As I look at the year ending art wise. I realized I focused on painting in a sketchbook rather  than on canvases. We had a real travelling year so this worked perfectly (including helping our daughter and family for a month after welcoming our beautiful grand daughter June). I used different sized handmade sketchbooks for travelling and bought sketchbooks for working in or learning on. I took a couple of online classes just to keep myself painting and accountable, below is one I forgot to post. Most of my unposted work is in sketchbooks, which I did for me.

I am also grateful for the wonderful art groups I have had the heartful time with it's members: The Eagle Valley Brush and Palette Club in Sicamous B.C., The Courtyard Gallery in Enderby B.C. (which shows and sells my art and cards), and The Plein Air Group in Mexico.

Jed Dorsey of Acrylic University put out a challenge over the summer to complete 7 acrylic paintings that he did a demo of. I worked in my sketchbook painting 7"x7" square. I really enjoyed this as it was fun to follow his demo but using my own colours, sense of placement and stopping when I felt it was completed. I loved his use of different base colours and even one that he made up in his head!

​I wish you a creative and fun 2026. Hopefully you will be able to try new creative challenges!!

Top Row: "Small Flowers, Big Dreams", "Chasing Daylight", 
Second Row: "Discovering Beauty", "The Colourful Alley"
Third Row: "Porch Party", "Always My Heart"
Bottom Row: I forgot to write down the name this one Jed made up with no reference

I knew I had a busy travelling year ahead so decided to sign up for this painting challenge. Dianna did a 30 minute demo (with a timer) on small 6" x 6" wooden panels. I painted along but used the paint and colours that I had (not the same) and worked in my sketchbook rather than on board. I gesso'd my sketchbook in white or black gesso as she did on her panel. It was a challenge using a different paint surface and colours. I knew that I could take a sketchbook with me and as these are her references, they were for the joy of painting, learning and playing, not for sale. I certainly enjoyed this challenge and was very happy I was able to complete it!!

Top left: #49 Blueberries In Winter , Top right: #50 Stack Too , Bottom left: #51 Truck Stack, Bottom right: #52 Wed Wace Car      https://www.diannashyne.com/

Love the variety of small 6" x 6" paintings in this year long weekly demo. Dianna paints for a total of 30 minutes and stops when the timer goes off, leaving little time for fiddling, my kind of painting! Fun to play in acrylic but the drying time is quick and I don't have retarder. Dianna premixes her colours by mine are dried out very quickly if I do that so I mix as I go.

Top left: #45 Three Doughnuts, Top Right: #46 Oregon Coast Sunset, Bottom left: #47 Pub Door, Bottom right: #48 Sitting Duck

Merry Christmas to you and those you hold dear, in this realm and those that have passed over.! This season is celebrated in so many ways, but family is key in all of it, the family you are born into and the family you make and surround yourself with.

Hopefully Papa Noel enjoyed a visit at your home. This was a fun class to paint! I signed up for Ali Kay's class and happily painted along using her style of painting. I like chunky brush marks and layers when I paint in acrylic so this was familiar to me. She painted in a square format but I painted mine on gesso'd watercolour paper to fit a 16" x 12" gold frame I had. This is an early Christmas present for my daughter and family that will hopefully be put up Christmases to come. 

I am enjoying these small 6" x 6" paintings in my sketchbook. It is interesting working on thinner paper (gesso'd) instead of a board or canvas. They are the perfect size to catch up on when I have been away, not the pressure of a larger painting. The sketchbook gives me the freedom to explore and not worry about a "finished" painting. This has been a very busy year and this challenge has kept me painting at least once a week or catching up with multiple paintings. 

Top left, #41 End Of The Season, top right: #42 October Sunflowers, Bottom Left, #43 Late Harvest, Bottom Right, #44 Three Pumpkins @karenoliversfineart