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Finding Water En Plein Air

August 8, 2018 By Michelle Hendry 10 Comments

Craggy Gardens, Blue Ridge Mountains

I have no studio.

I haven’t had one for over a year now. Trying to paint in a dining room with constantly shifting light proved to be too much. And after what has been a soul crushing year that continues its punishing stress, I needed a shift in perspective.

Extreme stress has a way of killing the creative impulse and squeezing the muse out of the room. The desert is a place people often use as a metaphor for the loss of creativity. What I know of the desert contradicts that notion. The desert has cycles and lush spring blooms are a reminder that life is always just below the surface. Even in the Sahara you will find oases. Somewhere, there is water…

Set up at the Park at Flat Rock

In search of water, I climbed a mountain.

I was invited to join the WNC Plein Air Painters on an early morning paint out to Craggy Gardens in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a little over an hour from where I’m living. I hauled myself out of bed in the dark and started the long drive nearly straight up the mountain. Light diffused through clouds and fog, wisps of gold and twilight until I climbed above it all (see photo above). This is where I sat to paint.

At the lily pond

Nothing of note came out of that first try for many reasons, including the fact that acrylic with no spray bottle in the sun just isn’t any fun. But the adventure of it – the drive, the location, the hike – changed something. The idea of making the studio outdoors stuck.

A month later I signed up for a workshop switching to oil, which was definitely much better for outdoor painting, but came with the struggle of relearning how to use the medium. I used Holbein Aqua Duo, a water soluble oil paint. I highly recommend this for acrylic painters who want to move to oil, either in general or for plein air. No solvents required and it was pleasurable to work with. It behaved well when thinned with water for the drawing/underpainting and it dried relatively quickly. When undiluted, it behaved like traditional oil.

I bought a small sketchbook for quick studies in gouache. When pulling out the oils is too much trouble or the hike to a location is too long for a heavy kit, this is a good solution. (below right)

Set up on the porch overlooking the garden

These studies allowed me several things:

to detach from the outcome
stop thinking about a finished painting
learn to see without the still frame of a camera
use mediums I have not engaged in over a decade or longer
learn to work more quickly because light changes so quickly

Colour is much better live and so is value. For the first time, sitting in front of the lily pond, I saw colours that made me understand Monet’s obsession.

It may be some time before I have a studio, but the outdoor season here is long. I hope the muse will find me wherever I happen to be. And perhaps for a couple hours at a time, I can forget what an awful year it has been and find the space inside my head to create again.

Revisiting Oklahoma Brings a Prize

May 9, 2018 By Michelle Hendry 12 Comments

There is a column in OVAC’s magazine (Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition) called Ekphrasis which connects the disciplines of poetry and art allowing them to inspire each other. I like to believe paintings or photographs are visual poetry, but they have often inspired me to write. Like painting, there are lots of failures and mediocre works to every masterpiece.

Last weekend I returned to Oklahoma for the first time since we moved away to attend the OWFI (Oklahoma Writer’s Federation) 2018 Conference. Writers, authors, agents and publishers come from all over to be a part of this Conference, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas and some as far away as San Francisco and New York. It is an impressive gathering of talent.

Until recently, I primarily identified myself as a painter, however, that’s changing thanks to this amazing tribe. I have had the privilege of meeting some talented and hard working writers. I am lucky enough to call some of them friends.

At last year’s Conference, I attended a session with past poet laureate of Oklahoma, Nathan Brown, that changed the way I write. The special thing about poetry that distinguishes it from most prose is sound. That isn’t a revelation. But, as a visual person, hearing it in action under the tutelage of Nathan Brown was a revelation. I took the advice with me through the chaos of the rest of 2017 and wrote “Road Trip to the Panhandle”, inspired by the visual cues of a photo taken out the front window of the truck on a road trip to New Mexico in 2016 (above). I edited this poem over and over, reading it aloud until it was time to enter this year’s contest.

Oklahoma is known for its disproportionate number of writers and with so many great writers in this part of the country, including songwriters, the competition is fierce.

During the awards ceremony at the close of the Conference, the presentation ran through the winners of the Poetry, Unrhymed Long category, a category I have entered before and never succeeded. I was shameless enough to keep writing bad poems and submitting them in the past, likely to the horror of the judges of those contests. I did this over and over again, hoping one day I’d overcome suckage.

We passed the honourable mentions, the third, then second place winners. At this point, I was thinking to myself, “No chance.” I looked away from the projection screen of winning entries, digging into my purse to distract myself, when “Road Trip to the Panhandle” was announced as the first place winner. I think my jaw hit the floor and it took a few seconds to pick it up. I was barely able to stumble to the podium and collect the award. I may have forgotten to say thank you to Jim, the gentleman handing out the awards. I can’t quite remember.

I was on air the rest of the evening. It didn’t matter that I didn’t even place in the other 4 categories to which I had submitted. This was the long shot! And I won!

For the first time, I felt validated as a real poet. I’ll enjoy that feeling at least until tomorrow when I wake up to reality and start writing more bad poems, learning to find the the diamonds among them…

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I had been thinking about Oklahoma in the weeks leading up to the Conference. I started a painting that began with a softly coloured reference and ended up channeling the smoke from terrible wildfires that took place in western Oklahoma and the Panhandle in April. It is clear to me that Oklahoma will always occupy a place in my heart, no matter where I might find myself.

It is still a work in progress.

Work in Progress

Bugs and Blooms

March 22, 2018 By Michelle Hendry 7 Comments

Spring is slowly arriving across the mountains of North Carolina. The birds are busy, the daffodils and tree blooms are bursting, in spite of overnight temperatures leaving shallow puddles slicked with ice.

Tiny insects congregate in the broad strips of sunlight that can, for now, still penetrate to the forest floor. Their tiny wings bend the light making their flurry of motion glow white as if opening a portal to another world.

Trying new things is always a good way to welcome the season. In this case… Bugs, butterflies and with all the variety of tree blossoms, I intend to give them a try as well! I’m adding some texture to backgrounds as a way of experimenting with what can be done with acrylic gels and pastes when combined with something representational. While I don’t have a proper studio yet, these small experiments are easy to do.

This place couldn’t be more unlike Oklahoma and yet North Carolina shares with that state such a variety of landscapes. Farms of cattle surrounded by mountains are a contrast from long views of Oklahoma ranches. I am hoping to get some good reference shots of a particular bull nearby.

For now, a sick kitty has me staying close to home. He has been with us nearly 17 of his 18 years. He is a rescue cat and is one of the great loves of our lives. He has been through everything with us and I hope there will be a little more to come yet. After surviving cancer two years ago, each day since has been a gift for which we are grateful. The next few weeks are critical and, so far, he seems quite content. In a world so full of hate lately, he is a beacon of unconditional love. It is no wonder we love our furry children so much.

Book Update:

The book is now available at Muskoka Books and can be purchased from their on-line store or at their location at Verandah on the main street in Bracebridge, Ontario
I will be attending the OWFI conference in Oklahoma City in May. If you are attending, hard copies of “Once Imagined” will be available there. E-mail me if you’d like more information!

Mountain Waterfalls and U.S. Release Update

November 3, 2017 By Michelle Hendry

I am excited to announce that the book is finally available in the U.S., and even in the U.K., now on Amazon. (See here for all the links) I am hoping some of you might find the book a good choice for Christmas gifts. I have a very small number of signed copies that I am happy to personalize.

With most of my finished work in Canada and my studio in boxes, I am left with what I hope is some peace, some time to recharge after what has been an overwhelming year. Creativity requires down time too. Time for material to be absorbed instead of made or we are left with no fodder to create. I wanted to share a couple of those moments with you.

As the tourist season begins to fade away, the views and the quiet of the mountains of North Carolina become ever more impressive. If you like the sound of waterfalls, enjoy the brief video below!

Once Imagined…

October 17, 2017 By Michelle Hendry

Michelle with Paul – the man behind the face of “Chrome Magnon” (sold) at the Auburn Gallery on September 30th, 2017

After nearly a year of anticipation, the book launch is done and the exhibition is in its last week. (You can still see it at Auburn’s satellite location at the Shipyards at the waterfront in Gravenhurst until the 15th of October – Terry the curator says it’s the last exhibition for the year and some of the unsold paintings may stay up a bit longer.)

The book launch was a huge success. The U.S. release date is just around the corner with the listing now up on Amazon.com. The response has been so generous. I have more people to thank than I can count – many of which were mentioned in the acknowledgements. I have heard from many relatives of people I interviewed for the book and that is exciting for me to know these places live on in the blood of their builders.

The fourth generation of the Stephens’ family, and Elva’s great granddaughter, is a young art student. I can’t wait to see what she does! Every member I have met is so kind, so I am sure she will create work with heart.

In 8 weeks since the summer, I sold my house, moved across the country and did the launch and exhibition. I can’t believe I’m still standing! I plan to be a little quieter for the rest of the year, but I am hoping those of you who liked the book will review it on Amazon (US), Amazon.ca (Canada – there is one review as of today already!) and/or Goodreads and I hope that you will consider the book as a Christmas gift for those who love history, old buildings, ruins – and Muskoka.

I’ll be offering a very limited number of personalized signed copies for Christmas starting the end of October. I’ll post a PayPal button when they’re ready to go and let everybody know about it here.

Lastly, I just want to thank everyone who has bought a book or a painting and let you know your support is greatly appreciated! The thing I once imagined is now real because of you.

Once Imagined Launches September 30th!

September 18, 2017 By Michelle Hendry

It is finally here…

The book of stories, paintings and photos of a series of Muskoka historical and abandoned buildings launches September 30th at the Auburn Gallery in Gravenhurst. There will also be an exhibition of the last paintings from the series that will run until Thanksgiving.

Join us at the Auburn Gallery in Gravenhurst at 1pm Saturday, September 30th.

Meet the author/artist, see the paintings and get a book signed.

Hope to see you there!

If you can’t make it, the book will be available at local bookstores in Gravenhurst and in Muskoka as well as available now on Amazon.ca , Chapters-Indigo and direct from the Mosaic Press website.

Follow me on FaceBook, Instagram or Twitter to get updates between now and the opening!

From the release:

Have you ever wondered about that old empty house or abandoned ruin? Who lived there and why did they leave? If the walls could talk, what would they say?

If only you could look inside…

Michelle Hendry takes you inside some fascinating houses, hotels and ruins from around the Muskoka region, many off limits to most of the world – private locations such as Sparrow Beach Lodge and Cooper’s Falls General Store. Gravenhurst is best known for it’s steamships, but in the late 1800’s it was the flashpoint for a very brief gold rush and the man who discovered the first nugget built a beautiful house that he would never live in.

Thanks for sticking with me!

Interviewing Elva Stephens

September 5, 2017 By Michelle Hendry

The steep angle of the sun was deep gold in the late November afternoon. It was unseasonably warm. Wilted phlox frost bitten, but still green grew in the garden next to the front door. They were from Elva’s mother Belle’s, garden. They once grew near the vegetables, next to the ruined farmhouse now hidden from view.

Elva in front of the house in 1930. Courtesy of Jane Morgan

Seven and a half years ago, I sat in the kitchen of the plucky 89 year old Elva Stephens Bowes. I was amazed at how easily I was able to make an appointment to see her. When I arrived at the tiny house on the edge of the old Stephens fam, she invited me in right away and offered me coffee. The feeling was more of visiting an old friend. I suppose I began to understand how much Elva loved people when she told me that she invited the fed ex man over for coffee at the end of his route.

Only one of the paintings (“Yellow Door” – see the first post extra) from the Livingstone/Stephens house was completed at the time of our meeting and I showed her the photo since the painting had sold one month before at the McMichael Gallery Exhibition. She smiled and shared that it was the door to the room she shared with her sister.

Our conversation inspired the painting that is the cover of the book, “Waiting”. He grandfather, once a community reeve, moved in to the house with Elva and her parents. He had set up his chair in the bay window with a mirror rigged to reflect the driveway so he would never miss a visitor. I think I understand where Elva got her knack for entertaining.

Elva shared many stories, beyond the scope of the book. I made a point of visiting her again before she passed 18 months later. Her granddaughter told me shortly before she died about the clever ways she tried to escape the hospital. I’m guessing the society was less than adequate!

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On an interesting note, I met a gentleman on FaceBook in July whose distant relative owned the property where Livingstone, the man who built this house, found the gold in Gravenhurst. Mr. Smalley wasn’t in any of the documents I found and I didn’t know about him until Mike shared some old newspaper clippings. I plan to release a small booklet collecting the new info and extras I’ve collected since the manuscript went to press for those who purchase the book between the launch and Christmas and sign up for the newsletter.

This is the third in a series of extras on the making of the upcoming book, Once Imagined released in September.

The launch will be on September 30th along with the opening of the exhibition of the last paintings from this series at the Auburn Gallery in Gravenhurst. A book signing and meet and greet is set for 1pm! And the exhibition will run until Thanksgiving.

Perspective and a New Painting

August 25, 2017 By Michelle Hendry

I used to like to lie in the grass as a child and look up at the world. To see the dragonflies flit above me in uninterrupted blue, ants in the grass beside me, and to be small amongst the giant walls of houses. A change in perspective.

This is an old house long ago demolished. It seemed to be the right one for this experiment with a new view and some looser brushstrokes.

A change in perspective inspired this painting and it was followed by a shift that will force a new one over more than just the work.

This one will be at Auburn Gallery in Muskoka at the end of September, along with the remaining paintings from the Echoes series in the upcoming book, Once Imagined.

These two from the “White House” and “Sparrow Beach Lodge” are in the book and will be available at the opening September 30th as well. I hope to see you there!