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Blue Jeans & Rubber Boots

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Welcome!

Susan with Chace in the garden

Here, I will talk about topics I am passionate about: art, painting, mini Aussies, gardening, baking (everyone loves my muffins), and the musings of a creative life.

I hope you find these talks informative, educational, and entertaining.

Perception
How does one person’s perception change from another?
Art

2023-08-01 Last Updated on: 2024-04-17

Perception is described as a way of regarding, understanding or interpreting something, a mental impression. How does one person’s perception change from another?

Chace and I recently had a run-in with a neighbour’s dog. This huge dog came barrelling across from his yard and into ours, barking like a maniac while making a b-line towards my little boy. My perception of this was an absolute...

2023-07-01 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

This is not original to me, but I think it has value and I wanted to share it with my readers.

I asked a friend who has crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes she is feeling in herself? This was her advise.

After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not...

Our Salad Bar
from farm to table
Gardening

2023-06-07 Last Updated on: 2024-04-17

This morning I was pinching some beautiful healthy greens off our plants and thinking of what a nice and delicious salad we will be having with our evening meal.

Morning conversations over our first coffee of the day are always about ‘what’s for dinner?’ Then there is the back and forth banter about, 'Oh what would like for dinner? I don't know. What would you like?" We go back and forth...

Labels
How do you Label yourself as an Artist?
Marketing

2023-05-22 Last Updated on: 2024-04-17

I recently watched an interview of a friend and fellow artist that I admire. I noticed that he referred to himself as a ‘Practicing Artist.” I asked him why he didn’t use the term International or professional artist? As someone who has worked in the trade for many years and often has a sell-out opening night, I would call him a professional artist.

His answer was “I was never really...

Cutting Grass
Farm Life

2023-05-01 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

The month of May on the farm meant that the days were warmer and the ground was dry and warm. My dad would be driving rectangles in the field trying to get his crop in, always with one eye on the neighbours, to see who was in the lead. My mother would plant her huge garden, trying to grow enough produce to keep her family of seven fed throughout another calendar year.

And it was also the time...

Voices in My Head
Mentors
Art

2023-04-25 Last Updated on: 2024-04-17

As the publisher of an arts magazine I have certainly had many perks over the years. Not only have I had the great pleasure of connecting to many wonderful artists, I have also been able to organize and attend classes.

Twenty plus workshops later, I now hear the voices of my many mentors when I am creating.

Early on in my training I had the opportunity to take a class from Saskatchewan artist,...

Collecting Art for the Heart
for investment or pleasure
Art

2023-04-15 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

Some folks say to collect art for the investment, I say collect it for your heart.

What is art? Does looking at it make you happy? Does it evoke a sense of emotion? Why not include that in your living space?

We buy other things that make us happy. We go to antique stores and buy pretty little dishes, depression glass, antiques, etc. We buy pottery to enjoy, to use in our everyday life. We...

2023-03-24 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

I can’t remember when I took a liking to coffee. It was most likely in my early 20’s when I joined the work force. I was working for the Alberta Government and we would take regular coffee breaks. We had a tiny little break room on the ground level of our downtown offices. There we could grab a coffee and chat with fellow workers. Not much bigger then a supply closet, we would squish in...

Do you have a vision board?
Manifesting your Vision
Marketing

2023-03-14 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

I had never heard of a vision board until I took a class with Ruth Payne at Hollyhock on lovely Quadra Island BC. The class I was taking was called the business of art.

One of the assignments was to make a vision board. Ruth dropped some magazines on the floor and we were to take images that we liked, use text, whatever and create a vision board. The question was where would we like to see our...

What's Up Doc
Farm Life

2023-03-01 Last Updated on: 2024-04-25

As it is officially the year of the rabbit, I thought this little story might be appropriate to share.

Springtime on the farm meant my dad would be out in the field, turning over the soil and getting ready to plant his crop. He would sometimes come across a lost little field bunny who had been abandoned. He’d bring home these little varmints, and I would patiently try to return them to...