Catherine Taron Art

I’ve become a bit delinquent with my art postings of late, not sharing anything new for some time (perhaps it's a pandemic malaise that’s kept me away from my computer screen). I’d like to remedy that by sharing a new painting, Coastal Silhouette, a 24 x 28 acrylic, which I currently have hanging in the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show, running until May 22nd in Duncan. Follow the link below for the details of show location and hours and to vote for your favourite painting ...in the show. While I’ve not posted much lately, I have been painting. Generally, I seek subjects of serenity and simplicity. In any endeavour to find balance and peace, I think the shores of Vancouver Island deliver, both as a subject matter and for inner peace. Who has not sat silently before a coastal sunset, witnessing the embers of the passing day and pondering the next? Silent silhouettes, with night closing in, remind us not only of the majesty of our natural world but alsowith patience and carebetter days to come. View all of the show’s paintings, including my own, along with show hours and prices, at: https://cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca/fine-arts-show-galler/ Please remember to vote for the People’s Choice Award by clicking on the image of your favourite painting, where you’ll see a voting ‘button’, along with each painting’s details. Thank you on behalf of all artists for your continued support of our work. www.catherinetaron.ca

Here's a Cowichan Valley Arts Council walk-through video of the Maple Bay Painters' current art show. The show runs until April 7th, with details of location and time at the video link: https://vimeo.com/528577066. I'm happy to have six of my paintings among the 100 within the show. If you can't attend in-person, do take a few minutes to see the show via this short video (although for others more local, we hope you'll come by for a closer look). Such a variety of work to see by Cowichan Valley artists. Enjoy!

For me and many artist friends, the Covid pandemic prevented in-person shows during 2020. Now with health protocols in place and vaccinations beginning to rollout, we can look forward to showing our work again. I’m pleased to share that the Cowichan Valley Arts Council is hosting the Maple Bay Painters’ annual show, which, for Covid reasons, was put off from last fall. Come if you can. All pandemic protocols are in place. I have six paintings in the show and two donated to ou...r bursary fundraiser, within the show; the latter are small paintings, whose sales contribute some monetary support to a local graduating art student. The show runs until April 7th in the Cowichan Community Centre at 2687 James Street, and is open Monday to Friday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Saturday, noon to 4:00 pm. If you’re in the Community Centre, do take a moment to see the show and support local art and artists. www.catherinetaron.ca

Better late than never, I’m sharing a very small (5 x 7) watercolour sketch I did for a Christmas gift. It’s called ‘Jim’s New Ride. Lots of artistic license taken because, well, I know nothing of motorcycles! (And it's the thought that counts?) www.catherinetaron.ca

With my last post, I acknowledged the potential for a few days of snow over the course of a normal year in the Cowichan Valley. I confess I do like to gloat a bit about our relatively warm and soft west coast climate. Well! It came down in abundance during the night and buried us. I dug out the car this morning but the sun is out again and it’s a beautiful day. Carrying on the theme, here’s another snow painting from my inventory; this one is called Wonder. I think I should probably re-photograph it, as the yellow seen here is barely evident in the actual painting. More info about it at: https://catherinetaron.ca/image/landscape/wonder

I think it’s time to post something a bit more seasonal from my (too-large) inventory of paintings. Even though it’s a very rainy day today on Vancouver Island, how about more of a wintry scene? Here’s my Winter Creek, an 11 x 15 watercolour. I actually don’t mind not having snow here just a few days from time to time is enough for me! I much prefer our comparatively ‘soft’ west coast climate. A little more info at: https://catherinetaron.ca/image/landscape/winter_creek

When I was 15, my parents moved the family from Ucluelet to Campbell River in January. In our new home, we had a view out over to Quadra Island and Cape Mudge light; I remember its distinctive moaning sound on a dismal day. (Amphitrite light in Ucluelet also had its unique sound.) I spent my first months in Campbell River, missing Ucluelet and generally ‘mooning’ around. (My poor mother, with 6 kids, none happy to have left our friends). When not in my new school, I spent mos...t of my time alone in my bedroom drawing, mostly people and primarily family members (as you’ve seen in my recent posts) or copying ‘Old Masters’ portrait worka long tradition for learning. Now, today, continuing to go through my portfolio from that time, I was surprised to find this landscape attemptjust a quick sketch, not really aiming for anything finished. I like that it's loose and fast but looks rather somber, perhaps because it’s in charcoal with only the faintest hint of a watercolour wash, barely suggesting a colour, or maybe it’s because of bad weather that day, or (more likely) because of my own grey mood. Teenagers, eh?! By coincidence today, I read (in the highly recommended Painter’s Keys twice-weekly email), mention of artist Georgia O’Keefe’s belief that art is a record of the artist’s experience rather than an illustration of something material. I can certainly identify with that sentiment, as evidenced in this moody landscape by my moody self at 15. :-) See more

Happy birthday to Robert, who turns 70 today! Here’s an old drawing of him when he was a fresh-faced 19-year-old. I drew it in charcoal (so I could not make any corrections; just a quick drawing). And you’ll notice it was done on inexpensive 3-ring paper, which was all I had on hand at the time. As such it shows some disintegration of time, as well as once being taped to a wall, then stashed in a portfolio of old drawings (for 51 years! Yikes)! However, in real life today, I think he’s weathered really very well! All good wishes for a happy birthday! www.catherinetaron.ca

Still browsing my portfolio of old childhood drawings. It’s tempting to want to correct things, now with the distance of many decades, but I’m posting all these drawings as they were done as I found them. This quickly done charcoal sketch is of my brother when he was about 12, I think, making me 15 at that time. Hmmm? It doesn’t do him justice at all! (He was/is better-looking than this!) :-) www.catherinetaron.ca