What happens in an art studio if the painter catches a cold?

January 23, 2013January 23, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

What a silly question you might be thinking. Of course, not much at all would happen if the painter was down with cold and flu – bedridden for most of three and a half days to be exact. But this is not so. A painting is sold and carefully wrapped and then shipped to its destination in Michigan, U.S. A. on the first day of partial recovery.

NAVY CHANNEL EARLY OCTOBER should have left with the Canada Post boat yesterday on its journey to a new home where I am already convinced it will be well loved and appreciated.

It is the first original painting for 2013 to set off to new lands and I wish it well and trust it will bring great joy to its new owners.

Then there is the musing between long fevered naps as to which of three completed paintings to release next. The paintings could be released all at once but what is the fun in that? It is so nice to give them each a chance to walk out on stage solo and take their first bow to the audience without feeling they are being edged along by the painting coming behind or tripping over the one that is ahead. So it is decided. On the first day of feeling better EVENING THUNDERCLOUDS OVER THE STRAIT OF GEORGIA is released with flurry of dramatic sentiments.

The hyperlink will take you to the full story over at http://terrillwelchartist.com.

But more than all of this – what happens in the art studio if the painter catches a cold is pondering and reflection, musing and mulling and ultimately evaluating and in this case setting a direct course to more painting. You see, if the next ten years are this artist’s best painting years and this artist paints about 40 paintings a year that is a total of only four hundred paintings. If this artist did not sell one of these paintings would the artist’s spouse be willing to live with the carefully stacked, well-organized and cataloged collection of these works in their living space? You can see where this is going I am sure.

Spouse replies as expected “Of course Darling, we have plenty of walls space left.”

Now the artist, the spouse and you readers know that there has never been much for wall space in this timber-framed house of glass but it is just the answer the artist wants to hear. Paintings will continue to be sold and they will continue to find new homes but it is not an equal priority with the work of painting in this artist’s independent studio. The process of marketing and selling will be bounced just a little farther down the list – not off the list, just down.

What does this mean for the weeks ahead as this artist begins to feel better and again settles into her regular studio schedule? Well, it means first priority is to paint. Second priority is to inventory and organize finished work. Third priority is to assess effectiveness of current online and physical venues for showing work and consolidate where appropriate. Fourth priority is to seek new venues and opportunities to sell paintings. And so, the 2013 artist strategic planning session comes to a close as the blankets are thrown back and the coughing subsides.

The lesson – never underestimate the effectiveness of a cold in an artist’s studio.

What positive outcomes were the result of the last cold that you caught?

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

Evening Thunderclouds over the Strait of Georgia – dramatic seascape sky painting (terrillwelchartist.com)
Doing a Henri Matisse in three new paintings (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Evening and the Arbutus Tree – a large west coast oil painting (terrillwelchartist.com)

Reef Bay Mayne Island observation to painted experience

December 9, 2012March 26, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 8 Comments

When do observations transform into renderings of full experiences? This is the question I ask myself while I am gathering references for my next painting. I observe. I take a total of 57 photographs. Though all are important, one later becomes my primary painting reference.

What pixels actually hold the smell of the sea and cry of the gulls?

I capture a video just over a minute in length. Later I choose a piece of music to go with it.

At what point in this process of creating a video reference did I move from observing to experiencing?

I return to the studio and rummage through my blank canvases. Eventually, I choose an 11 x 14 inch and set it upon the easel. I squeeze out the oil paint onto the palette. I listen to the video. I glance at the photograph. I pick up my brush.

Quickly and without hesitation the landscape is blocked in. Swiftly my body engages in the visceral process of painting wet-on-wet. Swish, swish and swish. I move back and forth across the studio to peer at the forms sliding off my brush onto the canvas. I remember the gray dawn with its slimness of colour. I remember the sea, and the soft rush of water as it comes ashore. I remember the heaviness of the rocks and the salty dampness of winter seaweed. I feel the coolness of the air and the cry of the gulls. Which strokes will hold the promise of a this day? Which strokes carry the sounds and the material weight of substance? Which strokes follow the soft light across the seascape. Oh, how I wonder!

Then it is done.

Too soon my logic bullies. There must be more!

But, two days have passed. I have not touched the canvas, not because technical correction would not lead to a more accurate rendering of the physical setting. Rather I do not alter the painting because nothing more is needed to render the fulness of my experience. It is done.

REEF BAY MORNING EXPERIENCED December 7, 2012 – 14 x 18 inch oil on canvas

Oh, I will photograph it again once it is completely dry and on a brighter day. But the painting of the painting is done. If I want to do more it shall be on another canvas.

What observations are you currently rendering into the fulness of your experience?

It is December 9th today and the great room is in disarray with packages to be wrapped and shipped. It is the time for this artist to begin her holiday break. I shall be back in the New Year to share more painting and photography adventured.

For now, the best of the holiday season to you and yours – one and all!

ONLINE GALLERIES with Terrill Welch paintings and photography include-

Xanadu Studio Gallery for large original paintings

Artsy Home for most original oil paintings currently available

Redbubble for photography prints, greeting cards and posters

Current Local Mayne Island VENUES –

Green House Restaurant – small original oil paintings and photography prints

Farm Gate Store – one large painting

And by appointment at Terrill Welch’s home studio

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

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch Artist website at http://terrillwelchartist.com

SLICED WITH A TEAR autumn oil painting and process by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
What do original paintings of Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris and Terrill Welch have in common? (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

SLICED WITH A TEAR autumn oil painting and process by Terrill Welch

November 24, 2012February 25, 2014 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

There is something about autumn by the sea with the gray melancholy wrapped in fall colours.

Do you remember my recent post called “Autumn Sliced with a Tear” and the photograph of the maple trees by the sea?

Do you remember me saying – “today is one of those slow-baked, melancholy west coast Sundays, so moist and tender you can slice it with a tear?”

For about a month I painted and repainted this scene in my mind – maybe a thousand times. I adjusted and readjusted my approach solving one painting problem and then another.

Finally, I pull out an extra-large 36 x 60 inch canvas (that is 3 x 5 feet or just plain BIG) and begin with the underpainting.

They never look like much at this stage but I find it an extremely useful step particularly when working on large paintings. I can now start working up the painting…

The canvas is shiny with wet paint but I can already feel the bruised coolness of fall in the sky and on the water. I keep working and building up the paint.

Days have now past with my dreams waking me up early to paint for many of my waking hours. I am consumed with the transitions between light and shadow and form.

The details show the looseness of easy strokes with two and one inch brushes.

There is the leaves against the sky on the far top right. Nothing but swathes of golden colour added to the sky with a hint of branches to hold them in place.

Then there is the clatter of colour near one of the main tree trunks a the top near the left side of the painting, colours that must roll over and under each other bringing the leaves forward in the painting towards the viewer.

Up close, we see nothing but wild and loose, meandering brushstrokes across the canvas. I like to paint wet-on-wet or ala prima and work a whole canvas up at once. This is no small task on a canvas of this size. But it can be done though it is often not the only painting approached used just because of the grand scale of the canvas. For example, even using this approach it took more than one sitting or painting session to complete this painting.

Finally, my brush and the painting comes to rest. Let’s stand back and have a good look at the whole canvas and see what we find.

I think it is complete, finished, done. Now it must rest and I reserve the right to make any changes that come begging to me during this time. So it is not for sale yet. However, I will let you know when it is. In the meantime feel free to browse through current work that is available at the links below.

UPDATE February 7, 2013

Well, I thought it was done but over the past but over the last couple of months I have made a few changes. Here is the now completed painting…

It is not going to be released anytime soon for sale as I am keeping it in my Artist’s collection for now.
Sprout: If you could be anywhere under a fall sky where would you want to be?

P.S. This is an early warning that Creative Potager will be making some changes in the New Year. They are not big changes but ones that I hope you will welcome as I re-purpose the intent of this blog to reflect the changes in my own focus of providing an online studio experience of work for readers. More on this soon.

ONLINE GALLERIES with Terrill Welch paintings and photography include-

Artsy Home for most original oil paintings currently available

Redbubble for photography prints, greeting cards and posters

Current Local Mayne Island VENUES –

Green House Restaurant – small original oil paintings and photography prints

Farm Gate Store – one large painting

And by appointment at Terrill Welch’s home studio

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

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

Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch Artist website at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Autumn Sliced with a Tear (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
What do original paintings of Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris and Terrill Welch have in common? (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
my underpainting (sisterhoodofthemuse.wordpress.com)

Wait and See

November 18, 2012January 18, 2013 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

My last 2 weeks have been an emotional soup of events. Hence, you have not seen a new post on this Creative Potager blog. The story goes something like this….

Wednesday, November 7th – fell down the thirteen steps of the stairs from the loft and had to go to Victoria to get x-ray of arm to make sure it was not broken. Badly bruised on right side but fine.

Will my right shoulder freeze again from the trauma? I hope not and it feels pretty good right now but we will have to wait and see.

Saturday, November 10th – hung a new show of small oil paintings and photographs at the Green House Bar and Grill. There are seventeen works up one of which is this one…

(Navy Channel early November – 9 x 12 inch oil on canvas is now SOLD! updated January 18, 2013. Other paintings that are currently available can be viewed in detail and purchased HERE)

Will work find its way to new homes over the holidays? Maybe. We will have to wait and see.

Sunday, November 11th – received phone call at 5:45 am from son-in-law that new grand baby was on its way. Caught the first ferry at 8:45 am, arrived at the Duncan hospital at 10:50 am. Grandson born at 11:36 am. Ivor Lewis is 7.7 lb. Everyone healthy and well. I was there for the birth.

He meets is brother before going home the next day barely 24 hours old.

Will they be close to each other? We will have to wait and see.

Thursday, November 15th – Return home to Mayne Island arriving shortly after noon. A short time later receive call that life-long friend is gravely ill and in hospital. The next couple of days extremely intense as we wait and see if his condition will stabilize.

Saturday, November 17th – I write a poem.

Wait and See

Not all mornings begin with bright glorious light,
that soars across the sky,
offering a colourful welcome to a new day.

Some mornings seem to uncover the dawn,
with the quiet heaviness of damp wool blankets.

There is no immediate pleasure or drawing up of the spirit.

It is the kind of dawn that says – we will have to wait and see.
Sunday, November 18th – I complete the underpainting for a large 3 x 5 foot canvas.

What will the painting be like? We shall have to wait and see.

In all of this, I am thankful for the support and love of my husband David, my children and my step-children and their partners and my extended family. They are an amazing lot… full of strength, compassion with just the right amount of humour. My love goes out to those that are close to me as they face the challenges ahead. And just as I write this I received a phone call that my very close life-long friend is on the mend. Yippee!

Sprout: What might you be waiting to see?

ONLINE GALLERIES with Terrill Welch paintings and photography include-

Xanadu Studio Gallery for large original paintings

Artsy Home for most original oil paintings currently available

Redbubble for photography prints, greeting cards and posters

Current Local Mayne Island VENUES –

Green House Restaurant – small original oil paintings and photography prints

Farm Gate Store – one large painting

And by appointment at Terrill Welch’s home studio

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 Artist website at http://terrillwelchartist.com

What do original paintings of Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris and Terrill Welch have in common? (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Overture in mist – the southern Gulf Islands in November (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Autumn Sliced with a Tear (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

What do original paintings of Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris and Terrill Welch have in common?

October 22, 2012November 18, 2015 / Terrill Welch / 19 Comments

What do original paintings of Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris and Terrill Welch have in common? The answer is almost beyond belief – paintings by these Canadian artists are owned by the same art collectors! There I have said it out loud. I am guessing you might want to hear more about this story, yes? I thought so….

The buyers who recently purchased my large 36 x 36 inch oil on canvas seascape, “Sea and Clouds,” had mentioned in our email exchanges that they trusted I would be impressed about the company my painting would be keeping. I made a mental note from this comment that they were art collectors. I have been selling my work to art collectors of contemporary art since I was fourteen years old. Often, my paintings sell before they are even eligible for varnishing and sometimes even before the painting is dry to the touch. So this is not something new for me. But I never suspected that my painting would be rubbing corners with other such valuable collectable paintings in Canadian art as mentioned above. The thought never even crossed my mind. I wouldn’t even have been able to imagine it. Never! I paint. I muse and have imaginary conversations with these historic painters about painting problems, life as a Canadian artist and so on. But that is about it. It is all imaginary. Their paintings themselves seem very distant from my daily work as an artist.

When I arrive at the buyer’s home we go through the usual pleasantries and meeting of the dogs and so on. I give them a portfolio for their records with a signed copy of my art book, the receipt and a copy of the blog post where I shared the painting’s development. I then bring in the wrapped painting. I focused on meeting the new owners and getting my bearings. I am always a little nervous meeting new people and new buyers of my work. I have decided it is a perfectly normal human response. Though admittedly, the nervousness could have something to do with the days and weeks I spend working alone in my studio on an island and seeing few others in person beyond my husband.

The new owner of “Sea and Clouds” helped to take the coverings off the large painting.

“Ah!” he said, never taking his eyes off the canvas “It is just as I remembered it when we first saw it!”

Though the painting was back in my studio when the couple contacted me, it had been shown over the summer at the Bennett Bay Bistro in the Mayne Inn. This is where they had first seen and admired the work.

Sold! Sea and Clouds 36 x 36 inch oil on canvas

Then the art collector walks across the living room with the painting and leans it safely against a cabinet on the far wall.

At this point, he turns to me, loosely waves his arm around the room and says “so these are a few of the paintings in our collection. This one here, as you will know, is an Emily Carr and these….”

I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. I am stunned. I look up to the painting above where he had set my painting and there was a large Emily Carr Painting – Emily Carr! The same Emily Carr who is my personal muse and mentor. The same Emily Carr who is the painter whose art journal I read regularly whenever I feel isolated and doubtful about my work. It is the same Emily Carr who is a prominent part of Canadian Art history. It is the Emily Carr whose painting sold at auction last year for an unmentionable number of dollars. It is that Emily Carr – the same one. Emily Carr my kindred spirit. Her painting is now hanging just above my painting that is leaning against the cabinet in the art collectors’ home.

It took me several moments to gather my wits about me as the art buyers showed me other Canadian works by painters from the same period. I finally seemed to be able to engage my stunned brain by the time the buyer handed me a small A.Y. Jackson study to have a look at. At this point, we talked about painting studies, process and brushstrokes. The couple told me about the Lawren Harris painting they have and how it didn’t look like much until a person stood back from the painting. It looked like just paint up close. They tell me it is an artist’s vision not the number of brushstrokes that makes a quality painting. I could have reached out and hugged them both for that comment. I knew my painting was going to be in a good home with this lovely, warm and generous couple.

As a Canadian landscape and seascape painter, there is nothing I ever want for one of my paintings than to be bought because the buyers love it – such as it is with this painting. It is an unexpected and pleasant bonus to have one of my paintings collected by those who also love and enjoy the most prominent historical Canadian art work that also has influenced my own painting, not so much in style but as in preferred choice of subject matter – the Canadian landscape. It was a good day for this artist. A very good day indeed.

I am taking a bow for the love of Art and the Canadian Landscape. Will you join me?

Now I am back to painting and preparing the underpainting for a new 4 x 5 foot canvas. More on this in the near future.

Thank you to all of you who continue join me on my painting and photographic journey here at Creative Potager and elsewhere. You are the best and a big part of what adds value and connection to my everyday life as an artist living on a small island off the southwest coast of Canada. May your today bring with it creative abundance.

If your creative work could enjoy the company of other historical prominent mentors, in your wildest dreams, who would it be?

Update April 2015: These collectors have now added a second “Terrill Welch” original oil painting to their art collection shown below…

Sold! Point No Point Mid-storm 16 x 20 inch walnut oil on canvas

Point No Point Mid-storm 16 x 20 inch walnut oil on canvas by Terrill Welch 2015_04_25 137

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

Emily Carr watercolour expected to fetch $300K at Calgary auction (metronews.ca)
The Nurse’s Place Clinton B.C. – Plein Air painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

New homes for Art and other studio musings

October 8, 2012 / Terrill Welch / 21 Comments

Yes, a handful of new photography prints and original paintings have found homes recently. Let’s have a look at a few of these and just for fun, you can use the voice of the auctioneer as the gavel is slammed down if you like…

SOLD! Extra Large 20 x 26.6 inch Lustre photography print of “Arbutus Strait of Georgia”

Prints continue to be available at redbubble HERE.

SOLD! To the lovely buyer in Ontario Canada the 12 x 12 inch oil on canvas seascape “Gray on Gray in Blue.”

SOLD! To the nice couple from British Columbia Canada the 12 x 16 inch canvas print of “Orange Sun on the sea” paintography image.

Prints in various formats continue to be available on redbubble HERE.

Okay, now for the big one. Drum roll please!

SOLD! To the lucky buyer in British Columbia Canada the 36 inch or three feet square “Sea and Clouds” oil on canvas painting by Terrill Welch.

It often takes awhile to find the perfect home for my larger paintings as they are in the thousands of dollars to purchase. But it does happen, eventually. This is the largest in my series of “Squared to the Sea” series and was completed a little over a year ago. I will be sad to see it go but I am happy that it has found the perfect home.

Other paintings currently available can be viewed at the Artsy Home online gallery. And do try out the magnifying glass that is available. Most fun.

The past seven weeks have seen me away for from the studio for more than thirty days. My attempted solution of a new iPad with keyboard did not result in keeping us up to speed here at Creative Potager. My apologizes.

Thank heavens for Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus! Which brings me to some musing and contemplation about the purpose and future of this blog. So many regular Creative Potager readers are also connected to my work on these other social networking platforms which leaves me asking myself this – what unique purpose of intent does Creative Potager fill that is not happening on these other sites? Here are three observations I believe to be true:

1. Posts are easier to find and have a longer shelf-life on Creative Potager.

2. Images are more quickly and likely to show up in an image search when posted on Creative Potager so there is greater exposure of the work for new viewers to find.

3. Creative Potager offers a more friendly platform for longer posts and to profile new work, projects or initiatives.

But the most powerful pull to Creative Potager is it that pleases me to post here! I have a chance to engage with all of you in what feels like a more relaxed-tea-sipping pace than on the other platforms.

So we shall continue in a rather loose, as desired, kind of posting pattern. Yes, subscribing might be best if you don’t want to miss anything. For example, I am starting to plan a new version of the Salish Sea Sunday Savings events to begin before the end of October. These events are not to be missed as they only come around for a few weeks a each year – kind of like these golden plums in a new painting that was released today in the Artsy Home online Gallery…

FRUITS OF LABOUR is a 12 x 12 inch oil on mounted gessobord – available HERE.

For me, this still life holds the sweet warmth of summer sun and fresh pick fruit. One of my photography clients had asked that I photograph their farm and I have been observing and capturing the golden plums in this painting since they were blossoms on the plum tree. Though I primarily paint land and seascapes, still life and even some figurative paintings will sometimes show up in my work. In fact, expect to see more small still life studies in the months ahead. They offer a nice change from the cooler shades of the sea.

SPROUT: What creative musings are colouring your autumn foliage?

All the best of a Canadian Thanksgiving holiday Monday to you!

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

Sold! Art and other adventures (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Mayne Island en plein air painting morning (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
The Nurse’s Place Clinton B.C. – Plein Air painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Psssst! Today is The Artist Studio Floor Show

August 31, 2012September 1, 2012 / Terrill Welch / 2 Comments

It is here – one day only The Artist Studio Floor Show.

World Clock for this Event
09:00 (9:00 AM) CDST Aug. 31, 2012 through 09:00 (9:00 AM) CDST Sept. 1, 2012
What is a the Studio Floor Show?

Artists paint. Artists accumulate work. A lot of work. It’s that simple.

Sometimes that work never finds its way to a gallery or exhibition and sits on the artist’s studio floor. That inventory can become unmanageable, taking up valuable creative space and the artist must do something. Throughout the years, artists would open their studios to the public and sell their work at a sacrifice in order to make room. The art is usually stacked and leaning against walls, on the floor… hence the name. As one patron once told me, “It’s like mining for gold”.

Historically, these shows are held in brick and mortar studios, but with the advent of the internet, it is now possible for you to enjoy the excitement of attending one of these shows… right from the comfort of your home.

The Artist Studio Floor Show will present these virtual shows on the same premise as in the real world. They will be for one day only, for twenty-four hours from the posted start date and time. Each participating artist will exhibit their work on this site with a link to their respective websites. You will be able to purchase your art directly from the artist… from their studio.

Note: Sales at floor show prices cannot be completed until Aug. 31st, per the published time (above), and for a 24 hour period only.

Floor Show Presentation

C. J. Shane