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Monday, September 18, 2017

Colour: A Personal Response Exhibition Gets Hung in ArtSea Gallery Tulista Park, Sidney BC

Sarah unwraps her artwork.
The first task once we got access to the gallery at 6:00 Sunday evening was to set up tables to work from.

We laid sheets on the floor along all of the walls we were planning to hang on.
We did a check to see if it would all fit in the space.

While Sarah and I did a rough hang of the work Ron sorted out all of the hanging cables and placed what was needed above each work.

While Ron and I got each artwork leveled, at the right height and spaced from its neighbour, Sarah set up different colour centers. 
Here are the Fabric Colour Cards in their individual racks on rotating stands. We are selling individual cards and have complete sets of 24 cards packaged up as well.
On the wall is one of each colour card mounted in a frame by our fabulous framer Jane Conner in the Mat Shop. She framed all of the works in the exhibition and gave us lots of good advice along the way.

Another colour centre is in a quieter space in the back alcove of the gallery. I made 24 little colour books and am asking people to pick any book and write in it how they feel about the colour.

Another colour centre has 36 colour books set up in racks. 
Sarah is going through a book with Isobel Jones, an early visitor to the exhibition the morning it opened.
I'll show a better shot of this centre in a  later post.


Sarah has chosen not to sell her original works at this stage but has made prints and cards of individual works to sell.


Speaking of selling - here is Ron programming my Square in preparation for sales.
We worked until after 10 last night and were back in the gallery early this morning to do all of the remaining tasks before officially opening. The gallery committee support person, Dale MacEwan, was in the gallery last night and first thing this morning to explain all the gallery systems to us. Thank you, Dale, for all of your support.
The gallery is open. The exhibition is on!



Saturday, September 16, 2017

Colour: A Personal Response Exhibition - getting ready to hang

For the past 2 years, Sarah McLaren and I have been producing bodies of work based on how we feel about specific colours.


I have produced 24 works, each one exploring the energy I feel from a specific colour.

Sarah has explored each colour through the works of one of her favourite artists.
Here is her 'Modigliani in magenta' and my 'Synesthesia #5 Green'.
Earlier in the year, we set up a little taster of our exhibition in the gallery where we will be exhibiting next week - ArtSea Gallery at Tulista Park, Sidney BC, September 18th to 24th.

We both made colour cards in 24 different hues with shades, tints and tones in fabric on one side and paint on the other. We are busy packaging these up in sets to sell.

 We both made colour books, one to match each of our fibre works.
Here are my books laid out flat while the matte medium layer dries.

 I also made a second set of smaller books. 

The rack cards and poster have been designed, printed and distributed.
Many thanks to Sarah's daughter, Margo for all of the work she has done to promote the exhibition. 
In these last few days, we are working through our checklists of all those tasks that need to be done to mount an exhibition. Labels - check, print stickers - check, pick up cards - check, .....
Sunday evening we begin hanging. Sarah and I are very excited to see for the first time how our work looks together. I'll keep you posted.

'Colour: A Personal Response' 
September 18th to 24th, 2017
Artsea Gallery, Tulista Park, 9565 Fifth Street, Sidney BC
Open 10am to 4pm daily
Opening Reception September 19th, 2017 from 4 to 6pm



Saturday, September 2, 2017

Garden Report: The First Flowers in May

At the end of May, the first flowers bloomed in the garden.
I had planted lupines around every tree because they are one of the best-known plants for working together with rhizobia who fix nitrogen from the air and make it available to nearby plants.

Chives were also an early flower.

The comfrey plants were already getting large so it was time to cut them back.

The cut leaves quickly wilt and decay providing valuable minerals to the soil.

With so many new beds I haven't been able to plant very many of them yet the bees are visiting looking for food. It was for the bees and other nectar seeking insects that I left a lot of comfrey plants to flower.

The bees love comfrey flowers and were too busy to stop for a quick photo op.
Next spring I plan to have a greater variety of flowers to attract a greater variety of insects.



Monday, August 28, 2017

Backyard Project: Completing the Last Few Tasks

Josh helps Dave adjust his mask before they get down to a stinky job.

Josh is ready


They apply a glue to the underside of the propagation table lining.


Meanwhile, Josh has hung the upper shelving unit in the Potting area...

...and he has hung the shelving unit in the Project area.

He is now working on the countertops.

The first one is in place.

Last year I planted a range of plants in the Gravel Bed garden as a trial to see which ones thrived in the sunny dry conditions with minimal watering. I had a few deaths (Corsican mint) but the majority are loving the conditions. The Wooly thyme has already grown together to make the first part of the path through the bed.

I had used empty pots to mark out where to put plants for the rest of the path.

Now it was time to plant more of the path. I have picked up ground-cover plants that can take being walked on, whenever I see them for sale. The garden bed is going to look spotty for another year so I just have to be patient.



Friday, August 25, 2017

Backyard Project: Pattern Language: #243 Sitting Wall Guides the Pergola Design

Another delivery of lumber for  a new project - Pergola seating

Brace support for a bench around the perimeter of the Pergola.
Pattern Language #243 Sitting Wall
Problem "In many places walls and fences between outdoor spaces are too high, but no boundary at all does injustice to the subtlety of the divisions of spaces." p. 1125.

Somewhere along the edge between the Pergola and the Arbour, "there is a need for a seam,  a place which unites the two, but does so without breaking down the fact that they are separate places. If there is a high wall or hedge, then people in the [pergola] have no way of being connected to the [arbour path]; the people in the [arbour] have no way of being connected to the [pergola]. But if there is no barrier at all - then the division between the two is hard to maintain." p.1125. 
Without a low wall it would feel uncomfortable sitting in the Pergola because one would have the feeling of being unprotected - a 'sitting duck'.

Josh continues to demonstrate his high level of wood working skill.

'The problem can only be solved by a kind of barrier which functions as a barrier which separates, and as a seam which joins at the same time." p.1126.

"A low wall or balustrade, just at the right height for sitting, is perfect. it creates a barrier which separates. But because it invites people to sit on it - invites them to sit first with their legs on one side, then with their legs on top, then to swivel around still further to the other side, or to side astride it - it also functions as a seam, which makes a positive connection between the two places." p. 1126.
The two different ground materials also help to define the separate rooms while at the same time the materials are connected by their common local source.

Dave applies a coat of sealer to protect the horizontal surface from moisture damage.
The Pattern Language is very specific about the height and width of a low wall for it to be successful. It needs to be 16 inches high and at least 12 inches wide.
This low wall/bench seat has made a big difference to the whole feel of this part of the backyard. It feels much more complete. The Pergola and even the Arbour feel more grounded.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Backyard Project: Progress Over 2 Weeks While I Was Away

Completed Pergola Paving
While I was away for 2 weeks visiting family work continued. On my return, it was exciting to go around the job site to see the progress.

The potting area cabinets

The project area cabinets

Electricians had been again and installed the outside lights.

The growth in the garden beds had taken off.

In some beds the comfrey was flowering. Normally this is the time when I cut it back but the bees are loving it and there are hardly any other flowers out for them to feed on so I left the comfrey to grow and flower.

The kale is nearly 6 feet high. I am leaving it to flower, seed and dry. The plants will be left in place to provide organic matter to the soil and I am hoping the seeds will germinate to keep us in greens over the winter again.
It was pretty exciting to see all of the changes after a break away. The progress doesn't feel as dramatic when observing it every day.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Backyard Project: Gravel Spreading, Rock Placing, Roof Making

Taylor moving the compactor in place
The gravel spreading continues on the last path

It is easy to move the gravel in place with the Bobcat on this last path.

Crew waits for my directions

Taylor moves rocks to make a nice curved edge from the forest track to the gravel edge and cedar fence.

Josh and Dave work on the other side placing rocks between the gravel path and the garden bed.

The clear corrugated plastic sheets are put in place to complete the Garden Shed area roof.

Josh and Taylor at work on the roof.