{Virtual Coffee} Van Gogh brightens a rainy day

The back of my van Gogh chair features Irises

I'm glad you are here with me this morning to share a cup of {Virtual Coffee} with me. Here, let me pour you a cup of coffee into one of my Wheat Field Under Clouded Sky mugs. I was thrilled to find a set of these clever Vincent van Gogh mugs at Goodwill some time ago. It's always great to add to my Van Gogh collection!

Please, have a seat. You can sit in my the van Gogh arm chair I painted, if you wish. I take my coffee with cream. How do you take yours?

How is the weather where you are? After several years living in near drought conditions, we've had our fair share of rain this summer. I love the rain. It's rejuvenating, life giving and music to my ears. It may sound hokey, but ~ although the rain may darken the skies, it refreshes my heart. I always feel so alive when it rains. I even have a Degas Ballerina Art Umbrella which my mom gave to me years ago...

Isn't it beautiful?
Do you think it would go with my Vincent Irises tote bag?

It looks like you're almost finished your coffee. Please check out the Lucky Number 13 blog to see who is participating in this week's {Virtual Coffee}. You may even want to grab a second cup of java on your way. Thanks for stopping by!

Fine Art in the Library

Here are some photos from the Fine Art in the Library class I am teaching at the Leduc Public Library. It's a 6 week class for kids ages 10 and up. We'll be learning about six famous artists with six very distinct styles.

There were 13 kids at this week's lesson which was on Vincent Van Gogh.












We used pastels which the kids really enjoyed ~ especially when it messed up their hands.













Everyone chose to either work from Starry Night or one of Vincent Van Gogh's sunflower paintings.






















The students were thrilled when Vincent even made a personal appearance in the form of an action figure!

Next week we'll be learning about Matisse. It promises to be a fun and substantially less messy experience when we do some "cut out" art.

Remember the chair I was painting?

Remember this?

And this?

This?

How about when Zach did this?

Well, I've finally got down to doing this:











The fourth panel of my Faux Gogh chair is the one I've dreaded the most. When you take a real close look at Vincent Van Gogh's Irises, you can begin to understand what I mean. Every single one of his irises is unique. He obviously studied the flowers' shapes and movements when he interpreted them with twisting, curling strokes. The tangled web of irises, leaves and stems are enough to drive anyone mad.

So far, I've painted the yellow background and some of the long stems. Knowing when to quit (let the painting be for a while) is really important, and so that is why I have left it for now until I can complete the panel and be happy with what I've done.

Once I have completed the fourth panel, I will start on the finishing touches. For one thing, I need to paint the underside of the seat cushion; then there are a few details on the two side panels that need to be done and then it'll be completed. Finished. Done.

Then ... I'll be on the hunt for another chair to start the agony and torture all over again. I love this!

Cool present to show off

Just had to show off an awesome gift I was given this Christmas by someone who obviously knows me very well! It's a gorgeous box with Van Gogh's sunflowers. I think I actually squealed with delight when I ripped of the wrapping paper off this one! Inside I discovered four china mugs depicting four of Vincent's paintings: Irises, Vincent's Bedroom in Arles, Sunflowers and Langlois Bridge at Arles. Hopefully someday soon I can pull out these special cups to serve a piping hot cup of tea and crumpets to a friend or two or three. Maybe it'll be you. Happy New Year everyone!

A glimpse of things to come ...

I had bought a wing back chair a few weeks ago. This chair is for our home. Yesterday, I started the adventure of painting my second Faux Gogh chair.

After a rather lively family discussion, it was mutually decided that I should try something other than Starry Night on the front panel and seat, because I had been there, done that (ie., Arlene's Faux Gogh chair). So my task was to pour over Van Gogh paintings to try to figure out what would be the best choices for our chair.

One painting in particular caught my eye, which I think fits the style and proportions of the $19.99-Salvation-Army-Special that I'm painting this time round. It's called Wheat Field with Rising Sun. I love the colours, the movement and the title ~ which I shall rename Wheat Field with Dawn. (Note: there are mountains in this painting too, and since I'm a native British Columbian, it seems even more appropriate).

In case you're wondering, I'm not trying to paint an exact replica of Van Gogh's work ~ just my impressions of Vincent's impressions.

Anyway, here's a glimpse of the chair. This is very rough looking still as there will be a few more layers that need to be added before it's completed. However, I can see already that I'm going to really enjoy this project.

Also, I'll "re-realize" what an absolute master Vincent was. His work was powerful, dramatic and uniquely imaginative. Pure genius.

One must work and dare if one really wants to live. ~ Vincent Van Gogh 1853-1890

Inspiration strikes

Inspiration.
Sometimes, it's a hard thing to find.
But I admit, it's much, much easier when you spend time in a book like this one. Look at the treasure that Arlene gave me the other day.
Van Gogh ~ The Complete Paintings. What an awesome book!
I spent ages looking through it with my piping hot cup of Passion Tea the other night.

And then yesterday, I painted what this Gladiola & Sunflower Faux Gogh acrylic painting. It will go up for sale at the Wild Blue Yonder Gift Show, hosted by the ever-lovely Bessie & Bea on October 24th & 25th.

I'm no Vincent, but it's fun to play with some of his techniques.

Next, I need to start thinking some inspiring ideas for my 12 Days of Christmas Swap contribution. Mail out day for that swap will be here before I know it. I also want to start painting on my chair THIS WEEK.

All this and looking for a new job ~ Methinks I need a 72 hour day!

PHAPulous PHun on the Farm

Oh the fun we had, Saturday afternoon. The Pointy Hat ART Posse threw its first annual (we hope!) PHAP Farm in LA (Leduc, Alberta). Twenty-some artists, wannabe artists and newbie artists gathered at Arlene's house to play. After signing a "Permission to make Mistakes" (or is it Misteaks?), everyone set out for the grand adventure of an afternoon of creative PHun.


Some folks created ATC masterpieces, some bound super unique ART journals, others sketched in the flower garden, while a few fashioned pointy hats, and still others altered clothing.


Sam working on his one-of-a-kind shirt


Dumpster Diva and the CEO (Creative Eccentric One), instigators of PHAP Farm 2008 busy whipping up some one-of-a-kind couture!



Showing off PHAPulous pointy hats


Faux Gogh chair was unveiled for the first time, showing the final panel which is an impressionist portrait of Vincent Van Gogh.


Some people created and bound ART journals, others made Artist Trading Cards, sketched in the flower garden, fashioned pointy hats, and others created one-of-a-kind couture!

Everyone generously shared their yummy picnic-y food with each other which we nibbled on throughout the afternoon, and absolutely no one left hungry. Thankfully, the weather also cooperated splendidly, so we were able do all the activities outside in the sunshine. By the end of the day, everyone took home at least one finished art project (or two), and most were fortunate enough to snag a precious door prize as well. Now, it's only 364 more days until PHAP Farm 2009!

Zoot's Chair

This is the story of the chair Zoot the cat sat on. It was a treasure purchased at a second hand store by my friend Diva Arlene. Here is the noble cat sitting beside his beloved chair. He has no idea what's about to happen next...

One day, Arlene had a wonderful idea. She saw a beautiful chair in a magazine, and she wanted to give Zoot's chair a face lift. So naturally, she decided it needed a fresh coat of paint.

And who, exactly, does one call when one wants to do something artsy-crazy to a cat chair? Me, of course! After some discussion, we decided that I would paint the chair "Faux Vogh".

"Starry starry night ..." We even had some musical accompaniment by Josh in the process. He is learning to play the song "Vincent" on piano. It was all very inspiring. Arlene supervised the whole thing bringing all the paints, brushes, and plastic needed to pull this thing off. She also baked up some scrumptious Pear Ginger Walnut Muffins [perhaps these should be renamed Vincent Muffins, eh?], coffee and later on, slaved over a hot stove to produce some Van Gogh Soup for the starving artist and her accompanying offspring. [I'm hoping Arlene will post the recipes on her blog]Is the chair finished? No! There's more to come, much more, so watch my blog.

Vincent
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflecting Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hands

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now


For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as
Beautiful as you


Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
A silver thorn on a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will

Note: The lyrics above, were written by Don MacLean in 1971 after he had read a book about Vincent Van Gogh. Buried in a time capsule beneath the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, is a copy of the sheet music to Vincent, along with a set of Van Gogh's paint brushes.