Reflect-a-thon and On Painting

My roots belong in Windsor Ontario, known as the city across the river from Detroit. There, the insatiable hunger to produce artwork began. My first oil painting was of iris' in a wine glass. I told my mother I wanted to paint Iris' and she insisted that we walk to a wealthier neighborhood, convinced we would find them there. She was correct! Seconds after spotting some, she was knocking on a strangers front door, asking whether we could clip some of their flowers. To my shy disbelief, they weren't bewildered, but rather overjoyed to help a young artist with her painting! I live in Toronto now, but the constant madness of getting the perfect painting continues, each piece with its own fantastical tale. Now the paintings environments come from further than the 'wealthier neighborhoods,' but from all of the world during my travel escapades. There is never a terrible time to yell "quick, pull over the car!" or ask "can you hold my purse while I crawl into this tiny space and get a picture of this weird thing?" The perfect shot for a great painting could happen at any moment.