Out of Art Hibernation

Canmore, Flora and Fauna, 12" x 24" cradled panel with images painted in oil on a vintage topographical map from 1980

Canmore's Mountain Avens Gallery, as The Avens Gallery was initially called, represented my art from the time Arlene Curry opened it in June 1986, through two subsequent owners, for twenty-four years. Almost a decade after leaving the gallery, when we returned, last year,  to Canmore (from Claresholm) it was both an honour and a terrific boost to my ego when the current gallery manager, Betti Irwin, invited me back.

December 16th, 2017, The Avens, staff, owners and some of their gallery artists. Betti Irwin is second from right

It isn't likely that I'll resume painting sizeable, traditional landscapes which did and would again work so perfectly in the Avens. Much has changed with me. After considerable soul searching I met with Betti to explain what I wanted to do. I had asked Cheryl Baxter, owner of Elevation Gallery and The Hive, if she would represent me. Betti is a compassionate and understanding individual who wished me well. Cheryl accepts that I may be sporadic in suppling art. She asked for my alternative works, on cradled panels, and could I deliver five to seven of them for Labour Day?

Credit must be given where it's due. It was Win Dinn who inspired me to incorporate mixed media elements and techniques into making art. It was Patti Dyment who conceived the notion that we could paint on topographical maps ... 

Covering cradled panels with topo maps and other assorted, fun, commercial papers, March 4th, 2018

Without a proper studio in our Canmore townhouse, I paint at our kitchen table where the light pours in from the window above the sink and the east facing patio doors. In January, I invited myself to paint with Patti in her ample, open concept kitchen/living/dining rooms. Thinking it would be a one day play date, imagine my delight at being invited back on a regular basis. While painting is a solitary act even when we are together, just being in the same space with another artist doubles the energy. We share ideas, help each other in exploring potential ways to resolve painting problems and we explode in laughter frequently.  

Working on 'Bighorn Range' at Patti's, March 5th, 2018

Being a real last-minute-Jenny I was truly under the gun when Patti welcomed me to her place for and a three-day painting binge, August 25th, 26th and 27th. These dates were sandwiched by two days of painting at home where I both started new and completed unfinished paintings. 

August 25th, 2018, while Patti worked on two large canvases I furiously painted small pieces for Elevation Gallery 

On August 31st, I delivered eight new paintings and two older works ...

Bronze Beauty - iris painting in oil on a commercially printed paper background 12" x 12" $700.

Canmore Flora and Fauna - oil vignettes on a vintage topographical map (from 1980) 12" x 24" $1260.

Chickadee Song - oil on vintage sheet music (Oh Mother of Mine) 8" x 8" $560.

Bighorn Range - oil on a vintage topographical map (from 1980) 10" x 10" $700.

Mule Deer and Aspens - oil on a vintage topographical map (from 1980) 12" x 12" $840.

Swan Elegance - oil on commercially printed paper background 12" x 12" $840.

Great Horned Owl Stare - oil on a hand marbled Italian paper background 12" x 12" $840.

"Red" the Bobcat - oil on commercially printed paper background 8" x 8" $560.

Etherial Beauties
oil irises on an acrylic background 12" x 6" $630.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
oil day lilies on an acrylic background 12" x 6" $630.

Cheryl and I shake on our new association

Had to show you both of these photos

Please stop in to see my new works. You'll find some in the street level Elevation Gallery as well as The Hive upstairs. Do visit The Avens Gallery while you are in town as well.    

Cypress Hills and the Medalta Museum

For the week of August 13th to 17th we had our granddaughter, Avery, stay with us. With her parents, we arranged that Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park was where we would return Avery to them. As we live in Canmore and they in Saskatoon, Cypress certainly isn't halfway for either party but it's a great place to meet for a weekend of camping.

Avery waiting for her parents to arrive.  That didn't happen until nearly midnight and we three were fast asleep!

That first night Avery slept in the trailer with us. Her parents pitched their tent in the dark. It was adorable to see Avery do what she said she was going to do - crawl into the tent with her folks just as soon as she woke up in the morning. Night two Denise slept with us in the trailer and Avery had a tent experience with her Dad. Musical beds, in our family, is not unusual.

The following day, everyone in camp 

When we arrived, Friday afternoon, it was almost 30º celsius but from then on the daily highs were a cool 18º - 20º. Much too cold to play in Elkwater Lake. I was surprised to learn that the elevation of Cypress Hills is about the same as Banff ... around 1400 meters (4600 feet). That explains the sudden temperature change. Much to Avery's disappointment, there was no swimming while we were there.

No explanation needed

Internet image of the lake, beach and homes in Elkwater town

The Scammells had to head home on Sunday. Wanting to check out more of the park we followed them almost to the Saskatchewan border. We overshot the road to Reesor Lake so we had to consult the map, which was certainly not to scale, so we blame it for getting Lost in Cypress Hills ...

We need little provocation to cut up and hey I recognize a good photo opportunity when I see one!

The Scammell family about to enter their province

Bill and I stayed on a further two nights at Cypress Hills. We wanted to check out Medicine Hat and, in particular, the Medalta Museum. What a fascinating place. Exquisitely done.

Notice all the broken pieces of pottery ware

The exterior of the kilns

Excavated from under a concrete floor is this kiln base in the Museum's entrance

The Museum is most extraordinary, I photographed only a small part of the amazing displays

In the old factory

Twenty-one different stations from raw clay storage bins to the glaze pump are in the old factory seen as they were found after the building was abandoned, vandalized, pillaged and excavated. The company closed the factory in 1954 and while there were a few attempts made to revive the site for commercial use, it wasn't until the 1970s that a campaign was launched to preserve it for its historical value. Now, the Historic Clay District is a National Historic Site, including the sprawling Medalta complex restored as a museum, incorporating a working pottery area and a ceramic studio residency program.

Bill in the old factory

Yours truly trying to figure out what I'm looking at, in the old factory

Production on this date in 1948 was staggering

Display of crock pots in one of the kilns seen above

The Medalta ceramic crock pots were all I knew of Medalta, but they made so much more ...

The extensive collection of A. T. Schlachter are beautifully displayed

I was fond of this collection

In today's working ceramic studio replicas of Medalta pieces are made and, of course, they are available for sale in the gift shop.

Lisa Miklash trimming a jigged crock pot

I had no idea what jigging is so it was great to learn about that

Lisa knew so much bout the history of Medalta and answered my many questions. She told me things about the destruction after the factory's closure that I can't find online. Suffice to say there was extensive damage. I was pleased to learn about the resurrection and work done to the abandoned, derelict buildings.

Lisa Mikash makes heart necklaces of two tea cup handles

Bill and I highly recommend a visit to this world class museum!

No News is Not Always Good News - Medical Update (and more)

In my last medial blogpost (June 4th) I left you blog readers hanging. In surgery that day Dr. Jenken was only able to repair the fistula from my small intestine to my vagina and he removed 30.7cm of small intestine where the blockage was. Once again, I awoke with the colostomy bag in place. He says that I may have the reconnection later, but at this point in time I want no more surgeries. 

It took a few days to transition from IV feeding to a regular diet. More antibiotics were given for internal inflammation and infection. On Sunday, June 10th, I snapped. Eighteen nights in hospital and I simply couldn't stand even one more. I begged to be sent home. Dr. Jenken was tracked down and gave his approval. Once a nurse had removed the PICC line and the staples I was discharged. That weekend the Scammells were back in Calgary so we visited them (at their now sold house there) before driving to Canmore.

June 16th, at Shirley Chinneck's 90th birthday party with Esme Comfort, my solid rock of support. She too is a cancer survivor  

On June 19th, at my follow up appointment, with Dr. Jenken, we learned the results of the pathology report. The removed piece of intestine showed ovarian cancer as did one of the three lymph nodes that were taken in surgery. Bill and I were devastated, as were our girls and their husbands, that cancer had returned only a year after completing chemotherapy. Right after that bomb was dropped Bill and I went for coffee then stopped in a cute shop next door. Convinced I had little time left on this planet, and as a dying person, I thought I shouldn't be wasting money on new clothes. Bill felt otherwise and encouraged me to buy the new tops seen here ...

June 21st, at the Senior's Summer Solstice evening of fine dining and entertainment 

I was consumed with these thoughts "Was the end of April ski at Sunshine my last?" "Will my 70th birthday (this September) be my last?" "How about Christmas - will this year be the last one for me?" This wallowing went on for a week or so but it had to stop, the negative thoughts of death had to go. Until and only if I had to, I wouldn't panic. 

With the arrival of Laura and children, on June 28th, my spirits lifted. Not quite a month out of surgery, we hiked up the trail to my beloved Grassi Lakes. It took a great deal of effort, but I was so pleased with myself. We opted for the easy way down, on the road.

June 29th, at lower Grassi Lake with Laura, Bill, Everett and Amira

I was able to show Amira the cave, and my meditation seat

Denise, Larry and Avery arrived in time for the July 1st, Canada Day parade and stayed on in town for a week providing me with more distraction. I was thrilled with almost all the family being assembled. 

Canada Day parade

With our girls at Linda's and Ron's Canada Day BBQ

A week after the Grassi Lakes hike I doubled the distance (to 8km) and elevation gain (to 1500 feet) on a hike with all the family (minus Adam who wasn't here yet) to C-Level Cirque, Banff. Happily, my endurance had doubled as well.

Larry's great selfie at C-Level Cirque, July 6th - a month after surgery

On July 8th, The Scammells had to return to Saskatoon for work. At my request they left Avery with us for a week. Laura and I took the kids to the zoo, July 9th ...

Everett, Avery and Amira en route to the Calgary Zoo

It was all about the pandas being at the zoo!

The cousins enjoyed sleep overs together

 I was sent for another CT scan. Odd that the one in May revealed no sign of cancer.

July 12th, ready for the CT scan in one of the Canmore Hospital's fancy new gowns 

Maggie, who was visiting from Toronto, was able to sit with me, at the hospital, during the two hours prior to the scan as I drank the required two litres of water. When it was done we collected Bill and went for lunch at the Canmore Golf Course ...

With Maggie on a gorgeous day in a gorgeous setting

Me with all our grand children, July 15th, the day the Scammells left town with Avery

Jan, Adam's mother, arrived on July 16th. Her timing enabled Laura to attend the meeting with my surgeon/oncologist, Dr. Glaze, at the Tom Baker Cancer Clinic, July 17th. Bill, Laura and I had many questions. We spent an hour with Nurse Practioner, Pam Sweeney, before we had twenty minutes with the amazing Dr. Glaze.

My latest CA125 blood test reading was 14.  It has been as low as 11. We’re been advised that there is no cause for alarm unless it is over 35.  

We were relieved to learn the results of the CT scan. Once again, I’m currently cancer free. Chemo was recommended as a preventative measure. This was suggested after the initial hysterectomy surgery in November 2016. I subscribed then, but this time I've declined further chemo treatments. 

I'm open to alternative ways to keep cancer away, beginning with my diet. This past week, Jan, who is a graduate of The Institute of Holistic Nutrition, has given freely of her time and expertise on that. Also, I'm grateful to the lovely ladies here in town, who are practitioners in Healing Pathway. Thus far, I've had four consecutive, weekly sessions.

July 19th, Adam arrived

After a month apart the kids sure were happy to see their Pappa

July 22nd, dinner at our place with the Koebel family and Jan

As there was cake, and we all won't be with her for her December 9th birthday, Amira thought we should celebrate it. So we did, and since his comes before hers, on September 18th, we also celebrated Everett's birthday.

July 23rd, Laura treats me to an afternoon at the Banff Spring Hotel spa

The summer continues to unfold with an abundance of social and fun times. I'll be sad to see the Koebels return home to Manila on August 8th. On August 12th, at the end of their vacation, Denise and Larry will bring Avery who will stay with us for a week before we meet her parents at (to be confirmed) Cypress Hills Provincial Park for a weekend of camping.

Tomorrow, marks eight weeks since surgery. I feel well, terrific in fact. I've gained strength and weight, I'm up to 125 pounds. Last week I got a new bike. Although I haven't ridden in two years, you just don't forget, so I'm happily cruising about Canmore's streets and trails ...

Canmore's Engine Bridge (old mine spur line) July 28th

I'm to watch for any signs that things are not normal for me, and if they're not I'm to alert the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Otherwise my next follow up visit there is on November 8th.

Meanwhile I'll grab life by the throat (as Susan likes to say) and live it - fully. In closing I borrow Esme's line "Stay tuned and wish me a good outcome, in the way that most suits you, because that will suit me." 

This pretty much sums it all up