Working = Learning

Hi Everyone,

I have been working on many projects throughout this winter and spring.

I've made lots of letterpress cards at the print studio, set up my ArtRocks Press Etsy shop

and completed lots of custom orders.

Special orders are always a treat for many reasons. I get to challenge myself by going out of my comfort zone on certain projects. These types of orders have me working closely with a customer of which the collaboration inevitably inspires  me in other projects!

Above is one of the hundreds of pet portraits that I have done over 17 years. I do not do very many of these any more because of time constraints, but I always love creating a portrait for a gift or for an owner of a beautiful animal. Our companimals are such a huge part of our lives! 

I have made rock "favours" for wedding guests, specialized birthday stones and memorial stones. Teacher gifts and graduation gifts with beautiful sentiments inscribed on the back are a favourite. Another very unique project was working on a "bowl of stones" for a customer who wanted her favourite quotes on stones to inspire her daily.

Thank you to all my wonderful customers for thinking of me when they want a gift for someone special in their lives or for themselves. It really is a remarkable part of what I get to do 😀

Karen

Lists, Lists, Lists

 Lists run my life! I couldn't live without them. I make lists for my business and my home continuously! Lists in notebooks, lists on the fridge, lists on the iPad. Lists for the month  get put into lists for the week and then for the day.

Are you a list maker?

Why I love lists-

1. They free up my head from the many things swirling in it (a good load off my mind) 

2. To remind me of things I need to remember (duh) 

3. So I can cross things off the list when the task is completed (so satisfying...don't you ever finish a busy day and wonder what you did? The "done" list is a great cheerleader!)

I have learned over the years that the list must be flexible (in most cases). It really defeats the good part of making lists if you are anxiety ridden by the thought of the list. 
(prioritizing is very helpful)

So, because I am going away for a month long trip next week, I have been working on many lists besides the regular grocery lists and house/work tasks—what to take, what the house sitter needs to do, how to keep the kitty cats happy while we're gone, places to see on the trip, and, a very important one,  the list of stones to make before I leave!

My summers are not normally this list filled, but it will stop when I am on vacation. 
Well, not quite—I guess I have the pages of things to do while on vacation that I'll be excitedly crossing off!

Please follow me at Instagram.com/ArtrocksByKaren if you want to see pictures of the Italian adventure as I will not be posting on my blog until October! 

Enjoy the rest of the summer and see you in the fall!

xo

Karen

Art Date: Beautiful Nature!

 Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.

-Albert Einstein

 

What a gorgeous day to be out in the park with a whole slew of other people enjoying the same thing- the beauty, the weather, the flowers, the play and just being together!

I took my camera and was able to capture some snippets of natural beauty. It is so important to take the time to get out in nature and experience all of her inspiration and awe.

The English Garden at Assiniboine Park was billowing with color and texture. The Duck Pond was surrounded by families picnicking and watching the waterfowl. 

And we cannot forget those mischievous groundhogs :)

It was an exhilarating visit!

I hope your day includes some outdoor time.

 xo

Art Date: the ZOO

 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the zoo for the first time since the Journey to Churchill exhibit opened! It was wonderful to be out in the chilly air and watch the animals doing their thing.

The polar bear area was spectacular, but alas, we went at nap time, so the swimming and playing was not happening :( Luckily one bear arose to take a look around and I was able to capture his loveliness in the late afternoon light.

It was an inspiring and crisp afternoon and it was a great chance to practice using the new telephoto lens! The lens made such a difference in capturing these beautiful beasts!

I hope you enjoy-

Karen

Next week: letterpress update!

(these little puffs are arctic foxes!)

Thanks Regina!

When we go on our little business trips for Artrocks, we always try to enjoy the whole adventure...from start to finish! Since we are busy from morning till night during the show, we took an extra day off to do a few things.

Here are some pictures of the drive, the show, a visit to the MacKenzie Art Gallery and Old George's near Whitewold, Saskatchewan!

Thanks for a great show Regina!

Art Date: Walk at the Forks

 There were lots of wonderful moments on this lovely day at The Forks Historic Site.
There were people, music and sunshine in abundance. We also wandered over the bustling Esplanade Riel to visit the St. Boniface Basilica. What a stunning afternoon of architecture, history and community. 
I hope you have a chance to enjoy the sunshine today. Have a beautiful one!

The Blue Heron

photo credit: Curtis Walker

When I was little, we had a family cabin in Keewatin, Ontario. We would spend a month every summer at this magical place! My memories are of periods of quiet retreat and periods of bustling action with a cabin full of guests and extended family. One of the rituals I looked forward to every year was the day we would go to Kenora for lunch at the Kenricia Hotel followed by a visit to my favorite store: The Blue Heron. The store opened in 1977 and poked out over the lake where the old fish market used to be. It was packed full of antiques, artwork and fun collectables and souvenirs. I loved looking around in all the different rooms, filled with cool furniture and beautiful items.

Flash-forward 30 years later and here I am announcing that my stones and cards are now in The Blue Heron in Kenora! What a thrill it is- and also a little surreal!

I hope you get a chance to stop by this iconic store when you are visiting Lake of the Woods. You can take a look around, catch the view and have ice-cream!

Art Date: Etching Class!

  One of the items on my 2014 Check List was to take an art course. 
 I am happy to say that I completed an intaglio class at Martha Street Printmaking Studio!
It was such a joy to learn some new skills...besides some art related ones, I learned to slow down and be patient. I was also happy to find out that my brain was ok with all this new stuff!  
In intaglio (etching), you work on copper. The plate is prepared and coated with a hard ground which you then draw your design into. The copper that is exposed by the drawing is etched in an acid bath. I worked many, many hours on my two designs: drawing, then etching, reapplying ground and etching again. It is such an interesting and thoughtful process.  I have included some pictures of one of my plates from intaglio class and will be sharing some pictures from my new Letterpress class (Yay!) on Instagram 
over the next few weeks.
P.S. I hope that you are inspired to try a new class in anything that intrigues you!

Here is the copper plate I etched, inked up and ready to print.

The plate is put on the press...

And a piece of wet (but not too wet) beautiful paper is placed carefully on the plate.

Felt clothes are placed over the paper and plate. I  then used the big "captain's wheel" to roll the plate through the heavy rollers.

Then, like a gift, you pull off the paper and voila! A print.

Below is a clean plate and a print with some drawing tools!

xo

Art Journal

 Hope your day is going well!
I thought it was time to show you some work in progress. I have some fresh ideas to share and have been doodling and getting motivated and excited by my printmaking class and other creative people. The winter has been long and a little too enclosed...I cannot wait to get out and be inspired by the fresh air and maybe some greenery!
And perhaps to collect some rocks! It has been a long time, hasn't it?

Art Date: Photo Day!

Looking for some color in all of the white.

I miss taking photos. Real photos with a real camera. I found that I have gotten, shall I say, lazy (with the iPad and all).

So, I have promised myself to take out my SLR regularly to capture extraordinary parts of ordinary days.

"Photography is a way of of feeling, of touching of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything"

- Aaron Siskind 

Last Sale of the Season!

Here we are at the last ArtRocks show of the season...where did the time go??

The show is Saturday, the 7th at Springs Church (10am-4pm) 

It is also the last stretch of the 15th Anniversary Contest #2!

Please remember to enter by commenting on a blog post or facebook post 

or enter in person at the Saturday show.

You can enter more than once, you know!!!

Keep warm!

 Karen

P.S. Contest closes December 9th; winner announced on the 11th!

 

 

Quote Love