Glenda Savard – Calgary Artist

I was asked recently to help a client decide on what type of painting to put in their home. They had just purchased it and were changing it to their taste and designs. I asked lots of questions on how they wanted the room to feel, what mood and tone did they want to achieve, what things inspired them. When they felt their best what images did that conjure up for them. And then they asked me about mine so here is a little bit of what gets me going.

From the most beautiful lime green in an agave to the palest pink in my roses, I see beauty in the simple things that exist all around us – I don’t have to be in a forest or field to be inspired. I love watching the colours blend as I stir milk into a cup of dark coffee. I get excited about the pavement turning wet and dark grey/cobalt/violet/green etc….when it rains. I’m a nut for life’s subletities. And I get equally inspired by the stories that people tell me and then translate them to canvas. I get lost in them and the paint as I’m mixing and swirling and the story plays in my head. I try to live it as much as they have. How can you not get excited about that.

Then I was asked what I did when I was feeling uninspired. I’m sure you’ll laugh but I switch to the guestroom because it’s like getting a new perspective. When I lose my way I just need to be calm, in my favorite pajamas with a cup of chai tea. No books, no magazines, no TV, nothing. If I hold still long enough, pretty soon that little motor starts working again and I start drawing.

Reveille

I have finally figured out how to create videos on you tube…with lights, camera and action. It took some doing as it didn’t come with a manual but I finally got it. I have a whole new respect for film editors. And this time the painting turned out too. The painting is about how I used to have my horses as my alarm clock and the impression it made on me. Have a look by clicking below or on the you tube link on the right and tell me what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeeJOCkeykg&feature=player_embedded

The Big Laugh

I’ve been a bit quiet lately as I’m teaching myself how to video myself painting so that I can tell you the stories about what I’m painting. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. In fact it was such a fiasco that I’m going to make a blooper video of it. It got so bad that I even ended up getting paint on my ceiling. Imagine having a camera behind you and everytime you want to say something you have to turn around and talk, then of course I totally forgot what I was doing, I even got the perspective wrong and the harder I tried to fix it the worse the problem became. I think I’m going to keep that painting just because it was sooooooooo bad, but has the best story going, and laughing that hard made me feel just great!!! Cheers everyone.

I’m not quite finished this painting, it needs a few low lights and a bit of other tweaking, but I was wishing I was in Paris today and so out came this little painting of the Sailboats at the Tuilleres, along with Oliver of course. This little pigeon can be found all over the place enjoying himself as usual. I’m not sure if you noticed in some of my other small paintings of people going about their everyday lives….but I always include a pigeon. It started because they were always in my photos  but then it became a little story to amuse myself with. Now I have people ask me about the pigeon and what he’s up to. I hope you enjoy it.

This is the finished painting, I’ve enjoyed bringing you along with me and would love to hear your comments.

I’ve kept it fun simple and quirky and this 12 X 24 inch painting can be purchased through my website.

Here I’ve added a textured pot on the left and the beginnings of the poppies, grasses and background colours. I wanted this image to remain funky and expressionistic to keep a minimalist look. I’m hoping the shapes convey a happy quirky attitude.

I’ve added pots the colour of the sky with clouds running by. Who said the sky always has to be on top. I’ve painted the pots with a pallete knife to give them added texture and substance.

I thought it might be fun to bring you along on my process while I paint. I’ve primed the canvas in black because I see the colours better that way and they are much more vibrant…. and maybe it takes away from the huge white hole that stares back at me when I start, that can be very intimidating. And this lovely winter we are having got me thinking about Italy…. olive oil jars, poppies and sunshine…….

When I got back to painting a couple of days ago, I realized I was suffering from nitpickyitis -  a result from taking a few days off. So I warmed up with a few scribbly sketches and this painting until I loosened up again. I could sit here with a good book for hours.

https://twitter.com/#!/GlendaSavard/status/164487247289262080/photo/1

Never fails, whenever I start a new painting idea I question my sanity. Then when I am asked why I sometimes paint on black, and why the shapes of my subject are so different than what I am painting,  I know I’m in for a bumpy ride.

Actually I was asked this by someone who was watching me paint. They were not familiar with expressionism, not being painters themselves, and I was at a loss as to how to explain it properly, because I’m self taught. I  really couldn’t say and I didn’t know if I was favoring a certain period and style. I just thought my work was dramatic in colour and full of energy and life,… real life, but with a distorted view just to make things interesting.

Well I decided to find out and I guess I favour German Expressionists and hear is what they have to say about their art. It’s exactly how I feel,…. who knew….

Expressionism is a style of painting that depicts real life feelings and emotions. It is a style which combines vivid images with expressive objects and passionate emotions. Its’ goals are not to produce the impression suggested by the surrounding world but instead to depict his or her own interpretation of the event or object. It’s an artform that comes from the artists point of view. It allows the viewer to see and feel the world through the eyes of the artist. It is said that expressionism would not have taken its current form without the inspiration of Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and Georges Rouault….. I couldn’t have said it better myself….(from GermanExpressionist.com)