Art Exchange & Portside miniature shows

Belated Happy New Year. The holidays were extremely busy, with all the usual craziness and a bit more besides.

To top it off my poor computer 'got sick'. If a window comes up on your screen that says 'antivirus 2009' with the Microsoft symbol in the corner, and if it implies it's from Microsoft, and that your anti virus is 'not found'.... turn off your computer, immediately! don't X it out, don't go through the shut down procedure, turn it off. X'ing it out will install it, clicking on anything will install it, and it's a really nasty bug. My computer guy ~Phil Hudson~ is a miracle worker and it took him hours to get rid of it. If you need Phil click the comments bar below, and send me an e:mail, I'll forward it to him.

Let's talk art.

The February Miniature Shows are around the corner. This year I think I'm going to try the Art Exchange show as well as the Portside show. I've done Portside, successfully in the past, and I know I'll be accepted there again. So time to up the anty, The Art Exchange is a prestigious gallery in the Wortley Village area of London, I've never attempted acceptance in one of their shows, I think it's time.

Therefore, as well as working on the 'secret commission' I've been working on some Minis.

The piece above is a miniature (3X5) and is called Manitoulin Gold. These tiny daisies are found in only a few places, one of which is just across the lake from where we spent every summer for over 15 years. They are classed as 'at risk', and so are part of my series. Here's their 'blurb"

MANITOULIN GOLD
HYMENOXYS ACAULIS
Manitoulin Gold or Lakeside Daisy, is a native of the rocky windswept limestone cliffs and rocky expanse of Manitoulin Island, the Sudbury area, and occasionally Northern Michigan.
It’s sunny yellow flowers bloom in May through July on short thick stems 4-7 inches high. It is classified as a threatened species in Ontario and Michigan.
This remarkable plant grows in cracks and crevasses in almost no soil, and very little water. It’s existence is threatened by both mankind’s activity and climate change.

Bees are next. I've been in an exciting dialog with the Ontario Bee Keepers Association. I contacted them regarding permission to use images in their members photo gallery. (Bee's being at risk) and they not only gave me permission, but have offered to contact their membership to help me find more photo's. Very exciting.

Time to go paint,