Janice Mason Steeves

©Janice Mason Steeves 2011 A couple of weeks ago, Helen Hagemann , an Australian poet who was in residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at the same time I was, emailed to tell me that she had written a poem  inspired by one of my paintings she saw there.  A section of that painting took her eye.  I am honoured by this. I was also delighted at how my work was interpreted so differently than my intention as I created it.  I include her blog post here with her poem:   Her Blue Dress and encourage you to check out her website to read more of her poems and see the books she has written. Helen's writing this poem,  makes me consider sources of inspiration:  what inspires us, keeps us creating?  Maybe it's different for everyone. I have just finished reading " The Aran Islands ", written in 1907 by J.M. Synge , the famous Irish playwright.  He spent time on each of the three Aran Islands, mainly, Inish Mann where I visited in ear...

On Saturday I took my granddaughter for her first visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario . First things first, we had to climb onto the inviting Henry Moore sculpture near the entrance!  My granddaughter brought her own camera and I thought it was fun to see the AGO through her eyes. Other than this first photo and the one of her in front of the Chagall sign (way down below), the rest of the photos were hers. Designed by  Frank Gehry , the building is an exciting one for children of all ages.  It took us perhaps one-half hour to get past the front lobby,  where she delightfully scampered up and down the ribbon-like wheelchair ramp.  Then on to the winding staircase that actually goes outside the building for a few twists and turns. From up on top of this twisty staircase, when I lifted her up, she could see a panorama view of Toronto.  The staircase, like the wheelchair ramp, was incredibly exciting and we could have spent the...