After the Shower (Portrait of the Artist’s Sister), Oil on Canvas; © Jennifer Pohl

Call it coincidence or a chance occurrence, but have you ever experienced a moment of synchronicity? It has happened to me more than once.

A few years ago I was suffering a bout of pre-painting anxiety (not unlike writer’s block), and was doing just about everything to procrastinate my return to the easel. I paced about in my overalls, picked up brushes, twirled them about, and put them down. I had a snack, flipped through art books, then had another painting snack. Eventually (and keeping in mind I hadn’t owned or watched television for almost a decade previously) I picked up the remote control, and started rapidly flicking through channels. For some reason, I stopped at the Canadian Parlimentary Channel for what was the very first time in my life. A gentleman was being interviewed, and I paused to listen. He was a scientist of some kind. Don’t ask me what he was talking about now, I forget. My gaze drifted to the artwork on the wall. I looked closer, and sure enough, he was seated in a gallery with two of my paintings directly behind him, and one of them was this portrait of my sister.

To make a long (but true) story short, I put the remote down and went back to work. When I mentioned it to Doug later that day he remarked, “Well, if you believe in signs, that would be one!”

A more detailed view of this piece will soon be seen in my upcoming online gallery.

I have to admit that I don’t have much time to surf the web, so I appreciate that boing boing goes to the trouble for me. It is often a good source of new art links. While ear wax sculpture, nazi sex dolls, and the $18, 000 bar of soap make me want to turn off the computer, and take my baby out for fresh air and a very long walk, it’s the rare gem that makes the site worth a visit now and then. Among my favourite finds this month are:

Art or Crap? Take the quiz. I scored 11 our of 16. I felt a little bad about the plaster cast, but if you have a minute it’s a fun thing to do.

An interview on NPR with children’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak.

The work of Dave Devries whose paintings are based on kids’ drawings of monsters and superheroes. (I like the bird face bordering this piece.)

And speaking of monsters, Jill Miller is one brave cookie. She is waiting for big foot.

I was also glad to find the-artists.org, a good source with useful search engines for all things relating to major modern and contemporary visual artists.

Comedian Rick Mercer has started a blog this June, and he is as entertaining and contentious as ever. If you haven’t seen any of his work, Rick would be Canada’s more cynical version of Jon Stewart.

Today he writes:

It’s too damned hot! 34 degrees in Toronto yesterday, and they say today it will be 41 with the humidity. This is no place for a Newfoundlander; I’m part seal pup. I melt when it gets past 25.

I’m on my way to Newfoundland on Monday for the opening of The Rooms. (www.therooms.ca) Not a moment too soon. If you are sitting in Toronto dying of the heat and smog grab the kids and go to Newfoundland. They will be able to breath there.

I just found out that this painting which is part of the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador’s permanent collection will be part of the opening exhibit at The Rooms at the end of the month. I’m happy that it has found such a good home.

If you would like a better look, and can’t make it to the opening and enjoy the free wine, a more detailed view of this painting will soon be seen in my upcoming online gallery.