Fall Art Show at Arbutus Ridge

Once a year, Arbutus Ridge Art Club puts on an show - non-juried, non professional, a few people trying to clear out their 'studios' to make room for more masterpieces, waiting for the creative touch of the Golden Agers.

Yours truly joined in - of course. I looked out of the kitchen window to a stunning display of colour just across Satellite Channel and decided that this has to be a sign of good fortune for an aspiring artist or hobbyist, or dilettante or amateur dabbler in paint - my 15 minutes of fame coming up.

Not a double rainbow, not a triple of even quadruple one - but a rainbow. Start simple, good enough for me.

My approach to the 'art exhibition': I sell something when I see pigs fly.

Very conveniently, there is a flying pig just down the road, adjacent to the local winery (am I seeing things?) and at this very moment, if flapped its metal wings high above the country road, defying an autumnal downpour with piggedly grace and good humour.

And the rainbow 'thickened' and multi hued luck stared challenging into my face....

I hopped into the old heap, trunk filled with a cardboard box of framed (sort of) and a few unframed creations, past the herd of deer mowing the greens on the Golf Club towards The Venue: Arbutus Ridge Golf Club.

Tada!!!! One up and a couple more to go.

Looking out of the exhibition hall towards the houses on 'The Ridge' I see morning fog still slithering through Satellite Channel, covering the ocean below with a chill but picturesque blanket.

One knows where the ocean hides, right underneath that white layer, behind farmers' hay fields and patches of coniferous forest, highlighted with a few subtle splashes of fall colour compliments of a few leafy trees.

The wailing wall.

After two days of looking artistic beside my little part of the show, I sold two watercolours (one of them on the far right above).

Wow! Luck was with me, considering that the overall sales consisted of about nine small paintings out of an approximate total of one hundred, by five of the twenty two exhibitors.

Maybe the present day equivalent of an encouraging kiss by an elusive muse? Ah, with such overwhelming success, maybe I should put brush to paint and paper again. In search of another flying pig.....

Images from Daily Life

Overrun again by my dear deer friends. Here is the boss of the resident herd, ready for mating season and eager to gather his little harem - but only after checking out my apples again. He resented being interrupted in his harvesting quest, and came almost to the front door to get that particular message across.

Here is one of the objects of his desire, a little doe of somewhat smaller proportions. She is probably preparing to produce another couple of fawns next spring. Have to keep the local greenery in perpetual disarray...


And here he stands in the same spot as his adored girl friend. Quite the Don Juan, and he knows it. Not a bit of Bambi like shyness is this well put together specimen.

On another note, below a scene in the parking lot at the local grocery store. I am not so sure whether the little guy on the left wears his mask as practice for Halloween, as a restraint to keep him from eating the upholstery or just as a barrier between canine teeth and anyone who dares to get too close.

Awaiting trick or treats....

Treating myself to Tango whenever the opportunity arises.

It takes a lifetime to learn Argentinian Tango, according to the Portenos (citizens of Buenos Aires) who should know from experience. So - lets start early....

Photo by: Francesco Tagliabue