hello July . . .

It has been a busy and exciting start to July.

I had the privilege of being interviewed with Canvas Rebel where I shared a bit about myself and my creative journey/practice, shared a meaningful project, talked about being pro-aging in every aspect of my life and much more.

Canvas Rebel is an amazing organization that interviews and supports entrepreneurs, artists and creatives.

You can read the full interview at

https:// canvas rebel. com / meet - deb- dunn 

On the site you can find the interview on the homepage in an article titled:

Meaning & Purpose: the projects that mattered.

~flowers remind us~

Art in the Workplace

Exhibit # 39

McMaster Innovation Park

175 Longwood Road South

Hamilton, Ontario

Thrilled to have had both of my submitted pieces accepted into this wonderful juried exhibit.

Always grateful to have such an incredible space like the Atrium at Innovation Park which supports and showcases local artists.

Flowers remind Us * & Abuzz with Thoughts *

Acrylic on paper in beautiful, rustic frames. 

Both can be viewed on the Art in the Workplace website and in person.

~Abuzz with Thoughts~ 

Super excited to be a participating artist this year for 

the Elizabeth Gardens Creative Collective

Art Walk 2024

Saturday August 24, 2024

10 am - 4pm

at beautiful Burloak Waterfront Park

A free community event sponsored by the Burlington Arts and Culture Fund.

Artists will be displaying their work across this beautiful waterfront park, there will be art stations, activities, demonstrations and more!

Fun for all ages. 

I've been busy choosing what art to bring with me & ideas for decorating my art tent :-) and will post more information closer to the date.

Have a wonderful day!

d xo 

 

June gardening . . .

Warm weather combined with plenty of rainy days has made the garden fill in and pop overnight!

We are looking at spots to put plants that need dividing this year. The Hosta could do with a good thinning out.   

Lots of lovely Peony blossoms are still
appearing daily.

Along with the ants, they are attracting lots of equally lovely visitors . . . 

Maeve * yellow * pink * green * red * blue * 

Window boxes are filled to the brim with the "usual" tried and true 

coleus * marigolds * potato vine * geraniums * viola * 

Morning glory vine is beginning to climb up the arbors.

Subtle signs of Cosmos ... oh so delicate looking for such a hearty flower.

 

This little bird bath is a favourite of the Doves.

We have two dove nests this year - both successful with two babies in each nest.

They have both nested in spots where we can see what's happening without disturbing them.

This morning it was cool, windy and rainy and as I checked to see how one nest was doing, I spotted Dove tucking the babies under her wing ~ it was one of those moments that you are so grateful not to have missed!

Nature never ceases to inspire and amaze me.

I'm sure the parents are babies that were born in our garden . . .  they are very comfortable with us walking about which is unusual for the normally skittish temperament of Doves. 

Along with the Doves nests, we also have a nest of Sparrows, and two very inquisitive black capped chickadees checking out one of our nesting boxes . . .  hoping they will decide on staying!

And the bunnies . . .  well . . .  they are working their way through the garden at a rapid rate and enjoying the plants ;-) ... but oh my, the cuteness!!! 

My biggest thrill.....

the lavender that we planted last year made it through the Winter and is looking and smelling amazing!!

"My only desire

is an ultimate infusion with Nature,

and the only fate I wish

is to have worked and lived

in harmony with her laws"

-Claude Monet- 

~have a wonderful weekend ~

deb xo 

 

In our May Garden . . .

Lots of daily changes happening in our little garden. I take my morning tea outside and walk around spotting buds and new growth. The lilac is starting to wind down now, but it was filled with gorgeous, thick lush clusters this year and that unmistakable scent which permeates everything ~ seeping into our sunroom and kitchen windows.  

Pops of colour are all around us 

The honeysuckle has gorgeous, big shiny leaves and has completely

covered the pergola 

At the end of this post you will see who else is finding joy in this spot!

I switched lenses on my Nikon  to the Macro... 

love seeing all the gorgeous bokeh effect it produces! 

We've had two nests of bunnies ... surprised there are any flowers remaining in the garden as they have loved them all ;-) 

And like they have every year since we moved into this house, the doves have nested.

We watch them in the garden prior to nesting , underneath the bird feeders, cooing, and wonder where they will decide to "build" their home .... 

This year it's in the honeysuckle vine above the pergola. We have a fabulous view as we can look down onto it from our upstairs bedroom. Before I took this photo, a very large crow landed on the pergola scaring the male dove away for a few minutes. Both doves began circling the nest and thankfully returned! So far so good. We now have a dove nest in the front and back garden :-) 

 "But headlong joy is ever on the wing"

-John Milton-

DVSA Art Auction

It's that time of year again . . . 

The Dundas Valley School of Art

Art Auction starts today and runs until April 7 th.

I've submitted two pieces of original art for this years sale. 

Elephas

The Magpie's nest

Online previews of all the artwork available (over 1,400 pieces)  and you can view all the work in person ~ always a treat to visit!

April 3 & 4 : 9 am - 9 pm

April 5 : 9 am - 4 pm

April 6 : 9 am - 2 pm

DVSA

21 Ogilvie Street

Dundas Ontario 

 

 

this week . . .

If you follow me on Instagram (vintage sparrow studio) , you will have already seen my wonderful news . . . 

I've been published in the first issue of yoonyen (pronounced Union).

Yoonyen ~ where passion and creativity unite~

I am one of 72 artists and you can find me on pages 42 & 43 

where I have 4 of my paintings. 

For I will protect you

Mystic Circle

One Day

Melodious Reservoir

Mystic Circle and One Day are in the Art in the Workplace #38 juried show

and can be viewed in person at

McMaster Innovation Park

175 Longwood Road South

Hamilton, Ontario 

Many thanks to Sara Purves ~ publisher 

I am thrilled to be part of your vision for this gorgeous magazine and share the pages

with other creative beings. Yoonyen has only just been published and already sitting at  #2 

on Amazon's best selling list. 

Starting my mornings with a nice long beach walk . . . 

I never take for granted that beautiful Lake Ontario is at my doorstep.

 

It was only that I could hear the Sparrows singing that I knew they were there.

 Safely camouflaged amongst the beach grapevines.  

 I'm always surprised by the amount of beach glass I can find on any given walk 

not to mention the number of times I must have bent down to pick them up!

The best "workout" routine I can think of. 

Beach glass * a few pieces of driftwood * long stretches of sandy beach, calm waters, beautiful blue skies, bird friends ~ bliss! 

Once home, I make a nice cup of tea and take my beach treasures

out of my gathering bag. It's like a meditation to me as I arrange them, piece by piece on our family room coffee table.

 

The table is indestructible. It's a vintage railroad luggage/factory cart. Originally used to transport luggage at railroad stations. 

The "raven" stone is an oldie, and you can imagine my joy when it was found on a beach walk! I keep him on top of a wooden dough bowl full of beach glass. 

Happy Friday ~ thanks for stopping by! 

Have a wonderful weekend ;-)

d xo 

Art and Found Day 2024

Yesterday was Art and Found Day

March 12 2024

where artists worldwide leave free art in their neighbourhoods. 

Hubby and I headed out in the morning

 (hence the coat, hat and gloves)

bag filled with 4 free art packages 

I chose my usual spots that celebrate two of the things I love most

dogs and books!

leaving my parcels of art in 3 little free libraries and at the leash free park

Our weather has been all over the place, 

so when I was packaging up the art, I wrapped each in a 

recycled plastic sleeve to keep it dry.

Turns out, yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day which seemed to bring

lots of people out walking and hopefully looking for art! 

To see the art before it was wrapped up

please have a look over at my IG account

vintage sparrow studio

The birds were loving the weather

serenading us with their sweet songs as we walked home... joy!

We had commented on the amount of Robin's spotted

when we saw what we thought was an albino Robin.

A quick google search and we read that it was a leucistic Robin , quite rare 

1 in 30,000! Very, very beautiful! 

Happy to be participating again this year in Art and Found.

Next up, Art and Seek July 1 2024. While Art and Found is worldwide, Art and Seek is celebrated in and on Canada Day. 

 

Great Backyard Bird Count . . .

It's that time again . . . 

the Great Backyard Bird Count is happening

February 16-19, 2024

We were all ready yesterday, feeders were freshly filled, pen and pad of paper sitting by the window seat anticipating who would visit the garden.

It's been a very quiet so far which has surprised me

as yesterday we had snow and I thought everyone would be hungry!

 I have however been cooed by a pair of lovely turtle doves while drinking my tea.

Hopeful the weekend will bring more birds into the garden.

Speaking of snow . . . 

we were pretty excited to see the white stuff yesterday (it's been a very mild winter). 

While my husband shoveled last night, I made us a lovely little snow person to sit on our garden bench.

He's only tiny, so no scarf, but he needed something, so I wove some garden vines into a wreath. 

It was too dark to take a photo, I will head out later and take one ;-)

I'm very happy to say that I am the Cover Artist for The Country Register of Ontario.

 

"Warming Station" 

is on the cover of the February/March 2024 issue.

Thank you so much to publisher Harriet Ramos for choosing & supporting my art! 

 Happy birding

& have a wonderful weekend

d xo