With Colour

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

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

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

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

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

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

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

A little more colour? Well, why not….

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

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

And now, here are those seals…

Did you notice the one on the left? Every time a wave would come it would push its body down on the rock so as to not float off.

Sprout Question: What is the most interesting place you have ever mailed your creative work?

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

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

First Salish Sea Sunday Savings (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Be Still

September 30, 2011October 1, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Chunks of forests uninterrupted by human travel are not always easy to come by. Most often even the woods in national parks look something like this…

However, every once in a long while I am sitting quietly off a beaten path and image – what if I was deer or a bear? Or maybe I am moose or a lynx? Maybe I am a wolverine, mink, marten or mouse? Of these animals only the deer, mink and mouse call Mayne Island home. But I once lived where I walked with the bear, moose, wolverine, marten and lynx. Sometimes I would be lucky enough to see these animals too. But a certain practice was required. I had to move through the brush quietly and at times BE STILL – wait without expectation.

Often the forest history is evident.

The eyes unexpectedly see through a sliver of clarity.

Burrowed holes from ants or other bugs are noticed in the big cedar.

While musing on a crumbling log a person might even look up and see ferns waving out of reach of the deer. Their long leaves still beautifully uneaten and curling towards the sky.

Remember: It is Salish Seas Sunday Savings this Sunday!

LINK your chances to win an image-wrapped copy of a little coffee table book

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

To qualify you must be subscribed to the Creative Potager blog and share this blog LINK to the First Thursday Teaser for the first Salish Sea Sunday Savings event anytime BEFORE the start of the event at 3:00 P.M. this Sunday, via any of these means – email, facebook, twitter, Google+ or on your blog.

Selected paintings and photographs of my work will be reduced 40% for ONE hour ONLY from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm P.D.T. Sunday October 2, 2011.

To learn more read yesterday’s THURSDAY TEASER post.

Also, my good friend Leanne Dyck has asked me some intriguing questions and is posting the first part of her interview with me this Saturday at The Sweater Curse. If you have a chance come on over. And if you slip by today Leanne has another local author Amber Harvey as her guest.

Sprout Question: How do you incorporate a creative enhancing practice to BE STILL?

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

First Thursday Teaser (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

First Thursday Teaser

September 29, 2011September 29, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

Psssst! My first Salish Sea Sunday Savings event is this Sunday.

LINK your chances to win an image-wrapped copy of my new coffee table book

PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

To qualify you must be subscribed to the Creative Potager blog (sidebar on the right) and share this blog LINK to the First Thursday Teaser for the first Salish Sea Sunday Savings event anytime BEFORE the start of the event at 3:00 P.M. this Sunday, via ANY of these means – email, facebook, twitter, Google+ or on your blog. Each time you share your name will be added to the draw – the more shares, the more chances to win.

Remember, I MUST KNOW that you have shared the link to be able to add your name to the draw. So for whichever sharing means you use, apply the appropriate tool for a cc.

The winner will be announced on next Monday’s regular Creative Potager post.

Are you excited yet?

Now for the best part….

Selected paintings and photographs of my work will be reduced 40% for ONE hour ONLY from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm P.D.T. Sunday October 2, 2011.

This event will be hosted right here at the Creative Potager blog

Available at this discount price will be:

One original impressionist 8 X 10 inch oil on canvas painting from my studio – a hint: SPLASH

Two painting prints in any format including cards to canvas prints from my redbubble

Three photography prints in any format including cards to canvas prints from my redbubble

And…the STUDY OF BLUE 2012 calendar also from my redbubble

Is this fun or what? 🙂

I look forward to receiving those LINK notifications and seeing you on Sunday. I be avail real-time for 3:00 – 4:00 pm P.D.T. So grab your beverage of choice, your slippers, and your credit card and drop on by and see what is posted.

This event is intended to accomplish two things.

First, I wish to show my thanks to established fans and collectors of my work. You have shown amazing support and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. With Christmas just around the corner it is the least I can do.

Second, I want to increase the number of fans and collectors who can say “oh, that is impressionist painter and photographer Terrill Welch’s work.”

Today’s cheeky Sprout Question: Do you have a suggestion for a work to be selected for this first Salish Sea Sunday Savings?

Leave a comment with a link to the work before midnight Saturday, October 1, 2011 and I shall see what I can do.

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

Calm before the Storm

September 26, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

There is a wind warning put out by Environment Canada for Mayne Island:

Southeast winds up to 100 km/h expected today for North Vancouver Island, central coast, north coast and Haida Gwaii. Southeast winds 70 to 90 km/h expected to develop this morning over the south coast. This is a warning that potentially damaging winds are expected or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions. Listen for updated statements.

It has been posted and revised since Saturday – last updated at 4:43 am PDT this morning. Just now the winds and more rain have arrived. While they have been delayed I am reminded of the calm before the storm. The wild birds and farm animals have been unusually quiet. My wish now is to get this up before the power is interrupted. I am thinking about calm and tranquility. I am thinking about my last visit to Narvaez Bay on Saturna Island. The humidity was at 100 % with the earth softly releasing its breath across my skin as I gazed into the stillness, the mist and the soft light.

Today’s post is a poem-like meditation with words and photographs….

The bull whips in Echo Bay softly roll on the gentle swells

as the sea flows around what remains of a temporary monument, with its puppy-dog resemblance.

There is perfect in imperfection of one red leaf.

Heavy clouds lift off the Straight of Georgia as I crouch next to the cliffs.

Reminded of the unyielding strength of nature,

such as this large ragged-edged clump of collected bits.

Chosen seashore pebbles and sea-glass remain as if for evidence.

Down by the rocks in Little Bay.

Mist rolls on the quiet sea.

The threaded sea.

The calm sea.

On the last day of summer.

Sprout question: Where does your gaze soften into the stillness that is today?

CELEBRATION: It happened yesterday – my redbubble account went over 100,000 views and I have a celebration journal entry HERE with my thanks and a few of my favourite images.

New: Check out my coffee table book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

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

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

The Good, The Green and The Ugly

September 16, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Have you every noticed that things are not usually as they seem but more like what we make them out to be? Such is the story of these three tomatoes shown with the last of our peas and carrots.

The orange tomato on the left fooled me. I was waiting for it to turn red. Finally, slightly puzzled that it was taking so long to ripen, I reached under the plant and found its tag – Hillbilly (heirloom) Plant produces good yields of large orange yellow beefsteak tomatoes with read and pink streaks. Very flavourful. Excellent for salads and sandwiches.

It was ripe after all – just not red. It was also absolutely delicious.

Now the green tomato really is green. It accidentally came off with the other Hillbilly. But look at that big Ugly tomato – what happened to it? I can only guess that it was double pollinated. Let’s have a read of its tag – Carbon (heirloom) Flavour is exceptionally rich yet sweet and the essence of delicious summer tomato flavour. Medium to large, tomatoes are flattened round and smooth, without the cracking or blemishing that seems to plague some black tomatoes. They are dark purplish-brown on the outside with deep brick red interior.

I can tell you it did lived up to its flavour description but was maybe a little off on expected appearance. We had to eat it in three sittings. That was one monster tomato.

Speaking of descriptions our dear Laurie Buchanan received her birthday present copy from Len of PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs. Here is the comment she left on the Blurb publishing site under her penname Paden Plume:

This evening I sat down with a glass of wine to enjoy Terrill Welch’s new book. The description on the wine label said:

“This wine shows a heady nose of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, red fruits, and a creamy mocha finish that is unmistakable in its intensity and length. It’s reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with a mocha coulis.”

If that description sounds good to you, let me say that turning and savoring each page of PRECIOUS SECONDS was an even more delicious treat! One that I will indulge in over and over again.

Thank you Laurie and thank you to everyone who purchased a book this week. Some of you I know who you are and others are friends in the universe who I greatly appreciate supporting my work. Thank you, thank you and thank you.

PRECIOUS SECONDS –Mayne Island in paintings and photographs now has its own facebook page HERE. Please feel free to come “like” its page and share your own “precious seconds” adventures.

And speaking of Laurie, she has brought the bubbly out to celebrate a blogging milestone. Speaking from the Heart has received over 50,000 views since February 2010. There isn’t a blogging party over there yet but we could always start one! Congratulations Laurie! I wish you many more views to your rich and engaging blog over the months and years ahead.

The weather has cooled and I have harvested the garden and the rest of the tomatoes are ripening up for dinner over the weeks ahead.

Sprout question: What do you have ripening for your creative dinner?

New: Check out my coffee table book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs

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

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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

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

Moon path and other wonders

September 9, 2011September 9, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

I am awake early for no other reason than the moon has finally gone to bed. She shines in the big windows keeping me company on her passage across the sky. For some reason when she is near full, glowing brightly for hours and then slips over the hill leaving the room in pre-dawn darkness, I wake.

It is Friday, September 9th and my interview with Fiona Robyn of “Writing Our Way Home” in Malvern Worcestershire is up. You may want to stay awhile and browse through other posts as well. Take your time and enjoy. A special thank you to our very own Daisy A. Hickman from Sunny Room Studio for referring Fiona to me.

Now, getting back to wonders and mysteries the of nature, what about this moment I captured earlier in the week?

Can you guess the mystery?

Maybe this photograph taken the night before will help…

Yes, the first image is a reflection that I have turned right-side up.

The Pacific Ocean in a small bay on the Strait of Georgia was unusually calm.

It is not something we get to see very often.

Sprout question: What natural wonders are you noticing?

Oh! I promised to tell you about my fall Creative Potager intentions. Posts shall be Monday and Friday except on holidays. Plus, for the first three weeks of October I will be hosting Salish Sea Sunday Studio Savings. This will be a special Sunday post at 3:00 pm PST which will include redbubble photographic print specials on featured images, and an original painting either reduced or by auction (I still have to see what it takes to set up an account on eBay so this may or may not work). The event with savings will only last for one hour. Yes, one hour only for three Sundays in a row. What do you think? Does it sound like fun?

Best of the weekend everyone!

New: coffee table book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs.