Now we leap forward in time to mid-2023, when Lil and I arrived in Vancouver to begin our North American adventure. Could we have been more excited!

Michal picked us up from the airport, and after a quick stop at our temporary accommodation, we set out exploring the city.

West Vancouver stole our hearts.

Once settled into our new home, I went searching for my people. I found a painting class: Drawing & Painting: Beginners Acrylic Painting at Sunset. Located in one of the old weatherboard buildings on the waterfront in Ambleside, called The Music Box, which is right next door to another building from a similar era, called The Silk Purse. Could we have landed in a place more like one you’d find in ‘Arwen Land’? For those of you who don’t know me so well, it would be fair to liken ‘Arwen Land’ to ‘Disneyland’, but perhaps with more nature, mountains, beaches, trees, glistening water, snow…

Our first lesson was on colour. Oh boy, I have much to learn!

2023 – “Autumn Leaves and The Silk Purse“

Acrylic on canvas 30.5cm x 30.5cm (12×12 inches) by Arwen Munro, October 2023. Upstairs Music Box, Ambleside, West Vancouver, Canada.

Green is a word that springs to mind, not in the colour sense of the word, but in the sense of being a beginner/novice.

Thank you for joining me on my painting adventure. These early ones feel uncomfortable, but I was so happy to be learning. I hope that joy springs out.

Have a wonderful day! ☀️