Summertime painting

My friend Lisa has been a student for years, but has never come to Merritt Painted Petal. Last week she arrived for a painting retreat and finished two art pieces. She really enjoyed it and left extremely relaxed.

Sunroom Paintings

The sunroom has been revived with a change of furniture arrangement and now features my fruit and vegetable still life paintings. Stephanie says the the two cherry paintings look perfect on the easels.

Art in the Garden, Merritt, BC

These are taken from Merritt's first annual "Art in the Garden" show last month. I displayed my paintings in the garden of my friend, Jayne Yeadon's. Refreshments came from the Baillie House, delicious homemade goodies by Hiro.

The other treat was Sharon Hartwick playing the beautiful Celtic Harp. It was so lovely. The weather was perfect for the show, not too hot nor windy. We look forward to promoting next year's tour in July.

May Shows in Merritt

May will find me joining fellow Valley Visual Artists in Merritt, BC for another annual art show and sale, taking place downtown at the Civic Centre. It starts Friday, May 7th and continues Saturday and Sunday.

Following the art show, the paintings will be moved to the Merritt Courthouse Gallery on Nicola Avenue until the end of May.

Art's West Event on Sunday April 25th

As a member of Art's West, I will be participating in the annual spring show and sale.

It's a one day only event, 10 AM to 4pm, Sunday, April 25th at Elgin Hall, 14250 Crescent Road, White Rock.

There will be all kinds of original art and "artsy things". Be sure to check it out.

Victoria Art Show, February 8 through 18, 2010

While I'm south of the border, leaving town for the Olympics, some of my works will be on exhibit February 8-18, 2010 in Victoria at the Fairmont Empress Hotel Library. The show and sale is called "Art of All Sorts", featuring paintings and artist's wares. Come browse, buy, listen to music and stories, as well as meet the artists.

Daily from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Library at the Fairmont Empress (opposite gift shop)
Sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Foundation of Victoria and the Fairmont Empress
For more information: prfvictoria.ca/ecarr.htm

New Feature Oils

16"x20" title Luscious $750.


16"x16" titled Freshly Picked $500.


16" x 20" titled "Snowdrops in Crystal' $800.

Summer Painting Retreat

Welcoming my three guest artists from Whistler, Horseshoe Bay and the Interior of British Columbia. They successfully painted a painting per day during the weekend workshop. The weather was fabulous.


My daughter says I match my house. Her caption to this photo is "Look, I match my house."

Claire's poppy - very Georgia O'Keeffe

Cheryl's tulip painting was spectacular

Melanie's gorgeous up-close and personal magnolia

Apres painting, relaxing out on the porch.

The Summer House

The summer of 2009 was busy with minor renovations to the salon and the kitchen. This photograph shows the new built-ins that my dear friend Al completed. He also added classic moulding around the windows. I was so pleased with the result. Al is so amazing. He also re-did my kitchen countertops. I found some splashy new fabric and made the tablecloth. I was working on the coordinating window valances when I took this photo.

The summer of 2010 we will paint the salon a pale yellow. All the white furniture will look so lovely with the new backdrop.

Summer Painting Retreats at the Painted Petal Studio

Diane is offering two-day painting bed & breakfast retreats at the Summer House Painted Petal in Merritt.

For the working person needing a well deserved break, leave Vancouver Friday evening and drive the beautiful Coquihalla Highway, (a mere 1 hour drive from Hope) to Merritt, British Columbia.

Stay in either the Rose Room or Sunflower Room and awake refreshed to breakfast on the sunny patio or in the dining room.

Begin painting your selected subject matter until noon when you will break for a delicious lunch.

After lunch you will continue painting until 4pm.

You are then free to explore the local area, the Lower Nicola Valley, or drive east along Nicola Lake to historic Quilchena Hotel.

You can dine there, choosing the patio, formal dining room or old-fashioned saloon, complete with bullet holes in the bar.

In the evening, various painting DVD's are available to view in the parlor room at the Summer House or just relax out on the verandah with a book, enjoying the evening breeze and then a star-filled sky.

Then it's off to bed in your private room and up to enjoy it all again on Sunday. You will finish two complete oil paintings and be back home to Vancouver early Sunday evening.

Sunset, Sunflowers, Fruit or Vegetable

shown below are examples of subject matter to choose from:

An experienced or a beginner, you will have two small or one large painting to take home ready to hang.

A fabulous, creative getaway to treat yourself to. Call Diane today and book your weekend.

Friday to Sunday evening, including two nights accommodation, two breakfasts, two lunches, canvases, paint and supplies (bring your own brushes), $300.00

Weekday workshops also available, arrive Monday evening, paint Tuesday and Wednesday, and depart Wednesday late afternoon.

Call Diane, (250) 378-5773.

Seasons Change The Subject

May 24th is usually considered the dateline for safe planting outdoors. This year has been extra cold and my neighbour had two newly purchased perennials left on her porch freeze to death just a week ago. However it has finally warmed up and this week I will head back to Merritt to plant the garden.

Since gardening is such a major source of joy for me, it naturally follows that vegetable bounty would seep into my painting subject. For years my subject matter has been devoted to floral and seascape but recently I have taken interest in close up fruit and vegetables as well as an array of still-life.






I haven't given up flowers as subject matter by any means. As Eckhart Tolle,in his book The New Earth, refers to flowers as the enlightened beings of the plant world. I whole-heartedly agree.





These poppies have just come to bloom in my daughter's garden. They are so beautiful I am sure they will be subject matter for future paintings.