Near and far | Part 2

Greetings from Switzerland. I’m just finishing up my time here in Basel and before I head home to Vancouver, I wanted to share a few thoughts and events. Do you have a cup of tea handy and somewhere to put your feet up? Enjoy!

Out and About in Basel

Clockwise from top:

(a) I love spending time in the galleries and gardens at the beautiful Fondation Beyeler just outside of Basel. It is so peaceful and inspiring. I always leave refreshed, feeling more in touch with my inner being, which is surely one of the greatest offerings that fine art can provide. Thank you, Fondation Beyeler! (Fun fact: Many years ago this was where I first saw a Monet painting in person.)
(b) My ever-changing palette. It’s been fun seeing what colours pop up in different places. Here in Basel I’m extending my usual selection by dipping into more yellows, violets, and reds. Is it Basel? Or is it the lovely light that is responsible?
(c) On my lunch breaks I often sit beside the Rhine and do some “blind contour” sketching. Have you tried this? You keep your pen on the page and keep looking at your subject. Then you draw without looking down at the page and without lifting your pen. Sometimes the subject is almost unrecognizable, but often you can capture a special subtlety of the scene because you are paying such close attention to every detail without your “editing brain” getting in the way.

Building Community The concepts of near and far have been playing off my experiences and my paintings throughout my whole summer here in Basel. These concepts were brought to a very sweet and personal fulfillment in the outdoor workshop I gave a few hours ago. The workshop was for refugees, longtime residents, and children to help build community through painting together.

Five-hundred-year-old Swiss church: a study in transparency and opacity   I’m looking forward to returning home and to getting back into my studio. It has been an incredible summer and I know being back home will offer me even more insight into the whole experience. Time is often the best teacher and I am eager to see what my work on canvas, paper, and panels will teach me about what I have learned.

I look forward to the chance to connect with you again–at my Opus Demos, during studio visits, at upcoming art shows, and through this newsletter. Until then, I wish all the best in your artistic endeavours and in your enjoyment of life.
Tschüss
Lisa