Notes From My Easel

It’s December the 1st.  While the onset of December is significant in itself, it also marks the day that 2 Toronto radio stations will commence playing only Christmas music and carols.  The stations are 97.3 and 105.7.  My choice is the former – 97.3.  If memory serves me correctly, several years ago this station had the lowest ratings and thought that they had nothing to lose by playing only Christmas carols for the entire month of December.  I believe that it may have been somone’s idea of a joke.  Their ratings began to go up as there are a lot of people out there that are just like me and really want to listen to Christmas carols for an entire month.  Obviously I don’t work in a mall. 

So, hopefully these radio stations will be doing the same this year.  Or if you happen to be like me and love jazz, try listening on your computer.  Go to www.jazz.fm and click onto “Cool Yule” – their 24 hour a day Christmas music via the net.  This is great if you’re having a party or just need some Christmas cheer.  There is quite a variety of old, new and many carols that you have probably never heard before… and all done by jazz artists.

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com

Tomorrow’s the first of December.  The temperature is hovering a little above freezing with the precipitation alternating between light drizzle and wet snow.  And so it is that today should be the day that I decided to decorate the planters and put up some Christmas lights outside of my building.  Nothing like doing electrical work in the rain.  I have been electrocuted once and fallen off a ladder twice.  Shades of ‘Christmas Vacation’.  You know, that was all that the director really missed in the movie; while Chevy Chase was up on the roof, installing the gazillions of lights, a gentle snow should have started falling.  Cue for Chase to look up and smile at the heaven-sent Hallmark moment.  Fast forward a couple of hours… the gentle snow has turned to sleet and icy rain with strong winds and a dropping thermometer – it IS supposed to be Chicago!  So I have a warped sense of humor.

Anyway, today I went to my favorite Christmas nursery/store, Rendezvous Gardens, 1134  Plains Rd. West in Burlington, Ontario; 905-570-1500.  Remember where the old Rendezvous Drive-Inn use to be?  Next to the Royal Botanical Gardens?  Hence the name.  This small garden centre has the freshest greenery and the garlands are just stuffed full of mixed boughs.  The store is a feast for the eyes at Christmas with decorations that I never see anywhere else (probably because so much is by local artisans or made in Canada).  The price of the boughs was about $2.00 more each than those at the giant, nameless-in-this-blog, grocery chain in Hamilton.  But guess what?  The boughs at Rendezvous Gardens were bigger.  My point is that even spending a couple of dollars extra is worth it to know that you are buying local and helping to support the small businesses that are the backbone of our North American society. 

“Self-employment has climbed to 10% since 2002 while paid employment has advanced by only 1%” according to the Global Economic Research of Scotiabank with 1 out of every 5 new jobs being created in the self-employment, small business sector.  The key to our own economic survival depends on the loyalty of consumers who are willing to support small businesses and buy Canadian where possible.

So before you go out to buy all of your garlands, boughs, wreaths and decorations, give some thought not only to your own Christmas budget, but to supporting your economic future.  Check around at some of the other small, local businesses in your area.  For give-away items at my studio tour this year www.holidaystudiotour.com I went to the Discount Emporium on Locke St. in Hamilton’s S.W. area.  I bought 60 mosaic glass candle holders that are approximately 6″ tall and about 3″ in diameter… for only $1.00 each… and they are made in Canada.  There are many, many small businesses that are offering quality merchandise as affordably as they can.  This year I plan of giving many of my friends gift baskets of wine jelly that are made by a friend’s sister who also runs her own business.  If you are going to the One of a Kind show in Toronto this week, check out Tracy’s Wine Jellies at booth C-26 or visit www.tracyswinejellies.com

Enjoy all that the Christmas season has to offer,

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com  

It’s a little less than a month before Christmas and I’ve been doing some baking.  This is the easiest banana bread to make and always turns out perfect.

This recipe originally came from someone at the Dundas Valley School of Art.  I have added walnuts and chocolate and substituted all of the ingredients for their organic counterparts.  I also used free-trade bananas; they take longer to ripen and arn’t so sweet once ripe.

Just the best darned Banana Bread that you’ve ever tasted!

4 large ripe free-trade bananas

4 large organic free range eggs

1/2 cup organic safflower oil (or any light tasting cooking oil)

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sour milk

3 cups plus 2 Tbsp. organic flour

2 cups plus 3 1/2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. organic sea salt

________________

1 cup crushed walnuts

2/3 cup bittersweet free-trade  chocolate broken into chip-size pieces

Measure all dry ingredients (except walnuts and chocolate) into a large mixing bowl.  In smaller mixing bowl, mash bananas and add all wet ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry and beat on low until well mixed.  With a wooden spoon or spatula mix in the walnuts and chocolate.

Pour into 3 greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.  Bake at 275 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours in centre of oven with a pan of water on bottom rack.  Makes 3 loaves.

Bon appetit,

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com

I went to Limeridge Mall last evening to make a delivery and do a bit of pre-Christmas shopping.  When I pulled into a parking spot I noticed the bumper sticker on the vehicle in front of me.  It read:  ‘LOST YOUR JOB YET – KEEP BUYING FOREIGN’.  To me this pretty well summed up our sagging economy.

The ‘ME’ generation has grown up.  Everyone wants to live like the rich and famous and never-mind the consequences.  The huge vehicle (foreign usually) and all the stuff that has to be the biggest, best and have the newest bells and whistles on it.  Now get it for the cheapest price possible and never mind where it is made. 

Those people working in industry, especially the auto sector, are acutely aware of their own jobs being at stake when they purchase a new vehicle.  Why?  Because it is suddenly their own job on the line.  Unfortunately the average person doesn’t give much thought to the fact that we are shooting ourselves in the foot every time we buy anything foreign that could have been made in North America instead.  Sure the price is going to be higher; our wages and standard of living is higher!  We can’t hold the government responsible for this one, except maybe for implementing free trade in the first place.  The recession lies squarely in the lap of every North American person who continues to buy foreign products. 

I’m going to admit that I also occasionally run into a ‘dollar store’ for a card or something, and trying to find clothing that is Made in Canada is almost impossible – but largely I am a local-living-economy producer and consumer.  Firstly I try to buy locally from small, independent retailers in my area.  Next I try to buy Canadian and then North American.  And as all of my friends know:  you will never, ever see me in a Walmart!

Can’t we spend a little more on an item and live with a little less?  Or is everyone just so unhappy these days that shopping and buying themselves endless ’stuff’ is the only joy that we are getting out of life?

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com

Thank you to everyone who voted for me …and to whomever nominated me in the first place.  I have just been informed that I have won the Hamilton Spectator Reader’s Choice Award of ‘Favorite Artist of the Year -2008′.

Thank you Hamilton,

Kathryn

www.hamiltonartist.com     www.kathrynsmith.ca

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Here’s a great tip that I learned years ago from a chef.  Along the top gumline of your two front teeth are contained your sinus nerves.  It is these nerves that trigger your eyes to start watering when cutting onions.  The trick is to temporarily block these nerves so that they do not react.  The easiest way to do this is to get a small hunk of soft bread – not the crust- and wad it under your top lip, between your lip and your upper gum over your two front teeth.  Pack it in fairly tight.  Yes, you will look funny and won’t be able to talk properly, but you won’t even notice the onion effect.  If you are making stuffing with the onions, I would suggest leaving the bread wad in place until you have finished stuffing the turkey for as soon as you remove the wad of bread, your eyes will react if the onions are still sitting there chopped up.  Yes, this really works.

This also might be a great way to get the kids to help in the kitchen.  They will love the idea of doing something weird and seeing if it really works.  And get dad to help as well, but don’t tell him about the bread and watch him crying while everyone else is unaffected!

Have a great Thanksgiving and check out my recipe section for the best cranberry sauce and how to brine a turkey for the most moist, delicious turkey that you have ever had.

Bon appetit,

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com

As the cold weather starts to encroach upon us I have been forced back inside.  That means that I have to do a lot of painting because Sabine at the Framing Warehouse has finally (after two years) talked me into having a show of originals in their beautifully renovated Anastasia Gallery adjacent to The Framing Warehouse.  My opening reception will be on November 20, 2008.

And this might be a good time to mention that I will have my Christmas print out a little earlier this year.  The subject is downtown Hamilton in the 1950s.  I am publishing a set of 3 vignettes from three earlier scenes.  They will be much smaller as they are details from the other three.  The set will be titled “Downtown Trilogy”  with the three individual prints being titled, ‘Gore Park’, ‘Birks’ and ‘The Chicken Roost’.  The set will retail for $195 and be available wherever Limited Editions are sold in the Hamilton-Burlington area.  So this means that you get three prints.  Why not keep one for yourself and give the other two as Christmas gifts?

So hey, the coolest thing that has happened to me lately was being featured in Hamilton Magazine as one of their picks for the “33 most fascinating people and inspired individuals”.  Thank you Hamilton Magazine.  It made my day!

Kathryn

www.hamiltonartist.com     www.kathrynsmith.ca    905-528-4197 

Every once in a while a really good advertising venture comes along.  This came to me in the form of an Internet ad in which a photo of Chaucer has been animated to read my advertisement aloud.  Good idea.  Great marketing by a really nice man – thanks Adam.  To take a look at Chaucer looking just like a little, furry, news anchorman, reading a teleprompter, please click onto the provided link below at:     http://www.directory4petowners.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=17&sobi2Id=4721&Itemid=9999999 

And here is a cute photo of him.

So, has anybody heard of “Woofstock”; www.woofstock.ca?  This is apparently the largest ‘dog fair’ in North America which will be taking place in Toronto on the weekend of June 7 and 8, 2008.  The city actually closes Front St. for several blocks so that the (are you ready for this…) 140,000 people can wander around and take in the dog shows and see all of the vendors with their great dog stuff!  The King Edward Hotel has a special on for the weekend and of course your dog is welcome as 3/4 of the people bring Fido with them.  On the Sunday before (June 1st. ) the King Edward Hotel will be kicking off Woofstock by hosting a ‘Doggie High Tea’ in their ballroom for you and your dog who is either living with cancer or has survived it.  All proceeds from this will go to the OVC cancer research fund for dogs.  Three cheers for the King Edward Hotel; it has always been my favorite place to stay when in Toronto.  I hear that the best time to go to Woofstock is in the morning as it is so crowded by afternoon that you and your dog can hardly move. 

One last note is to remind you that I am in the Pet Portrait business.  So, if you are thinking of a beautiful painting of your cherished best friend, take a look at my web site.

woof, woof,

Kathryn  www.hamiltonartist.com   www.kathrynsmith.ca 

First of all, if Barbara Walters asked me, “If you were a tree, what kind would you be?” (will she ever live that down?) this is not the tree that I would probably want to be, but it never-the-less is my favorite.

I had never known the proper name for it, but had always used the nickname given to it by the horticulturists at the RBG – the world renowned Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington Ontario – which just happens to be a 10 minute drive for me.  So, for the past 20 years I have lovingly referred to it as the ‘Hamilton Stink Tree’.  Not a very nice name for a tree that grows incredibly fast and turns into an 80 foot canopy style tree which has a tropical look to it with its long palm-like leaves that from a distance resemble fronds.

So, it was happenstance that as Chaucer and I were walking in the Rock Gardens this week, enjoying the masses of tulips, that we ran into one of the horticultural gardeners and I decided to ask him what this tree actually was.  He raised his eyebrows when I mentioned that it was my favorite tree as it is a source of annoyance to them because of its proliferation.  He said that its proper name is “Tree of Heaven”; I was thrilled to learn that!  He also told me the Latin name, which I immediately forgot, and that the Tree of Heaven was the tree in the book/movie “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” – I was equally thrilled to learn that.  

The nickname, ‘Hamilton stink tree’ apparently comes from the fact that it will grow anywhere – even around the factories.  Its roots however will also putrefy water sources.  This fast growing tree however just may be doing more than we give it credit for.  Ecologists and scientists may just find that this could be one of the hardest working trees at eliminating toxins and pollutants from the air.  I like to believe that as it remains one of my favorite trees.

Kathryn

www.hamiltonartist.com

www.kathrynsmith.ca

I have recently published a new print in time for Mother’s Day.  “Saturday Stroll” is a painting based on Locke St. in Hamilton, Ontario.  To view this painting please go to the ‘Limited Editions’ page on my website at www.kathrynsmith.ca 

I will be having an Artist’s Open House this coming weekend of Mother’s Day.  The dates are:

Saturday, May 10 – noon to 4 P.M. & Sunday, May 11 – noon to 4 P.M.

For more information please view my web site.

See you then,

Kathryn

www.hamiltonartist.com

www.kathrynsmith.ca