by Marja-Leena

thoughts on the day

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Some days my body feels old from pain and insomnia though in my mind I’m still young and beautiful.
Some days melancholia may touch me like softly fluttering wings as I remember many loved ones no longer here.
On this day and still holding true are these birthday meditations from a couple of years ago,
while a certain song from my youth has been going round and round in my head:

When I get older losing my hair,
Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine?
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

When I’m Sixty-Four, lyrics by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Such mixed feelings….

February 11, 2010 in Being an Artist, Music 18 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

she sees shells

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like an explorer of new lands
with a new eye, a new lens
finding exciting textures
to inspire her inner printmaker

February 8, 2010 in Being an Artist, Photoworks, Textures 13 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

more spring blooms

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Bewitched by a bank of golden witch hazels

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Captivated by the scent of viburnum bodnantense

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Delighted by the humble English lawn daisy

February 6, 2010 in Being an Artist, Canada and BC, Photography 7 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

croci, snowdrops, orchid

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Putting aside work at the computer for a lunch break, I just had to first go outside into the garden to enjoy some of today’s sunshine and spring-like temperatures (12C or almost 54F). I noticed that the buds of the early crocuses (croci?) have now fully opened, the earliest ever in our garden, I think. Usually they bloom for my husband’s birthday at the end of February, just rarely for mine two weeks earlier.

My hellebore is full of buds with a few open now but looking quite sad with black spots all over, so no photo of it this time. I really must move it to a spot where it is out of the rain.

The snowdrops are always early starting in the beginning of January with the long-stemmed singles and now being followed by the shorter doubles. I picked a bunch of the long stemmed ones for indoors and thought I’d play with some more macro photos. While I was at it, the phalaenopsis orchid became another subject for closeups. What fun!

Meanwhile, about three dozen loads of snow a day is being trucked in from as far away as Manning Park, more than two hours drive east of Vancouver, in order to have Cypress Mountain ready for the Olympics. How green is that?

P.S. – a few hours later – just heard on the suppertime news that we hit 13C (55F)!

February 4, 2010 in Canada and BC 19 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

six years

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I almost forgot! Today is the sixth anniversary of this blog! Thinking back to when I began, I would not have believed this would become such an important part of my life, and how many wonderful connections and friendships would grow from it. Last year I felt excited and blessed to personally meet several blog friends in the UK and here at home in the Vancouver region. Perhaps this year I’ll meet a few more of you – welcome!

Though I don’t write quite as much as in those early days, I seem to be posting more photographs as that has grown into a serious hobby in addition to being part of my art practice. I miss some of my favourite bloggers who have quit or have been leaving for Facebook, Twitter and other media. Meanwhile I continue to resist joining them, fearing spreading myself too thin. Thank you, those of you who are still here and still reading and commenting with such warmth.

Here are a few photos from our Sunday afternoon walk not far from home. How I love where we live, rain or shine!
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From the archives, if you are interested:
the first anniversary, second, third, fourth and the fifth.

February 1, 2010 in Being an Artist, Blogging 20 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

Get Out

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Go here to see this fabulous award-winning short animation film with a stunning surprise ending. You will enjoy it!

Found at Chris Tyrell’s Blog.

This gives me the opportunity to mention that Chris Tyrell is a well-known arts advocate in Vancouver. I’ve long enjoyed and admired his editorials for the Opus Art Supplies monthly newsletter. He’s also author of Artist Survival Skills: How to Make a Living as a Canadian Visual Artist. I was pleased to discover that he has a blog.

January 31, 2010 in Being an Artist, Films, Neat stuff 10 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

by the Fraser River estuary

Yesterday afternoon was one of sad goodbyes as we saw our daughter and granddaughters to the airport for their flight back home to London. Husband took the afternoon off work too, so we could do a little exploring of another region new to us, as we often do if we’re farther from home with the car.

So, after leaving the airport in Richmond, we headed to that city’s south arm of the great Fraser River and estuary. We parked next to the West Dyke Trail looking over the broad salt marsh. Taking umbrella and camera, we strolled south towards Garry Point Park located next to the old village of Steveston.

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The weather was very overcast, drizzly, calm and warm. Have I mentioned that we’ve had the warmest January on record, after one of the coldest a year ago? It was too misty to clearly see the mountains north of Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. Even the photos of the extensive salt marsh along the dyke trail look colourless and lacking detail. However, here are a few of our favourite shots. I love the bullrushes and the dark silhouetted trees while husband captured some of the plentiful bird life in this protected region. A couple of freighters, a few tugboats and fishing boats passed by along the river.

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We warmed up even more with delicious spicy Indian food in a modest little place in Steveston before returning home to an oddly quiet house.

January 30, 2010 in Being an Artist, Canada and BC 11 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

leaf lace

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a finely delicate, yet strong, lace-like skeleton of a magnolia leaf….

January 27, 2010 in Nature, Photoworks 7 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

transitions, again

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It’s been some time since I’ve shared what I’ve been doing in the printmaking studio. I wrote about transitions last September, now I feel as if I’m again in that state of mind. In the fall I created and finished a series of 26 small prints, then moved right into another related series of somewhat larger pieces which I’ve just recently completed editioning. I’m very pleased with these and have had great responses to them.

I just haven’t done all the photo documentation of these works. The prints in the first series are small enough to scan but I’ve yet to do it. The second series I photographed a few days ago and only today have downloaded them. I see they need lots of adjusting for they are underexposed and need some colour correction. I’m even wondering if I should re-shoot them with some better lighting somewhere else, but where? Or, should I use the original digital files they were printed from? Anyway, as you see, it’s been a very productive period for me but I’m procrastinating over getting them ready to post here as well as into my little online gallery.

However, and here’s where the ‘transition’ issue comes into play, I’m at a point where I’m still feeling my way around the next pieces that I want to work on and need to spend time with them for the next two weeks while the momentum is still with me and before an upcoming enforced ‘holiday’.

From Feb 12th to 28th our studio will be closed because our usual annual two day reading break on the campus has been extended to over two weeks because the parking lots will be used exclusively for the Winter Olympics. Strict security controls will be in place so no classes or classroom access anywhere – imagine that! So, I think that period of time may be when I complete the photo documentation and post my new works here. That’s my goal – wish me fortitude for I can too easily get distracted by other things like macro photography.

On the home front is another transition ahead with our daughter and granddaughters heading back to London at the end of this week after a wonderful six-week visit here. The house will be awfully quiet….

January 25, 2010 in Being an Artist, Photography, Printworks 11 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

spring-like

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January 23, 2010 in Nature, Photoworks 4 Comments »