In September, 2004, I participated in an Art Cunanan workshop and this is one of the pieces accomplished. Art is a terrific instructor, who teaches painting watercolour using an easel, something that I had never previously attempted. The result is a more vivid, looser impressionist painting and was great fun. Thanks again, Art.

This is my friend, Lee Ann, with her daughter, Katy, whose grandmother, Phyllis, is a close friend of mine. The reference photograph was unposed, as you can see. The new mom, very tired from night feedings, is fast asleep, baby Katie cuddled beside her. The similar posture in each is what inspired me to paint this watercolour. Simon and Garfunkle would perhaps have liked this one, from "Mother and Child Reunion".

This painting was just a bit of winter 2004 watercolour that I spent the day with recently. Fun to paint and experiment a little with some new watercolours, from Daniel Smith and Holbein, and wet in wet technique. There are numerous old barns throughout the Manitoulin and rail fences are the usual here.

These lovely lady slippers were growing at the side of the East Road, near our cottage. Lady Slippers, both golden and purple, are a natural flora of the Manitoulin and were in abundance in 2002/3. The reference photo for this painting was among many taken with my SLR and digital cameras. 'Golden Manitoulin Slippers' was one of two watercolours selected for the 2004 NOAA Juried Exhibition and may be also viewed on the Northern Ontario Artists Association web site at www.noaa.ca. If you'd like a print of 'Shooting for Twenty', leave a message in my Guest Book.

I took the reference photograph for this painting at table level, using my 35 mm SLR camera with 200 macro-zoom lens. Our grandson, Josh, was learning to shoot crokinole and said, "I'm going to get a twenty, Grandma", and he did.

"Shooting for Twenty" was also shown throughout galleries in Northern Ontario in the 2004 Northern Ontario Artist Association Juried Exhibition. You may see the original at Manitou Studio & Gallery in our cottage on Lake Manitou. Prints are available by leaving a message in my Guest Book.

This painting was commissioned by our friends Linda and Reg Roy as a Christmas gift for Reg's daughter, Tracy and son-in-law, Darrin. Amber and Cooper are their German Shorthairs.

Quite a few years ago, I returned to Scotland with my father and visited Loch Lomand. We were walking by the lake and these ducks were following us, looking for food no doubt. They struck me as so comical that I took their picture. Years later, my granddaughter, Rachel, wished me to look in the album for some pictures to share and I saw the photo with different eyes. My daughter-in-law, Anne, had told me our Michael had his 'ducks in a row'. This painting, now in the collection of our friends, Ralph and Beverly Edwards, is very special to me and limited edition prints are available. Orders can be left in my Guest Book.

I came upon my photograph of our grandson, Connor, and just needed to paint it. So, here he is...

The haunting call of the loons can be heard throughout Spring, Summer and Fall on Lake Manitou. It saddens me to see the loons rafting up in late September as their trip south to a warmer climate for the winter is not far off.