All My Fancey

Go Places

2012-01-24T04:50:00.000-08:00

On this grey, rainy winter's day, I am embracing my melancholia and daydreaming about an escape. Sometimes a song can transport you, in mind if not in body. Neko Case and the New Pornographers: take me away...

A Newly Hatched Idea

2012-01-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

Family Tree in early stages

In April of 2012, I will be participating in an exhibit (title etc. to be announced) that will focus on our feathered friends, the birds, and their habitats and homes. I'm collaborating with my friend Shari MacLeod aka RedTwigBrownTwig, fibre artist/basket weaver and brain behind the fore mentioned exhibit (which will also feature collaborations by Shari and four other fine artists). Shari will be creating a "Family" tree to house a family of birds that I will be working on.

These are just some of the family members who will be displayed throughout the branches of our Family Tree. The Passeriformes Family, whose members include the Horned Lark, Grey Jays, Robins and Chickadees, to name a few.

In the photo to the left, are various portraits, transferred onto heavy gessoed watercolour paper. Also in the photo are some old frames found at flea markets and thrift stores. The frames will be re-presented and enhanced (with paint and found bits and pieces) and then these fine folks will be transformed in to a family of Birds. That's the plan at least. I will post more photos of our family members as they progress.

Stay tuned...

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

Season's Greeting Dear Readers, Followers and Random stumbleuponers!

I've had a great year work-wise and I really have enjoyed sharing what I do and my ramblings with you all.

I wish you all peace, health, and love in the coming year.

Most sincerely Teena Marie

PS (that's me to the left...just so you can put a face to the blogger)

*thanks to my friend David Crowe for snapping this pic and letting me use it.

Lilith

2011-12-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

Lilith’s Lament or Over the Moon
painting and poem by Teena Marie Fancey

A reluctant moon, you timidly rise
Show me your face but only one side
Celestial body controlling the tides
Keeping a distance, at rest in the skies

On the horizon intensified
I spin in your orbit, romanticize
Lunar illusion soon realized
Sheds light through darkness on the inside

A slice of light to waxing promise
Full and bright to waning premise
Begin again and don’t confess
Reluctant show of tenderness

Honey dripping from your lips
What exists behind your kiss?
Illuminate and then eclipse
And only stay if time permits

A slice of light to waxing promise
Full and bright to waning premise
Begin again and don’t confess
Reluctant show of tenderness
I’m over the moon; I’m over the moon

~this piece is currently available for sale at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.

THINK HANDMADE this year!

2011-11-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

Looking for unique gifts t of quality his Holiday Season? Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design is the place to go.

Wherever you shop this year...

THINK HANDMADE!

* commercial produced by

Ray J MacLellan @ Crew Productions and Teena Marie Fancey

Just Dessert

2011-11-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

Just Dessert or

“Coffee?”
by Teena Marie Fancey

I’m just not good at ending it
I don’t want to break your heart
Or have you become mad at me
For wanting us to part

Even though I want it over
Istill want you sweet on me
There’s just no way around it, dear
This is how it has to be

I will demonstrate kind-heartedness
By showing you I care
I’ll make a special dinner
And I’ll gently tell you there

I’ll tell you I adore you,
But that I have a new pursuit
That someone’s caught my roving eye
A fact I can’t refute

I’ll smile and serve you seconds,
And I’ll be your just dessert
Then you’ll have a tummy-ache
That’s when you’ll know love hurts

Was the chicken your demise?
The parsley, or the thyme?
Or could it be the recipe
That took you in your prime

I will shed a tear for you
You were a great delight
And if I tire of my new love
I’ll whet his appetite

for more information email me at tmfancey@gmail.com

How to Get Along with Other Women

2011-10-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

How To Get Along With Other Women
(or Gossip)
mixed media painting and poem by Teena Marie Fancey

Born of boredom, bitter words
Are formed with lipsticked mouths
Through smiling, whitened, perfect teeth
They carelessly pour out
Chins wagging, bragging, nasty news
Heartlessly sung with poisoned tongues
Telling the secrets belonging to you
No thought about the damage done

The trouble they breed, like evil seeds
Take root in pious hearts
Spreading misery like thorny weeds
Their stinging messages impart
To eager ears that relish to hear
Of lies and tarnished names
And ugly, spiteful, hurtful words
Spit out to injure and defame

Harsh remarks mistakenly
Believed they equal power
But rumours leave an aftertaste
That leaves the stomach sour
And so it goes on down the line
For wicked tongues won’t rest
What goes around will come around
No doubt that they are next

For more info about prices etc. email me at tmfancey@gmail.com

Lumiere round up

2011-10-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Lumiere 2011 was a huge success. Not bad for it's inaugural year, I must say. That was thanks to the fab organizers and artists who participated and made it so great. And for residents of CB and surrounding areas for coming out despite the rain!

Katherine Scott and I worked very hard on making our project happen and it really paid off. We had a very popular and well attended installation.
We transformed a squash court at the YMCA into an underwater world of plastics. We made jellyfish from plastic bottles and food containers and hung them on a fishing net, then projected their shadows on the walls of the court. Also projected was a message that started with a haiku and then listed the materials used in creating our underwater world. The list included plastic shotgun shells, plastic bottles, bottle caps, containers, and bait bags, lobster bands, nylon rope and other plastic refuse collected on local beaches. As well as a few startling facts about the peril of marine life and our planet's consumption and careless disposal of plastics.

The public was invited in to walk around the space which was filled with music that felt a bit funereal and evoked the sounds one might hear if submerged underwater. Then they could take their time and read the message and look at all the materials transformed to make creatures and corals.

We got a lot of positive comments from adults and kids alike. We hope all enjoyed and that we helped to not only pass on a message, but that we made art fun and approachable for all.

Thank you to all who supported us and came out to enjoy Lumiere 2011. Hope to see you next year!!!
*photographs by Robert Doublett from the album Lumiere on the CBC Cape Breton-Mainstreet Facebook site. Thanks also to CBC Cape Breton for your coverage and support! Cheers Wendy et al!

Lumiere 2011

2011-09-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

There's a really cool FREE event taking place in downtown Sydney Nova Scotia this weekend. It's called LUMIERE. Watch this and read on...

It's a night time ART event. The main street will be closed to vehicular traffic and there will be performances of music, theatre, dance and visual art in alley ways, parking lots, store windows, and other unconventional spaces. It starts at 6:59pm on October 1st and runs until 11:59pm. There is no admission...just come on downtown and walk about. Bars and restaurants will be open and some will be featuring special menus in honour of the occasion.
There will be information in Saturday's Cape Breton Post about some of the venues AND there will be volunteers in the streets with information too. ALSO check out http://www.lumiere2011.ca/ to see a PDF of the schedule and the artists involved.

I will be there...my fellow artist Katherine Scott (maker of handmade books and other delights) and I will be hunkered down at the beautiful new YMCA building. We will be taking over a squash court and will have it transformed into an underwater world made from refuse beach combed from local shores this past summer. Do drop by!

This is a new 'thing' for me. Although Katherine and I have worked on many installations of fine art and craft at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, installation of an art 'project' is new. We have been hard at work gathering and preparing but won't REALLY know what the end result will be until it is installed in the space. I promise to post pics after Saturday for your viewing pleasure/curiosity!

Stay tuned!

OUR LADY DELUXE

2011-08-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

OUR LADY DELUXE speaks to our society’s current and over-the-top adoration of wealth and things as marks of status and importance. I have chosen to pose my Lady not unlike Mary’s typical depiction amidst roses. However, instead of adding images of angels or other religious iconography, I chose to have her appear to juggle items that reflect commercial decadence and luxury. Our Lady DeLuxe is a symbol of our devotion to ‘stuff’.

This piece was inspired by a 1920’a photograph of a showgirl, a vintage article of paper doll clothing, ephemera from magazines from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s as well as a found metal graphic (Thank you Donna Durland!), all from my collection of vintage and found objects. Mixing the pre and post war era with the ever-present modern desire to have.

For more information on OUR LADY DELUXE or sales inquiries, please feel free to contact me at tmfancey@gmail.com.

Cheers!

I've Taken a Fancy: La Bella Mona Lisa Gallery

2011-08-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

If you are ever travelling around the famous Cabot Trail in the province of Nova Scotia and wish to visit a truly FABULOUS shop/gallery, do visit La Bella Mona Lisa Gallery in St. Joseph du Moine ( enroute between Margaree Harbour and Cheticamp NS). Artist extrodinaire Michel Williate-Battet owns and operates this gallery-shop and there you can see his enchanting work. I am honoured to now show some of my work at La Bella Mona Lisa Gallery and to be in such good company as the artisans and artists who show there too...in particular Michel himself. I have been an admirer of Michel's work for years as well as a patron of his gallery shop. Please do visit Michel's website to learn more about him and his work, and check out his microsite on the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design's website too, as he is also a member there.
Cheers!
( This piece pictured here is called "I've Taken a Fancy". It is a mixed media work on board with vintage Valentine making the claim. It measures 8"X8" and is available for sale at La Bella Mona Lisa Gallery on the Cabot Trail. For more info check the above links or email me at tmfancey@gmail.com)

Not the usual post, but an Accidental Sea

2011-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have watched this incredible short film many times and it never fails to command my attention and it inspires me in more ways than I can express.Go ahead watch...and see what you think.

Kudos Ransom Riggs.

Fun for One

2011-07-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Every time I go for a walk, I seem to find these wee cap gun rings and I can never resist picking them up and putting them in my pockets. Knowing that I have a thing for these little finds, friends even pick them up for me now. You know you have good friends when they will stoop and collect trash for you (shout out to all of you who bring me treasures!)
"Fun for One" was inspired by these little fire crackers (anyone out there remember when caps were made on red paper tape and could be struck with a rock to ignite them and cause a nice 'crack' if no cap-gun was available?). Anyway, yes, this work was inspired by the caps and by this cheeky gal who proves that girls can 'reach new heights' all on their own.

Blast off!

"Fun for One" is a mixed media work on board ( almost all of my work is on cradled board and doesn't require framing) and measures "12" x 16".
For sales inquiries or other information about my work, please feel free to email me at tmfancey@gmail.com

The Weekend Dance-(Get your glad rags on!): THE BACK STORY

2011-07-07T04:11:00.000-07:00

The back story: So much goes into bringing an idea to fruition. Hours of pondering, reading, and selecting/searching for the very right combination of colour, imagery and found objects to bring a story together on a 2-D surface. So, here is the story of The Weekend Dance (SOLD) ( mixed media on board with found object embellishments), a triptych ( 3 panels) featured in my exhibit When She Was Bad...now showing at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design until July 22nd, 2011.

In creating The Weekend Dance (Get your glad rags on!) I was inspired by the contrast between our Saturday night and Sunday morning behaviours, vintage photos from postcards, as well as two tales of deadly apparel: The Red Shoes, a work of fiction by Hans Christen Anderson, and the true story of a stunning ball gown made of arsenical green tarlatan.

The girl in Anderson’s tale wore her red shoes everywhere, and they were perceived as evidence of her vanity. Once cursed, the shoes took control of their owner’s feet. The shoes forced the girl to dance until she died from exhaustion after she boldly wore them to church.

The 1862 documented gown was made for a socialite’s ball using a shining green imported textile. The twenty yards of fabric was dyed with a compound of arsenic and contained about 900 grains of the poison. While its owner danced, the dress scattered a dusting of arsenic about the ballroom making many of the guests ill and poisoning the wearer as she twirled about the floor.

The subject in The Weekend Dance (Get your glad rags on!) is dressed in a fetching green frock and red shoes, ready for Saturday night. She hopes the weekend will bring something exciting and new. She throws off the shackles of the mundane and hurls herself into the dance with abandon; her red shoes move her through the hours. She will knowingly take risks tonight; she will be reckless and perhaps self-destruct in the complete surrender of her inhibitions.

Things will look very different in the harsh Sunday morning light and she will feel a tinge of guilt. As the workweek begins she will start looking forward to its end, and once the weekend arrives she will do the dance again. She is compelled to.

Ma! I'm on youtube!

2011-06-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Please note: I say 2010 but I MEANT to say 2011!!

Angel

2011-06-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

How to be 'good' can be so confusing. Traditionally, we were told to be good so we'd snag a good man. Talk about yer mixed messages...coz I know lots of good men who like bad girls. Bad girls get lots of attention. Mind you, lots of men like good girls when they're bad too. That ol' whore/Madonna thing. Yup, lots of fellas like bad girls...They might even call them Angel.

So, this Angel was discovered in an old ad from a 60's magazine. The fellas come from other magazines from that era and our Angel's wings are bits of metal that I found on a local beach. Doesn't she look like she deserves to be worshipped? Is she floating on a cloud or wading through dry ice? Will her wings help her rise above or aid in her fall from grace? Good or bad? Angel or No Angel?

Angel is one of 20 pieces featured in my exhibit When She Was Bad, showing now until July 22nd, 2011 at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design. Angel is an acrylic painting on board with vintage ephemera, found metal and measures 11"x14". My work is for sale, so for more information about Angel or any of the other works on this blog, email me at tmfancey@gmail.com

"Trouble"

2011-06-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

The game of Trouble, a sucessful trip to the dump and a ladies magazine from 1966 were the inspiration for this painting. In the spirit of causing havoc and a bit of 'witchery', this girl is stirring it up!
Our Bewitched-era gal has before her a crystal ball-cum-pop-o-matic bubble(scoured from the dump and probably once housed a trinket from a vending machine) which contains a die with a different coloured dot on each side ( also found at the dump).
"Pop the bubble, pop the die, pop a six and you move twice. Race your men around the track and try to send the others back!"
Yup, for all of those who were kids in the early seventies, remember that diddy? That's a looong time ago. The power of advertising!Wow!
The back drop was inspired by the actual design of the Trouble game board and sci-fi/futuristic like aesthetic from that era that was use alot in graphic design. The confused and frustrated looking gentlemen replace the coloured peg game pieces and await to be Troubled at the next 'pop' of the die!
"Trouble"** (mixed media on 12"x12" board) is one of 20 pieces exhibited in the show "When She Was Bad" now on display at the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design, 322 Charlotte St. Sydney, Nova Scotia until July 22nd, 2011. C'mon down and have a peek. For more information on this piece, email me at tmfancey@gmail.com
**SOLD**

STRIKE!

2011-06-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Strike. Which definition do you think is the most fitting?
a) to hit sharply eg: with a hand, fist weapon...
b) to inflict ( a blow)
c) to damage or destroy through forceful contact
d) engage in a work stoppage
Whatever your choice...Strike while it's hot!

"Strike" (SOLD) is one of 20 pieces in my exhibit
When She Was Bad (now showing at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design until July 22, 2011). "Strike" is mixed media work on board, and features a beach combed iron...yes, a real iron. The painting measures 16" w x 20" h. For more information visit the Centre's gallery or contact me at tmfancey@gmail.com.

Stay tuned...more work to come.

When She Was BAD- Opening night

2011-06-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

So, last night there was a little soiree at the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design's main gallery. I hosted a celebration of the opening of my new exhibit When She Was Bad. I want to thank all of you who attended: friends, family and new acquaintances and thanks also to the staff at the Centre for helping to make it great night.
I have posted a few pics of the evening ( I'm the one on the left in the first pic) and hope that if any of you who attended have any pics from the evening to please share them with me via email or the FB? I would be so grateful.
I worked hard on this show so I could share stories with you all through paint n' stuff n' poetry and hope that if you are in the area you'll drop in (322 Charlotte St. Sydney, NS) and have a look. The show runs until July 22nd, 2011. I will also be posting pics over the next week or so of the pieces featured in the exhibit.
CHeers Everyone!
~Teena Marie

The F-Word

2011-06-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd show you a bit of the journey taken to the finished piece I call The F-word.

It started with a poem that I wrote, a vintage McCall's magazine circa 1946 AND my love (bad habit) of using profanity.

My love of using the f-word contributed to forming that idea and writing the poem. The poem was written to help form the visual idea. I love to swear for effect. Timing is everything as is knowing your audience ( not everyone is open to bad language, I've discovered. Imagine!), and those who know me well, know that I can swear like a sailor!
The magazine is one of numerous vintage magazines in my collection. Who can resist gazing at that carefree-looking girl, hair blowing in the wind, blue sky filling up the frame behind her, sunglasses reflecting the photographer who was capturing her for the August cover.
What was she really thinking?

Now...scroll down.....

...as I was trying to form this idea, I thought about how one could deliver an F-bomb in an airy, girly, American Dreamy fashion - hence the heavy bodied acrylic medium imprinted with an old lace doily adding texture to the sky backdrop...it doesn't get more feminine than a doily, does it?

Originally I wanted the action of 'flipping the bird' to be fairly pronounced...but wait! it felt too crass, so it was painted out. Then I thought a speech bubble filled with: #%$@! That would express a mighty stream of expletives. Naw, I thought, not lady-like enough so I painted that out too...scroll down....

In the end, bubbles did nicely.

F-bombs floating delicately through the air and maybe silently but wetly popping and releasing their message like spit in the eye...and the action of flipping the bird is done so breezily- subtle but NOT to be missed! The gentleman reflected in her sunglasses dropped his camera he was so startled taken off-guard!

The F-word
Such language! So gauche!

Someone wash out her mouth!
How dare she? And really, I never!
That she’s said such a word

With such gusto and verve

With a smile on her lips, looking clever

Such brashness and cheek
Just to hear a girl speak
Such a foul and outragEous curse
Why, hasn’t she heard?
Such a word is reserved
For guttersnipes, sailors and worse!

“The F-word”, she states
“Has uses so great
They’re really too many to count.
Let me demonstrate,
How it can accentuate
One’s point perfectly so, should you want.

We can use it in place
Of the word fornicate,
For that term doesn’t sound at all right
As a noun or a verb
To say the F-word
Makes me wish I could do it all night

To guarantee a commotion
When so filled with emotion
In a sentence, I’ll just drop it in
As a bold adjective
The F-word will give
Any statement some vigor and vim

When push comes to shove
Take courage my love

And know there’s a perfect reply

When you need to be heard

Try this use of the word,
Say, “Fuck off!”

And you’ll feel satisfied.”

The F-Word ** is one of 20 pieces (some with poetry and rhymes) featured in my new exhibit

"When She Was Bad". The show is now open for viewing and runs until July 22nd, 2011 at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design 322 Charlotte St. Sydney, NS.
**SOLD**

Sneak peek #3

2011-06-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

As the lyric goes: Luck be a Lady tonight! Here's another sneak peak from my new exhibit When She Was Bad. This is a detail shot of a piece called Lady Luck (always a sure bet). I picked up a pair of novelty dice in a second hand shop on Prince Edward Island last year. They made me laugh and gave me the inspiration for this work. I'll post all the pieces in their entirety once the show opens...When She Was Bad runs from June 13th to July 22nd, 2011 at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, 322 Charlotte St. Sydney, Nova Scotia.

When She Was Bad- Sneak Peek #2

2011-05-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Too much time in the desert with its with its gouged-out beauty

A girl can get thirsty

A shimmering tonic is a diamond drop on a washed out horizon

Parched lips will drink from that tall glass of water
Hot cold, hot cold

Greetings from "The Painted Desert" is a painting from my new exhibit When She Was Bad. This is a detail shot, a snippet of the painting - a sneak peek. A few of the works in the exhibit will be accompanied by poetry or rhymes that I wrote to further develop the visuals when planning the work. I find it a great way to coax the Muse when I'm struggling.
When She Was Bad can be viewed at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design Gallery June 13th through to July 22nd. Once the show opens, I will post the photos of all the works in their entirety.
Stay tuned...more sneak peeks to come, as the countdown continues. While you're waiting...drop by the Centre's Gallery and take in the latest exhibit: Flotsam and Jetsam - an exhibit of basketry, photography, handmade books and other works inspired by the sea- by artists Shari MacLeod, Katherine Scott and Jayme Burns. Well worth the time!

Bluenose Marathon 2011-Girls on the Run!

2011-05-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Last year I attended the
Bluenose Marathon in Halifax Nova Scotia to cheer on my youngest daughter Lauren as she ran the half-marathon event. I had never attended before and because this was her 3rd time participating, that I would finally make the trip. I had never been to anything like it before and was overwhelmed at the caliber of the event AND the tremendous positive energy surrounding it. Droves of people turned out to cheer on the runners ( a cornucopia of all ages and abilities) and one couldn't help but get caught up in it all. I cheered as folks in all the events crossed the finish line and shed some tears as my daughter completed her run. I decided then and there that I'd run the next year.

Let me tell you, I was no runner and only minimally athletic but I stuck to my guns and started training in late December, running a couple times a week and then stopped when the weather stopped co-operating. I took it back up in March, determined as I was, and it was a slow process, but finally was able to run 5km without stopping or walking by the end of April. Not bad for a 47year old ex-smoker.

Fast forward to 2011 and you can see me above with my medal for completing the 5km event. My youngest daughter ran the half-marathon event, my oldest daughter Allison ran the 5km with me and we all came in UNDER our goal times! (We three are here to the right)

It feels so good to accomplish something I never imagined I'd do!

Next year: Bluenose Marathon 2012 10km event!
Hope to see some of you there!

When She Was Bad is only weeks away! Stay tuned for some more sneak peaks!

Check it!

2011-05-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Cape Breton Fiber Arts

Are you a weaver, spinner, knitter, quilter, rug hooker, felter, dyer, crocheter, yarnaholic, textile junkie... or someone who'd like to be one of those things but hasn't gotten around to it yet, or even just someone with a passing interest in the fibre arts on Cape Breton Island? Then this is the place for you!

Stay tuned for a new post soon!

Teaser and a Shout Out

2011-04-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here we are, it's April. This artist is celebrating a birthday ( coming very close to the half-century mark... how did that happen so fast?), it's finally feeling like spring on Cape Breton Island and I've got 2 short months until my lastest exhibit opens in June.
Still working on several images that I hope to include in the show and I will, no doubt, work as close to the installation date as possible.

Wanted to leave you all with a bit of a teaser...a detail pic of a new piece ( it shall remain nameless for now) that will be exhibited in
When She Was Bad...opening June 2011 at the
Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.

And, while I'm at it, I would like to send a shout out to the
CB Centre for Craft and Design and invite you to check out their brand new website...it's lovely!
The CBCCD has a fabulous Gallery and Shop that showcases fine art and craft of its Cape Breton Artisan members and sports studios, workshops and courses.

Back to the easel!

Shout out!

2011-01-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

Pink Lady

Hi All!
Today I had some great fun hamming it up for the camera. The Gallerists and Marketing Dept. at the
Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design put together a wee photo shoot that we hope will result in some Valentine's Day promotions for our Gallery Shop at the Centre.
Our photographer was Jayme Burns who patiently directed us in our poses and to find our light (the 'us' being me and the ever lovely Katherine Scott).
Jayme kindly sent me this file (originally in B&W) and I immediately made a copy in pink to reflect my mood( as she made me feel that good).
Next stop for the photos taken today will be editing and graphic design touches (do your magic Erin). Will post the final product when they are ready.
Thanks Jayme! This shout out is for you Girly!

BALLS!

2010-11-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

"We're the Kings of the castle and you're the dirty rascal!"

Yup, girls can be the King too. And, they've got Balls!(SOLD)

This is my lastest piece and will be part of my 2011 show "When She Was Bad".

These girlies came to me in a vintage Florida postcard that I picked up in a junk and collectables shop. They were originally holding very large grapefruits. I thought they looked truimphant and that reminded me of a childhood game of capturing a hill or piece of playground equipment and then taunting the others with the sing-song call: "I'm the King of the Castle..."

Their royal crowns are actually buttons that I found in a wee shop in Kensington Market in Toronto this summer. As soon as I saw them, I knew exactly who they belonged to, and so brought them home to the studio. I think the girls are wearing them with some attitude!

"When She Was Bad" will open this Summer (2011) at the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Mermaids Anyone?

2010-10-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

Secret at the Seashore (SOLD)

Although summer has gone and the fall has arrived, Mermaids are still frolicking on our shores and searching for treasures in the sea.
These Mermaids can be found on display and for sale in the Gallery Shop at the
Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design at 322 Charlotte St., in Sydney.
(They are keeping Alice and the Mad Hatter company there, along with a few other characters I have created.)
The Lady Mermaids are 8"X8", and the MerKinder are 6"X 6". They are all mixed media on board, and all have a piece or two of sea glass found here on Cape Breton to adorn them.

Do drop in to see them and all the beautiful art and craft made by Cape Breton Artisans at the Centre!

Secret at the Seashore(SOLD)

An Unusual Fish (SOLD)

Secret at the Seashore(SOLD)

And don't forget...if there is someone special you'd like to surprise this Holiday season, I do commissions as well. Just email me!

The News is Officially out!

2010-07-06T04:34:00.000-07:00

The work of Cape Breton artist Teena Marie Fancey had been selected from among a number of other Cape Breton entries to be presented at the Kinsale Arts Festival in Ireland.

“I’m really proud and honoured that my work has been selected to represent Cape Breton at Kinsale and that it will be shared with an international audience,” exclaimed Fancey.

This year, the Kinsale Arts Festival is being held as part of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race events in the Cork and Kinsale region of Ireland.

“The festival asked all of the Clipper yacht sponsors to submit a work to represent their regions,” states Lauri Taylor, Cape Breton’s Clipper Project Coordinator with Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation. “We saw this as a great opportunity to showcase another aspect of Cape Breton’s rich culture and we’re very proud of Teena Marie’s work.”

A competition of Cape Breton artists was conducted by the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design to select the representing entry for the island. A selection committee judged the process, ultimately selecting Fancey’s submission to be displayed in Ireland.

Fancey describes She Had That Sinking Feeling: “The piece has a gentleman and a lady who, although from different worlds, share an attraction. The gentleman is safe for now, in his little boat and the lady has been lured up to the surface by the promise of romance. One of them is going to have to leave their home or comfort zone if the pair wishes to be together.”

“In my latest work I use inspiration from collected photographs, found objects, and remembered poems, nursery rhymes and stories that left me full of wonder and fuelled my imagination. In this case, I’m marrying the old, a vintage photograph of my great-grandparents, and the modern, a found diving wheel component, to tell a timeless story of relationships.”

Fancey’s work will be displayed at the festival from Friday, July 2 to Tuesday, July 6 in Kinsale

An Unusual Fish

2010-06-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

This wee mermaid (SOLD) has found a treasure. A beautiful green gem! The perfect thing to wear to have her portrait painted. Mermaids love to adorn themselves as we do. This little mixed media painting embellished with a nugget of seaglass will be available for sale at the PEI Mermaid Tears Sea Glass Festival in July.

Opening Night at the Craig Gallery!

2010-05-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

Opening night at the Craig!

If you’re ever in Dartmouth Nova Scotia, or in the vicinity, I strongly urge you to visit The Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing! Located next to the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal, The Craig is a wonderful, bright and modern venue in which to view great visual art!

My show, Redux, Redux just had its opening reception on April 28th…and it was terrific! Alderney Landing and The Craig Gallery is a busy little spot and was the perfect place for a fun evening.I want to thank all of those who came out to support me. I have great friends and family and you know who you are! (special thanks to my assistant David S, who helped me hang the show)
I also want to thank Kim Farmer, the Craig Gallery’s Director for all of her help, support and professionalism, as well as the volunteer gallery-sitters and the Craig Foundation. Thank-you, thank-you!

Redux, Redux will be showing until May 23rd, 2010. I invite anyone visiting to stop in and have a look around.

Cheers All! Here are some pics...

C'mon out! And Thanks to...

2010-04-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

At last, the final showing of Redux, Redux will open at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Redux was the brainchild of myself and artist Laura Moore and opened originally in March of 2009 at the Cape Breton University Art Gallery. In the Summer of 2009, what with Laura busy with her new shop Finders Keepers, I travelled my Redux work to Ross Creek Centre for the Arts in Canning, Nova Scotia and called it Redux, Redux. So this is the last leg of the 'tour' and I hope that anyone in the Dartmouth/ Halifax area who wants to take a last gander will c'mon out for either opening night or will catch the show sometime before it's taken down on May 23rd. I would like to take this opportunity to thank: Laura Moore--collaborator/artist/shopkeeper extrodinaire, David, Allison, and Lauren Saunders for their love and encouragement, and all my family and friends for their continuing support. Cheers!

Alice at Finders Keepers

2010-03-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

No Room! No Room! Welcome to the Mad Tea Party. The Hatter, The Hare and The Doormouse have welcomed Alice to the table after protesting that there was no room! Clearly this lot are frustrating poor Alice. She does look exasperated and a bit miffed. This is an 8" X 10" mixed media on cradled board. I've altered a photo from my collection and added ephemera from an very old encyclopedia and some vintage magazines, as well as adding a tea cup handle that I found while beachcombing here on Cape Breton. This and other Alice themed works by me as well as some great Alice-themed items are on display at Laura Moore's shop Finders Keepers in Bras D'or!

So make your way over to Finders Keepers, pull up a chair, and grab a cuppa! There's really plenty of room!!

Mermaid Treasure #2

2010-02-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

Ah...Mermaid #2 ( mixed media on cradled board 6"X 6") (SOLD) has been given a tail and a new tiara, adorned with a small turquoise gem, a little piece of sea glass found by me on a Cape Breton beach. She looks pretty happy in her coral garden.

Stay tuned...more mermaids to come.

Tea Card/Mermaid Transformation #2

2010-02-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Time to make another Mermaid to accompany this next little tea card vignette. This lady will undergo the addition of a tail, in place of her legs...and it won't hurt a bit. I promise. This Mermaid will also come with me to the Mermaid Tears Seaglass Festival this summer in PEI. Once complete, she will have an underwater garden and a tiara adorned with a precious piece of seaglass. Stay tuned.

Mermaid Treasure

2010-02-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

This Mermaid (SOLD) just loves a good find! She's happened upon some lovely treasure while beachcombing!

So I've given our lovely lady from the previous post, a tail, textured by an old lace doilie, a treasure chest, and jewellry embellished with wee seaglass gems that I've collected on our Cape Breton beaches. I think that the little tea card was paramount in setting the scene in which our Mermaid sits.
Stay tuned...more Mermaids are in the works!

Little treasures and Mermaids

2010-02-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Remember when boxes of tea would contain little treasures buried inside among the tea bags? I have fond memories of my Grandmother saving all the little porcelain figurines that were give-aways and later, the wee little cards that depicted wildlife, and wee vignettes. You could even send away for albums that were made especially for these little cards. I loved all those little treasures and today, whenever I stumble upon these things in junk and collectibles shops, I can't resist! I had no idea what I would do with them, but when I wanted to do small mermaid paintings that included tiny bits of sea glass, I knew that the little cards I had in my collection would work perfectly. So...stay tuned for the finished painting. It will be one in a series that will be on display and for sale at this year's Mermaid Tears Sea Glass Festival in Prince Edward Island.

Take it in. Sing it Out!

2010-02-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

SO...here is what happened to the Ladies 3. They have become
"Take it in. Sing it Out!"

You can see this work at an Event happening in Sydney this week put on by the

Cape Breton Stage Company Co-operative

called

NOTES FOR HAITI.

All Proceeds will go to the Haiti Relief Efforts of Doctors Without Borders

Cape Breton Artists in the dance, theatre, music and visual arts communities will come together for an evening of entertainment. Admission is Pay-What-You-Can and takes place Friday Feb 5th and Saturday February 6th at the Civic Centre Round Room. It's sure to be a great time and it is for a great cause...hope to see you there!

Ladies 3

2010-01-28T05:38:00.000-08:00

It's been a while but here are my latest 'muses'...(thank you Stephen M. for giving me a Facebook nudge).

These ladies look like like they've just dared you."Go ahead. We dare you!" they seem to say. So I thought about how daring they might be and how the three reminded of the ever-popular trio of monkeys...you know the one: Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil. I was thinking these girls would have none of that directive and would do as they please,with gusto!

Using Klimt's Beethoven Frieze, the power of music and the trio of monkeys as further inspiration, I am using paint to help these fine ladies get their message out.
Like music, or a symphony, all that they wish to express, all their emotions will culminate and rise up effervecently to meet you. Stay tuned...the Ladies 3 will return soon, transformed.

Or would you rather be a fish?

2009-12-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

Would you like to swing on a star?

Carry moonbeams home in a jar

And be better off than you are

Or would you rather be a fish?

A fish won't do anything but swim in a brook

He can't write his name or read a book.

To fool all the people is his only thought

And though he's slippery he still gets caught

But then if that sort of life is what you wish

You may grow up to be a fish...

Inspiration for this piece, 'Baby Boy-Would you like to swing on a star?' (SOLD) came from an old photograph I found of a little baby in a very archaic looking 'jolly jumper'. The photo made me laugh out loud. The song Swing on a Star immediately came to mind! So, I put him in outer space, and painted his little knit hat to look a bit like a helmet. I cut a thin sheet of mica and put it over the jar of moonbeam Baby Boy is carrying to give the contents a bit of shine and to give the illusion of glass. The stars and blue 'bubble'-like embellishments were sparkly bits from a container of found odds and ends I have.

I do have more 'situations' planned for this Baby in the future. So, you can expect to see him again.

Presenting: Lady in Waiting

2009-11-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Title: Lady in Waiting by Teena Marie Fancey

Medium: Acrylic on cradled board, aluminum can bottom, spoon bowl, cutlery piece all found while beachcombing, photographic transfer.
Size: 16" X 20"
(SOLD)
Accompanying Poem;

Lady In Waiting
by Teena Marie Fancey
Adrift without mooring in a pea green boat

Heart full to bursting, my body ready to feast
Ravenous, with runcible spoon in hand
I dream by the light of the moon

The taste of honey already on my tongue
Your ocean skin and waves of hair
I’m caught in a counter current, your pull
I dream by the light of the moon

Lady in Waiting & her verse will be shown in the Exhibit: " When She Was Bad" in summer 2011.

Lady in Waiting Progress...

2009-11-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

So, our Lady waits still. Now I feel I really know where this painting is going and I've chosen the found objects that will accompany her while she waits: some metal scraps that I found while beachcombing. I will beef up the contrast, and the moonlit sky and water, and work on the viewer's perspective just a tad to pull the composition together. I figure I'll have a finished product to show by tomorrow's end. I just love show and tell!

Lady in Waiting

2009-11-02T05:57:00.000-08:00

The waiting is the hardest part, our lovely lady, here to the right, seems resigned to the fact that she must wait. And so she does. But what is she waiting for? Perhaps a poem could shed some light?

Lady in Waiting by Teena Marie Fancey

Adrift without mooring in a pea green boat
Heart full to bursting, body ready to feast
Ravenous, with runcible spoon in hand
I dream by the light of the moon

The taste of honey already on my tongue
Your ocean skin and waves of hair
I’m caught in a counter current, your pull
I dream by the light of the moon

The Owl and the Pussycat is a favourite childhood

poem of mine. I often use the image of the pea green boat

to depict the idea of romance in my work...

The promise of romance is a funny and fleeting thing and we can't get enough of it.

It causes us to do many things like walk on air, giggle, shave our legs and sometimes makes us forget who we are and we'll risk everything for just a little.

Stay tuned...more later this week.

The Fireworks burst and I'm kicking up dust

2009-10-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Here we have the finished product. My first finished piece for When She Was Bad (opens 2011).

Title: Dirt and Devil-May-Care (SOLD)

Medium: acrylic on cradled board, photographic transfer, toy gun cap-ring.

Size: 16" X 20"

Inspired by the original photo, a cap-ring and a poem of the same name.

Dirt and Devil-May-Care

by Teena Marie Fancey

Strike the match and I am already in flames
The hiss of ignition and I’m burning alive
Turning sweat into steam and I swear to God

We had ‘Once upon a time’ then we jumped to the middle
Skimming, skipping, looking for the good parts
Caught up in pulp, we see truths in the fiction

What kind of salvation is on your tongue?
You lay a hand as you pass and I want to be saved
Feed me your body, blood and a crust of bread

Words and winds and my fate is struck
The fireworks burst and I’m kicking up dust
Dirt and Devil-may-care and be damned

When the sparks fly I am so good at being bad
The fireworks burst and I’m kicking up dust

Dirt and Devil-may-care and be damned

Dirt and Devil-May-Care

2009-10-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

This is my all time favourite photograph in my vast collection of old photos. It magically captures the feeling of flying sparks between these two!

It also inspired me to write a poem which then inspired a new piece (stay tuned) for my upcoming 2011 show called,
"When She Was Bad" where I will be showing work as well as poetry accompanying some of the pieces. I find writing can solidify a vision for a painting, and the reverse can be true too.

I will share this poem as a taste of what When She Was Bad will have to 'say' and what the painting might look like. Will post the results soon as I've already begun to put brush to board and have a handfull of used toy gun cap rings...hmmm. Enjoy...

Dirt and Devil-May-Care

When the sparks fly I am so good at being bad
The fireworks burst and I’m kicking up dust
Dirt and Devil-may-care and be damned

Strike the match and I am already in flames
The hiss of ignition and I’m burning alive
Turning sweat into steam and I swear to God

We had ‘Once upon a time’ then we jumped to the middle
Skimming, skipping, looking for the good parts
Caught up in pulp, we see truths in the fiction

What kind of salvation is on your tongue?
You lay a hand as you pass and I want to be saved
Feed me your body, and blood and a crust of bread

Words and winds and my fate is struck
The fireworks burst and I’m kicking up dust
Dirt and Devil-may-care and be damned

tmf

Myth in the Mist

2009-10-05T04:32:00.000-07:00

I came upon this picture/postcard in a collectables shop. Apparently, she was a silent film star of note, the back of the card was autographed. I decided she would be front and centre in a new painting for an upcoming group exhibit that will run in conjunction with the Celtic Colours International Festival. Myth in the Mist is an exhibit to celebrate the Otherworld of Faeries, at the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design.

Not long after I found this beauty, I picked up a 1950's comic of Shakespear's A Mid Summer Night's Dream. I decided then that this lovely lady would be Titania, the Faery Queen of Shakespeare's play and I would submit her for exhibit in
Myth in the Mist.

After working on Titania over several weeks, this was the final result. She is lulled to sleep by her ever present subjects, the faeries that reside in the woodlands and as she drifts off images of a hummingbird searching for nectar, fishes swimming in the silence of the deep water and the glow of the moonlight that attracts the Luna Moth from the darkness fill her mind.
She is on cradled board, (size: 11" X 14"), is done in acrylics and is titled:
Titania's Dream-"Sing me now to sleep" (SOLD)

Myth in the Mist opens Thursday, October 8th at 7PM at 322 Charlotte St. Sydney, Nova Scotia.
All are welcome!

Redux, Redux opens today!

2009-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

It's finally here. Redux, Redux opens today at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts in Canning, Nova Scotia. Technically, this is my first solo exhibit as well as my first solo exhibit on the mainland. I am very excited about showing my work to a new audience!

The Official Opening is this Sunday from 1-3pm and all are welcome! Afterwards Ross Creek Centre for the Arts will be presenting Two Planks and a Passion's Off the Grid theatre will have their season's opening performance of their production Rockbound which I am happy to say I will be attending!

Will be back at the old studio in Margaree Harbour working on my next project: When She Was Bad which will open in summer 2011...a long way off, maybe but trust me, when the time comes I'll wonder where the time went and hope I've got it all done!

Bragging rights and good advice

2009-06-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Pictured here is my wonderful Daughter #1. Just giving her kudos for an article well written...I will NEVER get tired of braggin' up the kids. So she may think it's no big deal, but for me it is. Check out this link The Coast, a wonderful little Halifax newspaper that throws my girl an opportunity now and then and publishes her. In this latest issue of The Coast, Allison gives great advice for those wanting to enjoy all that Halifax Nova Scotia has to offer, but must stick to a budget. Enjoy.

Redux, Redux...goin' solo

2009-06-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

Redux, Redux will be showing at the Ross Creek Centre of the Arts in beautiful Canning Nova Scotia in July! I will be exhibiting solo as my Redux partner, Laura Moore has her hands full at her new boutique. Her presence and her fab work will be missed at Ross Creek but you can see her found object paintings and her other creations at Finders Keepers in Bras D'ors her on Cape Breton Island.

Meanwhile, I am excited to be showing off-island and hope that the Valley folk will come on out and enjoy my work.

Check out the Ross Creek Centre's website for info on my show and upcoming exhibits and their theatre company Two Planks and a Passion. I'm hoping to take in a performance of Rockbound, this year's play.

So Mainland Nova Scotia, here I come! Wish me luck all!

IT'S A GIRL!! IT'S A BOY!!

2009-06-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

What do you know?

The arrival of the Blue Boy and Pink Girl is earlier than predicted! And I'm so proud!

These kids came

together quickly and enthusiastically for me. I hope you all like the results!

And, I have featured them on my Etsy site...just choose 'Sellers' and 'allmyfancey' on the search bar at http://www.etsy.com/ to have a look. This is a new venture for me and I hope a successful one! Gotta start paying for my painting vice!

I'd love some feedback on these kids and the blog or the idea of etsy. Really!

I thought for sure the Bread and Honey painting would have been completed first but no. Stay tuned as I am sure to get Demeter to the finish line any day now!

Blue Boy and Pink Girl

2009-06-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

I have stalled on Bread and Honey but fortunately, being a creative, moody type, I have two more pieces in the works...ALWAYS have more than one thing on the go!

As promised new pics of two new pieces in progress!
These paintings were inspired by the nursery rhyme:
What Folks are Made Of
What are little boys made of? Snips and snails and puppy-dog tails;
That's what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made
of? Sugar and spice and everything nice;
That's what little girls are made of.

In these first two photos, both paintings have had a background of pink and blue applied and the photo transfers have been completed. These two kiddies come from a photo I found at a flea market. Where are these two now, I wonder? Did they follow a path that was laid out for them? Or did they follow the one less travelled?

The photos to the right show a bit more progress made. Both images have been embellished with paint, the transfers tend to be quite 'ghostly' as I have
mentioned before, so a bit of painting takes them to a new stage and kinda makes 'em my own.

I have worked on the background and chosen what found objects and ephemera I will be adding. At this point, I want their 'stories' to be about what society's general expectations are; what kind of man or woman they should aspire to be.

Objects for our Blue Boy include:
vintage Toronto Maple Leafs metal game piece, plastic army man, vintage wedding cake decoration, plastic baby, glass 'bubbles', ephemera from old encyclopedias and an illustration from The Modern Sex Manual (1942) .

Objects for our Pink Girl include:
doll shoe, vintage button, vintage swizzle stick, plastic baby, toy wooden house, glass bubbles in pink, ephemera from old encyclopedias, illustration from The Modern Sex Manual (1942) .

The Objects have yet to be attached to the piece. I will do so once I'm satisfied with the background and the bubbles. Then I'll integrate them with some fussing and glueing.

Stay tuned...I am really caught up in telling these little stories and am sure to have more progress to show you in the next day or so....

Making progress

2009-05-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Just a few words today. Thought I'd show you how Bread and Honey is progressing since the last post.

Have done a fair bit of work to the background but will tweak just a bit more. I have also worked on Demeter's tunic and will soon be incorporating some bread tags in pretty pastel colours. I have also started planning what will be in the foreground and have started sketching that in with chalk and there is still some light and dark contrasts to be enhanced for a more surreal or dream like feeling.

Will report more later.

Over and out.

PS- a sneak peek at my next two works is coming soon as promised...stay tuned.

Mother's Day

2009-05-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

I thought I should post a wee something for Mother's Day and so went looking for a quote that I felt fairly described my mother's and my own 'mothering philosophy', and so I chose this quote by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.

"A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary."

My wonderful sister inlaw Jane and I have had many, many discussions about motherhood over the years. We jointly Mothered our children each and every summer over the past 20-odd years. Some of my very best memories. Anyway, the most frequent and the most recent conversations have had to to with the importance of raising capable children.

If we want our children to be happy and do well, one of the best gifts a mother can give is that of teaching them how to take care of themselves so they can negotiate their way through this life with success and happiness. My friend Shelagh says, " you are only as happy as your least happy child." Truer words have never been spoken.

I can thank my mother for her no nonesense, approach in raising me. If something wasn't going my way, she simply told me to figure it out and address the problem. Her most well-worn quote is: "Look out for No. 1" which she would say whenever I may have been letting others get the best of me. "Put your shoulders back and stand tall!" is another fave and was said if she thought I needed to show more pride or improve my self-esteem.

And even though she is fairly militant about things and kept a house and her children so neat that she could have held and Open House any day of the week, she also has a very mischevous, playful side...as is evident early on in the photo of my Mom above!

It wasn't unusual for her to hide something under my sheets at the foot of my bed and lay in wait for me to crawl in for the night and yelp when my foot touched an unknown object which turned out to be a hairbrush or a rubber spider. She loved giving me a good scare every now and then. She once told me that her Grandmother loved to have the Grandkids over and play Blind Man's Bluff in her house at night. My mother loved this, as her Grandmother was great at giving them a fright.

And despite the fact that my Mom and I sometimes despised one another through most of my teenage years, every now and then when moods were dark and full of loathing, she would grab my hands and force me into an impromtu jive in the kitchen.

The other reasons I wanted to write this post today, were all the wonderful women I've had and have in my life. They have all played a role in educating me, inspiring me, and making me stronger. Oh, and plus I forgot to put a proper Mother's Day card in the mail for my Mom. Oops! SORRY MOM!

So, to my Mom (xxoo, love ya Mom!) and to all the women who are mothers, or who love like mothers...

Happy Mother's Day!

Progress Report #1 -"Bread and Honey-how sweet it is!"

2009-05-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Alrighty! I thought it was high time I checked in with some photos to show the progress I’ve made thus far with Bread and Honey- how sweet it is!

I started with a nice wood support from Curry’s Art Supply. I like these supports. They are nicely made and have a really nice look if you decide to work on it as a shadowbox style support, which comes in handy if I happen to know that the found objects I will be using are better housed in a recess. In this case, the tin light reflectors I’m hoping to incorporate are fairly sharp and the cradled board will serve to protect any passers-by from a nasty scratch and allow the piece to be easier to pack and transport

After applying gesso and sanding and more gesso, I loosely painted in the composition in my chosen palette of spring pastel colours (photo #1). Then I applied the photo transfer I made of the portrait studio card. As you can see in photo #2 it leaves me with a ghostly image, which I love! It allows me to tint the photo any colour I chose as well as alter the image too. In this case, I have given Demeter a bit of a primavera green cast, well suited to the Earth Goddess I think, and then I accentuated the contrast and light. Happy with that, I have then sketched in the next part of my plan in chalk, and will work on the background a bit before I move on( photo #3).

I must add…that like most artists I know, I always work on several projects at once and will be giving you a sneak peak in my next post, at two pieces I have started simultaneously with Bread and Honey.

Stay tuned…

Bread and Honey

2009-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Stuff to inspire a new piece: vintage portrait studio card, bread bag tags, vintage Christmas light reflectors (thank you Laura Moore for gifting me these beauties!)

The coming of spring to Cape Breton requires supreme patience. It is a slow birthing process of hope. Buds fatten, vibrant green shoots burst from colourless soil to meet the ever-warming sun while the air stays cold from the breath of pack ice just off shore. We wait and are coaxed out of our winter doldrums with the sweet smell of the thawing earth.

While scouring a flea market, two years ago, I came upon this old portrait studio card. Unlike other cards I’ve collected and seen, this subject is dressed only in a toga-like shift. With her eyes cast to the heavens and her hair done up with small curls, she no doubt was meant to resemble a goddess or muse. I have been waiting to decide which Goddess’s name I would assign to her and yesterday, thinking of What Spring Brings, I have reached my decision. She is Demeter!

Demeter is the Greek Goddess of grains and earth's fertility. She is responsible for the changing seasons. Among her greatest gifts was teaching mankind the art of agriculture: sowing seeds, ploughing and harvesting. She gave mankind the ability to grow grains with which to make bread.

Bread is known to us as the “Staff of Life”. In the ancient world, grain was more valuable than money, and in Christian teachings the faithful are taught to pray, “ Give us this day our daily bread”. At communion they take the “body of Christ” which is represented by bread. When we are at peace, we ‘break bread’ together. Bread as a metaphor represents Life.

In ancient times, honey was refered to as “food of the Gods” and Priestesses who worshipped Demeter were known as ‘bees’. Honey had a value that went far beyond being a foodstuff. In many cultures it was used as a talisman and a symbol of sweetness.

In celebration of Spring and in honour of Demeter, I will combine the objects shown above with paint as a tribute to Bread and Honey...how sweet it is.

In the weeks to come, I will post the painting’s progression. I hope you’ll check in.

What Spring Brings

2009-03-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings and salutations to all!

I have been waiting for Spring 2009 for some time now. Over the last two years I have worked like a busy bee, getting work ready for an exhibition called REDUX, at the Cape Breton University Art Gallery.

REDUX features the work of myself and friend and artiste extrodinaire Laura Moore

(see lamooredesigns.com) and runs from March 20 - April 24th, 2009.

The show opened this past Friday night and what a night it was! Thank you to all who attended! Over the next while I will post pics of the artwork and exhibition so those of you who can't make it to the University, can have a gander. SEE SLIDESHOW (LEFT) OF REDUX WORK

I hope you will check in with me here at All My Fancey every now and then. I will post my thoughts, talk about art, share some news, poems and whatnot.

I leave you with a poem that I think is apropos.

My Fancy
by Lewis Carroll

I painted her a gushing thing,

With years about a score;

I little thought to find they were

A least a dozen more;

My fancy gave her eyes of blue,

A curly auburn head:

I came to find the blue a green,

The auburn turned to red.

She boxed my ears this morning,

They tingled very much;

I own that I could wish her

A somewhat lighter touch;

And if you ask me how

Her charms might be improved,

I would not have them added to,

But just a few removed!

She has the bear's ethereal grace,

The bland hyaena's laugh,

The footstep of the elephant,

The neck of a giraffe;

I love her still, believe me,

Though my heart its passion hides;

"She's all my fancy painted her,

"But oh! how much besides!