Rocks

Some days like yesterday, rocks play a prominent role in photo shoot. There are those in a spot of sun deep in the forest floor.

There are those providing a backdrop for an old fir tree.

There are those clustered together on shore.

Then there are those providing a foamy footpath for Surfbirds.

(image may be purchased here)

Rocks – all of them sandstone rocks.

Sprout question: What is prominent in your creativity today?

© 2010 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

Winter Waves

Leaving Vancouver B.C. to catch a ferry back to Mayne Island on Boxing Day there was a slice of early morning sun coming through the heavy rain clouds. I was early. I took a left at Tsawwassen and headed for Boundary Bay Regional Park. This park is a seaside wetland sanctuary for birds and bush bunnies like me passing through on their trek home.

To day the wind and sea were both high as waves rolled up and sometimes over the sandy beach.

The scene was dramatic. The contrasting colours between sea and sky were unusual. The light changed fast as it rose above the sea towards the cloud bank. If I had painted it, the viewer would have had a hard time believing its authenticity.

Even with a photograph… you might think “she did it with Photoshop! You can do anything with Photoshop.”

But I didn’t. I just happen to be at the right place at the right time with camera in hand.

 

Sprout question: When is life grander than your imagination?

 

© 2010 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

 

One Year Ago Today


One year ago today I posted the first Creative Potager post – A Gown Remembered: Beginning.  With one quick comment and my reply and eleven views it was a quiet beginning.

Today is post 205 and it starts the day with 26,600 views while building on 3,440 comments. It is a good solid beginning. Thank you everyone for your part in making this a great Creative Potager year.

Going forward, we will see a shift in posting in order accommodate my intentions for the 2011 year. Creative Potager will have a Monday morning post that will include my intention for the week. Friday morning will conclude the week with a report on the results of the intention set at the beginning of the week. With these book-end-posts there will be occasional but not predictable post in between. Each post will continue to have a Sprout Question for your musing and comment.

My intention for 2011: I will be focusing more on oil painting en plein air than photography. The purpose of my work remains the same – to ground the viewer to their physical earthly environment – in nature. Zen impressionism. Quiet abundance. Joy.

This painting “Winter Sun” and a few of my other 2010 oil paintings are for sale go to ART of DAY, at the ART of DAY store. More of my work will become available at this location in the near feature.

With an intention to be painting more and also to be painting outdoors I hope you can see why there is a shift in this years posting structure. The nice thing about blogging, if something doesn’t work we can wake up in the morning and change it. This new schedule will begin on Monday, January 3, 2011. You can expect to see Creative Potager posts today through to Friday, December 31, 2010.

Sprout question: What intentions are you setting for 2011?

© 2010 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

Winter Solstice on the islands

These images are from the shortest day before the darkest night with a lunar eclipse on Winter Solstice.

I find great comfort in their deep dark soft peace.

The hush of low light brings its own beauty.

The light of day begins to length as we pass through to deepest point of darkness.

 

 

Sprout question: Where do you find light in the darkest of darks?

 

Thank you for your support, encouragement and purchase of my photographs, calendars and paintings.

 

Please note: Creative Potager will be on holidays beginning Saturday, December 11, 2010 and will return on its one year anniversary Monday, December 27, 2010. Which doesn’t seem to stop the occasional post from appearing.

 

© 2010 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

 

Softly Dramatic

Not all breathless moments come with blood-rushing luminosity. Some are quiet and wrap their arms around you while you are not looking.

Transitions


(view full resolution – available for purchase here.)

Smudges


(view full resolution – available for purchase here.)

Softly Dramatic


(view full resolution – available for purchase here.)

These three images are a study and meant to be viewed together.

Sprout question: where do you notice quiet drama in your creativity?

Please note: Creative Potager will be on holidays beginning Saturday, December 11, 2010 and will return on its one year anniversary Monday, December 27, 2010.

© 2010 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

Winter Evening

Rain and warm winds play and sing through the night. There had been a wind warning but nothing came of it. I wake at 4:20 am. Dawn is hours away as we near winter solstice. I must decide what to post. Thinking I will use another of my blue sky images I open the photograph folder. I stop over photos I had taken on the evening of November 20, 2010. I never went any further.

Looking over Georgia Straight to Vancouver.

Then south east a bit the light had faded even further. It was a full moon.

 

Sprout question: What is the softest point of reflection for you today?

 

Please note: Creative Potager will be on holidays beginning Saturday, December 11, 2010 and will return on its one year anniversary Monday, December 27, 2010.

 

© 2010 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

 

Nothing but blue skies from now…

Sometimes it feels like nothing but blue skies from now on… when the grey clears in the winter and the blue is so intense. Here are a couple of photographs of an arbutus tree against the clear blue in the winter sky. Arbutus trees are difficult to catch on their own. They like company and often lean on other trees for support on their journey to meet the sun.

(view full resolution – available for purchase here.)

(view full resolution – available for purchase here.)

To help set the mood of the moment, let’s have Ella Fitzgerald do it up right with this beautiful rendition of  – Blue Skies…

Please note: Creative Potager will be on holidays beginning Saturday, December 11, 2010 and on its one year anniversary Monday, December 27, 2010.

Sprout question: What is your favourite blue sky experience?

© 2010 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

Trees Mist Sun

I looked out the big windows over the valley and ran for the camera.

How many times have I focused in on these evergreens across the way? Each time I try to capture the wonder I feel when I see how the light is accentuating their beauty. I am never quite satisfied but I share them with you anyway.

It is full on Art Days for me until the end of Monday December 6, 2010.

Today I am taking my oil painting “Cabin on Shore” over to our fancy Oceanwood Inn to be placed prominently on a small easel. I am honoured to be their feature artist for the month of December.

Then I am taking my oil painting “Whisper” and two canvas photography prints down to the Mayne Island Reading Centre (the Library) for the Mayne Island Trincomali Community Arts Council Light and Dark group show that opens tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm.

This evening I am going to go to the Mayne Island Hardward’s Décor Store (or Sue’s Place) for their ladies night. My prints, calendars and cards are included with many special items that have been brought in for local Christmas shopping.

But Friday December 3, 2010 at 7:00 am PST right here on Creative Potager is when the really big event begins. The first of three original oil paintings will go on sale. The second will go up on Saturday and the third on Sunday. After each of the three paintings become available they will remain on sale until sold or midnight PST Monday December 6, 2010, whichever comes first. So exciting!

There is a pre-post with all the critical information for Buyers which is now posted.

Sprout question: What advice does your wise-self offer for creative abundance?

p.s. I hope you will join me and post your encouragement, thoughts and any interesting links for the duration of this special Creative Potager event. You have each been so much a part of my work this year. I would be thrilled if you showed up with your party shoes on.

© 2010 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

A red leaf heart to begin December

I could have waited and shared this image in February for Valentine’s Day. I could tell you about how I just looked up and there it was – this magnificent red leaf heart shining brightly against the blue sky.

(View full resolution – available for purchase here.)

But it really wasn’t just “there it was!” I had been predisposed to this image. Let us see how.

First, there is Laurie and her Speaking from the Heart blog. Laurie is passionate about heart connections. On her Holessence website there is an image of a beautiful heart with wings painting by Russell D’Alessio and farther down there is also a photograph I gave Laurie with a heart on the cliff wall. Needless to say whenever I think of a heart or see a heart shape, I think of Laurie.

Second, there is L. M. from someplace in the USA. I know nothing more about her, other than her tweet name is  @ellepiari . If you look at her profile at http://twitter.com/ellepiari , there is a most beautiful red heart leaf avatar almost exactly like my photograph. I know L. M. for her warmth, sharing and engagement.

So you see this beautiful red heart leaf image is heavily influenced by the creative expression of others.

Sprout question: How is your creativity influenced by the creative expression of others?

© 2010 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

I like a few clouds in the sky

I have an unrelenting habit of looking at the sky. Sometimes I take a photograph of just a cloud because it pleases me.

I don’t often show anyone these photographs because well… they are just clouds. Still, they make me feel good. I smile on the inside when I look at them.

Sprout question: What is a creative habit you don’t often share?

Note: For Creative Potager readers who subscribe, the email will again contain the full text for each post.  A reader living in Italy prompted the return to the previous format.  She uses Google reader and likes to read a lot of blogs but her internet connection is so slow that she had unsubscribed all of her subscriptions that were not full text. However,  she was missing Creative Potager and so wrote to let me know her challenge. Ta da! Fixed and a very happy reader returns to us.

© 2010 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