It was nice to relax after walking up Sulphur Mountain!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Lookout!
A little fur ball in a really big place.
Looking out from Sulphur Mountain high above Banff.
It was nice to relax after walking up Sulphur Mountain!
It was nice to relax after walking up Sulphur Mountain!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Lake Louise Swimmers
This summer has been a busy one to say the least!
One of my highlights so far has been our camping trip to Banff and Jasper, Alberta with our new friends from Germany. I will share some pictures of our adventures with you, starting with this one. Everyone has seen several pictures of beautiful world renowned Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada; but how many have you seen of this glacier-fed lake with people swimming?! Most of our group went swimming and had a blast! Some stayed in the water for 20 to 30 minutes! I did not go in myself, because someone had to stay dry and take pictures. It had nothing to do with not wanting to freeze my butt off of course...(Although I did go in a few years back with a Brazilian friend we toured through the mountains)
There was nobody in the water when we arrived, and several people took pictures of this rare event. Interestingly enough, a few other brave people ventured in once they saw our group stay in for a bit, but nobody else stayed in for long.
I love this picture of everyone smiling and having fun, it's the epitome of cooling off in the summers heat!
Enjoy your summer!
Maritta Renz
Thursday, August 12, 2010
stoodio8 is working on some serious changes
stoodio8 is working on some serious changes as a result of some fantastic feedback from members and visitors to the site! As promised, we are evolving the site based on user feedback. Watch for it soon, we know you're going to love the new format!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Kitten Burglar
The Kitten Burglar
By John A. Burnham
When both the mob and the law discover her identity as a thief, Kitten must team up with one or the other. Will she continue a life of crime or reform her ways and finally do some good?
Buy your copy from Strategic Publishing Group today!
By John A. Burnham
When both the mob and the law discover her identity as a thief, Kitten must team up with one or the other. Will she continue a life of crime or reform her ways and finally do some good?
Buy your copy from Strategic Publishing Group today!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Kayaking...Sunet...Alberta
Kayaking during a Beautiful Alberta Sunset!
There is nothing like relaxing! Especially when it involves relaxing in a kayak on a calm night under a beautiful Alberta sky!
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Edmonton Art Walk
It's been one week since I went to the Edmonton Art Walk and spoke with some fantastic artists!
It was nice to get out and meet local talent, and people watch as art lovers stopped to admire and speak with artists.
I have had some positive feedback and responses from artists about stoodio8 and look forward to hearing from even more of you!
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tammy Taylor's Passion
Tammy Taylor, of Taylor'd Creations, is a self taught artist with a passion for wildlife.
Tammy was born and raised just six miles from where she lives now in Rich Valley, Alberta. She farms with her husband and home schools their four children. Tammy is a self taught artist who attributes her talent and passion for art to time spent with her grandmother growing up. She recalls sitting on her grandmother's lap and doodling while they waited for the bread to rise. During twenty years as a recognized artist, she has also passed along creative talents to her children. Her son enjoys drawing "boy things" such as bikes, barns, and heavy equipment, while the girls enjoy nature and draw "girly things" like animals and flowers.
Tammy enjoys painting animals and landscapes and uses oils to help set the mood she is capturing. Tammy prefers the oil or pencil mediums, but sometimes uses pen and ink or watercolours. Tammy finds that when she draws images such as kids or men on machinery she tends to use pencil to tell their story. Tammy also likes wood working and wood burning (pyrography), gardening, walking and family activities. "Family is extremely important to me." When asked what subject matter she prefers, Tammy stated "I just love the beauty of God's creations." As a child, she found inspiration in the drawing books of Gene Franks and, while she loves all art and all of the old masters, her current role models include Robert Bateman and Carl Brenders.
Artistic inspirations come from the familiar. For example, the idea for the piece "Inquisitive Calves" currently highlighted on stoodio8 came to Tammy as she was doing chores one morning. It was a late snow fall in April with large snowflakes, and Tammy went to check on the calves while she waited for the tractor to warm up. She saw the calves huddled near the feeder and her picture was born right there. She has painted friends' horses and the team of horses they have ridden. Tammy also paints from the memory of nostalgic moments or after seeing animals in the wild or taken in well composed pictures with a mood or emotion that needs to be depicted.
As I write this article, Tammy has two pieces in the advanced category for judging at the Red Deer and District Museum in an Alberta-wide competition sponsored by the Alberta Community Arts Clubs Association (ACACA). "Anticipation" is done in oil, and "Cowboy Conversation" is pencil drawn composition and they passed the first round of competition early this spring. The winners at this level will have their work displayed throughout June to September in Red Deer and after the next round, winners will be displayed in the Alberta Art Museum from October to November. Last year Tammy submitted three pieces and won a People's Choice Award.
You can find Tammy showing and selling her work at the Sangudo art show and sale scheduled for November 6, 2010. Tammy is a member of the ACACA, as well as the Barrhead Art Club. Tammy will participate in the Barrhead Art Club show and sale to he held October 22 and 23. She teaches art classes at the Sangudo, and the Barrhead Art Clubs and may soon be teaching at the Rich Valley Library as well.
If you are interested in having a piece of art created that tells the story of nature or rural Alberta, then Tammy is the one to call. She has done many commissioned pieces and has generated a following of Taylor'd Creations. The stoodio8 store and gallery are excellent ways to view Tammy's art and to learn more about her art.
Tammy was born and raised just six miles from where she lives now in Rich Valley, Alberta. She farms with her husband and home schools their four children. Tammy is a self taught artist who attributes her talent and passion for art to time spent with her grandmother growing up. She recalls sitting on her grandmother's lap and doodling while they waited for the bread to rise. During twenty years as a recognized artist, she has also passed along creative talents to her children. Her son enjoys drawing "boy things" such as bikes, barns, and heavy equipment, while the girls enjoy nature and draw "girly things" like animals and flowers.
Tammy enjoys painting animals and landscapes and uses oils to help set the mood she is capturing. Tammy prefers the oil or pencil mediums, but sometimes uses pen and ink or watercolours. Tammy finds that when she draws images such as kids or men on machinery she tends to use pencil to tell their story. Tammy also likes wood working and wood burning (pyrography), gardening, walking and family activities. "Family is extremely important to me." When asked what subject matter she prefers, Tammy stated "I just love the beauty of God's creations." As a child, she found inspiration in the drawing books of Gene Franks and, while she loves all art and all of the old masters, her current role models include Robert Bateman and Carl Brenders.
Artistic inspirations come from the familiar. For example, the idea for the piece "Inquisitive Calves" currently highlighted on stoodio8 came to Tammy as she was doing chores one morning. It was a late snow fall in April with large snowflakes, and Tammy went to check on the calves while she waited for the tractor to warm up. She saw the calves huddled near the feeder and her picture was born right there. She has painted friends' horses and the team of horses they have ridden. Tammy also paints from the memory of nostalgic moments or after seeing animals in the wild or taken in well composed pictures with a mood or emotion that needs to be depicted.
As I write this article, Tammy has two pieces in the advanced category for judging at the Red Deer and District Museum in an Alberta-wide competition sponsored by the Alberta Community Arts Clubs Association (ACACA). "Anticipation" is done in oil, and "Cowboy Conversation" is pencil drawn composition and they passed the first round of competition early this spring. The winners at this level will have their work displayed throughout June to September in Red Deer and after the next round, winners will be displayed in the Alberta Art Museum from October to November. Last year Tammy submitted three pieces and won a People's Choice Award.
You can find Tammy showing and selling her work at the Sangudo art show and sale scheduled for November 6, 2010. Tammy is a member of the ACACA, as well as the Barrhead Art Club. Tammy will participate in the Barrhead Art Club show and sale to he held October 22 and 23. She teaches art classes at the Sangudo, and the Barrhead Art Clubs and may soon be teaching at the Rich Valley Library as well.
If you are interested in having a piece of art created that tells the story of nature or rural Alberta, then Tammy is the one to call. She has done many commissioned pieces and has generated a following of Taylor'd Creations. The stoodio8 store and gallery are excellent ways to view Tammy's art and to learn more about her art.
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Songwriting contest
Mark October in your calender if you are a fan of Canadian music!
David Suzuki Foundation Songwriting Contest
This year is a notable for the David Suzuki Foundation: September 2010 marks our 20th anniversary. To celebrate this occasion, we are launching a project that will bring together some of Canada’s finest songwriters and performers in a compilation album titled Playlist for the Planet/Un air pour la Terre.Imagine Canadian artists from every genre of music – from heavy metal and hip hop, to classical and jazz — creating original music that depicts the rich diversity of Canadian thoughts, feelings and ideas about how we can connect with nature. In October 2010, a downloadable bilingual album will be released by a major label – at this time we hope to emerge with an anthem that we can all sing along to!
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Checking it out!
Here's a sight you don't see very often, a watch dog looking after a herd of sheep.
Check out the dog on duty, checking me out to make sure I am not going to bother the sheep, and the sheep checking the dog out to make sure he's doing his job.
Friday, June 11, 2010
window cat
Window to the world!
Even black cats love to find a great place to curl up and enjoy the view of the world!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Gavin Berg's recent additions
Gavin Berg is a rookie photographer, concentrating on landscape and nature photography.
Check out his latest work...
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Monday, June 7, 2010
Dominik Modlinski's painting journeys. http://paintingjourneys.com/
Dominik Modlinski, originally from Warsaw, Poland, knew at the age of 4 that he was destined to be an artist and between the ages of 5 - 16 studied printmaking with a master printmaker. He also studied jewellery making and metal smithing in high school. At 16, Dominik moved to Ontario, Canada where he later studied fine arts and graduated with honours from the Ontario College of Art and Design. Finding a passion for landscape painting, and experiencing the Canadian wilderness, Dominik moved to the Algoma district, east of Lake Superior, to continue his independent studies at the Algoma School of Landscape Art.
In 1995, after receiving a grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Dominik embarked a 4-month cycling-painting trip from Whitehorse Yukon, to Vancouver. While in the Yukon, Dominik ventured into Atlin, BC. Accepting an offer to teach at the Atlin Art Centre, this became his new home. Atlin, with a population of around 412 is not an easy place to call home, but is a fantastic gateway to the uninhabited great white north, perfect for a landscape artist who is up to the challenge that comes with exploring its glory.
"My work is simply a reflection of what I love to do most, to be able to live on the land, to better my creative vision and to bring people joy and understanding of the environment through art" (Dominik Modlinski)
More information about Dominik Modlinski
Belongs to the Alberta Society of Artists and
Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour
Works in both watercolour and oils. Likes to use and teach oils in the “alla prima method” a useful technique when you paint on location.
Has painted professionally for 20 years.
Established his own web site in 1998 (even before he owned his own computer) http://paintingjourneys.com/ In 2004, the website was updated but restricted Dominik's creative side. In 2009, he designed his own site his way and is able to artistically design and manage it himself. Disadvantages of having his own website include the time it takes to maintain it and the fact that people still cannot see his actual piece in person. Advantages include increased exposure and contact with his current collectors who can make a repeat purchase based on seeing a piece on line, as well as the exposure to new followers, oh, and getting that one email you have been waiting for. Advantage of the internet in general includes the global exposure. He feels the digital era is good however it makes it harder for people to gauge good, average and bad art. Dominik blogged his Antarctica excursion, check it out and watch for more blogs on his upcoming trip. http://paintingjourneys.blogspot.com/
Has met many great artists over the years, but not many who are willing to endure harsh conditions such as being isolated, wet, dirty, dusty, cold, exposed to wild life, hail, storms...
Likes to tease the photographers that he has traveled with because they can get up with him at 4:30 am, take some sunrise shots and call it a day while Dominik stays all day and paints.
With 24 years of Martial Arts, has earned a fifth degree black belt with title of Shihan. Takes his uniform with him on his travels and was fortunate enough to train while in Japan.
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Friday, June 4, 2010
fishing...
fishing...
Sometimes you just have to take a break from work, take off your boots, and just go fishing!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sail away!
Nothing like looking out the window into the cold, cloudy, windy horizon, but feeling tropical because you've cranked up the stereo and gotten lost in Enya's Orinoco Flow!
Some songs are just so perfect you can't help but stop what you're doing and really enjoy it. For me Orinoco Flow is just such a song.
What's your song?
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
s8 interview
I had a very interesting interview with a fantastic artist today!
Can't wait to tell you all about it, so watch for it..soon!
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
stoodio8 is responding to artists requests
While I was busy interviewing with and meeting artists today, my web team was busy making some changes to the site.
Some functions on stoodio8 were not working properly today, so we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused throughout the day, however the good news is that it means we are responding to our artists requests and making changes to improve the site!
thanks for your patience!
Maritta Renz
President
Tweet me at @stoodio8Contact me at stoodio8
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