1001 Pots

 I'd heard of 1001 Pots for years, but never found the time to go.

But this year we went and am delighted we did!

Pottery can take on many forms including these sweet ornaments.

 

 Where do you start?

 I just loved this teapot and matching tea cups.

 These covered butter dishes and other cool things caught my eye.

 The big picture. Rain or shine this place is open for five weeks in mid-July to mid-August.

 Love how they group different artists together by theme. Cafe au lait bowls!

 Richard liked 'em too!

 More glorious pots.

Love this display of various artists' mugs. How can you choose just one?

And after all that shopping, they even have a sweet cafe tucked onto the side of an indoor gallery.

Need more info? Here's their link: 1001 Pots

It's well worth the drive to Val David, QC. The town itself is adorable, with shopping, trails and cafes. 

It was a great day trip and I intend to revisit it next year.

A Day at the Museum

 The National Gallery of Canada is a marvellous place that I should get to more often.

 This holiday season we made a point of heading there and seeing the Jack Bush show, the Escher show and the contemporary gallery too.

 I loved this selfie of a Michael Snow selfie.

 In the Contemporary Gallery, Richard pondered man's eternal quest for freedom...or was it just an exit sign?

 I loved seeing Richard from my point of view in another gallery, framed by a Sol LeWitt.

Another selfie, this time with Sol LeWitt.

 This amazing work by Geoffrey Farmer was mind boggling. Years of Life magazine cutouts. Very cool indeed.

We took a break in the cafe to rest and hydrate and admired the snow-less view outside and one of the silver sculptures reaching for the sky. Great day in Ottawa.

Freda Pemberton Smith

Freda Pemberton Smith (1902-1991) was an amazing artist who lived in Vankleek Hill, Ontario and painted there prolifically. 

Along with the Skelly Gallery in St. Eugene, Ontario, where this show was held, the exhibit was organized by Freda's niece, Harriet Pemberton Smith (right) of Ottawa. She's seen here with my friends from Montreal, Fran Halter and Paul Patterson who are avid collectors of Freda's work.

Freda excelled at working with oil pastels.

Richard and Lis Skelly, the namesake of the gallery, found some time to catch up.

 More of Freda's pastels.

The large water landscape is pastel but the one to the left is watercolour, a medium that Freda especially loved.

Freda was a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour. An amazing show of her work! To see more images, my friend Evlyn was at the show too. Here's the link to her blog.

Blue Bottle Cafe at SFMOMA

At the Blue Bottle Cafe in SFMOMA, all their desserts are based on artworks in the museum. Fabulous idea or what? This arrangement of cookies is based on the sculpture garden, just outside the indoor cafe.

 This simple plate of cheese and crackers is a nod to Josef Albers minimalist "Squares."

An ode to one of my faves, Barnett Newman. (Did I ever mention I had a barn cat named after him? Never mind.)

The big show that was on during my visit was by Cindy Sherman. Here's her inspired dessert.

 Frida Kahlo Mexican wedding cookies.

 A Wayne Theibaud layer cake; one of the cakes from his "Display Cakes" painting.

 And of, course, the Mondrian cake...the reason I was at the SFMOMA in the first place.

Three of us tucked in to these artful choices. Heck, even the coffee is a piece of art. Wouldn't this be a dream place to work? Designing and baking artwork every day. Sigh...

Weird or What?

 Over the weekend, Richard and I headed to L'Orignal to the old jail.

It's no longer a working prison, but a museum. And guess what? They were hosting an art show.

 And not just any art show! A show of old masters.

 Old masters in a jail? Couldn't be.

But indeed it was. Students in a local art class were asked to copy a fine work of art for the show.

Who needs to go to Europe? The Musee d'Orsay? Nah. The Louvre? Uh uh.

 And here's our intrepid reporter, posing with/as the Mona Lisa. Love the reflection.

While out back in the exercise yard, the gallows are still hanging around, perhaps waiting for someone who gives them a bad review. I loved the show, right?

The Old Forge

This painting by local folk artist Christina Ferguson, c. 1966, was hanging in a home in the village of Dunvegan. Leslie Clark who owns the painting asked me to come by and see it because it depicts the old blacksmith shop and attached home where the original owners of my property lived.


And here's what it looks like today. You can certainly see the similarities in the roof line and windows. My mum and dad cut a door into the wall of the old forge so that they could drive their car into it but other than that, it's much the same nearly 50 years later.

Dale Chihuly

On our recent trip to Boston, we were lucky enough to spend a day at the Museum of Fine Arts.


The Lime Green Icicle Tower is an amazing work...


...by glass artist Dale Chihuly.


Amazing detail. Amazing work of art.

My Favourite Quilt

This quilt from the show I attended on Sunday was amongst my favourites.


Here are a few close up details.


Cool, eh?


Great cow.


Wonderful images.


Terrific quilt.