What increases growth in critical thinking, compassion & tolerance, lowers our blood pressure & resting HR, sparks our imagination, influences our eating choices, motivates us to work out longer, invites relaxation, improves quality of life of all ages?

Clue: you don’t have to ingest anything… and you don’t have to practice it.

What happens to our brains when we view art?
“In psychology of art, the relationship between art and emotion has newly been the subject of extensive study. Emotional or aesthetic responses to art have previously been viewed as basic stimulus response, but new theories and research have suggested that these experiences are more complex and able to be studied experimentally”

This article suggests the area of the brain that experiences not just emotion, but goal setting is activated when viewing art.

From Visual Thinking Strategies:
“We also found that given certain key elements in the design of aesthetic encounters, growth in critical and creative thinking accompanied growth in aesthetic thought. In other words, in the process of looking at and talking about art, the viewer is developing skills not ordinarily associated with art. These findings were consistent over a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic contexts.”

I have long believed we don’t have to be educated in art, or even a fan to receive it’s benefits.
Why?
Training in marketing during my advertising career taught me~
We are influenced by our surroundings whether we are consciously aware or not.

The newest research is fascinating.
We can directly apply this to how we choose art for our personal surroundings, work and public areas like schools and hospitals.

In a past post, patients in the hip replacement study weren’t aware art was a factor, but their healing improved when art was introduced in the study.
In the same post, research discovered surprisingly, people exposed to art on their lunch breaks created more acts of random kindness.

Subjects in another study were placed in a room at a table with a screen projecting paintings, or an abstract screen saver. They were instructed to eat as much as they wanted from a bowl of candies. They ate less when exposed to the paintings.

The fitness study quoted in Runners World 2007 isn’t surprising, “A team of Boston researches discovered looking at paintings of favourite vacation spots helped exercisers work out longer.”

Scientists are uncovering interesting facts using MRI imaging.
Via “Brain scans reveal the power of Art”
“Human guinea pigs underwent brain scans while being shown a series of 30 paintings by some of the world’s greatest artists.
The artworks they considered most beautiful increased blood flow in a certain part of the brain by as much as 10 per cent – the equivalent to gazing at a loved one.’
‘Professor Zeki added: “What we are doing is giving scientific truth to what has been known for a long time – that beautiful paintings makes us feel much better. But what we didn’t realize until we did these studies is just how powerful the effect on the brain is.”

The Smithsonian Magazine.com topic of neuroaesthetics
“How Does the Brain Process Art?” enlightens us to fascinating findings using a technique called trans­cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
While viewing Michelangelo’s Expulsion from Paradise “excited areas in the primary motor cortex that controlled the observers’ own wrists.”

Speak Art Loud states
“Art positively impacts both individual and community wellbeing. Incorporating art into own daily life, into our community and into our health care systems will help us all create good health.
Art is used to educate medical professionals; Analyzing art provides a new way of “seeing” and helps medical students become more skillful at diagnosing patients.
“Courses in arts observation can help doctors hone their clinical skills, said Dr. Caroline Wellbery, co-author of a research paper on the role of arts education in medicine, published last month in the journal Academic Research.” –Globe and Mail Aug. 2015

In her Ted NPR, Tierney ThyThys mentions desire to exercise our brain, increase focus & concentration, speed healing, release stress, increase energy, inspire creativity;
 surround ourselves with nature. If people are unable to venture outdoors, just imagery of nature can have a powerful effect.

Scientists say they are just scratching the surface of discovering the true power of art on our minds & bodies.
Thou the public may be surprised at these findings, I think Artists have known, either intuitively, or consciously, since we began drawing in caves.

It’s just super cool now science is backing us up.

p.s
Note from my client (who purchased a “Sunset” original painting) works in the field of Education:
“I had a little boy who is quite autistic visiting my office.He went right up to ‘Sunset’ and just quietly stared. I gently asked him, “Tell me what you see.” Without taking his eyes off of it, he replied, “The beach.”
It was a special moment, and certainly affirmation for me that the Arts have the ability to cross all academic divides and social barriers.”

New”Autumn Trees” 8×10 oil on board avail for purchase

Austin, creator of my favoured ‘Birthday Candles’ painting
is becoming a frustrated Artist, his Mom confessed.
You may remember my friend Austin from a previous post, here.
Austin isn’t alone in his frustration.
These days my mailbox is filled with similar complaints, from professionals, hobbyists and Artist hopefuls.
Complaints are typically followed by
“You wouldn’t understand. (Yes I do.)
“You have natural talent” (it isn’t a secret how I feel about that word, and No).
“It probably came easy to you even as a child.”
Noooooo.
I have proof.

If that didn’t convince you, this will.
We had a babysitter who loved to draw horses.
I would sneak out of bed to see her drawing, only to be scooted back before I could watch her process.
How did she do it? I tried and tried.

Horses were a favourite subject of mine, among people, landscapes, animals and my dog.

earliest record of my art ~ a card for my parents.

I shouldn’t show these publicly.
Besides making point, they’re funny.
I wasn’t a born artist, but I was tenacious.

By Grade 12, I could draw a decent horse.

coloured charcoal- horse

I taught myself looking at picture books and horses, making a ton of mistakes.
By high school, I had shown improvement on the other subjects too.

I didn’t have art in school until Grade 11.
The Grade 11 art teacher told me “Never study. They could ruin you. You’re a natural talent”.
She had no idea I had been working on it for over a decade.

New 12×16 “Sunfire” oil on canvas

I assured Austin’s Mom frustration is a good sign.
It means he wants to improve. Austin has great passion for creating.
We all have the fever of frustration, it’s a myth professional artists are immune.
The key is, don’t give up.

My friend Dayna of the Pottery Cupboard says
“I have spent 12 years in the studio, every day. The first five were spent crying”.

In an instant gratification society often we underestimate the work & time involved to excel.
The craft is honoured when we recognize the dedication necessary to become a master.
~
Note. Along with the talent myth, another fable exists: once an Artist is accomplished, art is an easy road from thereon.
It’s never easy.
Like athletes we have to practice. Muscle memory applies to Artists, too. We need to use and improve all our skills or we lose them.
Art is a lifelong learning process, of which I am a joyful student.
~
p.s Austin’s painted birdhouse is a treasure in my studio. He began by painting the inside- for the birds of course. When his Mom encouraged him to paint the outside, he added ‘snow’. Both signs of a great artist indeed.

I am venturing into exciting new territory.

New “Mono Cliff Trail” 8×10 Original Oil

On Sept 26th nearly 400 runners will converge in a valley draped in autumn beauty to embark on a spectacular trail run.
Chase the Coyote takes place in Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, part of the Niagara Escarpment.
It’s natural wonders of rocky cliffs, forested trails traverse by natural ponds returning up steep inclines.
Meadows of wild grasses & sumac dot the scape below.

Running Free Orangeville and their participating sponsors
host an amazing fun, challenging event on this incredible diverse trail system.

Autumn Trail 4ft x3ft Original Oil $ 3200.oo

Camaraderie among runners of all ages created a festive atmosphere as
I mingled about at the start line last September.

photo from Running Free Orangeville.

This stunning course invites the runner to experience each aspect of the varying terrain among the soft drumbeat of footfalls on dirt trail.
The vivid scenery, great support of volunteers and host, add to the elements making this the most spectacular trail race I have run.

See photos click here
It’s worth the time to view the entire course video.
Envision it in full autumn splendor here

Absorbing the beauty of the season running this diverse landscape was amazing.
Reuniting with friends made it extra special.
As we celebrated in the autumn glow of the afternoon, I thought about the similarities of my work and events like these.
• We encourage people to connect with nature
• To engage in our natural surroundings in a healthy manner
• Support our parks.
• Discover & celebrate community.

It’s a few of the reasons I am inspired to venture into new territory sponsoring Chase the Coyote.

Mono Cliff Trail 8×10 original donated to Chase the Coyote Trail Race Sept 26/2015
~
If you have been following my career path, you know I donate
a portion of my sales to conservancy programs such as Nature Conservancy International, Nature Canada, etc.
I continue to support charities & community fundraisers specifying health care services and community parks.
Thou sponsoring a race is new, it’s a good fit for the work, and an honour to be connected to such a vibrant community actively engaging in our wonderful parks.

“You’re lucky having a creative outlet for stress, all I have is my elliptical.”
I was unsure how to respond.
I use other tools as a stress release, not art.

This may seem confusing because art is well recognized as therapy with documented scientific results.

Art is a powerful and amazing tool for rehabilitation, recreation, stress release & enjoyment.
It can be an outlet that brings balance, improves health, achieving an array of benefits.
It’s a wonderfully individual pursuit and experience.

As a professional, my art isn’t a quest for self- healing or self- expression.
For one thing, I am painting for you, not me.

New “Afan” 8×10 Original oil on panel. Photo research credit to Afan Lodge, Wales.

There is an accountability and responsibility to deliver consistent quality work and connect with the viewer.
How the work will resonate with you, how it will feel in your spaces.
Will it have longevity, and make a difference in your lives.
These are all considerations I take to the canvas.

New “Boreal” 4ft x2ft Original Oil

I show up for work as stress free as possible with intention, a clear focused mind, a loving heart, an ability to surrender to discovery.
I am driven to improve, to master.
I wasn’t relaxed when I sat with my drawing pad as a child,
I was and still am, electrified.
~
Art is not an amusement, nor a distraction, nor is it, as many men maintain, an escape from life. On the contrary, it is a high training of the soul, essential to the soul’s growth, to its unfoldment.~ Lawren Harris
~
I had a lovely email& photo from a client happy with their painting. Wonderful to have new friends in Germany!

Boreal Sunset Sold to a lovely family in Saskatoon.. so I have a new desk view.
“Sky” 30×40 original oil avail for purchase.

He bought every painting in the exhibit.
“I don’t think the artist was expecting it”,
he said, while we were cycling last weekend.

I doubt she was, but we dream about it.

New “Midnight Sun” 11×14 oil

Speaking of his purchases brought to light stories of other great art patrons.

The Guardian’s Rachel Cook writes “Impressionism owes much of its global success to the efforts of Paul Durand-Ruel, the dealer who discovered Degas, Monet, Pissarro and Renoir, buying their work at a time when it was ridiculed by the art establishment.
“Without him,” said Monet, “we wouldn’t have survived.”
(The 10 best Art Patrons- Feb 2015).

In the early 60’s my father recalls Allen Sapp paintings propped on the local hardware shelves for 10$ each.
During the short time we lived in North Battleford, Sapp’s career blossomed.
A large credit to his success was due to the patronage of Dr. Allan Gonor, whom he met in 1966.
If it had not been for Dr. Gonor’s continued support by purchasing, and introducing his art to buyers, I doubt the incredible collection of Sapp’s work would exist today.

Another known physician encouraged a young artist by the name of Tom Thomson.
Dr. James MacCallum was a great patron and friend of the Group of Seven,
“he encouraged some of the most recognizable and evocative art ever painted in this country.”

New “Mountain Lake” 20×24 Original oil

One doesn’t have to be wealthy or an educated art advisor to gather a collection worth a fortune.
The fascinating story about Dorothy and Herb Vogel
has circulated around the globe.
Dorothy, a librarian, and her late husband Herb, a mail sorter for US Post, amassed one of the largest private collections of art.
Their collection inspired two documentary films.

These patrons supported artists early in their careers, for many it became pivotal in their success.
The collectors may have even helped establish value in their own collections.

New in progress 4ftx2ft -playing with one of my fav.scenes in the boreal

Personally, selling art isn’t just about being able to buy more art supplies, pay bills and continue painting.
Having patrons believe in the work, welcome it into their spaces, and love it, fuels the process of art in a brilliant way.
Patrons understand art will enrich their lives, what they may not realize, they have enriched the artists work.

This supportive energy encourages the artist to excel.
It’s about the positive vibes.
Or as Emeril Lagasse says “adding the ingredient of love.”

When I asked my friend what encouraged him to spontaneously buy the entire exhibit, his expression softened.
With a widening smile he replied “how could I not? they were all so beautiful”.

“Most of the artists we collected were unknowns when we collected them. It was very nice when some did become known—we were happy for them. But we collected other unknown artists at the same time, and we still loved their work.” Dorothy Vogel

They were offered champagne, swept into a private room of the gallery and ushered into cozy seating.
The dealer announced the painting price “may be flexible” because the artist “doesn’t really need the money”.

My friends felt pampered while somewhat perplexed.
They hadn’t asked about purchasing art. They just said it was ‘nice’.
“Suddenly we’re being directed into this room, champagne thrust in our hands.
It was sort of cool, after all, we were on holiday in a festive mood”.

New Original Oils 5×7 on canvas board

Were they prepared to buy? Was it a good price? Why were they offered a 40% discount?
They wanted my opinion, but couldn’t remember the artist’s or gallery’s name.
They weren’t sure if the work was original.
“We were sort of caught up in the whole ambiance.”
I wondered how much champagne was flowing that morning.

The whole experience sounded fishier than the mahi-mahi they dined on during their vacation.
I was relieved they hadn’t taken the bait.

Most Dealers and Artists are ethical, honest professionals who desire to share their passion for art, but my friend’s story brings up a familiar topic in the industry.
Is art priced fairly, what are you buying, what is the value, and why doesn’t everyone thrust champagne at you the moment you comment on a painting?

New 8×10 original oil on canvas board

With few guidelines, purchasing art can be an enjoyable and thrilling experience (even without the champagne) void of worry & doubt.
Tips on visiting a gallery, click here.
What to look for in a representing gallery and how commission structure works click here.
Auctions are another story for another day.

What are you buying?
The art displayed should have clear information on genre/ medium/ artist, etc.
Is it original?
“Hand signed by the Artist” it’s signed, but not likely original.
Giclee on canvas is a print on canvas.
Print : there are many types of prints, serigraph, lithograph, lino cut print, wood cut print.
The print may be limited (a specific number of prints in circulation) or unlimited.
Mandy Salter of Salter Art Appraisers voiced prints are only worth ’the paper they are printed on’, during her lecture on art as an investment.
Lino & Wood cut prints have a certain amount of originality because of the process. Ask the experts.

Accredited Art Appraisers and Dealers can help establish value of art, and assist in collection management.
To read my post on Corporate Art Collecting, click here.

Rule of thumb in Canada prices increase approx. 10%- 20% each year the artist is actively selling.
Pricing is usually established by representing galleries. Mine were.
The artist/ venue should have a price list, bio/CV, press releases, etc and answer questions clearly, with no confusing artspeak.
Art should be consistent in pricing, and considerate of comparable work in the marketplace, even if not represented by galleries.
If self represented, a professional website is a must.
Are they a professional artist?
Recreational artists aren’t necessarily trying to establish long term value in the work, ( ie: getting work to the secondary market, etc).
This may reflect in their pricing.

After using common sense when purchasing art, one guideline is recognizable among dealers/ appraisers alike:
Do you LOVE it? The art market is fickle, even with the recognizable names, therefore, buy/ invest with love..

He won the lottery.
As a mathematician, he knew the odds.
He didn’t buy a ticket to win, but for the “fantasy”.
What were his? A Lamborghini, and big house, he said.
Did he purchase the car & home when he won tens of millions?
No.
“Both impractical, really” was his thoughtful reply.
What he did do with the windfall?

He gave an enormous donation to a University in memory of his beloved professor.
Speaking of his teacher, his gaze softened, exhibiting more emotion than he had of the lotto win.
You just knew his mentor had taught more than just math.
He was a gift to me, he said.

Early in our friendship she asked for an art lesson.
“I’ll bring wine” she quipped.
“Laura, you don’t paint” a mutual friend said.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t ”she replied with a sparkle in her eyes.
Sparkle she did, in every room she wandered into.

Over a long lunch a couple of months ago we spoke of her recent diagnosis and fear.
“You know,” she said, pausing, mimicking her expression of moments earlier recalling a recipe.
“I just don’t have any” waving her fork absently in the air.
“I am not in denial. I just choose to be positive.”
She also chose to raise money for hospice.
10,000 dollars in fact.

We had another long lunch planned two weeks ago to chat about everything from fashion scarves to families when I found myself at her service instead.
“I want more.” I whispered to no one, tears streaming down my face.
I want that lunch date, and those group dinners with so much laughter.
I want more Laura stories and to feel the warmth of her hugs carrying her soft scent, her bracelets clinking behind my neck.

Inspired by her generosity, I created a painting in her memory for hospice.
Her love of gardening, Italy, and the light she brought to so many lives infused in the painting.

Lavender 14×18 original oil ~donation gift to hospice

The very moment I laid my brush upon it’s completion, an email popped up from my friend Myah’s Mom, about a fairy painting.

Fairy- original oil 6×8 ~ gift to the Windrim Family

Myah did visit my studio for an art ‘lesson’.

A cricket chirped outside my studio window as our brushes swirled.
“How nice it is”, she remarked “to listen to crickets while we paint”.
We talked about her passion for fairies and art.
Fairies don’t have names, seasons, a tie to colour or song, she informed me.
“It’s not like that”.
I wondered what her fairies were like, so she drew them for me.
Her beautiful drawing is still tacked on my studio wall.

During her last days Myah’s school friends decorated her entire stoop with hundreds of fairies.

“Myah’s Wings” raised $35,000 at Megan’s walk for Sick Kids months ago after her passing.

Whether we have known inspiring souls a long or short time,
we feel equally robbed of it.
Future memories & moments stolen from us, like a pulled rug from beneath our feet.
We want more.
More hugs, shared laughter & painting dates. More time.

But time is elusive, slipping between our outstretched fingers like grains of sand.

I didn’t entirely accept Tennyson’s quote when I was young,
“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
I do know it’s a gift to have known such deep rich love, and people like Laura & Myah.

To honour the gift is to carry on by their example.
To live life drenched in colour, vibrantly, quietly determined, embrace passion, engage, give back, be brave, fearless,
and perhaps believe in fairies.
Their timeless gifts, like our love, live on.

p.s
Several elements need to be considered in creating a painting for hospice.
Most importantly, the people who will be in it’s midst, visitors & patients.
When people are ill, too much stimuli can be overwhelming, a softer palette is used, with the texture controlled to a minimum.

The painting needs to look well in dim and bright light, natural and artificial.
The light within the piece will glow in these varying types of lighting.
Cerulean blue is used to create the ‘glow’.
I’ve put it in the lavender and tiny hints in the sky.

The moving sway of the field is meant to mimic a visual lullaby.
Green is the most calming colour ( proven in psychiatric studies) there is a hint of it within the entire painting, even the sky.

Lavender is a herb often used in sleep aid, it’s scent a universal calming influence. Even the sight of the herb to those who have experienced the scent may induce the calming effect.
~
In memory of Laura Mantovan (53) ~ Nov 23 1961- July 30th 2015
Myah Windrim (8) ~ Aug 27 2006 – Feb 19 2015

Monet had cataracts.
Degas, retinal eye disease.
Georgia O Keefe, Mary Cassatt and Rembrandt all suffered decline of ocular vision.
Stories swirl theorizing they were better artists because of their condition.

How did Monet and Degas see?
Standford News interviewed ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Marmor on his theories.
Marmor has written two books on the subjects and co-authored The Eye of the Artist with James. G. Ravin.
He uses software to replicate what the artist may have seen.
For a glimpse, click here.

At the age of three my parents discovered I wasn’t seeing well.
An optometrist confirmed their suspicion of nearsightedness.
He believed a child under school age shouldn’t wear glasses, suggesting we return in a couple of years.

With my Dad, brother & faithful friend Tuff

I will never forget the day, years later, when I first donned my personally chosen bright purple frames.
Driving home, my face pressed to the window I exclaimed,
“MOM the trees have leaves, they have LEAVES!!”
I remember those trembling aspens and birch, leaves shimmering in the wind, bright as pennies in the sun.
I was ecstatic. Mom was crying.
She was reeling over the fact I hadn’t ever seen leaves in a forest grove.

By 16 the optometrist could no longer find frames to fit me, or make glasses thick enough.
Contacts changed my view yet again.
The world was suddenly sharper & clear, but depth perception was difficult to navigate.
I stumbled a lot.

The ‘reading glass’ era arrived 5 years ago.
I should paint with them, but don’t.

Thou I couldn’t discount my friend’s enthusiasm that presbyopia was ‘a gift from heaven’,
because she could no longer see her wrinkles,
it still has it’s share of challenges.

I was in the studio when my Client showed me the photo for this special commission.
I saw lovely natural buff cliffs and a meandering river.
After he left I found my glasses and discovered the cliffs were houses.
A whole village.

It was a surprise, and a challenge.
24×24 New oil on canvas.

The painting took about three weeks & 23 brushes.
I began in acrylic, layered with oil.
~introduced two new colours – viridian and phthalo green
~incorporated a canyon palette – destination of the couple’s engagement photos.
~ used two entire palettes of paint.
There is a little surprise in one of the towers.

I wore my reading glasses.

p.s.
Were Artists better painters because of decline in vision?
I believe scientists are missing the point.
These well accomplished artists had honed their skills & perceptions.
Masters who understood light, composition, movement and contrast.
They weren’t just ‘seeing’ their subjects, they understood them on a whole different plane~
one that infuses mystery and the unseen.
Dr. Marmor reproduces what Monet was seeing on canvas with poor vision.
What was he seeing beyond the canvas?
~
Anticipating the letters of response~
I rarely accept commissions.
It’s true this isn’t my typical genre.
He isn’t my typical client either.

Ahhh…summer holidays.

Leaving the comforts of familiar surroundings can revitalize our spirits in surprising ways.
For those who work at home, it can offer a reprieve from both work & home demands.

It can also be a catalyst for change.

“New Day” 8×10 New Oil on canvas

A friend returning from an extended wilderness trip remarked,
“I used one dish. One bowl to clean, & ta-da dishes are done!”
Wait till my husband finds out we are paring down to one dish each”.

Experiencing different environments offer us the unique opportunity to re-visit our own spaces with a new perspective.

Pining the feeling of cottage life?
What can you mimic in your home environment to enjoy the simpler way of life you discovered on holiday?
Did you play family games instead of watching tv?
Outdoor evenings spent by a campfire, no electronics in sight?
Pinpointing why certain elements are more relaxing/ energizing/ productive, is key to reproducing them.

The University of Minnesota studied ‘links the physical environments of hospitals to health outcomes’.
Discoveries like these can be applied to residential and work environments.

We pack our favourite clothes traveling.
Do they fit into one suitcase?
Fewer clothing selections reduces decision time and results in less laundry.
A study suggests we wear 20% of our entire wardrobe.
Yes, that’s 20%.

Less clutter is a reoccurring theme to increased productivity, better sleep, less stress, more cohesive environments.
Apparently, ‘less stuff’ frees us from more than just dusting.

Joshua Becker and family chose to live a minimalist life and wrote bestselling books about it.
In his blog he offers tips on how to sample living with less. Joshua points to the benefits of owning less, including a conscious choice of owning higher quality things, and displaying what matters most.

Newly evolved “Crimson” 22×28 original oil on canvas.

Visiting dwellings & galleries, I note what invites me in, and what makes me feel like staying.
I may learn by observing the efficiency an artist’s work area during a studio tour.

Upon my return, art, studio & home are viewed with fresh discerning eyes. Paintings are re-discovered, necessary purging completed.

A spirit lifted from the reprieve, is replenished with
new vision.
A clutter free studio is prepped for creation,
possibility emerges in the sparkling light.
~
Note: Living simpler can be beneficial to our health and a wise environmental choice.
After de-cluttering, donating items to those in need, becoming a conscious consumer is empowering.
No longer a slave to media driven dictated way of life, we are free to refine priorities based on our needs & individuality.
Similar to taking control of our nutritional & physical health, it’s liberating.