Waiting

© copyright. Waiting, charcoal on 11x14 drawing paper. Artwork and image by Jacqueline Williams. 

Champagne and moustaches

This weekend I got married. The day was filled with bright sun and shimmering white snow. Relaxed and elegant and a cake made of cheese. To see the cake visit my other blog. Plenty of champagne flowed joyously. Finally us! -JW     

England Unveiled

These photographs are only some of the photos I took on our trip to England this summer. Since it is Halloween I thought I would share some of the more eerie ones. - JW  

                                                              Churchyard in Wye

                                                                   Leeds Castle 

                                                                  Leeds Castle

                                                                    Canterbury

                                                            Highgate Cemetery 

                                                       Highgate Cemetery 

                                                                           Highgate

                                                        Tower Bridge, London

                                                           Victoria Park, Kent 

                                                                     Ramsgate

                                                            Highgate Cemetery

                                                           Lighthouse, Kent 

With Many Thanks!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of going to Garneau School and speaking with their Grade 5/6 class about my art and myself. I was amazed at the interest and the questions that were asked after a brief introduction about myself and how my art came to be. I shared my sketch books, the different mediums I used and techniques. I hope I have inspired them as much as they have inspired me. And the little green bird has a wonderful new place in the Grade 5/6 class. 

- JW  

The Victorian Undertaker and The Victorian Cemetery

These two books came from Highgate Cemetery. I was intrigued to find books on such subjects. Then again at some point I wanted to be a mortician when I grew up. The books are insightful and make you wonder what life was like back then. In the Victoria era death... or funerals were such rituals and sometimes pageantry was not reserved for the wealth of kings or queens. There was protocol which lent to the meticulous details and  the method of mourning. Interesting! - JW 

Susan Aldworth: The Portrait Anatomised

We kept popping in and out of art galleries on the trip to England. Susan Aldworth's installation, The Portrait Anatomised, I found quite profound. It was tucked away just down the hall from the Duchess of Cambridge's official portrait. In it's own separate little room, baring three walls. All three walls had just about ceiling to floor art pieces. I marvelled at the contrast and the depth of such an installation. When leaving the gallery we stopped by the gift shop, found and purchased the book regarding her installation. It was the last copy they had. Number 237/750.     

It comes with three fold outs and a booklet detailing The Portrait Anatomised. To find out more about Susan Aldworth's The Portrait Anatomised go to the National Portrait Gallery website and search Susan Aldworth or you can click *HERE* . - JW 

England certainly has come full circle. Thanks to Andy Murray and the birth of the Royal baby.  

Hot weather was plenty! So being seaside on a hot +37 degree day left me sunburnt. Collecting seashells was a novel idea. Had a fabulous ploughman's at the Old Bell pub in Rye. A blue rooster marked the ever changing plinth. Saw the nortorious official portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge up close. Hamleys was an absolute mad house. The castles of choice were Leed's minus the 90's wax figures and the Tower of London which held no prisoners. Shared a bottle of champagne at the Victoria pub with a dear friend. Visiting Highgate Cemetery sent chills up and down my spine. A mini steam train provided a brief mode of transportation. Popped into two tucked away art galleries in Canterbury. Watched the riveting football test match, England vs. Scotland... England won! Savoured a refreshing Pimm's after a long walk in the countryside. The Saatchi/Lawson divorce was over soon after the plane touched down. Royal shocker... Fergie, the Duchess of York, was spotted at Balmoral. And... Anti-Fracking was the word! - jw    

And I'm off...

It's vacation time again and you guessed it we are off to England! It has been really hot weather wise over in Old Blighty, so we are looking forward to some sort of summer. Enjoy the next few weeks because I know I am! - JW  

© photo by Jacqueline Williams. 

Artwalk 2013!

Day 1: Batten down the hatches! It was so terribly windy that one of my pieces of art blew straight off the stand and landed on a pair of scissors I was holding in my hand. Call it suicide art. There is no art like impaled art. People were out and about meeting and greeting with all the artists along the Ave. 

This was my neighbouring artist, Christie Sheridan. I just had to add her work to my post. She was absolutely lovely and I could not have had a better buddy artist. Her artwork is expressive and colourful. 

Day 2: Sun, sun and more sun! It was a fantastic day. The sun brought lots of people to the Ave. I was visited by many Artwalkers and friends. Even people that bought my art from previous years stopped by to see what I was up to. I sold a bit which was great! 

Day 3: Rain! With all the Artwalks I have done it has rained at least one of the days. I set up when there was a break from the rain however dark clouds loomed only to finally be cleared away. Sun and blue skies prevailed. Despite the unsettling weather that started off the day many people were out supporting this annual event. I sold a few more pieces which was fantastic. 

For me, this was the best Artwalk! And I can't wait until next year. For everyone who stopped by to chat, talk about art and purchase, Thank you! It was lovely seeing those that purchased my art in previous years. To my fiancé, thank you for being such a dear and checking on me every now and again to make sure I was watered and had a bite to eat. To my friends and family thanks for all your support. Until next year... - JW   

Three glorious days...

A few weeks ago I was one of 30 artists selected for the Duxbury Road Project. A lovely "pop-up" art gallery situated in the downtown area. However this weekend I will be participating in this... 

The Whyte Ave Artwalk! Over the past few months I have been busy painting and preparing because about two weeks after this I will be heading off to England. Check the Artwalk booklet to find my location. Hope to see you there! - JW  

Bird Watching

I have just finished this piece and now I am working on two 6x12 canvas board versions of this painting. Trying to get the last bits of painting done for this years Art Walk.  

© copyright artwork and image by Jacqueline Williams.    

A Work In Progress...

It's all in the details. I have set this painting aside for now only because I really wanted to work on my other painting. It is not unusual for me to have two or three... or five paintings on the go. 

I am all registered for this years Art Walk, stood in line for over an hour. Just over two months to go and the creative flow continues...  - JW

24x24 acrylic. © copyright artwork and image by Jacqueline Williams.  

My Latest Painting

It took me awhile. I can be meticulous with detail and when doing silhouette type painting therefore I find I can get a bit preoccupied. This isn't the subject matter I gravitate towards however I am exploring.    

© copyright artwork and image by Jacqueline Williams.   

My Poetry Reading

This weekend I had my poetry reading at Audrey's Books. It went very well and as usual I was grouped with some great Edmonton poets. I really enjoyed the young girl named Tallulah that read her poem during the open mic segment. I also had the chance to read a poem that was written for me by Pearle Pirie. The poem, Address For A Burger Night, was my perk for supporting Ottawa's VERSefest 2013. All she had to reference was my name. If you take the first letter in each line it will spell my name. I also directed her to my two blogs and that was it! I would like to share that poem with you now. Oh! and these flowers were waiting for me at home after the poetry reading. It was a great way to end my afternoon and start my evening!   

Address For A Burger Night
--------------------------------------------------------

Just this: let's adjust our clean, good plates; 

A great fiefdom, here, in this sup(p)er-race! 

Care about the sonsie kids a' tak your place. 

Quiet tasks: a pinch o' sage, leeks n' oatmeal. 

Ups-end-a-daisy into the turkey. Salt's trace. 

Eensy shake of peppering with sex appeal. 

Lands o' Dixie plates and o' Guinness ragout 

Italicize an absence that we already knew: 

Need a shot o' whisky for this meaty goo. 

Ewok, you grab a bit and we'll make 5 patties. 

While they fry, cock a glass and eyebrow to 

Influential Robbie and let's get chatty. 

Like paint over gesso, all slips to golden. 

Landscape, dish and life all controlled and

Instead of bun, Clone Scones, then frozen 

Amidala Challah and Wookie Cookies! Yum.

Mmm, in Auld Scotland nae were these. Hold em. 

Sip Earl Grey and so, to the night, succumb. 

© A poem by Pearl Pirie commissioned by Jacqueline Williams as her perk for supporting VERSeFest 2013.

Anna Karenina

A few years back I watched the movie The Last Station and it rekindled my interest in Tolstoy. After seeing the movie Anna Karenina I wanted to read the book. However I do recall in grade school reading a Tolstoy novel and perhaps it was Anna Karenina... for some reason I can't remember. This book looks rather textbook like with it's 870 pages. It's a first printing, 1978 and is translated by Contance Garnett. - JW