Season's Greetings!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and successful New Year!

We have a green Christmas on Vancouver Island but here is a photograph from our winter weather in November.  It truly was a winter wonderland!

Shirley

International Equine Artists

I am pleased to announce that I have joined a new equestrian artists' group called INTERNATIONAL EQUINE ARTISTS that was recently founded by Debbie Flood.

We have our very first on-line art show up and running now.  Check it out at:
http://www.internationalequineartists.com/main.html

Be sure to vote for your favourite painting.  Here is a preview of mine.  No copying please!

http://www.internationalequineartists.com/shirleybellows.html

A Zentangle

This year I joined my local art club, The Escape Artists, and one member introduced me to Zentangles.
They are fun to do and they also help with creativity as there is no pressure when creating them.
Check out:   http://www.zentangle.com/    I get their newsletter and enjoy their tips.

This is the first one I attempted and I call it, "Z is for ....."

I actually did it from another angle and was really surprised by this image when I had completed it.

Try doing some and see how you like them!

Tomatoes in the BC Garden

2010 was not a very good gardening year on Vancouver Island.  Finally the green tomatoes are turning colour and I am saving seeds from them as they are all heritage varieties.  One old variety that I have not grown in decades is Starfire, a Canadian one from the early 1960's.  Here is a photo.  It was my best producer this year.

Spring Crocus

'Spring Crocus'

It is truly springtime here on Vancouver Island.  This is a painting of one of the true harbingers of spring,

the crocus. 

This watercolour measures 8 1/4" x 10 3/4 " and it is for sale. 

Notecards are also available.

It was with great surprise that I found this image of

my artwork STOLEN and on someone else's blog.

Please remember that artist's own their images and all uses of them.  

DO NOT COPY OR DOWNLOAD IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION.

1999 - My First Graphite

I thought I should start at the beginning of my canine art so here is my first completed graphite portrait from January, 1999.  This is of my beloved Collie, Flash, and it is entitled, Flash in Black & White.  It has an 8" diameter.  This is the only image I have so it is quite small as it is professionally framed and I do not want to remove it from its frame to scan it.

In 1983 I commissioned an artist, Mary Cordell, to do a portrait of Flash for a birthday present for my husband and we still have that framed and on the wall.  It was only when I started doing my own art that I wanted to do my own portrait of her and it was very satisfying to complete it.

Pet portraits are a way to give a lasting tribute to the love we feel for our pets.  I encourage owners to take lots of photos of their animals, especially while they are in their younger years.  Since most animal artists work from photos, choosing a photo from when the animal was in its prime is a wise thing to do.  This is the way we want to remember them.

Welcome to Petals and Pets!

I am finally joining the Blogging world.  I plan to introduce you to my art and tell you a bit about my pet, my garden and what is going on here on Vancouver Island.

This time of year I am busy helping out with the island Seedy Saturdays.  These are the first gardening events of the season and everyone has so much enthusiasm.  On February 20th I'll have my display representing Seeds of Diversity Canada at the Victoria, BC event so that will be fun.  Anyone who is interested in these events that are held across Canada can visit:  http://www.seeds.ca/ to find them in their area.

Artwise, I have just rejoined the Canine Art Guild.  You can see some of my art there at www.canineartguild.com/shirleybellows