FOUR PAWS GOOD

I believe I was born loving animals.  I'm pretty sure that a deep love of these four legged creatures is born in you or it isn't.  People can be neutral about them - " animals are fine if you like them, but not for me thanks ",  or they can enjoy having a pet that remains a creature, something to treat kindly and responsibly but as something that you don't really communicate with other than to train it and make it do what you expect of it. And there's nothing really wrong with that if that is the way you connect with other species.  But there are many people like myself who see animals as fellow travelers on this planet, as creatures with their own way of communicating and doing things, and with thoughts and feelings.  I love learning to understand how they think, and how to communicate with them, using both my language and theirs.  
While I respect and enjoy the wild ones, especially the small ones (birds, squirrels, chipmunks etc) that come to my garden, it's the domestic animals that I feel a deep connection to.  There has always been a deep love of dogs, cats, and horses within me, and from the time I could talk, I begged for a dog of my own, a cat and a horse.  It took a while, but I got all three.  Since I was a teen, there has been a dog -at least one, usually three or more at a time, and as an adult, I added cats, and finally, my longed for horse.  All during these years, I read about them, learned about them, and painted them.

For a long time, I focused on painting horses because I wanted one so desperately, and then there was the giddy celebration when I finally achieved my dream.  Now that my dream is over, I still love horses deeply and still paint them once in a while, but it was time to give the other dearly loved animals the spotlight.             When I started painting animals, outside of Western Art and     Sporting Art, there wasn't much respect for painting the companion animals - the dogs and cats.  But they were what I was driven to paint, and so I did.  

                                                                  

I love painting dogs and cats, especially dogs, with all their various looks, personalities, and histories. There are so many coat colours and textures, so many body shapes - there are even three different skull types.  So much to love looking at and drawing, so much to learn!    And most especially, I love Shelties.  We have had Shelties for over 30 years and hope to always have at least one by our side.                                               

         

                     

When it comes to animals, the title of this painting says it all:  It's About Love.

Have a lovely day, anyone who is reading this!                       

cheers,                                                            

Heather                                                                www.heatheranderson-animalart.com                                                   

Busy, busy, busy!

SO many things to do today!  I need to put some time into my new watercolour - I really want to be finished it by the end of the week.  It's a fairly simple one, so I should make my deadline.                 I feel the need to do some house tidying too.  Nothing drastic, just a polish here and there, but the mood is on me and I must clean.
There's a lonely lemon languishing in the fridge that is dreaming about becoming a lemon cake, so I should see if I can get to that too.      
And my delightful student is coming today.  She really brightens any day with her enthusiasm and work ethic.  AND, she's a delightful lady.  All good :)
I should also find a little time to work with our young sheltie.  He's going to school and needs to practice his homework . . . . a lot!!
So I should get going and get busy.  Wishing you a wonderful day!

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

April Showers

It's raining again today, but in light of the weather so many people are dealing with, I'll make no complaints.  In Spring, rain means a day I'm not tempted to keep running out to the garden to dig up this young weed or trim back that rosebush.  For one thing, digging up a young weed now can cause angst in a few weeks when I'm wondering where on earth the Bea Balm went, and then the slow realizaion that, at some effort, I dug out that blasted clump of weeds in April.  !!!!!!  Oh, trust me, it has happened. :(                  The other thing is that I'm eager to get on with another painting.  There have been so many time and spirit restrictions during the past year and a half, that I'm near to bursting to get back to a solid painting routine, and to get my website remodeled and my Etsy store looking more full.  I had just got started on setting it up and then had to leave it to float on it's own for months.  Now I'm getting more things ready to post.  I'll let you know when the "shelves" are fully stocked.                                                          One of the things I love most about a rainy spring morning is the intensity of the colours.  Everything looks so fresh and new.  And it's BLUE BELL time!  A flock of tiny Bluebells, blowing in the wind as they nod among the new grass and old leaves always gives me joy.  I hope you come across your Joy today and have a really good day.

cheers,
Heather 
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

EASTER

Easter is one of my favourite times of year.  Spring is either on the way or we are enjoying the first flowers of the year.  I love getting the house ready, making sure that the Easter wreath is on the door and the house is decorated with my Bunny collection.  It has sort of multiplied over the years, but as you  know, that's what bunnies do best.  I get some fresh flowers for the house, and get busy with our traditional Easter foods.  There will be a ham for Easter Monday, fish for Good Friday, and in our family, Chicken A La King was always served on Easter Sunday, and I continue that tradition.  Holy Thursday needs home made Hot Cross Buns, lovely spicy little tea biscuits with a sweet icing cross that I only make once a year.  I like to go out early on Easter Morning (around here, that's weather permitting) and walk around the garden saying a quiet Thank You for our blessings.
So, lots to do in the next few days, and I'd better get to it.  I'd like to wish all of you a HAPPY EASTER, and if you are celebrating Passover, I wish you peace and happiness.
Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Almost There

I love the line from  Shelley's Ode To The West Wind, . . ."If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"   This year, the answer would have to be "Yes!"  We have had the longest, harshest winter in many years, but I think (Shhhhh!) that it's finally on it's way.
                      

We aren't quite at this point in my garden, but if things keep going the way they are, we should be seeing snowdrops  sometime next week.  I love the early spring bulbs, both for their own sakes and because they inspire me to think and paint SPRING!  I get the same feeling seeing the new clean little calves in the fields and  of course the wobbly foals.  I love when they decide they are quite grown up, thank you, and take off across the grass like little wind up toys.  They never go far before Mum calls them back and they tumble down at her feet for a nap.  There are SO many wonderful things to see and experience in Spring, and I wouldn't want to miss a single one of them.  Hope where ever you are, you can get out and be part of some spring magic yourself :) 

Cheers,                                                                                                 Heather                                                                                             

www.heatheranderson-animalart.com                                             

Comfortable with Me.

There is a wonderful saying in French that translates loosely as "Comfortable in my own skin".   I think that's an important thing for an artist to feel.  After years of wondering how I should look, how my art should look, I finally did get comfortable.  Maybe it started with my horse, because when I was with him, I was no fashion plate, with wind tossed hair and faded jeans pockets stuffed to overflowing with apples for treats and Kleenex to wipe his often runny eyes. And I was as happy as could be!
The painting comfort was a little slower to come together.  For so many years I felt I needed the validation of art shows and competitions.  I was part of a great many art shows and never really enjoyed them, and was accepted into  a good number of competitions, and even won some ribbons,  but there was never the expected rush of "WOW!  I DID IT!!"  Instead, it was always a case of, "Well OK, I'd better get the painting ready to ship", or "that's nice, a ribbon".  So why was I going to the effort and expense to enter these things?  

Maybe it was simply time that brought me to the conclusion that my work is very good, (I don't need to be the best animal artist in the world, but I know I'm good) and that sense of confidence let me walk away from the shows and competitions.  Don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking them.  If these things are something you love to do, that's wonderful and Good Luck.  But not being a super competitive person, those venues are just not for me.  I still get invited to enter several shows/competitions a year, and I never do. 
 I prefer to paint quietly, show my paintings on my website and social networking, and once in a while, put some work in a local gallery or two.  I'm also starting off in my own Etsy Gallery - The Dog Art Gallery, and I love posting new work for sale there.  Selling my work gives me a big high too, and I love to hear nice comments about it.  It's these quiet things and doing the best work I can do, that make me happy with my paintings.   I think I have achieved comfort in my own skin.

cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

The Winds of Change

First, I have to tell you that I borrowed this title from a book one of my High School history teachers wrote.  I've always loved it, and the book was well done too.  Change is constant - just look at the clouds for a minute or so and you see change right before your eyes.

Life seems to be all about change . . . . how we change and grow as people, the situations we find ourselves in, even the people we know. 
 When a loved one is lost, well, it's the most horrible of changes, and it tears at our hearts, but it is a sadly inevitable fact in our lives, and perhaps in time it leads us to be gentler with those we still have around us to love, and helps us appreciate that every day with loved ones is a treasure.
Sometimes we lose someone because they don't want us in their circle of friends anymore, and then despite the hurt, we have to say "Thank you God, you know best", then cowgirl up and get on with all the wonderful things in life.  And there are SO many wonderful things! Change can be a wonderful thing if we let it.

Over the years I've seen how my art work has changed.  In the beginning,  I was always in a hurry. 'Get it done, get on with the next thing!!'  Now I take my time, savouring every brush of paint I put on the paper.  I used to experiment with different mediums, different realistic styles, but now I've settled confidently into  watercolours and into graphite as my favourite mediums and into a style that people tell me is recognizable as a Heather Anderson painting.  There will always be a brief foray into acrylic and ink, but they are not my mediums and I know it.
Maybe my biggest change has been my subject.  For years, I painted  almost exclusively horses because I simply, flat out, loved everything about them.  Oh,  I painted lots of  dog commissions and  set up at lots of dog shows with paintings of many breeds, but my imagination was filled with horses.

 A funny thing happened as the years went by . . .  more and more, I wanted to paint dogs, the loyal companions that sat beside me every day and snoozed beside our bed at night, sharing my joys and quietly offering the support of a damp tongue and a warm furry shoulder in my sorrows. I've always loved them, I've had a dog since I was a teen, and their warm, loving presence finally overtook my desire to paint horses.  Dogs are now my main subject with a little room now and then for some cats and horses, and I'm happier with my painting than I've ever been. 

Change can be difficult, painful at times, and it can catch you by surprise and be a huge challenge.  But it can also lead you to a wonderful place where things are better than you ever thought they could be.
Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Black and White and a Little More

These past couple of weeks, I've been posting images of Irish dog breeds on my Face Book page, and that meant going back to some note card designs I did a few years ago.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Way back in high school, I went through a phase when I only wanted to work in black and white. I was hugely lucky to have had an enlightened and patient art teacher who let me go my dark way unimpeded.  All he said was that one day I'd discover colour and that I'd never look back.  Then one day, mid year, he sat down beside me and casually began to paint gorgeous colourful Japanese inspired flowers in watercolour.  Naturally, I became hooked on these pretty, elegant images and wanted to do some too.  He was right, I fell in love with colour and have never looked back.  Thank you dear Mr. Lap.
Fast forward to art school and I found myself thrown back into black and white - ink work.  I discovered the fun of it all over again.

Years later, when I was doing my note card collection, I did it in ink because I wanted to print them at home and we didn't have a colour printer.  The cards were popular and I sold a LOT of notecards

                                                         Black Russian Terrier

But before long,  I was craving colour again, and as colour printing had now become something I could do at home, I looked for a way that I could  do the cards in colour without starting all over again.  I had over a hundred images to consider!  So I began to use a watercolour wash over the ink.  I loved the look and so did my customers.

                                Welsh Terrier

I've been asked about using watercolour over ink . . .  does it 'bleed', or run when the water hits it?  The answer is not if you use the correct ink.  I used to use an expensive Rapidograph pen that you need to fill with a good waterproof ink.  But these pens are high maintenance and need to be emptied and the nib cleaned after every use.  At that point, I wasn't into super maintenance of my art tools, and eventually I let ink dry in it, so it was a case of buying a  a new pen.  As my  ink work was minimal now, I switched to a Pigma Micron pen and as it has waterproof ink, it worked out quite well.  With this medium, you  have to remember to let the ink dry thoroughly and to keep the watercolour to a light veil of colour,  to let the ink show through.  It has a light, bright look all it's own that I still enjoy.  Many of these cards are still in my active file, so they have weathered the years well.  If you decide to give this medium a try, I'm sure you'll have fun with it.
cheers,
Heather 
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

It's About Time

I've always said that TIME is somewhat irrelevant, and I still think it is.  It varies depending on where you are in the world, the season you are in, and even, historically speaking, the culture you live in.  I know, a bit of a quirky take on something that we all live by. Time is a magician, it makes years vanish in one gulp, or so it seems as we get older. Older, I said, not OLD!  And Time changes us; the way we look, the way we feel, the way we connect with things and people, the things we want. For creative people, it changes the way we do things too. The photo below, is the Me I was  . . . well, some time ago.  I loved dressing up, going to the theatre, and to large, rather sophisticated parties, and I put a lot of thought about how I presented myself at work. I had an image of myself that I wanted to maintain.

That was at the beginning of my art career when I was still only painting at nights and on weekends.   I was still searching for the path I needed to take, the subject, style, and mediums that were best for me.  I decided to go with the subject that was deeply a part of my heart, the things I felt I needed to paint even though they were 'hard sellers' - the dogs, cats and horses that I loved. I couldn't have made a better choice!  I've been so happy painting these little characters, but my style has certainly changed.  Back then, I focused on the animal, and just the animal.

It was a nice, clean way to work, but as time went on, I needed more from a painting.  Time changed my life too -  the way I lived, my views on things, the things I wanted, and my image of me.  Today I live in the country, something that I always knew at some level, was the right thing for me.  I seldom dress up, or go to  parties, and I work at home.  I'm more often found wearing  dog hair, paw prints, and paint than pearls, and standing in a field taking photos than at the theatre, and I LOVE it!  

 I could never go back to the old me, even though I was happy with my life at the time.  My painting has changed so much too.  Now the animal isn't enough, unless of course, I'm doing a straight portrait.  Now I want to tell a story, and the back ground has to be as imporant as the subject.  (Not as dominant though, and I'll talk about that next week).  

Time has a way of putting us through a crucible, to refine us and hone our spirit.  If you can embrace the changes it brings, both in yourself and in your work, especially if you work in the arts, life can be very good.  Oh, and I still wear my pearls :D
cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Water, water, everywhere . . . .

I'm sure Coleridge had enough of water, judging from my title line borrowed from his poem,  but when it comes to painting, I'll never get enough of watercolours.

                            Shetland Sheepdog

I love the clarity and brightness of them, sitting as they do, on white, white paper that shines up through the often translucent paint.  I love the challenge of them.  They are not an easy medium to master - not that I've done that yet, but after so many years, I have a pretty good idea how to make them behave and do what I want.  There is still a lot for me to learn though, as it is a tricky medium full of surprises.  So I study the works of some of the major watercolour artists, - two American and one British gentlemen in particular to see what they choose for colours to create atmosphere in any given scene and how they apply the paint.  Then without any sense of copying, (horrors!) I struggle to apply what I've learned from studying their work, to my own paintings in such a way that I am creating my own path through the water world.  Life is an ongoing lesson, in paint and in real time.

                            Australian Shepherd

I love the wonderful washes of juicy colour I can achieve with this medium, and it's just as great at doing the detailed work I love to add to each painting.  
Occasionally I dip into another medium for a change to help keep me fresh, but I consider myself a watercolourist first and foremost.  It's only by putting in consistent, long hours that you can move forward with something - anything, that you want to do well. 
The only thing that bothers me just a tiny bit about watercolours is that in some circles, it is looked on as a slightly inferior medium . . .  that artists who paint primarily in watercolour are not "as much an artist" as those who choose oil, acrylic, etc.  Well, I politely DISAGREE!   Watercolours are quite permanent if they are done with quality pigment on a high quality linen "paper" such as Arches (or a few other fine watercolour papers), and if  they are properly framed/stored.  We (collectors and museums) still have some watercolours from the 1700's when the medium first became popular and advances were made in the paint's production. This medium takes skill and dedication to master, and though I don't feel I'm quite there yet, that's where I'm heading, or as close to it as I can get.  It's a demanding, challenging medium that tests the mettle and skill of the artist and totally enchants me, and I hope I can pass that enchantment with them on to you, the viewer.  I'm a Water-girl, and proud of it!

Cheers,
Heather Anderson
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Looking At Winter,

Are we tired of Winter yet?  I'm tired of the cold and the wet and the grey.  In the words of one of my favourite authors, (Albert Payson Terhune) ". . . . there comes a time in late winter when the cold stops thrilling and begins to hurt." Oh yes.  But although I 'm shivering and wishing for Spring like everyone else who lives in a cold climate, I never get tired of the incredible beauty Winter brings us.

Wake up one morning to a world covered in Hoar Frost and you feel that you've awakened in Faeryland.  You must get out quickly to enjoy it, because as soon as the sun is high enough in the sky, the icy magic will vanish.                                                                            The light on a late Winter afternoon, when the sun is low in the sky, and just before he begins  his descent to below the horizon is often nothing short of spectacular.  I love being out between 4 and 5 o'clock in February when the show begins.

And night brings it's own  frosty beauty.  That's when the deer slide out of the dusk to come to our garden for food.  They are amazing creatures.  One minute they are there, and the next they have become part of the shadows again. (This photo was taken just at dusk, but they usually come later in the evening as well.)

And the Winter moon is incredible - icy white and shining down, spilling silver across the fields and lighting the night with enchantment.

 It's looking for these lovely images that helps me get through the freezing times, so I'm not tired of Winter's beauty, but am I ready for Spring?  Oh,  YES!!

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Line by Line

There's a new painting on the drawing board today.  I love that - "the DRAWING board".   I love to draw, always have.  And I'm good at it.  Put a pencil in my hand and I'm happy.                                

It seems to be the fashion today for many artists to say, 'well I know I can draw the image, so I'm not going to waste my time, I'll trace/project it instead.'  Well,  . . . . OK.  If that's what works for someone, go right ahead.   But for me, that would feel wrong, and it would take away at least half the fun and satisfaction for me.  I take pride in doing something that I worked hard to learn how to do.

When I draw something, putting pencil directly to white paper, I am able to connect with the subject in a way I couldn't do if I was confined by tracing paper or a projected image.  Oh, I do my initial drawing on newsprint (finally learned it's better to beat up a sheet of newsprint getting the image right than to ruin a sheet of watercolour paper!) and then, when the image is finally correct and the way I want it, I transfer it to the watercolour paper, so yes, there is a tracing step for me, but I'm tracing the image I've just put hours, sometimes a day or two, into drawing.

I love the painting process too, I'm addicted to soft, juicy colour and love to sweep watercolours onto paper to bring my image to life, but I need to think out the entire painting before I begin.  I didn't always do this, I'd be very careful with the main image and let the background take care of itself, but once I started to take the entire image seriously and draw everything but the tiny details before I started into paint, my overall painting took a leap forward.

So I willingly take the time to draw my images for a painting, I draw to work out ideas, both in art and in life, and I doodle or sketch when I'm waiting on the phone or as passenger in the car.  I'm enchanted by lines.  Pick up a pencil and have some fun :)

Cheers,

Heather

www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

ART AND MORE

Gosh, it's another very cold day here.  This winter has been fierce.  It's not personally terrifying like last year, but the winds howl, ice coats everything, and it's bitterly cold.  Still, I'll take it over last year.  To banish the lingering dark memories of last winter, I decided to try to really focus on good things, and to help myself get there, I went to my sketch book.  I spent 15 or so minutes sketching  things that bring peace and contentment into my life.  It's set it up where I can see it often and when I look at it, I consciously relax and think good thoughts.   It's not a finished painting or even a decent drawing - it's rough in the extreme, yet it has become something important that I enjoy looking at and that gives me something I need.  Maybe this is part of  what Art Therapy is.          Art is so much more than just a decorative image hanging on your wall.  If you choose something that you love, it will give you comfort, joy, and a pleasant thought every time you look at it.  Naturally, most of my wallspace has my work hanging there, but over the years I've bought work from different artists -small originals from  friends and prints of work from the past of artists I admire, especially the Impressionists and the Pre-Raphaelites, and each piece says something to me.           
 Most of the time when I paint, I want a good, clear, clean, accurate image of my subject, I want to apply the paint carefully so that it enhances the image and is put on correctly, and I want the narrative of my painting to be clear to the viewer.  The 'feeling good' sketch I did has none of these things, yet it speaks to me, and only to me, of things I need to hear.  So the near-as-possible-to-perfect  painting (at this time) is not the only way to go to produce something that has value to me, and that has been an interesting lesson.
But now I'm back to my usual work, and loving it as much or more than I did last week. (Before the 'Revelation' :D)  I'm still painting Dreams and Dogs and Horses, but now from time to time, and just for me, I'll be painting personal emotions.  There is so much more to Art than you would think.

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

JUST BREATHE

I'm looking forward to getting into a new painting that has been bubbling in my mind.  One of several I'm eager to work on.  But just at this moment, I'm not worried about producing something that someone will buy, or pleasing a client, or entering a show.  The first two will be important again  of course, but as for shows and competitions, I never enter them any more.  I used to, and was accepted in my fair share and won awards, but the stress and the work involved in framing and shipping was not worth the time lost in painting and family time - to me.  And of course, in my case, there's the border.  There are few shows in Canada where my work (animals) would be suitable, and the potential hassles involved in cross border shipping when the painting will likely come back can sometimes be a bit of a nightmare.   (No problem with donations, sales or commissions that are only going one way.)
Right now, after a whole lot of stresses, I need to once again find the peace that painting can bring me.   I need time to just BE, to just Breathe  I'm going to paint something that makes me smile, and look out my studio window for long minutes at a time, watching the snow shadows and the birds that come to the feeders.

I'm going to spend some time just drifting and dreaming of a peaceful, beautiful place - not necessarily any place I would actually go, but a place I can go to in my mind.

May I suggest that in this hectic world, we all take a few minutes now and then to relax, look around at what is there to sooth one's spirit, and JUST BREATHE.

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

FAITH

                                     Chinese Lanterns                                      Watercolour

These past couple of weeks I've been doing something more or less new with my painting.  I've been painting some of the little treasured moments in the garden that have always delighted me.  I'm not a Floral or Landscape artist and have no wish to seriously go in that direction, but I do love doing these little ( 5 x 7) "Gardenscapes. Most of my dog and horse paintings are thought out in every detail before I begin - that said, suprises always happen!  But these Garden paintings are more spontanious.  I'm concentrating more on colour and overall impact than botanical detail.  Oh, I plan them out and  draw them in moderate detail, but once the colour starts to go on, I tend to simply have faith that the the paint will go where it should to look it's best, and that the painting is going to come together and turn out looking good.  "Paint by Instinct" I guess you could call it. Although I like working this way for the gardenscapes, it will never be my way to do the larger animal paintings.  But even there, painting is an exercise in faith.  As in Art, so in Life.  You've got to believe.

                                                River Reeds                     Watercolour

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

The Icy Breath of Winter

To quote an old song, "Baby it's Cold outside".  The wind has been howling all day and we've been snugged up in a warm house with the dogs and cats close by.  So what does an artist do in the deep mid winter besides stay warm?

                              

                 Winter Path                           watercolour         

Sometimes I take an art path I seldom explore, something like the little landscape above.   The country enchants me, and there are so many little treasures I see  and photograph on our drives, and once in a while, the need to paint them takes over.                                        Sometimes, while the wind blows and the temperature drops, I try out different ideas for paintings, and sometimes they work, and sometimes, . . . . .. .  .   Well, better find out at the doodle stage  that something isn't going to work out!  I like to explore my options in art during January and  make plans for the painting year ahead.      On a really frigid day like this, when the cold bites and

 burns and stings, I admit to dreaming about warmer places, but when it comes down to it, I love our winters and wouldn't want to miss them.   I'd miss the sparkle of snow, the winter blue of the sky on a sunny day, and all the feathered visitors to our bird feeders.  If I wasn't home in winter, I'd miss the deer meandering down the road under the streetlights, anticipating the dinner of cracked corn some of us leave out for them in hard winters like this one.  And I'd never want to miss the delight our little dogs take in racing through the snow, barking and rejoicing in the thrill of the race.   January is a cold, challenging month, so put on a cozy sweater, curl up in front of a  window where you will be warm, and enjoy it's gifts of icy beauty, just as beautiful at night under a full moon as they are during the sun sparkled day.                          

                                      

Winter Night                 waterclour

                                    

Cheers,                                                                                 

       Heather                                                                                                 www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

        

Old & Familiar and Something New

Well Happy New Year everyone!  I hadn't planned on doing a new blog until next week, but suddenly it felt right to do it today.  New Years is so full of intentions and plans . . . so energizing.  I'm not stating intentions - haven't done that in years, but I am making plans for the upcoming year. The most important plan is to  make sure I am connected to every day and to my loved ones, not letting the days slip past in a blur of busy-ness.  Each day is precious.  Each special day needs marking and celebrating. Our loved ones need to know they are loved each and every day.
And with my painting, I want to have fun again.  With that in mind, I have lots of the usual things I love to paint on my list.  The Dogs, especially Shelties, the horses and cats and the country way of life I so love.  If you enjoy my work and these types of paintings, I'll have lots to show you over this coming year.

                            The Lavender Path       Watercolour

Naturally, I love painting Shelties,  They have been our dog of choice for over 30 years, although we have also enjoyed the company of Collies and a few other breeds during that time.

  

                         Heading Home          an older watercolour


The sight of a horse always brings a smile to my face and quickening of my pulse, so I guess I will always want to paint them now and then, either by themselves or in the rural setting that surrounds me.  But dogs remain my main focus again this year.

But every now and then, I need to take a flight of fancy and dip into Fantasy.  I did several Fantasy paintings a couple or so years back, so don't be surprised if I wander down the Faery path now and then during the upcoming year.

Lady Iris     Watercolour

                             This is a little series of Medieval Knight paintings that told a story of a Knight going out on a Quest all the way from him starting out, to meeting a baby Dragon, to his being home with the Lady he saved when he jousted a rival knight.  And on to his Ghost horse still protecting the Castle ruins.  Great fun!  And each of these little paintings was only 2.5 x 3 inches big!  I have a new idea or two, so don't be surprised if the story of my Knight and his Lady is continued.  Did you realize she had been captured by . . . no, I'll wait and let you see it later in the year!

So I hope you will follow along to see what's happening . . .  there will be another surprise or two ahead, I promise!  And if you enjoy the blog and my paintings, please share with your friends if you think they'd like them too.

cheers
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

"Follow Me In Merry Measure"

It is GREAT to be back!  After not being able to post for the past 2 weeks thanks to a computer crash, I am delighted to be able to post a blog this Wednesday.  And it is only a week until Christmas!    My Christmas is going to be very different this year - the first year where our traditions change into what will be ongoing for the future.  It's sad  to see the old ways go, but exciting too, because this is the time to write everything new.   One thing that will remain is the beauty of the official beginning of Winter on December 21st.  This is the time of black velvet night skies that come early, but with the knowledge that after the 21st, we begin the journey back to the light.  It's a time of snow floating gently (and often not so gently) down to cover the earth where I live, and of blazing lights in brilliant white or a multitude of colours shining through the darkness.

For me, part of the magic of Christmas is the sparking blanket of snow, and a snowfall on Christmas Eve gives me feelings of peace and quiet joy.  We have snow now, but as the weather is changable, we'll have to see if it's all still here next week.  Fingers crossed!
Next week and the following week, there will be no blog, as we will all be busy with the holidays, but as long as I have a computer working, the Art and Home Blog will be return on Wednesday, January 8th, when I hope you and your friends will "Follow me in Merry Measure" for a year of talk about art, animals, home and gardens.  Meanwhile, I wish all of you the very Merriest of Christmases and the most wonderful New Year!!

Cheers,
Heather
www.heatheranderson-animalart.com

Settling In

With the first big snow storm of winter under our belt, it's time to start enjoying the idea of Winter.  We can't fast-forward to Spring, so we might as well find some pleasure in it.    And really, if it wasn't there, I'd miss the clean, bracing sparkle of Winter.  During the next three or four weeks, my main focus (along with tidying up some last minute Christmas work) will be on getting ready for Christmas - the decorating, the baking, and the joy of getting gifts for  people, so time at my art table will take a back seat.  That doesn't mean though, that while my hands are busy with Cherry cakes, casseroles and cookies that my mind can't be busy with art.   I have to admit that once in a while, we get a slightly "different" cake because I've been thinking too much art and too little baking!  What's a little baking powder more or less? :0

Looking out the window after a storm such as the one we got last night gives me so many ideas for paintings and backgrounds.  I love the view from our kitchen window and all the background and "story" ideas it inspires.  It poses so many mental puzzles to be solved.

How am I going to break down all that snow into bites that I can paint in a way that is identifiable, and not have just a mass of unstructured white.  What colour family am I going to incorporate into the whites (that's whiteS, not white)  to define the shadows and set the proper mood . . . blues, violets, greens?  What value scale do I use in painting the twigs and branches so that they all stand out, but nothing dominates?  And since I'm not a landscape painter per se,  what am I going to paint along with it . . . what story do I want to tell?  What mood do I want to set, and how will I do it?   That's half the fun of painting for me.

The dogs provide their own fun in the snow.  The earlier snow sent them giddy with delight, and though they are just as happy this morning, they have to bound a little higher to get through the drifts.  And telling their stories is another part of my joy in painting.

Cheers,

Heather

www.heatheranderson-animalart.com 

Are We Ready?

It's coming  - feel the bitter bite in the wind, and you will know that, even though Winter is a month away, The Snow Queen has sent out her advance publicity.  I don't mind Winter, in fact, I enjoy it as I do all the seasons.   Not that I'm a hearty outdoor type.  But I love the feeling that Home is the place to be when the snow blows and cold settles in.                                                                                    Getting ready for Winter during the short November days is a ritual I enjoy.  The house, including the fireplace is ready and the garden is sleeping, there's a good supply of necessary meds, of food, pet food, and the thing you really don't want to run out of . . . Cat Litter!  It's time to settle in the studio and spend peaceful, happy days painting, with the fireplace making things cozy and the dogs and cats snoozing in their favourite spots.   It's a good time to update my Art Journal with all the things I haven't had time to enter for a while.

                                                                                               

I've kept an Art Journal for quite a while - I'm on my third one now.  I keep a record of my work, nice emails that praise my work, (love those!)  jot down my thoughts on things, and keep track of what is happening in my part of the art world.  Uh-huh, there's a juicy tid-bit or two in them, but my lips are zipped!  :0

I'm stocking up now on watercolour paper, paints, brushes, pencils, etc.  and I'm planning on getting to grips with some acrylics this winter.  I have a number of dog, horse, and country type painting lined up to do as well.  Can't wait to get at them!  There will be books to read too, during the cold evenings, and  movies to watch while cuddled up with my Sweetie - and the dogs.  

Even if you are not one to swoosh down the hills on a pair of  narrow slats, (OK, I'm not a skiier) winter can be wonderful if you find a quiet, toasty corner, know that the pantry is full, and you are set up to do something you enjoy. Are we ready for it?       

                                                                      

Cheers,                                                                                            

Heather                                                                                           

www.heatheranderson-animalart.com