happy weekend!
January 13th, 2012 § 0
January 4th, 2012 § 1
It has been so long since I last posted, so I thought I’d post a few pictures of the new Aria Restaurant, where you can see a few of my paintings.
Aria Restaurant
25 York Street
Toronto, ON
view map
416 363 2742
August 23rd, 2011 § 2
My latest…
Ephemeral No. 1 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011
Ephemeral No. 2 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011
Ephemeral No. 3 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011
May 18th, 2011 § 1
Is this not the most beautiful wedding EVER???
Well, in keeping with ending on a high note, I would like to post this as my very last wedding. Yes that’s right, no more weddings, no more flowers, no more all nighters and a summer in the red. Knowing me, it probably won’t be forever, but I thought it best to focus on my painting, my family and my other adventures I have brewing. This blog will now become more of an artistic net for all things creative that pass through my life.
Soft whimsy and elegance mixed with tradition and warmth – the flower inspiration for this wedding. The interior space and the Sofre Aghd were kept white and fresh with hints of green and the exterior was rich with colour and fruit filled arrangements. When we returned that evening to remove the flowers the glow from the patio lanterns against the fruit arrangements caught my breath. It was so peaceful that despite knowing that we would need to be there most of the night, we had to take a moment to sit and take it all in. Or maybe that was just my very swollen 7 month pregnant ankles speaking…
I hope you have enjoyed this floral adventure as much as I have.
I have many more inspirations to come, as life seems to be filled with them.
Until next time xxx
Laura
January 11th, 2011 § 0
It feels like forever, but I have finally completed my 17 foot commission for the new Aria Restaurant, opening this year at the end of February. I started this piece while very pregnant with my daughter and finished it with my newborn girl on the outside. She’s now over a month old and is on the path to becoming a little artist herself with all the exposure she’s had inside and out.
Aria 198"x120" Oil on Canvas, 2011
Half way through this commission I had my favourite photographer, Rebecca Wood come into my studio to help document my two art pieces – belly and painting both very much in progress.
October 14th, 2010 § 0
That’s all I can say – I just received these pictures and am completely blown away! The photography by Tara McMullen is stunning! I couldn’t choose, so I’ve posted lots! You can see more at The Wedding Co. who featured this wedding on their blog yesterday.
The floral direction I had from this beautiful couple was one of simplicity, all white with a touch of green. I never tire of the classic, as it always looks great, as you can see in these pictures. For the bride’s hair piece I used magnolia blossoms, which have the most incredible smell that lasts and lasts all day. The groom received a peony bud boutonniere with variegated greens and some bear grass. The bride’s bouquet was a simple grouping of all white peonies at their peak, so soft and romantic. I created simple boutonnieres using salal leaves and green hypernicum berries for the groomsmen. The bridesmaids had similar bouquets with peonies, but I also introduced some greens into theirs as well as some Astilbe ‘Bridal Veil’ (one of my favourites) in the maid of honour’s bouquet. Despite the incredible heat that day in June, the peony floral trees I made for the ceremony held up, framing the couple perfectly during their nuptials on the outside patio at King Valley Golf Club. The centrepieces turned out beautifully with garden roses, peonies, mini green hydrangea and green hypernicum berries. The subtle use of green tied in with the green origami cranes that the bride’s mother made for each of the guests! Also, the amazingly perfect wedding cake and the groom’s cake was made by my very own talented mother, Jane Wood of Sweet Jane Desserts, although she’d say that my dad did most of the work.
A beautiful day, marking the start of a life together for these two, Kimiko & Kyle – an amazing couple!
Enjoy,
LJF
What some might not know about this day, was that we did two setups! The venue was debating moving the ceremony inside due to the weather and at one point made that decision. I’m glad we moved things outside in the end, but here are a few images from the inside setup, which I think look very striking silhouetted against the window.
October 4th, 2010 § 0
Lately I’ve been spending all of my time on a commission
for a new restaurant, Aria, which is scheduled to open in November of this year.
It is by the same owners as Noce and will be located in the Telus building, right outside of the Air Canada Centre!
There are two areas that I am working on. The first is a horizontal piece that is made up of three different panels, each depicting a different angle of the same chandelier, all framed as one. The second is a 17′x10′ chandelier that fills the double volume space at the front of the restaurant. I’ve finished the three panels that make up the horizontal piece! Yeah!!! Now to begin the 17 footer…
This will be interesting…
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- Ways of Seeing, Three 48″x180″ Oil on Canvas, 2010
(ps if you ever want to come visit, you know where to find me… here!)
xx LJW
September 6th, 2010 § 0
You know, we get so wrapped up in deadlines and life that sometimes we forget or just overlook those that are the important people in our lives. Lately I’ve been so busy I can barley think. I work FT then paint in the evenings and weekends + do the occasional wedding here and there. My husband has been even busier setting up his new company and taking on so much work that we barely see each other except to crash beside each other late in the evenings. It’s nice to be reminded once in awhile what it’s all about in the first place and how everything began…
♥ to all the loves in my life I hope to see you soon!
click here to listen to a great song: SMILE by Rebecca Zapen
xx L
August 22nd, 2010 § 0
Last weekend I had a double wedding extravaganza! It was a challenge to say the least, but with the help of a few great friends and family members we somehow managed to pull it off. The second wedding of the two was at Graydon Hall Manor, my favorite venue, of course, since I was married there a year ago!
The rain didn’t stop this magical day. The couple had the good fortune of having the custom tent up on the patio which sheltered them during the thundershowers throughout their dinner.
I previously posted about these living centrepieces, where I’ve used potted orchids, curly willow and reindeer moss to create a simple and striking arrangement. For the head table I chose to incorporate the same elements in a different way, placing curly willow branches with white orchids attached to them down the table. At night this floral installation glowed with the interspersed tea light candles – very romantic!
July 23rd, 2010 § 0
…when summer begins to turn, when the leaves begin to colour, when newness is in the air. That moment in a grey day when the sun breaks through and touches everything, making it glow.
This is that moment…
The Moment 60"x60" Oil on Canvas, 2010
July 4th, 2010 § 0
Torontoscape 24"x48" Oil on Canvas, 2010
The latest from my studio craziness… much more to come!
I was recently commissioned to work on two extremely large scale chandelier paintings, which are going to take me right up to the end of October…
I’m madly trying to wrap up all my current commissions to make way!
This is a Toronto scene from a series I worked on a few years back. I was recently commissioned to do a continuation of this series as a gift for a friend.
Great gift I think!!
July 2nd, 2010 § 0
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of designing the flowers for the wedding of a very lovely couple. Their only request was that the space be transformed into a romantic candlelit dream. I think we captured that using tons of floating candles, tea-lights and fuchsia flowers. I chose to use orchids, chrysanthemums, anemones, freesia, calla lilies and green hypernicum berries for the bouquets. On the floral trees I used fuchsia orchids and chrysanthemums.
Enjoy and have a great long weekend!
✮ LJF ✮
June 14th, 2010 § 1
More and more couples are taking a green approach to their wedding day, trying to incorporate elements that will last and not go to waste at the end of the night. A great way to achieve this is to have a living centrepiece.
I have a wedding in August where we are doing planted orchid centrepieces with green moss and curly willow. A little trick with curly willow, when you get it, give the stems a fresh cut and put them in a bucket of water for a day or so. Chances are they will sprout tiny light green leaves. So pretty!
Enjoy,
♥ LJF
June 4th, 2010 § 0
A few weeks ago we celebrated our niece’s first birthday!
I created several colourful floral arrangements for her in pink, orange and green, using baby food jars as vases. It was a first for me as well, as it was a traditional Korean Tol Ceremony. We used the flowers as a backdrop to the ceremony with all the various symbolic elements included. The taking of the perfect picture seemed to be a very important part of the event. It was a lot of fun and we were able to get several great shots of precious little Enid in her adorable (Tol-bok) outfit, although she tired of her cute little hat early on.
Later that day we set up another table with various items: like a book,
a stethescope, a mouse for the computer, a bundle of string, paint brushes, etc. and let Enid loose to choose which item she prefered. She chose the stethescope first, so Doctor Enid it is!
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Blog: Laura Jane Wood Topics:art, painting, inspirations 