Tiger Group Studio and Gallery

In late May I joined a group of “professional” artists. “Professional” I discovered identifies an artist who seriously works at his/her craft; as opposed to ‘art as a hobby’; and who is selling. Well, okay, I am working like hell, but not selling’ so therefore I am an associate, not a full member.


I wandered into the gallery when seeking a gallery to hang my work; the group viewed my work, thought I showed promise and invited me to meet the members. The Tiger Studio Group was established in 1974 ….. and get this …. is an all male group; no females allowed! Wouldn’t you know it … so here I am breaking ground as the first female member. I don’t know if I should be flattered or if I should run for the hills!

Seriously they are wonderful and each has taken it as his responsibility to critique my work and to assist me with composition and colour theory. I have learned so much and feel truly blessed to have so much help. It is so great to enjoy the camaraderie of other artists; to discuss the production of art, to share ideas and discuss ‘art’ in general.

The ‘real’ upside of the group are the art shows and competitions they organize, and I get to participate!

There is a ‘but’ in the stew. I am finding it somewhat intimidating to work with members who have international reputations in the art community and am now opting to work in solitude at home at least three days a week. Here I play ‘my music’, talk to the painting and the walls. When the objects start talking back I head to the gallery/studio to paint.

A few of my recent works for you to see.



Thanks for dropping in!

Palette Knife Paintings

I’ve been painting and painting the past year …. And painting! And painting, but I haven’t felt any elation over what I have been producing. The odd canvas has turned out to be rather alright …. But certainly those that reached that status were achieved only by accident. I’ve been painting without ‘joy’ and I do believe it shows in the final product. ‘Product’ … now there’s a word! That is what I have been doing …. ‘producing’ like a manufacturing plant…one with an assembly line. Producing the same product - canvas after canvas!

I began my artwork with a vision … I was going to translate the music, the exhilaration, the mood I feel in the Canadian landscape. Somewhere along the way the music stopped and I found myself simply painting ‘pretty’ pictures…..nothing awe inspiring whatsoever on the canvas. A photograph could achieve the results I see in my finished works.

I’ve been struggling to get away from detail…..but every time I pick up a paint brush I feel ‘control’ sweep in and obscure the message I had intended to convey….I was beginning to feel I would never scale the cliffs of ‘control’.

I’ve been working on several waterfall canvases lately …. And no matter how you slice it … there they are … waterfalls! Recently while setting up my palette for another waterfalls scene I thought I might begin as a friend of mine …. By applying acrylic matte medium and texturing the canvas. To do this I used a palette knife ….. and suddenly a life line appeared along the cliff … and I discovered a new frontier (for me) in my artistic search. The palette knife!

I spent ten minutes on each of these ‘waterfalls’ paintings …. Using the palette knife.

I love it. This artist’s tool has set me free! It is very difficult to ‘diddle with detail’ when the palette knife is loaded with paint. I’ve discovered freedom from ‘control’ and have recovered the joy of painting with expression …. Using the palette knife. A frontier I look forward to exploring as I wonder just how much I might be able to do with this tool.

A return for me  … to a limited palette. I selected only blues, yellow, a touch of crimson and white!


And …. Now I am again having FUN painting!