Barbara Spurll, Artist

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2012-02-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

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Yesterday's painting session.

Image copyright Barbara Spurll

Seated profile

2011-12-28T11:57:00.000-05:00

9"x 12" watercolour from Sunday, Dec.18th's painting session

December 4th's painting session

2011-12-17T12:54:00.000-05:00

"Contemplation"

This lovely aerialist was inspiring to paint!

Image copyright Barbara Spurll

"Broken Hallelujah" by Gwendoline Spurll

2011-12-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

“Broken Hallelujah”

My sister, Gwendoline Spurll, painted this beautiful watercolour in 2007. It says Christmas to me,

better than any literal depiction of traditional Christmas icons.

Image copyright Gwendoline Spurll.

"Dignity", from Sunday's life session.

2011-11-30T18:10:00.001-05:00

Dignity

This lovely model was a mastectomy recipient. Boy, some people are just so inspiring!

Image copyright Barbara Spurll.

Reclining male

2011-11-27T22:39:00.001-05:00

I just listed "Reclining Male", a 14 x 17 inch original watercolour painting on Etsy today!

Check out my Etsy Gallery for some new price reductions as well!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraSpurll

Limited Edition Prints on Etsy!

2011-11-23T17:15:00.001-05:00

Limited Edition Prints of 3 of my paintings are now online. 50% from sale of these prints will go to Covenant House, Canada's largest youth shelter. http://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraSpurll

Interview with The Artfuls

2011-11-21T13:02:00.001-05:00

Check out my interview with The Artfuls, who interviewed me

for their website last month. Cheers Artfuls!

http://www.theartfuls.com/interviews/barbara_spurll

One of Sunday's paintings...

2011-11-14T18:34:00.000-05:00

This excellent model was appreciated by all! He held this pose for 4 hours.

Image copyright Barbara Spurll

This morning's life painting

2011-10-30T15:05:00.000-04:00

Green Drape

New painting from life

2011-10-28T17:06:00.000-04:00

Seated Woman

All images on this blog copyright Barbara Spurll

Victoria's T-shirts and sweaters are now available at 123 Boutique, London, UK

2011-09-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.timeout.com/london/shops/venue/2%3A27289/123-boutique

http://victory.bigcartel.com/

Big Eyes books!

2011-09-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

Early this year I had the pleasure of illustrating a board book series for Reader's Digest. These large format books will be sold through warehouse clubs. Smaller versions of "I See You in the OCEAN" and "I See You on the FARM" (without the clear plastic domes over the eyes of the cover animal, but with all the die cuts) will be available in April 2012. For pre-order, please follow this link: http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=barbara+spurll&x=17&y=20

All images on this blog are copyright Barbara Spurll.

A male model today and an interesting pose as well!

2011-09-18T16:20:00.000-04:00

Sunday's painting from life, watercolour

2011-07-18T18:18:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78043572/fuchsia-scarf

New nude on Etsy

2011-07-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77607943/tranquility

Sunday's painting from life, watercolour

2011-06-08T17:50:00.000-04:00

Study in green, 13 x 19 inches

All images on this blog are copyright Barbara Spurll

Talk about a small world!

2011-05-25T17:56:00.000-04:00

My illustration 'Porcupine' was commissioned by Wildlife Conservation Magazine out of New York. The article I was to illustrate was a true story about a man who had problems with a porcupine gnawing at one of the supporting timbers of his cottage on Lake Huron's Georgian Bay. If this animal's demolition project continued the man's cottage would have been in ruins in a matter of weeks. He shouted at the porcupine, waved his hands wildly and finally chased it away with a two-by-four. Knowing only too well the porky would return, the man put on his thinking cap and came up with a solution. He urinated at the base of a nearby tree. It worked. The porcupine returned, sniffed the tree, took off and was never seen again.
But the funny part was that as I was reading the manuscript, I looked at the man's name- Dave Mott. "Don't you know a David Mott?" I asked my husband. Turns out it was the same guy, my husband's Kung Foo instructor!

Letter to Prime Minister Harper

2011-05-16T11:29:00.000-04:00

Just sent a letter to Mr. Harper today regarding InSite, North America's only Supervised Injection Facility.

Dear Mr. Harper,

I am writing to implore your government to support the marvellous work done by Insite Supervised Injection Site.

The evidence from several studies in peer-reviewed academic journals has made clear that providing citizens with a safe injection site is critical to rehabilitation. For many drug users, this facility is their only connection to health care professionals who can help get them off drugs. Since it opened in 2003, Insite has seen 700-800 visitors a day, prevented nearly 200 drug overdose fatalities and increased references to drug rehabilitation centres by 30%. Not providing this assistance means these mostly homeless, poor citizens return to filthy conditions on the street where many die. Insite has been proven to save lives.

According to the resident physician of Insite, Dr. Gabor Mate, virtually all his drug addicted patients were either abused physically or sexually as children. Let’s stop punishing them!

I stand behind the ruling of the BC Supreme Court which found that Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is inconsistent with the Charter in regards to criminalizing use of Insite. I urge you to let this decision stand.

Sincerely,

Barbara Spurll

I urge you to send one too. It's fast and easy at

http://www.communityinsite.ca/support.html
Just click on the "Show Your Support" button.

Work-in-progress pictures, Emma at the Fair

2011-05-07T15:02:00.000-04:00

I took these work-in-progress pictures

while working on pages 4 and 5 of Emma at the Fair,

written by Margriet Ruurs.

I started out with an indigo blue coloured

outline in watercolor to give the objects

distinct edges.

Then I added layers of colour until

it got deep and colourful enough.

Oops! The pumpkin got a little too dark and

reddish...

...so I used some yellow /orange gouache (opaque

watercolor) to lighten it up.

Then I worked on the rest of the picture

working in the same way, building up layer

upon layer of watercolour and/or dye.

In the last 2 frames I added the border.

Notice on the left hand side I did a

little test run for the border colours before

applying them to the final illustration.

Sometimes it saves time to do a test first, because

it would take a lot more time to redo a whole border,

especially one this detailed.

I use watercolours and watercolour dyes

(which can be mixed together). The watercolours have

a natural quality but sometimes don't have the brightness

I want. That's when I use or add some dye, because dyes are

really bright.

My favorite surface to work on is cold pressed acid free

illustration board.

The internet for...an ant?

2011-02-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

Way back in 1994 I illustrated a feature for Quill and Quire about bookseller Celia Duthie of Duthie Books . I can't help but laugh at my depiction of the internet back then.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

Best wishes for a happy, creative and prosperous new year!

Every year I draw a family Christmas/holiday card. Here is my preliminary sketch and the printed card for 2010.

Preliminary sketch

Back/front cover

Inside card

Illustrated feature in this month's National Geographic Magazine on Gaudí’s Masterpiece, the Sagrada Família

2010-12-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

Looking toward the future, the lesson of Gaudí is not to copy his solutions but rather to look at nature for inspiration … nature does not go out of fashion. -Bassegoda

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/big-idea/gaudi-text

Check out the new Etsy site for my personal work!

2010-12-03T13:01:00.000-05:00

The paintings I donated to OCAD's Whodunit Show and Sale have sold, but I've just put 15 new paintings up on my new Etsy Gallery.The link is http://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraSpurll. Have a look and see what you think. If you're interested in making a purchase, I'd like to give you 30% off by way of the coupon code below. Regardless, I'd love to hear your feedback! Please note that I will be deactivating my listings between Dec. 5th and Dec. 20th.
Coupon code : VIP10
How to use the code:
1)First add an item(s) from my shop to your cart and start the check out process.
2)Enter the code in the 'notes to seller' and the email address where the revised invoice should be sent.
3)Complete the order but do NOT go to Paypal to pay.
4)You will receive a revised invoice, and a link to complete payment, via email reflecting the discount.'

2010-11-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

When you think things are bad
when you feel sour and blue
when you start to get mad
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky!
Some people are much more
oh, ever so much more
oh, muchly much-much more unlucky than you!”
~Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

6 new paintings

2010-11-12T17:16:00.000-05:00

All artwork on this blog is copyright Barbara Spurll.

Whodunit?

2010-11-08T19:30:00.000-05:00

Find out Whodunit? at OCADU's Mystery Art Show and Sale, Nov 17th- 20th

". . . one of the city's most ingenious visual-art fundraisers" - Sarah Milroy, Globe and Mail

These are the 3 watercolour paintings I donated to the show this year.

5.5 x 7.5 inches, watercolour on archival paper

Public Preview

Online

NOV 17 to 20

Onsite at OCADU

NOV 17 - Noon to 6pm

NOV 18 & 19 – Noon to 8pm

Free admission

Public Art Sale

NOV 20 – 10am to 4pm

Free AdmissionArt Preview – Coming Soon!

The Whodunit? Mystery Art Sale is OCAD University’s signature fundraising event. It’s an

exhibition and sale of hundreds of pieces of original art donated by artists who are famous and

not-yet-famous, including well-known and celebrity artists, OCADU faculty, alumni and students.

Here’s how it works…

Arrive early with the list of the pieces you like so that you can get your top choices - all art

is sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure that there is Mystery Art for everyone to

buy, we respectfully limit artwork purchases to three per person. Every piece is the same size

(5 ½” by 7 1/2”) and the same price - $75. The art is on the front, the artist’s name is on the

back. Like it – buy it – then turn it over and see Whodunit?

You can preview the hundreds of pieces of original Mystery Art during the Public Preview (onsite

or online November 17-20, 2010) and write down the numbers of the pieces you would like to buy.

You can buy the artwork at the Public Art Sale on Saturday November 20, 2010.

The artists “whodunit” will be revealed online after the Mystery Art Sale.

2010 Mystery Art Preview – Coming Soon!

http://whodunit.ocad.ca/mystery-sale.htm

Life drawing

2010-10-29T18:02:00.000-04:00

All images on this blog copyright Barbara Spurll

2010-10-28T11:32:00.000-04:00

Do not try to become anything.
Do not make yourself into anything.
Do not be a meditator.
Do not become enlightened.
When you sit, let it be.
What you walk, let it be.
Grasp at nothing.
Resist nothing.

If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't begun to meditate.

~Ajhan Chah

Drawing and painting the model

2010-10-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

All images on this blog are copyright Barbara Spurll.

Life drawing, Oct.15, 2010

2010-10-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

1 minute

5 minutes

10 minutes (Unhappy accident at the bottom, but I'm starting to like these brighter colours!)

15 minutes

20 minutes
All images on this blog are copyright Barbara Spurll.

2010-10-12T17:10:00.000-04:00

If you bring forth that which is within you,

Then that which is within you

Will be your salvation.

If you do not bring forth that which is within you,

Then that which is within you

Will destroy you.

-The Gnostic Gospels

The Prophet: Khalil Gibran

2010-10-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

On Joy & Sorrow

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Life drawing, Oct.7, 2010

2010-10-08T13:10:00.000-04:00

1 minute gesture drawings

5 minute poses

20 minute pose

Sketching costumed models at Nuit Blanche, Toronto School of Art Installation Oct.2nd, 2010

2010-10-03T09:42:00.000-04:00

Warming up

Willow charcoal on newsprint

Pencil on paper

Thursday life drawing, Sept.30th

2010-10-01T12:26:00.000-04:00

1 minute poses

5 minute, tones only

10 minutes, watercolour

15 minutes, watercolour

Thursday night life drawing session

2010-09-26T02:20:00.000-04:00

5 minutes

20 minutes

Paintings

1 minute