Sweet Ron

Yesterday we said our goodbyes to our sweet cat Ron. He was named after Ron Weasley in Harry Potter as  I was reading the books when we adopted him. He was a rescue kitten and came to us with some special needs. He had asthma all his 14 years of life but we were able to treat it and keep it under control until these past few weeks. We lost Oscar 5 months ago on February 12th and Ron departed on July 13th. The pain is stifling and the grief is so real. 

But as we go through this period of grief and loss, I am still beyond grateful that we had the chance to love this sweet cat. He was so unique and incredibly timid until these past few months. He seemed to thrive as the only cat in the home once Oscar passed away and we adored pampering him. He showed us all his best traits before he left us.

He did daily property inspections. He would check all the grapevines to see if there was a mouse lurking underneath. He was watching and waiting constantly.

He was the definition of a companion. He was so quiet but his eyes were soulful and insightful. As Chris and I went about our daily tasks we could see him watching over us. He didn't interfere with our tasks but wanted to be right beside us. Bath time is especially difficult as I miss his comforting presence. I would  run the bath, lay a towel on the floor for him and he would come and rest on it to supervise bath time. These quiet moments and memories are so incredibly powerful. 

Ron was our dear little ginger and he was profound in his gentle and quiet way. I have not had the heart to pick up the pen or catch up on my work this weekend but I was working on a Scarlet Pimpernel flower in coloured pencils over the past week or so. It seemed as if I wanted to work with oranges and deep tones. This is not my light handed approach to coloured pencil. I tried to intensify the colours on the paper as I working through my emotions knowing that we would not have Ron much longer. Despite the pain, he was worth every tear. Sending extra hugs all around for anyone going through pain right now. If you a beloved cat or pet in the house, today they need an extra hug or treat! Cherish your precious time! Sending hugs all around my dear friends. 

Taking Stock

 Happy July 1st dear friends. It is Canada here and I remain grateful for my beautiful country. It is far from perfect but I feel so blessed to have lived here. Each season in this country has a beauty of its own and it so important to appreciate them. This summer, I have undertaken an inventory of my studio books and supplies.

I have a wonderful library and as I took inventory of the books, I spent time turning the pages and getting reacquainted with many of them. What a variety of interests and ideas that still make my heart sing. Each class I create is usually sparked from one of my bookshelf treasures. You will notice a slow down of social media posts from me as I dive more deeply into my bookshelves and work on classes for late fall, 2025 and 2026. I am constantly studying and letting my mind absorb the things I want to learn and continue to share. This is hard work and sometimes I wonder how long I will continue to do it.  But the burgeoning bookshelves remind me of how passionate I am of all these subjects. Ornamental Penmanship, Offhand Flourishing, Fabrics, Embroidery, Illuminated Manuscripts, Victorian Storybook Illustrations, Beatrix Potter, Watercolour Painting, Coloured Pencils, Gilding, Botanical Drawing and the list goes on into micro subjects derived from these categories. I could spend years on William Morris alone! A study is coming in November that will reflect my deep dive into the bookshelves and I will post info about that soon on my website. Honestly. the social media pause has been a blessing. I always feel this tension between posting my work or avoiding the scrolling of endless promotions. Sometimes I need to just shut down the computer and realign my soul with the quietness of work that is created for an audience of one. The pause and time to take stock has made me even more keenly aware of how quickly time is passing. July will give way to August and then fall will emerge quickly here in Canada. The sight of a single rose in my garden is cause for celebration and appreciation.

It wants to be noticed and appreciated. While the world around me seems to race by more quickly, the rhythms in my own mind and body want to slowly savour. I know that a lot of what I have to offer as an instructor and as an artist must be absorbed slowly. It takes time and time is a very precious commodity. There is a very special course posted on the Ardington website called The Vintage Page.

It is limited to a very small group of students as it will take me so much time to work with the homework of each student. I wish it was more affordable but this format has more administrative costs for Ardington as well. If you want a slow savour approach to creating a page with the beauty of Italian Hand, you can find the info posted online. Later this month, I will launch my final offering of Flights of Fancy.

It represents my heart and soul as an artist and is hard to put into word. This is not a typical class in any sense. If you want more info, please contact me privately as there are a couple of spots left for this very special class.  If you want a taster session of the depths of coloured pencil work, please join me for Blooms and Breezes later this month at the Gentle Penman.

Coloured Pencil work is meticulous. It is not rushed. It cause you to pause, appreciate the subject and slowly watch it come to life on the page. It represents time and patience and is definitely not a technique for anyone who has a tendency to rush. Even though I work in silence most of the time, I will often have quiet music playing while working with coloured pencils. My mind and heart are at peace while I work. I think this is why I continue to work as an artist. There are easier pathways in life but I remain thankful for the one I am on. Thank you dear friends for your support. If I am quiet on social media, you, my dear readers and friends will know why. I am taking stock and deeply at work. Hugs all around.