Reflections

 As the hour clicks closer to Christmas and the pressure of getting paintings out the door and on their way to clients from coast to coast dissipates, there is more time to look back on the year. With Heather's impressive productivity and success at the Under $100 Show in Calgary and the addition of workshops and the Kidz ART Zone to our mix of offerings, we have had a great year at Birdsong Studios. We were also able to get our Bird's Nest airbnb suite back on the market this fall which has been great, too. 

I've had a very productive year which began with the 25 Day Painting Challenge where I did 25 portraits in 25 days in support of Bracelets For Buildings. It not only raised thousands of dollars to support an impoverished family in Cambodia, it kicked me into creative gear right of out 2025's gate. I'm going to end the year having created just under 300 new works. That is about 100 more than the previous year when we were still transitioning into our new home and studio in High River.

More importantly, I look back on the body of work created in 2025 and I feel like there were a large number of stand outs, paintings of which I am enormously proud. I started my morning by glancing through to identify a potential TOP 10. I couldn't do it. I'll need more reflection time on that task.

Looking back on 2025, I am incredibly happy with the community of friends we've nurtured with our workshop offerings for adults and kids. It is so fulfilling to see such growth in the number of individuals who have plugged into Birdsong Studios and found a safe, inspiring and comfortable creative space. We are grateful to each and every one.  

I'm grateful to the growing number of people who have reached out for commissions. I did a quick count since we returned from the Yukon in late August. Over fifty commissions have been completed in the last four months. While the vast majority have been dog portraits, there were some very interesting requests in the mix, many of which will be unwrapped on Christmas morning in homes across the country. Thank you for trusting me with your special gift giving inspirations.

After three last minute dog commissions, I jumped back into a new polar bear painting. I enjoyed this project tremendously, as it was an exploration of both a beautiful animal and a colour palette that I really enjoy. I especially appreciate the name that someone suggested for it, as it achieved everything that I wanted to express. This new 24" x 30" original painting is titled "Solar Bear".