2021-08 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover          

Let's Ride That Highway

Are we being fooled here in southern Ontario that Spring is on it's way? Give me a few nice days and even though I know we're going to get more snow (after all, we do live in Canada), I just can't help feeling more optimistic. The days are getting longer and brighter. And we might be getting the vaccine this year! But let's not get onto that topic.

My studio has become a portal to new adventures and I can't wait to share new work. The 30 heads in 30 days challenge helped me to clarify a new project. I will be introducing you to 'The Adventures of GG and IFy'. AKA Grandma Gail and her Imaginary Friend. I will create a new page 5 days a week. Who knows where they are going to go. What I'd like to do is add you into my stories, so please let me know where we should go and what we could do...sky diving, travel to Bali, go to outer space? And maybe just around the block to see what we discover. I've already posted Day 1 on the IG.

As well I've had the honour of 'teaching' one of my techniques to another artist and am helping a budding artist with her exciting obsession with her art. Thanks Kim and Danielle for reaching out. I always learn something too. One of my beliefs is that we are all creative. Just give yourself a break. Take a chance and most of all, have FUN! Look up Kim on Instagram @kimatkins16.

I am delighted to announce that Skye Boyle won my Giveaway. She chose the portrait of Day 18, which you can see below. She is a talented artist who lives in Australia. It is exciting to have my art all the way around the world. Check her out @theart_of_greenskye on Instagram.

Also attached, you can see a photo of a new collector, Kit. She found 'Bear Head' on my website and fell in love with the image and bright colours. Not only is she an artist herself, but her husband is a photographer and will be framing it. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Thanks Kit, for finding my entry from the 2019 Salt Spring Art Prize and following the bread crumbs to my website. Kit Cutting is with artwithpanachelondon.weebly.com. and portsidegallery.ca.

Thank you for being here with me. I truly appreciate it.

Til next time,

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

ROCK ON

Gail

2021-06 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover          

Coaster Giveaway Time

Can you believe that Valentine Day is already here? Do you participate in this celebration of love? I hope so. We need love more than ever to get us beyond this mess we find ourselves in. Even after 52 years together, my 'peach' (he told me he was) plays Cupid to all the women (well, not ALL of them) in his life and delivers chocolate. It really is kind of sweet isn't it? Pun intended.

I'd like to send some love to Tonya as the winner of the Coaster Giveaway. Congratulations Tonya. I'll get them in the mail this week. You can use them when you celebrate with a glass of bubbly! BTW Tonya is a friend, a former studio mate and an amazing artist who creates wonderful 'paintings' with lint. Check her out at www.tonyacorkey.com. She has received a residency in Iceland this year for her original genius.

This week I was introduced to a clever author and artist, Austin Kleon. He writes witty little books like 'Steal Like an Artist' and 'Keep Going' which I am reading at the moment. It follows on what I wrote about last week with the Chuck Close quote. Austin says 'The Muse is ready to surprise me if I show up every day and say "Wanna hang out?" I've been told I am prolific in my art making, and I know that not everything I create is a winner, but I know that I just need to keep showing up and occasionally I will create something good. What about you? Is there some practise that you just need to keep showing up to? That is what I would encourage..just keep showing up. Check him out at www.austinkleon.com

Here are two little portraits in the '30 heads in 30 days' challenge I am doing. They are not perfect, but they were labours of love. I introduce you to my talented daughters,Ingrie and Joanna. Happy Valentine's Day my lovelies. I am so proud of both of you. Check them out at on Instagram@t.zonebeauty and @caveandcrown.

Til next time,

Rock on,

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

Gail

2021-05 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover    

It's a New Dawn

What is it about a few sunny days? Just a few in a row and I'm already feeling good. Just like that Nina Simone song. Has it been shining where you are, despite the annoyance of this f___ng lockdown?

Of course, I have been blessed with a new and larger studio space to work in. I've also been challenging myself with a '30 heads in 30 days' project. If you see the Instagram posts you will see what I have been doing. My intention is not to create a realistic likeness, but I have been surprising myself with some of the results.  
Even if I get just one feature nailed, it seems to do the trick. It's also keeping me honest.

Doing this every day reminds me of the Chuck Close quote... ' Amateurs look for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and do the work'. I met him at his show at the Buffalo art gallery years ago when my buddies, Dorothy and Angela and I went on a road trip. It was just after an extremely heavy snow storm. There were streets littered with downed trees. It was a spectacular sight. You would recognize Chuck's work I'm sure. He did huge photorealistic portraits. But the amazing thing about him is that he had a stroke in 1988 and worked from a wheelchair . He had this awesome rig built to lift his chair up so he could paint portraits 50 times life-size.

I tried to upload a youtube of Chuck entitled 'Chuck, Up Close ' but just couldn't figure out how to do it. It's worth a watch and only a few minutes long.

I would also guess that he would have some assistants. And do I ever know the value of helpers! My niece, Lise, has helped me with so much instruction about computer related issues that I'm sure she must be banging her head against the wall after some of our calls. She has the patience of a saint.

You may have heard that I am going to be making prints of some of my larger paintings. I'm hoping to open the shop on March 1. If you have any suggestions about the size of a print or a particular painting you'd like in a print, please let me know. They will be limited editions and considerably lower in price. I have my favourites, but I am always surprised by what others choose.

Today I'm adding two of the portraits I've done. They are only 6x6 in on paper, done with a mix of media..watercolour pencils and crayon, and acrylic markers.

Til next time,

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

ROCK ON

GAIL

2021-04 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover          
Doing the Happy Dance

Today the sun is shining and we have had some snow. Which is nice for a while. It looks so sparkly and bright. But here in the city it really doesn't stay that way too long.

However, I am doing the happy dance because I have just acquired a room of my own. An empty studio became available in our building and I grabbed it. We have been told that we will have our space til June of this year. So I am going to enjoy this experience to the max. I'm planning on getting prints made of some of my paintings very soon. So stay tuned for some new things coming out of the Gail Williams Gallery.

Some of you might be as big fans of the National Geographic magazine as I am. Thanks to friends such as Darlene, I have an almost inexhaustible supply. I use them in my collaging and often get carried away reading the articles. Long story, short, an article on colour, led me down the rabbit hole. Somewhat like Facebook. Apparently blue is the most popular colour historically. Blue dye is made synthetically most often now, but long ago, it was made from hermaphroditic snails. Bet you didn't know that !! But again, I digress. It comes as no surprise to me that one of my faves, cerulean blue, is predicted as a top favourite this year. A clear blue with a hint of grey to remind us of bright skies.

Let's hope that this is what 2021 will be.

Have you been checking my Instagram feed? I'm making fun portraits in a 30 headsin 30 days challenge. The common denominator is that they are portraits and 6x6 in on paper. I use a variety of media. It would be fun to have you join me. Just a fun project to do for yourself or maybe the grandkids.

Today I'm adding 2 photos of the same painting 'The Way is Clear', 40x30 in, acrylic on canvas, gallery wrapped, ready to hang on the wall. Available for purchase. One is with a room app, the other hanging in the atrium of the studio. If your'e interested in a live, distanced, viewing just let me know.


Til next time,

ROCK ON,

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART


GAIL

2021-03 Living Artfully

Hello Dear Art Lover

Be The Light

WOW !!!

She stole the show yesterday didn't she? Were you as impressed as I was with the amazing Amanda Gorman at the inauguration yesterday? Her glowing and inspiring performance, her heartfelt words, and her youthfulness has given me hope. I'm not a person who reads the news daily, but I'm glad I watched yesterday.

Even with the continued lockdown, I've been looking at a lot of art online and creating every day. One of my buddies, Zoey Zoric, www.zoeyzoric.com introduced me to a little challenge on Instagram #30headsin30days. I chose to do small 6x6 in. portraits using watercolour pencils and ink pens. What fun! Mine are not intended to be realistic but rather as fun pieces of exploration. Perhaps you would like to give it a try.

Last week I mentioned that I've put some of my art in Partial Gallery. I've since found out that they also support local initiatives such as SKETCH.

Partial Gallery is a proud member of SKETCH’s BFF Program, donating 1% from every art sale and rental to their organization’s mission to celebrate and engage young people as culture makers, perception changers and collaborators in building creative communities.

If you want to find me there, look up https://gailwilliams.partial.gallery/

Today, I'm adding a recent painting called 'The Court of Lucy'. Again I've put it in two different 'rooms' and I've also added a few detail shots. This painting is 40x30 in, gallery wrapped acrylic.

Til next time,

Rock on,

YOUR HOME + YOUR STYLE + MY ART

GAIL