At VAM I had an all day workshop November 16th in Wire Sculpture.  It was a great class and the results were very good. 
The school supplied the wire [well I did + I assembled the pieces, cutting out wire & mesh for each student beforehand - that took a day as well.

At The Franklin Carmichael School I offered a Palette Knife Workshop. It was divided into 2 parts. Oct and November - 2 classes per session.  I had a large class[13] for the 1st installment and an average size[7] in the second part. Most of the class brought acrylics.  A lot did not bring many art boards to experiment - I'm not sure if past classes has asked for too much but a lot of the students came unprepared - both sessions.
I think they got the basics of how to use the knife and some of the many acrylic products out there.  For oils it is all about the knife and time.  Heavy paint takes time to dry.

Winter classes at VAM in Abstraction, Photos to Painting, Seniors' Centre Painting [all sorts of styles and levels], Private Art Classes in Oil and Acrylic, all went really well even though there seemed to be less students everywhere but the Senior Centre.  The new Photo to Painting class was successful and a few students have returned to continue their journey, subject by subject.  It seems the class must go at the pace of the student and some are working on one project per session, while others push through Portrait, Landscape and Interior projects.

Spring has brought less classes but new opportunities and commissions.  My Friday afternoon class was too small and next year they will reschedule it - as most Canadians love long weekends in late Spring.  The Photo to Painting class is evolving.  New students and new input.  Returning students are challenging themselves to new issues in portraiture, landscape or architectural images.  I continue to talk about structure of the painting and all the technical I can bring to the students to challenge them.  I am pleased that they are so bold as not to be driven by photo-realism - allowing themselves to just be more modern.  I was lucky to find some good examples of arts working outside of pure realism.  The Seniors' Centre and the Private School students have worked really hard and there have been some great breakthroughs.

This Spring, I received a commission from a past client for a large abstract.  I have already started but there are more ideas than canvas so I have begun perhaps another series...... I also have 2 oil paintings to do  - one for a summer wedding and another for a fall wedding.  Lots of pressure and lots of challenges.  It should be fun and hopefully some great paintings will happen.

I am looking forward to teaching at The Franklin Carmichael Group - in Rexdale, Ont. - this June.  It will be a Palette Knife Workshop.  They just had their Annual Open House - their 60th - and the place looked fantastic. The weather was wonderful but  I hope more come out to the Annual Art Show on the 24th - 26th of May.

Here are some samples of my students' work.

Teaching has been very good this past year and has potential for a great year in 2013.
VAM is having an Instructor's Art Show from Jan 2nd until Jan 11 th..  This is during their activities throughout the holidays for the community.  I have 3 paintings there.  If you have time please check out the artists.  I plan on going.  My first class is January 11th - My Abstract class.  The following week I have a new class - Working from a photo that starts January 17th.
Islington Seniors' Centre is closed during the holiday but my class starts Jan 11th.
Klim restarts January 8th unless I am stuck in court - I have been called for Jury Duty Selection for the 7th.  This could impact all my classes.  Hopefully they will give me a break.

This year has been a good one for my art I think.. Since I revisited my portraits [I did portraits over 20 years ago, but not like these], I have been very happy with the challenges they offer..  I feel, my abstracts are getting more interesting too.  My teaching assignments are also improving as I continue to alter them and work on new ideas, while keeping the ones that have worked the best.  My student base is growing and it is wonderful to be part of other artists journeys.

3 portraits worked on this summer - one is finished [Jack 2012], one is still a work in progress as an experimental study [Jenn 2012], and one is being used as a demonstration piece in one of my classes [Prabha 2012].

Have ideas for 2 new paintings with a focus on composition, colour and realism.  One is started [Pigeon Drinking Rainwater].

Workshop at VAM was great this summer - 15 students and almost all showed each class, working quite hard. Classes are started/Starting and are continuing for the Fall.

Working so little this summer allowed me to focus on new projects of my own and I felt great.

Preparing for the Art Fair at Benares Historic House at 1507 Clarkson Rd. North on Friday, June 3rd - 10 to 4pm.

I am bringing about 20 small art boards to the fair.  I am sharing a booth with a student who may have large pieces.  I hope it goes well and we have enough room.