Happy New Year All! I hope you found some time to pick up your brushes. A brief update on the last month of my art activities:

My style got very succinctly identified by a Facebook Group i’m a member of (which is affiliated with the International Society of Experimental Artists). I was told that the piece below (Irisesque) channeled Matisse, Van Gogh and Japanese Prints with the use of colour block backgrounds. I was so flattered! I love abstracted shapes, and my hand seems to further flatten and graphic-alize the shapes as I work but I never expected those comparisons. Thank you to the artist and to the greater Universe for sending me the compliment.

The next update which is both exciting and a bit scary is that I got asked if I put on workshops. I didn’t hesitate to say Yes! I can only show you what I know so far and how I work, so i’ve decided to start filming myself and expect to make available a downloadable workshop video (aiming to do a few) with the first coming sometime in February 2021. Stay tuned! And thank you for the suggestion.

The botanical abstract piece below, Tulipesque, was an Instagram hit, head over there to see my latest work in between blog posts! I seemed to be on a roll during Lockdown Christmas (!). It’s also Lockdown January now so I expect to make even more this month but will be taking mini breaks as needed to refresh and restore my Inspiration and Energy Reserves. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as others have!

I also entered two pieces into my local friendly art society’s show (Society of Western Canadian Artists, SWCA) in downtown Edmonton’s Capital 44 Boulevard (108 St and 100 Ave). There is another online art show on their website at www.swcartists.ca. It is a very active and supportive group and I encourage artists and art enthusiasts to sign up. There are monthly programs and they have published a book (Edmonton: Through the Eyes of its Artists). A wonderful, collaborative concept.

In closing, I gift you another image, the more I look at it, the more I see Van Gogh’s Apple Blossoms, but I didn’t have that in mind as I worked. I simply went for Abstracted Florals and ended up with this lovely little piece.

Til next time folks, Happy Painting! What’s your style and who are your influences? Feel free to post comments and feedback below. I always welcome interaction and if i’ve inspired you, then all the better. All the best for 2021!