Tag Archives: abstract art

Group art exhibition – Be Yoga, Burlington

June 16, 2016 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

Group Art Exhibition

Recently I was invited by Oakville artist Derik Hawley to display some of my paintings in a group art exhibition at Be Yoga & Wellness in Burlington. I thought it was a great idea, especially when I realized it was at Fairview & Walker’s Line, only a 4min drive from my house!

The nature of the space & format of the show, gave me the opportunity to exhibit a wide variety of subjects – florals, peacock feather-inspired abstracts, and some never-before exhibited experimental abstracts.

Abstract Art

The painting above – Enduring, 30″x60″ – was the first thing I painted for 2016, an experiment in abstraction. It sat in a corner of my studio (waiting for me to figure out what to do with it) until I jumped on this chance to show it. As it turns out, I’ve been told by the manager that it is the piece that gets the most comments & compliments!

There is also another abstract painting of mine in the same room, but I’ll leave it for you to discover on your own. It has been hanging in my house since I painted it in 2012, the result of a long, cathartic painting session. Again, although it is an interesting painting, it did not fit into my regular body of work, so I kept it to myself. However, I could not get over the co-incidence that the only text in the painting is “Be” (the title of the painting is “Just be”), and the name of the yoga studio is Be Yoga! So I brought it along on a whim, and it turned out to be a good call.

The other Artists

Derik is showing some of his lovely digital images in a variety of sizes. I think they mostly start out as photographs he has taken, but then he manipulates them through computer programs, and the resulting abstract images are mesmerizing. They remind me of stained glass, and kaleidoscopes.

There are also some beautiful black & white images from Oakville photographer Bill Smith. And I saw a wonderful painting of a swimmer in a pool – with an emphasis on light creating patterns on the water- that artist Heather Horton dropped off, it’s probably hanging by now.

Thanks

I’d like to thank Be Yoga & Wellness for showing local art, and manager Kelly Foster and artist Derik Hawley for inviting me to be a part of this ongoing group art exhibition.

If you’re in the area, please drop in during regular open hours and take a look! The address is 4031 Fairview St., Unit 103.

All art is available – see labels for details, and purchases may be made through the front desk.

Art Classes, Available Paintings, Painting Party, Peacock

Peacock Painting Party in St. Lucia

March 22, 2016 Donna Grandin 2 Comments

Peacock painters aplenty!

We held the Peacock Painting Party at Island Mix on Sat 12th March, and it was a great experience. Ten lovely ladies created their own unique paintings, inspired by peacock feathers.

I was so happy to see how they were able to apply my techniques, but add their own personal flair to each design.

Interestingly, some of the paintings had similarities – though, none of them looked like my demo painting. The greatest similarities were between family members, whether or not they sat together. Hmm.

abstract paintings — Paintings by Liz and Finola Jennings Clark, © 2016 Finola Jennings Clark

As artist, blogger, bee-keeper, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Cultural Development Foundation, fellow St. Lucian Finola put it on Facebook; “Took big Sis with all her jet lag, to art class… Here are our two peacock paintings. Not bad Huh? Hard to tell who’s the pilot n who’s the artist!!! “

Venue for the Peacock Painting Party

I am getting ahead of myself, first, here is a 48 second video I took just before everyone arrived, to give you a sense of how idyllic the waterfront setting is at Island Mix.

Thanks to Nadia Jabour, of Island Mix, for this opportunity. We were having so much fun painting, that when we neared the 3 hour mark, Nadia offered to order in pizza for us, and so we were able to keep going for another hour.

The day before the workshop was rainy, and I was worried the rain would blow in on us while we painted, but we had a beautiful sunny morning for our peacock painting party.

In fact it was so bright when we took our group photo at the end, that the details of the paintings are hard to make out. Next time I will try to photograph some of the individual paintings.

Meanwhile, artist, jeweller and art teacher, Alcina Nolley, sent me a clear image of her painting to share in this post.

And can I say how lovely it was to have such a diverse set of artists for my first group painting session? The age range was about 60 years, from a teen to a retired art teacher.

Some of these ladies were new to acrylic painting, others have graphic art backgrounds, or paint on fabric and glass etc, and sell their products – one of them even had a painting of hers sell in the shop area while she was taking the workshop!

peacock painting party - group photo — Group photo of Peacock Painting Party, Island Mix, St. Lucia

I knew a few like Kim, whose daughter had attended my semi-private art lessons the last time I was in St. Lucia – this time they both came. However, many of them I really only know through social media. And there were a couple new faces.

However, St. Lucia is a small island, so we ALL had mutual friends and many of the ladies knew each other very well, so it was a fun group.

Carnival, 16"x60" tripych, © 2015 Donna Grandin. $1600. — I brought this triptych as an example of one of the many ways I myself have played with the peacock feather theme. It is now available at Island Mix.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and based on the success of this event, I plan to book another workshop when next in St. Lucia.

There are several people who have expressed an interest, they are just scattered about – St. Lucia, Burlington, Cobourg, even Texas!

If you would like to attend a Peacock Painting Party, contact me at donna@bluerootsartstudio.com, and I will let you know if/when I am planning something in your area.

Also, more of my peacock feather-inspired abstract paintings can be seen here.

Available Paintings, Peacock, Small paintings

Peacock feather Valentine

February 11, 2016 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

peacock feather abstract heart — Peacock feather Valentine, 6″x6″, acrylic on canvas, ©2016 Donna Grandin

Valentine Art

Valentine’s day is on its way, and again this year I’ve painted a whimsical heart-themed painting … or two. It is fun to add to my collection of images with hearts each year, eventually I will have enough for a nice collage.

I had the idea of using two peacock feathers to create the heart, but the first painting I did came out looking less like a heart and more like a whimsical owl!

So, I painted another one … adjusting the angle a little, and got more of a heart shape this time.

I have been working on several small peacock feather inspired abstracts, and as much as I am excited to share them with you, I think I am going to wait until I have a whole batch done before I reveal.

That way I can work on several paintings at one time, and come back later to tweak if necessary.

Also, I often photograph small work myself, outdoors, but it is tricky this time of year. Don’t ask.

So, I am going to concentrate on producing new art for the Spring market.

Application Season

And I am filling out applications … so far I can confirm that I will be back at Art in the Park Oakville at the beginning of August, and I will have 2 paintings in the next show at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton.

I was hoping to get through a handful of applications this week, but I’ll be lucky if I get through two.

I pretty much have two bodies of work right now … on one extreme I have realistic tropical florals, and on the other I have the peacock-feather inspired abstracts, but somewhere in the middle they overlap … the “sky-holes” became “dashes”. The difficulty lies in finding ways to group them together, depending on the show I am applying to – sometimes the available pieces blend well, and sometimes they don’t.

If it will only be a few pieces, I select within one theme. I find myself however re-writing my artist statement to suit. And of course I’ve had to update my biography, and my CV … all while keeping within certain parameters. Each application has a different set of rules; you write a 200 word Bio for one, and for the next you need to cut it down to 100 words, or one sentence (for the brochure).

Image resolution, and size can vary a lot too … another time suck. And all the images and accompanying paperwork have to fit into a 2 MB e-mail. No wait, this one wants it on a CD. That means it has to be done in time to stick it in the mail or else I’ll be driving up ten minutes before the midnight deadline, through a snow-storm, to drop in their mailbox … again.

The process has gotten easier over the years, with practice … though I still need to improve my “systems”. Some artists just seem to whip these applications off. I probably take everything a little too seriously, trying to follow all the rules.

A juror once told me that an artist we knew had submitted a 20 page CV, but she still got in because they didn’t look at the CV’s anyway. Meanwhile, I always try to cut it down to 2 or 3 pages, which means finding new ways to summarize every year, hopefully replacing minor show listings with more impressive ones.

Ok, I apologize to those of you who may have clicked on this link to look at paintings about love, maybe read some mushy words about love. Somehow this post turned out to be nothing like that. That’s how I roll. I post a new painting, I start typing, and whatever is on my mind ends up on the screen. Sometimes I can keep writing until I make a full circle back to the painting, and connect a thread that runs through it all. This isn’t one of those times.

Time to take my son to gymnastics. Life of an artist/mom.

Available Paintings, Peacock, Small paintings

Peacock feather fantasy triptych

December 31, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

peacock art — Peacock feather fantasy (1), 6″x6″ each canvas, acrylic on canvas, © Donna Grandin. $300. triptych

I painted this peacock fantasy triptych earlier in December, but only got around to photographing it today. It has been a strange month. I have to admit that I was caught up in the mural project and did not plan far enough ahead for the Christmas season.

I did have more Art Cards printed, and I shipped some of those and some original paintings out this month.

I also ordered a tote bag and cushion covers from with my images from Pixels as samples. They are in St. Lucia right now, you can view/purchase at Island Mix if you’re fast!

I have a few images uploaded on that site, you can order prints and greeting cards as well as a few home decor items, and they will be shipped directly to you, wherever you are.

The small peacock abstracts were popular this year – I only had one left, so I thought I would create a pair for it. I started with the same colour palette, but then I decided to add some light blue and little by little a whole new triptych emerged.

The individual canvases do not have to be installed quite so close together, each can be displayed on its own. I just like to paint in series, especially if I hit on a combination of colours etc. that I like.

There is an air of fantasy about this series, and so maybe it is appropriate to release it on New Year’s Eve. It reminds me of feather boas, champagne & fireworks. Celebration.

Best wishes for 2016!!!

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

Moonlit – abstract painting, Peacock series

August 2, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

Can you feel the movement in this painting?

Although my interpretation of the peacock feathers is more plant-like in Moonlit, I think you still get the feeling of them being swooshed around in the currents.

This was the first painting I created in my Hamilton studio during my 3 month “self-hosted residency”.

I remember there was a little happy dance involved. I shut my door, turned on the radio and stood at the easel. I was euphoric with the possibilities ahead … I’d carved out the space, privacy and time to work on a new series of abstracts. Freedom from photos, and any preconceived notions.

It was exhilarating. As I moved to the music I sketched a whimsical image in charcoal, and wrote down lyrics that resounded with me.

Eventually I started adding colour and the painting evolved, but I did take a photo and will show it to you … if you are the one who ends up collecting this piece. Otherwise, it’s WAY too embarrassing to put out there!

I will have Moonlit at the art fair tomorrow, but it may not be on display, so if you want to see it specifically, just ask!

Have you enjoyed my week of Peacock Painting Previews?

If you are on my Blue Roots Art Studio Mailing List, even if you’re reading this blog post now, take a look at today’s e-mail because there is something special in it for you!

I will probably not post for a while, as I will be wiped out after this event, and I will have some follow-up items to take care of … not to mention hanging out with my boys. Summer is flying by faster than I thought it would.

There is a big new art project on the horizon, I don’t want to announce it until all the signatures are on the contract etc, but it will keep me busy for the next 2 months. Just a hint though … it does not involve peacock feathers OR tropical foliage.

I am looking forward to seeing some of you at Art in the Park Oakville tomorrow. I will be in booth #143.

It looks like there will be rain, but the show will go on. I invested in a waterproof tent, to protect my paintings, so just dress accordingly and come on out!

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

Feather flower – peacock painting

July 31, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

Well, what can I say, except that this peacock painting just seemed to paint itself? There comes a time when you’ve been painting a subject for a long enough that you start to develop your own language, a way of applying paint, repeating motifs etc. I know this one won’t be for everyone, but hey, it’s fun!

Original art, in search of an original collector! Whether it is I, or an art dealer, who eventually acts as matchmaker, the collector will be someone with bold taste.

I am posting very late tonight as I was catching up on my finances all day … had to file hst for the last quarter, and there were MANY receipts to enter into my system!

Please don’t forget to look back at earlier posts to see if you’ve missed any of my new image. www.bluerootsartstudio.com/blog

E-mail donna@bluerootsartstudio.com if something catches your “eye”. (That’s a peacock pun, in case you missed it).

4 days till Art in the Park, Oakville! Remember, I’ll be in booth #143.

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

Peacockery, a new abstract painting

July 30, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

peacock abstract, blue — Peacockery, 24″x24″, acrylic on canvas, © 2015 Donna Grandin. $1100.

This painting was a lot of fun to create, and again features some nice blues and greens. I was not trying to paint realistically – although after all these years, it’s easy to fall back into a comfortable way of working – but in the end I think I’ve captured the essence of a peacock here.

There is something so orderly and determined about this painting, sometimes I put it next to Flow, to compare them.

Although the colours are similar, Flow is a lot looser and flexible. I tend to think of them as personalities, and I wonder who would be attracted to each painting.

Are you attracted to the one that best reflects your personality, or to the one that you wish to emulate? I think we often fall into the trap of thinking the grass is greener on the other side.

From a young age, and out of necessity, I developed chameleon tendencies. I was, and am, able to get along with and appreciate a wide range of people.

It is really helpful to be able to see things from another person’s perspective.

That’s why I enjoy having a diverse group of family, friends and acquaintances.

And so, both paintings represent a different aspect of my personality. As each painting an artist creates, has something of them in it.

Ok, today’s post is later in the day than I’d planned. I spent a lot of time shopping around for the little details I need for this new set-up I’m using for my first outdoor art fair on Monday, August 3rd.

My tablecloths arrived today, yay! And the spit is on the side, so it turns out I was worrying for nothing about that. However, on the negative side, there are a LOT of creases where it has been folded.

Yes, I do own an iron and an ironing board, but honestly, I’ve used it less than a handful of times in the last decade!

And even if I do iron out the creases, won’t it just get new ones when I fold it? Hmm, maybe the choice of fabric wasn’t so great.

Anyway, tomorrow I have to finish filing my hst for this quarter, so I suspect I won’t get to blog until late again.

Until then, you can take a look at www.bluerootsartstudio.com to see a gallery of available paintings.

And please let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

In the crease – peacock painting

July 28, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

peacock feather abstraction, green — In the crease, 20″x16″ acrylic on canvas, © 2015 Donna Grandin. $700.

One more week to go until Art in the Park, Oakville and I have a lot of details to attend to … so I’m going to keep it short & sweet today (ok, maybe tomorrow).

Do you have a favourite colour? People who are drawn to my art often remark on my use of colour, and I usually reply “yes, I grew up in the Caribbean so that’s probably why I use such bright sunny colours”.

However, I have been living in Canada for more than half my life now, and although I go back to the Caribbean to visit my parents, family, galleries, and gather inspiration for my art … even I can see how my use of colour has changed over the last few years.

It’s like my accent, which I only remember I have when someone new mentions it. When I first came to Canada, I knew my accent would be confusing to some people, and had fun with it. The surprising part came a few years later, when in St. Lucia, I was told I sounded like a Canadian!

For better or for worse, your environment shapes you. So i guess the key is to surround yourself with things and people you love, and that make you happy.

Turquoise has been my favourite colour since I was 12 – we were visiting family in Canada and on a trip to the mall, I bought a piece of costume jewellery, a silver ring with two turquoise hearts.

It was so beautiful to me then, and still is now, even though I don’t really remember wearing it often. It somehow just belongs in my jewellery box, a momento of a time, a place, an age. A miniature work of art, imbued with nostalgia.

Obviously, I have an affinity towards blues and greens – certainly it is reminiscent of the Caribbean landscape & seascape, and partially the reason I named my business Blue Roots Art Studio – and so peacock imagery was always somewhat special and magical to me.

And I hope you will enjoy this new blue-green thing I’ve created, maybe it can even bring some magic and happiness to your environment!?!

View this and other available paintings at www.bluerootsartstudio.com

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

Nesting – abstract painting, peacock series

July 28, 2015 Donna Grandin 1 Comment

Today’s painting was created in my Hamilton studio, on the second floor of the building at 337 Ottawa St. N … around the corner from 337 Sketch Gallery. There are a few artists & photographers renting space there, but a lot of available space in case any of you are looking.

I was lucky enough to be able to rent a room short term for the project I had in mind – I’m calling it a “self-hosted residency”, for the artist whose kids are still too young for her to apply for a proper residency.

Despite the crazy time frame (on a good day that would be the hours my youngest was in school, minus the commute back & forth), I was prolific during that time.

I thought I would show you some of the stages that this painting went through … especially because I know there are a number of artists following along.

To be honest, when I started with the pthalo blue background, I intended to let the wispy bits of the feathers fade into the blue … but then I mixed up a nice buttery colour and I just got carried away cutting away the negative shapes around the wreath shape.

That left me with a blue wreath floating on a light background. So then I got the idea to add a pattern, to help integrate the different elements of the image … and I started with circles.

How about a wreath floating, on a stoney riverbed?

I filled in some of the circles, creating depth, making them less like circles. In fact some looked a little like … eggs. After all, I’m painting peacock feathers … so eggs aren’t a stretch.

Up until this point I had been flipping the painting around and around as I went, not quite sure I wanted to assign a right-side-up to it.

As I played with the idea that the stones could actually be eggs, I really began working on the shadow. That’s when the orientation became obvious to me.

I decided to leave room for multiple interpretations of this image.

The research I have done on peacock imagery shows that over the years it has been used as a symbol of immortality, resurrection, rebirth.

Nesting, 24″x24″, acrylic on canvas, © 2015 Donna Grandin. $1100.

Every day until Art in the Park, Oakville which is on August 3, I will be posting a new painting from my peacock series. Join my e-mail list so you don’t miss any!

If you are already subscribed, and haven’t read yesterday’s notice … the daily e-mails are only for this week, after that it goes back down to 1-4x/mth!

If this painting catches your eye, and you can imagine it in your home or office, e-mail donna@bluerootsartstudio.com

Available Paintings, Exhibitions

Chorus Line – wip pics & painting notes

July 26, 2015 Donna Grandin Leave a comment

Here are some work-in-progress images of today’s painting, Chorus Line. I’ve been asked about my process for this peacock feather-inspired series, and I think this collage sums it up.

As a painter, especially one who has a background in painting realism, the appeal of abstraction is the spontaneity of it. You have to surrender to the flow, live in the moment & really listen to your intuition. Depending on the artist, this can either be therapeutic, or terrifying!

Quite frankly, this method of pushing & pulling paint, building the image up in layers, is actually my natural way of working.

Except for rare occasions when the project calls for it, I prefer not to start with a precise drawing, but to lay in blocks of colour as I establish the composition. Then I refine & refine … and the longer I hang on to my reference photos, the more realistic the painting will be in the end.

peacock feather abstract painting — Chorus line, 16″x20″, acrylic on canvas, © 2015 Donna Grandin. $700.

If I’m feeling bold and confident, I ditch the reference photos earlier, and let the painting take me on a journey of discovery. I love ending up somewhere I could never have predicted … it’s in those exciting moments where you’re off the map – when you take on great risk (like when I glazed quinacridone violet over phalo green in the center image above) – that amazing, new things show up on the canvas.

There’s a painter’s high that happens when you paint intuitively, and it works out … that feeling of achievement, of having CREATED something original.

With realism, there is a smug satisfaction from having developed the skills to be able to translate a 3D image or even just a concept, into a 2D painting, using your brushes & paint. The longer you work at it, the better an illusionist you become.

But with abstraction, the lines of reality that you were clinging to to control the chaos, are no longer there … the safety net is gone, the boundries are gone … you can go anywhere!

The elements & principles of design remain the same, so if you have a firm grip on them, you can go back & forth between realism and abstraction at will, or by whimsy.

They are after all, just the alphabet of this language of painting … not the message.

I may not bring this painting to Art in the Park Oakville, I worked on my booth layout yesterday & this one did not make it in.

However, if you’re interested in it, let me know, I can always bring it along.

DONNA GRANDIN

Tag Archives: abstract art

Peacock Painting Party in St. Lucia

Peacock painters aplenty!

Venue for the Peacock Painting Party

Peacock feather Valentine

Valentine Art

Application Season

Peacock feather fantasy triptych

Moonlit – abstract painting, Peacock series

Feather flower – peacock painting

Peacockery, a new abstract painting

In the crease – peacock painting

Nesting – abstract painting, peacock series

Chorus Line – wip pics & painting notes

BLUE ROOTS ART STUDIO – acrylic paintings of Caribbean & Canadian landscape, flowers & foliage. Burlington, ON, Canada. 905-639-3419