This is the card table. I have been printing up the cards I will have at our upcoming Prairie River Artists' show in about 3 weeks time. I have a lovely new printer (a Canon MX870) which is doing a great job. I like to get this done ahead of time as I like to add a 'chop' of my name to the back and because it is a kind of oil paint, it takes a couple of days to dry. You can see it below. I like it because part of my name has water lilies in it, one of my favourite flowers which I get to enjoy when I go visit Vancouver. It came in its own little silk covered box. The ink is also in its own box. A lovely little set.

I got the chop several years ago from a man who would make them on the spot, at the Lonsdale Quay market. I don't know if he is still there; the Quay is a great place to visit if you are in Vancouver. You take the Sea Bus across from Vancouver. Then you can walk around the lower Lonsdale area too - there's an Opus there for art supplies.

Then, yesterday I received my new set of Moo cards. This time I got the larger business card size. They are printed on recycled paper and are really nice. Last time I got the smaller mini cards, which I also like very much, but thought I'd try the standard sized cards for a change. If you come by the show, please pick one up.

Now I am just waiting for the order of little clear bags that the cards will go into. It is quite a process, but I enjoy doing it. I hope you like them too! See you soon.

Today is an odds and ends day, varnishing the little canvases that will go into the Gardenscape art show on Thursday, fixing the photos that will be going into the calendars I am making for the Prairie Rivers Artists' show next month, ordering my favourite Gamvar varnish from Opus (hadn't realized I was almost out! and will need more soon), and making a donation to the Saskatchewan Craft Council for the memorial fund for my friend, Gale Steck,  who died earlier this year. I also have to get my paintings together for Thursday and make the labels.

March and April are always busy months since I became involved in painting, and with Prairie River Artists, as April is annual show time. It is both an end and a beginning - an end to the winter, and a chance to show what I've been working on over the past few months, and the beginning of the outdoor season. Gardening begins in earnest at the end of April, and brings all the wonderful flowers that make such great subject matter. Also, a time to get out and travel.

Plein aire painting, that is painting outside on location is not something I have done much of. When I was in France, we did paint out along the lanes and fields and that was great fun. I just haven't done it here at all. So that may be something new to try too this summer. I have some new materials to experiment with as well. I have recently bought both oil sticks (Sennelier) and watercolour sticks (Daniel Smith). I haven't had the chance to do anything with them yet, so I hope that I can really get some playtime in with them soon.

So the changeover to spring brings ends and beginnings. Even the tulips are starting to poke out of the ground.

Michael Innis's blog 'Underpaintings' is another one that I enjoy following. He talks about art and the art scene, particularly in the northeastern US as he is based in New Jersey. He has recently talked about favourite art books, one of which I have (which will be the topic of another blog), and shows lots of pictures of other artist's work and upcoming shows.

Too bad the shows are so far away, but most galleries now are online so you can visit the galleries virtually. It is a good opportunity to sit down with a cup of tea and take a mini art tour. For instance, in a recent post, he talked about artist Casey Baugh, who does wonderful portraits, and who has a show currently at the Wendt Gallery in New York. The Wendt Gallery also has branches in California, Vienna and Singapore, so you can also see current exhibitions in all these locations. So, a world art tour from the comfort of your own home!

Of course there is nothing like seeing the real thing, so that you can see the size, proportions, textures, brush strokes etc. But it might make you aware of places to visit on your travels. There is no end to imagination. So pull up a blog (or better, subscribe to the RSS feed so you get the regular updates in your reader), and see what is happening out there in the world of art.