Studio in the Woods - A Dream Fulfilled

I think it was almost two years ago that I started to think about building a small place for me to paint while I was at the cottage. I started out in the garage and I also built a little outdoor platform so I could work outside. I hate being indoors on nice days. But, I always had to move my things to make way for cars and other inconveniences like that. And the garage wasn’t heated in the winter. I started looking into small 10x10 bunkies. But, then I learned I was allowed to build a bigger building. That began the process of finding a site and making sure it was all legal, figuring out a design and choosing a person or company to help me build it.

I have been showing photos of the work in progress, and it is an amazing building that has finally come to be, but this story is mostly about having the courage and belief in yourself to move forward on a project that seems a little crazy and like a gift to myself. Learning that it is OK to go after your dreams even if they don’t make financial sense, has been hard for me. I’m used to putting others’ needs first and to making do. It also means believing that making art is something that I need to do and that it is worthwhile for the joy it can bring to others as well as myself. Many people think of art is thought of as a luxury. And I probably adhere to that view to some degree. But, as with a bouquet of flowers, or a new coat of paint, or a special pillow or blanket, art can bring comfort and enjoyment every day to your life. Having things that speak to you and that you love, is what creates your home, your space. I’ve used that message as part of my slogan - Art that Defines You. I believe people are drawn to the art that resonates with something inside of them. So, this new studio is my space to create good things, and hopefully share them with you. I am very lucky, and I appreciate that I’ve had this wonderful opportunity to fulfill a dream.

I have put together a video of the studio being built as many of you have shown an interest in the building itself. In September 2021, the construction began on my studio and bunkie at my cottage in Muskoka. It was envisioned by myself and my contractor Yuill McGregor of North on Sixty and Yuillbuilt. I had met him when my husband decided to buy a desk made with "live edge" wood from Yuill's mill. I also visited the laneway house he had built behind his Toronto home. That design, his attention to details, the wood finishes, and the functional extras sold me on his work. The project has had its moments being built during COVID with supply chain issues, labour shortages and during a Muskoka winter. And it has been a labour of blood, sweat and tears with many craftsmen contributing to the outcome. The video is a behind the scenes look at some of the construction and the finished product. I’m glad I was part of this challenging process. The video can be found on my website under Media Clips.

Studio in the Woods Begins

I am very excited to see my studio taking shape finally. I’ve been planning this for over a year now. I’ve been impatient to get started at times. But, as with most good things in life, a little patience is helpful. The more you push to get something, the longer it usually takes. This is a lesson I’ve been resisting, but am coming to realize I must learn it.

At the moment, my driveway is dug up. I’m kind of living in a castle with a moat around it. The lake is on one side, and there’s a trench on the other. I don’t go out much. You might call it hunkering down. Living at the cottage without a car (my son drives to work so I’m home and carless during the day), has taught me to slow down even further than I did during the COVID lockdown. Pre-COVID I was always busy, running around, doing errands, going to meetings, feeling I must do things to feel productive. COVID, and now, living in Muskoka, has helped me to be more present and observant. I’m less of a doer. It seems that my doing self, was avoiding my inner self.

Some of this self focus is a little uncomfortable. But, there is also less stress from all that busyness and doing. If you follow me on facebook or instagram, you’ve probably seen my many photos of plants, mushrooms, and landscape photos from Muskoka. You might have watched a “crazy” video of me using a toilet brush to create a painting. These are the gifts I’ve experienced during my “down time” being up north.

I very much appreciate that I have been given the gift of time to spend on my art and to just BE with myself. If this is one of the outcomes of waiting for my studio/bunkie and watching it take shape, then it is definitely worth the wait.

Take care. Hope you have an opportunity today to be with yourself, really see the world around you and have some time to be creative. Oh, and definitely, to have some fun. Check out my IG video if you want a laugh.

Riverdale Artwalk August 20-Sept 3

I turned 65 yesterday, a milestone I’m told. I have a good life. I live in a neighbourhood where I feel connected and valued, I have three sons who are making their way in the world, I have good friends and family and I have some great nieces and nephews I get to watch as they grow and develop. And, I have a passion for painting that I have been able to develop in the last few years. I am lucky to have so many good things in life.

I would like to invite you to join me, to celebrate your own milestones and good fortune. See me in my Booth #39 (I think a number that is 3 x 13 is probably a lucky number) this Saturday and Sunday. I would like to share this passion of mine with you. You will also be able to see the work of 70 other artists who will be so happy to share their work with you. It has been a long time since we have been able to meet outdoors and present our work. Everyone is beyond excited to finally show what they have been working on, mostly in isolation.

I hope you are able to come and share in that joy, optimism and the beauty of an eclectic, talented group of creators.

Cherie Daly Art

Ch-ch-ch-ch- changes..........So many coming at us. What will be next?

Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change. Ramsay Clark, civil rights lawyer

COVID-19 has forced us all to change, like the title of my favorite David Bowie song. Most of us don’t like change, but we know it is inevitable. We are all going through “unprecedented” and unplanned changes that came on us abruptly. We weren’t prepared. We’ve had to adapt. And it has taken some time; it’s been a grieving process for many.

However, some of those changes are probably good in the long run. For myself, I have slowed down, a lot. I’m taking my time to do things. Creativity takes time, and so many of us seem to be taking up creative pursuits now that we have the gift of time. In another vein, my neighbors’ kids are thoroughly enjoying their freedom. There are bikes and scooters strewn over lawns and happy little voices along with the birds chirping. They are now allowed outside and are creating their own games. It reminds me of when I was a kid — a long time ago. Drive-in movies are also back in style. We seem to be regressing, but in a good way.

Ready, set, hop scotch.

I’ve had more time to reflect on what is important and how to protect my “creative” time from interruptions. I find I need to spend time warming up and then getting into a flow. Then my creativity is allowed to come. I used to spend days rushing around doing errands and could not find more than three hours a couple days a week to focus on my art and my art business. I am trying to be more disciplined about how I choose to spend my time. But, I also want time to connect with friends, to walk my dogs and to observe life around me with more attention. As the yogis say, “To be present”.

I have been reading a book that seems quite appropriate for our situation, “World Enough & Time on Creativity and Slowing Down”, by Christian McEwen. She believes we can have a “rich sufficiency of time”, but we have to choose what to let go of. I’m hoping it will help me with my priorities and keep my focus on my art.

Mannequins dressed in fine 1940's-style attire were already theatrically staged Thursday at The Inn at Little Washington, tucked in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains about 90 minutes west of Washington, D.C.

I enjoy hearing about all the novel ways that businesses are finding to cope. Most are moving their stores online and offering free delivery. One restaurant is putting mannequins in seats to separate customers and to create an atmosphere. This sounds kind of fun. The pandemic seems to have spawned a lot of creative and positive forces.

Another change I will be going through is the move of my studio. Unfortunately, a rent increase has resulted in the closing of the Akin collective that I’ve been a part of. This is sad and another change I have to accept. But, perhaps, it is also a new opportunity. I will be joining Nanci Miranda’s Studio 360 and hope to keep creating and building a new partnership.

I hope you are all able to work through your own challenges and changes during this time. And that you are able to look for the silver linings.

You can click on the photo to take you to some small work I have for sale. I also have joined the #Artistsupportpledge and have two paintings on sale through them.

Smalls

How are we all feeling?

Hi friends:

i know I am very fortunate. My three sons are still working and we are all safe and comfortable.   I am lucky to be able to spend some time with my youngest son who is home from New York City. But, I am still feeling a little low.

I started out feeling pretty good about the extra time at home, as my days were filled catching up on household chores, joining online art and yoga classes, and having coffee meetups. I was able to get some structure into my weeks and feel that I was accomplishing something. I could order art supplies and books online. I could read more. I could relax in the evenings.

But, it has gotten harder as the days seem repetitive. How about you? How are you getting through it?

Although there have been many silver linings, like seeing my son practice yoga and show off his abilities in the kitchen. More time to practice my art and experiment. Just to have “time”, instead of constantly feeling rushed. But, it is harder to get going some mornings as one day feels much like the next. Do I need some stress in my life to feel motivated?

I listened to a short video today from Yannick Bisson, of Murdoch Mysteries. (Yes, I am a fan) He was saying he felt a little down today, and just felt like saying it. I could relate. Maybe you can too.

I hope you are finding joy in your days. I do appreciate the time to practice my art - and to treat it more as an occupation. I have spent many hours playing in the home studio/laundry room/bedroom. Time spent just on my own, trying new things, wrestling with my own harsh judgement and trying to stay open and loose. I find the process helps me to learn more about myself. I have to learn to let go of the outcome, learn to enjoy the process. Maybe that’s what COVID-19 is teaching us too. Since we can’t control it. We need to stop fighting against it and see what we can learn about ourselves.

I hope you are not being too hard on yourself and that you are taking time to observe the small changes in nature, as spring inevitably comes. I do take comfort from the fact that the world has not stopped. The cycle of life continues, in spite of COVID-19. Keep up the good work. Take care of yourself. Know that you are enough. And it is OK to have some sad moments. This too shall pass. I would love to hear how you are feeling and coping.

Little experiments

Keeping busy during COVID-19

CURRENT SHOWS

Life Drawing

Life drawing is something I do to help with my observation skills, work on my quick response to what I see and feel and  work with other materials than acrylic paint.  I enjoyed working with a group of artists outdoors this week in Kew Gardens with a life model.

I thought I'd share some of my drawings here.

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Workshop with Grethe Jensen, Just Do It!

May 6th I enjoyed participating in a workshop with Grethe Jensen in her studio with 8 other artists.  We were encouraged to use "experienced" canvasses, those that already had paint on.  Acrylic paintings are improved by the number of layers of paint underneath the top "picture".  We were also discouraged from using more than one or two colors, at least to begin with.  This painting started out as a person facing away from us with reddish hair and a hat on a grey background.  I wanted to use a greyed down yellow green as a background, so that's how it started out.  Then, I quickly added the vase and a few flowers.  Then the challenge came.  Pass your easel off to another artist who would keep working on your painting.  I was lucky enough to get to work on Nick's colorful graphic composition.  Lisa took over mine.  She added grey and yellow to the flowers and deepened the shadow on the table.  Then it was my turn, after some critiques, to improve it.  Below is what happened next:

Funky Flowers

Next up, find another "experienced" canvas and learn a little about portraits.  Grethe gave us a quick lesson in how to get general proportions of a face, and using some photos from Now Magazine, and similar papers, we got started.  This time, I had a dark background with a boat painted on it.  I painted over the boat first, then drew with watercolor pencil a face of La-Vane Kelly, who is in a movie "Unarmed Verses" that is being shown as part of Hot Docs.  Here's the original and here's the painting:: 

Wild Hair

We all learned a lot, had fun, and went home with new friends and some finished pieces.  Here are some other photos from that day.  Wish I had been able to get photos of all the work produced.  Whenever you can, take opportunities to learn new things.  This class was very inspirational.

The Beach

Yesterday, I spotted this amazing mural painted by students from Blantyre Public School.  I was walking past the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant (in the rain).  There is a plywood wall surrounding the site while work is being done to upgrade the facility.  It provided an opportunity for showcasing art created by students from local schools.

This mural showing what the beach looks like in the summer with sunbathers crammed into every available inch of sand struck my funny bone.  I broke out smiling and laughing at the very accurate depiction of the action on the beach on a sunny summer's day.  Hope you enjoy it and take advantage of any kind of weather to walk around our city looking at murals and other public art, as well as the art in galleries.