share! I've been back for a few days now, it's still winter, my studio is still messy, but I have finished a piece or two. These pics were taken outside very quickly in full sun so there is a bit of glare. It was just too ccold for me to take a lot of time to set the shot up. They're both done in acrylics on box frames and will be finished off in beeswax. And once again I've been influenced by the work of Canadian artist Jean Paul Lemieux.



This one is called "Beyond The Trees" and is 20 x 16 inches.



If you've followed my blog or been to my website you'll know I love painting women in hats.

And before I dash back to work, this is Jenna. Even in her thick Malamute coat, she would really rather be in the house than outside,unless of course she's on the pulling end of the leash...hmmm...which reminds me, almost time to walk the dog.

Will Be Back In My Little Studio Soon!

Well, too many days have passed since I last posted. Family responsibilities have taken me away from my paints for a bit...but I do expect to be back in my quiet little studio soon.

A Windy Sunday Night

Sunday night, the wind is blowing and I'm ready for a cup of tea and my book. We never seem to get around to buying proper book shelves, so our books seem to be constantly moving...from beside the bed to the closet, to the window seat...sometimes taking a break in in the basement, but more often than not they're lent to a friend or given to our daughter...she has bookshelves. And sometimes when I'm at her house, I browse through her shelves, pick up a book that interests me and realize, that it's my book or at least was mine. We are book lovers. I'm reading two books right now, "Love in the Time of Cholera," and "The Lion, the Fox and The Eagle." I'm not sure which one I'll reach for first tonight...

And I painted this weekend. I finished two new pieces, a Frida and a Nun, both with crows and both on box frames, finished with beeswax.



Title: Is it Luck?



Title: Forever

A Little William Morris

I’ve always loved the work of the Pre- Raphaelites, and lately I’ve been particularly fascinated by the fabric and wallpaper designs of William Morris. I had planned to search out some fabric remnants and wall paper ends to start work on some collage pieces. But, as I looked at the snow coming down again today, I just couldn’t bring myself to dig the car out and slip and slide my way on any excursion that wasn’t completely necessary. So, instead I decided to paint a “William Morris”, well at least inspired by. It’s a sort of take on his “Orange Tree”. Over the next few weeks I hope to incorporate the Morris designs into my figurative pieces.



I also finished another Madonna, this one is done on a rustic piece of wood, plenty of texture and finished off with gold leaf on the halo. The robes and pose are inspired by a Virgin and Child masterpiece by Duccio di Buoninsegna.

Applications and Spring Promises

Where have I been?

I've been at my desk for the last few days filling out applications and writing cheques! These are the busy days of trying to figure out a reasonable and workable show schedule for the forthcoming year. All the artisans "on the circuit" have their favourite shows and festivals. Some allow strictly wall art, some welcome just about every medium including body care, candy, chutney and jewelry. Some festivals are all about the music with a little art on the side. And every show has it's own specific set of requirements for the application process. I think it's safe to say all require a cheque and basic "tombstone" information. But after that I have to make sure I have my glasses on and read the fine print very carefully.

Naturally, all juries want to see sample of the work. Some are satisfied with a link to my website, others want only photos of a specific number and size, some accept a CD. And then they might want an artist statement, a CV, a description of the process involved in the work, and a picture or detailed description of my display.

And then come the weeks and months of waiting. Will I be juried in or receive the dreaded, "thank you for your application...we regret...and we hope you'll try again next year." Even with happy, satisfied collectors all over the world, it happens...I've been turned down. So, your ego at the door and carry on!

But in the midst of all this I got back to my paints and completed another angel on a box frame.



It was snowy and cold when I finished this one, I was dreaming of spring and called it; "I'll Promise Spring."

Box Frames Snow Storms and Another Angel Painting

It seems the groundhogs are in agreement. Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie are both predicting six more weeks of winter. We had another storm of grand, snowy proportions yesterday, and I suspect the famous rodents are excellent prognosticators and we can expect to need our woolies for some time to come!

But as always, my work goes on, rain, shine, snow and all weather in between. I've just moments ago finished a commission piece destined for the UK. The collector requested a box frame rather than canvas and I am so happy that she did. Hubby had an excuse to buy his new air nailer and I now have a stack of box frames ready for gesso and paint. He used 1 1/2 in x 1/2 in wood for the frame, the painting surface is cut the same size as the outside dimensions of the frame, nailed down and smoothed and sanded. I don't actually mind them a bit "rustic" as I use a lot of texture in many of my paintings anyway.



It seems hard to believe, but I'm also beginning to build inventory for my first (so far at least) show of 2008. So if you're in the Ottawa area, mark your calender, ORIGINALS The Spring Craft Sale takes place April 17th to 20th, 2008 at the Ottawa Civic Centre, Lansdowne Park.

The Last Day of January!

Tom Allen, the morning host of Music And Company, CBC radio, has just reminded me that this is the last day of January. My last chance to make something of this first month of the New Year...As I survey the scene around me, it's pretty clear I haven't gotten around to cleaning this messy studio of mine...but I have painted, lots and that's really more important.

Here's the last little piece I've finished.



She's a sweet little angel set against a textured background that sparkles with Swarovski crystals.

Oh Really?

I was just about to head for bed and a book and I realized I hadn't posted my new work. So without any chatter, I'm just too tired to write anything, here they are.



I call this one "Oh Really?"



And this one is "You Were Saying..."

And now it's time to turn it off.

Marking a Day

I'm happy to say my "to do" list is one item shorter tonight. I've finished one of my commissions; I've sent a jpeg off to the collectors and they're happy, so I am too.



I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I've been so wrapped up in my work and own little life, I had forgotten that today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. In other years, I've done a special painting to mark the day. But this year, January 27th was upon me, before I was reminded by the media. But I will take a moment to remember.

Raise a Toast to Robbie Burns

There will be no haggis on my table tonight, but my ever faithful CBC radio has kept me company with the sounds of Robbie Burns. Such heartfelt and moving words and music it is. If you aren't convinced take a listen to Edith Wiens sing "Ae Fond Kiss" arranged by Healy Willan and of course written by Robert Burns.

"Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me."

~ Robert Burns

And there are more verses...but you should be too teary to read much further by now...

But on to art.

I'm worked on a commission today. Although very much a work in progress, the groundwork is there.



And so I'll leave you with another shot of my moon taken this morning from my studio window at 7:12 AM.

The Morning Moon

This is a shot of the pale winter moon from my studio window at 7:12 this morning. The light was so beautiful I couldn't resist reaching for my camera. Within a few moments, the sun had chased all this enchanting atmosphere away...


Well, if I was in my studio at 7 am and it's now almost 9 pm, I do believe it is time to call it a day. I was busy printing a wholesale order today but managed to finish a small painting. It's called "With Praying Hands".

Was A Young Maiden

More experimentation with a dark palette and glazing and another dark Madonna. Lots of texture and again, the halo is gold leaf. I've called this one "Was a Young Maiden".

Black Madonna Painting For Today

It snowed all day today, sometimes great big fluffy flakes and sometimes more of that snow that looks almost like mist. It was beautiful light to paint by. But not the best I realized for taking pictures of my finished work. The browns are much richer than I'm seeing on my monitor. I call this Black Madonna "Divine Within." The background and halo are deeply textured and I've used gold leaf on halo.



There is a lovely woman and fantastic artist named Judy Vars. She writes a wonderful, entertaining and as I've learned, instructional blog. Her latest entries illustrate the process of "indirect painting". Her resulting paintings are gorgeous. Judy, you've almost convinced me it's time to start experimenting with oils again!

Nibblefest Starts Tonight!

The business journalists and the economists are talking economic gloom and doom these days, so maybe everyone needs a little art to lighten the mood. Today is the 20th, which means it's time for another round of Nibblefest on eBay. Once a month, starting on the 20th, a group of eBay artists list a piece of art they've created on an agreed upon theme. And the listings all open at $0.99. This month the theme is "two animals combined to form one." I was stymied until I started looking through one of my Frida Kahlo books and remembered a piece she had done called "The Little Deer". It is a painful piece, her own portrait complete with antlers on the body of a deer's body riddled with arrows. My little folk piece is gentler, I didn't include the arrows, but rather "framed" the piece in a border of molded clay skulls finished in a faux silver.



While browsing through the "Diary of Frida Kahlo", I came across this entry "...Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing "man" has but I'm sure that animals suffer, and yet they do not exhibit their "pain" in "theatres" neither open nor "closed"(their "homes") and their pain is more real than any image that any man can "perform" xxxor or feel as painful._________

Strangely coincidental I saw five beautiful deer while out walking the dog this afternoon. They were quite close and not the least bit startled.

Opera, Angel Painting and Unfinished Frida

Even though it is Saturday and I had promised myself some time away from the computer and the easel, here I am still at it. As I've mentioned before, CBC Radio Two is my constant companion. My treat today was a broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera 1977 performance of La Boheme, staring Luciano Pavarotti and Renata Scotto. I'm a total "no nothing" in the field of opera, but as I believe Popeye the Sailor Man, that great philosopher said, "I knows what I likes." And I like opera. I love opera. I can't carry a tune and I struggled through grade school music classes, but I love opera and especially Puccini.

I remember the moment I discovered opera, in a most pedestrian way. We had taken the kids to the Festival of Fire in 1993. We had neglected to buy tickets that would provide seating, so there we were scurrying around with four kids in tow trying to find the best view of the fireworks over the Toronto waterfront. As I recall, at least one of them was crying, it was hard to find an unobstructed view, but the sky was filled with fire and the air was filled with Pavarotti and well, "friends". I was converted on the spot! I went out and bought "Pavarotti and Friends" as soon as I could. I know the whole stadium opera thing has many detractors, but for me, it worked. It wasn't long before I had graduated to listening to Pavarotti sans "friends". And one of these days I will make it to the Four Seasons Centre and maybe even the Met, but for now, I have to be satisfied with Saturday Afternoon At the Opera on the radio.

Well, I guess I should talk about the "other" art - painting. I'm working on a couple of Frida à la Klimt pieces, one large, one small. I hope to have at least one finished tomorrow, but here they are in progress.





And I managed to finish an angel painting...



It's called "The Dreams of Angels, is on 15 x 30 inch canvas and as you may be able to see had plenty of texture and metallic copper and gold.

Valentine Angel Painting for Today

As I've been making my way through my supplies, I realize that I have stacks of 8 x 10 in canvas. So you're going to be seeing a lot of smaller paintings for the next month. Although I don't like the extra weight of wood when we haul the art around to shows, I do love to paint on wood. So this week when I received a request for a painting on a wooden "box frame" I had to do a bit of googling to find out just what I need to do. I've already put my request in to hubby to fire up the saw and build the first couple frames. I can't wait to get started on the first experiment.

But in the meantime, there is one less unused 8 x 10 in canvas in my studio. I call it "A Valentine Tale", and it's romantic and sweet with a row of hearts I used texture paint and a stencil to create running down one side. It's always hard to see, but I've used liquid gold leaf on her halo.



With Valentine's day so close, I decided to run this as an auction on eBay.

Romantic Celtic Princess Painting For Today

As you know, one of the places to find my work is on eBay. And you may recall that on the 20th of each month a group of eBay artists have a contest we call Nibblefest. Each participating artist creates a piece, according to a theme. Each piece must be listed for the crazy low price of $0.99! Then we all hope that we get lots of bids! This month the theme is "combine two or more animals to make one." I thought about a mermaid, but I had just painted one, so decided to go in a different direction...I'm not quite finished but will share my entry on the 20th.

In the meantime, I finished a sweet little romantic girl. I think she's a Celtic princess of some sort. I used the same sort of faux finish I've been working with for the last week or so and anchored the four corners with Celtic spirals, I made from clay.

Naive Girl and Dove Painting

I didn't think my posts could get much shorter than yesterday, but here I am wondering what the heck could I possibly say other than "well, here's what I painted today." And well, not much apparently. I started a couple of pieces today, but none of them are really ready to share. So, instead I'll just post the piece I'm putting up for auction on eBay. It's a naive piece that I've had hanging in my house and thought it was time to send it out into the world.



It's a nice big painting 16 x 20 in, I find it rather serene and calming.