Paint Ontario is one of the province’s most celebrated art events, and this spring it returns to Grand Bend with a stunning collection of representational painting and sculpture inspired by life in Ontario. For over 30 years, the show has drawn artists and art lovers from across the province to the shores of Lake Huron for three weeks of exceptional art, learning, and community. 

This year is especially exciting for me: it’s my first time entering Paint Ontario, and I’m thrilled to have all three paintings accepted into the exhibition (pictured below, thanks to my friend Patti Burke who attended the show on opening day). Artists from across the province submitted 632 artworks into the competition, and only 264 pieces were accepted.

These juried paintings and sculptures are beautifully displayed in a transformed gallery space at the Grand Bend Legion Community Hall. Major awards were announced at the Opening Night Gala on May 1, with the Exhibition and Sale running from May 2–17. Along the way, visitors can enjoy on-site art demonstrations and special events that make each visit unique.

You don’t need to be a collector to enjoy Paint Ontario, just an admirer of beautiful art. The collection celebrates everyday moments and familiar scenes capturing the rich diversity of our province.

Best of all, supporting Paint Ontario means supporting the arts right in the community. Proceeds help fund local music programs, youth art camps, pottery facilities, and other cultural initiatives through the Grand Bend Art Centre.

Spring feels like the perfect time to slow down, be inspired, and experience something beautiful. Paint Ontario offers all of that and more. I hope you’ll make the trip to Grand Bend and enjoy the show with fresh eyes and an open heart.

Click here for more Paint Ontario 2026 details.

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I’m excited to share a recent win from the studio. Here’s the note I received from the Society of Canadian Artists:

"Dear Karen Richardson,
Congratulations! On behalf of the SCA, it is our pleasure to inform you that your artwork Starting Over has been successfully juried into the SCA 2026 Open International Online Juried Exhibition."

Here are a few quick details about this show that made my acceptance feel extra special:
•    14 countries represented
•    1,180 artworks submitted
•    180 works selected (about 15%)
•    $14,000 in prize money awarded

Having Starting Over included in this renowned juried exhibition feels both thrilling and deeply affirming. I congratulate all the amazing artists who have work in the show. You can view the full online exhibition until May 15 here: SCA 2026 Open International Online Juried Exhibition.

Ironically, this 12 x 9 inch painting sat half-finished in a studio drawer for five years. Finding it again was the nudge I needed to either finish it or finally let it go.

View the behind-the-scenes-story of how I brought it back to life here: The Painting That Took 5 Years to Finish. It's a lesson in patience and tenacity for us all. Sometimes we just need time to ponder our options and come up with a new way forward. 

Feel free to click on “Leave a Comment” at the top of this post. I read every note.

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Over many decades, my husband and I have toured every province and territory of Canada, and the island of Newfoundland remains one of our favourite destinations. An unexpected encounter there would later inspire three very meaningful paintings.

My dragonfly journey began in 2007, when we visited Newfoundland for the first time. We camped there for two months, exploring all of its beautiful regions.

I wrote about this fantastic holiday here and we knew we would go back some day to experience more of this magical island.

A dozen years later, we returned to The Rock for a three month tour. During that trip, we encountered lovely people and beautiful scenery everywhere. I highlighted the most memorable photos, videos, and travel stories from that summer in these posts:

Top 14 Vistas of Newfoundland

A Whale of a Tale in Newfoundland

Seeing Caribou and Moose in Newfoundland

Now comes the Viking dragonfly part. During both summers, we made a point of visiting the Viking Settlement at L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site on the northern tip of the province.

Discovered in 1960, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, this archaeological gem is the first and only known site established by Vikings in North America and the earliest evidence of European settlement in the New World. 

Professional actors (authentically costumed as Vikings) serve as historical interpreters, showing and telling visitors about life at the settlement 1000 years ago.

In 2019, just after we enjoyed this immersive experience, we were walking on a boardwalk over the bog, and I noticed this gorgeous dragonfly on our path.

It was the largest specimen I ever had seen, with brilliant blue dots and dashes along its body. This exquisite creature stayed obligingly still while I took several close-up  photos. I knew they would make  excellent painting references one day.

That day came last summer, during our Airstream travels. I decided to create a small painting of a pebble beach.

I sketched a still life scene showing smooth stones from my pebble collection, nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.

When finished, I titled the painting A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel). A collector of my work in Georgia, USA, acquired the piece for her home. 

When I announced this happy news on Facebook, one of my followers commented "My favourite is gone..." so I asked if she would like me to make a similar painting for her.

She said yes, so I created a new version of the scene, and she acquired it in celebration of her milestone birthday. The second painting was titled Rocky Repose (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel).

I thoroughly enjoyed making these two small paintings of my dragonfly and the subject kept speaking to me even after these pieces had left my studio.

Apparently, my dragonfly wasn't done with me yet. It deserved to be explored in a grander scale, so this winter I lovingly and meticulously crafted a third version in a more impactful size. I had to add new details to fill the larger spaces, inserting more stones and changing shapes and markings of others.

Pictured above is a collage of all three paintings showing their relative sizes. The two earlier pieces are on the right, and Love Changes Everything (varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel) is shown on the left.

As I reflected on why this subject continued to call me back, I began researching the deeper symbolism of dragonflies.

I discovered that they are revered as omens of good fortune in many cultures. These delicate, winged creatures are regarded as messengers of change or guides to new beginnings, and can represent loved ones who are no longer with us.

The title Love Changes Everything captures this symbolism and also is the title of a famous 1988 song by Honeymoon Suite, a Canadian pop metal band.

I hope you have enjoyed the tale of how a chance encounter with a dragonfly in Newfoundland evolved into three very special paintings. I’ve learned to pay attention when a subject keeps calling me back - because sometimes it’s leading me somewhere meaningful.

For more information about Love Changes Everything, click here.

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Last week I delivered two commissioned paintings to their new owners, and it warms my heart to see how delighted they are with their special new art pieces.

The painting pictured here, Tamarack Territory, varnished watercolour on 16 x 16 inch panel, now graces a home near Ottawa, Ontario.

Not familiar with the term 'commissioned'? It refers to custom artwork created with the specifications of the client in mind. Over the years, I have created almost 100 custom paintings for clients who wanted to celebrate the memory or feeling of a special time and place.

In the case of Tamarack Territory, my clients saw the two reference photos pictured here in an article I wrote in 2024, Manitoba: Through An Artist's Eye.

The first photo is Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park near Dauphin. The leaning tree on the point caught my eye but I also love the rocks in the foreground and the moody sky.

My client is from New Brunswick originally and this scene reminded her of the seashore there.

The second photo I took from the train between Thompson and Churchill. The tamaracks were in their full autumn glory the week we were there. They are a deciduous conifer whose soft needles turn golden in the fall, drop from the tree and regrow each spring.

My clients let me know they wanted a painting of the rocky shore with a few tamarack trees added. We agreed on a size that suited their wall space and I worked on the new scene for five weeks, completing it on Christmas Day.

Painting the sky and water waves really stretched my technical creative skills, and I was very pleased with the success of the finished painting.

Once it was displayed in the clients' home, they sent me this photo and remarked "We have hung our treasure beside the fireplace where we can admire it every day. It catches the morning light beautifully."

As an artist, knowing that this special piece will be treasured in its new home is very important to me, and magnifies the impetus to keep painting.

The second commissioned painting, Whispers of the Wilderness, varnished watercolour on 8 x 8 inch panel, is shown here. It now resides in Peterborough, Ontario.

My client saw a similar painting of mine last summer in my blog post New Works: Little Gems from my Traveling Studio.

The piece captured her love of exploring northern lakes by canoe and she admired the scene, but it was a bit too large for the wall space she had in mind. She asked me to create a new version of the scene in a smaller size, and with more emphasis on autumn foliage.

I finished her painting on Christmas Day and she and her husband picked it up from my studio last weekend.

The next day she sent me this photo of the new painting hanging in their living room and commented "Hi Karen! It’s hanging with my other favourite pictures!! Thank you for your incredible talent." I think the painting looks perfect in its new home (below another painting of mine, Whispers of the North) and am so pleased my clients are happy.

Whether large or small, a work of art can communicate in a personal way what no other object can. It is a permanent presence in our lives and can be passed on to future generations.

If you would like to acquire a painting similar to one of my previous pieces, or inspired by my travel stories from all across Canada, please contact me to discuss your ideas.

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Since I began my art career almost 40 years ago, I have been showing my artistic creations at studio tours, art festivals, open houses, fund raisers, juried shows, and art galleries.

Over that time, almost 1,000 of my watercolour paintings have made their way, one by one, into the hearts and homes of people near and far. It warms my soul to know my creations bring peace and joy to the daily lives of so many people.

While the majority of my artworks reside with collectors in Canada and the USA, several of my paintings have become world travellers. So far, to my knowledge, my paintings are enjoyed in at least 24 countries. How cool is that!?

One of my recent travellers, Mazinaw Memoir (varnished watercolour on 6 x 12 inch panel), is shown here. It came about after a camping trip in Bon Echo Provincial Park, near Cloyne, Ontario. I shared the scenic highlights of this park in my previous blog post The Magic of Mazinaw.

I showed Mazinaw Memoir on Facebook in early December and caught the eye of a long time friend and former co-worker, who now lives and works in Cairo, Egypt. She sent me a message to acquire the painting and later picked it up at my studio while she was in Ontario visiting family for Christmas. Her message mentioned "It was one of my favourite camping places when I was young. So many memories!".

It makes me smile to think of this Ontario lake scene residing in the Middle Eastern desert, bringing happy childhood memories to a Canadian living abroad.

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When I created this charming watercolour scene last July in our Airstream trailer, I loved the peaceful feeling the artwork conveyed.

While I have made over 400 paintings about rocks, this was my first one with a dragonfly. It was pure joy to recreate the body markings and delicate wings of this exquisite creature.

At the time, I had no idea how profoundly this little dragonfly at rest on a pebble beach would touch the hearts of thousands of people I have never met.

First, a little back story:

A Place of Rest, varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel was inspired by a photo I took in 2019 of a Mosaic Darner dragonfly at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic site in Newfoundland.

I selected these uniquely striped stones from my vast pebble collection (many of which also came from Newfoundland) to use as painting references.

Then I sketched a still life scene showing the smooth stones nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.

In August I introduced this painting along with several more in my Studio Newsletter. One of my subscribers, a collector of my work in Georgia, USA, moved swiftly and acquired A Place of Rest for her home.

This fall, I entered a digital image of A Place of Rest into the Richeson75 international online art competition and it was accepted as a Finalist. As is my habit, I announced this happy news on Facebook, and that is when things got really exciting very quickly.

Here is my Facebook post from November 20:

I am thrilled to announce that my watercolour painting A Place of Rest has been selected as a Finalist in the Richeson75 Animals, Birds, and Wildlife 2025 annual international competition.
Typically, this prestigious event attracts submissions from 3,500 artists in over 70 countries, so it is an incredible honour to see my little painting from Canada be accepted by the jury.
The 75 Finalists and Winners paintings are on permanent display online at
https://richeson75.com/pages/wildlife/2025/index.html There are some awesome pieces here so do check them out!
A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel) now resides in the home of one of my collectors in Georgia, USA. She sent me this lovely note: "Your painting arrived. When I opened it, my husband said "wow, that's amazing!" You have a gift for watercolor realism I haven't seen from any other artist. Thanks so much - you can rest assured your work will be well appreciated in its new home."

I was not prepared for, and cannot explain, the avalanche of good wishes that came my way in response to this post. Shown below are Facebook's audience engagement stats as of November 24.

Including two Facebook group sites where I shared my post, in the span of four days it has been viewed over 100,000 times, reached over 70,000 people, and attracted over 5,000 interactions including almost 1,000 comments. I have never had a post receive this much attention in all the years I have been on Facebook.

In the midst of all this excitement, several people asked if they could order prints of my dragonfly painting, so I got to work on that right away.

I am happy to report, A Place of Rest is now available as art prints from my online publisher Fine Art America. (Just in time, in case they have a Black Friday Sale!)

Prints of this dragonfly painting can be ordered on your choice of substrates (paper, canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, or fabric) in sizes ranging from 8 x 8 inches to 36 x 36 inches. Fine Art America will create a custom archival print to your specifications and ship directly to you from their closest manufacturing facility. Shown here is an example of a framed paper print. Check out my entire collection of art prints here.

And that is the remarkable tale of how my little dragonfly went viral.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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Recently I shipped this commissioned work, 'Northern Haven', varnished watercolour on 11 x 14 inch panel, to Michelle J, a collector in Atlanta, Georgia. One might wonder why someone living in the southern USA would chose this particular scene from the Muskoka region. It's an interesting story and Michelle gave me permission to share it here.

Her great grandfather, Dr. Herbert Leslie Barber, was the doctor for Parry Sound District in Ontario, roughly 1900-1927. His mother lived with him, his wife, and their five children in a house in Burk’s Falls. 

They also owned a large red brick cottage on Lake Cecebe, between Burk's Falls and Magnetawan, complete with an ice house, wooden boat, and screened in sleep porch - very traditional for the Almaguin Highlands. The family used to take the steamer from Burk's Falls to the cottage and stay for the summer. 

Michelle's mother grew up spending summers on Lake Cecebe, followed by Michelle and her sisters as well. Michelle's father bought a tiny cottage down the lake on the Magnetawan River, which was the main place for the five-some every summer.

Michelle searched online for artists painting Muskoka scenery and showing artwork in Huntsville, and found my web site. 

While perusing my artworks, she came across an image of In This Moment, (pictured here) which I had painted six years earlier. 

It reminded her of a small islet her family would pass by boat every time they visited her grandparents at their cottage on Lake Cecebe. 

She sent me this message last February: "Karen, I love your work. I grew up spending every summer in Magnetawan. My roots are in Burk's Falls. I absolutely love "In This Moment" and understand that it is now sold. Is there any chance you could/would be willing to do another?"

I was very happy to create a new version of this scene, and agreed to paint it for her by the spring.

The next day, she let me know that her Dad also took them fishing on Georgian Bay at least once a summer, so anything with granite outcroppings spoke to her as well.

She decided to acquire a second painting of mine, A Place to Dream, varnished watercolour on 12 x 9 inch panel, (pictured here), as a birthday gift for her youngest sister. It fit squarely in their memory of sitting lakeside and at Georgian Bay. 

The young man in the painting also looked like her nephew. Between the three sisters, they have five children who are now the 6th generation on the lake, and they love it too. 

This painting was on display at Colborne Street Gallery in Fenelon Falls, ON, so I put Michelle in contact with them to arrange the sale.

As I began working on the commission in late March, I knew the wet-in-wet sky and its reflection would be relatively high risk to paint, so I started two paintings of the same scene.

I figured at least one would work out well, and if both were successful, Michelle could chose her favourite and I could send the other one to Colborne Street Gallery to replace A Place to Dream.

Both paintings turned out beautifully and Michelle chose Northern Haven (the top painting pictured here, and also shown at the top of this post).

I kept Solitude's Embrace, varnished watercolour on 11 x 14 inch panel, (the bottom painting) for the gallery in Fenelon Falls.

In early May, I shipped Northern Haven to Michelle and after it arrived, she sent me this message:

"I absolutely LOVE the painting. First of all, it’s exactly like the Ontario lakes in my mind. Second, your style is so precise for watercolor. I’ve never seen anything like it and am extremely impressed by how you make the medium work. Thank you - I’m sure our paths will cross again."

I do love a happy ending. It makes me smile to think of this little island scene residing in the deep south, bringing joyful Canadian summer memories to several generations.

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The term 'shakedown' often has negative connotations, such as a swindle, an unwelcome search, or a radical restructuring of a company. But an Airstream Shakedown is a happy occasion - the first group camping weekend of the season by the Ontario unit of Airstream Club International.

The event is called a Shakedown because it is an opportunity to check that all systems are working properly in our trailers, after they have emerged from winter storage, and that we remember how to operate everything. We make sure any wear and tear issues are identified and resolved before extensive summer travel begins. Usually we discover items we forgot to bring with us from home, and add them to our checklists.

Sixteen Airstream trailers of all sizes and vintages gathered for a long weekend early in May, to check over our rigs and enjoy some relaxed, social time together. It was lovely to renew friendships after the winter break, and to make new friends.

Our 2025 Shakedown was held in the Richmond fairgrounds, on the outskirts of Ottawa, ON. Facilities included water and electrical connections, and access to a dump station for emptying our wastewater tanks prior to leaving. 

We enjoyed lawn chair happy hours in the sunshine (pictured above) as well as catered breakfasts and a delicious pot luck dinner in the adjacent community hall. Some of us visited area flea markets, craft shows, and yard sales and found a few treasures to take home.

One evening, my husband hosted a Canadian trivia game slide show to entertain the group, and I gave a slide show of recent paintings and the steps of making my landscape painting And Nothing Else Matters (shown here).

Coincidentally, I delivered this painting to its new owners at the Shakedown, and they proudly showed it off to the audience after my slideshow.

That presentation lead to the sale of one of my rustic Canadian flag paintings, to our new Airstream friends Patrick and Caroline (shown above), who will be hanging it in their beautiful trailer. They camp and travel full time throughout North America every summer and have a YouTube channel called @RoadTripEscapades. Patrick shared the awesome drone photos he took of the Shakedown, and allowed me to use them in this post. 

Airstreamer Jim McQuaid took the above photo of the encampment at sunset one evening. Our trailer is in the middle, with a purple entrance light beside the door. 

The Richmond Shakedown was a relaxing way to enjoy spring weather in the company of many wonderful friends, and start off the camping season on the right foot. My husband and I have arranged four awesome camping trips to various regions of Canada this summer, so stay tuned for highlights in future posts.

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This past winter, a Facebook friend sent me notice of an upcoming international online art competition. 

I don't often take the time to enter these competitions, which are offered by organizations all over the world, because it takes a lot of investigating to determine which ones are legitimate. 

This competition caught my attention, however, because it was offered by the Society of Canadian Artists, a prestigious, well-known, not-for-profit, Canadian arts organization.

After learning their mandate is "Fostering the visibility and stature of the visual arts in Canada", I decided I wanted to support this national organization in its efforts to promote professional Canadian artists and their artwork. 

I joined the Society in February as an associate member, and entered three paintings into their 2025 Open International Online Juried Exhibition.

In March, I learned the good news that my painting The Windy Shore, pictured above, was one of 167 artworks accepted into the show, out of 1180 pieces entered by 425 artists from around the world. The online show runs from April 1 to June 15 this year. View the award winners and other accepted works here.

Later that month, the Society announced their spring call to apply for Elected Membership Status. They outlined all the benefits such as eligibility to enter their annual shows and qualify for over $30,000 in prizes, as well as being permitted to use the prestigious “SCA” designation after one's signature on paintings.

I spent a whole day preparing my application to become an Elected Member. I chose images of ten recent paintings representing my best work (including those pictured in this post) and outlined my professional development over the last 40 years. 

That summary included my exhibitions history, gallery representation, public/corporate/VIP collectors, awards, and publications. I added a list of my contributions to the artistic community, such as teaching watercolour classes for 15 years, publishing my award-winning art instruction book Watercolour Toolbox, and coordinating art shows and studio tours for many years.

I concluded my 15-page application with this statement:

"After 40 years of study and exploration, I feel like I have arrived at the heart and soul of my artistic expression, focusing on the wild landscapes of Canada. Being able to bring peace and joy to people all over the world, especially during these troubling times, is a privilege and a blessing I will never take for granted.

"I am applying for Elected Membership because it will give me an opportunity to support and celebrate Canadian art and artists, something I have always done enthusiastically. I believe artists should encourage one another and applaud each other’s accomplishments. As our nation faces an existential threat, and we all are becoming more appreciative of our country, artists and arts organizations can help define and celebrate what it means to ‘be Canadian’.

"Several artist friends of mine are members of different arts organizations. I have considered applying before, but I wondered if I would fit in, as a self-taught artist. When I read about the Society and gathered the information for this application, I realized I have a vast amount of ‘in the trenches’ experience to share, and I hope you agree."

Apparently the Society did agree, and I was extremely pleased and honoured to receive this email notice from them today: 

"On behalf of the SCA," it read in part, "it is my pleasure to inform you that your application for Elected Membership status in the Society of Canadian Artists has been successfully accepted!! You will receive an official paper certificate by Canada Post in the upcoming days. Thank you very much for your outstanding application!" After a long list of membership features and benefits, the email concluded: "We are delighted to welcome you as an Elected Member of the Society of Canadian Artists!"

It feels amazing and surreal to be recognized by this remarkable organization that was officially founded in 1972 (although germinating since 1957), and "born to foster and celebrate the visual arts in Canada". 

The Society subsequently published these interesting details about this round of elected membership: "This spring the Call for SCA Elected Membership received entries from 59 artists and ~600 pieces of art were submitted for jurying... As with our SCA Exhibitions, the depth and breadth of the submissions were remarkable – the majority of whom were from accomplished professional artists with a prestigious array of previous awards, recognitions, and gallery shows. The jurying process was very challenging and filled with numerous agonizing decisions. In the end, a record number of 38 artists were accepted for SCA Elected Membership."

This is the second major arts organization that has recognized my artistic accomplishments.

Two years ago, I successfully achieved Signature Membership Status in Women in Watercolor, an international organization based in the USA, by winning an award in their Annual International Juried Competition three separate years within a six-year time period. (The competition had been running for four years at that point and I had won a total of nine prizes by then. I always was an over-achiever.) This designation means I can use the initials "WIW" after my signature. 

I guess I will have to write smaller when I sign my paintings, so I can fit in all those extra letters! ;-)

I am profoundly grateful to live this artist's life, being able to share with the world my soul-deep connection with nature and the art it inspires. Having someone acquire one of my paintings is the highest compliment I can imagine. Being recognized and welcomed by my artistic peers is icing on the cake.

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