LIGHT OF MY LIFE: MY MOMENT ON THE BIG SCREEN

The survival drama stars Casey Affleck and Anna Pniowsky as a father and daughter who find themselves trapped in the woods after a deadly pandemic has ravaged the rest of the world. Their bonds are put to the test as the father tries to shield his daughter from dangers.

Early Spring of this year, I received a call from a film company, Light of My Life Productions, asking if I would be interested in having my paintings featured in a movie written, directed and starring Casey Affleck. They had been filming in the BC interior and Vancouver, and were now heading to the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island to shoot scenes at Elkington House. Long story short, Sara White, Production Designer, and Zoe Jirik, Set Decorator, visited my studio and chose 12 pieces for the film. As unfamiliar as I am with how the film industry works, I do realize that some if not all of my paintings may end up "on the cutting room floor" or worse, the film may never be released. If it does make it though, I have been promised photographs of my paintings on set. Needless to say, my fingers are getting cramped from the months of keeping them crossed.

Teddy Schwarzman is producing Light Of My Life via his Black Bear Pictures banner, which is also financing the project.

Black Bear Pictures? Check out my black bear painting on my home page....could this be a good omen? (it was not one of the paintings chosen for the film).

Will keep you posted!

The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti: HOW TO RALLY WOMEN'S MARCH SPIRIT INTO ACTION

As I was driving to Victoria today, I happened to turn on CBC Radio's The Current (click on title above). I thought it was a very powerful piece with an important and timely message. It is a call to battle. The march was a baby step, which must be followed with a full on fight to the finish, giving no quarter.

Come on, women, it's time to run with the wolves and howl for all you're worth.

STARVING ARTIST DONATES THOUSANDS TO SAVE BEAR

2016 UPDATE: The painting has been gifted to an angel patron back east who donated $25,000.00 to Raincoast Conservation Foundation. WHOOT!!!

How's that for an attention grabber or media headline?

I have always said that I would never part with my Jimmy Wright painting, Ursa Major...well, never say never, especially when it will help a worthy cause as close to my heart as it once was to Jimmy's: saving bears, or any wildlife for that matter.

Some of you already know (via Facebook) how I feel about trophy hunting. I find the lack of movement by our provincial government to stop this senseless and inhumane killing of bears in BC appalling, especially when the majority population is clearly against this type of hunting. That is why I have decided to gift my bear to save the bears.

Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Sidney, BC, and I are "on the hunt" for a Patron of the Arts and lover of wildlife; someone willing to make a substantial donation (as follows) to help halt the trophy hunting once and for all in our province. Ursa Major has been appraised by The Estate of Jimmy Wright at $25,000 to $30,000 and is "still highly sought after by collectors" (see below). And I will gift this one-of-a-kind earlier work to the first person to donate $20,000 CAN or more to Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

(Keep in mind that the painting is much more textured and detailed than the low res image file pictured here.) Along with Ursa Major, the donor will receive the written appraisal by The Estate of Jimmy Wright, a charitable donation tax receipt issued by Raincoast  for the value of the donation and a big bear hug from wildlife everywhere.

URSA MAJOR
by James Dee “Jimmy” Wright (1937 - 2008)
acrylic on canvas
57” x 49”

Which brings me to the reason for this post and the part I am hoping you will play. We would very much appreciate any help you can give in getting the word out there: by sharing this information with anyone you know who might be interested, or who might know someone who might be interested, and so on, and so on, and so on. I will also be posting this on Facebook and asking that you help by "Like"-ing and sharing.

Anyone wanting more information, or interested in making a bona fide donation, may contact me via email at patonplace@shaw.ca or Fred Gregory, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, at fredgregory@raincoast.org.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in helping with such a worthy cause

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

It is almost time once again for this amazing juried exhibit in Sidney. It may seem like a long way to go for some of you, but this show is definitely worth the trip.

For more information, please visit Sidney Fine Arts Show 2014 online.

And, honestly folks, I did not know that this was going to be their poster when I decided to paint "OLD BANJO" and submit it for jurying. It's all very exciting.

Old Banjo, 18" x 54", acrylic on wrap canvas

VISA TURNS 10 FUNDRAISER

YOU'RE INVITED

VANCOUVER ISLAND SCHOOL OF ART

2549 QUADRA STREET, VICTORIA, BC

250 380-3500

show continues until November 17th

My piece is titled

"TAG LINES: Realism as Abstract"

acrylic on panel

Some of you may recognize this as taken from the top railing of the

yellow gate at The Quarry in Shawnigan Lake

Almost Time to Query

As you can see, it's been well over a year since my last post. I forget that, while I have sent out several newsletters, I really need to keep things current on my website.

My excuse? I have been busy writing a book, titled The Eating Club. The image to the right is my working cover for this hefty tome, which comes in at 147,000 words, give or take a the, and 474 pages. After completing the "shitty first draft" as Anne Lamott would call it, I then began the arduous process of editing...and editing...and further editing.

Still editing.

However (I'm told one should never began a sentence with however), I am almost done and will soon begin the crippling process of querying. Several optimists have asked if I will self-publish once I have received my 100th rejection letter.

Ask me after 101.

Unfortunately, this has left little time for anything else, not even painting, although I did manage a piece, Don't Forget To Write,* for this year's Sooke Fine Arts show, and am working on another for the Sidney show, which juries in September.

* view in Abstract section of my website. And thank God it sold; all this time spent writing does not a bank account fill.

My Draft Pitch

Move over Ya-Yas and young girls in traveling pants. 

Make way for the women of Canada's West Coast. 

They laugh louder than a loco Ono,

shoot tequila faster than a speeding BMW, and

can clear a room in a single belch. 

Meet Kate, Abby, Hadley,

Giordana, and Clare

Kate, the closet Christian, whose favorite word is [four letters]

and favorite men are gay. 

Abby, who believes her breadbox is the Oracle of Weight Loss and

Cheez Whiz is the answer to everything. 

Hadley, armed and ready for any occasion,

she’s packing shots of tequila and a shaker of salt. 

Giordana "Gee" for guileless, the object of a wrong man's affection. 

And Clare, who gets away with murder. 

They're funny, they’re fabulous...and oddly familiar. 

These are the members of 

The Eating Club

A debut novel by Kristine Paton

Once Upon a Day in Cowichan

I'm sure by now many of you have already viewed the five minute trailer for this spectacular video (produced by DV Cuisine), which premiered last week to a standing ovation. For those of you who haven't seen it, please take the time to watch it now; you will not be disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHC9D11xA4c&list=UUyV2ZrP4bTCOgtNBnZcHKVg&index=2

This video explains why I have never had the desire to travel much, or felt the pull to move to Toronto or New York to become a not-so-famous artist. Everything I want is right here, right where I live. As I watched the video over and over, its depiction a far cry from the "drunken" Duncan of my youth (maybe that was just me!), I felt my heart swell along with the "Ode to Joy" soundtrack. The full-length video, about 45 minutes, is available through the CVRD. I have a feeling it will sell out quickly...if it hasn't already.