My gnome splurge

 In anticipation of leading a gnome painting workshop in December, I dived in and started painting gnomes again. I didn't do a single gnome in 2022 after completing seven in 2021. I think I was just too overwhelmed with commissions last year. Being displaced between homes for four months, I have not been in the best position to accept a lot of commissions in 2023. So, just before Remembrance Day, I started back in on creating some new gnomes. They have been a happy distraction.

With the exception of Tumble (No. 6), all of the paintings started as sketches on scrap pieces of papers lying around our temporary residence in Okotoks. I would do a number of sketches of the same idea until it felt right. Then I would do the sketch one final time on the canvas. Tumble was a design by artist Oscar Heck who lives in South America. If you tumble "Tumble" 180 degrees you will be introduced to a second gnome in the same painting.

Adding colour happens over the course of a number of hours at which point I add a splattering of snow. 

I keeping thinking of how I'm going to safely facilitate the application of snow when I do the workshop at the Airdrie Public Library in December. My guess is that I will create a tarp line snow booth to ensure that no errant paint drops find their way onto the carpet.

All the my gnome paintings can be custom ordered as high quality gallery canvas prints here: https://www.birdsongstudios.ca/customordergallerycanvasprint

A number of the originals are available here: https://www.birdsongstudios.ca/russellthomasartoriginalpaintings

I have gone on several creative diversions in 10 years. My wild colour portraits started everything, a large collection of paintings with crazy colour choices. In more recent years, my Animals on Black and Psychedelic Series have been very popular.  What creative adventures will I try in 2024 when Birdsong Studio 3.0 finally gets up and running? I really can't wait to find out.