New DVD's

I just received a set of DVD's from Tom Brown's Plein Air Painting collection. It is so exciting to watch and learn from other artists. Tom Brown is an impressionistic painter who makes the task of transforming an outdoor setting onto his canvas so easy... The most important thing that I have learned over the years - moreso of late - is to follow your instincts and let your brush do the work - everyone has their own techniques and when you relax and let this work for you the end product will be beautiful as it will be an extension of yourself.

One Cold Day

Shirley Rose Cockburn

Northern Ontario, Canada

One Cold Day - SOLD

20" x 16" (40cm x 32cm)

Acrylic

Gallery Wrapped Canvas - Ready to hang or can be framed

Even on a dreary cold day in Northern Ontario the beauty and comfort from the natural elements still exists.

Framing

A few years ago I decided to make my own frames. After much research I found a book on the subject titled Home Book of Picture Framing by Kenn Oberrecht. Lee Valley Tools provided all the necessary equipment to do the work at a very reasonable cost. The initial outlay seemed like a lot but when you consider the cost of professional framing it was a pittance in comparison. My husband has a workshop and was more than happy to give a helping hand. He has since been making a good portion my frames to wrap my canvasses which is great. When I purchase stretcher bars, or any other artist materials, I do so through Curry's Art Store who ship to my home. The best performing glue to use in the corners is Home Bond Carpenter's Glue. Recently I used an alternative wood glue which was a dissatisfied - I had left my frames outside overnight and the humidity separated the corners. The lesson learned outweighs the disappointment.



I am in no way disqualifying professional framing shops. They certainly can hold their own and do provide a necessary service. My problem is that I live in Northern Ontario where this service is not readily available so I have had to improvise and was/am more than happy to do so because as an artist I find it beneficial to learn every aspect of designing from the ground up.



To date I have painted the edges of my finished pieces so that the works can be displayed frameless - I think that the simplicity adds to how I feel about the solitude and serenity experienced throughout nature. I might however attempt to build a simple wood frame and see how this works. I haven't decided yet as I enjoy painting so much more than framing...