Equinox Heat Wave

It is the beginning of spring and here we had unusually hot weather. Mary and I went down to the river to paint. Ice was still floating on the water.

Still Life with Oranges #4

The journey continues.....the mug looked simple to draw, in its slanted style, but was actually quite demanding.

Still Life with Oranges #3

It is very revealing to continue on the same subject - white vessel, white cloth, oranges - even though I change it around a bit. There is so much to learn and see and work on. Carol Marine is coming to Toronto in August, so Mary and I are getting ready

Still Life with Oranges 2

Like this one better, getting more decisive with the brush strokes.

Still Life with Oranges

I have a project to work on for my continued education on basics - and this is my first set up. Shapes are better, I was struggling with warm and cool shadows, and I want to improve my brushwork.

At the Point

Just came back from a workshop with Ian Roberts in South Carolina. We did a lot of powerful exercises to increase our skill at temperature....plus always hue, value and intensity.....hard work!
Most days were nice and sunny but the one day that we went out to paint a scene was cold and windy. I aimed to be out of the wind and climbed up to the edge of the forest. The scene from there was rather favourable...I could see the water.

Edge of Cornfield

Fall Forest

In the last few days, went out with some friends painting. I am still enjoying the cad orange/ultramarine blue/white combo and will stick with it for now.

Outdoor Study

It has been a busy week, and today an overfilled day but the weather was too beautiful to miss so I parked the easel on the driveway and did a quick orange/blue/white study....which is teaching me some great things. I think that my most enjoyable subjects right now are trees, paths/roads and the three colour scheme.

Smith's Field

Today I went to the field behind our house to paint the tree line while the cornfield was still standing. It is a pleasure to paint with just orange, blue and white because it helps me focus on values and temperature.

Farndale

Out again with Mary. We are eager to take advantage of these lovely days.

Low Ceiling

Jennings Road

Finally no bugs or heat....so Mary and I went out to paint along the Ottawa River. We wanted to find a simple composition - horizontals, verticals, not just green etc. It was overcast and a bit cool but wonderful to be out, and to be painting together again.

Lawn Ornaments

Outside of The Empress Hotel in Victoria BC, flagging the sidewalk are these two weeping sequoia trees, that look like afghan dogs. I just had to paint them - in cerulean and orange - to stay with the surreal effect.

Beacon Hill Peacocks

I have been away, to Vancouver Island. Although there was no opportunity to paint, I did take a lot of photos. There were just so many subjects, so many interesting shapes to paint. These birds were running free in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria.

Road Trip

On our way home from Hudson Valley NY.

Ian Roberts Workshop in Meaford, Ontario

Everything came together in this one....standing in the shade helps.

Ian's Workshop

The Pond - Ian was amazing, again. He teaches such strong basics and pushes us to really see. He goes out of his way to find perfect locations, like this pond on private property. The owner was delighted, as were her dogs. There was a lot of green....

Ian Roberts Workshop

We were outside from 8:00 am until about 7:00 pm with a break at lunch. The sun was hot, the days were gorgeous and our brains were working overtime in order to get it all - shadows were too warm or too dark, colours were too saturated or too dull..or too light/dark, edges needed to be released, where is the focal point? what are we looking at? what are we saying? how does it read? And shapes.....keep it simple! It looks so easy.....

Ian Roberts Workshop

Just back from a week long intensive workshop with Ian Roberts in the beautiful GREEN Georgian Bay area in Ontario. We started off with exercises that need repeating....this one is seeing shapes, so we painted only rectangles.