A Brush with Life - Issue #65 Enjoy Being Late For Everything

In a human hive assembled into broken slices of time, it is relatively easy for a self-directed person to organize activities into these imagined slivers of existence. This is why we sometimes ask a busy person if we are desperate to get something done. They look at you for a moment, look away into their mental schedule, pull out their phone and calendar, look back at you and say “I could come over at 3:15 next Thursday, if you think we can get it done in 20 minutes?”

This issue of A Brush With Life is for these people. The ones who are always slightly early so they can get oriented before the main event. The ones who plan their projects starting at the end date and working backwards and then forwards again until a timeline of tasks have been elegantly choreographed. These are the people that I am suggesting are in a great position to have a day where they “enjoy being late for everything.”

I had hiked out to St. John Point with a neighbour I had met in the parking lot at the trailhead. I was just going to stay for a bit and then go back on the old road again rather than hiking along the cliff side that would allow me to take a circular route. The neighbour, along with his dog, had already gone on ahead. I was now on my own. The weather was warm and sunny with that underlying crispness of late fall. I thought about the shade of the old road and looked at the sun-filled trail ahead of me and, knowing I was going to be at least 20 minutes late returning, I kept going.

As I was walking, I came across a family and we were remarking on how gorgeous the day was when I happened to mention that I hadn’t planned on going this way as it was going to mean I was late for everything for the rest of the day. We visited for a bit longer, standing far apart as is required these days, and then said our goodbyes.

The one woman smiled and threw over her shoulder as she walked away “enjoy being late for everything!”

These words from a complete stranger were offered with the connection and intimacy of a life long friend… and they have stuck, possibly because of what I didn’t know was lying ahead.

When I got home, my husband David, with one quizzically raised eyebrow, says “you’re late?”

I laughed lightly and reply that I knew and it was an amazing walk and that I had a surprise place for us to go for our picnic lunch and a stroll. He grinned and reached for his walking shoes.

The maple trees turn their golden hues later here on the southwest coast than elsewhere in Canada but this doesn’t make them any less inviting for a leaf-kicking kind of afternoon.

We pulled into a pullout for lunch and watched the light move through the big old trees next to the field.

We ambled along the road and up past the farm gate and back down the road again.

The day felt complete even though I had been late for everything.

The day of the hike with our picnic lunch and stroll on Horton Bay Road were part of a series of circumstances ending with an upended schedule. You see, several days earlier David had what we can only assume was another small stroke that resolved itself almost immediately. In his David fashion of being resistant to any fussing, the discussion of the event was left to his regular doctor’s check up at the beginning of November. This is when things really went sideways in my well-honed and polished calendar of activities. In fact, you could say that the drawers of the schedule were taken out and dumped in the middle of the room, and new tasks that had been brought in from outside were put in their place. I managed to pick up the most delicate items and a few more that I could still hold onto and then left the rest of the tasks and activities to sort out later. After a series of medical tests requiring an off island overnight trip, another day trip and several phone and video consultations, and with a just few tests more to go, we can report that David is doing well for now with a couple of small changes added to his medication. It has been quite a handful managing the restrictions of both the need for travel and the COVID protocols. But we did it and I now am starting to pick up all the bits that we had tossed aside. I keep thinking about the day we were “enjoying being late for everything” and spent the whole day outside and how that day prepared us for the days we didn’t know were ahead. Makes a person feeling incredibly grateful.

The painting I had started is still unfinished on the easel.

However, we have a few new releases for you and the price increase has been delayed until mid December. That at least ought to be some good news to your ears. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me offering your thoughts and support for this price increase. Your appreciation of my work and your understanding are deeply appreciated as always.

And here is the man of my hour near the end of a long day trip for tests as we find a safe place to dine with good protocols for an amazing Indian dinner at Royal Aroma in Sidney, British Columbia.

It was a miserable, cold, wet night and we were one of two couples waited on by a masked server in well distanced space. The restaurant does take out and this might be an option for another time if it is busy and we must make an essential trip over.

This issue will possibly feel a little different as I bridge my personal life, artwork and the art gallery. Life tends to be like this sometimes though. The various aspects are seldom nicely separated into distinct categories. I hope the following finds you well as I settle back into my usual work schedule. Thank you for being on this journey with me and with the other artists whose works are shown in the gallery.

Terrill 👩‍🎨🎨❤️

In the various home studios of our artists there is new work appearing on the easels. Terrill’s work-in-progress is shown above but we thought we would pop around to see what was in progress for the other artists as they begin creating paintings for our spring show. If you see something that you would like us to show you when it is finished, just let the gallery know and, with the help of the painters, we can send you some final images when the work is done.

The first work-in-progress is by Glenda King. Her usual strong rich colours are already evident on this 16 x 20 inch oil on canvas.

Artist notes: Getting out for a walk and some picture taking along St John Point on a sunny day offers an artist several opportunities of reference images for paintings such as this. Love the lights and shadows that are created, adding dimension to the painting. 

This second work-in-progress is by Jody Waldie and it is a large 48 x 36 inch canvas. Jody’s incredible underpainting is still visible as she begins to block in the this trail through the woods scene.

Artist notes: My intention for this painting is to lead the viewer through the forest following the dappled light through use of colour to represent the lights and darks identified in my underpainting.

The third and final work in progress is by Jennifer Peers on another large 48 x 36 inch canvas and features one of her favourite subjects - Active Pass.

Artist notes: I am using larger brushstrokes to convey the sandstone with patches of colourful moss, seaweed and glistening water as I’m layering the paint for depth leading you towards Galiano Island! 

These paintings go back to August for the two plein air sketches and then September and October for the oil paintings. There is still one more 16 x 20 inch of Bennett bay that is almost done but we are getting close to the last works by Terrill Welch that will be released for 2020. And yes, these are still at the current prices. As mentioned, the increase in prices has been delayed until sometime during mid December. Enjoy!

Our thoughts are with you as we all navigate the beginnings of the winter season activities during a pandemic. Remain safe, take care of all the various aspects of your wellbeing in creative ways as we stop the spread of this virus. Warm virtual hugs and let the gallery’s paintings do their magic to strengthen our resilience and hopefulness.

And if you can, take a day and enjoy being late for everything!

P.S. If you were wanting a painting from the gallery or prints or products from the Redbubble storefront that is going to need to be shipped in time for the holidays, you will want to make those purchases and arrangements this week.