Monday, July 28, 2008

Party Time




Woo-hoo, party time on
Hanlan's Island!

Yesterday was so much fun! It was a pre-birthday party for both Aaron and I, because I'm going away for my birthday and Aaron will be busy too. We had chips and beer and a gigantic cock shaped cake that had cream ooozing out of it. Cool Man!

It was great to see Nick and Lamia and to meet some of Sarah's cool friends. Sarah and Zeesy suggested I go to the island for an artist's residency sometime for a week, that really appeals to me. Painting and communicating with nature -- Fantastic!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Artwork








I have started painting again. No, I stillllllllllllllllll haven't got my own wheelchair back yet, but I just couldn't stand it anymore - my creative juices were overflowing!

Except for "Rascal Houdi on a Yellow Rug", these paintings are all new.

Artwork


Another day at the St. Lawrence Market has come and gone again. I'm exhausted. but happy! It was, indeed, a successful day!

I'm not sure if I mentioned this one customer in my last entry, but she's a very nice woman from Lebanon who ordered a painting of her grandfather's house from me a couple of years ago. Last week, she ordered 4 packs of cards from me (with her grandfather's house on them), and today she picked them up. She also bought my "Red Rose in Full Bloom" and "Rascal Houdi on Yellow Rug". Lebanon will love them, she said.

It kind of stung to let go of that painting of Rascal. He and Hershey are like my children, and I feel like I've sold one of Rascal's baby pictures to someone. However, I know its going to a good and loving home. Besides, Rascal is such a ham I'll be painting his cuteness soon enough!

Sunday, July 20, 2008






Yesterday was definitely better than today.

Yesterday I sold "A White Tulip in a Pink Vase" to a guy from Hong Kong. (His friend took a picture of us together with the painting, making me feel like a big-time celebrity!) And, I sold a hard cover copy of my new book "My Magic Finger: The Artwork of Anne K. Abbott" to my friend and sometime fellow St. Lawrence Market vendor, Helder. Yahoo!

Helder very kindly gave me several copies of "Good News Toronto"newspaper because he knew my business was featured within it this month. (http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/index.php?pg=5) Thanks, Helder!

Today, however, has been somewhat... icky. First, Sarah came over to get me up, fed, dressed etc. Poor girl was drenched by the rain. I woke up having stomach trouble and took some medicine, which I thought was specifically for this type of ailment. It turned it out to be cold medicine and it made me drowsy and even more ill.

Sarah got me an Iced Cap, and I'm feeling better now. Like Popeye and spinach, Iced Caps seem to be able to revitalize me!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Artwork


It was a fantastic day at St. Lawrence Market yesterday!

It was very busy, people were very friendly, I made a lot of sales in cards - and I sold a painting! Woo
hoo!

This large, amiable man from Texas wanted to buy my "Nude Woman Reclining on Sofa", but his wife wouldn't allow the purchase, saying that she wanted to be the only naked woman in their home. So, I suggested my "From the Perspective of Three Tulips" to him and he bought it right away.

And then, when I had packed up all my artwork, Sarah and I met Jen and went to Tim Horton's to relax and chat. It was a bitter-sweet gathering because Sarah and I knew this would be one of the last times we'd see Jen before she left for Berkley. Jen an I exchanged gifts. I gave her an autographed copy of my new book "The Artwork of Anne K. Abbott" and she gave me two of her beautiful photographs, framed, of me painting in the nude.

Yesterday was like this:

Friday was like this. (Pissed off at my useless wheelchair and the fact that HME hadn't fixed it, despite having it for 3 weeks!)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Baaaaad Day

So, I've mentioned on several occasions within this blog that I'm using a loaner wheelchair from HME while they try to fix my chair. It's been 3 weeks now, and although I'm not comfortable in their chair (it hurts my neck, lower back, and left shoulder) and I'm unable to paint, I've been very patient (I've been in this situation hundreds of times!) and have been getting on with my life as best I can.

I kept myself busy by shopping for new shoes, selling my artwork at St. Lawrence Market, hanging out with my good friend Aaron at Tim Horton's, and going to Harbour Front with my mom.

Business-wise, I published 3 books of artwork. One is called "The Artwork of Anne K. Abbott", and another is called "My Magic Finger: The Artwork of Anne K. Abbott". The last one has no title and is, I'm afraid, no longer in print. Kodak lost the photos I put on their website. The whole layout, everything - gone! I'll never use them again!

Well, anyway, HME brought back my wheelchair yesterday. I didn't get to try it out then because I had to go early in the morning to sell my wares at St. Lawrence Market. Today, though, I sat in my own wheelchair, thrilled to bits, and then after driving about a foot, it stopped. It started again after awhile, and I decided to venture outside with Sarah to do some grocery shopping. We had only gone as far as the elevator, and then my chair stopped again. This time, though, it wouldn't start, and Sarah push me back to my apartment.

Once again, I'm in HME's loaner chair and I can already feel ill-effects from it on my back. HME took my chair again, and they said they'd "put a rush on it". Hopefully, this means they can fix it earlier than 3 weeks this time. Hopefully, it'll at least be ready for my trip to England on August 10th for my 50th birthday!



Sunday, July 6, 2008


The only really good thing about today was my visit with my mother at Harbour Front this afternoon. After a maddeningly slow day at the St. Lawrence Market (I only made $50.00!) it was nice to hang out with my mom and walk around outside on such a beautiful day.