British Columbia

Abstract Sensing

/ Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Sometimes nature delivers the finest abstract compositions such as yesterday late in the afternoon at Georgina Point on Mayne Island. We only had a few moments of sun but they were a nice reprieve from the gray and rain of west coast winter. I was glad I was there, camera-at-the-ready, to take this photograph.


Good morning, happy Friday and the best of the weekend to you!

 

SPROUT: What natural abstract composition has recently caught your attention? 

 

© 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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Mayne Island Dawn of 2012

/ Terrill Welch / 32 Comments

My first photograph  of 2012 is taken before daylight as I scramble out over slippery rocks to the edge of the surf at Reef Bay on Mayne Island.

Unlike other favourite photography location in the world. I am the only one there. Not even a dog barking in the distance – just me and sea waiting to greet the day.

Sometimes a person must search for signs of dawn in order to be sure of the specific point of its arrival. It is not time yet but soon.

The lights of Vancouver are starting to fade in the distance from where it hunches below the cloud-covered coastal mountains. A softness surrounds the breath of this new day.

With each rolling wave the moments pass through my camera shutter. The sun has not quiet risen but with fingers stiff from the cold I press down to capture the first light on the sandstone shore.

Is this it? Could this be the moment we are waiting for – the dawn of 2012?

Possibly but let’s just wait a little longer.

Ah yes, there is a soft light starting to soak into the heavy clouds over the mountains.

A full dawn has come to Mayne Island.

Only twenty minutes have passed from the first rock we admired and we are now enjoying the richness of our first dawn in 2012 here on Mayne Island.

As we watch the brightness recedes into the soft reality of an overcast day January 1, 2012 here on Mayne Island off the southwest coast of British Columbia Canada.

SPROUT: What is the first thing you noticed about your first day in 2012?

© 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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Not Much to See

/ Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Sometimes when there is not much to see it still feels just right, particularly on Monday morning. I like to ease into the week still blinking away the coziness of the weekend.

 

It is an ordinary sort of morning down by the water and there is not much to see.

I like it anyway, the quiet, unimpressive business of ordinary life. The studio is about the same. I finished one painting but I still need to take a photograph. Then I started on another. As I have been saying, not much to see yet. But would you like to peek over my shoulder? Alright, but no comments about my painting apron only partially covering my nightgown. No complaining that it isn’t quite daylight yet, nor that I didn’t make everything pretty. It is a reference snapshot. It is also going to be a bit crowded but I think we can all squeeze in. Okay, okay I will show you….

Sam, can I get you to move to right so Leanne can see as well. Laurie I know you are excited but there isn’t enough room for you jump up and down right now. Maureen, you can come a little closer and squeeze in there on the left. Jeff if you come over by me I think you can see over top of Patricia. Shakeira, Sue and Josie… hum! Oh no! Here comes… we are just going to have to have another viewing when the painting is finished.

 

 

Sprout Question: What is your favourite not-much-to-see view or moment?

 

 

© 2011 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.

FromMayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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

 

 

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A Wisp of Winter

/ Terrill Welch / 22 Comments

It is a painting day for me. It is an ordinary west coast November day with frequent weather changes from sun to rain. But as I looked up from the canvas, nothing seemed to warn me about what I was going to see in the valley.

(image may be purchased HERE)

A tree in snow – natural pointillism.

I wonder what tomorrow morning will bring?

Slipping out our door into the crisp air I pause. The tree dressed in a skiff of snow is decorated with morning light.

(image may be purchased HERE)

 

Now isn’t that lovely?

 

These photographs are from Friday and Saturday. But I think they still look  fresh, even as late as this Monday morning.

 

Sprout Question: What is crispy and fresh in your creative day?

 

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. friends!

 

P.S. The 12 X 12 oil painting is coming along too but is “resting.” I hope to be able to share it with you on Friday.

 

© 2011 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

 

 

I Wonder What She Wants?

/ Terrill Welch / 19 Comments

I can almost see the thought bubble over their heads – such mild curiosity and indifference expressed in their body language.

“I wonder what she wants?”

How can I tell them that, though interesting they might be, I am really looking at the sun coming across the water on Mill Bay?

I can’t. So with a flip, the seals flop into the sea.

Sprout Question: Who have you felt unable to communicate with this week?

NOTE: I fully realize this might be a loaded question. Please remember this is a public blog. If your answer is sensitive, I suggest answering in your private journal, on a napkin in a restaurant or in the sand at low tide. Let good judgment be your guide. Of course, you can still leave a comment stating that your answer is sensitive cargo and has been safely stored…. or destroyed 🙂

Best of the weekend to you!

© 2011 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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The Quiet

/ 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!

 

© 2011 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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I made the cover

/ Terrill Welch / 35 Comments

I made the cover! It isn’t the cover of the Rolling Stones but it is a glossy cover of a new regional magazine called ISLAND GALS reaching Vancouver Island and the smaller Gulf Islands. This includes British Columbia’s capital city of Victoria. Actually, my oil painting HENDERSON HILL made the cover and I made honourable mention in the top left hand corner. But it does make this artist’s heart beat like a ruffled grouse on a log to have her painting chosen as the magazine cover and to be featured under the title “create.”

Isn’t this exciting?

One of my goals for 2011 and 2012 is to expand my exposure beyond my immediate long-standing network. This is a necessary step for a successful art career. It is one of the reasons that artists have benefited from exposure through traditional galleries. But things are changing quickly between the buyer and artist relationship. Buyers seeking original art work have a keen desire to know and interact with the artist whose work they are collecting. They are and want to be part of the story about the work that is on their walls. It could be a place they visited. It could be one of the paintings they watched being developed. It could be that the painting reminds them of something that is significant in their experiences. Or it could be all of the above. The bottom line is collectors want direct contact with the artist. For artists this means moving beyond the traditional buyer to gallery to artist circuit.

I know I don’t need to convince you dear readers as you know this already. But from the business side of being an artist I must be clear with myself. I must purposefully take steps to ensure there is an expanding opportunity for my work to be seen and for buyers to connect directly with me. Creative Potager and other social networking platforms provide these opportunities on a global scale. However, being featured on the glossy cover of a magazine is just plain old-fashion, satisfying goodness.

NOTE: The 20 X 16 inch original oil painting of HENDERSON HILL is still available for $900.00 and can be purchased by contacting me directly via email at tawelch AT shaw DOT ca and I have a copy of the magazine to go with it 🙂

Best of the weekend to you and watch out for monsters and low flying witches but be sure to get out and kick some leaves!

Sprout Question: In your wildest dreams what magazine cover would you like to be on?

 

© 2011 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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Make the Most of It

/ Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

The morning had got off to a bad start. I went to put luggage in the truck parked on Arbutus Way after staying over night in Victoria. On the windshield was a $75.00 parking ticket because of… Alleged infraction 220. No Person May Park Or Leave A Veh in A Park Except For The Bona Fide Purpose of Visiting The Park.

The street sign did not say I couldn’t park in that spot overnight which was a through street from downtown at the edge of the park.  The signage said nothing about park use parking only. The sign said I could park for 3.5 hours between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm. Like the other streets around it, I assumed the limit ended at 6:00 pm and night parking with no time limit until 7:00 am began. I was $75.00 worth of wrong.  I felt like I had been unfairly tricked. I could likely argue the ticket but it just seems such a waste of my time. I decided I will pay and tag the City of Victoria in my post instead. After all, my arguing, even if I win, won’t help someone else from making the same mistake. But my blog post might.

Adding to this minor insult the day was heavy with cloud and gloom.

(image may be purchased here.)

But we didn’t let any of it get to us and spoil our fun. We made faces and laughed as we walked and took a break on the park bench for the baby to nurse.

You got it! We were visiting the newest grandson Isaac who is now 7 weeks old.

Now isn’t that a happy grandpa for you?

Giving him lots love.

Looking into this face who wouldn’t feel like the sun was shining and they didn’t have a care in the world?

Who cares about the City of Victoria and their silly old parking tickets or the heavy clouds over our head? Not us. It matters not one smidgen! We are making the most of it!

Sprout Question: When was the last time you made to most of it?

SPECIAL NOTICE: There will be no Creative Potager post on Monday. It is Canadian Thanksgiving and I shall be away visiting the other two grandsons while David keeps the home fires burning.

But we shall have an extra special post on Tuesday with a guest interview appearance with Jeff Stroud. Please do stop by then and say hello.

AND the second part of Leanne Dyck’s interview with me will be up tomorrow morning at THE SWEATER CURSE.

Best of the weekend everyone and happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers.

© 2011 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

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

/ Terrill Welch / 19 Comments

What is this? You guess it. I am announcing the release of my coffee table book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs is now available through Blurb self-publishing. You can view the first 15 of the 50 pages of paintings and photographs that you know and love.

You may make your order today. Isn’t that fun?

The material quality of Blurb books is excellent. However, they are a wee bit pricy. Therefore, I will not be carrying this publication as inventory so that I can keep the purchase price as reasonable as possible. Online in the Blurb store is where you shall find this latest addition to my printed work. Enjoy.

Sprout question: What creative surprise do you have to share this week?

Happy September New Year!

I will be sharing more about my fall schedule and offerings on Friday. Best of the week to you 🙂

© 2011 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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Creative Island Retreat Home for you?

/ Terrill Welch / 17 Comments

Every once in a long while I spy a home for sale and think “I could live there!” So when I ran into Annette at the Farm Gate Store and she told me her retreat house was for sale. I took her up on an offer to come have a look.

Off we went to an address within easy stroll to the lighthouse where I was painting en plein air last week. Or you could meander down to Reef Bay at David Cove where so many of my photographs and paintings have been inspired.

It is not the usual”for sale” sign we park beside. Annette’s young children have painted all the signs and posters that have been posted around the island. It has been one of their contribution to this creative family restoration project.

Doesn’t it look lovely.

Wood is so inviting. The new siding and much of the decking was milled from trees that were taken right from the property.

The yard is bright with a tropical feel. It can be low maintenance or a full-on garden – your choice.

There are lavish environmentally treated cedar decks to enjoy.

I particularly like the frames within frames at this vantage point.

Oh and there is the studio building with one room up and one down, completely separate and connected with a breezeway to the main home.

Don’t you just love it? It would be a great place to write, paint, make jewelry, or have a little home store for your wares.

It even has its own woodpile guard. It is not a very strenuous post (pun intended) on Mayne Island but the carving is great company just the same. There is a story here but you will need to ask Annette to tell you about it.

From the loft studio balcony you can even look down and see if your sweetie has dinner ready. In my case, I would be looking until breakfast the next morning but you never know…. This is a kitchen that will inspire gourmet delights.

As we climb the stairs to the spacious loft I admire the windows. What a nice glimpse of outside.

But that is it for my part of the tour. Now I am going to turn you over to Annette to see the loft and other photographs on the most incredible website she has set up for this property.

If you like, give her a call and chat further about this creative gem of a retreat. I know she would be delighted. And be sure to say “hello” from me.

Best of the weekend everyone… and you will not be seeing me around next week. I will be in Mill Bay and on Saturna Island while David minds the peas and carrots in the garden on the home front. After that things will pretty much get back to normal as I start to ramp up for the fall and more time with all of you. Until then!

Sprout question: If you are seeking a creative retreat what must it include?

© 2011 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.

FromMayne Island,British Columbia,Canada

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

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