Anne with an E, an homage to Lucy Maud Montgomery on her 150th Birthday

         14 x 11 inches, acrylic on gessoed mounted aluminium panel               

 painting #297, 2024 - black floater frame 

This painting is an homage to Lucy Maud Montgomery on her sesquicentennial. This is my fourth painting inspired by the Anne of Green Gables novel. Other paintings can be view on this link or by clicking Lucy Maud Montgomery found in the right column under Labels. 

Heritage Minutes

The famous House of Green Gables that served as the setting for the Cuthbert's in the novel was built during the 1830's by the MacNeil family who were related to the author. In 1909, a year after the first Anne of Green Gables book was published, the house was sold to Myrtle and Ernest Webb. Myrtle was a cousin of Lucy.  In 1936, the house was sold to the Government of Canada when it became vacant, later to be turned into a National Historic Site. 

I've visited the house several times, but not in recent years. Two years ago, just before Prince Edward Island was hit by hurricane Fiona, my wife and I spent three days in Cavendish to cycle on the bike paths of the National Park. We then visited the house that now boasted a beautiful interpretive center (2019). I had brought a bottle of Raspberry Cordial with me, and did a few photos on site. Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took were major enough to paint from. Not long after, I found this book published by Paper Mill Press at Homesense, which seemed perfect to anchor a composition.

Anne of Green Gables, the Musical was performed annually from its opening in 1965 until 2019. The musical had to be cancelled for the first time in 54 years during the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2014, it was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest running annual musical theatre production in the world.

Anne returned to the Charlottetown Festival stage for the 2022 season. However, organizers announced that the show would be produced only in alternating years from then on and would return in 2024, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Montgomery's birth. My wife and I took in the second presentation of the summer season on June 20. We had seen the theatrical production twice, the last time was when our son was quite young. We absolutely loved it. We laughed and even shed a few tears. Kelsey Verzotti as the mellow-dramatic protagonist was a revelation to us. The cast, set decoration and orchestra were equally amazing.

Earlier that day, we visited the Green Gables House again, specifically to do a photo study session for this painting. It was quite possibly the warmest day of the whole summer, with the mercury pushing 34°C and the humidex climbing up pass 40°C. We left Moncton under a blue sky that morning. A heavy downpour came out of nowhere just before arriving to Cavendish. Afterwards, the sky remained partially overcast and grey, so the lighting was not great.  When I opened the soda pop bottle of Raspberry Cordial, with the beverage being cool and the weather being so muggy, the inside of the bottle instantly fogged up. Nonetheless, I did my best to set up a composition under these conditions.

Anne's Room at the Green Gables House

After I got home, I proceeded to do dozens of photos for the sky, bottle, book and apple tree under sunnier conditions. I ended up working from nine photos, using bits and bites of each in order to achieve the imagery for this painting. The book is resting on a bench made from a stone slab that is located across the front lawn of Green Gables House.

In late June, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled commemorative coins of $1 (loonie) and a silver $20 to celebrate the 150th birthday of L.M. Montgomery. This would also mark the first time an author has appeared on a Canadian coin.

My wife Suzanne at the Lucy Maud Montgomery Park in Cavendish, PEI. - Sept. 2022

The artist responsible for the iconic artwork on the Raspberry Cordial bottle is Ben Stahl. The Chicago born artist / illustrator moved to Prince Edward Island in 1984. He did a series of Anne paintings during the late eighties and early nineties that would make him famous. These were also reproduced on book covers, Canadian postage stamps (2008), posters, decorative plates and coffee mugs. Sadly, Mr. Stahl passed away on June 15, 2024 at the age of 91. Unknowingly doing the photo study in Cavendish five days after his death, this painting is also an homage to him, since it's the imagery on the bottle that inspired the whole painting. Anne's face on my painting is only the size of a dime. It was intricate to paint. My rendition, although not exactly identical, might make her appear more youthful. 

Artwork of Anne by Ben Stahl (1932-2024)

Pawn Stars: STUNNING APPRAISAL for RARE First Edition (Season 18)

Self at the opening reception, Sept. 6, 2024 

This painting will be on view at the Fog Forest Gallery in a group exhibition entitled, 40 years in the Forest, celebrating the gallery's 40th anniversary. September 6 until October 11. Check gallery website for hours of operation.

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

https://fogforestgallery.ca/

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD 

 

Pinned up 7-Up

 

Title- Pinned up 7-Up

14 x 14", acrylic on gessoed aluminium panel

painting #291, 2021 

7-Up was created in St Louis, Mo by Charles Leiper Grigg in 1929. The lemon-lime soft drink was initially called "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda". The formulation much like many soft drinks that were often developed by pharmacists during the late-19th and early-20th century contained a drug, in this case the mood stabilizer Lithium that is often prescribed for bi-polar disorder. It was removed from its formulation in 1948.  The name was changed to 7-Up in 1936, the same year the slogan "You Like It, It Likes You" was adopted and remained in use until the mid-1970's. There are several theories behind the origin of the name. I like the claim that 7-Up was bottled in a 7oz bottle while many other soft drinks like Coca-Cola were available in 6oz bottles. In 1961, Coca-Cola would introduce Sprite to its product line as a direct competitor to 7-Up. In 1967, sales for the product rose when it adopted the ad campaign of being an "Uncola".  

7-Up, 1970's advertisement campaign

Some time back, while in a store aisle, I spotted this dart board. The first thing that came to mind was a thought of Jasper John's "Target" paintings. I bought it as a prospect prop. It wasn't until this summer that I noticed that the colors of the vintage 7-Up bottle and the dart board were exactly the same. The positioning of the bottle with the board creates a sort of Japanese Rising Sun imagery with the bullseye. The logo and design concepts for the bottle has changed with the passage of time, always trying to stay current. I find this specific bottle to be the most iconic, maybe it's because it was the one in use while I was growing up. 

This painting will be part of a small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021. Unfortunately, in order for the gallery to remain open during the pandemic while keeping everybody safe, the gallery director and I came to the decision that it was safer not to hold an opening reception. The public however will be able to visit the gallery at their leisure during the run of the exhibition. 

The gallery will be open on Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm or by appointment. 

The exhibition can be viewed online from the Fog Forest Gallery website at this LINK.

Update- November 15, 2021

I've decided to reframe this painting from it's initial black frame with round mat opening under glass. The aluminium panel has been mounted on a wood support and is now presented in a black floater wood frame. 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

-SOLD

Coke adds life to...

Title- Coke adds life to...

16 x 16", acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #287, 2021

Coke adds life to... was the slogan used by Coca-Cola between 1976 through 1979. The ad campaign showed Coke as the perfect accompaniment to food, fun and leisure in many situations common to consumers around the world. The company went all out with print ads, billboards, TV commercials and even a 7" vinyl - 45 rpm record of the jingle.

Coke adds life to... magazine ad 

Coke adds life... 1977 TV commercial - click HERE to view

Coke adds life to... jingle - 45rpm record, 1976

This Coke carton was a lucky find from the same estate sale in Summerside, PEI when I bought several mason jars and soda pop bottles back in 2016.  

I've pretty run the gamut when it comes to documenting the history of Coca-Cola since this is the 16th themed painting that I've posted on this blog. For a link to all of my past Coca-Cola paintings - click HERE. 

This painting will be part of a small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021. 

Unfortunately, in order for the gallery to remain open during the pandemic while keeping everybody safe, the gallery director and I came to the decision that it was safer not to hold an opening reception. The public however will be able to visit the gallery at their leisure during the run of the exhibition. The gallery is open on Thursday and Friday from 10 am - 5 pm. or by appointment.

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Candy Crush

 

"Candy Crush"

24 x 16", acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #284, 2021

Not long after completing the painting "Crush Bottle on crushed Crush cans" in 2017, the concept for this painting came to me while playing the video game Candy Crush Saga on Facebook. The big question remained, "But how would I do it?". It wasn't until I walked in a Wal-Mart in early October 2019 that I found the answer with Halloween treats. 

While it wasn't that important that all of the candies found in the video game be in the painting, nonetheless there had to be some. Swedish Fish, Tootsie Roll Pop and jelly beans became the three candies to link the imagery to Candy Crush Saga.

It is among one of the most elaborate, complex and colorful painting I've created so far. It took upwards of 4 months to complete. 

Candy Crush Saga was first introduced in April 2012 for Facebook by King Digital Entertainment. It became an instant hit. According to Wikipedia, by 2013, Candy Crush Saga had been downloaded more than 500 million times across Facebook, iOS, and Android devices. At that time, it was considered the most downloaded app from the Apple App Store. By 2016, the game had over 293 million active players each month. Candy Crush Saga is considered one of the first and most successful uses of a freemium model. While the game can be played without spending money, players can buy special actions to help clear more difficult boards, from which King makes its revenues. At its peak the company was reportedly earning almost $1 million per day. Since its inception, it has become of multi billion dollar venture. My wife is an avid player and is rank among the top 3% in the world after reaching level 4500. While all of this time playing for free. 

This painting will be part of a small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021. 

Unfortunately, in order for the gallery to remain open during the pandemic while keeping everybody safe, the gallery director and I came to the decision that it was safer not to hold an opening reception. The public however will be able to visit the gallery at their leisure during the run of the exhibition. The gallery is open on Thursday and Friday from 10 am - 5 pm. or by appointment.
   

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Evangeline Well, Grand-Pré

 

"Evangeline Well, Grand-Pré (Puits Évangéline, Grand-Pré),

14 x 11", acrylic on mounted aluminium panel, 2021

painting #281

Last summer I was invited to take part in an up-coming 2021 exhibition at the West Baton Rouge Museum in Louisiana that pays an homage to Evangeline, the legendary Acadian literary heroine from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem of the same name,  The timing was perfect as we were leaving the following week for a Nova Scotia getaway as the NB-NS border had reopened earlier during the summer for tourists of the Atlantic, Canada bubble during the pandemic. We made our way to Grand-Pré, located in the bucolic region of Annapolis Valley. The historic site and grounds were open to the public. However, the statue of Evangeline by sculptor Louis-Philippe Hébert had a barricade behind it during our visit and was going to be removed the following day for restauration. A small ceremony was held during the month of July 2020 to commemorate the statue's 100 anniversary. The commemorative church had scaffolding around its perimeter and was also undergoing restaurative work. The church which was built in 1922 will also be turning 100. It was reopened to the public by this summer. 

  

My wife Suzanne with the Evangeline statue and commemorative church. 

-photo taken during a previous visit, September, 2018.

Self, September, 2020

I first read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline in 2017. Longfellow's tale written in 1874 would become a lasting legacy and a gift to the Acadian people. It would forever give them a sense of identity and help define the plight of the Acadians to the rest of the world.

While Evangeline is a fictitious character possibly based on a real person. She is perceived as an iconic and allegorical figure to the Acadians for her qualities of steadfastness, fortitude, strength, devotion and love.

During the deportation of Acadians in 1755, my 6th time grand-father, Michel Richard was deported from Fort Beauséjour to Charleston, SC where he died shortly thereafter. Avoiding the deportation, his wife and children had exiled themselves to Prince Edward Island as tension was mounting with the British. To pay homage to my ancestors and the author, I returned on the grounds of Fort Beauséjour, located in Aulac, NB and used it as the setting for the first two paintings done in 2017 & 2019. In the poem, Longfellow writes,

 Shaking his head, as in doubt; then, heaving a sigh, he continued:- "Louisbourg is not forgotten nor Beauséjour, nor Port Royal".

This painting is my third study using the same props. I wanted to create a full-circle moment by returning Evangeline to her homeland of Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia. The Evangeline Well was discovered by treasure hunters at the end of the 19th century.  It is located directly to the right of the commemorative church in Grand-Pré. My previous two paintings had ginger-ale inside the bottle. For this rendition, I decided to leave the bottle empty, as if returning to the well to fill it with water and as a means of symbolism and for what Grand-Pré and Évangéline represents to the Acadians which for many, also serves as a pilgrimage site. A bust of Longfellow is located about 50 meters from the well. The Grand-Pré historic site was established in 1908 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. 

The exhibition "Evangeline, Evolution of an Icon", organized by the West Baton Rouge Museum, provides a glimpse into Evangeline’s evolving status from her inception through today as a legend and heroine, to a brand image and celebrity, and ultimately into a cultural icon. Inspiring writers, artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs, Evangeline has appeared in many guises. Along the way, her image morphed from that of a demure Victorian-era maiden into a confident modern woman. This exhibition includes artworks by Canadian and Louisiana artists, including François Gaudet, Rémi Belliveau, Mario Doucette, Alvin Richard, Melissa Bonin, and George Rodrigue among several others as well as artifacts and paraphernalia to demonstrate Evangeline’s transformation and her timeless appeal. The exhibit opens Saturday, May 15 and runs through October 31st. 

photos provided by Lauren Hawthorne, curator of collection

The West Baton Rouge Museum is located at 845 N Jefferson Ave, Port Allen, Louisiana,United States. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday- 10 am to 4:30pm and Sunday 2pm-5pm

https://westbatonrougemuseum.org/314/Current-Exhibits

Suggested reading with beautifully mounted video done by the CBC for the 100th anniversary of the Evangeline statue also featuring François Gaudet, one of the artists taking part in the exhibition which I had a good fortune of meeting during our visit in Grand-Pré- click on this LINK to view.

This photo is of my mother Emma dressed up in an

Évangéline costume, circa 1955.

--------

UPDATE - Sept. 30, 2021 

With the cooperation of the West Baton Rouge Museum, the original painting was removed from the exhibition on Sept. 15 and replaced with a reproduction canvas print with hand painted details for the remaining of the exhibition.  

The original painting will be part of an small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021. 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Bubble Up

12 x 9", acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #276, 2019

The Bubble Up brand was created one hundred years ago in 1919 by the Sweet Valley Products Co of Sandusky, Ohio. The introductory flavor was grape juice. In 1938, the soda pop would permanently switch flavor to lemon-lime. It is currently manufactured by the Dad's Root Beer Company.

I vaguely remember Bubble Up while growing up, since it is rather rare to find some here in Atlantic Canada.  I bought these at Winners (TJ Maxx chain) here in Moncton, but it's a US product since a bilingual sticker of ingredients was affixed to the caddy after production so it could be sold here. When I spotted this foursome in the store, I just got a nostalgic visceral response since I hadn't seen these since the 1970's. I got seduced by the graphics and knew I had to paint them.

Trivia- A bottle of Bubble Up appears on a piano in the Ariana Grande's music video, Die in your arms cover ( Justin Bieber).  

Watch here. 

Exhibited in a group show entitled- Not a Creature was stirring.... Artworks to Deck the Halls - Dec. 2019 and Under Summer Sky- June 18 to July 10. 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Évangéline

14 x 12'', acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #273, 2019

Since 1994, le Congrès mondial acadien (World Acadian Congress) has been held every five years. This summer, southeast New Brunswick and several municipalities on Prince Edward Island hosted the event from August 10 to 24. National Acadian Day is held annually on August 15. This year, I attended the festivities with my wife in Dieppe, N.B. Our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau along several dignitaries kicked off the Grand Tintamarre that was followed by a free show/concert featuring a who's who of Acadian singers that was attended by 20,000 people. 

The whole event inspired me to undertake a sister painting for ''Evangeline, an homage to Longfellow" that was completed in 2017.  Please click on this LINK for the backstory behind both paintings. The photo study for Évangéline was done during the same session at Fort Beauséjour, NB in late August of 2017. For the first study, the viewer is looking west in the direction of Grand-Pré, NS. For this latest painting, the viewer is looking south, towards the Missaguash River located on the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border. Fort Lawrence which was occupied by British troops once stood on the other side of the river from Fort Beauséjour at the time of the deportation of Acadians in 1755. 

This painting was submitted to the Annual Juried Exhibition held at the Moncton Gallery. The show runs from September 9 until the end of October.

Moncton Gallery is located at City Hall, 655 Main St., Moncton, NB
Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

During the jury process, the City of Moncton decided to acquire the painting for their permanent art collection. For this, I am forever grateful to live in such a vibrant and inclusive city.

-Collection - City of Moncton

Grill Side Refreshment

20 x 10", acrylic on mounted aluminium panel

painting #264, 2018

This painting is my 9th to feature a red Meco charcoal grill which we've owned for some 20 years. Although it's been retired from use for at least a decade, I've have held on to it mainly for art sake to use as a prop. It still resides in our backyard. Last year it received a much needed makeover with a fresh coat of paint and new cedar plank side tables. It now looks as good as new. 

Previous artwork 2006-2016

This iconic Coca-Cola bottle and carton are both from the 1960's. I was lucky enough to find these from two different Kijiji listings; the bottle here in Moncton, NB and the carton from Summerside. PEI. 

Part of group exhibition - Under Summer Skies being held at the Fog Forest Gallery, until September 8. 

To acquire this painting please contact:

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Evangeline, an homage to Longfellow

16 x 12'', acrylic on gessoed aluminum panel

painting #254, 2017 

Evangeline is an epic poem written by American poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was published in 1847, 170 years ago. Longfellow was born in 1807 in Portland Maine. His best works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. I've had the chance to visit his childhood home twice. The Longfellow house was built in 1785-86 by the poet's grandfather, General Peleg Wadsworth. It is one of the oldest brick structures on Portland's peninsula.

The deportation of Acadian people from their lands by British troops (1755-1764) becomes the backdrop for the poem. Recounting the tragic tale of a young Acadian woman named Evangeline Bellefontaine who was separated from her fiancé Gabriel Lajeunesse on the eve of their wedding during the great upheaval in 1755 in Grand-Pré, Acadia (now Nova Scotia). The prose follows Evangeline on her long and arduous journey across the eastern seaboard of the United States as she spends all of her adult life in search of her long lost love. Now an old woman working as a Sister of Mercy among the poor in Philadelphia, at long last she finds Gabriel among the sick while caring for the dying during an epidemic, only for him to die in her arms. Even though Evangeline is fictitious character, she is perceived as a heroine and icon for the Acadian people and has become a symbol for faithfulness, courage, hope, perseverance and love.

 The eloquence in Longfellow's writing is evident from the first paragraph:

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
Stand like Druids of old, with voices sad and prophetic,
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

Instead of reading the book before starting the painting as I've done before, I read it only once the painting was completed. Being myself an Acadian, it is a painting that carries a bit more weight within the narrative of the imagery. 

I found a vintage Evangeline soda pop bottle in an estate sale last summer in Summerside, PEI. I can't recall ever seeing this brand. After doing a bit of research, it would have originally contained Ginger-Ale and was bottled by Seven-Up Ltd in Halifax, NS. The book used for my composition was acquired on eBay from a seller in Newfoundland. It was published by Airmont Books in 1965 and sold for 75 cents.

Antique Evangeline crate. 

Two months before spending our 2012 Christmas vacation in Louisiana, I found my genealogy on-line dating back to 1630. My French ancestor and 8th times grandfather, Michel "Sansoucy" Richard was born in Saintonge France and immigrated to Port Royal, Acadia (now Nova Scotia) in 1652. During the deportation of Acadians, his grandson and my 6th time grand-father, Michel Richard was deported from Fort Beauséjour to Charleston, SC where he died shorty thereafter. Avoiding the deportation, his wife and children had exiled themselves on Prince Edward Island when tensions were mounting during this period of great uncertainly. To pay homage to my ancestors, I returned on the grounds of Fort Beauséjour, located in Aulac, NB and used it as the setting in the composition. With views of the Tantramar Marsh, the waterways opens up into the Bay of Fundy. From here, you can make your way by boat to Grand-Pré. In the poem, Longfellow writes, Shaking his head, as in doubt; then, heaving a sigh, he continued:- "Louisbourg is not forgotten nor Beauséjour, nor Port Royal".

While in Louisiana, we visited the Acadian / Cajun region of St James Parish, Broussard, Beaux Bridges, St. Martinville and the city of Lafayette. St Martinville is widely considered to be the birthplace of the Cajun culture and traditions, and it is in the heart of Cajun Country. Between the dates of 1764 and 1785, upwards of 2600 Acadians took exile in Louisiana, then under Spanish rule, but previously owned by the French.

  My wife Suzanne with the statue of Evangeline, St. Martinville, LA

In 2013, the Charlottetown Festival produced "Evangeline" a musical that ran during the summer at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. We were fortunate to attend a presentation. "Epic, ambitious, Canadian...comparable to Les Misérables" wrote The Globe and Mail. It was reprised in 2015 for a one month run at the Homburg Theatre in Charlottetown. 

In 2005, I was among a very fortunate small group of four in the entourage of one of the judges during the Moncton stop of the auditions for the very popular TVA reality-TV singing competition, Star Académie". A then unknown singer, Annie Blanchard from Maisonnette, NB auditioned to Michel Conte's ''Évangéline'', and instantly won the heart of the judges and the public. This link is not the audition taping but a similar version with piano accompaniment, click HERE to listen. At the conclusion of the show, Évangéline was release as a single on the compilation album. It would climb all the way to #1 on the Quebec charts. Annie Blanchard would go on to win the Félix for the song of the year at the 2006 Gala de l'ADISQ (highest musical distinction in the province of Quebec).

Part of my two-person show with Yvon Gallant entitled ''HARVEST'' at the Fog Forest Gallery from October 12 - November 8, 2017.

Opening reception - Thursday October 12, 6:30- 8:00 pm

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street

Sackville, NB, Canada

(506) 536-9000

website- http:/fogforestgallery.ca

-SOLD