03Mar 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

The Sunflower Project: Why just the seed?

The Sunflower Project, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_128" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #35" x 7"A/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] "Hey, what about adding paintings of sunflowers to your paintings of sunflower seeds? the sunflower is such a happy looking plant." This question arrived at my inbox last weekend. It is a very good question, so I thought I would address it here. The sunflower IS a happy looking plant! Metaphorically speaking, we all want more sunflowers in our lives. The sunflower seed is a reminder that we can't have the flower without taking the time and the risk to nurture the seed into a flower. When we do that, the flower, which only has one season to brighten our lives, will return to us a thousand more seeds, which if nourished will bring us a thousand more flowers, and so…
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27Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Sunflower Seed Project Update

The Sunflower Project, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_154" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #7A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_155" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #8A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_156" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #9A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_157" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #10A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #11A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_159" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #12A/C 5 x 7by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] The third set of Sunflower Seed paintings have been finished, and nearly all claimed. They are being sent out to June Hills, Sheryl Penner, Kamla McGonigal, Carmen Bellingham and Koren Scott. There is one left (#12) in this batch. You can learn more about the project and sign up to get on the waiting list for the next batch of Sunflower…
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24Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

The New Homeland

The Story Behind the Painting, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_131" align="aligncenter" width="242"] The New Homeland16 x 20 O/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] The New Homeland is one of the latest paintings in my Western Series, which you can see here. The New Homeland is based on a Canadian immigration poster advertising settlement to the Canadian West (Manitoba and west). There is a very specific type of immigrant that seems to be advertised for in this promotion. Young, healthy, family and agriculture oriented, and of a very specific ethnic background. However, though this campaign from between the world wars was looking for a specific image of the Canadian immigrant to build a new homeland, there were a great variety of countries that contributed immigrants to the building and development of Canada. So I decided to set the poster against a background…
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20Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Sunflower Project Update

The Sunflower Project
[caption id="attachment_143" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #45 x 7 A/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_144" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #5 5 x 7 A/C by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #6 5 x 7 A/C by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] The second set of Sunflower Seed paintings have been finished and claimed. They are being sent out to Aleksandra Danicic, Kelly Small and Andrea vanV. You can learn more about the project and sign up to get on the waiting list for the next batch of Sunflower Seed paintings here.
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19Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Taking Sick Days

Working Artist
I'm not going to say I never take a sick day, but I thought I would share a picture of my 'office from this past Friday. No, I am not a workaholic either. I know a cold usually gets worse before it gets better, so I figured between naps I would try and get something done. There might be a day or two coming up where I don't have the energy for this either, and as an independent artist, if I don't get it done no one else will!
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18Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Salvation

The Story Behind the Painting, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_130" align="aligncenter" width="243"] Salvation16x20 O/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] Salvation is one of the latest paintings in my Western Series, which you can see here. Salvation is based on a Sifton era (1896-1905) Canadian immigration poster. The image depicts an angelic harvest figure which appears as though in a dream, showing the plenty and prosperity that could be had for the immigrant who braved the ocean voyage, the cold, isolation, and the breaking of the land, to uproot families and make a one way journey to Canada. Many of these immigrants would have spent generations never straying farther than 50 miles from home. I had to wonder what the conditions were like where they were coming from in order to make that sort of leap of faith.
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17Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Finding A Dance Partner

The Story Behind the Painting, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_129" align="aligncenter" width="239"] Finding a Dance Partner16 x 20 O/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] Finding A Dance Partner is one of the newest paintings in my Western Series, which you can see here. This painting references an immigration poster advertising the charms of Canada to potential immigrants during the early years of the 20th century. Particularly, in this case, potential single female immigrants. During this time in Britain their was a great deal of discussion about the problem of the extra female population, for whom world conflicts had reduced the number of eligible mates. At the same time there was an imbalance (in the other direction) in the ratio of male to female immigrants to Canada. The idea of immigrating for better marital prospects, which the image seems to suggest is…
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06Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Why commission a painting?

Commissions
I am not going to give you a lot of practical, solid investment oriented reasons as to why you should commission a work of art for yourself or your 'organization.' I could talk about the difference between having a professional trained in translating feelings and thoughts into an aesthetically pleasing visual expression, and an amateur snapping an off the cuff photo and having it 'blown up.' I could talk about honouring your subject with a one of a kind highly crafted and durable object. I could talk about investing in both the status and worth of yourself or your organization, and the subject, through having it recorded in the time honoured manner of the wealthy, the noble and the pious. But I am not. Instead, I am going to talk about magic: The real…
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03Feb 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Update on the Sunflower Project:

The Sunflower Project
[caption id="attachment_127" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #2 5" x 7" A/C by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_126" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #1 5" x 7" A/C by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_128" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Seed #35" x 7"A/Cby Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] The Sunflower Project is going well, read more about it my previous post here: The first three paintings all have new homes waiting for them thanks to Ronald Van Vugt, Melanie Figueroa and Kathy Blackmore. I now have a waiting list for the next batch of paintings. Want one? Click here to sign up!
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30Jan 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

A Gift For YOU: The Sunflower Project

The Sunflower Project, What's the Big Idea?
[caption id="attachment_123" align="aligncenter" width="239"] Jessica in her GardenO/C 48 x 60Original painting by Debbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] I Have A Gift For You: Do you love art?  Do you believe that each of us has not one, but a thousand gifts to give the world?  Do you love art and believe that art is one of those gifts?  Then I have a gift for you. I want to give you a painting. I want to give you a painting of a sunflower seed. The sunflower is a dramatic plant: Tall, strong, visually striking, it is a wonder of life to behold as it grows and tracks the sun through the season. I recall my sadness, the first time growing them, at the first frost. I wished I could turn the clock back…
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