Steve Chmilar is moving to Toronto, Ontario, and I visited his studio today!

I was fortunate enough to get invited to Steve Chmilar’s studio for the Farewell to Victoria show, and was pleased to see some pen and ink drawings amongst his paintings for show and sale.

This little pen on paper drawing caught my eye. It is the preliminary drawing to the final drawing for the painting (see below)!   The painting is still in progress, but here are snaps of my newly acquired Steve Chmilar pen drawing, the second drawing where he has made many changes and the final work-in-progress painting.

http://stevechmilar.com/

Steve Chmilar and Carollyne Yardley April 2012

Steve Chmilar pen drawing 

Steve Chmilar Victoria studio – second drawing and painting in progress on easel

The Death of Music, Oil on Board, 26 x 26, Steve Chmilar

How could I resist this fabulous gem.
Guitar by Bill Blair, and he’s having a show this Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at  Victoria Spirits, 6170 Old West Saanich Road from 1-4 pm

Join us for a tour and taste at Victoria Gin distillery, and take in Bill Blair’s new show of art work. Bill will also be setting up one of his large paint-by-number backdrops for photos!

https://www.facebook.com/events/419184001425450/

The Horned Squirrel of Cedar by Bill Blair

The Horned Squirrel of Cedar Hill, Bill Blair, 2011, Collection of Carollyne Yardley

Here’s an awesome post by gallery manager and guest blogger at Pamplemouse 1983

Hello! My name is Kaitlyn Patience and I blog at isavirtue. I was delighted to discover that Maryam and I shared an interest in art and that she wanted me to do a post about it on Pamplemousse 1983. In Real Life I work as a gallery manager and as I sat at work pondering what I could write about here – it suddenly hit me – it was right in front of my face. Literally. Except it wasn’t a human face staring back at me. It was a squirrel!

READ ARTICLE

It’s Green Bun Squirrel as The Shepherdess! I started this one back in August 2011, and finally got around to finishing it this week.

The Shepherdess (Green Bun Squirrel), Oil on Board, 40 X 30, 2012, Carollyne Yardley

When I created Green Bun Squirrel and portraits of 2011 – I was going to give them all “jobs”. Green Bun is a Shepherdess, much like the tale of the Good Shepherd, it’s about asserting one’s own divinity, in this case a focus on women’s feminine divinity. Being the owner of your own flock, your own destiny, and being a role model for such endeavours.

This painting is now complete, and posted here as a sneak preview. It will be included in upcoming Sirius Squirrels show at the Sooke Harbour House Art Gallery, May 01-28, 2012. Reception: Sunday, May 06, 1-3 pm

In the Name of Rose Squirrel, Oil on Board, 2012, Carollyne Yardley

I’ll be kicking around the Victoria Steam Punk Exposition (in costume of course!), with a few items for purchase. I’ll have a signed limited edition giclee on canvas 14 X 24 of Steam Punk Squirrel 6/8  (only three left!), a 7 x12 signed giclee reproduction, posters and greeting cards. Come visit me and say hi!

Carollyne Yardley at Steam Punk Convention 2012, Photo by Sheila Wenham

Also find them on Facebook.

Steampunk Squirrel | Oil on Board | 2011 | Carollyne Yardley

I just finished this painting called Cupid and Psyche, and now onto the next!

Cupid and Psyche, Oil on Board, 2012, Carollyne Yardley

Shows a woman standing in Victorian dress, standing barefoot on a butterfly about to release an arrow from it’s bow. Inspired by the story Cupid and Psyche  from the Latin novel Metamorphoses, written in the 2nd century AD by Apuleius. It concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyche  (“Soul”) and Cupid (Love), and their ultimate union in marriage. My take on it is about finding your true passion of the soul (Psyche) and executing it with love, accuracy, and determination (Cupid).

Steam Punk Squirrel is getting around this big ‘ol world in so many fun and interesting ways!

I was contacted by Jacque Sutton, an Interior Design student at Southwest Florida College, Florida, USA, and she asked me if she could use the image of Steam Punk Squirrel for her project to design a room inspired by a painting!

Here is an overview of the project, and photo of the design board!

Southwest Florida College, Interior Design Program (design board by Jacque Sutton)

“I started Southwest Florida College in January. I am going for Interior Design. Our assignment was to design a room inspired by a  painting. I knew I wanted to do something different. I love squirrels and I even have one tattooed on my arm! I decided to start searching for “squirrel paintings”. It wasn’t long until I found this painting! I knew it was the one I wanted to use. I also loved the Sophisticated Squirrel, but I had used green in my previous project. I had fun picking out my fabrics, wall treatments, and flooring! The first fabric I found was the purple and black in the upper right corner of the board; it was perfect! When I presented the board, everyone loved it and I got many positive comments on the painting! When I got critiqued by my professor, she said it was the best board of the class. She took it to a conference to represent the school and now it is displayed in the front lobby of my school! I thoroughly enjoyed using your painting for my inspiration! Thanks again!”

Thanks again Jacque, I just adore your presentation board, and thanks so much for being inspired by Steam Punk Squirrel – and loving squirrels like I do!