Early Autumn Misty Morning Blessings

September 30, 2013October 1, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

When September begins to draw to a close, early morning arrives much later for a photographer. It is almost a sensible hour to be out catching the first light of the day.

Sunflower maidens milk the scant light as they swing their heavy heads through the mist towards the drifting dawn. These beauties are both received and given as blessing one.

Detailed view and purchase of quality prints available HERE.

I am counting my blessings both received and given on this Monday morning and for every Monday following until the end of the 2013. This proposed practice has come about because of an invitation from Kathy Drue in her Lake Superior Spirit Blog post “Count our Blessings” blogging practice. Even though life can be contrary at times there is no particular reason for accepting her invitation other than, well, there are so many everyday ordinary blessing that I feel compelled to notice. Such as these sunflowers in the fog above.

The day’s colour is caught on the ridge and chases the mist across the field in a sparkling two-step. Autumn is almost upon us. She is not in her grandest finery yet. But her undergarments hold out a promise as we caress the landscape – seeking and hoping. Softly, her golden jewels remain slightly hidden from our wanting eyes. Her beauty is profound, hushing our pleas before we dare to speak. I bring her to you as my blessing two.

Detailed view and purchase of quality prints available HERE.

The poplar trees stretch as if they have an invisible string attached to their bushy early autumn crowns with the other end anchored in the heavens. It is too early for leaf-kicking and too late for a swim. But the trees give it no mind as they shine and shine through the morning mist. I bring these trees as my final blessing in threes.

Detailed view and purchase of quality prints available HERE.

These photographs were taken on September 23, 2013 at Sturgeon Point Farm, Vanderhoof British Columbia and the home of my parents. I am back on Mayne Island now and up late or maybe possibly it is now considered early 🙂 In any case, I shall release this post immediately and then be off to catch a few winks.

What Monday morning blessing are you feeling compelled to notice?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Golden Plums An Apple And A Green Vase Still Life Painting (terrillwelchartist.com)
Haiku for Early Autumn (discoverjapannow.wordpress.com)
Recent sales of Terrill Welch oil paintings and pending price increase (terrillwelchartist.com)
Morning In The Kitchen – Small Abstract Painting by Terrill Welch (terrillwelchartist.com)
“Count our Blessings” blogging practice (upwoods.wordpress.com)
Sunday Night Thoughts of Blessings (onthehomefrontandbeyond.wordpress.com)

Home Studio or Traditional Gallery do art collectors care?

August 30, 2013August 30, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 15 Comments

My art work sells well but I wonder if I could do more…

Question: would you be any more likely to buy my paintings if I showed them to you from gallery space rather than my home studio space like in the photograph below?

YES or NO and it would be nice if you could tell me why?

I am asking because 70% of my art sales are from or supported by online exchanges with patrons, admirers and fans like you. Since January 2010 when I launched my painting and photography work, my collector space has doubled each year. I am set to increase prices of my original paintings for the second time this year due to the volume of sales. I am also considering other options to bring my work to a larger audience. There are several ways to do this but not all are practical living on a small island.

For example, I could rent Gallery space and show my work. This demands specific store hours from me and overhead costs. Which would be fine but the purpose would mostly be to better show my work to online buyers who collect my work. The local population, even with tourists, is too small to support such an adventure for art work that is already beyond emerging artist prices.

Getting my work in traditional galleries around North America is another option. The challenge of course is the time to secure representation and transporting work to and often from the venues. Ferry and mailing costs make this less than appealing.

So this is why I am asking my question. I want to know if you, as my audience and collectors, care one way or the other.

Again the question is – would you be any more likely to buy my paintings if I showed them to you from gallery space rather than my home studio space like in the photograph below?

YES or NO and it would be nice if you could tell me why?

Please feel free to send me a private note if you prefer.

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Recent sales of Terrill Welch oil paintings and pending price increase (terrillwelchartist.com)
Seaside Mayne Island oil painting study by Terrill Welch (terrillwelchartist.com)
Art thieves make terrible businessmen (qz.com)

August Sunrise in Twelve Captures

August 22, 2013August 22, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

The alarm went off at 5:00 am. I looked out and saw that the moon was still shining a path of light through the valley. I almost rolled over and went back to sleep. But I had made a promise to myself so got up and put the kettle on instead. Packing a small breakfast, iPad, thermos of coffee and my camera I slipped quietly out of the house. This is my first shot at sunrise on Reef Bay, Mayne Island in British Columbia, Canada.

JUST BEFORE SIX

EARLY START

A BOLD START

AUGUST SUNRISE REEF BAY MAYNE ISLAND

WAKING IN AUGUST

MORNING

EARLY ARRIVALS

HOPEFUL MORNING

GULLS AT SUNRISE

AUGUST SUNRISE

JOINING

SUN IS UP

Digital photography lends itself well to doing a quick series of photography sketches such as I have done with this morning’s sunrise. I liken it to gesture sketches with charcoal. These handheld frames are not the tripod fineness that is associated with material for grand-size photography prints. Instead are the reference images that capture the sensory information for some later painting. These twelve images plus one short video..

If you were going to meet me at sunrise in August what would you bring?

P.S. Today is the last day for the early bird special price on my new calendar with twelve painting images. Please remember to set the start date you would like before ordering the calendar.

The “Wish of a Moment” Calender is available HERE.

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Seaside Mayne Island oil painting study by Terrill Welch (terrillwelchartist.com)
Sold – End of Day with Arbutus – Contemporary Canadian Landscape Painting (terrillwelchartist.com)

Sunday roses in June at la casa de inspiracion

June 9, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

I woke this morning with a full day to fill as I choose. No commitments that can’t wait until tomorrow. No restlessness I feel driven to address. Today is for June roses, quiet cups of tea, twittering birds, long strolls and simple meals. Today is for being charmed by the delicate strengths of a moment. At the gate is a pavement rose puffed with blossoms with petals on her toes.

I linger over a fine red bud.

Then swoon down to a singular red beauty.

Dipping even closer, her fragrance tingles my sense of mystery and wonder.

This pink pavement rose is not the only hearty soul in the garden though. There is of course “The Grandma Rose,” a most resilient Scottish Brier rose. Her small white buds are determined to drag our focus from the neighbouring greenery.

She is resourceful in her attention-getting ways. The fragrance from these two-inch white balls comes no finer. Let’s see… oh, here is one. Now smell.

Perfect! Right?

The roses this morning remind me of the delicate balance of my week – a painting passing its final test of suitability for a new home. A new small painting resting on the easel.

End of Storm Georgina Point Mayne Island resting 8 x 10 oil on canvas

Two paintings released for sale over at Terrill Welch Artist…

New Growth West Coast in late May 8 x 8 inch oil on gessobord

From Felix Jack Road Mayne Island 14 x 11 oil on canvas

(For the curious and serious fans and collectors alike, links to detailed views and purchase information for these two paintings are posted over at Terrill Welch Artist. )

Equally important to this delicately balanced week, my husband is happily spade-deep in a project and my Saturday was spent with a good friend.

This pretty much wraps up what is blooming in my corner of the world. I am contemplating taking a wee bit of time off but this will not be until July. In the meantime, for my everyday, I wish it to be much like this week.

What is blooming in your creative corner of the world?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Remember Untold Mystery – Canadian Landscape Painting (terrillwelchartist.com)
Sister oil paintings of Tulips on the Springwater Deck Mayne Island (terrillwelchartist.com)
New Growth West Coast in late May – Canadian landscape oil painting (terrillwelchartist.com)
Winter Sun II west coast Canada Landscape Painting (terrillwelchartist.com)

Remembered Untold Mystery for World Environment Day

June 5, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 7 Comments

The beauty of trees, rocks and the angle of the sun have their untold stories we are forever wanting to tell. These stories are some of the eyes and ears for World Environment Day.

Remembered Untold Mystery – 10 x 10 inch oil on canvas

Detailed viewing and purchase information is available HERE.

We need to tell these stories over and over until not a decision is made without our understanding the fragile interconnectedness between ourselves and the world as a whole. How do we do this? By feeling our way into our natural environment until the very cells of this exchange is expressed through our camera lens, our paintings, our writings, our songs, our dance, and our prayers.

This painting reminds me of a very strong memory I have from grade three when a boy in the next row looked at my drawing of “the bush” with a fawn next to it looking longingly at a garden and said with absolute disgust “What a mess! You didn’t draw anything. It is all just scribbles!” So I took him and my hurt feelings farther down the row of desks from where all the drawings were pinned on the classroom wall. Then I said “look again.” He did and though still not terribly impressed he could see how all those lines gave the impressions of trees, grasses, the fawn and the garden.

I am sure if this, now 55-year-old, man was to see this work today he might say the same thing. This is the difference between suggesting the essence of a scene or subject by light and shadow and representing a form with paint or lines. It is far easier as a painter to get caught up in the details than it is to skip happily across the canvas suggesting the breath of the light and relationships between the elements in a landscape. This second approach is an invitation to the viewer to complete the painting using their own visual mapping abilities. Some viewers like to do this and others do not. My classmate did not. It was all just scribbles to him until he stood far enough back that the forms became more visible. There is nothing right or wrong about this painting approach nor in the liking or not liking of the painting. It is just one way of having a conversation with painting.

The reference for this paintings comes from a powerful experience when I found an intriguing visual path along the top of a cliff. I had to lay on my side and schooch out onto a rock ledge to capture the reference image. The amazing thing was that the scene had always been there but I hadn’t noticed it before this particular walk when its beauty was revealed in the angle of the evening light.

Prints of this image are available on redbubble HERE.

But just as trees, rocks and the angle of the sun have untold mysteries so does ice. In fact, ice may be able to tell the story of our world better than any other element. Last evening we watched CHASING ICE – a documentary film directed and produced by JEFF ORLOWSKI about the incredible work of National Geographic photographer James Balog and his team. The story of our world and its demise is in the ice or rather in what is left of the ice. I am including the film’s trailer and also wanted to let you know that it is available on Netflix.

After watching this film I was overwhelmed and close to feeling totally distraught. So, as I told Laurie Buchanan over at her Speaking from the Heart yesterday, I take my worries to the sea. It was a gorgeous warm early June evening with still seas that still a troubled heart.

I did nothing much but sit and scowl about the mess we are in for two hours. I listened to the sea, the breeze in the grass. I notice the warmth of the sandstone and how everything was doing what it must. The sandstone cliff was strong in its presence.

And so must I be in mine. I must continue my work of photographing and painting the stories of our natural world so that we believe and know our connectedness – like in Chasing Ice and the Extreme Ice Survey. Maybe just maybe we will reach a tipping point of understanding before it is too late. I can work with that. I must.

What creative ice are you chasing on today’s World Environment day?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Chasing Ice (ecomediastudies.org)
Oil landscape paintings – three new releases and three to ship (terrillwelchartist.com)
The Edge and At The Beach Another Time – Canadian landscape paintings (terrillwelchartist.com)

By the sea for no reason inspires west coast oil painting

May 21, 2013May 24, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

Sometimes we go down by the sea for no reason. There is no intention of capturing the perfect photograph. There is no intention of a meditative walk. There is nothing planned at all. We just go down by the sea at Reef Bay on Mayne Island for no reason at all…

I mean, if you had a choice to join us on a day like this, even or maybe especially for no reason, wouldn’t you?

As we watch, the sea seems to fold into the seagull-decorated landscape.

I sit for a long while just enjoying. Then there is this portrait view that eventually surfaces in my conscious awareness. I know it will be translated into a painting even before I pick up the camera to frame the scene. I debated with myself about whether to show you the photograph that became my main painting reference as it is just that – a reference which anchored my experience long enough to get to my paints, brushes and canvas. But I know how much you like to see these glimpses of inspiration, so here it is…

The painting has been released over on Terrill Welch Artist in today’s post

“NO REASON Canadian west coast oil painting by Terrill Welch“

However, here it is again for your viewing pleasure: Canadian west coast 12 x 10 inch oil on canvas oil painting study – NO REASON.

UPDATE May 24, 2013: This painting has SOLD.

What have you done lately for no reason?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Oil landscape paintings – three new releases and three to ship (terrillwelchartist.com)
More Canadian Landscape paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD! (terrillwelchartist.com)
The Edge and At The Beach Another Time – Canadian landscape paintings (terrillwelchartist.com)

The treasured Pacific Dogwood or Cornus nuttallii

April 21, 2013April 21, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

The Pacific Dogwood or Cornus nuttallii small tree or shrub is protected in British Columbia. It is actually not all that common except in the lower western corner of the Province but has the distinction of being the Provincial flower. I have been admiring one such specimen on Mayne Island for a few years now.

Isn’t it just grand? The flower or leaf petals are a stunning greenish cream-white. With some rather tame bushwhacking I was able to get up a wee closer so we can have a good study of these beauties.

The actual flower of this plant is the greenish ball in the center. I understand it is suppose to flower spring AND fall but I only seem to notice in the spring. Though the dark red berries are bitter they are the culinary delight of pigeons, quail, grosbeaks, hermit thrushes, and waxwings. Bears and beavers enjoy the fruit and foliage, and deer eat the twigs.

Some aboriginal people used the wood, which is fine-grained, hard and heavy, for bows and arrows. More recently, the Cowichan people on Vancouver Island made knitting needles from it.

The Straits Salish made a tanning agent from the bark. The Thompson people made dyes – deep brown from the bark, black when mixed with grand fir, and red from the roots.

The wood has been used for piano keys. Pacific dogwood varieties are attractive ornamental plant in coastal gardens.

But remember if you see one – British Columbia Legislation protects the Pacific dogwood from being dug up or cut down.

Reference and more about this plant: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/pacificdogwood.htm

Also, it has been a week of finding more homes for paintings and releasing some new ones for sale. Find out more on Terrill Welch Artist at “Oil landscape paintings – three new releases and three to ship”

Can you share with us the flower emblem of your Province or State?

Wishing a wonderful week ahead with many creative adventures!

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

The Story of the Swamp Lantern (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
More Canadian Landscape paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD! (terrillwelchartist.com)
Wabi Sabi Feng Shui Nature and Photography (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
West Coast Blues in photography and painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Springwater Lodge en Plein Air

April 14, 2013April 19, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

There is a seductive pleasure about painting out in the open or en plein air. The weather forecast is rather a mixed bag of cloud and sun. I wonder if we should chance it? What it doesn’t say is that it is heavy breaking cloud which is delicious light.

Oh, why not. The worst that will happen is we get a little wet. I trundle my French Box easel, camera bag which also has my iPad inside and another bag of painting gear down to the beach in Miners Bay. Let’s see if we can get a wee bit of a shared experience here…

At least there is sun on the far shore of Galiano Island.

But I am still leaning towards painting the Springwater Lodge as my subject.

It is only about 6 degrees Celsius . or 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit. My fingers and the paint are both stiff. As the birds sing and the waves keep me company that brush starts to work its magic.

This is it for images of works-in-progress on site for this painting. Darn if that big old cloud behind me didn’t get stuck on the cliff as it came over. Big fat drops have me running with the painting, my camera and iPad for cover. Good thing the painting was mostly done! Here is a shot of the more-or-less finished painting taken back at the studio.

SPRING AT THE SPRINGWATER LODGE MAYNE ISLAND 11 x 14 inch oil on canvas plein air

Update April 19, 2013: This painting has SOLD to an art collector in Alberta, Canada.

Established in 1892 the Springwater Lodge is situated above Miners Bay in Active Pass, on Mayne Island. The Springwater Lodge is the oldest continuously operated hotel in British Columbia. During the Fraser River and the Caribou gold rush, the lodge was a favourite stopover for miners.

reference: http://www.springwaterlodge.com/history.htm

Keeping your responses family-friendly, what is your favourite Sunday seductive creative pleasure?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Finding the Rhythm of the Sea in oil on canvas in the art studio (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Contemporary Canadian Landscape paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD! (terrillwelchartist.com)
Peninsula’s Fifth Annual Plein Air Competition (peninsulaartacademy.wordpress.com)
West Coast Blues in photography and painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
More Canadian Landscape paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD! (terrillwelchartist.com)

Magnolias and the Galloping Art Work

April 8, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 20 Comments

Magnolias how varied and lovely are your blooms. Some as white as white

and others so pink as to be purple.

Small shrubs or large trees and star or plump petals you are always special to me.

Magnolias, may you give me courage to share the predicament of the art work which is galloping out of the studio as shown in today’s Terrill Welch Artist website post “More Canadian Landscape Paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD!” Four more oil paintings and a medium-size fine art photography print to be exact. This brings the total to eight paintings and three photography prints sold since the middle of January. It may not sound like much but it represents several thousands of dollars of art work going off to new homes.

I was asked by a dinner guest on the weekend how it felt to have my work meet with such success. I replied with a raised eyebrow and a soft shrug. You see, it is really not particularly comfortable to be in the lime light of my selling art work. Rather than being a comfort, I instead, feel a sense of panic and almost anxiety. Over the years, I haven’t been able to nail what this is about but definitely recognized the repeating result of the experience. I finally replied to my guest that it must be like other artistic expressions. Once a song is released or a book published or a painting sold it often feels like an ending rather than a beginning for the creator. There is an irrational fear that it is the last “good” one and that there will be no more. Silly I know. However, I can attest to the actuality of this emotion. Since I have been selling my art work from the time I was fourteen years old, I wish I could say it is getting easier over time but this is not so. Thankfully, the feeling only lasts until the next painting is off the easel or the next photography print is made available for purchase. Balance and clarity is then restored until the next sale. Odd isn’t it?

Well, let’s get started with balance…

Study in White Star Magnolia

(Image available for detailed viewing and purchase HERE)

If you are comfortable sharing, what quirky anxiety accompanies your creative success?

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com

Finding the Rhythm of the Sea in oil on canvas in the art studio (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Contemporary Canadian Landscape paintings by Terrill Welch SOLD! (terrillwelchartist.com)
West Coast Blues in photography and painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
The Story of the Swamp Lantern (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

The Story of the Swamp Lantern

April 1, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

Swamp lantern is a beautiful name for our wild western skunk cabbage or Lysichiton americanus. My first experience with this smelly beauty was when I was five years old and I was walking with my mother in the early evening along a logging skid trail.

We were living in our small portable bunk house right on the edge of the logging landing where the cats skidded the logs in and the loaders loaded them up on the logging trucks for their long trip from the middle-of-no-where in Cariboo country British Columbia to the sawmill in Williams Lake. The close proximity to the working logging area meant that we had to stay inside the small two room cabin on skids during working hours. How my mother did this with two young children and a baby I can’t even begin to image.

My mother loved to be outside as much as we did so when the whistle blew and the last machine shut down we were out the door and walking the nearest skid trail that went through the swamp area behind the landing and then beyond. In the low light of the heavily treed forest, infused with dank freshly turned earth, next to the pungent swamp, is where I encountered my first swamp lantern. Gorgeous!

The blossom petals are an unbelievably bright, almost opaque yellow accompanied by cabbage-like exotic tropical foliage. Each plant also has a distinctively phallic stamen that is somehow unavoidable more pronounced in any compositional photograph than when in the presence of the plant itself. However, all in all, this is a most beautiful native announcement of early spring. But after these beauties have been blooming for a while – the smell! Once it has traveled up your nasal passages, you will never, ever forget – skunk cabbage!

Our western variety is not good to eat because as it contains calcium oxalate crystals which would be much like eating crushed glass. This caution does not apply if you are a bear. The swamp lantern or skunk cabbage is an important part of bear’s spring laxative tonic when it come out of hibernation.

The plants large, waxy leaves were important to indigenous people for food preparation and storage. They were commonly used to line berry baskets and to wrap around whole salmon and other foods when baked under a fire. It is also used to cure sores and swelling.

reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysichiton_americanus

What wild spring flowers are powerful connections to one of your childhood memories?

P.S. Three more paintings have sold over the weekend but I will tell you more about this in another post soon. All the best of Easter Monday to you!

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com