Blue Jeans & Rubber Boots

written by Chace

My day starts early, or as early as when my mom gets out of bed. I like to go out first thing to sniff, bark and relieve myself while my mom makes her coffee.

On a nice morning, my mom (that’s what I call her, as I don’t know her name) will bring her coffee outside and sit with me for a while. Sometimes, I need encouragement to ‘do my business’.

Once Jeff (my dad)...

Colour conveys emotion, creates depth, and breathes life into a piece.

Just as carpenters need to know their tools, understanding your palette is crucial for achieving harmony in your work as a fine artist. Knowing how your colours interact will allow you to paint with confidence and control without the frustration or guesswork of knowing which colours to grab.

I can’t tell you how many...

My art students often ask me, "Where do you get your inspiration?" I usually respond with a list of various sources—my surroundings, walks on the beach, my garden, travel, and more—essentially, everything I encounter each day.

For instance, when I take my dog for a walk and notice the peeling paint on a neighbour’s fence, which shows years of wear and different layers of colour, that...

As artists, we often find ourselves sticking to what we know—a familiar colour palette, a technique, or a subject we know we can execute well. Why? Because it works, it’s safe, and it feels comfortable. But what if we stepped off the beaten path? What if we tried something completely new?

Now is the time to do just that. Experiment.

Exploring new materials, techniques, or perspectives can...

What if...

What if, just for today, you looked at life through a child’s eyes?
What if, just for today, you listened, really listened to your friends, without interruption?

What if, just for today, you did something nice for a stranger just because?
What if, just for today, you disconnected from all devices?

What if, just for today, you positively changed someone’s life?
What if, just for...

I used to get up in the morning and immediately turn on the radio. In the afternoon, the TV would go on to check the weather and evening shows—and often stay on until bedtime.

Like most, over the Christmas holidays, I watched my share of Christmas movies, reruns of old favourites, and new finds. But when the New Year hit, I began to crave silence. After weeks of holiday movies and background...

New Year Resolutions

As another year quickly comes to an end, I wonder what my New Year resolutions for 2025 will be.

I’ve always found the new year a time to make plans. As a home-based business, it’s a fresh year—a time to look back on last year and see what worked and what could be improved.

I found that making a five-year plan serves me well. In the last few years, my five-year plans...

I don’t quite remember when I started to journey, writing down my thoughts, aspirations, dreams, etc., but I always liked writing essays in school.

I found it very relaxing to put pen to paper. Remember, back in the Dark Ages; there was no autocorrect or AI assist—just our brains doing their thinking, analyzing, and putting thought to paper. I still find it relaxing.

During high school, I...

Happy birthday to me, now I am five. Gear up - let’s go for a drive.

I love to drink water out of the garden hose, but I do not like it when you tickle my nose.

There’s always time for a belly rub, but don’t ever mention getting into the tub.

Even though I was the runt of the litter, I keep our backyard safe from any critter.

I love with all my might, and I zoom around the yard as if...

Whenever I teach a class, one of my students will undoubtedly comment that they want to learn how to paint like me. This comment always takes me aback, as I don’t know how to teach them that.

I can teach them composition, techniques, what to do, what not to do and how to improve a painting. I can teach them about art supplies and how to use them efficiently. But I can not teach them how to...