Valentine's Day Love for Chickadees at Riverwood Park

   I was over at Riverwood Park early this morning to take part in the Riverwood Conservacy  "Family Day" bird talk. I wanted to learn more about the birds I see in the park , and was hoping for some great photos too.

Photographing a chickadee that hops down for a moment to pluck a seed from your hand is not easy when one's fingers are numb from the cold and one's arms are aching from patiently standing still  - holding a camera to one's face with one hand and holding the other arm up and out lie a tree branch. But the wait was worth it ! The feeling of the little claws landing on the thumb then hoping to the palm are unique. One can't help but love these cheery little birds. And what a joy to reconnect with naturen on our very urban city.

Speaking of our city..In Mississauga , Valentine's day is also a cause for another celebration - Our Mayor Hazel McCallion,  the mayor of Canada's  sixth largest city, celebrates her birthday. The significance? Not only does Madame Mayor turn 88, but she always hosts a fundraiser for the arts on this day. A year ago today, it was my honour to have my portrait painting of the late, great Oscar Peterson, presented to the Mayor, and Kelly and Celine Peterson, at the Mayor's Valentine day's Tribute to Oscar Peterson "Feelings from the Heart". It was a wonderful moment in my carreer, as well as a wonderful show, produced by Mississauga's own Ron Duquette. The painting now hangs by the portrait of Mayor McCallion in the Living Arts Centre.

So enjoy your Valentines's Day, and for Ontarioians, your Family Day Weekend. Mine is certainly off to a good start!

P.S. A special thank you to all the wonderful, knowledgeable & friendly Riverwood Conservacy Volunteers. As well there is a terrific new free brochure out from the Riverwood Conservacy that identifies the Riverwood birds

The Fine Art of Mystery, Migration in Mississauga

This is one of two drawings I have started with two very different paintings in mind. I normally don't work on more than one painting at a time  - but both themes have equally grabbed my attention. This drawing , with my son as a model, expresses the sentiment of a young man waiting for arrival of  news that will take him away from his suburban home. He knows he will not hear until the spring.

Migrating birds have settled in the yard on their flight south. The young man startles them and their sudden flight brings catches him in the moment.  He wants to be leaving too.

This suburban yard, and landscape devoid of summer foliage holds no interest for him to stay. He is like the one lawn chair (at the end of the deck) waiting to be put away. The house across the street , representing "man and his castle" is in shadow.

The Cat Series: Here is a marker and pencil drawing to get a feel for "The Visitor" . Although unintentional, I like that  I started the series on Feb. Friday the 13th. The real mystery? How shall I execute this (how Friday the 13th)? A painting done in a graphic novel style? Realistically? Only the shadow knows...at the moment:)

GR33N...& Good Night

GR33N

Well, this was the day I was going to start posting a new painting - showing its progression right from the beginning. But it has been a busy day writing art stuff - Juror's notes from judging the Beaux-Arts Brampton "Youth For Heritage" Art Show (which opens Thursday if you are in the area) , AIM (Artists in Mississauga) updates, twitter, new photography web site and on & on.  Hope you like this new little painting instead. Not in my usual style, but great to test out open acrylics. My daughter loves this green sweatshirt. She is texting . What else could the title be..GR33N

Cars, Kids & CBC

Did any one hear the Q Show today on CBC radio? I tuned while in my car just in time to hear a rep from Museum Watch UK making very odd statement on how museums weren't for children.  As my brain went wha-a-at?!, I hit what must have been the only ice left on the road in Mississauga - the stop sign I sailed through - although hitting those abs breaks mighty hard- was in the shadow of a rather large high rise.  Luckily for me the oncoming driver on the busy through street was paying attention and veered into the next lane.  Needless to say I didn't hear the rest of the show. So I know I need to hear the rest of the show in case its out of contex. But sorry kids in museums is a good thing in my book. Here in Missisauga we are desperate for museums, galleries and more.  I envy the UK for its amazing museums & galleries - free to the public. That is one of the things that the UK has right! That anyone can have access to knowledge, history, culture, inspiratiion, and community...how odd to want to deny this to our most cherished members of the human race.

Not long after my another grey hair moment (and my apologizes to the poor driver who got to share in the moment) I had the pleasure of being a juror for a high school art competition & Show "Youth for Heritage" up in the Beaux-Arts Brampton. Grade 9 - 12 students submitted drawings, paintings & photographs of heritage buildings in their community.

As I ajudicated BAB martist talked excitedly planned  a children's art event for 3 - 5 year olds in their workshop.

I am glad that the people and institutions  I know welcome energetic young people  in their establishments.

What do you think?

Visual Artist Christine Montague Painting & Photography Fine Art Blog

Welcome to Camera and Canvas!  I paint realistic, representational oil paintings on canvas & am an avid nature photographer. 

I entered into the world of art years ago primarily out of the love of drawing. I drew all the time - from life and my imagination - and I was good at it.  But in 2002 after an invitation to help create the artist co-operative Beaux-Arts Brampton, I entered the art world full time with the ambition to be a painter - to finally have a real go at using oils. Until then, with no space of my own at home & conscientious of my children's  health, oil painting had never been an option for me.

After two years in a studio at Beaux-Arts Brampton, I moved into a larger studio in a beautifully rennovated old mill , the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre in  Halton Hills. Inspired by the wonderful art buzz of the community and my beautiful art space in the countryside, my painting skills progressed to a new level. My very first painting there , The Magnificent Ascent of the Mighty Bear, a 3' x6' oils & oil stick painting took top prize at two juried art shows. And my photographs, initially taken as possible future reference for my paintings, began to take on a following of their own. Exhibited in my studio for interest, they began to sell, and one was used on the 2006 Halton Hills Tourist Guide cover. In 2008 I had two solo photography shows. "The Hidden Garden", a year long study of the Chappell House residential gardens in Riverwood Park was part of CONTACT 2008 Toronto Photography Show and the first photography show at Visual Arts Mississauga.

For almost 5 years I observed how important having ones own studio and what an important support being surrounded by a creative community is to this solitary business of visual art. But I also observed these artist communities work best for those in them. I lived in a completely different city to the communities above . And I wanted what those communities offered to be offered to not only me, but the other artists of my city - Mississauga. And thus AIM  - Artists in Mississauga - and the grassroots movement AIM4Studios were born.

So onto my journey. In 2009 I want to put away the habits I have developed over the past few years- ie. painting realistic paintings straight from photographs. I want to get back to my roots of drawing, incorporate that in my painting. I used to love graphic novels and wonder can I get that back?  can I retrigger my imagination? I also I want to tell more stories with my camera & bring my view of looking at nature more into the public eye.

And finally, I passionately want to make progress for AIM and find us a home to create.  

Wish me luck! And I invite you to comment on what you think of any new art I post and anything else art related.