SWEETNESS AND IMAGINATION: CHILDREN’S PORTRAITS

My friend, Bill Oliver, is the creative talent behind these beautiful, tender photographs. Bill adds the whimsy to regular photos showing us the innocence and imagination of children. Just look at the little faeries dancing through the pages of this book.As adults our imaginations tend to wane. We see harsh reality instead of the beauty and magic. We need to capture the joy and beauty of these precious little faces while they still see the wonders in everyday life. Whether indoors or out there are faeries among us. We just don’t noticed them as much when we get older. We need that innocent child’s eye to see them. Bill’s work has been used in books and magazines recently doing the front cover for The Celtic Connection magazine. f you would like one of your children’s or grandchildren’s photos magically enhanced to show the imagination and beauty of the world through a child’s eyes then let me know and I will put you in touch with Bill Oliver.

MONIQUE LUM – ARTIST

I have known Monique for some time now. We went to the same high school. We even had the same maiden names. It wasn’t until many years later when I started doing genealogy research that we found out we are indeed related.

Monique is a brilliant artist and her work exudes such joy. The colors are bold and strong and they show her vivacious personality.

I think they all show what is in her heart since she is one of the most kind, caring, loving people I know.

I know you will enjoy her work. Many are available to purchase. I will show you some here but I will also put a slide show on my sidebar so you can see many more. It will be so hard to pick a favorite one. Feeding Frenzy
2 ft x 3 ft
Acrylics AUTUMN WIND
18in x 24in
Acrylics
COMMUNION OF BIRDS
Acrylic
18in x 24in
Not Available

Look at these fans. They are 3 dimensional with real shells, fabric and shimmering crushed opals. Plus those are real tassles.
Oh how I wish I could see this one in person. THE FAN AFFAIR
4ft x 2,1/2ft
Cement, shells,
tassels, acrylics, crushed opal stonesNot AvailableSisters of Saltspring
Acrylic and
flour & glue
24in x 18inVenice Bridge of Gold
42.5 in x 57 in AcrylicBED OF RED
12in x 12in
Done with molding mud & acrylic- textured. Three Eagles  4ft x 4ft 
Acrylic
UnavailableThree Sisters
2 ft x 31.5 inches
Acrylic
Well this is just the tip of the talent iceberg. I just love them all. Don’t you? I am always so amazed at the talent in my family…even if we are cousins a few times removed.

I MAY START GOING TO GARAGE SALES

I may have to start going to garage sales more.

They are not something I usually bother with knowing that I don’t want your junk any more than you want mine.

Typically I see things like odd ball plates, old romance novels, half of a scrabble set and if I am really lucky a hot water bottle complete with the plug.

I never come across anything like someone here in Vancouver recently did.

They paid a high price for some artwork. About a hundred bucks. That is a lot for garage sale crap.

Except for this crap turns out to be very valuable paintings. One done by artist Frederick Varley who is one of the famous Group of Seven painters. The other by artist Tom Thompson who, although not  a member of the group was one of the inspirations for the group.

Tom Thompson 

Frederick Varley

Imagine finding out you sold off valuable works of art at your own garage sale for cheap. The buyer has put these up for auction and the top one could go for $250,000.00 or higher.

I will have to start going to more garage sales but in the mean time I have to get this special piece authenticated and appraised. What do you think I can get for it at my own garage sale?

A WONDERLAND OF FAERIE FOLK & FRIENDS

I have been introduced to an artist who does something completely different. His beautiful artwork takes you to a world of wonder and imagination. You can’t just glance at these pictures. You need to take your time and look through them for the tiny ant or the face in the background looking in on the faeries.

Since a young lad Bill Oliver has had an interest in the unusual and arcane. A few years back he started to create that which he only imagined prior. Although his art covers all aspects of the paranormal including vampires, monsters,zombies and other darker side entities, it is his love for The Wee Ones,Sprites and The Fae where his true passion lies.
After receiving a 1st place prize in a Christmas art contest judged by best selling author Brad Steiger the two went on to  work together with Oliver's art being featured in several of Brad's books. "I hope my art has a lasting impression with those who view it and allow the viewer to slip away into the magic for a moment or two".

Bill Oliver resides in Vancouver,BC and is currently in the midst of a massive project called"The Wee Ones" 

You may contact him at eastender@telus.net. His website is at  http://www.boysoblue.com

He is happy to create custom work for those who wish..

When the winds of March are wakening the crocuses and crickets,
Did you ever find a fairy near some budding little thickets,...
And when she sees you creeping up to get a closer peek
She tumbles through the daffodils, a playing hide and seek.
~Marjorie Barrows

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

Princess Edane... heard a voice singing on a May Eve like this, and followed half awake and half asleep, until she came into the Land of Faery, where nobody gets old and godly and grave, where nobody gets old and crafty and wise, where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.  ~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

The Realm of Fairy is a strange shadow land, lying just beyond the fields we know.  ~Author Unknown

Fairies are invisible and inaudible like angels.  But their magic sparkles in nature.  ~Lynn Holland

A lady, with whom I was riding in the forest, said to me, that the woods always seemed to her to wait, as if the genii who inhabit them suspended their deeds until the wayfarer has passed onward: a thought which poetry has celebrated in the dance of the fairies, which breaks off on the approach of human feet.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "History"

The Realm of Fairy is a strange shadow land, lying just beyond the fields we know.  ~Author Unknown

You can contact Bill Oliver at:

eastender@telus.net. His website is at  http://www.boysoblue.com

He is happy to create custom work. Imagine what a special gift this would make.