Just getting over a sinus cold... definitely wiped me out that I stayed in bed all day yesterday watching TV and movies.

Onto today where my head is finally allowing me to get back to my painting. I think I'll go get another set of brushes since my last set I bought seems to be 'molting' LOL. Not fun having strands of brush on the canvas surface... can't remember how many times I've had to hunt for my tweezers to pick them off...

So, paint! Read! Quiet with the occasional squawk from a crow for today!
 The time of year where the leaves change color and make a wonderful blanket on the ground on all the paths I walk!

A good portion of the summer has been mostly viewed through my camera lens and LCD screen. It ended up that most of the time I would use my little digital camera because I couldn't afford the film for my other camera. I really prefer my SLR film camera though... Many reasons come to mind. Mainly, whenever I want to focus on a scene my digital camera is set for the center spot in the composition, but when I change it to use the Auto setting it picks the spot! Most annoying!!!!!

I can't wait to have enough to buy a really nice professional digital SLR camera... can't wait...

Anyways, I've been slowly working on the two watercolors I had posted images of earlier. I'll get around to taking pictures of them soon...

I finally put brush to canvas recently on my first large oil painting in years! I am so excited. It's been a summer of taking pictures to compose the image for this painting and I'm just beside myself somedays!

Ok, off for yet another of my walks and then back to work on paintings!

Have a great day, rain or shine!

The summer has been hot and the house (not my room) has been ice cold! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I spent most of the time taking photos for creations that are in the works in various forms...

Some of the days I would find a nice shady spot outside to sketch and dream.

Can't wait for September with TIFF hits Toronto. I'm visiting friends and hoping to get to see some stars and attend a movie or two!

Happy travelling everyone, wherever you may go. Stay safe!
I sit here staring at my cup of Earl Grey tea while pondering my next chapter in a book I am writing. I have so many projects on the go that I celebrate extensively when I complete one.

So, I put to you -- What is your hot beverage of choice when creating that fine piece of work? -- a question that always comes up in my mind when I choose a particular drink for each different project.

The Earl Grey aroma evokes a dreamy quality in some of my paintings so much that I change back to Orange Pekoe a lot for the caffeine.

Well, off to create, go for a walk, and more creating when I return!

Happy day to all!
I have been online a long time now and there have been so many times where I did not post my art because I was afraid of it being stolen and used by someone else as their own work.

I, just recently, read a blog that this issue is getting more attention lately. Have a look!

So, while I post all my pictures with my logo all over it, I will try to do so with how much of the image I will leave for your viewing pleasure. I am still debating which of those licences I would like to use.

Ok! Back to the easel, page and computer!
I used oil pastel for this one and here's the result. Take note that this was done with just a 12 pack of the basic Selectum pastel brand. 12 colors...










I did this in an hour or so, on my lap in front of my computer.
Well, I find I have a knack for picking the right brush for the right project even though it isn't the 'correct' one sold by the retailers. I even know how to make my own brushes and have done so when I couldn't buy any new ones.

As the world expands in the many implements used to paint, I find myself always delving into fine point brushes, pens and markers for the more defined look of my painting.

Now, back to my painting and writing... See you on the 'morrow!!!!
So, today I am posting the start of a watercolour that was slated to be my holiday card to send out last year, but with all the visitors and life situations made it slide to the back burner for a bit.


There will be a bit of pine leaves as well as berries, but for the most part the robin is the highlight of this painting. I am trying a mix of my powder watercolor paints with those tubes of watercolor paint.

Here's hoping for more sunshine to light up my room!
Ok, here goes my biographical statement:

From Painting to Sewing to Photography, Traveling and Writing projects, Valerie Blondeau, a life-long learner, presents her art through her website and exhibitions to come.  Born in Canada she picked up a crayon at a very early age to scribble on paper, the wall and the back of her dresser. She’s the daughter of parents who let their children expand in whatever they wanted to learn. From a father who is a Jack of all Trades she learned how to fix her own bicycle and later her own car. From her mother she acquired her bookworm degree reading everything that interested her in her local library, sewing costumes for theatre and dance and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. While living with her family she traveled coast to coast across Canada and admired her country through the lens of her father's Pentax and an old Brownie Hawkeye.


As her life played out Valerie could pick up any skill and follow it through until the next skill presented itself. Part of her life was spent in the family business of photo processing where black & white and living color emerged. Dabbling into animation through books her father showed her, Valerie wowed her classmates in high school with posters she drew for them. She accumulated a following of friends who constantly ask for drawings of unicorns, some animation projects and various other interesting art projects.

Experimenting in art style, enter the varied courses of Art from Algonquin College and a couple of local schools. Valerie expanded her education and continues to take the occasional course to add to her repertoire. With her cameras Valerie continues her art by capturing images that will later become paintings or preserving an image for a work in progress. An example of this is the current photo posted for viewing. Valerie had started that painting on a cold rainy day and had taken a photo just in case the weather turned really bad, which it did. She now continues that painting with all her other projects on the go.

She is currently learning Spanish and Japanese in preparation for her upcoming travels.


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Here stems my artist statement:


I enjoy painting in all mediums. I am drawn into my painting as the subject emerges from the brush strokes on the blank canvas. My photography compliments my art medium by preserving an image to paint or stand on its own through my website and photography contracts I am hired for.

Currently, when I am working with watercolor, the paper has a lot to do with the lighting in the work. With oils I find the subject matter brings forth the question of whether or not to use my pallet knife in the project. Acrylics has been the one for me finding the right gloss gel to keep the paint from drying out too fast.


My painting of the female Mallard duck paddling away from me gives me a sense of peace and exploration. A softness yet vibrancy to the greys adds the wave texture to the water. Little streaks of blue from the sky before the clouds thoroughly blocked it out to rain on me. I am at peace and enjoy nature and the world through my art and photography.

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And that's it for today, now onto painting!
Well, here's hoping I can keep this up with my busy lifestyle in art and the arts!

I am hoping to come up with the best artist statement for my next exhibition of my art and photography. For now you can find most of my stuff on my website http://www.animatedlady.com and I hope to post what's newest to be shown on my website.

There are so many flash programs for displaying art that it gets hard to choose what to use with my website. Over time I will be revamping my website again.

So, on with the show!

Animatedlady's Visual Arts & Design

This is one of my latest watercolors. Please excuse my logo all over it.
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