"Maudie," a delightful movie about the folk artist Maudie Lewis

Maudie

Don't you love to pick out movies you have no idea what they're about and you end up loving it completely! This is one of those movies. The cover was what really interested me. I didn't know it was about an artist, although I probably could have guessed it.

The artist who is portrayed in the movie is Maudie Lewis, who loves painting simple pictures with lots of color! It's what she's painting that makes her so interesting. She draws from life and brings life to her environment.

Without going into a whole review of the movie all I'm going to say is go and see this movie. It's a little bit of a tearjerker but it's worth it. The actors who portray the characters are wonderful. If anything see the movie for it's location as well! Just beautiful scenery.  I learned Maudie's actual house has been preserved and is housed in the Nova Scotia museum. This place is going on my bucket list to visit one day.

Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon - The Art of RIvalry

Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud

I recently picked up the book "The Art of Rivalry" from the library and have been completely head over heels with the first chapter describing Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud. There's some familiarity with these artists, perhaps even seen their paintings displayed at various museums.

After reading this chapter, I can tell you a fell in love with these men. You couldn't get more opposite, not only in personality but style and charisma. Freud drew with precision, he took his time with his subject, sometimes it would take years to finish a portrait. Bacon, on the other hand, drew fast and with a rapid response to where his paintbrush wants to go. He's quoted as saying "If anything ever does work in my case, it works from that moment when consciously I don't know what I'm doing."

Both of these men were friends, different in age yet their experiences push the other in life and in art. Freud was 20s when he met Bacon who was in his late
30s. He grew up in Germany and eventually moved to England to avoid Nazi Germany. Freud, by the way, is the grandson of the famous Sigmund Freud (founder of psychoanalysis).

There's a famous painting of Francis Bacon Lucien Freud painted of which was stolen in 1988 from the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany. The portrait was the size of a postcard, anyone could have taken it and slipped it in their pocket. It hasn't been seen since.

Lucien Freud, Wanted Poster (Francis Bacon)

Francis Bacon on the other hand, drew from pictures mostly. He didn't like having a model as he felt they would somehow contribute to the painting itself without them knowing. He was more comfortable working from torn photographs from the photographer Henry Deacon. Usually in a strong background with the subject placed in the middle of the painting the face would be distorted to reflect the emotion of the subject matter, sometimes clenched teeth, head movement, or simply no chin or forehead. He exaggerated his model. Below is an example of this when he painted Freud from a photograph. 

The ‘Three Studies of Lucian Freud’. The Francis Bacon painting of Lucian Freud 

I've moved on to the next chapter already in this book and I'm still thinking about these two amazing artists. I've only touched on some of the extraordinary lives these two have lived and it has me wanting more. I hope it's the same for you. 

The Challenging "Wave"

I did it!

It may not be such a big deal for some but for me who likes to work small it's working way out of my comfort zone. I like to work meticulously but over a small surface and the time it takes is calculated. I'm used to spending about 2 hours carving. The wave took me about 4 hours, definitely double the norm. 

It was hard to determine where to start and pick up from there. Eventually I picked a spot and went for it. It took a long time to cover a space. I felt rushed when there was no need to be rushed, I had plenty of time to play. Perhaps I'm not comfortable spending too much time on one thing. Rushing through something that can't be corrected is not a good thing. I don't know if I should continue this direction or not. Or should I go to something a little smaller and work my way up from there. 

I am, overall, happy with the result. This drawing/carving was based off a photograph I found in a surfing magazine. It drew me in immediately. The force, energy, beauty of the wave that captured me. The idea solitude on the wave came to mind. I'm not a surfer but I can appreciate the experience of it. I'm a snowboarder and have been for many years and can relate to the feeling of zen, being at peace with the mountain/ocean. It's just you. You don't have a team to carry you it's just you doing it alone. I love that feeling. It's why I love mt.biking as well. It's just you and no one else challenging you.

 

Julia Cameron - The Artist Way - Start doing this today!

Inspiring article in the latest Flow magazine about Julia Cameron. Very interesting into the background of the woman who's book lead a lot of people to unblock their creativity. I'm sure anyone who is an artist or has had an interest in anything creative has picked up "The Artist Way". I read this book back in college. My father gave it to me for Christmas and have been referencing it ever since. 

This article is a reminder of how to unblock your creativity a little each day. Some great takeaways are as follows:

• Write at least 3 pages every morning right when you wake up. Allow no interference
• Go on walk for at least 30 mins 
• Go back to writing or drawing 

Try this as an exercise every day for at least 6 weeks. Let me know what happens. Perhaps start a blog and talk about your new discoveries. 

Keep me posted and good luck! 

New to Town inspiration movie

Last night, after reading many articles in the New Yorker and a few chapters in my book, I felt like watching a movie. I didn't have access to the TV so I borrowed my son's kindle to fish around for a movie, a free movie. Up popped many movies I never seen but there was a cost associated with it. Then, a movie called "New to Town" captured my attention. It may have been the wintery scene in the background on the picture or my interest in Renee Zellwiger and Harry Connick Jr. (what's there not to love with him?). My thought was if I'm not interested after 10 mins I can easily switch to another movie. Love that about Amazon. 

I started watching the movie and the opening scene sits four woman scrapbooking. That was the hook. There was no turning back! Scrapbooking isn't the main feature of the film, or else it would have had the title associated with it. But it was a supporting role for sure. If you're looking for a wintery movie, a little romance, a little eye candy, some humor and some scrapbooking involved this is your movie. I never would have watched this movie in any other circumstances. 

 

Photo gig - Wedding July 2017

It's been several years now but I used to take wedding photos professionally. I started moving up in my career and didn't have as much time to dedicate several weekends a year. I really missed it but I was ok with not doing it anymore. Then my aunt reached out to me and asked me to photograph her daughter's wedding. I jumped at the opportunity.

For my cousin Cecila and Cody's wedding I walked, ran, jumped and squatted to get those perfect shots. I was seriously sore for a few days afterward but they're never forget what they're day was like. I personally feel accomplished for it. I loved being part of the day and to capture the "moments" the couple may or may not know they're doing. It's like the money shot. It was my drive and I do whatever it takes to get capture that moment.

These two made my job easy. For one, I know them very well and they were comfortable with me. They were so at ease it was like I wasn't even there. Which is exactly how you want to be as a photographer. You want to blend in the background.

I appreciate them asking me to shoot their wedding as it made me feel how much I miss doing wedding photography.

Seasons of Pacifica in watercolor

Seasons of Pacifica in watercolor