JOANNE GIESBRECHT

SEA SHELLS AND VENETIAN PLASTER

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 18:36:00 +0000

Most Saturdays my husband, border collie, and I go to one of the many beaches within a 15 minute drive from our home, and walk/explore for a few hours. Yesterday was no different, but we had the beach mostly to ourselves, perhaps because it was a bit rainy and windy. It might also have been because it was high tide, and so the amount of beach to walk on was limited.

We walked to one end of the beach, then turned around and walked to the other end of the beach - a really long distance. I was looking for sea glass, which would be a very rare find. I did find a piece of glass, but it was not weathered and smoothened by the sea...it was too new. But what I DID find was a small snail-type of shell which was lovely. As we were walking further, we suddenly came across 3 more snail-type of shells which were BIG! I have put a Sharpie pen in the photo to show you how large they are!

Now you might not think these shells are very spectacular as far as color goes, but when we picked them up, they were wet and the colors were fantastic! So here is a photo of how they change when I wet them...

Isn't it wonderful how the pinks, greens and blues suddenly show up? I intend to paint these and other photos I have taken of the beaches around here, starting in the New Year. I think they will be gorgeous!
In the meantime, I have begun another Venetian Plaster piece of a Redwood Cedar branch. Here it is, dried and ready for the painting process...

As well, I have a commissioned piece drawn out, and will begin work on it in the next couple of days. It is a watercolor of a little boy which I am really looking forward to painting for my client. :-)
I hope you are all keeping warm, especially if you live in an area which is being blasted with winter weather. Our son and his family arrive the end of this week, so we are really looking forward to being together here in our new home. I also hope each of you has a wonderful holiday time with friends and family. It is hard to believe that there are only 16 days left in 2013!

NEW WORK

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 18:37:00 +0000

20" X 20"
VENETIAN PLASTER
"LEAF #1"

Last spring, almost a year ago now, I took a course from a wonderful artist, Adele Woolsey. It was a 2 day workshop on using Venetian Plaster for art...and what fun it was! I learned so much, and definitely wanted to incorporate her techniques and the plaster in my work. I began this piece in Calgary later in the spring, but then had to pack it away after our acreage sold.

Now that we are settled in our new home on Vancouver Island, I decided to complete this piece to get back into the routine of painting once again. It is based on one of the pieces that Adele had at the workshop, and I could not be more pleased with how it turned out! In person, it is quite impressive as it is large and beautifully rich in texture and color. The plaster drips over the sides of the gallery-depth board, and makes the sides interesting as well. I will be doing many more of this type of work as it is a "resting place" from the painting which I do that is more representational, or realistic. Wish you could see it in person! :-)

VOLCANOES AND LAVA TUBES

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 19:27:00 +0000

One of the areas everyone should visit if they go to the Big Island is Volcanoes National Park. You travel through miles and miles of lava fields to get to the active volcano of Kilauea. Because of how active this volcano is, you can no longer drive around the rim of Kilauea Caldera, so you only get to view the volcano's crater from a distance. Even so, it is very impressive - the size of the crater being enormous! Smoke billows from the bottom of the crater, appearing white by day, but red at night as the lava glow shows on the white smoke. The smoke contains high levels of sulfur dioxide, and there are warnings to keep your car windows closed when you drive in certain areas of the park.

This white plume glows red at night.

This photo shows a bit more of how far away you are when viewing the crater, yet it is massive even from a distance!

While we were in this area, we also visited and hiked the short distance in to an underground tunnel called the Thurston Lava Tube. A lava tube is caused by hot lava which is still flowing beneath the surface of lava which has already cooled and hardened, forming a long tube-like cave.

This is the photo I took inside the Lava Tube

This is the information given at the beginning of the hike.

Now, I am sure you are wondering if I am painting, and I can say that "YES!", I have been able to snatch a few hours in the studio. Here is a teaser of what I've been working on. :-) Not a great photo, but that's okay...it's not showing a work that is finished yet. Soon, though, soon...

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 19:31:00 +0000

I can't believe that it is almost a MONTH since I last posted on this blog! Where has that time disappeared???

We got back from our vacation in Hawaii on the 16th of November, and it has been non-stop visits from various technical people, delivery people, more unpacking...you get the idea! So today is truly the first day I have been able to dedicate to being in my studio. It feels good to be here, with the sun shining, the eagles soaring, and the sea lions hunting in the bay... I am very content.

I have been posting photos on FaceBook of the beaches my husband and I have been exploring - all within 15 minutes' drive of our home. They are so varied...from large rocks, to smaller pebbles, to beautiful grey-white sand. What a wonderful island this is!

As beautiful as Vancouver Island is, I must say that the Big Island of Hawaii is more than beautiful. It is spectacular. From the moment you step off the plane, the fragrance and the gentleness of the air wraps itself around you. The one "organized" activity that Syd and I did was to take a bus tour around the entire island in one day. It was a long day, but so worthwhile! We had the non-stop-talking tour guide, who gave us so much information which we would never have heard from anywhere else! He was funny, and obviously enjoyed his occupation. Since I don't have any painting pieces to show you, I thought I would show you some of the Island as we saw it. This is especially for those of you who have requested it through FB (you know who you are! :-)

After picking up people from various hotels and resorts, we headed up the coastline toward the northern tip of the island. We then turned inland, and in about the middle of the narrow part of the island, we stopped in a town called Waimea, which is centred around the Hawaiian cowboy. Yes - there is prairie and pastureland in Hawaii!!! In fact, Parker Ranch was the largest ranch in all of North America at one time. The Parker Ranch has been divided into smaller ranches now, but it still remains a very large ranch by anyone's standards. Waimea is a small town, with a couple of nice galleries, a large Parker Ranch store, and a statue celebrating the Hawaiian cowboy. As well, the stop signs are pretty unique! It is definitely a beautiful drive, and you can see a great vista from the viewing turnouts along the way.

One of the things I did not realize is how many different types of palm trees there are! My favorite is this one: the Foxtail Palm. It is fuzzy looking compared to some others, and looks really "full". The beautiful wide-spreading trees in the background are the Monkey-Pod trees, which are fantastic!

Next time I post (and I promise it will be a LOT sooner than a month!) I will have some work to show you and I'll give you some more photos of our time in Hawaii. Till then, stay warm wherever you are!

MY NEW STUDIO

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:25:00 +0000

I think I am done!!! Unless I find another box in the garage which needs to be unpacked and put into the studio, I think the set-up is complete!!! Tomorrow it will be 3 weeks since the movers hauled in all our belongings, and left us at the end of the day wondering how we had accumulated so much over the years, even after we had given away so much and taken so much to the dump...I am sure most people who move feel the same.

So, I am really happy with my studio space! I have a huge closet which has become my storage space. My bookshelves fit in there perfectly, and my husband built shelving to the ceiling, so there was a ton of room for things like the materials I use to teach children and my resource books. As well, my sewing wardrobe/cupboard with all my material and sewing machine fit in there.

Storage closet

The studio itself is filled with fantastic light at all times of the day, even if it is not sunny outside! The windows are huge, the ceilings are 9 feet high, and as it is at ground level, it feels like an airy and beautiful creative space.

It is early afternoon, and you can see how bright the room is!

Here you can see the location of the storage closet

Love how many windows I have!

As I am sitting at my low table, I can see over the fence to the islands that our house faces. From upstairs, where the main living area is, there are spectacular views of Lesquiti Island, Texada Island, and the mainland where we can even see the snow-topped mountain at Whistler! Here is a photo taken today - sunny and calm, and another taken at sunset the other night.

At the far right of the photo, you can see Whistler Mtn.

In addition to the wonderful view of mountains, we are being treated to a variety of wildlife! We have the seagulls as you would expect, but we also have loons in the bay - they winter here! Sea lions have been almost a daily sighting, and we often hear them barking. Just at the side our backyard, there are huge cedar trees which are favorite perches for eagles, and we are told these are their mating trees as well. It is a thrill to hear an eagle's call up close...

Can you see the second eagle hiding behind the tree branch?

I am anxious and excited to work in this new home, in my new studio, but my new beginnings will have to wait just a bit longer. Back in the spring, we booked a vacation for the first couple of weeks in November, thinking that our house in Calgary might not sell. We certainly did not anticipate only being in a new location for 3 weeks and then leaving it...but life is full of the unexpected! So in just a couple of days, we are flying to the big island of Hawaii for a two week break from packing and setting up our home. When we come back, it will be "home" to which we are returning, and the feeling of being settled here will begin. Then, with all the photos and inspiration of Hawaii, and of this beautiful Canadian island, I will begin painting again. I can hardly wait!!! :-)

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 15:32:00 +0000

FINALLY, I am able to tell you that 3 months after selling our acreage, of living out of suitcases, of changing beds 18 times, we are in our new location!!!! As I am typing these words, I am sitting at my kitchen counter, with the fireplace warming the air, looking out over a calm ocean to the islands in the distance. What a journey we have been on over the last while...an ending to our life in Alberta, to our living in the country on an acreage, and so much more... but a beginning as well - to living by the ocean, in British Columbia, on an island (even though it is a huge island, and feels more like mainland!).

Our furniture arrived almost a week ago now, and we have been madly unpacking. So far, we have our kitchen, bedroom. living and dining rooms unpacked and arranged. Now, we have to attack the second bedroom, and then my studio. It is piled high with boxes - a most daunting task for sure. But I am itching to get back to my easel, so I will tackle it with gusto! :-)

The end of September, we attended our nephew's wedding, and what a wonderful and joyous occasion that was! My husband and his sisters commissioned a charcoal portrait of the couple as our wedding gift to them. It was such fun to do - I LOVE it when the faces begin to "come off the page"! Here are some photos of them opening the gift, and one of the completed portrait. I can't wait to do more of these charcoal gems, portraits in oil, and to begin a beach series in watercolor. Guess I had better get to work putting together that studio as soon as possible.

Pictures of our house and our view will be coming soon. Until then, thanks for waiting for me to return to this blog. Happy fall.

GREAT NEWS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Since my last post, I have been quite busy with a commissioned portrait, and with a trip to Vancouver Island to look for a new home. After living out of suitcases since July 9th, we are in the "home stretch"!!!

This last week, we purchased a place to live which has an ocean view, and is minutes from beach access. We did not buy in the area we had been looking at/dreaming of for 2 years, which TOTALLY took us by surprise. But none of the 13 houses we looked at in that area really appealed to us (at least the ones we could afford), and when we extended our search to include other areas, we found the one home which captured our hearts. It will be a great place to downsize (a lot), and to enjoy year-round ability to be outside.

This is the view from the patio off the kitchen

We are super excited, and a bit "concerned" as well.

You see, we only have 15 days until the closing date, and possession is October 1st. In those few days we have a TON of things to accomplish, as well as a family wedding to travel to, a sibling gathering, and I have a commissioned portrait to start/finish THIS WEEK! We are praying that it all comes together without glitches. :-)

Before leaving to go to the coast, I completed this little baby girl's portrait in charcoal. I had done one of her sister a couple of years ago, and the parents wanted one of this little sweetie as well. As you can see, it is still on the drawing board here...soon it will be framed and delivered to her parents. I sent them a photo of it, and they have already said that they like it, so I am pleased.

So....I will post the next portrait when it is finished, and then it will be moving time. Yikes! I will keep you advised as to how my new studio works out for me. It will be about 1/3rd the size of my last studio, so I MUST be organized. I'll also post pictures of the place when we are in and somewhat unpacked.

Till then, I hope you are enjoying the last few days of summer before the weather really cools into the crispy days of fall.

THE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFETIME - CIVITA CASTELLANA

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:39:00 +0000

It has been many weeks since I posted here...yet the time has flown by in a way that was unique and even a bit frightening! I wouldn't want every day to skip by that fast! :-)

If you have been reading my blog you know that we had sold our acreage and that I had been busy packing up 18 years of living in June and the beginning of July. On July 15th, we officially became "homeless", and on July 18th we flew to Spain for a month. During that month of being in Spain, staying with my daughter, Kim, and her family, I flew to Italy with Kim for a week of study with the famous portrait artist David Kassen. It was a fantastic week, in a beautiful location - Civita Castellana - which is about 45 minutes north of what we call Rome, but which is called Roma in Italy.

Civita Castellana is a town which is ancient. It was originally settled during the Iron Age and repopulated during the Middle Ages. Civita Castellana has a fantastic city wall which rises up from the highway which passes by. The thick stones are baked dry in the sun, yet have withstood the elements for centuries! Cobblestone is everywhere. It is fantastic to think Roman soldiers and citizens walked these roads.

part of the city's wall with road far below

The scenes from the top of this wall are very pastoral and lush. You hear sheep bleating and the buzz of little motorized bikes rising from the valley below in a strange chorus. In the distance is the mountain that the French painter, Corot, painted many times, making it "famous", or at least familiar, for those who followed his work.

The house in which Corot stayed, (and painted from one of its windows), perches high up on a hill, with Tuscan-type trees in a row leading from the house to the road which winds from the hill down, around, and into the town of Civita Castellana.

the house where Carot stayed

It was beyond this house, at the height of this hill, that the studio we walked to each day was located. You can just see some of us in the lower left part of this picture, walking along another part of the city wall in the early morning sun. That was the coolest part of our day and walk, literally! We trekked back from the studio to the hotel for lunch, then back to the studio for the afternoon session, and back to the hotel in the evening - 30 minutes each way, so 2 hours of walking per day. With temperatures in the 40's each day, that was an exercise in losing body weight through sweating!

I will have more to share with you on what this gorgeous area was like, and how the class went, in my next post. Till then ciao!

GOODBYE AND HELLO

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:17:00 +0000

After almost 18 years of living in this home, it is now officially sold and in the new owner's hands. The huge room above the garage was my studio for most of those years, as we developed that space soon after we moved into the house. 1000 square feet of space in which to paint, teach, exercise, and have our computers. I loved the warmth and coziness of the studio, and I enjoyed creating in that beautiful environment. I do not know what the current owners will use the studio for, but for me, it was a great studio which I am sure I will not have the likes of again.

Just after selling the home, we began to madly pack up all the "stuff" that one accumulates after so many years in one place. We made many trips to the landfill, gave many things away, purging and cleaning like crazy...and then the flood of the century hit. My son and his family were evacuated from the town which was hardest hit - High River, Alberta. And because we were packing up everything, and only had 3 weeks left to possession, we could not offer them a place to stay for the duration of the evacuation, which turned out to be much longer than anyone anticipated! In fact, as I write this (almost one month to the day from when the flood happened) there are still people who cannot return to their flooded homes as the water remains up to the ceilings of their houses.

For my son and his family, we are so thankful that they had friends who took them and their dogs in, and created a safe haven for them for the 2 weeks they were evacuated. His was one of the few families in the town of High River (population of 13,000) whose home was totally untouched by the floodwaters. They still had damage - the front door was broken into by the RCMP to ensure the occupants were out and to assess damage in order to code their house. (It was "green".) As well, my don had to seal up their freezer and have it taken away as the power had been off, and the mold inside the freezer from the spoiled food was hazardous to health. But how minor were those things compared to losing everything you own - and having to start again with nothing. So tragic for so many families.

After my son and family were able to return to their home, out moving day came. And that, my friends, was a whole other story! The short story is that the moving truck/trailer unit could not make it down our dirveway, went off onto the grass softened by all the recent rains, and got very, very stuck before even loading any of our possessions. Three hours later, after the huge tow truck came and pulled the unit out, loading could begin from the road instead of from the garage area of the house. Eventually everything worked out, the damage to the grass and trees which were driven over and chewed up while getting the unit out was remediated before the new owners came, and the sale of the house was finalized 2 days ago.

So, it is goodbye to our beautiful home of 18 years, and hello to a month in Spain! We leave tomorrow to travel to Spain to visit my daughter and her family. This is our first time in Europe, and we are looking forward to it with great anticipation. While we are in Spain, my daughter (Kim Peters) and I are going to Italy for a week to study with portraiture artist David Kassan. I am so very blessed to have this opportunity, and to go with my very talented girl is a fantastic gift to me! We will be in a town which is about an hour outside of Rome, in the Italian countryside. A whole week of instruction in a Master class with a world renown artist/teacher - I am terrified and elated all at the same time. :-)

Once I return from Spain, we will be searching for a new home, on Vancouver Island. It may take us a while to locate just the right home, but we are hoping to be there by the end of October. I will attempt to keep you up-to-date on all that is happening, and show you some of the sights from Spain, as well as the work we do in the class with David. So, until the next time I am able to blog, I wish you a wonderful and safe summer with your loved ones.

A LIFE TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:46:00 +0000

First of all, thank you to those of you who wondered where I have been for 3 weeks...I appreciate knowing that you are checking this blog regularly. ☺

Second, let me show you as far as I have gotten on the sunflower you saw in my last post.

As you can see, it is not a finished painting yet. That is because, as my title for this blog indicates, my life has turned upside-down. I am hoping that I will get back to this beautiful 16" x 16" watercolor, but it will not be for a number of months, I think.

The first reason I did not get as far on this piece as I thought I would is that I have just finished 3 more charcoal portraits in a commission of 5 portraits. If you remember, these are all a surprise for the parents of the various children, so I will not be able to post them until they are given as gifts.

Just as I was finishing the last of the portraits, our property suddenly sold, and the possession date was 1 month. That was just over a week ago. As you can imagine, I have stopped EVERYTHING and begun to pack like a maniac. The possession date is 3 days before my husband and I leave to travel to Spain to see my daughter and her family who are living there. When we booked the trip, we had no idea the house would sell and possession would be so quick. We have been getting quotes from moving companies, and trying to take care of a myriad of details as we need everything to go into storage for several months - we have not purchased a place where we intend to move.

And then disaster struck. The city where I live is Calgary, Alberta, Canada. If you have been watching the news, perhaps you have seen the devastation in my city from flooding. And not just flooding in my city, but in the towns in Southern Alberta which have the rivers running through them. It has been unbelievable what has taken place in just a few hours. A flooding event never before seen to this extent in the history of Alberta.

Our property was not flooded, but my son and his family live in a town named High River, which has been the most affected with the flooding. All 13,000 residents were told to evacuate, and the entire town is under water. We anticipate that, short of a miracle, all or most of my son and his family's home and possessions will be lost. As well, my daughter and her family stored most of their possessions in the basement of my son's home until they return to Canada after working in Spain for 4 years. So the last 4 days have been filled with great sorrow for the many, many people who have lost everything. Literally everything except the shirt on their backs. And for most of these families, insurance will not cover their losses.

Where do you begin to rebuild a life when you are starting from nothing? I cannot imagine how overwhelming all of this would be to the families who are facing this reality. And, on top of all of this, there are thousands who have no idea when, or if, they will be able to get into their homes. That is the case with my son. High River is under military control so there is no one able to get to their homes to see how much damage there is. It is not safe for anyone as there are gas leaks, sewage contaminating the flood water which is up to the roof on some houses, no electricity and no drinking water available to the homes. And the military are ensuring that there is no looting in the town. They are doing a house-to-house inspection of each home to assess the extent of the damage to each one, finding the homes which have gas leaks, and so on so that they know what each neighbourhood will require before they allow people to safely return. It is going to take a lot of time, even though they have 1000 people on the ground in High River.

As for Calgary, some people were allowed to return to their homes this afternoon to begin the clean up. The reports on the news today are stories of courage in the face of adversity, and of many, many people helping out friend and stranger alike with whatever is needed to begin the process of restoration. I am grateful to friends who have taken in my son's family as we are unable to in their time of crisis. ☹ I am grateful to friends who are reaching out to them and generously giving in so many ways.

So, I will not be posting any paintings over the next few weeks. I will be posting updates on our situation, perhaps pictures from Spain, and information on our move.

For those of you who had asked whether I would have an art show this year, the answer is "not an in-person one". I may put together a virtual show once we have relocated. If you would like to be added to my mailing list so that you know when I create new works, or when I have an art show, please just email me with the subject line "add me to your mailing list", and I will be sure to send you out my art notices. My email is:
info@joannegiesbrecht.com

My prayers go out to all of you affected in any way by the Alberta flood.

Sunflowers - a watercolor in progress

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:53:00 +0000

It has been raining more than sunny over the last couple of weeks - which is quite prefect for doing watercolor paintings! Usually the humidity in Calgary is so very dry that it is hard to keep the watercolor paper damp. Not so today!

So, I wanted to show you a little bit of my process...

The first thing I have done is to work up a small sketch of what will be the painting, and determine where my darks, mid-tones and lights will be. I have discovered some great pencils from Derwent, called Graphitone, with which to do this easily. They come in dark (6B), medium (4B) and light (2B). You "color" with them, and then use your watercolor brush to wet the "graphite", which then shows up as dark, mid or light tones. Very cool and no smudging or mess like you get with actual pencils.

I then sketch the flowers/leaves on 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper.

Here you can see that I have done a color swatch of each of the potential colors I could use for this painting. After looking at each one and at my photo reference, I decide which ones will be the ones I will paint with in this piece.

I then paint a small swatch of the chosen colors next to the thumbnail sketch in my sketchbook.

Then I begin to paint, using those chosen colors!

I will post this painting when it is complete.

VENETIAN PLASTER

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:57:00 +0000

It is ironic, I think, that I have been working very hard the last two weeks, and I have "nothing to show for it". :-) By that I mean, I have completed two portraits of two little girls in charcoal, but I can't post pictures of them. You see, the portraits are to be gifts from the grandparents to the parents of the girls, and with the way things travel around the internet, chances are the parents would see the pieces before they are presented if I post photos of them.

When the portraits were commissioned, I talked with the clients about how this kind of an investment becomes a heritage item. The parents have the portraits first, but at some point, they will go to each of the girls who can show their children what they looked like as young girls. They will be passed down to those children and their children, and they will know what their grandmothers looked like in 2013. It truly is a gift that continues to give throughout many, many years ahead! I just LOVE that about doing commissioned portraits!

Since I have "nothing to show" for the last 2 weeks' work, I thought I would post a few of the pieces I finished up from my Venetian Plaster workshop which I took last month. The plaster is similar in some ways to my Textured Acrylics, but there are things I was able to accomplish with these that gives them different qualities as well.

The blowing trees was done on a masonite board, while the others are all on gallery depth birch panels.

I have shown you how the sides are finished on one of the pieces. These were are small learning pieces (5" x 7" or 8" x 8") which were fun to experiment upon. I have now purchased some large birch panels which I will be creating new works upon in just a few days. FUN!!! And messy...but did I say FUN??? Yes!

AFTERNOON GLOW

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:42:00 +0000

I think I can make a case for the genetic inheritance of love for horses. My older sister was just a toddler when my parents visited a large stable where racing horses were kept. Many of these were high strung horses whose handlers even had difficulty controlling at times. As my parents were being shown around the facility, they lost track of my sister, who had wandered into a barn and into the stall of one particularly bad-tempered stallion. When they found her, she was underneath the belly of this stallion that was standing absolutely still as she patted him. Everyone who knew this horse was astounded that my sister had not been trampled to death by him. To this day, she still loves horses.

My dad enjoyed all horse races, and particularly the ones where the jockey is in the little cart that is attached to the horse (harness racing). Saturdays meant the T.V. was tuned to horse racing and/or hockey. I preferred the horses over the hockey, and I distinctly remember my excitement the first and only time my dad took me to a live horserace. It was a whole new world of sounds, smells, and levels of excitement I had not experienced before! As the horses were paraded before the race, my dad would talk about their build, their racing history, and a whole lot of other details that faded from my hearing. I simply wanted to watch them walk, canter, gallop. I wanted to touch them and even ride them myself.

As a teenager, I was able to get drives to the outskirts of the city where I lived to a farm/stable that had horses to ride. All of my hard earned money went toward paying to saddle and ride those majestic creatures, then brush them afterward. I'm sure the horses were old and worn out, but to me they were as commanding of respect as if they were in their prime and from a top line of breeding.

My granddaughter has an affinity and deep love for horses which has been evident from the time she could first talk and walk. When she was only 4 or 5 years old, she was taking riding lessons - a tiny little girl on top of a huge animal. Horses LOVE her, whinny to call her, puff over the top of her head on her hair, and allow her to ride them when they won't tolerate others!

So, all of this to say, is it any wonder when I saw this beautiful horse standing in the late afternoon sun, with his coat "on fire" with color, I had to get a photo that captured his beauty. The look in his eyes, the turn of his head, his mane...it all was just so perfect and struck such a chord in my heart!

As I painted this creature, I found myself reflecting on how the love of horses has been a part of my family for several generations. Both my sister and my granddaughter were too young to have been influenced by external teaching when they showed their connection to horses. I think it is in the genes. I am so glad I got to paint this majestic guy...my first horse painting, filled with a lot of meaning and even "history" for me.

AFTERNOON GLOW
30" x 40"
oil on gallery wrap canvas

AMAZING STUDENT WORK

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Have I ever told you how rewarding I find teaching art? It is like a rush of adrenaline when I see the student's work begin to come alive, to become 3 dimensional and "leave the page". I love it when I see the person I am teaching begin to believe that he or she actually has the ability and talent to create what they never dreamed was possible.
A short while ago I taught a high school aged young man who had an interest in drawing, but had no teaching which enabled him to know how to go about doing a drawing. He did every exercise I asked of him, as well as his homework, and by the end of the 6 lessons (spread over 6 weeks), he produced this rendering of a hand...not just any hand, but my best model's hand (my husband!). He did a fantastic job of capturing the lights and darks, the lost edges and the blurring of shadows. I love the reflected lights and the way you see the fleshy part of the thumb folding into the palm.
I am so pleased for Jaron, and for the results he achieved during our time together. I hope he continues to draw, and to improve through practise. But most of all, I hope he feels joy in the process, knowing he can do so much more than he dreamed was possible.

Jaron's drawing of a hand

SPRING NEWSLETTER COMING SOON

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:46:00 +0000

Some of you may not know that I send out quarterly newsletters with information on new pieces I have finished, art tips and techniques, upcoming workshops and classes I will be giving, and other art related information. I will be sending my spring newsletter in the next couple of weeks, so you can click on this link to sign up so that you don't miss your copy. :-)
JOANNE'S NEWSLETTER

HORSING AROUND

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:57:00 +0000

work in progress
30" x 40" oil on canvas

I love working big. I don't know if it is because the painting makes such an impact statement from across the room, or whether it is because there is so much color and light when the canvas is large. Whatever the reason, it begins to fill my heart when the painting is about half way finished. From the half way point to the three-quarters point, the dancing heart and joy continues. Then, from the three-quarter point until the end, comes the period of doubt..."why did you do such a large canvas? when will this one ever be done? even when you spend 6 hours on details, it still has such a long way to go". Blah, blah, blah. On and on the voice in my head scolds me for painting large. When I think about this scenario which usually plays out at some point in each of my paintings, it kind of reflects the way life is...do I play small and safe, or do I go big and bold, taking risks and living an adventure? I can honestly say , right now I am living an adventure, taking risks, and going big. I am working hard, and am excited about the future. I am giving you just a glimpse of what I am working on...both in my business, and in this painting of a horse. Soon I will be able to reveal the finished work of this painting, and what I am working on in my art business. By the way, I will be sending out my newsletter in just over a week. If you haven't signed up for it yet, follow this link and fill in your information. You'll be the first to see this piece completed, as well as other works I have just finished.
Here is the link:
joanne's newsletter

LITTLE GEMS #3

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:14:00 +0000

Here is the third in my "Little Gems" series. Close to being completed...just a few more details and it will be done. Yay!

LITTLE GEMS #2

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:13:00 +0000

The second of these "little gem" paintings is now ready for final details. Here it is as it looks now. Coming along...

LITTLE GEMS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:36:00 +0000

6" x 8"
oil on canvas

I have FINALLY done more work on these little gems...only 6" x 8" but so beautiful! The paint is still wet as I just set my brushes down, but I am really enjoying how this one has come along. I will do some last detail touches when it is mostly dry, and will then sign it as being ready for sale.

What about the other two, you ask? Well, I will be posting each of them as they come to this stage as well. Not long, I promise!

In the meantime, I am really excited to let you know that I took a workshop this past weekend in Venetian Plaster mixed media painting. It was a FABULOUS workshop - best value for my dollar in a very long time. I am excited to begin doing some work with my new knowledge, but I have to discipline myself to teach a last lesson to a student, and to finish some of the pieces that are staring at me even as I sit here typing. (The horse has an accusatory look in his eyes which I must get rid of as soon as possible, and the waterlily thinks it is destined for the garbage because I have neglected it for so long.) Anyway, I just wanted you to know there will be new things coming along from my studio, and I am very excited about all the possibilities these new pieces will bring. :-)

HALF FINISHED HORSE

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:31:00 +0000

It amazes me how much life can get inserted into time you thought would be devoted to other things! Is your life like that? And then there are just those days where the warm sun and blue skies call you out for a long walk...especially when those kind of days are few and far between!

So...I have been painting, but not as much as I would like. That means that I have a half-finished horse to show you. I am determined that this next week, I will get close to completing this painting. I have another canvas ready to be drawn on, and it is whining about just sitting there...yes - my work talks to me. :-)

Here are the stages this horse has gone through so far:

WORKING...

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:34:00 +0000

oil painting in progress

I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted here! Yes - I am still painting, but the last 2 weeks, it has mostly been with students. Meetings, private workshops, lessons finishing for 2 students, new set of lessons beginning for another student...it has all been great fun, but makes for very little time for my own work!

What has made things even more busy is placing our house on the real estate market the beginning of this month. Showings and an open house mean cleaning more frequently than usual, and a lot less time in the studio. But this morning I got in some solid time, and completed the background (except for final details at the end) for this painting of a horse. I am now excited to begin the horse, hoping it will be as wonderful as the photo I took of him. Guess we'll have to "wait and see"!!

A TOUGH WEEK

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:36:00 +0000

ECHO
1996-2013

As some of you who are my Facebook friends already know, this past week was hard. Our cat of 17 years, Echo, died in my arms at the vet's office. It came very suddenly - really from one day being not well to the next day being really sick, and then gone. He was a most special cat, as any who knew him would agree. He was the most mellow cat I have ever known. Miss him a lot.

So...with this life event, and teaching students, I have not done a lot in the studio until today. My 30" x 40" painting has progressed, but it is slow going since it is so large. I am already happy with how it is looking, and can't wait till I begin the horse. It just so happens that this horse belongs to my vet, so there is a link here between my black cat and the horse. Strange how life seems to connect in unusual ways, isn't it?

oil painting on the easel

CHARCOAL PORTRAIT ON CANVAS

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:59:00 +0000

So this 16" x 16" charcoal portrait on canvas is pretty much done. I have a couple of touches to add, but I decided to post him today rather than waiting. There is a little bit of the hat and shirt cut off in this picture, but it's good enough to show the face and hat. For detail, just enlarge by clicking on the picture.

I did this piece from a photo that I took around 8 years ago, when my daughter and her family were here with us, visiting from Mexico where they lived at the time. This is my grandson who was around a year of age, maybe a bit older. "Mats" as we call him, always loved his grandfather's hats, and when there was one similar to Grandpa's for sale at a mall nearby, my daughter bought it even though it was rather large for Mats. He wore it all the time, and eventually grew into it. (The hat was a deep blue corduroy.) Don't you love how very young children's proportions are so different from adult's? The big ears, the huge eyes, the chubby cheeks...all gone now as he grew into those features and beyond. Time flies, but I am grateful that we have memories both in pictures and now in painting.

3 D PRINTING PEN

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:01:00 +0000

Wow! Do you think this will revolutionize art as we know it???

LIVE PORCUPINE TRAP

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Giesbrecht) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:01:00 +0000

Many of you know that my husband has a hobby building things. And many of you know about all the wildlife we have here in the country - not all of which is well loved by us. We have many bird feeding stations in our backyard which we fill with black sunflowers only. The number of birds and species of birds we get both winter and summer is wonderful!
But we have discovered something - it is not only birds that love sunflowers. Deer love them, and we get a group of 4 deer at the same time twice a day to clean up what the birds have scattered from the feeders. Not only that, they actually tip the feeders that hang to pour the seed directly down their throats. I have picture proof!
And then there is the elusive fox that comes to feed on sunflowers. It is a rare treat to see him as he is very cautious, and only comes when it is dusk or dawn.
But the one creature that we don't like to see, and that frequents the feeders every few days are the porcupine. All the dogs we have had since moving here 17 years ago have been quilled, which is a very painful experience for me...seeing the vet remove the quills (after the men have tried and failed). As well, they have gnawed on the house siding as they love wood. They have climbed our Diamond Willow bushes and stripped the branches of their protective covering.
From our backyard to our upper deck is 17 steps, and the porcupine climb those stairs to eat the seed which lands on the deck from one of the bird feeders. There was even a baby that climbed up one night and couldn't get back down, so was mewing at our bedroom window for its mother. With the help of a broom to direct its path, it finally found the stairs and learned how to fall/stumble down them at 2:00 a.m.
Recently, there has been more porcupine activity than usual, so my husband researched, and built a live porcupine trap! We set the bait with salt. If any of you have read "Poppy" to your children (a children's book by author Avi), you will know that porcupine LOVE salt. An apple core with salt sprinkled over it was beyond tempting to the first porcupine. At 1:30 a.m., she walked into the trap and ate the apple core, then proceeded to begin chewing through the wood of the trap. That was the noise that wakened us. Syd got up, carried the trap into the back of the Jeep, and drove to a place a few kilometers from our home to release the creature into a new location, far from homes and farms.
Two nights later, we captured another porcupine which we believe is the mother of the first one captured. This one came a bit earlier in the night - only 10:30 p.m. Once again, Syd placed the trap and creature into the Jeep, and drove to the same place to release it, hoping it would find its baby. Here are a couple of pictures of that capture.

This morning we found evidence (scat) that a THIRD porcupine is here!!!! Once again the trap will go out tonight. Guess we had a colony that we didn't know about. So glad Syd built that trap!