an ongoing journal of Canadian artist Helen Utsal

Organizations often look to artists, as well as businesses to donate items to auction off at important fundraising events.
Y.A.N.A. is a Comox Valley non-profit organization that supports families who have to travel in order for their child(ren) to receive medical treatment that is not available locally.
I am happy to donate a painting every year to this worthy cause, lightening the burden for families at an already stressful time.

This year I am donating this little painting, 'Brooklyn School Crows', 16"x12", acrylic and oil on canvas.

'Brooklyn Crows' was painted 'plein air'* in the late summer. My son was playing at the playground and I sat on the grass with my acrylic paints. There are always many crows in the field, marching methodically, stopping every few feet and pulling live snacks out of the wet grass.
I finished the last details of the picture in oil paint in the studio.

You will find Brooklyn School Crows along with many other great items at the Y.A.N.A. Auction on Feb. 25th, 2011.
their website is http://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/events.htm

* ’Plien Air’ painting is done outdoors directly of the subject, as opposed to a painting done from photographs or sketches in the studio. Impressionist painters like Monet, and Pissarro, did much of their work outdoors, as did the Group of Seven.