I just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year! Hot of the presses, I just received this Jan. 1st, 2012 photo of my url www.christinemontague.com from Matt Cook and Sorin Mihailovici, the "dart guys" from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Matt and Sorin, are presently in Svalbard, an archipelago in the arctic that makes up the northernmost part of Norway and where there are more polar bears than humans. It has been 2012 there for a few hours!

So why are these two adventurers (who I don't know) holding a poster with my web site markered on it up at Norway's North Pole?

Matt and Sorin are fundraising for the polar bear in a very unique, highly creative and fun way . Go to www.polarfaith.com to learn more and to follow their journey. You'll find out why they are called the "dart guys, too!

And, If you're like me, you'll ~~envy them ,~~ ...um, offer a bit of financial support to their very worthy cause.

Wishing you all two thumbs up for 2012 from here in southern Ontario . Not quite as exciting as one thumb up from Norway, but the wish is sincere all the same.

Dart thrown at map becomes polar bear mission (ctv.ca)

Next Step: I have mentioned in the previous blogs how I did not have the foreground with the figure of Wishing it was His Turn to Go as dark as I like. I dropped a glaze of burnt umber over the figure, the door, and deck posts. Brilliantly, I forgot I had been painting the screen door earlier and so the paint pulled down through the opening in the door. This accidentally gave a "screened effect" and although the painting is still young I am hoping to use this to some advantage. I did not glaze over the hand holding the door. You can see the contrast between the hand and the neck define the right side of the head.

I simplified the sky, "carving" out the ear and jawline on the left side when I did so.

I also added the birds back into the painting.

In contrast to this early fall painting, was this very glorious day just before spring. This afternoon I spent a couple of hours exploring Mississauga's wonderful urban wilderness, Riverwood Park & returned home 300 photos richer.

I do not have a quality lens, and must remember to get a monopod, to help with those darker wood scenes and bird shots. Out of focus, I know, but this was such a darn pretty woodpecker, and the happy little thief of a squirrel was sweet to watch as well. Who can resist animal shots?