Kiona found my work at the Moss Street Paint-In this year, and commissioned this piece for food from her hobby farm in Duncan.  She gave me a tonne of pictures to choose from, one with the boy pictured here, and there was another with him holding a frog.  I melded the concepts together.  The painting is a gift for her husband’s birthday.

We dropped the painting off to her on our way up island… what a beautiful family and homestead!  Me want, the rustic house, the duck, chickens, garden, dog, goats, adorable children, oh man, so awesome!

Here’s the photo I used:

“Road Trip” for Sarah from Grace and me  17″ x 24.5″

This just looks like a happy place.  Who doesn’t love a little old red truck, a tie-dye blanket and road trip?  There’s little detail of the landscape, but it feels Canadiana enough, jean suit, water, trees and sky.

Sarah is a phenomenal show girl, with class and sexy hutspah which will make your jaw stop, drop and drool.  And beyond that, she is an amazing woman with a feminine prowess, confidence, beauty and kindness.  SO glad to have become closer to her, fellow scorpion self over the last few years.

xo

Jared spotted my art in Rebel Rebel, and seeked me out to commission this.  I have to admit, when I first saw the photo I was a bit scared.  It wasn’t very detailed, kinda grainy, and the screaming baby… I thought it would be super hard to paint.  BUT, the photo was absolutely charming and I embraced the challenge.  Turns out, it went smoothly and not as much trouble as I thought, phewf!  Who would have thunk it?  3 boys, not too much trouble ;)  However, it took me 2 months to finish it, yikes!

Jared is screaming in the laps of his older brothers, and I’m sure he’s been tormented by them consistently to this very day ;)  Siblings, gotta love it!

Commissioned by Jay Brown, for his brother’s wedding, 16″ x  20″.

An engagement smooch, on the beach, wind blowing, waves crashing, ahhh romance.  I used some gold paint to try and capture the sun shining on the strands of her hair, and the glint in her necklace.  I have no idea if these folks liked the painting at all… maybe it will be like the fruit bowl they accidentally “break”, or maybe I will see it in the thrift store amongst other dejected art.  I really hope not.  It was tricky and I was happy with how it turned out, myself.  It was a whirlwind of a wedding I hear, so I haven’t heard from Jason about the reaction (if he was even there when they opened it).

Sometimes it’s really scary to let art out into the world.

My dear Karen Messer was the second winner of the Mother’s Day contest I had.  I took my time, saving this one for the show I am having at the Ministry of Casual Living right now.  The opening was awesome, a totally surprise, since I worried no one would show and I would sell nothing.  Not the case at all.  It was a total success thanks to new and old friends.  Ahh, hard part done.  It’s up until the 27th if anyone wants to check it out.

15″ x 20″ Train Travel.

Emily from Bernstein & Gold commissioned this one from me, for herself of her best friend Lisa.

Emily told me she asked her friend first, if it was weird she was going to have a painting done of her, if that was okay… of course she was honoured.

I don’t even ask my best friend for permission, I just go ahead and take liberties.  Us girls LOVE our girlfriends so much, and I have a million pictures of my closest pal. Regan is lucky I haven’t painted any incriminating photos of her, yet ;)

Ahhh the POWER mwah ha ha ha ….

Sarah Ginger Kittens Smith commissioned this painting for her hubby Gord, also my pal, for his surprise be-day party this year.  Grace took the picture and filtered it to be high contrast and clearly, bright and colourful.

Buster, is LOVED immensely by all of the above.   Especially by Gordon.

One time Gordon came by my house.  Outside on the porch, I had stacked a bunch of paintings that made me shudder with annoyance.  They were old projects from art school, I wanted to throw out.  Gord took them all.  I was touched.  Ever since then I have wanted to give him something a little more meaningful and that doesn’t make me cringe.  I hope this will be a favorite of his for a long time.

Cute Little Sailorette, 15 5/8″ x 22 3/8″

For a bit of mother’s day appreciation, I had a contest on Facebook to win a painting of your mom.  It was ridiculously hard to chose a picture!  There were so many good ones,  I chose 2;  this one, and a picture yet to be painted for my friend Karen.

Shelly’s mom passed away recently, so this painting is extra special.

My love to all your mom’s out there.

Commission for Claudia & Erin at Rebel Rebel.

Well unfortunately, because this painting is 4′ x 7′, I found it very hard to get a picture of it, in focus.

The image I was given to work with is from an art gallery in NY.  I guess they weren’t supposed to take pictures of this installation, those rebels!  And the picture wasn’t quality enough to blow up, so they had me paint it real big.  It was a fun project, and a little different.  Sanding back the brown paint to reveal the wood grain was like brushing the horses hair.  Maybe I will get to make another one some day so they don’t have to split it in half if they depart on separate paths.

It’s hanging as we speak in Rebel Rebel behind the cash counter.

Rebel Horse by Leslie Wiegand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Based on a work at www.wiggylove.com.

Beach Bums

Regan’s and my parent’s are friends and so, we have a deep bond growing since we were babies… baby bond.  She commissioned this for her parents’ anniversary and they are the couple to the right.  I found this image, again, in my own parents’ collection of slides from the 60′s.

Driftwood by Leslie Wiegand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Based on a work at www.wiggylove.com.

My excellent friends Geneva & Chris commissioned this piece for Chris’s sister.  Chris and his sis’ are featured left and center, laughing their faces off.

Fun Bath by Leslie Wiegand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Based on a work at www.wiggylove.com.