I used to own a restuarant

For over 50 years I worked with my husband in his restaurant Vesuvio Pizzeria and Spaghetti House. Restaurant work is hard, tiring, demanding, sometimes demeaning, interesting, exhilarating, friendly, warm, and so much more. We are retired now and the restaurant is gone. I used to love the sounds in the dinning room, the tinkling of glasses, the chatter, the bursts laughter, music in the background, they were warm and cozy sounds. I miss those but I don’t miss the work.
Now I have time to paint! Now I have time to mount a show, find community in the art world, read and study other artist, go to openings and museums. My life is completely different. Now I aim to be in the studio 5 mornings a week 4-5 hrs a day. Nice work week, eh? I paint what I want and I don’t need to worry that it may not be to someone else taste. I am my own boss, have you ever worked with your husband and extended family? It’s not easy! I am no longer in the service industry, I am in the service of me industry. The things that are the same? I use creativity to paint, cook and even running a restaurant, I am very unhappy when I can’t be creative. Ingredients and materials, get combined in different ways to come up with a new dish or a new painting. The new ideas both in cooking and painting require experimentation, technique, and a good foundation. Emotion is a strong influencer in the outcome. Presentation is key for the consumer. Finally with patience, practice, and passion painting like cooking or even running a restaurant can be incredibly rewarding.

Mcmichael En plein air competition

I have not had much time to Blog, (really me blogging?) Well, I like to learn new things. I entered the McMichael en plein air competition last year and this. This year I was short listed and yesterday I learned I won third place. Go figure. It is a thrill to be displayed at the McMichael gallery and the show will be up till the end of March. This of course makes me itch to get back out there in nature to paint. Meanwhile if anyone wants to join me, usually in James Gardens, just contact me through the website and I can introduce you to my group in the spring. Until then I am working on a two person show Into the Wilds; Toronto and the Territories, opening April 1 at Heliconian Hall on Hazelton Ave. Thanks for reading

PAINTING IS LIKE COOKING

MY FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Some of you may know that I am celiac. Imagine owning an Italian restaurant ,Vesuvio, that specializes in pizza and pasta and not being able to eat any of it. I have had re-invented my favourite dishes and can share some of them here. For me cooking is very closely related to painting. Warm, cool, dark and light, sweet, sour, salt and cream, texture and overall presentation all elements that need to be juggled to make something special in cooking and painting.

Here is the recipe for my favourite Christmas cookies

Rosemary Hazelnut Cranberry Cookies

2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup hazelnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2 cup melted butter
7 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

mix dry ingredients then add mixed wet ingredients, roll into log shape in wax paper and refrigerate.
Slice when firm, gently, it will fall apart, just reshape by hand.
Preheat oven to 350 F line baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Careful almond flour burns easily, let the cookies cool on baking the sheets before you try to move them, they will be very tender but will firm up as they cool. Enjoy!