LEAFING OUT

A few months ago, I posted about how I could no longer find Venetian Plaster by Behr. After searching every store in my area, I contacted the head office of Behr in the States, and found that they have stopped manufacturing it.

I did find some companies in the U.S. that make their own venetian plaster, but as it is very heavy, it would have cost a fortune to ship to me...and that was just not going to make a painting affordable!

My last-ditch effort was contacting the artist who taught the workshop where I learned about the plaster, and guess what? She had bought every single can of Venetian Plaster in all of Home Depot's warehouses in the city of Calgary before it disappeared forever! AND, she agreed to sell me 2 cans of it!!! So I now have enough Venetian Plaster to do quite a number of pieces. By the time I use up these cans, I hope to have found another supplier in Canada that is willing to ship to me at a decent rate.

Here are 2 pieces I just finished varnishing. I love the texture of these pieces. People just cannot seem to pass by them without touching - and that is just the effect I want! :-) Click on the photos to see these up close.

9" x 12" x 2" ventian paster on birch wood

20" x 20" x 2" venetian plaster on birch wood

THIS MAY BE THE END...

A few years ago, I discovered and fell in love with the look of paintings done in Venetian Plaster. It was almost 2 years ago that I had the great privilege of taking a weekend workshop from a Calgary artist, Adele Woolsey,  whose plaster work I had long admired. It was a great experience, and my love of the medium only increased!

It was shortly after taking the workshop that my art life had to be put mostly on hold. Our acreage sold, supplies were packed up and sent into storage, and for almost a year I didn't work in Venetian Plaster at all. 

In January of this year, I finished two large pieces (one is hanging in a gallery/studio currently), and just this past week I finished up 10 small 6" x 6" pieces, and created 4 more mid-sized pieces to use up the plaster I had. That's when the problem was discovered...

I went in to Nanaimo to buy more Venetian Plaster, only to find that most stores no longer carry it!!! I am in shock. I contacted the company that manufactures the product, and they said there are a limited number of stores in North America carrying the plaster, and to check stores in my local area to see if any are continuing to carry it. I have one last place to try tomorrow, and if they don't stock it, then this may be the end of a wonderful working relationship between me and this product. :-( 

Here are some of the 10 pieces I have just finished, all of which are celebrating the beauty of the leaves on our trees in fall. They are each 6" x 6" on cradled birch panel.

NEW WORK

20" X 20"
VENETIAN PLASTER
"LEAF #1"

Last spring, almost a year ago now, I took a course from a wonderful artist, Adele Woolsey. It was a 2 day workshop on using Venetian Plaster for art...and what fun it was! I learned so much, and definitely wanted to incorporate her techniques and the plaster in my work. I began this piece in Calgary later in the spring, but then had to pack it away after our acreage sold. 

Now that we are settled in our new home on Vancouver Island, I decided to complete this piece to get back into the routine of painting once again. It is based on one of the pieces that Adele had at the workshop, and I could not be more pleased with how it turned out! In person, it is quite impressive as it is large and beautifully rich in texture and color. The plaster drips over the sides of the gallery-depth board, and makes the sides interesting as well. I will be doing many more of this type of work as it is a "resting place" from the painting which I do that is more representational, or realistic. Wish you could see it in person! :-)