Monday August 1st was the Terrill Welch Gallery’s fourth anniversary. Though it was 2010 when I started working full-time as a landscape painter, it wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to put my energies into representing my own work almost exclusively rather than showing in other galleries and venues. Most of this is because I live on a small island where shipping large works is not easy and travel requires a limited ferry service to go anywhere. Showing elsewhere can mean driving with a Subaru Outback loaded with paintings for a day, staying in a hotel and then returning again to pick them up at the end of a show. So, with my continued development of an online presence, combined with a need for my own physical show space and a separate place besides our home studio to bring art collectors, developing a gallery was my best option. The space I found needed renovating but was within budget and it was in a good location in the heart of our small commercial area on Mayne Island. The room shared a heritage age house with other small shops and was perfect for showing my work. Then, last year another room became available and, with another renovation, I had space to show the work of other artists as well. Many of you know this story and have been along for the whole of the journey. So let’s celebrate!

Considering the unusual and unprecedented year we have all had, it seems worthy of something a little extra special in a shared recognition of what we have accomplished. Don’t you think!? I thought long and hard about what this could be. As you may already know, beyond your 10% art collector savings after purchasing your first original work from the Terrill Welch Gallery, we seldom and only rarely offer anything more along the lines of special offers. Well, this is one of those rare occasions and is something we have never done before. Let’s just say it is an experiment, a gamble even, that what I have in mind might be of interest to you. If not, we shall just carry on as usual. However,……

From today, Friday August 6, 2021 until midnight PST, on my birthday, August 28, 2021, with the purchase of any painting available by any of our artists, you can add an original Terrill Welch acrylic painting sketch for half price! This can be done in any combination and can even be one smaller painting sketch combined with a slightly larger painting sketch for half price. It can be a small or large painting by Jody Waldie, Glenda King, Jennifer Peers or Elena Maslova-Levin and then adding an acrylic painting sketch by Terrill Welch for half price. It could be an original oil painting by Terrill Welch and then adding in an acrylic painting sketch by Terrill Welch for half price. I think you get the idea. Lots of different combinations to access this offer for one of my acrylic painting sketches…. and I happen to know some of you like these as much or even more than my larger oil paintings.

Plus, if you are already one of our art collectors, your art collector savings still applies to the first painting in this combination.

Double Plus, since it is my birthday and I have everything I need, I am going to donate $20.00 to the Mayne Island Housing Society for every work (painting or painting sketch) sold between now and August 28, 2021.

FIRST: At the link below, browse through the paintings available in our online gallery (even the ones not currently in a show) and choose something you have been pining to purchase.

SECOND: If you didn’t already find a Terrill Welch acrylic painting sketch while browsing above, please proceed to my secret stash (it only secret because I never remember tell anyone about this spot) in my personal online portfolio collection…

Psst! A little insider tip is to click on “available” at the top in this collection so that you are not disappointed when you spy a work only to discover it is already sold.

THIRD AND FINAL STEP: Use the inquiry button related to the work or painting sketch you have chosen in either the Artsy online gallery or in my personal portfolio collection for the acrylic painting sketches. Either option will send an email to my direct inbox immediately. Or if you prefer, you can also send me a reply from this issue of “A Brush with Life” and tell me your wishes. Or in a private message from your favourite social media platform. Or my drop me a note at my direct email - tawelch@shaw.ca and I shall be secure your choices for you and work out the details. Whatever method you want to use, I suggest acting immediately using your usual thoughtful consideration to avoid disappointment.

The savings on the second work will range from $250 on an 8 x 10 inch to $500 on a 12 x 16 inch acrylic painting sketch. I think this might be an offer worth considering and I am hopeful that you do as well.

NOTE IN THE SMALL PRINT: THIS OFFER IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO “A Brush with Life” NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS. If you are not one yet, you will want to become one before sending and inquiry. Tip: make sure you have confirmed your subscription in the email you will receive after you subscribe or your subscription will not be activated.

Earlier this week, I released six new acrylic painting sketches in anticipation of our anniversary celebration offer. Five are still available. Here you go…

This next one is not technically a new release but I have just put it up in our Artsy online gallery and it is the same view as the two plein air painting sketches above and was also painted plein air even though it is a larger 22 x 28 inch walnut oil on canvas painting. So, the painting was just sure it needed to be here… and I agree!

And to further tickle your imagination, here is a room view idea…

And here is the final new release that sold yesterday. Congratulations to the art collectors!

This plein air work will lead us nicely into sharing the completed live session painting…

One could be forgiven for thinking the painting is finished here.

However, there was one last brushstroke that required that the palette and brushes be brought back into the gallery one final time!

Now this 36 x 72 inch walnut oil on canvas is truly complete though still slightly wet and shiny and awaiting a final photograph.

It is a bit challenging to see this panoramic work online so let’s take a gander at a few details. From the lookout on this Early morning with light streaming across the landscape, one can see for miles. Yet, our eyes are frequently drawn down to the farm buildings and fields below.

The hills are also frequently different islands in the distance, each with a specific relationship to the next island.

The morning sun catches the trees on the far right and brings our gaze back across the canvas yet again.

And the painting is all signed and ready for its next adventure.

Let’s see what it might look like in a room or three…

And the final room view is…

The newly painted edges are currently drying. I expect the work to be on the walls for my next solo show in the Garden Room that will open in September.

Owning a Gallery and also working full-time as a landscape painter is not for those without passion for both and the ability to juggle serveral overlapping commitments at once. Especially in our current environment. Sometimes, I even question my sanity in taking on such an adventure 😂. But, here we are with four years behind us. I have made a personal commitment to at least one more year ahead. Yes, it is a year-by-year review. No, I am not certain how long I will continue with the gallery. It could be 2 or 3 or even 10 years. We shall see. My ongoing and added caregiver responsibilities these last 12 years will likely be a factor in any decision I make. Nothing is really for certain is it? But today, we are doing well and we are here! I am most grateful for your continued patronage as art collectors and serious fans. Without you, none of this would be possible. Thank you!

And for now, celebrate with me because last year, 2020, saw 42 of my new works released and 28 finding homes. This year, until these six new painting sketches in this issue, I had released 13 new works and nine in my inventory have found homes. In case you are wondering, this is an excellent flow of works-out-the-door for an artist at any time, never mind during a pandemic that saw our walk-in visitors to the gallery decreased by around 80% for the past 18 months. Fortunately, in-person gallery visitors are slowly starting to increase. This is what gives me the courage to offer you a special savings on my acrylic paintings sketches.

First, I anticipate being able to continue painting for a very long time and also that painting sketches, whether plein air or studies, will continue to be part of my painting practice. So even though these sketches generally find homes swiftly, even without a special half price savings, it will be okay. I shall soon have more to offer.

In addition, the gallery works extremely hard to get the asking price for the artists it represents. In this special offer, this principle continues to apply for all works beyond my acrylic painting sketches.

Here are some ideas to spark your imagination. You might want to consider pairing this oil painting by Jody Waldie with one of my painting sketches.

Or this oil painting by Jennifer Peers…

Or maybe this oil painting by Glenda King…

Possibly even this oil painting by Elena Maslova-Levin

Or maybe you want to choose two of my acrylic painting sketches and get the second at a 50% savings? This is possible as well. For example, these two seem to like each other…

Here is a room view showing them along side a work by Jennifer Peers that is also currently available…

So, even though all is well, and I am cautiously optimistic about our art collecting and creating future, I still want to offer a small something special. A quiet tip of the hat, if you will, for your ongoing patronage and support. It might not seem like much in the grand scheme of your current view of the world. But it is enough I think for you to know that I am thinking about you and I am wanting to do my part to make things just a little easier through my art and the art of the other artists whose work is represented in the gallery with this a special summer savings. If it seems appealing, I do hope you find something that works for you.

August is one of my favourite months of the year and it is not just because it is my birthday. 😉 The light starts to soften and warm with lowering angle of the sun until later in the mornings. The gardens and farm stands are filled with produce. I am starting to plan for September and have registered for a course I want to take. I am preparing canvases with grounds for new work. August is just such a hopeful month with that sense of all is possible. May this month bring you something extra special!

Terrill 👩‍🎨🎨❤️

P.S. A final summary to access our special opportunity: FIRST step is to click on the link below to browse through our 135 works in the online gallery. Then if you find something you possibly want to bring home, follow this with choosing a Terrill Welch acrylic painting sketch to go with it at a 50% savings. Then, send me an inquiry through any means that works you. 😊

Thank you for your past, present and future patronage and your participation in our fourth anniversary celebrations!