A More Contemplative Year Ahead

January 13, 2014January 13, 2014 / Terrill Welch / 15 Comments

My best guess is that I shall paint fewer paintings in 2014 and release more photographs and painting sketches. This will be partly due to three months traveling and living in Europe. We plan to leave sometime near the beginning of April. The tickets will likely be purchased by the end of the week.

The 2013 year was a good solid success for my paintings but I want to go deeper into the learning curve of how my specific historical experience impacts my work. I want to go deeper into how I can paint the spaces in between light and shadow. I want to find ways to bring you, the viewer, farther into my work until you can clearly formulate the poetry of landscape. I want us to know and understand our embeddedness in our natural environment. Human life, as we know it, may depend on strengthening that one relationship. I suspect that my trip to Europe and its museums and countryside combined with my camera and brushes is going to help me find answers to these searches.

Oh, there will always be new work to release in my Artsy Home online gallery, such as the two new paintings entered over the weekend. But I find it is not really important but rather a task similar to organizing the books on the bookshelf for a research project.

What is important then?

There is quote attributed to Buddha that I saw this morning which seems most succinct:

In the end only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.

My only commitment today is a long walk. With the heavy rains water is rushing to the sea.

Quite possibly it is a stone in a stream that will hold most of my attention today.

This , and a few of the lines from the Mary Oliver “Morning Poem”

If it is your nature

to be happy

you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination

alighting everywhere.

And if your spirit carries within it

the thorn

that is heavier than lead –

if it’s all you can do

to keep on trudging –

there is still

somewhere deep within you

a beast shouting that the earth

is exactly what it wanted –

reference; p. 106/7 of New And Selected Poems volume one (1992) by Mary Oliver

What are your focus and intentions for the year ahead?

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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

Apple Blossom Special

May 16, 2011May 31, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 26 Comments

I am so close to, but not quite, finished my last painting KEEPING WATCH of the 15 that will be in my solo exhibition, STUDY OF BLUE, opening June 30, 2011. You are going to have to wait – maybe Friday, depending on how my week goes.

To sustain you until then, I have some lovely apple blossom photographs.

and another….

until finally, they are dancing on the branch….

(image may be purchased here)

By the way, I had the most amazing Friday the 13^th. Two of my original oil paintings were sold in pre-sales and will be off to new homes July 27, 2011 at the close of my upcoming show.

ORANGE SEA will be off to a collector in Victoria, B.C. Canada.

HEAVY CLOUD will be off to a collector in the United States.

May the pieces enrich and bless their new owner’s lives for years to come.

Friday must be one of my good luck kinds of days!

This now means that three of the fifteen paintings to be shown are already sold. A very good beginning – don’t you think?

STUDY OF BLUE solo exhibition opens Thursday June 30, 2011.

Sprout question: If you could choose anyone of the STUDY OF BLUE paintings to hang on your wall which would it be and why?

(and please don’t say the one I haven’t finished yet, it just might hurt my feelings)

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

FIR TREE original oil paintings by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
Story of the HENDERSON HILL Original Oil Painting (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
ONE original oil painting by Terrill Welch (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
AUTUMN BOUNTY and COURTNEY IN THE MOONLIGHT by Sue Wiebe (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Say SPRING

February 28, 2011February 28, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 27 Comments

Seeing that it is the last day of February and it has been unusually cold with snow and wind and rain here on the southwest coast of Canada, maybe if we say “SPRING” all at the same time it will come true. What do you think? Shall we give it a try? Here is a photograph of a couple of tulips to help get us into the mood.

(image may be purchased here.)

Ready? SPRING!…. Hum, let’s try again SPRING!!!! There! That should do it!

This week is a painting week. It is the first painting week in about a month. I have these two 8 X 10 inch canvas underpaintings ready to start working.

And this 24 X 36 inch canvas underpainting ready as well. I am about to begin what may possibly be a series of paintings in a study of blue using seascapes as my contextual reference.

You might ask why I am doing my underpaintings in lemon cadmium yellow and it is a fair question. First I am not fond of a white canvas. Second, I like to create layers of depth through hints of underpainting colours coming through. However, to work for blues, the underpainting must be well set. Otherwise it just becomes a muddy mess. It does seem take longer to complete a painting using underpaintings but I like the end results.

Note: I am likely going to work on these three paintings and begin at least two more this week. I do NOT anticipate having much for process images but we shall see. I provide this warning in advance so that you are not too disappointed on Friday.

Sprout question: Can you tell us about a creative series you want to do in the future?

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

December 8, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 8 Comments

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.

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…

December 7, 2010December 7, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

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.)

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?

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

KEXP Documentaries: “Sirens of Jazz” ‒ Ella Fitzgerald (kexp.org)

Mayne Island in November Snow

November 20, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 17 Comments

Here I am with a Creative Potager bonus post today. I am blaming it on the snow. Big flakes started rolling past our large picture window looking out over the valley at dusk. We don’t get much snow on Mayne Island and seldom in November. I was up before blue dawn like a kid on Christmas morning.

The far side of the valley was a bit warmer and did not get the same three inches of wonder as we did half way up the cliff.

David’s gate that he built a year and a half ago looks extra special in the snow.

And the prayer flags.

Then there are these red begonias.

And this is all I can see of the yellow calendulas shown in Thurday’s post.

But this is my favourite image of the morning. It is a photo I took as I was sitting down to upload and edit this morning’s photo shoot.

La casa de inspiracion has never felt better.

Sprout question: What are your favourite moments of winter?

Special Notice: I have made a decision. Two Fridays from now on December 3, 2010 I am going to place three of my larger 18 by 24 inch original oil paintings on sale for $950 Canadian over three days. The regular price is $1,200. I am going to introduce the first painting on Friday, the second on Saturday and the third on Sunday. All three will be shown together on Monday December 6, 2010. The sale will end at midnight PST on Monday. Here is where you come in dear readers. You may want to buy a painting. Or you can tell others about the paintings. If a buyer identifies you as the source of the referral you will receive a $45.00 value gift in cards or a calendar of your choice. (Psst! The referral can even be to your spouse.) The referral gift is for the first referral identified by the buyer and there is only one referral gift per painting sale. The specific three paintings that will go on sale will remain a mystery until the day it is released. However, you are welcome to try to guess by browse some of this year’s paintings HERE. Look carefully though because some paintings are sold and/or are a different size or medium. Terrill-size cyber hugs will be given out for any right guesses.

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

Feminine Beauties

October 14, 2010October 13, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 14 Comments

If I had painted their white ruffles and splashed them with a dash of fuchsia paint would you have believed their beauty? These feminine lovelies are ivy geraniums – white as a christening gown. I smile when I saw them dancing on the morning wisps as I sipped my coffee in the courtyard – seductive, sensual darlings.

Sprout question: How does sensual beauty appear 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

Whisper

October 13, 2010November 13, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 17 Comments

(prints of this painting may be purchased HERE)

I’m calling all sages to the edge of the sea. Rest your weary mind and nurture your soul as these rollers roll towards shore. Softly the whisper breaks your inner silence. Softly it calls and becomes the only sound that is heard – outside and inside. Softly… softly… softly… softly….

A 12 X 12 inch gessobord with two-inch birch cradle water miscible oil painting. More background about this oil painting can be found at Beginnings of a Whisper.

UPDATED MARCH 3, 2011: This painting is now SOLD

Sprout question: What softly calls your creativity?

Last day for….

SEA, LAND AND TIME MAYNE ISLAND calendars . For a week at redbubble, until 11:00 pm Thursday, October 14^th London time, there is a promotional sale. Get three calendars for 15% off or six for 25% off. Retailers can contact me directly to order at wholesale price for more than six calendars.

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

Baby O

September 30, 2010September 30, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 23 Comments

We have, as many of you know, many children. We also had a few weddings this past summer. One of these weddings has resulted in what used to be a common place event – the arrival of a bump.

With only a simple request, I was able to talk this lovely young woman into a photo shoot to capture these early days of the development of baby O.

In silhouette.

By the water.

Next the rocks with her natural blonde streak more pronounced than usual.

And just hanging out at the beach.

These photos were then sent to the soon-t0-be dad’s parents who are far away. The due date for baby O is March 4th but we all know babies are born when they are ready.

There are many reasons why I might hesitate to post this time of wonder and celebration. However, I feel compelled to push forward anyway. I am happy to share with you, that I am looking forward to being a grandmother again.

Sprout Question: What sprouts new life into your creativity?

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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

Please Do Not Take This Pumpkin

September 27, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 21 Comments

Cities on the west coast are changing. I visited a friend in Victoria yesterday. After walking through her garden and behind the outdoor studio, I admired a hen through the fence in the neighbour’s yard. But even before I got to the house, I stopped on the street to see how the pumpkin was doing.

Imagine my delight when “the son” answered the doorbell a few minutes later and agreed to get his picture taken with this large beast growing between the sidewalk and the street.

Just to help ensure you can tell how big this pumpkin is, Simon is eleven. The pumpkin gets so many visitors that my friend is thinking of putting out a guest book.

Congratulations Simon on your giant pumpkin. Thank you to your neighbours for not picking it.

Sprout Question: What part of your creative experience is larger than usual?

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