Time flies so quickly, I can’t believe it’s already January of 2025. I used to an have an instagram, much like you do these days but mine got hacked back in August and no matter how I try I can’t back into my account. I’ve looked it up on reddit and most people who go through this never do end up retrieving their accounts so I’ve just decided to let it go. Social Media will always be a necessary evil in this industry but I’ve never particularly liked instagram so although I was initially upset, I’m feeling perfectly fine now without it. I went ahead and made a bluesky so I can equally ignore this new form of social media (@moniquenorrisart.bsky.social). 

Last week I got another commission! I’m
so excited and with that I decided to stretch my own canvas, and it
was such an enjoyable and cheap experience I think I’ll continue on
in this way. I gave my canvasses a week to dry after pva sizing and
using 3 coats of oil primer, but then I discovered my weak baby arms
didn’t stretch it tight enough. Firstly, the manual staple gun is
made for only Hercules, it’s so incredibly hard to press, my entire
arm hurt after struggling to staple two canvasses. I’ve had to employ
the assistance of my husband to actually staple it tightly, until I
get a corded stapler. Also in my never ending quest to figure out the mystery of photographing my paintings, it’s come to my attention the filter on my camera is incorrect. I need  linear polarizing filter, NOT circular, which of course is what I have. I’ve ordered the correct filter and I’ll be trying it out as soon as it arrives. I have to essentially re-photograph everything because the glare drives me nuts and ruins the depth of color in my paintings. 

first stretched canvas

applying pvasizing

smokey under the cart

my studio plant

endless beach

I had to varnish some paintings and I was worried about DUST, an ever present threat in all homes. I started reading around on a few forums and happened upon the answer, a plastic box for letting paintings dry in. It’s so simple I wondered why I never thought of it before. So now I have a decently sized box that could hold a 18x24 or various 11x14’s or 9x12’s at the same time, i’m pretty pumped about this acquisition. I have been sketching to get ready for my next painting but I need to make a stop at the art store for many tubes of paint. Time for a well deserved restock of the studio, and I’m sure I’ll be very poor afterwards but it must be done!

Toast of the Town sketch

Varnish Box