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Sointula Art Shed Residency: Week Four

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Things are wrapping up now as we have come to the end of the fourth week. The main change is that I have stopped painting (to let it dry a little before we leave) and reorganized the studio for non-painting activities. The first thing I wanted to do, now that my little linocut orcas have had time to dry, was to cut them out. For this project my goal was to create an installation that counted the Northern Resident killer whale population. Up until this point, I have created multiple works about the Southern Resident killer whale population, which currently numbers 73 individuals. I have been wondering about the Northern Resident population and finally had the time to do some digging. Thanks to my amazing marine biologist friends and their engagement with this project—I learned that the Northern Resident population is more challenging to update because it is a larger population and it can be longer between sightings. Based on the most recent photo ID census (2023) the best population estimate is 345 individuals. The final artwork has some prints that are lighter and some that are darker, this is to reference the fact that this number could be changing without human knowledge. I also added some extra orcas as the number is based on data from a couple years ago. I am not going to tell you how many I added (I don’t even know… and that’s the point).

I have also been working on a series of gouache paintings to donate to MERS’s annual fundraiser auction. Gouache is similar to watercolour, but has an opaque and velvety finish. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about whales as individuals and I wanted to make something that focused on this. I am grateful for access to the MERS Humpback ID Catalogue, which was such a helpful resource for this project, and assistance by MERS staff in choosing which individuals to paint (three of the ‘regulars’ that are often seen along the north island: one with a mainly white tail, one with a mainly black tail and one with a tail that is a mix).

First layer of gouache
Adding more layers
Close-up of details

Click here to view these paintings on the MERS auction website. You can also visit the main auction page and view all the items (including two more of my donations). And here is a page with information about MERS and what the funds are used for, how the auction works and bidding tips. The auction will be live from April 10-13.

BCY0729, AKA “Argonaut”
BCZ0339, AKA “Inukshuk”
BCX1566, AKA “Stitch”

It was also time to change the installation in the front window of the art shed. I left the most complicated installation for last. It took about two hours to install “Feeding Giants”, an installation I created for the Yukon Art Centre in 2021. Other than prepping this artwork in my kitchen, this is the first time I have installed it. I am so glad I had left detailed notes/diagrams in the box for the gallery, as they proved very helpful! This installation depicts humpback whales participating in a cooperative feeding strategy called ‘bubble net feeding’. The artwork shows the various states simultaneously, focusing on the visual pattern and activity that happens hidden below the surface of the water. I learned a lot while I was researching and working on this project. For example, did you know that when the whales swim around the fish and make their bubble net, they always swim in clockwise rotations?

On Saturday I hosted an Open Studio inside the art shed. It was such a lovely opportunity to visit with people, show them what I have been up to and share whale tales. I full of gratitude to this warm community for being so welcoming and taking time to come look at my art. It was a good way to start wrapping up for my time here at the Sointula Art Shed and processing the past month. It was also a good excuse for me to tidy up the space and take a little time to step back, look at the work and consider which direction I might want to continue to work on at home.

Matt arrived on Wednesday—which was the best part of this week! It has been wonderful to have this time together at the end of the residency and we have enjoyed kayaking between studio sessions. I am so grateful for this time to relax my mind and spend time in nature.

We saw this rainbow-puff-cloud appear and disappear the other evening as we walked along Bere Point.

Thank you so much to Kerri, Tyler & Teddy for the opportunity to do this residency and for your warmth, kindness and wonderful conversations. It has been such a joy to get to spend this time focusing on art, looking for whales and exploring this magical part of the world ♡ 

Watercolour Fall Leaves

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Fall is my favourite season. Especially this part of fall. The time when leaves are equally on and off the trees. Earlier this year when I was brainstorming workshop ideas, I kept finding myself dreaming of fall.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of instructing my newest workshop: Watercolour Fall Leaves. I tried to pick a Saturday when I thought there would be lots of peaking fall leaves, and I could not have been happier with the timing! When it comes to nature, it is always a bit of a guessing game. This past week the leaves have been just bursting with colour and basically begging me to take them to class.

It was so much fun collecting leaves for this workshop!

If you haven’t been to the Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA), I recommend checking it out. They often have art openings or art lectures happening and the Executive Director, Wendy Welch, writes fantastic articles in the VISA newsletter. The classroom is big enough for each student to have a table to themselves, so you can spread out and get comfortable. Here is a pre-workshop photo. I love the anticipation! Having everything laid out and waiting for the participants to arrive.

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to paint or draw on demand, but I firmly believe that if you walk around the block or go to a park or the ocean… you can be flooded with creative inspiration if you let yourself! Fall leaves are a perfect example of this.

If you look through a collection of leaves and study them carefully, you will find that they are not perfect. They are often gimpy, missing bits, have holes and tears, and not as symmetrical as you had previously thought. They are full of character! This is what makes them the perfect subject matter to draw or paint.

We covered a lot of ground in this three-hour workshop. The participants created a series of six, 5″x7″ watercolours of leaves. The projects included utilizing positive and negative space, observational painting, creating patterns, simplified shapes and also using design methods, like a circle, to create a pleasing composition. We also discussed the importance of neutralizing colours to achieve natural fall-like colours. Below are some photos from the workshop.

Thank you to all the participants for coming to this workshop and making it such an enjoyable afternoon!

To avoid being put on a wait list, I have created a Workshop Notification List! If you join this list, I will send you an email as soon as registration is live so that you have as much time as possible to register. My next workshop will be early next year (and if you like ink and jellyfish… you are going to like this class). If you want to join the list, please send me an email (tasha_van_netten@hotmail.com) or send me a message through my contact form here.

Up Coming Events

HOLIDAY MARKETS!

I am getting ready for holiday markets—starting this coming weekend!

I’ll be bringing calendars, greeting cards, stickers, wire whales, bookmarks and more.

For a full list of the different markets that I will be at and a little information about each one, please check out my MARKETS page by clicking here.

EXHIBITIONS!

In-Sights exhibition at arc.hive

I will be exhibiting some work at the In-Sights show at arc.hive artist run centre as part of their yearly members exhibition (of which I have the pleasure of being a part of as a board member). This exhibition is about studio practice and giving an “insight” behind the scenes. I have created four, small botanical paintings for this show (the above image is a sneak peek of one of them).

The opening reception is this Friday (November 1) from 7-9pm. Gallery hours are 12-4pm Saturdays and Sundays for the next three weeks. I will be volunteering at the gallery this Sunday from 12-4pm. For more information, click here.

Winter Small Works Show at the AGGV

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s annual Winter Small Works Show & Sale is opening November 14th. This is show celebrates artists local to Victoria and Vancouver Island and shows a wide range of small works. I am pleased to be showing Transient Shadows as part of this exhibition (see image above).

Opening Reception is Thursday, November 14, from 5-8pm, with artists in attendance. Stop by for a glass of wine, browse a dynamic range of artworks at accessible price points, and help the AGGV kickstart the winter season of celebrating local artists.

Show & Sale runs until January 25, 2025. Admission to the Massey Sales Gallery is always free.

For more information, click here.