The Gathering Continues

My first 12 contributions to the 30 Day Creative Gathering

This has been such a full year for me that blogging has taken a back seat as I process so many changes. Mum went into care and it seems unlikely she will be back home. At year end I sold the largest sculpture in my portfolio and the future hinted at more. Then Covid 19 shifted my personal priorities. I set up an Etsy Mask shop to support the cause. My trip to celebrate passing into the third age was axed and then in July, my friend of 25 years died. I now know more about dying and paperwork around it than I ever wanted to. I’ve been on a steep learning curve and there is no rest ahead. 

The whole world and everyone I know has had a tough year and we are all trudging zombie like towards 2021. However, it seems like I’ve had to process more than most. I keep thinking about the movie Titanic and I feel like I’m standing on the stern peering down into the abyss. How about you?

Anyway, life goes on and my internet friend Sheila Delgado has been doing an admirable job hosting the twice yearly Creative Gathering on Facebook. Each participating artist and crafter is soldiering on, and I’m thoroughly enjoying each new work they post. There is a great feeling of camaraderie and support. What a solid, reliable set of worldwide friends I have. Thank God for the internet.

Above are the first 12 postings I have made to the Creative Gathering. We are allowed one piece a day and we each post in the daily album. It is so interesting to see the changes in rhythm, color and media as time goes on. I’m sure we are each influenced a little by the others.

One of my favorites is the work produced by choosing a magazine image and attempting to mix the main colors. I think these are art works in their own right.

Then there are the wonderful character faces of 

Take a look on Facebook - 30 Day Creative Gathering - Friend me and ask for an invite

And Etsy - My Mask Shop - https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SEA2YOU

PETRINA

From and image taken of the Gallery Manager and volunteers at Lake Country Art Gallery. The first is a highly modified but totally digital version created with apps. The second image is a digital drawing from scratch, created with no underlying digital photo. The first one can be created by anyone with knowledge of the apps and is more of a craft, the second requires an artist’s eye and drawing skills and therefore qualifies as fine art. It is interesting that neither of these would be saleable on Daily Paintworks because they have a ban on digital art, a decision I think they need to revisit.

PETRINA by Sea Dean

SHARON by Sea Dean

CARWASH III - Carwash Series

CARWASH III by Sea Dean

I would love to mount an exhibition of these works. I love the brilliant colours. That blue is gorgeous.

Carwash II - Carwash Series

CARWASH II by Sea Dean

I particularly like this one. It has a figurative nature, almost angelic. I also love that it is almost pure black and white, something I find so difficult to stick to when painting.

Carwash I - Carwash Series

CARWASH 1

A series of digital images taken with an iPad inside a car being auto washed.

I love the soft colours and texture of this image. It almost feels like you are having a nice soapy shower. An endless source of conversation. Limited Editions available by contacting me.

WINTER SUNRISE

In Canada days are shorter in the winter and this changes the timing of sunrise and sunset quite drastically. This morning I opened the curtains at 6:55 am to this beautiful sight. Of course two weeks ago our clocks went back so really it was just before 8am. In the summer I was getting up around 5am to catch the geese having their morning bath. It’s nice to have a bit of a lie in.

CAT VIII

Artfinder has just informed me that my one finger drawing CAT VIII has been included in their PICASSO collection https://www.artfinder.com/staff-picks/pablo-picasso/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=selfservice_featured_in_marketing 

I have many more one finger drawings in my Artfinder shop that I would perhaps consider more Piccasso like, but this cat is supet cute, he’s still on the lookout for mice even when sleeping

More can be seen and purchased via my Artfinder Gallery www.artfindet.com/sea-dean

If you don't see the size you’re looking for, I can print a limited edition in various sizes or even take a commission to turn the drawing into a large painting.

.

SPIRIT RIDGE - THE LITTLE BLUE HORSE

I finally managed to make it to a photo walk group I’ve belonged to for a couple of years. I simply had to go because the organizer had arranged a group session at an equestrian center. I grew up near a racing stud, so horses hold a special place in my heart. 

I also wanted to compare the cameras in my 2015 and 2019 iPads and see their quality next to my 12.5 MB Sony point and shoot. The day was cold, grey and dull and the interiors were very dark, so 

this was a true test. Over the next few weeks I will share some of the images from the day and how I 

am using them in my work.

A digital image digitally embellished with Markup tools. I could probably lighten this a touch as I didn’t overlay much transparent white on this one. It was very challenging to create and redrawn a couple of times because Markups don’t save in a backup file. However, I like its quirky nature.

SPIRIT RIDGE - BLACK KNIGHT MOUNTAIN

The September 30 day challenge is over, but October is going to be another full month, however, I will continue blogging at least a couple of times a week. I’m going to be completing my large commission of Frida this month, but I’m also preparing for the November U100 show in Lake Country.

This is an altered digital image from a group photo session at SPIRIT RIDGE last Saturday.

I finally managed to make it to a photo walk group I’ve belonged to for a couple of years. I simply had to go because the organizer had arranged a group session at an equestrian center. I grew up near a racing stud, so horses hold a special place in my heart. 

I also wanted to compare the cameras in my 2015 and 2019 iPads and see their quality next to my 12.5 MB Sony point and shoot. The day was cold, grey and dull and the interiors were very dark, so 

this was a true test. Over the next few weeks I will share some of the images from the day and how I 

am using them in my work.

30 in 30 COLLAGE - SEPTEMBER 2019

30 in 30 Creative Gathering September 2019

The final 10

The second 10 days

The first 10 days

GOLDEN LIGHT - DAY 30 - 30 in 30

Another of my dawn images. A gloomy day, but for a split second the sun came through the low clouds and illuminated these Canada Geese on their morning parade. It was chilly out and although I wrapped myself in a throw I caught a chill. Luckily its only a light cold, but I must be more wary.

And thats a wrap! The 30 Day Creative Gathering is over till next time. There’s talk of possibly February 2020 for a second meet. Its a great way to get organized and focused on creation. It helps to have a plan, which this time I didn’t but as photography was allowed and I take at least 50 a day, it made it easier for me.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to follow the link to my blog and even better, those that chose to follow me. Thanks also to all the wonderful comments I’ve received over on the Facebook Group. I look forward to next time.

Tomorrow I will show all the work I created this month, so stay tuned.

ALIEN WORLD - DAY 29 - 30 in 30

I spent some time sketching rainbows using a digital image as a model and this was my favorite, funnily enough I almost erased it and then luckily decided to keep a copy. I slept on it and in the morning I decided the other versions were too busy. On the way, however, I did learn a new way to use the eraser tool, it’s just like waving a wand and things you touch disappear. Fun!

ECHO - DAY 28 - 30 in 30

I started this as an exercise in finding the color in the image of a rainbow. I like it so much that it now has a catalog number and will appear in my Artfinder Gallery Shop. It has a mysterious feel to it don’t you think? I tried a version without the ghost rainbow, but it definitely lost something.

I didn't enhance the original image, merely cropped and rotated. I then went in with Markup and tried all the tools until I hit on the colored pencil. I love that you can change the width of the line and the transparency of the tools, but the colored pencil can be used in such a way that it mimics pastel. No wonder Degas was enthralled by this medium, it’s simply yummy.

I purchased some simple white frames today and I will be mounting some of these one finger drawings in them for the upcoming U100 show ay Lake Country Art Gallery. I can’t wait to see how they will look.

GLORIANA - DAY 27 - 30 in 30

This magnificent bloom came from my friend Tammies garden. It is about 5” across. Currently it is gracing our table with a couple of less showy friends.

I’ve painted many flowers in my time and they’re never easy. Photography is no easier, especially with the pretty basic digital camera on my iPad. The background is the top of my great grandmothers’ sewing table. I love the way the flower seems to float in lilac light.

I hope this happy flower makes you smile.

SUNNY - DAY 26 - 30 in 30

This did have a base of a digital image, but it has many layers of Markup on top, so you probably don’t see any of the original. Red can be overwhelming in quantity, but yellow is always a good choice for monumental art. I can quite see me using this as a study for a large painting.

Below are the original image and a black and white version.

RIVER - DAY 25 - 30 in 30

An image taken while photo walking a trail beside Mission Creek. I enhanced the color to make it look more like a painting. The reflections remind me of some of Monets later works painted “Plein Air” at Giverny.

DRAW THE LINE - DAY 24 - 30 in 30

This time a twilight shot. I’m always torn between keeping images natural, by gently erasing such things as cell towers, power lines and jet trails, or allowing them to intrude on the scene. After all they are part of our modern world and they could become a trendy part of the composition if allowed to be part of the scene rather than an intrusion.

What do you think?

DAWN RAINBOW - DAY 23 - 30 in 30

There are two magic hours for artists and photographers. Most people find it relatively easy to view sunset, but the other special hour is at dawn. Every morning I get up around sunrise to enjoy the dawn light and wildlife. It’s a whole different world out on the lake around dawn. Ducks and Geese enjoy breakfast, bobbing under the water to feed, before flying off for their day in the fields, Seagulls and Crows scavenge the beaches and the odd Eagle or Osprey catches an unlucky fish. It’s mesmerizing.

So was it luck that I captured this dawn rainbow with geese, or was it dedication?

LEAF LIGHT - Day 22 - 30 in a30

Started with a digital photograph and enhancd with various digital Markup tools. The original image is below.

RAPUNZEL - Day 21 - 30 in 30 Challenge

I started this drawing with a thought and a song: The thought was an image of uneven yellow lines, the song was “I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair” I wasn’t really thinking of painting hair, just how would I draw the song. This is the result. The title of the song was long so I mused on the golden fleece, spinning straw into gold, Shirley Temple and RAPUNZEL The latter seemed most appropriate.

I drew this in the Notes app and was exasperated by the sipe function continually removing my page and popping up things. I couldn’t find a way to turn it off. If anyone has the answer please tell me.

I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Borne, like a vapor, on the summer air;
I see her tripping where the bright streams play,
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way.
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour.
Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er:
Oh! I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air.

I long for Jeanie with the daydawn smile,
Radiant in gladness, warm with winning guile;
I hear her melodies, like joys gone by,
Sighing round my heart o'er the fond hopes that die:—
Sighing like the night wind and sobbing like the rain,—
Wailing for the lost one that comes not again:
Oh! I long for Jeanie, and my heart bows low,
Never more to find her where the bright waters flow.

I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed
Far from the fond hearts round her native glade;
Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown,
Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone.
Now the nodding wild flowers may wither on the shore
While her gentle fingers will cull them no more:
Oh! I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air.

Steven Foster 1854