Art of the Coast

Happy New Year Everyone!

2011-12-31T12:28:00.001-08:00

It has been an interesting year for el Vencedor!

Rebuilt -- no heating system, no more auto pilot…..new wiring, led lights all the way through, new inverters, new hot water tank. Big changes to the boat.

We are still in Ladysmith but not for long. We are both getting itchy feet and are ready to roll in the New Year. We will definitely leave here by March…lol.

New Years party on the dock tonight! We will bring in the New Year with friends and maybe go visit Lincoln and Leila.

I redid Justin’s portrait. I just couldn’t like the first one!

My Children! They liked their portraits. Next time I will go bigger than 6” x 8”.

I have discovered over this past year that I love doing portraits.

I have done seven over the last month and am starting the New Year with a commission for a portrait!

In addition to that we are going to go back to Fuel polishing but stick to the Marine industry.

My friend just emailed me and told me it is the year of the Black Dragon! A water Dragon! I am looking forward to seeing how that will effect the two of us who are both ‘Water Dragons’!

So those are my plans right now--- Happy New Year Everyone!

Changing Realities

2011-12-11T13:58:00.001-08:00

Applying for a position with a company is a weird experience for both me and Howard. We have many realities in our life which given one word for each might be retired, semi retired, cruisers, business owners, boat owners, artists etc.
When you go to a 'job' interview and someone says, ' tell me about yourselves' what reality do you want them to know about?
Knowing the answer to that question determines whether you get the job or not....

I think we didn’t get the job. Honestly, I got tongue tied and really forgot that the only thing a person really wants to know is, ‘What's in it for me’ which should have prompted me to say that I was the perfect person to look after his private resort and that my husband was so talented that he was in hiding…lol

I think that it probably wasn’t the best place for us anyway since he was really looking for someone full time and we really want to cruise in the summer !

Ah well….

Here are some portraits of the Grandchildren for Christmas presents:

Three Brothers!

Kendra & Wish almost done!

Now this is how I would love to make a living instead!

Brush Strokes…

2011-11-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

It is snowing today. On the water it is very peaceful when it snows.

We do still have to shovel our boat off but most of the time it melts away.
It does seem early this year. Maybe we are going to have a crazy winter…
I am doing commissions lately. Portraits
I truly think I have found my ‘thing’.
On the website I have put up a page to show some of the stuff I have done lately : http://www.ArtoftheCoast.com/Portraits
I love doing portraits.

This is 3 year old Miles. He is a lively spirit.
The funny thing is that I don’t know if people will pay to have paintings of their children done. I hope they will. I have seen the portrait ‘caricature’ artists in Victoria doing lots of pictures but that is not where I want to go with this.
I have sent my stuff out on Facebook and did get one commission which I am now working on. I just have to work on some composition issues but I think I have got it figured out.
We can make lots of money fuel polishing but both of us would rather paint.
Of course Howard is a shy painter. He doesn’t try to sell his art much. I on the other hand am always trying to find a way to keep painting instead of ‘working’.
I guess it will all come out in the wash.

BuzzNet Tags: Painting,portraits,childrens portraits

Mattress or Market

2011-11-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up today thinking about money.
We are going back to work as you know. We expect to make money. Usually we make a fair amount when we put our minds to it and have a reliable business tool.
So where do we put our money? Hence Mattress or Market.
Before we had money I always fell for the government line about rrsps being a great way to save - tax free etc.
I have some problems with that way now. After having experienced the results - I am not a fan.
You get like that when you watch
$ 5,000 disappear from your account.
If I had put that in my mattress I would perhaps have that money now or at least the assets or experience(s) that $5,000 could bring. I have instead the experience of seeing my money- vanish!
Another vote for mattress is that mattress does not charge me $2,000 a year to look after my money. I can instead take that $2000 and go on a trip.
I have many - actually thousands of reasons to choose mattress.
What about you?

Sent from my iPhone

Winter cometh!

2011-11-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Today I started wondering when they will cut the water off on the dock.

Luckily we have lots of water capacity on our boat but it always comes as a surprise when they do cut the water off. They do that because the water system is exposed and even close to the water like this the water system can freeze.

Some days I wonder...Why do I live on a boat? Its not the most convenient way to live! Water must be watched. Electrical must be managed whether at the dock or on the Gen set.

Most of the time I enjoy the people we meet on the docks and on the water, the no fuss lifestyle, the freedom the move when we want to....There are lots of things.

Now speaking of winter...my friend just had his 64th birthday. That sounds like winter!

I recently was thinking about death. I think that is a hazard of being close to 60 years of age. I dont feel old but reality is that I will be leaving my daughters and son behind one day. I would hope I leave first since that is the natural order of things.

Anyway, I was thinking about what I need to tell them. Stuff like passwords for my computer. Where the insurance papers are but mostly mundane stuff like what happens to my stuff. I heard on CBC about a site called Death Switch.com where you send an email after you die. I think that might creep my kids out. It would creep me out. Facebook pages where you can write on peoples walls creep me out. As if you can talk to someone who has passed over.

Another thing is --- why do we think of death so much after you reach 55? I dont know about you but I think about it alot. Its almost as if I have this feeling of impending doom. I read obits now for Gods sake! My father did that and I thought it was weird. Now I am doing it. What is with that.

Comments are welcome. I would love to know I am not alone with my morbid thoughts.

Fuel Polishing …Again!

2011-10-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

I am kicking the doors open to a new Fuel Polishing business!

There is no one really looking after the marine industry on the BC Coast anymore. Our old company Pac Rim Filtration Services Inc. is no longer going after the Marine industry of boats and other marine based installation as far as I can see.
Hence the new fuel polishing business – Petro Clear Fuel & Tank Cleaning. We are mobile and can reach our customers by water or road.
We will be concentrating on the boating industry, remote resorts and perhaps fish farms all along the BC Coast.
http://www.petroclearfuelpolishing.com/ is the new website and my business cards are on their way.
It will cut into my play time but between Howard (my consultant) and I we have combined about 40 years of experience cleaning fuel tanks in boats.
I am excited! I always liked the business and we are at it again.

Technorati Tags: Fuel Polishing,marine,Boating,fish farms

Creative Cooking

2011-10-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

I am making an adult version of this for Howard tomorrow
I get very creative in my cooking on the boat these days

Living Aboard a Boat.

2011-10-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

A lot of people, especially other women, do not understand why I want to live on a boat. Actually I was surprised when I found out a friend of mine lived on a sailboat but I didn’t have a negative reaction..just curiosity.

It had never occurred to me that it might be an option..And I owned a boat at the time so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised when I get a reaction.
I think about having a nice cosy little house sometimes but then I think of the things I would miss - Anchoring out in a peaceful bay, baking bread because there is no store for 40 miles, sitting on the top deck in the summer and watching all the people come and go, walking the dock and talking to other boaters about our favourite subject….boats, meeting interesting people – scientists who study wildlife up and down the coast, Billy Proctor who has lived in Echo Bay all his life and can tell you what it was like 40 years ago on the coast, Alexandra Morton who is world famous for her fight for the BC Salmon …and it goes on and on.
I have the excitement of travel and the comfort of always being home.

Tug at Ladysmith from the old days.

Today the sun was out early in the morning. It was a beautiful Fall Day.

Blogging made Easy

2011-10-17T15:43:00.001-07:00

Technorati Tags: Cruising,painting,boating,living on the coast,BC coast,art of the coast

Bear with me while I use a new posting software for my Art of the Coast Blog.

I have decided that living on a boat, caretaking a lodge, fuel polishing, painting a painting, cruising, fixing up a boat, etc. when you live on the BC Coast is all grist for the Art of the Coast blog since living well is an art! What do you think?

So, although I started out just talking about ‘art’ the older I get the more I think that your lifestyle is also part of your art in more ways than one…after all art whether it is acting, painting, music making fill in the blank ________is a lifestyle and artists do not fall into a square box category in their thinking and in their lifestyle.

The Art of Cruising

2011-10-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well, time flies especially when you are putting your 50' boat back together after some idiots have ripped most of it apart despite the fact that you insisted it should all fit into a budget. Why do boatyards, and I understand contractors have the same problem when fixing houses, think that everyone has an unlimited budget?

Anyway enough whining. I know alot more about our boat now than I did a year ago. I know lots of things that the average person wouldnt know..like how to do teak rails, how to install an intellian satellite TV antennae and keep it running, how to install a diesel fired fireplace, how to install tile, how to trouble shoot for leaks in a water system, how to change the pop up pressure relief valve on a hot water tank, how to install the freezer door on a Dometic refrigerator..now that was tough. Why did they take it off in the first place is my question!

Now the next phase is: how to reinstall a hot water Kabola system back into our boat after the 'idiots' cut it out of the engine room even though there was not a thing wrong with it ...even after the fire! This should be very educational.

So, not alot of time to paint, draw or do the things we love. However that time is coming.

2011-04-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Our first YouCubes!

Just got involved in a great project. Alot of fun at the workshop. You are all invited! Monday nights 6 - 9 at #217 2626 Bridge St., Victoria, BC - Call when you get to the door as the building is locked up at 5PM. We will come and let you in.

" Each person will creat a YouCube.
The YouCube begins as an 8 x 8 x8 wooden cube to be painted or decorated in any style, within the following format for each of the six sides:

1. What stops you?

2. What inspires or nourishes you?

3. Who or What has had a negative influence on your life?

4. Who or What has had a positive influence on your life?

5. Create a self portrait.

6. What is your biggest dream or aspiration for yourself and/or humanity?

Each YouCube is beautiful and perfect, whole and complete, just like we, as human beings, are whole and completer with all the sides of us.

http://www.YouCubeArt.com "

Life is too short

2011-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Just found out that one of our boating friends passed on while on his trip of a lifetime in Grenada.

His wife is a very brave lady, a great writer and is carrying on the boating tradition at least until she gets back to Vancouver. My prayers are with her.

I often wonder how I would do without my cruising buddies - Howard and Buster.

Very sad end to a very adventurous wonderful trip.

It puts things into perspective for me. We are struggling to get our boat off the hard and in the water as it quickly drains out bank account but we have many blessings

1. we still hve a bank account to drain!
2. Our boat will be in the water and we will cruise again
3. we are both healthy and ready to go

So, I will quit worrying and whining about the boat, enjoy my time now in Victoria and be grateful that Howard is working hard to get things done!

Art Show Featuring The Latest Acylic Paintings of EA Smith at Island Furniture & Bazaar | Opus Framing & Art Supplies

2011-01-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Art Show Featuring The Latest Acylic Paintings of EA Smith at Island Furniture & Bazaar Opus Framing & Art Supplies

My First Real Art Show - 520 Herald St, Victoria for Feb. 1 to 28

2011-01-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting an art show together. It is not in a gallery. It is in a furniture store.
I am very leary of galleries since Howard, my husband, put some of his art in a gallery last fall, a piece sold, and we still have not recieved any money for it.
I have heard nothing but horror stories about differnet gallerys and from very well known artists who are paind in the thousands for their artwork...and some have never been paid for pieces..or they are paid very late.
Anyway we shall see how the furniture store show works out.

EA Smith Art Show @ Island Furniture & Bazaar

February 1 to 28

I will be having a month long art show starting February 1 til 28th at

520 Herald Street, Victoria, BC @ Island Furniture & Bazaar

This show will run to the end of February. I hope to showcase some of the paintings I have done recently and the prices will be half the price of a gallery show!

Howard may show some of his work too but it will be my work mainly my own.

You are all invited to the Opening which will be a wine and cheese at 520 Herald St., Victoria @ Island Furniture & Bazaar on February 3 at 6 PM to kick off the month long show!

We also hope to have some great local music as well.

If you are in town please come and say hi.

I will be donating 10% of all sales to Heart and Stroke foundation in acknowledgement of

February being Heart month.

Teaching in the Art of the Coast Studio

2010-11-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I taught some young ladies how to paint. It was alot of fun and interesting to see their talent.
I think that for kids who are not especially interested in sports, Art is a great alternative.

I held the lessons in our studio on Bridge St., Victoria.

It is healthy and entertaining. With a teacher who is encouraging and flexible it could be the best thing to happen to a kid in this day and age. The typical past time of a young person not involved in sports today is surfing the net. I dont see anything wrong intrinsically with the internet but spending hours and hours on the internet communicating with people that do not jive with a parents value system could be very detrimental.

Especially for parents who are not at all techie and have trouble keeping up with the trends of the day and identifying dangerous directions. The first thing a parent needs to learn is how to check the history on the computer to see where their kids have been surfing. This may be difficult when the kid knows how to erase the history but there are more in depth ways to identify where they have gone. Nothing is ever truly erased from any computer.

I would do things a bit differently with my children today than I did in days past. I would keep my children busy with activities that I know are healthy like sports and art.

One of my children developed a great love for theatre and that was the best thing for her.

If you know of anyone who would like Art Lessons have them get in touch.

Stuck

2010-10-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

I am totally stuck on my painting. I have no inspiration and can't seem to get going.
Our boat is in the boatyard again and it is depressing. I think that boat has been on the hard for at least one year out of the four years we have owned it.
The builder said the engine room fire was probably the best thing that happened since now we are getting all new wiring, a new panel and all sorts of new stuff including a new ceiling in the salon.
I am totally bored with living in the camper and need to find something to do.

April 29, Ms Tery 8 x 8 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is officially the last painting for this 30 day period. It is actually the 31st painting but whos counting.

This one needs some finishing but Howard and I are cruising our boat to Fishermans Wharf in Victoria this weekend so it will have to wait til I have some time. Right now we are in Burgoyne Bay, Saltspring Island. It is beautiful and sunny and we are anchored in the middle of the bay. Lovely day.

This painting series has been great. I have learned alot. I love acrylic and I will take Brian Simons workshop again in the near future.

By the end of the 30 days I learned alot and I really believe that I can paint anything. some well and some not but practice and doing it is important if I want to get better.

Stay tuned for more!

April 28, Ms Tulip, 8 x 8 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is actually my 30th painting. The next post will be my last of this series of a Painting a Day for 30 Days.

April 27, Ms Martini 8 x 8 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Ms Martini is one of the ladies that I have been obsessed with doing for the last few days. Taking a break from the other stuff. A little art deco never hurt anyone.

April 26, The Teacup, 11 x 14 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Terrible picture but I will take a better one tomorrow. It isnt this bad in real life.

There is too much light reflected off the picture and that is causing the change in colour.

April 25, Lady Marmalade and Lady, 11 x 14 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today I did something totally fun and different. It is an exercise in colour.

This is the first image:

Then I put some black next to her face and it changes everything.

Not sure which one I like the best. How about you?

I like the lady though and I might do a couple more. They might sell at Bastion Square.

Here she is with eyes. I put them in with my Paint program just to see what she looks like. It reversed her!

April 24, Atkinson Point, 8 x 10 Acylic on canvas

2010-04-24T21:52:00.001-07:00

I had a really ugly dark picture of Atkinson Point and I just felt like painting a lighthouse.
It is not very impressionistic and I still have a bit of work to do on the background but it is ok and I learned alot doing this one. My rocks are improving and with a bit of detail in the background the foreground really came alive.

April 23, Heathers Garden 8 x 10 Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday I went with the Al Frescos again out to Saanich area to another artists Heritage house. She has a vineyard and really beautiful gardens.
I gave it a try and here is what I came up with.
I may try this again and I took lots of pictures.

April 22, Sidney Waterfront Stroll, 8" x8" Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Bastion Square. I got all set up and was just getting ready to paint and the wind started blowing. Well it was crazy. I had paintings flying all over the place.
I started to pack up and when Howard arrived I was ready to call it quits and head for the studio.
This is the painting I was going to do from a picture so here it is..I did it in the studio. It is the waterfront in Sidney. I still have a few things to do to improve it but not bad for a painting in a rush.

April 21, Starfish 2 8"x 8" Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-21T19:59:00.003-07:00

I redid this painting in a smaller format because I had alot of work to do on the rocks and the positioning of the girl. The rocks were the main problem and I think I have them worked out a little better in this painting.

I dont always keep all of my paintings. Some are just bad and cannot be retrieved. This one is interesting and the composition is worth the effort.

April 20, Beach Baby, 8" x8" Acrylic on canvas

2010-04-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

This looks better in person than in this picture.
I found the image on the net. It was a cute easy one to do.
I sold a bunch of my watercolours today and I finished yesterdays painting (this one) and did todays painting.
Only 9 more paintings to do for April. We have to move our boat so I have to get busy because I have a really busy weekend at the end of the month.
Enjoy the painting:

April 19, Harbour View

2010-04-19T20:23:00.001-07:00

This is the view from Bastion overlooking the harbour. The rally to save the Harbour was on Saturday and I guess that the mega yacht marina would spoil the view. According to the kayakers anyway. It turns out that the kayakers have a no power zone right now all to themselves and the marina will take over that part of the harbour.

They are only trying to keep the harbour to themselves, at least part of it. They have the whole gorge area but they really would prefer that the whole harbour was power free.

Anyway here is the view.

April 18, Starfish

2010-04-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying adding people to the paintings. This one is pretty ambitious for me and I can see a couple of problems with it. I am going to do a smaller one and see if I can fix the problems. Then I will correct this painting. Add your comments and tell me what you think.

April 17, Francesco

2010-04-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

I spent the day in Bastion Square. Painting plein air. The homeless people were around again.

Francesco is a regular so I caught him talking to a lady on the bench. Not my best but practice makes perfect.

April 16, Al Frescos Metchosin Orchard

2010-04-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

On Friday the Al Frescos go out and paint in different locations around Victoria.

I love it. My friend Darlene introduced me to it and it is fun. Unfortuneately I may not be able to do it in the summer because of committments at Bastion Square.

I have to enjoy it while and when I can.

April 15, Friends in Pioneer Square

2010-04-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Today I started out to get all set up in Bastion Square to start painting and selling.
It started raining as soon as Darlene and I arrived. She was going to paint in the square alongside of me.
We went for lunch instead, joined Howard and then we went to the art store and scored some larger canvasses that were on sale for a really good price.

Behind the art store there is a beautiful park called the Old Burying Ground beside Christ Church Cathedral.

Pioneer Square was the main burying ground for Fort Victoria and Victoria from 1855 to 1873. The approximately 1,300 people interred there represent a broad cross section of Hudson's Bay Company families, plus people who arrived for the 1858 and later gold rushes and who created Victoria as the cultural, political and business centre for the Colony of Vancouver Island (1855-1866), the Colony of British Columbia (1866-1871) and the first few years of the Province of British Columbia (1871-1873). There are few places in the province which exemplify as much the formative years of British Columbia's growth after 1858.

Today it was where three friends visited each other and shared a drink. They appeared to be weary homeless people who were sharing a beautiful spring day. They were delighted with the painting.

Picturesquely nestled beside Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria’s Old Burying Ground is an oasis of greenery and history in the heart of the city. Most tombstones have been removed, but the ones that remain are unique on the west coast, representing rarely seen examples of bench tombs, obelisks and elaborate Victorian monuments. On Tuesday evening and Sunday morning the bells at Christ Church Cathedral are rung.

April 14, 100 Year Old Elm Bastion Square

2010-04-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Most days this summer I will be looking at this tree. It is spring now so it is just coming into leaf. I think it is beautiful and I have been trying to capture it. I think I am getting close.

April 13, The Jacobsen House, Esquimalt

2010-04-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

Near the West Bay RV park is a historical Victorian house on the waterfront. It was built by a man named Jacobsen who was a gentleman who made his fortune in collecting seal fur in the Arctic. It is being restored very nicely and is a beautiful house.

April 12, Beach Chairs

2010-04-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

Beach Chairs

As you can see I am almost half way there. I am one day ahead of my self but I plan to go plein air painting tomorrow. Howard is busy fixing up our studio ..putting in a wall and some shelving so i aim to steer clear of that mess. It will look really good when he is done.

April 11, Eagle Fishing

2010-04-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Eagle Fishing

I really enjoyed doing this one.

April 9, Cattle Point

2010-04-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Plein air is difficult. I used too little paint and my composition sucked but here it is.

So then I went back to the studio and tried to fix it up. This is what I came up with.

I just dont like either one.

What do you think? Please critique it for me.

April 10, Breaching Orca

2010-04-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well here is #10. At this point I am realizing what a crazy committment I have made. It is not easy to have the discipline to do something like this every day. The worst part is dodging all the other things in your life that need your attention..like husbands and housework. They have definitely felt the brunt of this.
I still think it is a valuable exercise and I know I am already becoming a real painter / artist through the process.
I think I am stressing myself though because yesterday I had a sore neck which is usually the first sign of stress in me.
No more whining...today I am going plein air painting with a group of other painters at Cattle point. I will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Breaching Orca

April 8, Dallas Road Beach

2010-04-08T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Dallas Rd and painted in the drizzle. I finished the painting this morning so here it is.

8 x 8 Acrylic on Canvas, Dallas Road Beach

Today I am doing a large painting of a breaching Orca. I am in the studio for that. I will post later today or tomorrow morning and show an unfinished painting and the finished product.

Buster and I are going to take the little Victoria Harbour Ferry to the studio. He isnt allowed on the bus!

He looks comfortable. I guess he can stay home..afterall the wind is really blowing and the ferrys are probably not running!

April 7, 2010 East Sooke Beach

2010-04-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

We went to the beach that the Grey Whale washed up on. It is just around the corner of the point. I may do a painting of the crowd that was going to see the whale at a later date. Today I am going with my friend Darlene - http://www.artbydarleneyoung.com/. to do some plein air painting. See you later.

April 1 End of the Day

2010-04-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

End of the Day

April 6, 2010 The Bead Lady's Floathouse, Shawl Bay

2010-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

Bead Ladys Floathouse

Here is a painting that I would never have attempted a month ago. The course I took with Brian Simons impacted me so much that I feel like I can paint anything.

We cruise in the Broughtons and have met many of the people in that area. We like to cruise there after the tourists have left and the locals are the only ones there. They have a really isolated lifestyle but so interesting and relaxing. The people in general do not make alot of money but they live well, play well and live in peace with nature. It is a really healthy lifestyle both mentally and physically.

This beautiful floathouse is in Shawl Bay near Kingcome Inlet.

April 5, 2010

2010-04-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

I seem to be one painting ahead but of course maybe I am one painting behind because the one I started today and will finish tomorrow is not posted!

This is the Quadra Island lighthouse at Cape Mudge. I like this one and will probably be selling it on Ebay. Or in Bastion Square. What do you think?

April 4, 2010

2010-04-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I really picked a difficult subject..my son. He likes it but I am still working on it. Looking at the hands you can see it is not yet done. I will put the final one on the website

April 3, 2010

2010-04-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is what is called a 'diptych'. It is a painting that you can hang either with Barn on the right or the left.

I did these two in two days. So one painting per day. I started this one on April 1, 2010

Painting a day

2010-04-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

I just started doing acrylics after sticking it out with watercolour for 10 years or so. I love it.
I can paint over my mistakes and I just took a great workshop with Brian Simons. His method allows a person to paint a full painting in the two day workshop and I love his method. It is similar to painting in oils and uses an underpainting to plan everything out.
I am painting one per day minimum for a month.
Here is the one I did in the workshop.

Here is my first 'one painting a day

Not terrific I admit but I will get better!