Flying Through Home Studio Gallery Day

November 14, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 21 Comments

The Studio Tour was a great success with one original oil painting HENDERSON HILL sold to a collector of my work in Victoria B.C. Canada. You may remember that this painting was recently featured on the front of the regional magazine Island Gals. I will miss this piece but know it is going to a good home where it will be most appreciated.

Also large numbers greeting cards were clutched into admiring hands and are now ready for postage as an occasion presents itself. Notices were taken away to order my new book Precious Seconds along with information to follow my blog for new work and to order specific prints online at my redbubble storefront.

Mostly though, it was a great day meeting interesting people and talking about the wonders of the southern gulf islands. Considering it poured rain most of the day and was dark and dreary the sun shone brilliant with all the company at la casa de inspiracion.

Here are a couple of photographs from a few minutes before the first visitors arrived. I took them from above. Hence, this inspires the title of today’s post.

And if you look down into the sunroom….

There are more photographs and paintings than you can see here but one painting just outside of our view is part of a special project and I am not sharing it online yet. So you have to wait.

Best of the week to you and may you be inspired to create!

Sprout Question: What are you flying through this week?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

I made the cover (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Studio Tour Tomorrow

November 11, 2011November 11, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

I am almost ready! Tomorrow, being Saturday November 12, 2011, it is the annual Artisan Christmas Studio Tour on Mayne Island. There are eight Studios, two craft fairs and six shops participating. A few places are even going to be open on the Sunday as well as Saturday. Look for the red brochures at the Mayne Mall or drop by my Studio in the morning after 10:00 am. I can give you a brochure to get you started on a day of creative delights.

Here is a photo showing from last year’s Creative Potager studio opening to warm you up to the idea…

To find la casa de inspiracion, our home and studio, pick up the Mayne Island Community Chamber Brochure on ferry or at one of the local shops. Creative Potager is number 35 in the white square near the centre of the island. There are yellow signs to guide your right from where you turn on toWood Dale Road which is just as you come off the ferry. Just follow along until you get to 428 Bowsprite Crescent. I am looking forward to seeing you between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

There will be several new original oil paintings, photography prints and greeting cards showcasing our lovely west coast and Mayne Island.

For those of you that are too far away to drop in, please feel free to browse my online gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com It is almost the same as coming by except you have to get your own cup of tea.

Sprout Question: What are you preparing for?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

The Quiet

November 7, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 18 Comments

Yesterday’s Third Salish Sea Sunday Savings event was the best out of the three with several individuals taking advantage of the offering. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! I am always amazed by your ongoing support. It is like a pleasant surprise each time I venture to promote my work.

Yet, even with all of this excitement, I am engaged in a time of quiet – a deep peace that seems to come with the low light of late fall. The tree that overhangs our bank at the back of the house is just starting to turn.

The sheep in the valley below the house seem to emanate my inner stillness.

I tend towards observation rather than engagement during this time of year. There is a lot to do but not much that must be done. This is why announcing the winner of the draw for small 7.5 X 12 inch canvas print of AMAZEMENT seems so perfectly placed. The winner is an expert at engaging stillness, reflection and capturing the everyday aspects of his natural surroundings. Can you guess who it is? It is Jeff Stroud! Allow me to link to a recent interview that I did with Jeff which will provide links to his outstanding photography and information about recent shows of his work and to his blog. Congratulations Jeff!

As we all know, this time of quiet is often fleeting. I will be spending this week getting ready for the Mayne Island Artisan Christmas Studio Tour where I open our home to the public from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday November 12, 2011. If you are in the neighbourhood, please drop in and enjoy the transformation of our home into gallery space.

I also have one other fine offering that will be available until November 30, 2011. The producer, Blurb, of my book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs is offering buyers a $10.00 discount until the end of the month. To receive this discount, type in BIGTEN when the promo code is requested during checkout.

Here is the fine print that Blurb provided with the offer…

*Offer valid through November 30, 2011 (11:59 p.m. local time). Receive USD $10.00 off product totals. Minimum purchase is USD $29.95. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with other promotional codes, volume discounts, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Sprout Question: What triggers your quiet times?

Have a wonderful week whether it is quiet or filled with activity!

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Third Salish Sea Sunday Savings (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Early November afternoon by the sea

November 4, 2011November 4, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 26 Comments

I wasn’t going to take a photograph. I was just going to sit and enjoy the fine November light on the water, the call of the seagulls on the rocks and an eagle sitting overhead in a tree. I rolled down the window of my old ford pickup inhaling deeply. Saltwater, damp seaweed and snow someplace in the distant mountains obscured by cloud cover.

Then I said, “Well maybe I will just wander a bit on the shore. Oh I guess I might as well take the camera.”

As I gently closed the door of “Miss Prissy” I must admit to still denying I was going to take a photograph.

“I have so many photographs of this beach” I told myself.

But none are exactly like this one.

(image may be purchased HERE)

Sprout Question: What resent resistance has led to a win for your creative desire?

Remember this Sunday is the third and final Salish Sea Sunday Savings event for this year. Have a read of the Third Thursday Teaser posted yesterday for the details.

And second reminder…. If it applies to you – it is also the week we go back to Standard Time.

Best of the weekend everyone!

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

SEA AND CLOUDS original oil painting by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Savouring the Blues (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Witch Black and Pumpkin Orange

October 31, 2011October 28, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 19 Comments

For the last day of October and Halloween it seems appropriate to feature black and orange.

Witch Black with a split-rail fence.

Pumpkin Orange with maple trees glowing in the morning dew beside a farmer’s field.

At the bottom of a rock bluff at the intersection.

Or looking across to Curlew Island.

Sprout Question: What do you associate with witch black and pumpkin orange?

Happy Halloween!

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

FromMayne Island,British Columbia,Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Savouring the Blues

October 24, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 20 Comments

Yesterday was a fantastic Sunday for a stroll and to a poke about at the light house on Mayne Island. What really grabbed my attention was a clump of maples against the blues of the water and sky.

I also like this perspective and can’t decide which I like best. Because they are so similar I should probably only post one on my redbubble storefront.

Do you have a preference?

However, it is almost always the sea that pulls me into sublime bliss. This Sunday was no exception.

This brings me to some Monday morning news from Creative Potager. Do you remember the small 8 X 8 inch oil on canvas painting A SUMMER DAY that was the third I did during a plein air session this summer?

Well, it SOLD this weekend and is going to a lovely home here on Mayne island where it will be treasured.

The second good piece of news is that PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

is now available as an ibook for $9.99 for those who have ipads or iphones. Isn’t this exciting? It can be purchased at the same place as the hardcopy on BLURB HERE.

Since I do not have an iphone or ipad I put in a request to a tweet-friend and iphone artist Sandra Lock in Liverpool England. Sandra reviewed the ibook for me and left the following comment on BLURB…

“I can wholeheartedly recommend the iBook. It looks fabulous on my iPad, there’s nothing quite like a backlit screen for making images really pop…”

If you get a chance, I suggest you check out Sandra’s COLOUR YOUR WORLD Art Blog. And thank you Sandra for taking the time to review my first ibook 🙂

I have one more piece of news but I am going to wait until Friday to share it. I will give you a hint though – I made the cover or rather my painting did.

Sprout Question: Where are you finding sublime bless today?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Sitting on My Ordinary

October 21, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

It is an ordinary quiet week here at la casa de inspiracion. In fact it has been quieter and more ordinary than usual. With only a few outside commitments, I have even been sitting on my ordinary – well, backside. Shhhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone.

Oh I did dive in and order new print stock, clean the studio and get a few other household chores out of the way… but only worked at these pesky necessaries for a short while each day. Mostly it was a week of relaxing and the easiest route to an end goal. Do you ever take a few days to do this?

Sitting on my ordinary is about being with the everyday in an unhurried fashion.

It is about quietly observing and nurturing and replenishing my inner strength and resilience.

(image may be purchased HERE)

It is about honouring and reflecting on – exactly where am I anyway and what is it I really want to be doing?

(image may be purchased HERE)

Most often it means time in nature feeding my soul.

(image may be purchased HERE)

These four images are a result of “sitting on my ordinary” this week. So as you can see, it doesn’t mean doing nothing but rather doing what you love in a way that gives back.

Best of the weekend everyone!

Sprout Question: How do you sit on your ordinary?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

SEA AND CLOUDS original oil painting by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Five new plein air oil paintings by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Life and the Bounty Hunter

October 17, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

What I was intending to do this morning, more than an hour and half ago, was to let you know who won yesterday’s draw for sixteen 4 X 6 greeting cards from the second Salish Sea Sunday event. Instead, I have been captured by life’s bounty hunter. I am being held hostage and know I will only be released upon death. The thing is the walls of this prison are non-existent and there are no fences and there is always something to do, to smell, to hear, to feel and to discover. I stay willingly with gratitude and remain forever in the clutches of life’s bounty hunter – curiosity.

If you are still roaming free of curiosity, children are often our best example of how to get caught…

My curious mission this morning came about because Patricia is looking for an oven and Jannie had a roaster in her coffee, only to find Melody was farting with her nephews and Laurie is listening while Leanne is covering her head but Sam is still looking – only to return to Creative Potager to find that Jeff is accepting demands from anger.

So who was the winner of yesterday’s draw? Envelope please….. Laurie Buchanan from Speaking from the Heart!!!!!

Those of us who know Laurie – which is most as she has not missed commenting on a Creative Potager post in almost two years – know that she never does anything in halves. Not only did she liberally share the second Thursday Teaser and get her name in the draw three times but yesterday, as the second Salish Sea Sunday Savings event went live, she gave it another generous sprinkle throughout cyberspace on twitter, facebook and G+ for no other reason than – she could. I am sure that she was single-handedly responsible for half of the visitors who dropped in.

This kind of simple-abundance sharing and support is part of the life-sustaining income stream for a sole-entrepreneur photographer and artist such as me. It takes a wee bit of time of course and I am ever grateful to have been dialed into Laurie’s Sunday. Laurie’s support goes far beyond enjoying and recommending my free offerings through these blog posts. She has put her carefully managed dollars and non-consumer habit into investing in my Mayne Island Tree Spirit calendar and in this year’s new book Precious Seconds – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs. She is a serious fan and collector of my work and it gives me great pleasure to package up sixteen 4 x 6 greeting cards that I know will be put to good use by someone who appreciates them.

If you are not already subscribed to Laurie’s blog Speaking from the Heart, a friend on facebook, following her on twitter and have her circled on Google plus do it now! In the more than five years I have been visiting and keeping company with this delightful, talented and spirited writer and healer I now call Laurie my friend – though we have never met face-to-face or even talked on the phone. Laurie, you make life’s bounty hunter – curiosity – dance naked in the moonlight while you blow it kisses of possibility. Thank you for being you and for all that you do.

Thank you too to all of you who participated by sharing and purchasing goods from yesterday’s event. The next and final Salish Sea Sunday Savings event of the year will be three weeks from now on Sunday, November 6, 2011. Watch for the Thursday Teaser and hope to see you there!

Sprout Question: Be honest, when was the last time you were bound, gagged and carted off by curiosity? Or were you one of those jumping up and down waving in the crowd shouting “pick me! PICK ME!?”

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

SEA AND CLOUDS original oil painting by Terrill Welch

October 14, 2011January 15, 2017 / Terrill Welch / 18 Comments

About a month ago I set a day aside to paint a new work SEA AND CLOUDS. I had completed the underpainting already and it was simply sitting there in its 36 X 36 inch glory tempting me to pick up the brushes.

It was a big canvas and the day was pleasant so I decided to work on the side deck. I have a rather odd approach I guess to setting up my palette. I start fresh each time and choose all the colours I am going to use before I start painting. In this case I used one of my photographs as a reference point. From there it is a matter of mixing which I often do on the canvas as much as I do on my palette. So here is what the paints look like as I start painting.

Next it is a matter of getting some paint on the canvas.

And a bit more I think…

and some more paint!

Three hours later I start to build up the image.

I work without thinking – breath after breath I move the paint with brush and palette knife over the canvas. I move the canvas to avoid shadows. But at last I must stop. I am out of light.

I move the wet canvas to another deck and capture a late-in-the-day image of the painting in progress.

For the past month I have mused and walked by this painting almost everyday. What is it that I need to do? What will pull these pieces together into a completed work? Oh I grumbled and I worked on photographs. I thought and then one day it came to me. I knew exactly what had to happen. I set aside the morning and finished the painting.

SEA AND CLOUDS 36 X 36 inch oil on canvas by Terrill Welch

Update October 6, 2012 : This painting is now SOLD. Other paintings currently available can be viewed in the Artwork Archives online Gallery HERE.

Sprout Question: How long have you waited for the right combination of information to finish a creative work?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Five new plein air oil paintings by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

With Colour

October 3, 2011October 3, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 22 Comments

The grayness of our west coast year is already upon us. I have an interesting photo of some seals from our Saturday outing. But they are awfully dull for how I am feeling right now. So I’m digging through my massive tickle trunk of photo folders looking for some colour. Aha! June 4, 2011.

I’m resisting the rain-soaked weather with splashes of vibrant sun feelings. The seals shall be the postage stamp at the end of this post. We are celebrating!

We have a winner of the image-wrapped copy of a little coffee table book

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

Drum roll please Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-tttttta-T!!!…… I know you were expecting the bear from yesterday, right? No, not today either….

The winner is….. Artist Uma Sharma from Gurgaon, India. Congratulations Uma! Your book is on its way and is expected to arrive well before the end of October. Enjoy!

A little more colour? Well, why not….

Thank you everyone who participated in Creative Potager’s first Salish Sea Sunday Savings event. Your support is always deeply appreciated whether it is to purchase an original painting, photography print, calendar or card. Or to share my work with others. It all makes a difference in the life of a full-time creative being.

Also, welcome to new subscribers! Creative Potager posts generally come out on Mondays and Fridays with the odd extra post like the Salish Sea Sunday Savings event – which I have promised readers there will be three. The next one will be Sunday October 16th as next Sunday is Canadian Thanksgiving. Welcome to our lively creative community. Please join in as you wish.

And now, here are those seals…