British Columbia

Second to Last and other moments of an artist

/ Terrill Welch / 17 Comments

Many months ago Kathy over at Lake Superior Spirit blog suggested the idea of a blessing post each week until the end of the year. I liked the idea. I accepted the challenge. This now is my second to last Monday morning blessing post for 2013. It has been a good practice as my blog writing had become very sporadic. The topic also offered a way to focus and organize my thoughts as an artist and as a sole-entrepreneur who regularly shares work-in-progress and other experiences that underpins my creative process. Thank you Kathy 🙂

That said, I have no idea what I should share or leave out this morning as a tree frog croaks in the woods outside the studio and the sun reaches over the hill in its winter golden light. I am reminded of a quick study that isn’t released yet from a few weeks ago from a similar morning.

MORNING GREETS FIR TREE 10 x 8 inch oil on canvas

Morning Greets Fir Tree study 10 x 8 inch oil on canvas by Terrill Welch 2013_12_03 040

The paint easily dances with the sunlight of the branches and I know the blessing of nature and my own breath intimately.

Then there is travel and a recent trip to Vancouver British Columbia and time with family. There is me standing on the back edge of an old bathtub and leaning far out the second story window to flip it wide enough to get a clear shot of the city.

VANCOUVER DECEMBER TWILIGHT

Vancouver December Twlight by Terrill Welch 2013_12_17 076

Is this nature too, I ask? I suppose, if an anthill or a beaver dam is nature then maybe this is as well. The evening light certainly doesn’t mind treating it as such.

On the way back home, I am drawn to the beach in the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. I had gone to Victoria to pick up more oil paints and to get a few Golden heavy acrylic paints to see if they would work for our trip to Europe in the spring. What do you think? Will the do?

DECEMBER SEA VANCOUVER ISLAND STUDY 8 x 10 acrylic on canvas board

December Sea Vancouver Island study 8 x 10 inch acrylic on canvas panel by Terrill Welch 2013_12_18 007

The trick I believe with a medium is to go with its strength while knowing its limitation – much like anything else in life. These paints and I will be learning their strengths and limitations over the weeks ahead. Imagine the what a blessing early 1900 painters would have thought it was to have more than one kind of paints in tubes to squeeze out and set to work with no collecting of pigment and mixing of paints? We live in luxurious times here on the west coast of Canada, almost embarrassingly so. I resist the guilt of such a blessed and easy existence. I know that it can change, will likely change.  My first job is to use my time purposefully and wisely, today.

THE BIG FIR TREE IN SNOW

The big Fir in snow by Terrill Welch 2013_12_20 035

 

Best Wishes from artist Terrill Welch by Terrill Welch 2013_12_21 134

Best Wishes, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!

 

What blessings do find the most difficult to recognize?

 

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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A Good Night of Sleep and other Studio Blessings

/ Terrill Welch / 6 Comments

Last evening I was wondering what I might possibly have to say this morning. But ten – yes ten full hours of sleep has created a bubbling pot of thoughts and ideas. So much for yesterday’s slug appearance

The West Coast Slug by Terrill Welch

I did spend an hour on Facetime with the “O” boys which likely did some good as well. Yes, I spent part of that time making faces as well. When you are one and almost three years old, making faces is a lot of fun.

So what is it that I have cooking you might ask? Well, I have an idea for a solo exhibition in the spring for one. It is tentatively called “Mostly Off The Wall” and that is all I can share at the moment. I think it shall be a LOT of fun though – maybe even one you would like to travel all the way to Mayne Island to see. March or early April are the tentative dates. This will be just before our planned two to three-month trip to Europe where I shall paint my way in leisurely around a very few selected locations. These are the plans if all goes well that is. But a person has to put a mark in the sand if anything is ever going to move from a dream to reality. These are my marks on the horizon of 2014.

In the mean time, ARBUTUS BY THE TRAIL has been released over on my website at Terrill Welch Artist if you care to have a wee visit with this small impressionist style west coast landscape oil painting.

There are also two new photographs from our resent close-to-home vacation time in and near Victoria, British Columbia. These were taken in East Sooke Park and you may appreciate the difference of the stone compared to that which is mostly found on Mayne Island. Getting very close to facing the open seas on the southwest coast Vancouver Island this harder stone is much more prevalent.

CREYKE POINT: Braced against the Pacific’s unrelenting chastising, proud and strong they resist. The hard stones may have their misgivings but their closeness to the sea is not one of them.

Quality prints available HERE.

CASTLE ROCKS: The castle-top rocks with a window to the sea swell the imagination.

Quality prints available HERE.

 

What are YOUR marks on the horizon of 2014?

So there we have it! May your Monday be filled with attention to your blessings and good-will.

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

Related articles

 

Without a moment to spare and arbutus trees on the ridge

/ Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

I tell you, sometimes blessings require running shoes and a sweater as one tries to keep up and keep warm to their cool wisps as they streak across the surface of our everyday life. This week shall be met with abandon and somewhat reckless pleasure between the art studio and grandmother duties. Without a doubt, it will be a “yeeeeehaaaaawwww!” kind of week with Thursday being filled with crazy creatures wandering in the night asking for treats.

Of course, the light and shadows will still move unruffled by my daily activities. This 12 x 16 inch oil on canvas landscape which appeared in the studio under my brushes over the weekend reminds me of this.

ARBUTUS ON MT. PARKE

Arbutus on Mt. Park 12 x 16 inch oil on canvas by Terrill Welch 2013_10_26 059

The painting will likely be released sometime next week when I get a moment to put it up. But it is done and I am happy with it as it makes a wonderful grounding reference point for the week ahead. Many Monday blessing to you!

What will be your grounding reference point this week?

P.S. I am keeping a secret that I am just  barely able to keep from telling you! Stay tuned because soon we are in for a real treat and addition to sharing my paintings and photographs.

Also, a notice is up on my website about the online and physical November 9th and 10th Open Studio event ANYTHING BUT NEUTRAL. Do drop by for more information.

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

Related articles

August Sunrise in Twelve Captures

/ 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

Just before six by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 004

EARLY START

Early Start by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 042

A BOLD START

A bold start to the day by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 047

AUGUST SUNRISE REEF BAY MAYNE ISLAND

August Sunrise Reef Bay Mayne Island by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 056

WAKING IN AUGUST

Waking in August by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 065

MORNING

Morning by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 071

EARLY ARRIVALS

early arrivals by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 086

HOPEFUL MORNING

Hopeful Morning by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 092

GULLS AT SUNRISE

Gulls at sunrise by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 100

AUGUST SUNRISE

August sunrise by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 139

JOINING

Joining by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 167

SUN IS UP

Sun is up by Terrill Welch 2013_08_22 217

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.

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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Tulips on the deck of the Springwater lodge en plein air

/ Terrill Welch / 20 Comments

Oh! Just look at them! All sassy with their scarlet, tangerine, and soft pink skirts on. These particular tulips are a season favourite here on Mayne Island. I just HAD to paint them. I asked permission to bring easel and paints right to the deck for a painting session. Let’s have a 22 second look and get a good feel for the situation…

So with paint on my cheeks and my tea left to get cold I give it my best.

Tulips Springwater Deck Mayne Island work in progress 20 x 16 inch oil on canvas plein air by Terrill Welch 3013_04_22 067

After about an hour and half,  it is definitely there! Doing a little en plein air dance around the deck. Oops! There are people here. I hadn’t noticed. A few adjustment are going to be needed but this is it for this day.

Back in the studio I work away until I feel it has come together. You see, I really do not get a lot of opportunity to paint with red. I like it but it kind of needs to be approached with respect. I suppose most colours do but red is my stand-back-and give-it-some-room colour. Shall we see what we have?

Tulips Springwater Deck Mayne Island – 20 x 16 inch oil on canvas

Tulips Springwater Deck Mayne Island 20 x 16 inch oil on canvas by Terrill Welch 3013_04_25 166

Update August 10, 2013: This painting is SOLD to an art collector in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Now I am going to let you in on a little secret. I am working on a much looser more textured experimental version of this same painting in the studio. It is too early to share and it may never be shared but I thought you just might like to know anyway. Red, lots of red and orange. Yum!…. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone.

What is your stand-back-and give-it-some-room colour?

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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The treasured Pacific Dogwood or Cornus nuttallii

/ 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.

Pacific Dogwood small tree or shrub by Terrill Welch 2013_04_19 067

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.

Pacific Dogwood Cornus nuttallii by Terrill Welch 2013_04_19 083

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!

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

Related articles

The Story of the Swamp Lantern

/ 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.

Swamp Lantern by Terrill Welch 2013_03_23 408

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.

Skunk Cabbage by Terrill Welch 2013_03_23 392

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!

skunk cabbage early spring by Terrill Welch 2013_03_23 386

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!

swamp beauty by Terrill Welch 2013_03_23 357

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!

 

© 2013 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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The Nurse’s Place Clinton B.C. – Plein Air painting

/ Terrill Welch / 7 Comments

There is something extremely companionable about a painter with all her gear packed in the car, a partner who likes to sleep in and an overnight stop in the small village of 740 residents in Clinton, British Columbia.  As the darkness gathered tightly around a warm late-August evening, I scouted my morning plein air location. I wanted some place a little off the beaten path but not so far I couldn’t carry my french box easel and camera. This is what I found. I was standing here ready to set up to paint at just after 8:30 in the morning…

With a blank canvas on the easel

I had about an hour to capture all I was going to capture.

What was most important? What shall I leave out? How shall I begin? With a large brush, I start to answer these questions as I rough in the view.

Notice the top of the painting and how the clip is not holding the painting in place. When plein air painting the light and the weather often change quickly. About 45 minutes into my painting session this oversight of that loose top clip becomes a grave error.

Yes, you guessed it. A large gust of wind came tearing down the valley and, to my horror, flipped this small painting off the easel and smack on its face in the gravel bits on the road. Disappointed, I pick it up and secure things a little better for next time.

While I was still assessing the damage and deciding what – if anything – I could do next, the neighbour from the place on the other side of the road behind me came up and asked if I minded if he had a look. This is when I learned that I was painting “The Nurse’s Place.” With a promise to give him a call when the painting was completed, I conceded that my time was up. I started to pack my gear and with the painting tightly secured to the easel headed back to the Cariboo Lodge where my dear sweet husband proclaimed that he loved the painting, gravel and all. I gave a grim half smile while silently saying a small prayer to the gods that look after plein air painters and their paintings to allow the gravel bits to roll off the canvas once it had dried.  Then we went for a late breakfast and I refused to look at the painting again until today.

To my delight, the small bits of gravel rolled off the canvas and I was able to finish up the painting in the studio.

THE NURSE’S PLACE CLINTON B.C. 9 x 12 inch oil on canvas by Terrill Welch

Update June 2023: This painting is now SOLD

Well, at least most of the gravel is gone. If a person looks very closely there is still a little Cariboo grit on that canvas. But I think that is only as it should be. I am calling it DONE! My next task is to place a call to the wonderful neighbour who dropped by to see how the painting was coming along.

SPROUT: When was the last time you courted disaster only to have it give you a good hard flip?

© 2012 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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An Evening on Brown Ridge Saturna Island

/ Terrill Welch / 15 Comments

Oh it seems like forever since I have checked in! Paintings and photography prints have sold. I am part of a new project for an online One Day Only – Artist Studio Floor Show, August 31, 2012. New paintings are completed and the summer is flying by. But, before I update you on these aspects over the next few days, lets just settle in and enjoy the end of a fine day on Brown Ridge Saturna Island.

Nice deep breath and long exhale. Okay, now we are ready….

Pull up a seat on the grass with us while the light is getting low in the western sky.

Yes, pajamas and house coat are just fine. Bring your blanket too as the air cools quickly with this vast open view. Look at the container ship picking up steam on its way through the islands to the open sea. I wonder where it is going?

What is that munching and grunting noise? Do you hear it? I wonder, could it be the feral goats that live on the ridge? Well we will have to get now and walk over the edge of the steep grassy slop and have a look. Yes there they are! Right below us with the sea in the background.

And look at this smelly little cutie. The mammas and babies were farther off. These fellows were obviously having a bachelor party.

Well here is a bit of pink showing up in the sky but it won’t be much of a sunset tonight.

The birds are getting quiet and the air is still – not even a summer breeze coming up the cliffside. Such a view! Darkness starts to seep into the corners.

Lights from the distant cities come into view and the July half-moon get brighter in the night sky.

We make a wish on the first stars that we see. We find the big dipper and we sit in the quiet of night high up on Brown Ridge, Saturna Island. We think about what it would be like to sleep out under the stars all night. But finally it is time to head back to Saturna Lodge and our comfortable beds next to the garden.

There! Wasn’t this the finest of evenings in nature? For us it was one of the highlights of our trip, right up there with Siglinde’s amazing breakfast at the lodge 😉

Sprout: When was the last time you were deep in the wilderness when night came over the day?

© 2012 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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Sketching by the Sea – 7 tips for sketching with children

/ Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

My grandson, Arrow, and I are on vacation over on Saturna Island this week. Yesterday was an overcast. No rain but the light was dull and lacked luster.  Photography and painting en plein air just didn’t seem to be the most appealing activities to undertake. So we did a midday hike at Narvaez Bay for lunch and then went to Winter Cove for some sketching by the sea.

 

Here are our tips for enjoying outdoor sketching:

1. Do physical exercise first – it is much easier to sit or stand for an hour to focus on sketching after a hike. The eyes seem to be able to see better when the body can comfortably be still.

2. Use good quality materials because they are easier and the results are more satisfying.

3. Find a place that offers some privacy where people are not able to walk up behind you. If they come up beside you or in front of you, they are more likely to ask to see your work than stand lurking in the background.

4. Situate yourself at the level or in the perspective that you want to capture your subject. In the photograph above we are almost at water level and in the same relationship to the scene as I would be to photograph.

5. Sit or stand  in such a position that you can see each other sketching without moving. This is extremely effective for easy conversation and learning by observation without interruption.

6. Keep the session short. When interest wanes, take a break. For example, wander around and maybe skip some rocks. Then come back to the sketching.

7. Relax and enjoy. 🙂 Don’t worry about the results or giving more than very basic instruction. Children  will observe and ask questions about what they need to know at that time.

Today, with a bit of luck, we shall have a chance to do some en plein air painting with oils on canvas.

 

SPROUT: What tip would you offer if introducing your favourite creative activity to children?

 

© 2012 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

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

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