Only the SEA

August 19, 2010January 9, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 39 Comments

View full resolution and purchase print of painting here.

The original has been sold to Annie Q Syed and now hangs in a sun-filled apartment in New York City. To learn more go to Annie’s post “The Soul of the Sea.”

It’s me. It’s me. The sea, it’s me, it’s me.

Calling, calling, calling.

Winds blow clarity into my being, while the sea continues to call. Every ounce of my earthly body is drawn forward… heaven-ward. I remind myself – it is only the sea.

This wee painting of a mere 8X8 inches on gessobord mounted on a 2 inch birch cradle has only one image… the final image. The painting spilled onto the surface like a wave coming to shore. No effort really. A simple whuuwwwwiiisssshhh! There it was. Well, actually hours had passed but I didn’t notice. I didn’t stop. I painted. I remembered to breathe. That was all.

Sprout Question: What will mesmerize you?

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

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

Big Fat Red Champion

August 17, 2010August 17, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

I have been painting but that is not what I want to show you this morning. Remember back in April when I showed you the new garden bed I was digging? There is a big fat red champion in that garden I would like you to meet.

We already ate his bigger cousin sliced thick with fresh basil, sea salt and hand ground black pepper on homemade oat and honey bread. Soooo good! But this fellow is a good size as well. Let’s get a bit of a closer look.

Yep looks and feels delicious.

Our recent warm spell has started these tomatoes ripening on the vine. They are only two weeks behind those grown in local organic greenhouses. We have those huge fir trees all around us and this is the most sun I could find in the yard within the deer fence. So I decided to give it a try. I’m impressed because the sun doesn’t reach the plot until 10:00 am and it is in the shade again by 4:00 pm.

Look at that – a full 3.5 inches across. The small tag in the ground tells me these are Champion Tomatoes. I have four kinds of tomatoes growing. There are these big guys, a patio tomato and two kinds of tomatoes that volunteered from the compost I put down.

We are also eating baby carrots and green beans. The lettuce greens and peas are about finished and I have lots to dill for salads. However, it is these large plump tomatoes that really make me smile. This fall I will double the size of this garden bed for next year.

Delightful and supportive Leah Piken Kolidas is hosting the theme of FIRE for the month of August at Creative Everyday. I think these large plump red tomatoes qualify.

History tip: Did you know that in the early 1930s Japanese farmers of Active Pass Growers Association had eight acres of tomatoes under glass and produced 50 tons of tomatoes a year for the city of Vancouver B.C.? Source – Mayne Island & The Outer Gulf Islands A History by Marie Elliott.

Sprout Question: What creative gifts has the heat of summer warmed for you?

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

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

Red Umbrella and Wedding Photography

August 12, 2010August 13, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 18 Comments

Wedding photographer, Federico Vanoli, effectively uses a red umbrella to draw our eye across the frame and back into the gaze of the wedding couple.

Federico has graciously provided a few images for Creative Potager of my daughter Josie and her husband Ryan’s wedding. You see, I was too busy to take photographs that day.

There was the overseeing of the set up for the ceremony.

There was the strengthening of the thin thread for the clasp at the top of the wedding dress.

Just to name a few. But thanks to Federico and his assistant Jo-Ann, we do have some outstanding photographs. I am going to intersperse comments from Federicio (Fede) and then from Josie in between the images so we can savor the experience.

bridesmaid and estition with Josie

When Terrill asked me to write a bio as an introduction to the pictures that I took at her daughter Josie’s wedding, I went for: born in Italy, moved to Canada, living in Victoria. Surprisingly, that did not make the cut, so now I have to redo my homework.

Born in Italy, correct. I’m from a small town in the north, close to Milan. Love brought me to Canada.

I’ve been interested in photography since I was a teenager. I set up a darkroom (which means a room to work when it is dark out) in my parents’ home. I still find magic seeing a picture coming from a white sheet of paper. I’m still using black and white film for my personal work even if it is getting quite difficult to find places to develop it.

Josie with her brother Kris walking her down the aisle photo by Jo -Ann

Self taught, I then attended the Western Academy of Photography in Victoria, in 2009. That experience showed me how complex photography is. From a friendship with one of the teachers, the photographer and gallery owner Quinton Gordon, I got interested in documentary photography. Being an unobtrusive observer and a witness but at the same time having the freedom to give my personal interpretation, be part of a moment but not manipulate it—with this kind of approach I started taking pictures of weddings.

'the kiss"

Being part of a special and joyful moment is extremely satisfactory and rewarding. I like the intensity and the variety of the events, the emotions and the “real” moments.

Josie gives her bouquet to her grandparents who have been married 54 years

I would like to thank Terrill for giving me this opportunity to show some of my work and writing more than a sentence about myself.

Josie has this to say….

There are many aspects of Fede’s approach to our wedding photography that I liked. Before the wedding, he asked a lot of questions, listened well, and made notes.

Fede is quick, and stealthy, and I actually didn’t even notice he was there during the ceremony (but I saw him in other people’s pictures later). He is confident, but humble, and this combined with his happy demeanor was very reassuring (almost soothing) during a very busy day.

So if you have a wedding coming up and you are considering a wedding photographer, I recommend Federico Vanoli and you can reach him by email at balores17@hotmail.com

Sprout Question: If you were to write a biography about your creativity what would it say?

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

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

August Mist

August 10, 2010August 10, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Today, Tuesday August 10^th, is one year since David had his stroke. He has almost completely recovered – so much so that you may not notice the difference from before and after. There are little things he is still working on. But aren’t we all? I give thanks for the continued gift of his company, his love and his full engagement in life.

Sunday. I walk alone.

Through the mist flies a great blue heron over the quiet sea. Time reaches into infinity and wraps us in the moment…

View and purchase full resolution image here.

A driftwood stump waits for the next tide to continue its journey. Fog and misty rain keeps us both company.

View and purchase full resolution image here.

Meditative careful steps along the shore as hushed resilience springs forth.

View and purchase full resolution image here.

It is morning, in the misty rain on the west coast of Canada.

Low tide.

Humid.

August.

Sunday.

Sprout Question: What are you noticing today?

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and yesterday I posted an announcement for my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

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

Sea Land and Time

August 9, 2010August 12, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

You are invited to TERRILL WELCH’s

Solo Exhibition of original Oil Paintings and Photography on canvas

Sea, Land and Time

September 3 – 22, 2010

Opening Reception

Friday, September 3, 2010 7 – 9 pm

Mayne Island Reading Centre (the Library)

Miner’s Bay, Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Take a creative journey with Terrill Welch, British Columbia artist, photographer and writer, as she expresses island life in Sea, Land and Time. Her exhibit displays all new work showcasing the beautiful, mysterious, and rugged southwest coast of Canada. Terrill’s distinctive palette, quick sure strokes, and photographic images capture forest, sandstone, sea, and sky reminding us that there is only one moment – this one.

Terrill Welch’s paintings and photography have been described as impressionist, intuitive and attuned to the essence or resonance of her subject.

Following the opening, the exhibition can be viewed during regular library hours 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

Full ARTIST BIOGRAPHY at https://creativepotager.wordpress.com/artist-biography

Terrill Welch

Artist, Photographer, Writer

Creative Potager blog: https://creativepotager.wordpress.com
Photography: http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/terrillwelch
Email: tawelch@shaw.ca Phone: 1-250-539-5877

Site 21 Comp 32 Mayne Island, B.C. Canada V0N 2J0

Terrill Welch would like to thank Mayne Island Trincomali Community Arts Council for this opportunity.

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

A trip to the high desert property

August 5, 2010August 9, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 19 Comments

Where to begin. On Friday July 30, 2010, I left Mayne Island for a visit to Oroville Washington and out into the high desert. I was invited on a camping trip for the long weekend to come and see the 20 acres that my son, daughter-in-law, David’s daughter and three other friends had purchased last year. I am excited. It will be a five hour drive from Vancouver but I had heard so much about how it was the home of the rattle snake. And how it looked and felt like Clint Eastwood would ride over the hill any moment. And about how it hardly ever rained.

Well, I didn’t get to see a rattle snake. We tried to ensure that didn’t happen as we climbed up the dry cliff side. I didn’t get to see Clint Eastwood – but I thought I might from the looks of the hills. And it did rain – both evenings. The thunderstorms were glorious and refreshing after the heat of the day.

Here is a quick snippet of what it was like as the waves of hot air brushed my skin in the early morning sun. The light is more yellow orange than usual because of smoke in the air, likely from forest fires started by lightening.

Just around this bend…

Is the property a good part of which is an amazing bluff…

and here is the other end of the bluff…

can you smell the sagebrush I’m standing in?

What else I wonder might we see somewhere near a grove of small poplar trees?

Oh my what do we have here?

A wild turkey hen and over here is one of her four chicks…

We won’t go any closer as these fellows are still very small. The grasses and drying flowers are particularly beautiful.

Later in the morning we climb part of the way up the cliff side. This is where I am most worried I might see a rattle snake. My son assures me that it was too early in the day. He advises that I step on the logs and rocks, not over them, so the snake will hear and feel the vibration of my foot steps. After all the snake doesn’t want to see me either.

There is a spring that comes out part way down the hill and it still has a small pool of water for the birds. Even so, I was surprised to see this colourful fellow on the branch of a ponderosa pine…

It is a western tanager. Though fairly common they are a bit shy so this is only the second time I have seen one.

My apologies for being late getting the post up today. I had some computer trouble and then it was time for lunch. As you can see we had a marvelous trip. I will do another post a little later of just the rolling hills and grasses. Next time I go, I hope to bring you photos taken from the top of the bluff. We shall see.

Special thanks for having me along go out to…

My son Kris, eating sunflower seeds while the ants pack the shells away as fast as they hit the ground.

My daughter-in-law Tina, who doesn’t know I took this photo while she was cooking up one of her many outstanding dishes made with fresh vegetables and lots of herbs and spices.

My step-daughter Anya, soaking up the cooler late afternoon sun.

My grandson Arrow,

who was also my photo-shooting partner.

Sprout Question: How do you release your creative expectation and remain open to possibility?

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

Salish Sea painting series

August 3, 2010July 30, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

I’ve never been one to do a series of paintings on any subject. But I find myself wanting to now. I have three water miscible oil paintings in what may become a lengthy series of seascapes about the beautiful and mysterious Salish Sea.

The first oil painting in the series you have already seen as it is “Winter Sun”

The second is painted on a 16X20 inch gessobord in a birch wood cradle 2” deep. It is the first time I have painted on a hard surface other than finished plywood. I used a palette knife and was so involved in the painting there are very few shots of the progress.

A start…

working to bring the blue forward…

And now for the finished painting…

View and purchase full resolution print of painting here.

For now and maybe forever it is called “Salish Sea 2”

On Thursday I will show you “Salish Sea 3” which is an 8X8 inch gessobord in a birch wood cradle 2” deep that is an abstract oil painting… or at least more abstract than most of my other work…. You will have to wait until Thursday to see though.

Sprout Question: If you could sail the Salish Sea with me what might you like see?

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

A July morning

July 27, 2010July 26, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

I am greeted by the garlic drying on the hoosier cabinet in the entry way, as I slipped out to get lemon balm and mint for my tea.

The gray light tells me it is early but also that the days are noticeably shortening. Wind chimes play with a light breeze coming up the valley.

An image of last nights daisies by the sea are caught between the sounds.

view and purchase full resolution image here.

I have a painting started… actually I have two. They are “resting.”

May you recognize your blessing today and everyday.

Sprout Question: When do you feel most satisfied and content in your creativity?

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

A painting only the artist can love

July 22, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Sometimes it happens. From vision, to brush, to canvas a painting develops in large free strokes, dancing across the canvas engaging me in the swirling energy transferred in a sequence of creative exchanges. I stop. I rest my eyes upon the painting. I put my brush down. This is what occurred with “Cabin on Shore” It is a large brushed impressionist-style painting that maybe only the artist can love.

View and purchase high resolution print of “Cabin on Shore” original here.

18” x 24” by two inch 100% natural cotton gallery quality canvas water miscible oil painting

Below are a series of slideshow images capturing the creative process and detail.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Sprout Question: Has your heart ever stopped your head in a creative process?

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

just the wedding cake topper

July 20, 2010July 20, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

You are not going to believe this. I have not even one photo of daughter Josie and her husband Ryan from their wedding. I don’t even have any photos of Josie in her wedding dress. It seems that whenever it was time to take a photo I was either doing something or preparing to do something or listening so I didn’t miss anything. So we will have to suffice with the wedding cake topper which was hand-painted in their likeness.

I am working on getting a few images to share here from the professional wedding photographers that captured the moment for us. So we will see. In the mean time, I do have another interesting image of the Josie’s bouquet.

Josie’s shoes

and accessories.

Also, close to where I sitting at dinner was a sweet little girl who was resting in a bit of a tired daze on her dad’s lap.

This was one of the special things about Josie and Ryan’s wedding that was different from any I can remember from say 20 years ago. There were fifteen or so children at the wedding. Some of them were tiny babies of three months. Many of their parents had flown with them from as far away as Montreal or drove for 14 hours down the province of British Columbia. Not to ignore the participation of many grandparents and aunts and uncles who also supported in childcare at the wedding, but what was most amazing and pleasant was the active, relaxed and confident parenting of many of the children’s fathers. When I would be out scouting coffee at 6:30 or 7:00 am, there would be three or four fathers feeding small children and babies or taking them for an early morning walk so their mom’s could sleep. All day long and way into the evening there were dad’s packing children around, taking them to the bathroom and helping them solve problems while the mom’s were busy visiting or doing wedding things.

I commented on my observations to Josie and she said that the dads really wanted their wives to be able to enjoy themselves since they had come so far and it was their friend’s wedding and they didn’t want them to be all exhausted and stressed out trying to do all the parenting on top of everything else. And Josie and Ryan for their part had organized babysitters for evenings so both parents could relax. Now how wonderful is all that? And a welcomed change in general parenting practices from what I observed when my children were small.

It was a beautiful relaxing, fun wedding in the most amazing ocean-side setting at Brentwood College. The weather was fantastic, the 140 family and friends had a marvelous time and the bride and groom’s wedding day was perfect.

Sprout Question: Have you ever been so focused in the present that you completely miss a creative moment?

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