John's portrait in pastel by Kim Blair

John

(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

John is the other half of the creative talent for Aven-Hill Pottery (this is a link to their blog).  In 1984, right after graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design, he and his wife Jacquie started their pottery business, which means they have been creating pottery for 35 years!

You will find them at their booth inside the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market every Saturday. Next time you're at the market you might want to stop by their booth to see the exquisite range of colours they use for glazing their pieces.

Looks like someone recognizes another one of their humans...

:0)

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)

Jacquie's portrait in pastel by Kim Blair

Jacquie

(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

Jacquie and her husband John (who's portrait will be my next posting) are the creative talent behind Aven-Hill Pottery (this is a link to their Facebook page). They have had a booth at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market for the past 19 years!

Of course we own a number of pieces of their fine craftsmanship and plan on investing in more.

Every morning I have the pleasure of enjoying my tea from one of their beautiful mugs. There is something nurturing about sipping a beverage from a piece of handcrafted pottery... it reminds me to slow down and enjoy life. 

A little bit of gratitude with each sip!

Looks like someone recognizes one of their humans...

:0)

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)

Yvette's portrait by Kim Blair

Yvette

(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

My friend Yvette, like my friend Ruth, (see her portrait here) is an artist. She works in various mediums and styles with beautiful results. We have one of her unique batik dye on silk paintings hanging in our home.

At the moment she is exploring alcohol inks producing vibrant abstracts perfectly sized for a small hit of colour in any room.

Besides working in the arts Yvette is a gardener. Her colourful flower beds are a delight to see and it is apropos that she has won numerous awards over the years for her lush gardens.

Her portrait, recreated as sidewalk chalk art, might be a fun accent to her landscaping this summer...

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)

Double Cuteness.... by Kim Blair

Ella

(with her portrait)

Ella, my niece, was 3 years old when I painted her portrait.

In this photo she is 3.5 years old... time sure flies! I think there will be a few more portraits in her future.

:0)

xxoo

Kayleigh's pastel portrait... by Kim Blair

Kayleigh

(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

Today's Fluevolologist, Kayleigh, is the third portrait in a series of three... the two previous postings were also staff members from Fluevog Shoes on Whyte Ave. here in Edmonton. 

Here's some interesting, fun facts about Kayleigh, in her own words...

"My hobbies and early bed time clearly identify me as a grandmother trapped in a 25 year old body. If I'm not working, I'm out singing classical music, or home crocheting with my husband and my cat." 

(Yes, this is really Ariel, Kayleigh's adorable cat)

Thank you to Sarah, Kayleigh and Signe

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)

Signe's pastel portrait... by Kim Blair

Signe
(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

Besides being another fabulous Fluevogologist from Fluevog Shoes, here in Edmonton, Signe is the store manager. While painting Signes hair, some of the the wavy sections reminded me a bit of Venus' hair in the Botticelli painting, 'The Birth of Venus'... (thank you art history).
;)

Here, in Signe's own words, are some fun facts about herself.

"I'm always smiling and making jokes. I love making other people laugh, it makes me happy inside. I'm also SO ridiculously weird! It's why I'm purrrfect for Fluevog!"

"Oh, and I make the best Banana bread you'll EVER have, just ask... well, anybody."
;)

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)

Sarah's pastel portrait...by Kim Blair

Sarah

(14"x11" pastel on gessoed 300 lb. w.c. paper)

One of my favourite shoe stores in Edmonton is 'Fluevog Shoes', in the heart of Old Strathcona.

Whenever I am on Whyte Ave. I make a point of stopping in to immerse myself in the craftsmanship and creativity oozing from this store. 

Last month, on a Saturday, I met three staff members, and was inspired by their upbeat, enthusiastic, and professional attitudes.  So, of course I asked if I could paint their portraits...'cause that's what a portrait artist does!

;)

Let's start with Sarah, the first Fluevogologist I met that day. Here in her own words, are some facts about herself:

"Such a great gal...ha, ha! Did you know she has a Masters in Forestry and Science from Germany? It's true. Fun fact: Sarah likes to make up songs and sing them loudly without noticing."

Drop into the store next time you are on Whyte Ave... I can guarantee you'll have fun!

Is that a Fluevog delivery truck with Sarah's image on the side?

;)

A special note to my subscribers:

*If you received this blog post via email subscription the video will not be visible in your email. Please go directly to my art blog by clicking on the following link for kimblairartist.blogspot.com in order to view the short 2 minute video of the creation of this portrait.

(It may take a couple of seconds for it to load once you press play...)