Scotland

What can I say other than I was whisked away for a surprise belated honeymoon in Scotland! We had a wonderful time. Managed to take a peek at a few art galleries. And of course, Edinburgh Castle. - JW  

Current and the not so current...

Going through my photos made me realize that I had not mentioned this. Although this is last years publication, to which I was published in, I am published in this years as well. Also back in February one of my poems was used in the Poetry in Cobourg Spaces project. I am painting up a storm because Artwalk is fast approaching. Pondering the possibility of organizing and being apart of a poetry reading in the fall. Making submissions. Inquiring on place to hang my artwork. There is always a creative moment. - JW      

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     

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  

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  

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.

Ted Hughes

i picked up this book from the Winchelsea Book Fair in England. i haven't read any of Ted Hughes poetry before. Don't know why really. when i saw the book i though why not for the one pound thirty pence it cost me it's a nice addition to my poetry collection. i found it kind of ironic because i brought Colossus and Other Poems by Sylvia Plath with me on my trip for reading material and there i find Hughes tucked away in Winchelsea.- JW 

flowers and poetry

While traveling throughout England I would stop at a few quaint villages. I can't remember the name of the village or town... it may have been Faversham. Spotted a small used bookshop down a side street. Took a browse and found this palm size book. Tell The Wish Of Thy Heart In Flowers: Language and Poetry of Flowers; Milner and Sowerby 1860; top, side and bottom edge gold gilt. It's filled with interesting references of flowers and how they can be used in poetry and the poems inside are a treat. Not bad for £1! -JW  

one would like to say that not much had changed in the past two years since visiting England last, however this year was marked with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and London was the host city for the Olympics and the Paralympics. 

Although i arrived the day before the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, those Olympic mascots were popping up everywhere, flags flew high in support of England and the Union Jack for all. bunting decorated shop windows, homes, pubs, gardens, packaging and products. the Victoria and Albert museum bookshop was the place to be. the Albert Monument across from the Royal Albert Hall left me in total awestruck!!! the Twinings Tea Shop/Museum is a tea totallers delight. had a unforgettable delectable meal at Fortnum and Masons. took in a gin distillery tour with Sipsmith. pubs were the places to eat. ploughmans were the menu item of choice. cracked open a bottle with friends at the Harvey Nichols champagne bar and then headed to Cafe Rouge for a meal. not before spotting the Julian Assange supporters outside Ecuador's Embassy. Ellen Terry's House/Museum was enchanting. viewing her death mask was haunting! Sissinghurst Castle was a garden of delights. the 99's fluctuated in price from £1.40p to £2.20. Winchelsea was full of book fairs and i had the best latté there oh... and of course another Royal scandal. Keep Calm and Harry On is all one can say. England was England!  -jw 

Rule Britannia!

the summer has been a busy one and my long awaited vacation is here. i am off to England. i did say it was my home away from home. it's been two years since my last visit and what can i say other than through all the Jubilations and Olympic spirit i am curious to see how Old Blighty is really doing. see you in a few weeks. - jw 

Art Walking

Day 1: i am all set up and ready to go! at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk. very hot but keeping hydrated... drinking water and iced coffee. friends stop by. meeting lots of wonderful people. met the young man who bought three of my paintings months ago! sold two paintings!

Day 2: very... very hot today!!! decided to set up on the other side of the street. being beside the pub's patio couldn't be that bad. the patio's speaker blaring the likes of Neil Diamond, U2, and Queen. lots of traffic today on the avenue. sometimes the people have been standing in line waiting to move up or down the sidewalk. saw lots of dogs. more friends stopped by to say hi and see how i was doing.  

i moved my chair over to the other side of the sidewalk under the umbrella i brought to get some relief from the sun. with the steady flow of people i decided to sketch out some ideas. these are them. sold three paintings!   

Day 3: Rain! Rain! and more rain! stood in the rain for seven hours. at times the rain came down so hard i thought the sidewalk was going to overflow and everything would be washed away. my friend Robin had her display to the right of me. we kept each other company and warm with lattés. there were quite a few people out. most people stopped and chatted and admired both of our determination. sold one painting and it was worth it! 


Thanks to everyone, who purchased my pieces and have given them a new home, who stopped by to say hi and chat about my art and poetry, those who inquired about custom pieces and to my family, my kidlets and friends thank you for your support! 




© copyright all photos, artwork, sketches are property of Jacqueline Williams. artwork by Jacqueline Williams. publishing/reproducing prohibited unless with the author's permission.

Whether it's anticipating the fortune cookie at the end of a meal or simply looking under a cap sometimes there is irony with those words of wisdom.  

being a person who writes and paints, i am always searching for new places where i can write, sketch and read. being inspired can happen anywhere and anytime. new surroundings can help refresh. while the repetitive places can hold you ransom... harbouring your ghosts. i try not to be so frequent with my visits to certain places. making them more into a cycle. one big loop. i used to go to one place religiously and now almost everything about that place irritates me. for me, nothing flows there. in the pursuit of new places to resume the creative flow finding them has it's obvious advantages. - jw        

open mic night

last night i took the stage at Cha Island Tea's Open Mic Night. i was smack dab in the middle of the show with a whole bunch of musicians around me. the entertainment was plenty and rockin'. my segment went very well and so did the others. months ago, Cha Island was the place where i had my art up and i managed to sell three pieces! what a great way to end the month!!!   

my poetry reading went very well and i enjoyed reading at Greenwoods' new location. very cosy and intimate. the weather has warmed up. my art is no longer up at Cha Island Tea Co. it was up for four months, i think that's a pretty good length of time. i will venture along the Ave and see where else i may hang my art. i am also working on some new designs/paintings for this years artwalk. i have been painting ceramics too! many projects are on the go. no wonder it feels like spring is here! - jw

when the weather is like this...

i tend to spend it in the kitchen, baking and cooking many things. so today i will be focused on my poetry. i have a poetry reading this Sunday and i need to select the ones i will be sharing. - jw

my creativity flows down many avenues

hi everyone! you may have noticed i started posting about the many cookbooks i collect. considering that this blog is more for my poetry and art, it got me thinking. so i started a new blog to share my luv of cookbooks, recipes, kitchen gadgets etc. called The Half Cut Cook

still in the tweaking stages and forging ahead this new blog is a very natural choice for me... i luv to create in the kitchen. i will not be abandoning this blog. i do still create outside of the kitchen. if you would like to follow or swing by please do so. it would be very much appreciated and who knows eventually i may post a cooking video or two! all the best in 2012 to you all!

cheers

JW