Fun and...

games are always part of my studio life.  I saw / heard / invented (doubtful) another kind of play that has had me intrigued for some time, but just purchased the necessities last week - for under $20.  I bought a package of 10 foam rollers and the roller thingamabob that goes with them, and then cut out some shapes in the rollers with an Xacto knife.  I won't tell you how many blades I had to use - apparently foam is tough on sharp blades!

The results were really entertaining, and I can think of a ton of ways to use the them, from background right on up.  It's interesting to see how the look changes depending the amount and thickness of paint used, on whether they are placed on a solid white background,

Hand-cut foam roller ' stars stamp'

versus a coloured background, 

Hand-cut foam roller 'leaves stamp'

a multi-coloured background,

Hand-cut foam roller 'hearts stamp'

a patterned background,

Hand-cut foam roller 'leaves stamp'

  a text-filled background,

Hand-cut foam roller 'circles stamp'

or even photos.

Hand-cut foam roller 'zig-zag stamp'

I always have so much fun with experimenting that it can be a challenge to actually create a painting - maybe that's why I love instructing so much.  

I still have five more foam rollers to design and cut, so goodness knows what might come out of that! Do YOU have any ideas?  Comments, suggestions and outrageous ideas always gratefully accepted.

White on White

Over the years I've done a number of white pieces, because I'm endlessly fascinated by their appearance in different types of lighting.  The photos below are taken in five different types of light.  The first four are strong light from different directions and the last is normal room lighting.

Convergence, lit from below

Convergence, lit from the left

Convergence, lit from the right 

Convergence, lit from above

Convergence, 16 x 20 mixed media by Win Dinn

The strong look engendered by focused light really dramatizes this dimensional painting, but my preference is for the natural light that brings a softness to the flow of paint and fabric.  What's your favourite?

Busy, busy, busy!

It's certainly a jam-packed weekend here in town  From the Home & Garden Show at the Rec Centre to the crazy busy  painting/cleaning/delivery/installation at the Ingham Arts Centre the town seems like a beehive.

I spent the better part of yesterday morning presenting a workshop entitled Creative Display Design at the Creston campus of  the College of the Rockies - my goodness those Farmers' Market participants are an enthusiastic and sometimes rowdy bunch!  We had a terrific time and I look forward to repeating this on a yearly basis.

In the afternoon, I returned to the Ingham Arts Centre to deliver some more paintings, right after a well-deserved nap!

Show poster for the BC Art and Culture Week show at the Ingham Arts Centre

I am amazed and inspired by the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in this town.  Lori Wikdahl has been painting, cleaning, accepting artwork and installing it for the past several days order to get the space and show ready for this evening's opening.  Ably assisted by Val van der Poel and Grace Tyler, it is really taking shape.

I love art shows - it's such a wonderful opportunity to be inspired by other artists, to get the creative juices flowing and to connect with people who love the process and results of a creative life.

I've submitted about a dozen pieces to the show, some of which have not been shown before except on this site, and look forward to seeing them up on walls quite different from my 'hallway-gallery-waiting-to-go-out-of-town' area.

Flying the Artist Flag  17 x 23 Mixed Media by Win Dinn

 

Playing with Oranges  8 x 8 

I do hope you plan on attending this evening's opening or viewing the show during this week - your eyes and soul will be glad you did!

Today I'm...

dreaming of summer.  With the cool spring so far, damp weather and grey skies, all my mind does is wander to 25 degree Celsius, hot sun and warm winds.  Add a turquoise pool, cool drink and a lounge chair to that, and I'd be in heaven.

Summer Winds III
12 x 12 Mixed Media
by Win Dinn

Summer here in the Creston Valley means days at the lake, hiking, gardening (for John, at least - I'm mentally allergic), fruit and berry picking and weddings, so of course that means I had to use the LP I scored recently.

Golden Wedding
20 x 16 Mixed Media
by Win Dinn

It makes me somewhat uneasy that I spent my allowance for many years buying 45's and LP's and yet my children never had that pleasure.  Their children will no doubt consider the technology of CD's to be ancient.  I wonder who purchased the record, danced to this music, and how many of their descendants live without knowledge of their lives.

Thanks to Val and Bob van der Poel for the sheet music they unearthed and delivered to match this early 1900's record.  The LP and sleeve were kindly donated by the redoubtable Tammy Hardwick at the Creston Museum.  It not only takes a community to raise a child, but to complete a painting, too.

Workshops, and

more workshops.  It's what I love to do, and I'm getting a good number of opportunities these days to do just that.  We're near to finishing this year's Colour Boot Camp and the students are groaning with the amount of (luscious, mouth-watering, colourful, delicious) work involved.  Today we did an exercise that had them excited with possibilities.  Who would have thought that creating a harmony of discordant colour would enthuse the troops?  I'll be posting some photos after our last class on April 25 so you can see why.

I'm also doing a workshop for the local Farmers' Market here in Creston at the College of the Rockies.  This workshop is designed to address the challenges of creating a display that captures attention in a market setting.

Creative Display Design and Marketing
Saturday, April 21, 2012   9 am to noon
College of the Rockies, Creston Campus

Slated for April 21 from 9 am to noon, we'll discuss display principals, design standards, common display errors and even a bit of 'boothmanship' to make your sales days more profitable.  You'll find out what works, why it does, and what can turn your potential customers away from your area quicker than a wink.

If you're considering marketing your work at any market this year, you may want to consider this inexpensive ($10.00 per person) workshop and get a head start on the competition.  Call 250-428-5332 or email creston@cotr.bc.ca to register. How could you lose?

Spring and Easter

What could be more hopeful than that combination?  We've been experiencing non-spring like weather here, so today's sunshine is a welcome treat.

Because my morning walk actually felt like a new, warm season, I thought I'd show you one of my recent pieces celebrating this part of the year.

Thinking Spring  Mixed media by Win Dinn

I was going to wait to post it until I had it matted and framed, because I'm going to do something a little different with it.  I intent to coat the mat with acrylic and possibly some paint, and then frame it without glass once it's done - just another way to play.  However, if I waited we could be into summer, so you get it now, and may get it again, especially if my 'Artist Brain' gets into the act!

And if spring is here, can summer be far behind?

Summer Blooms  Mixed Media (Private Collection) by Win Dinn

I've been really busy this last week or two, setting up my Facebook Artist page at Win Dinn, Artist.  You can check it out here, and if you enjoy it, please click the 'Like' button.  

I'm wishing you a wonderful Easter weekend, filled with family, friends, sunshine and a sense of renewal.

Texture, you asked?

In a discussion with my Colour Boot Camp students recently, we talked about the possibility of a texture workshop, so I thought I'd share a recent project I've been working on to add another type of texture to my paintings.

Used teabags drying in the sun (or they would be, if we'd had any recently).

 When the teabags are carefully cut open they yield some luscious coloured 'grainery' which can be mixed into gel mediums and added to your work.  

Chamomile tea, dried and separated from the bags.

 Each type of tea gives a different colour to the tea bags, as well as a slightly different texture.

Lipton tea - looks a bit like a tea robot wannabe, doesn't it?

The teabags once emptied, can be carefully ironed (or not), filled with a visual treat or a supply of fresh air from your surroundings, and incorporated into your artwork.

Lemon tea (not kidding) - love this colour

Because there's such a wide variety of colour and texture, the possibiliites are endless - I'm thinking additions to tree bark, ground cover, 'brick' walls, and......

What would you/could you use this for?  As always, I'd love your comments and suggestions.