Boat House

In spite of the current view from our windows – deep snow in all directions – we are getting ready to celebrate Spring! The first weekend of May, May 4-6, marks the annual Spring Art Tour, and it will be my first time of participating in this wonderful event. Hosted by the Earth Arts of the Upper St. Croix, this group is comprised of 60 artists displaying their art in 33 locations along the tour route. For this event, I’ll be joining two well-recognized artists, Doug Berg (oils) and Joyce Staley (oils and jewelry) at the Lamar Community Center near St. Croix Falls, WI. The historic, two-room schoolhouse has been recently renovated and provides beautiful light-filled spaces.

This will be an adventure as I’m preparing to display in a kind of art fair atmosphere. We’ve purchased some stand-alone display panels and Doug is helping Paul with the details of hanging paintings on the wooden racks along the walls of the center. In addition to my framed originals, I’ve also created a supply of cards, giclée prints and prints for display and sale. All in all, it has been a fun process of getting ready for this new endeavor.

This week’s painting, “Boat House” 7”x9” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, offers a secluded retreat on a quiet lakeshore.

Making Memories

We are in the thick of a stubborn winter! Over the past two weeks, we’ve accumulated another couple of FEET of snow and because the temps remain cold, nothing seems to be melting. It’s currently higher than our decks (I'm shoveling snow UP!) and the forecast is for another 10” of snow this weekend. While morale may be temporarily low at the Kinsley household, we are people of Hope! Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, we continue to see wonderful glimpses of spring. A Purple Finch scout arrived at the feeder the other morning and when I went to record his appearance in my much-loved bird book, I found that it was the exact same day as last year for the first sighting of a Purple Finch – March 30. Isn’t that incredible? Despite the fluctuations in the weather, they are totally in tune with the rhythms of the light. And we’ve had such fun welcoming the Sandhill Cranes and Red-wing Blackbirds back and hearing their loud cacophony of calls across the lake and wetlands.

I’ve got fishing on my mind, and this week’s painting, Making Memories, 6.5”x15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, recalls the joy of “fishing buddies” spending special times together at the lake.