Blue Dogs Everywhere!

Exciting news!

I have been asked to paint a piece for a local café in Brantford called The Blue Dog.

(http://bluedogcoffeeroasters.com/ ) This small café features paintings & other artwork local artists would like to sell. These paintings are put up for auction & sold at the end of their featured date. This space has many opportunities for growing & upcoming artists as it features open mic night & other events dealing with local art.

Not only do I enjoy the art based atmosphere of this café, but I also like knowing that it is fair trade products! I love to know that we are helping others in the community as well as throughout the world instead of having people essentially "slave" for the money they make, just so it can be sold at ridiculously high prices.

Some facts about Fair Trade!!

1. Fair trade increases annual incomes of small farmers.

2. Fair trade assists small farmers to stay out of high interest debt.

3. Fair trade helps put in place tools for self-sufficiency.

4. An estimated 5 000 000 people worldwide benefit from fair trade.

5. Africa is the fastest growing fair trade region.

if you would like to learn more about Fair Trade (Canada) feel free to take a look at the link! http://fairtrade.ca/

Anyway.....as for my Blue Dog painting!!!! (I am so very excited!!!)

The only criteria for my painting is it has to have a "blue dog" in it, for the celebration of yet another successful year! I have been thinking of many different ideas and in my search I found an artist who is also on blogger, and her dog painting caught my eye! I enjoy the colours, as well as the way that the paint is applied very freely. I think that this will be a similar route I take with my painting. If you would like to check out the full blog I have added the link ► http://karenmathisonschmidt.blogspot.ca/2012/03/dog-painting-work-in-progress.html ☺

I will post pictures as I begin to work on my design & give you updates on everything else going on!!