Studio.
This is not a top ten list, but rather a totally random list of things I like. listed in alphabetical order of course, and complete with links where possible.
1. Book stores. One of my favorite things is to wander around a bookstore looking for something interesting to read. Charlottetown is lucky to have several interesting book stores, and oddly three of them are on the same block.
The Bookmark is my favourite seller of new books. They have a great selection, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
The Bookman is a great store to find used books. They have a large inventory, and you can always find some interesting treasure, and they have an incredible selection of art books.
The Book Emporium. A small store stuffed with lots of great books. I often find great paperbacks and children’s books here, and they also have a good selection of art books.
2. Cadmium red. Red is my favourite colour, and my favourite red is cadmium red middle. When using gouache cadmium red seems to be the most opaque and lightfast of the reds.
3. Crosswalks. Crosswalks are great, and they save lives. However in Charlottetown there is a very loose approach to the use of crosswalks. Cars might stop for you as you walk in a crosswalk, but chances are they’ll almost run you down, and give a friendly wave in the process. Which is strange considering the same drivers will almost certainly stop in the middle of the street to let a jaywalker cross.
4. Ketchup. I love ketchup, and this is not to say I have it on everything – the thought of ketchup on eggs for instance is kind of stomach churning – but it is great on many things. I like to think it’s good for me. After all, I’ve never had scurvy.
5. Napping. I love a short nap. There is nothing like a short 15 minute or 4 hour nap to really refresh a person. Now that I have 2 children I don’t get to have regular naps, or sleep anymore. I do enjoy when my youngest takes his nap, and I use the time to get some painting done. I dread if my oldest takes a nap because she ends up being awake until midnight, and I get nothing done.
6. Orwell Corner historic village. We try to get to Orwell Corner a couple time each year. I love this place. It’s a great place to take the kids and have a picnic, and it has goats. My daughter heads straight to the barns at a run, the horses are her favourite, the goats a close second, and the farm cats get lots of exercise as they wisely avoid capture.
7. Schleich animal figurines. It is dangerous to walk around our house in the dark. There is nothing more painful than stepping on an animal figurine with bare feet, especially if the animal figurine has horns. But my daughter loves these things, and spends many fine hours playing with her barnyard animals. So I live with them, and I like them.
8. Silver Jade plant. I like this plant because it seems to be the only house plant I can’t kill. I would have a perfect score in plant murder except for the Silver Jade plant, and believe me this thing should be dead considering the care I give it. I actually pour water from my watercolour jars into this plant, and it seems to thrive. Of course if it ever did die I would probably have to take it to a hazardous waste facility to dispose of it. Does this confession make me a bad person? Probably. Do I care? Maybe.
9. Value Village. At the moment everything I’m wearing came from Value Village. Except for my underwear. I get my underwear at Mark’s Work Warehouse, but that’s another story. Anyway, I really enjoy going to Value Village and buying what might be a dead guy’s clothes. I can often find good quality stuff at excellent prices, and sometimes stuff that has never been worn.
10. Walking. I really enjoy taking a walk, and taking a walk is even better if I’m not actually going anywhere. I have a bad back and I find that walking really seems to help, and apparently it is also good for my general health. We have several great places to walk in Charlottetown. The Confederation Trail and the waterfront board walk are two of my favorites. University Avenue is my least favourite. It is just plain ugly.
Painter's Progress 