Home is Where the Art (Making) is

Dad doing a watercolour at Victoria Beach.

One of the joys of summer time spent together as a family is all the art making we collectively do; both separately and together. From sketching with dad, to creating art works at events like Paint The Town and submitting artwork for art competitions like the Annapolis County Exhibition, to making a short-film that a few members of my family helped work on, the best part of all is that we are together. Here are some photos of some family and our summer art--and film--making.

A watercolour of toadstools I made while participating in the Paint The Town ARCAC benefit
event in Annapolis Royal August 20th and 21st. 

Everyone sketched while we waited for the food to arrive at a local Annapolis Royal restaurant. 

                                                      Dad holding up the portrait I did of him.

Dad sketching Goat Island from Clementsvale side. Gorgeous sunny day, and the seagulls, 

which reside on this side of the island were "talking" so loudly at points dad and I

 couldn't hear each other speak.

                  Max and his local birds color marker drawing which won a second prize ribbon 

                                  at The Annapolis County Exhibition art show.  

Max and his pastel Loon drawing that won a third prize in the children's art category of the art competition at The Annapolis County Exhibition. 

Marie drawing at the First Annual Peace Party in Young's Cove on August 14th.

Liz makes an Origami frog (with me) at the Theme Park. Liz's is the one with the fly on its tongue!

I won a couple of ribbons for a watercolour self-portrait of mine at the Annapolis County Exhibition; a second prize plus a prize for the best watercolour in the show! 

One morning all three of us were making art in our porch studio at the same time. Kerry made some coffee dipped monochromatic pieces, Max was working on a drawing and I was finishing a piece for the Paint The Town show.

Curphey Forrestall is at the moment beginning a large block long mural that he won a big commission for in competition with several other muralists and artists! It will involve scenes of Nova Scotia 

and this project will take him most of the month of  September.  

Frank Forrestall is in post-production on a dark version of a  short film "Jack & Jill" he directed this summer that he describes as a "haunting fable about Love, Death and Spiritual Despair." Curphey Forrestall acted as Art Director while our amazing niece 

Millie Webb did all the hair and make-up. 

http://www.indiegogo.com/Jack-Jill-Short-Film

Renee was one of 8 artists chosen chosen to take part in CBC Radio's Sharing The View calendar 2012. Here is some of the information off the CBC website plus a link

 below to a podcast interview of Renee speaking about her work. 

"Announcing the Final Eight!

Wow, what a challenge, to choose eight painters from among the 137 imaginative submissions! Thanks to our Marquee Artists for the time and care they dedicated to the selection process.
The eight artists chosen to take part in Information Mornings 2012 Sharing the View Calendar are:
Virgina McCoy, painting the Inverness racetrack.
Wayne Boucher painting an Annapolis Royal sunrise.
Al Chaddock painting Mahone Bay
Renee Forrestall painting Peggy's Cove.
Sarah Jane Conklin painting a fall landscape.
Alan Bateman painting the fields of the Annapolis Valley.
Carol Pye painting the church at Grand Pre.
Darren Bennett painting the Commercial Cable Office in Canso."

http://www.cbc.ca/informationmorningns/features/sharingtheview/

A fam sketch trip resulted in dad's beautiful watercolour (top left), Renee's wonderful oil painting (top right),
my unfinished watercolour (bottom left) and Max's landscape watercolour (bottom right).

My finally finished watercolour of Queen's Anne's Lace in front of a lobster boat for sale at Victoria Beach.

Renee sketching at Victoria Beach in August.

Max stands next to his watercolour of a Tree Swallow on the French Basin trail at the Silent auction
of The Paint The Town benefit event in Annapolis Royal in August.

I'm standing with some of the watercolours I made for Paint The Town art benefit in August,
which I did  with Max this year. The watercolour closest to my head is of Max bird watching.

And I'm currently writing and illustrating a fun children's chapter booklet 

as a project for a restaurant chain. It will be distributed in 120 restaurants all over the United States. Exciting!

--Monica Forrestall

Dad and Frank continue nomadically wandering the (as Frank puts it) "Holyish" Land, armed only with a sketching box and a camera

Sporadic communication these days from dad and Frank as they wander around the Golan Heights region in the north east of Israel. Frank kindly posted some more amazing photos though, and is describing this as the trip of a lifetime.

left: Frank Forrestall and Tom Forrestall looking very happy indeed.

above: Dad paints Love sculpture

below: Dad and a Henry Moore

Tom Forrestall travels (and paints) in the Holy Land

Our dear dad, Tom Forrestall is fully immersed in his 6-week trip to Israel to create a series of paintings there. My brother, Frank Forrestall, who is a film maker based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia is along for the adventure. Frank is carefully documenting the trip in video and taking photographs with the goal of making a film about their trip and dad's experiences while painting all over this extraordinary country. Dad managed to meet up with an old friend from the Annapolis Valley, Yehuda Mitklaf.

Frank is being a big mensch (for the non-Yiddish it means a person you would be happy to befriend and associate with, because you feel genuine in their presence) for keeping the rest of the family updated with stories filtered through his hilarious take on things. His photos add to the fun of hearing of their many adventures---and misadventures (broken stool and Frank learning the fine art of haggling to buy a new one.) From ten days in Jerusalem to two excursions to the Dead Sea and Massada, the mountain in the desert, and on and on, they are both having a memorable, moving and fun time together and we are all grateful Frank was free to accompany dad on this trip.
above: Tom Forrestall paints the old city of Jerusalem. 

Tom Forrestall with the Temple Mount in the background. 

Tom Forrestall (above) painting a scene of the wandering alleyways and streets 

of the old city of Jerusalem. 

Tom Forrestall with his watercolor of the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem. 

Frank (disguised as a native) with The Temple Mount in the background. 

The cemetary on the Mount of Olives.

The Western Wall at night. 

Ancient Hebrew tomb.

Frank shows his animators fondness for unusual sculptures.

Frank said the restaurant had a "no guns" policy. Much like umbrellas by the door, how will you remember which one is yours?

The desert view stretching out to the Dead Sea from half-way up the mountain to Masada. 

The square on the right is the remains of a Roman siege camp.

All photography taken and owned by: Frank Forrestall

-Monica Forrestall

Updates on Fam art activities

My sister Renee Forrestall has a new role as art teacher at the Grammar School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is thrilled with the job and the supplies and rooms that she has to work in, not to mention her enthusiastic and happy students. Renee followed up her commission of a major altar piece for a new Halifax church by doing two additional commissioned Icon pieces for the same church.

Frank Forrestall is wrapping up his work on the Moby Dick film he has been working on for months and is getting ready for his big trip with our dad.

Tom Forrestall is also gearing up for his 6-week trip to Israel, where he will travel all over the country and paint. My brother Frank Forrestall will accompany him and will work on a documentary film chronicling their travels and art making.

Kerry Schuss' current exhibition at his gallery KS Art on the figurative work of Jocelyn Hobbie had a great listing in the Tribeca Trib with a large image, and will have a review in Art in America. Two pieces from the show sold to very important NYC collectors. The show has been extremely well received. http://www.ksartonline.com/

I worked on two poster designs for Max's school events and for our local park, Washington Market Park. 

--Monica Forrestall

Frank Forrestall meets Moby Dick

 My brother Frank is a very talented animation artist, and for the past few months has been working with the 3-D animation team doing some of the special effects for a new Moby Dick movie, starring William Hurt as Captain Ahab and Ethan Hawk as Starbuck. This past week Frank was describing working on a 3_D Computer generated  (CG) model that will stand in for a scene for the film that was far too dangerous for an actor to fully create: Captain Ahab's final confrontation with the whale.
Frank is working out of a temporary studio quarters fora few months in downtown Halifax. The film was shot last summer in the town of Lunenberg, which stood in for the town of Nantucket, where the book "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville was set.
Although Frank enjoys working on his own independent projects in his studio, working with this same team of animators he has worked with in the past (on kids shows like Poko) is something he loves doing. The comraderie of "working as a team is a lot of fun", Frank said.
--Monica Forrestall

Tom Forrestall's birthday March 11th, 2010

Happy Birthday to dad!

From Left: Nick Webb, Marie Webb, Renee Forrestall, Jessica Forrestall, Tom Forrestall, Gwen Forrestall, Millie Webb, Frank Forrestall

My sister Renee and her husband Nick Webb hosted a wonderful family birthday party for our dear dad at their lovely home in Halifax. My sister-in-law Diana Forrestall (married to Frank Forrestall) initiated the planning, organizing and made a lot of the food. My sister Renee emailed me in Switzerland to let me know how the party went! In her words, "We had Dad come here for dinner last night- Frank & Dianna came with their girls (Gwen and Jessica). We did a Japanese, Chinese buffet. Gwen & Dianna made a great mountain strawberry chocolate cake. Nick served warmed Saki, and made a huge tray of Sushi for a starter. Dianna & I had several Chinese dishes. Millie had strange Chinese jellies, we had fortune cookies too. Dad, Frank, Jessica, Marie & I took turns modeling- for the - Parousia Altar Piece. Millie cut Franks hair. Dianna talked about her doggie daycare plans. Nick took dad up to Charlotts and showed him the panels for the altar piece. He enjoyed himself and we all had a happy time."  

Dad's cake and dipped strawberry extravaganza.

Chips Webb and dad.

Marie Webb and her cousin Gwen Forrestall.

(above) Tom & Curphey Forrestall 

Millie Webb makes like a stylist and gives her Uncle Frank an impromptu hair trim. 

And I sent dad a catalog from a show at the Metropolitan Museum that I know he would have loved to have seen, "American Stories; Paintings of Everyday Life 1765-1915" (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications). The book is filled with lovely captured moments of family life and everyday activities. 

---Monica Forrestall

Natalie Forrestall Memorial: Remembering mom

Our sweet and loving mother, Natalie Forrestall passed away four short years ago, on March 13th, 2006. The pure love that poured out of mom's big heart for her grandchildren, children and husband of 48 years, Tom Forrestall, and everyone she ever met, was a rare and beautiful thing. We were all so blessed, so very lucky to have such a wonderfully kind woman to call mother. Beyond her endless capacity to love everyone, mom was a talented painter in her own right. Mom earned her own degree in Fine Arts from Mount Allison University, as well as a teaching degree from a teacher's college in Oromocto and, luckily for dad, had a brilliant mind for buisness. Our mother was an art teacher to elementary aged children in the early years of her marriage, helping to support the family. Mom gave up her painting career to manage our father's career and the busy household of six children and umpteen pets, so dad could focus on his painting.
Here are a few photos of mom with members of her loving family who will never, ever forget her.

Tom Forrestall and Natalie Forrestall holding Max Forrestall Schuss at Three Oaks in July 2002. 

My brother, Frank Forrestall recently found an old video on his computer with footage of mom doing some gardening with his eldest daughter Gwen. Frank writes about that special moment in time below.

"I've attached a few stills from the video. It was another of those special moments with Gwen that mom loved so much (like their time baking together). Mom loved those moments and always found little projects for them to do together. In this video they were re-potting some plants together; I don't think Gwen was of any practical assistance, but I don't think mom was seeking perfection in the task, she found perfection in the moment."

Natalie Forrestall gardening with her grandaughter Gwen Forrestall in Dartmouth.

Natalie Forrestall planting flowers in her hanging plant holders for the porch, with her grandaughter Gwen.

My sister, Renee Forrestall (below with mom) was touched by the gardening photos of mom, and had this memory of gardening with mom to share, "I love the gardening pictures! I loved that mom would put on her striped overalls for even the slightest of gardening work! I remember the first garden we put in together on the side of the house when I was seventeen - it was pouring rain - torrential - but we went ahead and did it anyway! We were transplanting daffodils that we had found growing deep in the woods at 3 Oaks. We dug a massive trench the length of the house - right under the down spout of the gutter! Never mind we had no clue what we were doing! We laughed so much - all the daffodils kept bobbing up and floating around like little boats. We kept dashing around the 20 foot trench trying to anchor the bulbs to the muddy bottom of the rushing stream we had created. The problem was we had hundreds of bulbs!

We always had a good chuckle when the daffodils would come up every year. They still come up - I always think of this fun time with mom  when I see daffodils." 

My brother Curphey didn't have any photos to share, but writes "Still miss her, still speechless."

Renee Forrestall and mom, Natalie Forrestall August 4th.

Family gatherine in Karsdale, Nova Scotia Summer 2005. From left, back row: Monica Forrestll, Winkie deVries, Kitty Forrestall, Tom Forrestall, Miles DeVries, Natalie Forrestall, David DeVries (back) Nick Matyas (front), Nicoline DeVries . From row, from left: Pierson Matyas, Max Forrestall Schuss, David Matyas, Jack Matyas (holding) Duff.

Natalie Forrestall, Tom Forrestall and Prime Minister Trudeau. 

Back row, from left: Curphey Forrestall, Anne and Bess Forrestall, Natalie Forrestall, Marie Webb, Tom Forrestall, Rachel Forrestall, William Forrestall. Sitting, from left: Jamie, Gwen Forrestall, Jasmine Forrestall, Diana and Jessica and Frank Forrestall, (foreground) Millie Webb, Renee Forrestall.

Natalie and Tom Forrestall.

William Forrestall, Natali Forrestall, Monica Forrestall, Tom Forrestall in front of the family home in Fredericton, New Brunswick on University Avenue where we all grew up as children.

Fam photo taken in Point Pleasant Park in 1977. From left: Curphey Forrestall, William Forrestall, Natalie Forrestall, Tom Forrestall, Renee Forrestall, Frank Forrestall, Monica Forrestall, Jack Forrestall.

Family brunch at The Digby Pines (mom's fav place to go in the summer) in Summer 2005. From left: Tom Forrestall, Natalie Forrestall, Max Forrestall Schuss, Monica Forrestall.

Background from left: Kitty Forrestall, Renee Forrestall, Natalie and Tom Forrestall. Front: Monica Forrestall (holding) Marie Webb, John Distefano at The Farm in the Annapolis Valley.

At The McDonald Museum in Middleton, Nova Scotia for a family exhibition opening. Back row, from left: Diana and Jessica Forrestall, Jaimie, Jack Forrestall, Natalie Forrestall, Tom Forrestall, Frank Forrestall. Front row, from left: Gwen Forrestall, Renee Forrestall, Kristin Grimson, Nico, Kitty Forrestall, Matthew Grimson. 

Nat & Tom Forrestall  (above)

Tom and Natalie Forrestall, Renee Forrestall and her eldest daughter Millie Webb.

Above: From left: Marie Webb on her uncle Curphey Forrestall's lap, Natalie and Tom Forrestall, Millie Webb, Monica Forrestall on Christmas morning in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The girls are wearing matching burgundy velvet dresses mom bought for them. 

When mom was in the hospital, Millie and Renee smuggled in Millie's pet rabbit Humbug, because mom loved her own pet rabbit so much, who passed away. Mom's cranky rabbit was only sweet for her.

 

Natalie and Tom Forrestall on their wedding day, Friday, September 13th.  

---Monica Forrestall