Snuggling Dogs, Clarity & Magic Moments

Last night I went for a walk with my little dog Bear up the hill to look out over Lake Ontario as the sun was setting. The sky was beautiful and the colours took my breath away. 

I sat on a bench for quite a while just drinking it in, dropping my shoulders, breathing deep, just letting a sense of peace wash over me.

Sunlight on the Rocks by Alison Galvan

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 And then it hit me. 

Lake Reflections by Alison Galvan

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All the stuff that had been bugging me, all the irritations, big and small,  disappeared, and everything seemed to get really really clear. 

Morning on the Rocks by Alison Galvan

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I don't know if it was the fresh air, the silence, or the happy warmth of my little dog snuggled up on my lap that did it, but light bulbs started flashing over my head like fireworks. 

On the Edge of the Storm by Alison Galvan

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I don't know about you, but I've struggled with meditation.  I can never seem to turn my brain off, or at least turn the volume down to low. I also try very hard putting into practice the ideas of visualization and manifesting too, but again, somehow, I always feel like I'm a bit of a fraud when I formally sit down to do so. My mind wanders, or embarrassingly, I fall asleep!

Storm Over the Wood by Alison Galvan

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But last night everything clicked. When I came off the top of that hill it was as if I was floating. The sun may have set on the day, but my horizons had expanded tenfold. 

Doorway to a New Journey by Alison Galvan

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I got back home and immediately put pen to paper making lists of all the things I wanted to do - inspiring ideas for new art pieces, ways in which to give my collectors a clearer view into my artwork and my process, what new art projects I can do with my seniors group at the retirement home, and how can I convey to my audience how much love I have for what I do and that I am grateful for all those that choose to share it with me. 

I really don't know how long it was that I sat there staring at the sky, and if that is what meditation is supposed to be like, then Hurray!, I finally did it and now I totally get why people sing it's praises.

Morning has Broken by Alison Galvan

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It was a wonderful experience - a magical moment.

And now, when I sit down each morning to figure out all that I have to do, at the top of my list I make sure to include one such moment. I write:

Me with my lovely little dog, Bear having a snuggle

Every evening at sunset, hike to the top of the hill, breathe deep, and with your heart reach up and see if you can touch the sky. 

Sculpting New Beginnings...

Last weekend saw me ripping apart old work and sanding off the old sculpting and paint to get ready to begin again. Love great equipment especially when you can buy it on sale! Sanding down 9 pieces by hand would have taken forever, but with this handy dandy sander I was done in 4 hours! And now that I've got refurbished panels ready to go, I've spent the rest of this past week sculpting new pieces.

My last trip to Montreal I met with the director of the Shayne Gallery. She suggested I might think about adding some architectural elements to my work which totally got my juices flowing. Below are images of what I have sculpted so far. In my head I have a very clear picture of what the finished products will look like, but I know sometimes it's hard for others to get the idea of my direction. For those of you interested in the process though, here is what the sculpting looks like before I start painting. Remember these are refurbished panels so there is still some old paint which will, of course be painted over when I move on to that step once the sculpting material is dried. So please ignore the splotches of colour you see in the non-sculpted spaces!

 It's hard to see, but the wall behind the lock will be a brick wall. A beautiful sunset/sunrise scene will be painted in the centre. It's a panel that is 30 x 30 inches.

 I saw these cool old vintage doorknobs and thought that they would look really unique once sculpted and again, a beautiful view will be painted through the keyholes. Both of these pieces are 40 x 30 inches






 This piece was inspired by one of those old "peepholes" that have little doors that open and close. My old friend from kindergarten used to have one on their red front door and I always admired it. This is a larger piece, 48 x 36 inches, and when finished, I think it will be a real stunner.

 These last two pieces are inspired by old wood barns. I love the old painted wood boards and wanted to do a couple pieces where the wood was missing pieces. Again, I realize it's a bit hard to visualize, but trust me these 24 x 36 pieces are going to wow!





I still have two more big pieces to sculpt, so next week I'll give you a preview of those and hopefully have some of these smaller works painted and completed to share with you.

As always.... Thanks so much for all of your support!

Growing Pains of Evolution

In the past weeks I have received a lot of feedback regarding some of my newer pieces, pieces that in my mind are some of my strongest work. The problem is, is that not all of the feedback has been positive, in fact much has been quite negative, and so, for the past week I have really been struggling with self-doubt - am I on the right track, should I skip sculpting and just paint, have I just not found my target audience / gallery yet, etc...







My work is evolving and has changed enormously from what it was when I first started doing landscapes. And I guess as it changes somethings are getting better and better (such as my painting of my sky and reflections) and perhaps somethings just don't fit anymore, or at least don't fit in the form they are in anymore and need to evolve and change too (like my sculpting of the tree branches). Not everything grows at the same place, and like an awkward teenager whose just gone through a growth spurt and now finds themselves tripping and falling clumsily about as they get used to their new dimensions, so too, am I struggling to find my way in my creations.



Consequently I have been doing a lot of thinking, spending quiet time alone determining my next course of action and while it wasn't pleasant to hear the negatives, I'm actually pretty grateful (now!) because all this thinking is making me push myself and I've come up with a whole host of new ideas, ideas that I can't wait to begin creating!

In the coming weeks I'll be posting images of work in process. I have ripped apart old sculpting and I am sanding down my wood panels to begin again. I have ordered more paint and I have been researching my ideas on line to clarify my vision. I am ready to launch myself to the next level and I can't wait to get started!

Until next week...

Thanks for all your support!

I'm not an Imposter!

Something's happening and 

I'm not sure what, but I like it!

To see "Diffusion" up close and personal, please visit my website at: www.alisongalvanfineart.com

Thanks for visiting!

Reflections

Like looking into a pool of water, nature's seasonal changes are a reflection of our own personal changing, evolving and growing from chapter to chapter in our lives.

I like the softness of the colour palette I chose and the combination of the smooth glass like texture of the pool of water coupled with the rugged texture of the tree trunks, and leaves.

 

There is a gentleness to this piece. I find that when I step back and gaze upon it I feel a sense of calm wash over me. Do you get that feeling too?

 

Reflections
by Alison Galvan
Mixed Media and Acrylic on a 24" x 30" Wood Panel
$1325

Detail of the Bas-Relief

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Please let me know what your reactions to this and any of my other pieces are.

 

 

Thank you for Visiting!



Why do I make art?