Newsletters

(posted on 2 Sep 2022)

Dear friends of the Blood Star,

The excitement is building. Tomorrow's the day! The 12th annual Grand Prix of Art starts at 10 am with over one hundred painters taking over the bank of the mighty Fraser River in and around Steveston. Early tomorrow morning participants will be assigned their painting locations by lottery, rush to get set up at their assigned spots, and start to paint at 10 am. At 1 pm, brushes are to be put down and the painters will frame their pieces for the judging that commences at 2 pm in the Heritage Shipyards Net Loft. The works will be on display for the rest of the afternoon and through 4 pm Sunday. Frank is registered and eager to get started. If you'd like to cheer him on, in person, or electronically, you'll be able to find his location after 10 am tomorrow at www.grandprixofart.com.

Shipyards III by F. Ducote, acrylic on cradled wood panel

Susan's excitement this week has been the publication of writer David Greer's article The Importance of Plankton that features some work from her series of the same name. Ever since Susan read "every second breath we take is thanks to plankton" she's been learning about these essential, mostly invisible organisms and striving to show their beauty in the belief that if we can't see something most of us tend not to care about it. We must care. Plankton absorbs carbon dioxide, produces half of our oxygen, forms the base of the oceans' food chain, and is being threatened by climate change, ocean acidification and pollution, and now, we are learning microplastics. Without plankton, we're hooped. You can find David Greer's excellent article online. https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2022/08/the-importance-of-plankton.html

Susan's also happy to have her Harvesting Garlic piece accepted for the juried Mixed Exhibit opening in October at the Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery on Granville Island, Vancouver. And now that the hectic pace of summer is letting up she's starting work on commissions.

Harvesting Garlic by S. Taylor, ink, watercolour and gouache on paper

We hope you're relishing the remaining sultry days of summer with friends and family.

Enjoy the long weekend.

Our best to you,

Susan and Frank