The Gibson Centre Open House August 8th, 10 to 3
I will be painting there all day Holmstrom Hall, 2nd floor
Art Exhibit : "A Window into The Gibson" 1st floor
Come and explore all that the centre has to offer 
any time during August 6 to September 8
I have 4 paintings in this exhibit

'Where History Still Chimes' Oil on canvas 

12" x 12"

'Twilight Over The Gibson', Oil on canvas, 

12' x 12

'The Gibson Beneath the Maple Leaf' oil on canvas, 

12" x 12"

'Welcome to the Gibson Centre’, oil on canvas, 

12” x 12”

The Gibson Cultural Centre was created in 2001 as a charitable NFP corporation to raise funds for the renovation of the heritage building formerly known as the Co-op. The Gibson Centre corporation is a vibrant not-for-profit independent, charitable organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of arts and culture in New Tecumseth and beyond.

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Rain today…a day for painting! I had a very enjoyable time with my daughter, here from Madison, Wisconsin for the week. We were creating on a different level. She helped me plant my small vegetable garden of tomatoes, onions, yellow a green beans, carrots, beets and snow peas. Last year I had all of my large overgrown shrubs removed from my front garden beds. Danielle helped us plant a variety of shrubs and perennial flowers as well as instilling a watering system. I purchased a number of perennials to attract butterflies. I am ready to document the arriving butterflies for posting on the BIMBY Facebook site. As well for posting on the INaturalist site. 

BIMBY….’Butterflies in My Back Yard’ 

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So many dandelions! My father loved this bright yellow flower.

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This week’s painting from an old photo from my France Workshop. I still go back to these photos. They all provide wonderful memories of the places and the people there.  

8” x 8”, oil on birch panel

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Spring Has Arrived

 The bulbs I planted last fall are all in bloom…daffodils, crocuses and tulips. Last night there was a call for frost, if we did get it, my bulbs were not affected.

I am excited to increase my plantings with butterfly attracting plants. BIMBY has officially started. I have attended one webinar and another waiting for me. I enjoy this group of enthusiastic people so much. I have not been out searching for butterflies as yet. I am amazed at the posting of some in the Toronto area. I look forward to getting up to our cottage to further my butterfly search. 

I still have a collection of butterfly photos that are calling to be painted.

Reposting this….I joined a group called ‘Butterflies in My Back Yard’ a few years ago. 

‘BIMBY’

It is a David Suzuki initiative whereby people 

volunteer to document Butterflies in their yard. 

It is an ongoing science campaigne that tracks 

the abundance and diversity of butterflies. 

Butterfly numbers are an indicator of how well we are 

treating our environment. 

As a result of becoming a ‘butterfly seeker’ 

 I added to my garden plants that would attract butterflies. 

We were encouraged to venture beyond our own yards. 

Documentation is done on INaturalist.

                      Does anyone remember the tv show ‘The Nature of Things’. I loved that show.

There are so many often overlooked plants that line the paths and trails I walk and those that fill the ditches along the roads I travel. These tiny plants are disappearing with the expansion of city and town. These are the wildflowers with their tiny pop of colour that are so often overlooked. They are disappearing along with the farm land and countryside as city and towns expand with the building of enormous homes. 

I have been collecting photos of these tiny treasures for so long. The time has come to paint and share them. 

 ‘Walking Trail Treasures’, 8” x 8”, Oil on Canvas

This one accepted into juried exhibit at the Wasaga Beach Art Exhibit.

‘Walking Trail Treasures #2’ 8” x 8”, Oil on Birch Panel

Here it is April 26th… nearing the end of the month and I am working on three projects all at once. I have committed to 4 paintings for the Gibson Centre Art Exhibit celebrating The Gibson Cultural.Centre August Open House…to come and explore all what the Gibson Centre has to offer. I paint there on Tuesdays as a member of ‘Artists at the Gibson’ Tuesday painters group. Also working on paintings for Wasaga Beach call to artist and Gibson Centre Fall Art Exhibit. 

I took a three day acrylic portrait painting workshop with Audrey Smith last week at Maggiolly’s in Orangeville. Enjoyed very much, a great instructor. Came away inspired. Some new techniques learned and incorporating in up coming paintings,

I received a photo from my niece Erin this morning…reminding me of paintings I gave to her for her wedding years ago, paintings from a series I did of butterflies encased in encaustic, 12” x 12” acrylic and encaustic on camvas. In total there were 16 paintings in that series. I gave to my two daughters and my two nieces. Nice to see they are being enjoyed. 

 April, 2026

Here it is with spring just around the corner. It has been a very long winter with record snow falls, our first full winter in Canada for many years. Lots of painting…in my studio at home, at the Gibson Cultural Centre here in Alliston, and on line with artist Dreama Tolle Perry and creating artist’s books with Book Artist Ali Manning and the Handmade Book Arts Group. 

What am I working on now?…The Gibson Centre has extended an invitation to the community to explore the Centre during the month of August. The ‘Artists at the Gibson’ group were asked to contribute paintings of and around the building to be exhibited in the Gallery Space. I have committed to creating 4 - 12” x 12” oil paintings. As well, I continue to create artist’s book.