Jennifer Noxon

If you're not familiar with my music, I'm happy to say that it is now available online at CD Baby and iTunes. Watch As You Walk and SWEET are available in the CD version (CD Baby) or the mp3 downloadable version (CD Baby & iTunes). There are sound bytes available as well, notes on the album, and you can listen to and buy individual songs if that's your preference. Took me long enough but hey, better late than never!

Just returned from Ghana.....a mindbending trip to build a latrine and lay a school foundation in the small village of Biakpa. I brought home many memories and trinkets that remind me of the lovely palette  - vibrant colours against soft pastel landscapes of reddy pink soil and green lush vegetation. The traditional fabrics and movement of the designs against the black skin of the people was absolutely delicious to look at - a feast for the eyes. Also brought home a grand collection of glass beads, both painted and plain that are traditional- made from recycled bottles of all colours. I couldn't get enough - they look like candy.

The group of women I went with worked hard, played hard and laughed a lot. The people of Ghana made us feel most welcome and often broke out into singing or dancing when we took water breaks from schlepping concrete, water and crushed rock on our heads - back and forth, back and forth. A great sense of community and feelings of having a common purpose. My 'Water' song found its true home...finally.

We were hosted by a Ghanaian-based community development agency called DIVOG that does excellent work at the grass roots level. Amazing staff and, in terms of hosting groups for projects - our experience, could not recommend them more highly.

Looking forward to this event....a time to share pictures I've been making, connect with friends and acquaintances, as well as new faces. The show at the airport was great for exposure but you had to be going somewhere in Canada or overseas to see the work. Several people said they would have liked to to see the show but didn't want to pay the cost of a plane ticket to do so! So, with November being an in-between month, I'll be showing recent work and work from other series in my home/studio. The subtlety of my recent work is hard to capture in photos - so best viewed in real time.  While studio walls are still white, I'm taking advantage of them while they last. There'll be refreshments, and maybe even some music. I hope you'll take the time to drop by, tip a glass and wander.

20% of sales will be donated to www.divog.org an organization I'll be doing community work with in Ghana next February.

Have been working on finishing a new room in our basement for my studio. The lighting was a challenge and I never have liked basements much but it has two north facing windows with a fair amount of light. Between some near daylight flourescents and track lighting - I've managed to balance the cool and warm to a quality of light that might just do it. Walls are soft white to get the most out of the reflected light. Floors are a finished maple ply with wooden plugs - warm, natural colour and inexpensive floor material. Can't wait to hunker down and start creating again. Feel like I'm lacking equilibrium and know that I need to be making things to set it right. I put down the interlocking foam pieces that you can get for next to nothing at Canadian Tire -you know, the kind people use in their kids' play areas? Well, I just use the flip side which is a warm industrial gray instead of the brightly coloured sides. It provides a cushioning for my feet, standing at the easel for long periods and I don't mind slopping paint around.

It'll be interesting not leaving the house, walking to the studio I've had under the clock in a heritage building in downtown Almonte...but I have more space, brighter and .....hopefully the vibe will be a productive one.