A little bit kooky & quirky. Always fun and looking on the bright side even if it gets ridiculous!

Wednesday, March 23, 2022



Abstract Mauve 12" x 36"
My 2 new abstracts in situ. I saw this type of setup, black and white cabinets and walls, done by someone else and I loved it. Even though many of my paintings have lots of colour, I'm always a sucker for black and white.

 

Monday, March 21, 2022

Abstract Blue, 24" x 36", acrylic on wide profile canvas, unframed
It was soooo fun to do this one.  Maybe it shows in the painting.
 

Monday, February 7, 2022

 





When you shop at The Naked Leaf, you can choose the label you'd like for your tin of tea leaves.  This year "Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Wilderness" is one of the many labels you could choose.  

Tuesday, April 27, 2021




πŸŽͺπŸŽͺπŸŽͺ🍿🍿🍿🀑🀑🀑🎈🎈🎈

"Under the Big Top" 18" x 24"

Sunday, April 25, 2021


 










The person requesting this commission painting wanted, "purples and blues and crisp".  It is certainly that.  There is a heavy nod to k.d. lang in the titling of this one.  While finishing up the painting and listening to music, coincidentally(?) k.d. lang and the Reclines 1987 came on my ipod(!) with "Turn Me round".  The last words are the perfect title. 

"Next Dance is a Circle Square", 18" x 36" 

Thursday, April 1, 2021













I'm still sticking with the blues with this one.  Yes, there is an X, but there is also a square somewhere in all those circles.

"My Ex", 16" x 16", acrylic on wide profile canvas (black edges), unframed

Tuesday, March 30, 2021






This is one of my favorites.  I love BAH-LUU so all the blue in this piece is very calming and happy at the same time.

"Take My Hand", 30" x 10", acrylic on wide profile canvas. 

Saturday, March 27, 2021


"It All Depends 2", 18" x 36", acrylic on wide profile canvas
OR it could be titled "We're All In This Together".  Hmmmm.  Where have I heard that before?




 

Friday, March 26, 2021

There's a new art genre in town!  I 've christened it Whimsical Abstract.  It's maybe a little Dr. Seuss-y.

"It All Depends 1", 24" x 36", acrylic on wide profile canvas
 

Wednesday, March 24, 2021


 










Flowers or blobs?  A vase or stems?  It's whatever you want it to be.

"Splash and Spray", 30" x 30", acrylic on wide profile canvas

Monday, September 7, 2020

There's not a lot  of detail here, but most people instantly see tulips.  The pink and green colour combo has been around for ages.  I've always loved it, but never really used it because of people's perception of pink being too "feminine" for them.  Thankfully, we are moving away from that perception and we see pink in home decoration AND in clothing because everybody looks good in pink!  A very flattering colour.

12x36 on wide profile canvas, unframed

Monday, August 24, 2020




 

Every day I enjoy looking at this teensy little vase I bought from Mud, Sweat and Tears http://mudsweatandtears.ca/ .  They are doing their best during covid and I was one of the lucky ones to  find them near Sorrento, BC at their studio when it was open this summer.  Go to their website to see more "crystalline glazed" pottery.  There are some BIG vases which are beautiful.  But I'm a little partial to the mini version I see everyday in my office.

Saturday, July 25, 2020


Hot summer daisies.
Smiley face, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face
       πŸ™‚               πŸ™‚               πŸ™‚               πŸ™‚
9x12 acrylic on unframed canvas
10x8 acrylic on recessed panel board with black edging.

Monday, July 20, 2020

It's summer in 2020 and I need some vivid colour and fun to nudge away the covid blues.  Yes, there is some blue in this small painting, but it offsets the yellow fantastically!  It's very contemporary, a little bit abstract, but you know what it is. 
9x12 acrylic on canvas, unframed

Monday, June 8, 2020

Sooo...It's been a while.  Two years actually.  But, I'm back, so let's see what happens. 
I've tried to take all painting pressures off - the real ones, but mostly the ones in my busy head.
I love this 30"x30" painting of yellow tulips.  I used a huge brush and tried to keep most of the brushstrokes visible.  It looks like a simple painting, but those big brush strokes make it interesting.  Very fresh and contemporary I think.
The background appears black in the photo, but it's really a very, very dark blue - classy!

Friday, May 25, 2018

Olive Garden


















These bales of hay look a wee bit like very large olives.  OK.  Let's go with that.
"Olive Garden"
20x24
acrylic on wide profile canvas, unframed
$675 (+ shipping)

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Polka Dot Mirror

In continuing to de-traditionalize my too traditional house, I tackled a small alcove in my dining room.
Step 1:  Bought a $50 mirror from Home Sense.
Step 2:  Taped then painted black the white edges and small edge around the perimeter & then dragged a jagged tool through the paint while it was still wet to break up the black.
Step 3:  Used various sizes of circle & line stencils cut from cereal box cardboard & a stencil brush to paint on polk dots & stripes.
Step 4:  Varnish in gloss (yet to be done)

I forgot to take a photo of the original white mirror before I started.  In this photo the sides and small edge around the perimeter are already painted black & some of the polka dots have been painted.















The light white is the original colour of the mirror.
The painted black edge of the originally white mirror.


Close up of the stenciled polka dots.


De-traditionalization of this nook is complete!

Monday, January 15, 2018

Line of Royalty









My living room is too traditional.  It doesn't reflect who I am.  So I bought a new couch and some other stuff, painted the walls and then painted these 3 "Line of Royalty" members to untraditionalize the place.  Detraditionalize?  They hang right next to more traditional artwork . Whimsical paintings to the rescue.

15 1/2" x 19" framed to 20 1/2" x 28 1/2"
acrylic & silver, gold or copper leaf

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Which Came 1st?


























Which came 1st?  The "Tobogganeer" family or the real family?  A client's family in Ontario decided to re-create a commissioned piece received by the mom for Christmas this year.  What a great idea!  Brilliant!

5x7 matted to 8x10
ink and watercolour on watercolour paper

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Freewheelin' Poetry

OK, so this is adorable.  Thank you to my friend Esther Sinasac for taking inspiration from my artwork.  Maybe I will now take inspiration from her poetry!

THE FREEWHEELERS by Esther Sinasac
(based on the artwork of Connie Christensen)
Wheelin’ it down the street on my bike
Free as a bird, my wheels take me by
The white picket fences and perfect green lawns
Come along with me! Oh do come along.

Ride in my little red wagon
Come one, come all
Who will ride in my little red wagon?
Behind these wheels, who will I haul?

A camel with lips on whose head rests a crown
A beaver and a moose, singing True North songs
The Mounties stand guard
The wedding preparations full speed ahead
The cupcakes are made
The baker is delivering before heading to bed

To a party we are going
Bring the wine, cheese and your babe!
Bring your prettiest flamingo
And your fanciest giraffe
A bouquet of flowers
But please make me laugh

The party critters arrive with glitter to spare
The butterflies follow the princess heading to the fair
Take me riding down highways
Through deserts and past twinkling lagoons
Up mountains and fishing, be it midnight or high noon
The wheels on my bike spin round and round
I hope one day to be freewheelin’ through your fine town.














Yes Virginia, Camels Do Have Lips
8x10 matted to 11x14
ink & water colour on water colour paper
$125 Cdn (+ shipping)

Friday, November 17, 2017

Scoundrels!
















These 'Freewheelers' are a little bit, um. . . scruffier than my usual rather innocent cyclists.  These guys have more than a few rough edges after being out on the town.  Maybe the cigar was too much?

'Midnight Marauders'
ink & water colour on paper
8x10 matted to 11x14
$125 CDN (+ shipping)

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

More Greeting Cards















The 1st run of greeting cards has almost sold out so I'm now offering cards from the 2nd run.  They are of the same subjects, but have a bit more 'embellishment'  meaning, they have borders.

5x7 with envelopes
$5 each or 4 for $18 Cdn (+ shipping)

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Over Hill and Bale











Another fun landscape.  Marshmallows?  Nope, white plastic wrapped bales waiting to be picked up. 

"Over Hill and Bale"
20x10
acrylic on birch board, unframed
$280 CDN (+ shipping)

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Christmas Cards

So a moose, a bear, a beaver and a snowman were tobogganing down a hill. . .

These snowmen are like the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz - no brains.  Sure they have the perfect multi marshmallow roasters, but that's not all that's going to get roasted.

I have brand new greeting cards available now.  Just contact me.
5x7 card with envelope

$5 each or 5 for $20 Cdn. (+ shipping)

Thursday, September 7, 2017

I Get It!



























I get it.  I really do!  After all, I'm in the same boat.  Art buyers have to make choices.  Sometimes decisions between paying the same price for a necessity and a piece of art they really love.  Lot's of people love art, but it's just not a necessity to them.  So that's why I am always so grateful, honoured & tickled pink when someone chooses to put their hard earned  money towards purchasing a piece of art I have made.  You know who you are out there.  Thanks so much!

Men's dress shirt by Ted Baker
"exuberant shirting with geometric florals, long sleeves, button cuffs, cotton, machine wash, imported"
$125 CDN (+ shipping) at Hudson's Bay

''Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Wilderness"
ink & watercolour on watercolour paper
8x10 matted to 11x14
should never be washed (or dry cleaned for that matter), domestic
$125 CDN (+ shipping)


Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Larger Sized Freewheelers

Here's a custom "Freewheeler" made in the new larger size 8x10 matted to 11x14.  The bigger size painting allows for more personal stuff to be included.  The buyer of this one gave it to her husband for his 60th birthday.  Looks like he is a rather active kind of guy.

ink & watercolour on watercolour paper

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

"Moon Over Condo"



While I was rummaging through my handed down grandmother's cedar chest looking for something else, I stumbled across this. I made it many, many years ago in my dad's shop/garage/barn from scrap pieces of wood and metal. It's early evidence of creativity.  
I remember I was just gluing pieces of wood together and voila! A primitive sculpture.

"Moon Over Condo"
approximately 4" x 4"
$ - priceless

Monday, June 26, 2017

DIY Tote Bag



I purchased this tree leather tote bag from Lee Valley, a great Canadian company.  The description says it can be painted, so I did!