June 2014 Joanne Thomson’s Newsletter

I know I said there would be no show invites for awhile and that changes now with my accepting and invitation to show at the Coast Collective in a group show called “Top Shelf” that runs in the main gallery from June 11 to 22nd.  Apparently I am a top seller in the ‘watercolour’ category of the gift shop and so will have some watercolours on paper and canvas as part of the show that features gift shop artists and art forms from paintings to fiber to jewelry.  

I have also been working with staff at the CRD Parks to create an Artist in Residence at Francis King Park and will be the ‘pilot project’ artist in February and March 2015.  There will be public engagement days. Mostly though, I’ll be there enjoying and painting the beauty of the winter forest and some of the bones of the forest creatures from the CRD collections.  More info later.

TWO WORKSHOPS IN JUNE:  One in town at the Coast Collective and one a retreat weekend in the Cowichan Valley at The Hawthorn- it is sold out.  So, if you missed out on the retreat, come to the Coast Collective one, we will be outside and inside and engaging in drawing nature and then painting up what we draw. 

SUMMER WORKSHOPS: If you like the idea of a weekend or a weeklong retreat please sign up for the July- Drawing and Meditating on Nature week or the September – Restful Ripening retreat- details below.  If you are really adventurous join me in Saskatchewan at Robsart ghost town on Labour Day weekend forart making and exploring!

JULY 1st Gorge On Art 9-4:  I have submitted and application and hope to be accepted as a participant in the Gorge On Art this year which is in conjunction with the Canada Day Event at Gorge Park.  This will likely be the only summer market for me this year as I’ll be travelling quite a bit researching and working on the ‘Transforming Pain’ Project.  I’ll be demonstrating and have some of the new works for viewing.  I’ll confirm and give my location in the July newsletter.  (I plan to send it out at the end of June).  

COMMUNITY MURAL: Since the last newsletter I have been invited to facilitate a community mural project with BC Housing.  The site is in James Bay and is next to a community playground in a townhouse complex.  It is shaping up to be a wonderful project with plenty of participation.  I’ll put photos on my website as it progresses. 

The Hospice Palliative Care Textbook illustrations are nearly completed.  It has been an intense and rewarding few months.  I’ll let you know when the book is out.

WORKSHOP IN SASKATCHEWAN: Want to go to Saskatchewan and the ghost town of Robsask for a weekend of painting?  I have been invited to facilitate a weekend workshop in this beautiful part of the country.  Grass lands, farm buildings, riverbanks and vistas of open prairie.  I’ll post the details on my site when they are ready (by that I mean who to contact and how much in case you want to join us).

Coming in the Autumn:

 NEW: Painting watercolour miniatures at the HCP- two Saturday offerings all supplies included- a great gift and way to try out watercolour and see if you like it.  http://hcp.ca/events/watercolor-workshop/  and http://hcp.ca/events/watercolor-workshop-2/

Watercolour workshop in Terrace BC through the Terrace Art Gallery October 17 – 19th.  This will be a beginners workshop covering colour, brush handling and a variety of techniques as well as offering individual instruction for experienced watercolourists during the project painting times. 

DEMONSTRATION:

Friday July 25th : Jessie Taylor Dodd of the South Shore Gallery has asked me to demonstrate there during the Sooke Fine Arts Show. I’ll be taking out my large acrylic paintings of wild flowers and also work on some smaller watercolour on paper works.  I’ll be at the Gallery on the Friday July 25th and if I am not enough of a draw, it is next to a couple of great restaurants….  http://www.southshoregallery.ca

STILL SPACE IN THE SUMMER AND FALL Art and Nature Retreats at the Hawthorn

Prices include Meals, Accommodation and Workshops.

July 6- 11 (five days and nights, Sunday to Friday)

Drawing and Meditating on Nature

$950 –there is still room on this retreat.  Let me know if you are interested as we need a couple more registrants to make it happen.

Connect deeply with the visual beauty of the natural world. Joanne will facilitate workshops in sketching, realistic drawing, and painting which will culminate in the creation of your own naturalist’s journal and many small paintings. The focus is on expressing an intimate connection with nature, which can be both quiet, and enthusiastic!

Expect to see your work move toward a more individual style in this intensive week of art. We will work both indoors and out of doors.

September 19- 21 (one weekend, Friday to Sunday)

Equinox- Restful Ripening

$420

Approach the busy harvest season with some time for art making with joy and reflection. With days and nights now being equal in length the focus of the workshops will be on finding and express­ing balance, visually and in our artistic practice. Joy and sorrow are both welcome as are contemplation and exuberance. Everything is part of the balance that makes up life.

TRANSFORMING PAIN PROJECT: memories and legacy

I have slowed down a bit on the painting in this project due to the deadlines with the illustration works, but have still done 44 images in the past two months and project has grown wings blowing in all sorts of new ideas.  I have all the images up in my living room now and I am impressed!  I’ll put a photo up on the sponsors page.

Thank you to those who came forward as sponsors.  I am happy to have more people on the secret password list. Those of you wanting to be my ‘sponsors’ for this project just need to let me know. You send me $100 and I send you the password.

As a sponsor you will:

-be invited to the unveiling exhibition for the project

-have first opportunity to purchase any painting on the sponsor page – these are not from the series and are representative of my work over the past 5-10 years and you can purchase them right now.

- be able to use your sponsorship $100 to purchase a painting on sponsor page or toward the purchase of a work from the series. 

- receive my thanks!

AN ART RETREAT IN YOUR TOWN- Ask me.  I love to travel and can make a workshop financially accessible in almost any location.  It has worked in Neepawa Manitoba, Revelstoke, Terrace, Comox and Prince Rupert and soon in Terrace again. Ask and we can work something out. 

As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. [email protected]

May 2014 Joanne Thomson’s Newsletter So many flowers to paint and so little time.  I have been busy bottling blossoms in my transforming pain series.  It is seems to be developing into something about preserving.  I always intended it to be about memory and legacy. I am having a great deal of fun creating beauty and metaphor with paint and unusual juxtapositions.  Interested?  You too can become a sponsor.  I’ll place a teaser image or two in this email for you and there is information about becoming a sponsor lower in this email too.
 
Many of you are asking if I am looking for another gallery now that I am no longer at the Morris (and She Said Gallery sold and is undergoing a transformation with all of us asked to remove everything, so no idea what that will become).  So, for now my answer is no.  I am focusing on creating new work, doing illustrations for the Hospice Palliative Care textbook, and allowing time to decide what to do next.  The Gallery scene is changing and I need to figure out my relationship to those changes.  So for now, yes I’d be happy to hear suggestions and have you promote me to galleries, however, I won’t actively be seeking galleries until next year.  Odd I know, and sorry there won’t be invites to shows for a bit, but that will change in 2015 and I might do something here in the fall if I cannot keep a lid on my creations and absolutely need to share them with you.  
 
THE HAWTHORN- Open House May 10, 2014. RSVP only
I’ll be creating a labyrinth on the grounds of the Hawthorn during the open house.  Come and see the gardens, meet Bernice and her helpers, see the workshop spaces.  If you want to come please just email me and I’ll send you the e-vite with the address and directions.
This is the location of my art and nature retreats this year and should be green and flowering!
 
THE SOUTH SHORE GALLERY has re-opened and is looking wonderful. Jessie Taylor Dodd is the new owner/manager.  Elizabeth Tanner will be there a couple of days a week too, helping out with sales.  http://www.southshoregallery.ca
 
Art and Nature Retreats at the Hawthorn
Prices include Meals, Accommodation and Workshops.
June 20 - 22 Solstice: Light, Glorious Light $420- is already full and I am taking a wait list. With the enthusiasm for this format I have made an executive decision and cancelled the 7-day retreat in August and instead will offer an Autumn Equinox weekend.

July 6- 11 (five days and nights, Sunday to Friday) 
Drawing and Meditating on Nature $950
Connect deeply with the visual beauty of the natural world. Joanne will facilitate workshops in sketching, realistic drawing, and painting which will culminate in the creation of your own naturalist’s journal and many small paintings. The focus is on expressing an intimate connection with nature, which can be both quiet, and enthusiastic!
Expect to see your work move toward a more individual style in this intensive week of art. We will work both indoors and out of doors.

September 19- 21 (one weekend, Friday to Sunday) 
Equinox- Restful Ripening $420
Approach the busy harvest season with some time for art making with joy and reflection. With days and nights now being equal in length the focus of the workshops will be on finding and express­ing balance, visually and in our artistic practice. Joy and sorrow are both welcome as are contemplation and exuberance. Everything is part of the balance that makes up life.
 
TRANSFORMING PAIN PROJECT: memories and legacy
Thank you to those who came forward as sponsors.  You could be one too!  On a password protected website page for sponsors (PPWPS). Those of you wanting to be my ‘sponsors’ for this project just need to let me know. You send me $100 and I send you the password.  
As a sponsor you will:
-be invited to the unveiling exhibition for the project
-have first opportunity to purchase any painting on the PPWPS – these are not from the series and are representative of my work over the past 5-10 years and you can purchase them right now.
- be able to use your sponsorship $100 to purchase a painting on the PPWPS or toward the purchase of a work from the series. 
- receive my thanks!
 
AN ART RETREAT IN YOUR TOWN- Ask me.  I love to travel and can make a workshop financially accessible in almost any location.  It has worked in Neepawa Manitoba, Revelstoke, Terrace, Comox and Prince Rupert and soon in Terrace again. Ask and we can work something out. 
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. [email protected]