Great start to a long BC Day weekend!  Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver begins officially today.  At 6pm tonite, there are openings for the Silk Purse and the Ferry Building Gallery with fantastic art venues.  The art Market starts at 2pm with more wonderful art, sculpture and textiles!  

Art Beat begins officially in Ambleside and Dundarave business districts. Local businesses have joined with local artists to display and sell art and tomorrow July 30th, there will be special venues, buskers, art demos around the two business districts.

I am so pleased to display my watercolor in the silk purse and to be showing more work at "The Latest Scoop" - a new store in Dundarave.

All the details can be seen at http://harmonyarts.ca/

More art activity is still happening elsewhere....I have work up until Aug 2nd at the Unitarian Church.  At the Hycroft Gallery, more work is hanging until Sept 6th.

New activity is a plein air session that just happened with the Vancouver Sketch Club and Federation of Canadian Artists who met up at Dr. Sun Yet Sen Park in Downtown Vancouver on July 27th.  It was a wonderul time to connect with other artists and meet new artists.

The next plein air activities that I'm involved in is:

August 6, 10-1pm at the Art Speak Tent and around Harmony Arts is the Grand Priz Plein Air Challenge.  Looking forward to this as some of my favorite artist friends will be joining me!  I know that Jan Poynter, Denise Maxwell and Susannah Paranich are participating...can't wait to find out who else will be there!

August 8th, along with other Federation of Canadian Artist, we will be enjoying the Hycroft Gardens from 2 to 7pm.

August 13th, 10- 12pm, plein air demo by myself and Artist Taylor Co. at Deer Lake Gallery in Burnaby as part of the Opening of From Land to Sea exhibition.

Once Harmony Arts is over, I have one more class to teach at Tapestry at Wesbrook and then..... I'm cruising with Cunard on the Queen Victoria and teaching art on days at Sea!!!!!

Hey Cooper, wherever you are!  I had such a great time painting a small portrait of you! and enjoying the moment with your grandparents!  You were so engaged and "into" the art!!!!  Maybe in 20 years you will understand the old soul you are and how you are connected to art!  Thank your parents for the gift of you!  It was such a wonderful opportunity to answer your question " will you paint something for me?"

I had an amazing day today as part of the Federation of Canadian Artists!  The opportunity to paint onsite at Granville Island with the amazing Artist Fran Alexander was so fun!!!!  Helen Duckworth, the Gallery Coordinator had everything ready for us to start the day!  CMHC donated the tent (thanks for that!) and Fran and I were ready to paint and spread the word about Federation!  We had Lawren Harris standing by in spirit providing us with the history of how the Federation was formed and why we are who we are!  His poster at our tent gave the Granville Island guests the opportunity to learn how the Federation of Canadian Artists were formed and how we operate.

It was amazing how many people made their way to the Federation Gallery to see the current AIMAE exhibition.  Over 30 of the paintings have sold and there are so many great artists on display!

Thank you to everyone who visited our tent and display and took away a card or piece of art!  We are grateful for our interest and encouragement!

Remember, the upcoming events that I'm involved in.... my solo show at the Unitarian church goes down Sunday at 12:30....still an opportunity to view the show and purchase.  July 6th at 6:30 to 8pm at the Hycroft Gallery, 1489 McRae Ave., you are invited to the opening of the Summer show for the Hycroft Painters; Eva Wideman, Sarah Johnstone, Mary Stott, Joyce Goodwin and myself.  We will have the gallery for the summer with an evolving exhibit as items sell and the art cards for the Scholarship fund will be available as well.  July 4thh is also the start of the "CANCON" exhibition at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island.  My two pieces - Ferry to Bowen and Clouds, Like Life, are Ever Changing will be on display until July 17th!

July 17th is the  same day that I will be in Ladner painting up a storm with the Grand Prix Challenge!  Then its onto more paint outs and the Harmony Arts Festival .... more info on that later.... things are moving fast and furious....your not going to believe what's coming up next....  but you'll have to wait for the next blog!