Here comes 2023

Another year is here for the taking. Covid seems like it is in the review mirror and time to get life and all it’s wheels back in motion. First week of the year. Goal setting………….

For me this will involve planing out achievable goals, staying consistent and on tract and engaging with my community.

Acievable nad Flexable

Make planning a regular affair. revisit plans regularly and see what has been working and what can be improved, changed or thrown in the bin. Relising that life of a mother and wife can and will distract but to continue to make it back to the studio regularly. Consistency is the key this year, results will follow. Sounds like a perfect mantra.

Consistancy

Just show up. Simple right. That is 2023, just show up and do something. Maybe it is a day you will make your best, or maybe learn a new skill or fail at it that day. But doing it is the goal. Remember statistically you can only fail so many times before you will inevitably succeed.

Community building

Regularly engaging with my community. Getting out into the real art world that surrounds me and my virtual one. Consistently posting what is happening in studio and around me, regular blogs and newsletters and evolving new areas of engagement

What are your plans for the year? Lets achieve them together.

Welcome to Kobo Art Gallery

Here is to looking forward to a new join venture with Kobo Art Gallery. Finally getting some outside representation of my art. So glad to be featured with them. Can not wait to add some original art work to their collection as well. so Here is to making art!!!!! Cheers!!!!!!

We have landed in Dubai!!!

So if you have not heard already, we have moved to Dubai!!!!!!!! Have been here a month and, well, time to update my info. So, check it out, new bio for the web page. Love ya all.

Reclaiming the world of Art

I am Born and raised Canadian!!!. Lovin my homeland!!!!

 Since my husband and I made the decision for him to take and international position we have been moving around the globe. Well, ok we are on our second place since leaving Canada. Three years in Mexico, we have now traveled ourselves, our three children and three dogs to Dubai. No small task but we have landed and are starting to figure out what Dubai has to offer. Excited to be starting this new adventure. If you are ever in the area send me a message!!!

In my past life I was a responsibly education Registered Nurse. Now................ I am taking advantage of my expats wife title and starting something new. I am planning on expanding into my art and photography and seeing where it will take me. 

I will continue creating my art (really enjoying animals, charcoal and pastels right now) and selling my work. Inquiries welcome and I will let you know as prints become available. Of course commissions are alway welcome. Contact me if interested in portraiture or any other subject matter. We can work together and come up with something amazing. Your idea and my skills could be magical. I can't wait to discover the art scene here in Dubai. If anyone has any suggestions please  let me know. I am very new here so I am dying to meet some fellow artist and art lovers.

I have almost completed my photography course. It is a never ending learning opportunity, and so far loving it. I will be offering portrait sessions soon  so stay updated on this. I will keep posting my work and ,of course, am open to ideas and collaborations on everything art and photography. I have even started to explore photographic opportunities here. I am so excited with so many opportunities here in Dubai, It is hard to decide where to start.

With this new chapter evolving, stay updated and continue to check in. There will be many updates to the website in the next coming months.

Cheers!

Heather Applin

Giraffe in Pastel

I am in love with my pastels. Layer after layer after layer. This is the trick I have discovered. Just keep going. First it looks like school childrens work but just don't stop. Suddenly it begins to look, not like a drawing, but a painting. A painting with no paint.  How great is that. Okay a little messy, but we all love to get messy right?!?!?

Corporate Shots

A few months ago I was looking over my husbands shoulder while he was working and I saw his current head shot that attaches to his emails at work. It was, well, special. It was an image of himself he had taken, a selfie and his first ever that he had taken. There is an art to the selfie and I believe to this day he still has not mastered it and you can imagine how amazing his was. Bad angle, bad lighting badly zoomed in upward angle head shot. So it did not take to much convincing to get him to model for me to redue his headshot. Thank you babe, love you. Pretty handsome man I married don't you think!!! 

Time lapse upgraded video

Okay, here is the same video that I just removed from everywhere. It was pixelated and not very good. so I tried slowing it down and formatted it though move. Lets see if this works better. Again. Thanks for watching, let me know what you think.

My First Time-lapse Video!!!

Here is my first ever time-lapse video. So exciting to be entering the video world. It is a little short but planning on doing a longer one. Yeah Me!!!!!!!

Whale watching in Victoria, B.C.

Today we went whale watching. I brought the camera wanting to get some great photos. Very smokey here because of the wildfires. It should be bright blue sky. But we saw Whales. Lots and lots of whales. 20-30 of them, Here are the favourite ones.

In Memory of Jayden

Recently I was asked by my all-time friend Chantell to do a portrait of this amazing boy Jayden. Several months ago he lost his battle to cancer and this was a gift for his Mother. Her response to the drawing really touched me that she was so happy with it. I feel it is a blessing to be able to provide her with a treasure that she can cherish forever. My heart goes out to her and her family and everyone else in this world that is faced with cancer.

Retro babies

A few months ago, my sister-in-law Chantelasked me to help make some images of her two girls for advertising for her new product line of customizable awesome hand made aprons. I have to tell you from personal experience that her aprons are fantastic. They are made strong and durable. But most importantly I believe high fashion for kitchen wear. Her friend has joined her making brackets and currently have an instagram account (check it out @frankieandgeorgies) and are working on their web page (www.frankieandgeorgies.ca). It was a great way to learn about portraiture in water-colour. Now I am working on a little mexican girl portrait in water colour. Can't wait to see the advertising they come up with.