2024-01 Living Artfully with Gail

Hello Dear Art Lover

Something’s Coming

Best wishes for a wonderfully happy and healthy 2024. Hope you were partying all night long. I was joining you in spirit even if I did hit the hay before midnight.

Have you guessed that I’m up to something? ‘Something’s coming, I don’t know what it is but it is going to be great. ‘Well, I actually do know what it is but I can’t let the cat out of the bag just yet. Do you know which song I’m thinking about? The first correct answer WINS AN ART CARD!

In the past I’ve mentioned Austin Kleon’s delightful books ‘Steal Like anArtist’ and so on. I love his newsletter and while I’m not as prolific as he is in his reading and music listening, I do find quite a bit of gold in his missives. A while ago he mentioned a wonderful book, ‘Drawing for Illustration’ by Martin Salisbury. I highly recommend it if you are at all interested in illustration and drawing. This week he highlights the work of Lynda Barry and Alison Bechdel, two artists who use the graphic novel so marvellously. If you go to Austin’s newsletter of Jan 19, you can find a link to a podcast you might find interesting. You’ll need to send him an email to subscribe. 

Austin Kleon<austinkleon@substack.com>

I recently met another amazing artist, a fellow Finnish Canadian, MinnaKoistinen who is a glass blower. She has built a significant career over several decades and very kindly allowed me to visit her studio. She holds workshops where you can create a masterpiece in just one visit. Her studio is conveniently located in mid Toronto and you can buy her work at Petroff Gallery.

https://playingwithfire.ca.

https://www.petroffgallery.com

Besides having something exciting in the near future, I was accepted to show my artwork in the Focus Gallery that is part of the Melt Studio in Prince Edward County in October of this year. It’s going to be a busy busy time and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

https://www.meltstudiogallery.com

Til next time, be warm and cozy. Thanks so much for reading and supporting me all last year. 

Rock on,

Gail

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

Girls just wanna have fu-un!

The stunning work of Minna Koistinen

Minna and her state of the art kiln

Book your next hot date with Minna

Minna’s studio is mid Toronto..very conveniently located

YOU ARE INVITED…

Currently I’m with ….

• Ahnisnabae Art Gallery, 18 Court St, Thunder Bay

  Ongoing..my art is in the window

  Coming up….

• October - Nov

  Focus Galley 

  Base 31, Barrack 3, 343 County Rd 22,

  Picton, ON

2023-34 Living Artfully with Gail

Hello Dear Art Lover

LET THE BELLS RING OUT!

This is the final newsletter for this year and I want to express my deep appreciation.

Thank you so very much for all the support you’ve given me. For keeping in touch, for visiting my art shows, for reading this newsletter, as well buying my art. I love to hear how you how you’re are flexing your creative muscles and your suggestions about art related events and non-art ideas.

This year I’m sending you a photo of our annual gingerbread cookie making with my sister Patty and grandsons Fox and Theo. Just like so many others, our family has always made gingerbread people and decorated with all the icing they can hold.

So, from my family to yours’… I hope you are able to enjoy your holiday traditions with your loved ones.

Jingle on,

Gail

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hyvaa Joulua ja Onnellista Uutta Vuotta!

You’re Invited!

• Ahnisnabae Art Gallery, 18 Court St, Thunder Bay

Ongoing..my art is in the window

EXCITING NEWS COMING IN 2024…

Can’t wait to share!

2023-01 Living Artfully with Gail

Hello Dear Art Lover       

And in this corner!!!

Happy New Year and as we Finns say Onnellista Uutta Vuotta...if you say it correctly you win a prize. (lol)

I hope you have at least had a chance to take a breath between all the parties, the weather and the fun stuff you get up to. You can imagine the chaos that happens at my house with 2 gandsons and all those sisters of mine. It's always a free for all. 

This year has started off with a bang for me. Or should I say a bell ringing. I am saying goodbye to Labatt Studio and hello to Studio Mack. I'll be sharing an industrial unit with 3 other wonderful artists, Nancy, Penny and Rod. My space will be smaller and we won't have that amazing atrium ceiling we had at Labatt, but the price is right, the location is good and there is parking. It's at Warden and Danforth Rd, only 15 mins east from my house.

You might have seen some of my very large paintings on canvas if you've kept up with the Instagram. I was taking advantage of the wall space at Labatt, but I will still be able to do the same size in my new place. I'm feeling like something is shifting in my practise and  I'm not sure what it is, but it is going to be great. The air is humming and something good is coming. (my  sister , Ellen,  has inserted the music from West Side Story into my ear). Our mom was a member of the record of the month club and every month we had a new favourite to learn. Imagine a small house with 6 dancing maidens singing their hearts out! Fun..Fun..Fun.

So far, and it's only mid Jan, I have FOUR events booked. I am super excited about the March group show  that is with a prestigious west end gallery. Details to follow.

I'm also pleased to announce my  first solo show at a new event space here in the east end. I've booked it for my birthday week in April. Again, details will be coming soon. 

Third, my painting 'The Tall Trees are Listening' was juried into the Artist Network's Hello Yellow show that runs from Jan 18 to Feb 5. It's at Lesliegrove Gallery, 1158 Queen St E at Jones. I hope you'll be able to visit the wonderful bright paintings that are sure to add some warmth to this cold and dreary January.

Another artist whose work I adore, Felicity Somerset, also has a photograph in the show. I'm attaching her photograph as well as a photo of one of my paintings that she got a while ago, plus my current painting. I think there might be a theme here (lol)
Check out Felicity's stunning work. Her work is copywrighted, so please admire it's beauty here or at the show and buy it from her.

https://www.felicitysomersetphotography.com/about

And...if your'e in Thunder Bay this year, I'll have several paintings in the Ahnisnabae Art Gallery owned by Louise Thomas. I am so grateful to Louise for having some of my work in her gallery. She has an amazing collection of indigenous and local artists. I'll let you know when it will be on the walls.

 http://www.ahnisnabae-art.com/contact-us.html 

In anticipation of these shows, I have decided NOT  to have a sale yet. However, if you had your eye on a particular painting and want to get it or put it on hold, we can discuss. I will be giving myself a raise..IOW (in other words) a price increase is coming. Let me know soon if that interests you.

If your'e interested in more art news than I could possilby ever know, check out 
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/12/canada-artists-resale-rights-royalties

There's so much there that I couldn't choose which story to share. Happy reading.

Rock on,

Gail

                      YOUR HOME   +  YOUR STYLE  +  MY ART

2022-01 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover          

And The Winner Is....

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here we go again...round ...... of this pandemic sitch. And that's all I'm going to say about it. You're probably as bored and fed up as I am. Let's focus on brighter prospects and hopefully what I'm bringing adds some beauty and fun to your day.

This year I'm switching things up a bit. The newsletter is becoming a biweekly thing. On the alternate week I am planning to present some live video or a podcast. It's still in the works as I figure out what to do.

Once a month, I will do a draw for a free print, so let's start the year off with a gift to the winner for today. Congratulations to Marta! You'll be getting a print of one of my recent paintings. I'll send you an email to confirm your address .


Let's have some fun. I'm teaching Fox how to do 'blind contour' drawing. So I thought this would be a good exercise to share with you. You'll get better the more you do it. What is 'blind contour' drawing you ask? You'll need a pencil or pen or crayon and a piece of paper. Without looking at your paper, draw a simple object in front of you. DO NOT LOOK at your paper until you think you are finished. Go as slowly as you can and pretend your pencil is tracing the edge of the object.

You will surprise yourself and even if it is not perfect it will have the essence of the object you have drawn. That is how I first created my Grandma series paintings. I closed my eyes and drew her shape as I remembered it. Every time I draw a Grandma, I always do it with my eyes closed. And the figure that appears always looks like a short old woman who is limping along. (My Grandma had a bad hip and used a cane)

It will be fun and inspiring to see your results, so please send them to me..

Here are a few of my Grandma paintings to show you that I don't aim for perfection. They're from my SISU series. SISU is that unique Finnish word for perseverance, strength of mind, and determination.

At long last, I have decided to add classes to my schedule. I am able to offer a safe environment to teach 2 students at a time in my studio. I'll be sharing how to create an intuitive painting using my unique technique with fluid acrylics. I'd love to add you to my waiting list. No experience is required. This isplay time.

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART


ROCK ON

Gail

2021-38 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover              

My Wish For You

As this eventful year ends, I am thinking of the many things I have to be grateful for. Of course it includes my passion for art and my family, but I'm also so very grateful for the support of you, my dear friend in art. Knowing that you’re out there reading my little blurbs here and looking and buying my art reinforces for me the importance of friendship. I try to rein in my perhaps, over the top mentions of those adorable grandsons. It's really difficult some times.

However, I don't think I can ever express how highly I value your support. I wish you a happy time with friends and family, good health and a positive outlook in this crazy life we are living.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and happy and healthy new year.

I'll check in with you again in 2022 and in the meantime,

ROCK ON,


YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

LOVE,

GAIL

PS...just in case your've forgotten, 'Sisu' is the Finnish word for perseverance, strength of purpose and determination. I think we all need some of that just now.

2020-32 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

So...did you figure it out? Of course you did! Just thought I'd have a little fun with you. I'd love to hear you try to pronounce the Finnish though. It is an Uralic language connected to Hungarian. And if you know any of the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania you would have no problem. I cannot speak Finnish very well at all, but I'm having fun using an app to exercise my grey cells.

It means the world to me that you support my second career as an artist by being interested in what I'm doing and buying my art. I've met so many great people along the way and have learned so much. I really cannot thank you enough.

My wish for you is to have a wonderful holiday this year, no matter what it looks like.

We are all hoping to get back to some sort of normality. Perhaps this situation has brought home the importance of personal connection and not taking so much for granted. I wish you good health, success and prosperity in 2021.

The COASTER GIVEAWAY this week is Susan. Congratulations Susan. I'll have those into the mail for you right away.

This newsletter would not be complete without a little grandma bragging. Fox and Theo decorated themselves up for the photo op. They are so excited of course.

This is the last newsletter for the this happy year 2020. Again I thank you for all your responses to me and I wish you and your family a great holiday.

Have a listen to this beautiful rendition of one of my favourite Christmas songs. Courtesy of my baby sister, Ellen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pggyHEiTls&feature=youtu.be

See you next year :)

YOUR HOME YOUR STYLE MY ART

ROCK YOUR JINGLE BELLS !!!

GAIL

2020-01 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020

Hello dear art lover Welcome to YOUR Creative Life

What can I say but WOW!!😁 Last year was the best for me in my art career so far and I have all of you to thank for supporting it.

Looking back I realize that it really does take a village. Some people buy my art, some donate to my fundraiser, some come to my shows and enjoy the work, and some respond to this newsletter and do the exercises I suggest. But what I get is the cheering on that keeps me creating more. I can never adequately say 'Thank You' enough for your kind thoughts and words.

I thought I would send a few family pics this time as I'm sure you want to see how the gingerbread progressed. And I wanted to brag on my beautiful daughters too. I am lucky that they want to hang out with me sometime. That was a pedicure and lunch date.

I've also attached a photo of my last completed painting. It is mixed media, 31 x 24, and is called 'Raise Your Voice' As usual, you see some disparate images...birds, buildings and the mysterious stranger in the bottom right. I stole the idea of wrapping the side colour onto the front to create a frame,  from one of my talented studio mates and I think it works! 

And now....I am announcing📢 the creation of an art journalling course. Come out and play with us.🖌 Tap into your creativity and record all those good ideas.

Dates: Feb 1, 8, 15 and 22

Time: 10 am to 1pm

Location: 7 Labatt Ave, second floor

Cost: $180.00 

Supply fee : $10.00 

You will be given a book to transform and I will supply everything else.

Space is limited but your creativity is not. Be prepared to break rules and have fun. I have a list of students already.

So don't be disappointed, get your name in now.

Rock on in 2020!🐣

Gail

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