Upriver

Dramatic weather came down the river, raining in one spot and sunny in another. I wanted to capture the serenity of the calm water and gulls wading against the moving clouds and dark sky.

Point Alexander

I started this painting the last time I was here, and continued today inspired by a painting by Doris McCarthy. Doris was mentored by the Group of Seven, and is close to 100 years old now. Today I went back to that spot on the Ottawa River and took several photos. It was raining on and off and the colours were just starting. Hopefully a plein air day in this beautiful location will be possible this week.

Foggy Rain

It has been raining on and off, and is rather dreamy in the distance. This is Wilson Road, the road I live on. I picked up the mail and saw this scene - I liked the way the telephone poles stood out and the road disappeared into the fog.

Art Crawl in Toronto

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on QUEEN STREET WEST in TORONTO.

My paintings are displayed all over Poutini's, 1112 Queen Street West for the Art Crawl. I feel very honoured.

Touch of Autumn

I live surrounded by tall maple trees, and often wonder what to paint besides trees. But today I looked up to the top and saw a touch of fall colours starting.

Across the Road

This ripe soya field is across the road from our driveway, and today was a warm and humid day. I was working on distance perspective and balancing both sides of the composition.

Ottawa River

Mary and I went to this beautiful beach near Deep River - it was a very muggy warm cloudy day, and just as we set up, rain clouds were rolling in. The scene seemed to change every two minutes, so it was an interesting challenge to stay with one idea. I want to go back - there was so much to paint!

Forest Edge

Today was a busy day at home, but I want to get back into the routine of a painting a day. So with the last rays of the sun, this little spot at the edge of our back yard forest made it onto canvas.

Over the Fields

The Laurentian foothills are so blue these days, and since it is windy and cloudy, the sun appears, shines light on something and moves within seconds. A grouping of trees was bathed in light for a brief moment.

Queen Street Art Crawl, Toronto

check out www.poutini.com

Northfork Quebec

Mary and I scouted around today for painting locations on the Quebec side. It was windy and quite cool, with clouds casting shadows on the Laurentian foothills.

Yesterday

Everything in this location told a story of yesterday, and I painted it yesterday - forgot to post! It was a very quick study - 10 minutes, to get shapes and values.

Gateway

Mary and I went out painting. September is in the air, and one little tree was starting to have an orange hue. I am still debating about the two gate posts which look a bit odd in the scene. It was glorious to be outside today.

Diagonals

These odd shadows are actually cast by the house - I found it intriguing.

Shelter

I was walking back with the mail this morning when I saw this scene in the morning sun, and immediately got my paints out, aiming for just shapes and contrasts. The shadows photographed more blue than they are.

Heidi's Roadside Flowers

August wildflowers - goldenrods, Queen Anne's lace and vines turning red are along the roadsides now. I saw this along a friend's driveway the other day and it just captured my attention.....maybe has a bit of that fairy essence....

Aubergine

How rich is the colour purple, and yet the eggplant looks black in the garden. I have added greens, reds, blues although it doesn't really show in the photo. The little blossom is the actual eggplant flower.

Haliburton Highlands

After all of the rain this summer, nature is still very green for August. This scene just felt so lushous and luminous that I used thalo green - a very intense colour. But it gave the feel that I wanted, especially in the water. After a weekend in watercolours, some of the learning was applied to this oil.

Forest Stream

Another watercolour from the workshop - we layered colour and worked on suggestions rather than details.

Street Scene

For the past few days I was attending a watercolour workshop in Haliburton. It was all about painting loose - we were to be messy! The instructor did a demo and we copied - sort of. Haven't painted with watercolours since last summer.

Early Morning Quiet

This morning I wanted to capture the softness and the serenity of the lake in the early morning. An overcast sky was moving in, but for that brief time, the morning light reflected in the water and time stood still.

Hiding

Alexandra and I paddled up Sherwood River, a tributary that flows into Round Lake. We followed a Blue Heron - this time he was hiding and let us come quite close. I was intrigued by the light coming through the bushes, in contrast to the shadowy undergrowth and pool of water.

Morning Glitter

On a sunny morning, there is a gorgeous sparkle on the lake. With all of the cloudy or overcast days that we have been having, it is such a pleasure to see the dancing light again.

Full Moon on Round Lake

The August full moon rose so splendidly over the lake. The night was a deep and even inky blue. It lasted for about 15 minutes and then changed rapidly. I painted quickly, in the semi dark, just to get the effect of that moment.

August Weekend Regatta

Dawn at the Lake

Mist was rising on the lake a few minutes before the sun rose over the hills.

Round Lake

Summer holidays at the cottage!

Roots at the Beach

The beach has eroded over the years and half the roots of the pine tree are exposed and look like rather interesting.

Dilly Poppies

In my garden, dill is growing in abundance, self seeded from last year. In the midst is a poppy plant, also self seeded. The compliment colours, the lacey effect of the dill and the brilliant poppy in the midst was just asking to be painted.

Cliffhanger

Yesterday, Alexandra and I went for a hike to the Barron Canyon in our end of Algonquin Park. I actually hauled my little compact painting box along, and sat down and painted quickly, while rain clouds closed in. It always amazes me how trees and vegetation relentlessly cling to steep rocks, and thrive.
There is a river down below - lots to paint in that location.

Star Gazer

My sister brought me this lily from her garden. I liked the tall and narrow format. As the lily got older, the red seemed to become more predominant, but it seems a bit heavy - maybe I will add more white around the petals.

Garlic Faeries

The garlic is doing its swirl antics in the garden and I set out to paint them, but it had a mind of its own and became something very different. I like it though....it seems enchanted...and so it is posted as is.

Fountain by the Prado

Drawing a structure like this is an amazing task, for a tiny bit less or too much can alter the balance, and the eye never lies. I drew and painted it freehand, then had to adjust...and adjust....and maybe still will adjust some more, nevertheless, there was a joy in the process, for I was in Madrid again.
July 5 - reposted with some adjustments.

Retiro Park Rose Garden

Fountains are everywhere in Europe, and there is a certain magical feel to them. So I designed an angle and feel of the rose garden in Madrid, and painted it outside by my little fountain at home. A friend of me painted beside me - a wonderful splash of colour and symbolism that demonstrates her free spirit- she is 12 . At that moment, everything felt playful!

Pavos Real

In Madrid, we visited the peacocks in the Retiro Park. They are such magnificent birds, strutting around free in a beautiful setting. Of course I wanted to paint them - purely whimsical. And since I had phthalo blue on the palette......must admit that it was very satisfying!

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Sorolla often uses a lot of colours for water, and yet has a softness to the scene. I set out to attempt something in that vein, but my scene turned out much stronger - being after all big old Lake Ontario - and of course, using thalo blue might have something to do with it! We were in Niagara on the Lake on a warm day and the water actually had a teal tint to it. Nevertheless, I am pleased with the results.

Lupins

It has been nearly a month since I last painted, so the lupins in the garden were my starting point today. They reminded me of the colours that Sorolla often favoured, and yet it is his strokes that are so magical. Onward, forward......

Spain museum trip

Just returned from a trip to Barcelona and Madrid with my daughters. My prime motivation was the big Joaquin Sorolla exhibit at the Prado in Madrid, but I also saw the Picasso museum, Antoni Gaudi's church and park, the rest of the Prado, and Sorolla's house which is now a museum. It was a phenomenal experience and very motivating. On Sunday, at least one hundred artists of all levels were painting around the Prado. Later an exhibit was held for the public. More later....

Blue Trees

The other day in the depth of the cedar forest, the light shining in turned a section of the cedar trees blue. It was the oddest thing. I photographed it, and the trees are blue. But it was the hardest thing to get a composition out of it. Finally I just painted.

Sunflowers: Speedster

This one is in a hurry - going warp speed while the others watch a bit puzzled.

Cedar Forest

A strong sunspot along the trail in the cedar forest caught my attention. It seemed like a fleeting moment in time.
I primed the canvas with a light coat of alizarin crimson and focused on the large shapes of shadows, light and strong light. I found it dynamic.

The Frog Pond in Spring

Here is the entire little pond. My mother had it dug many years ago because she loves to hear the frogs sing in the spring, and enjoys the wildlife that comes to visit.
Today it was time to paint a bit bigger, so my usual 6 x 8 has doubled to a 12 x 16 canvas. I wanted the trees in spring mode - tender new leaves yet a certain fullness, and not all a lime green.

Muskrat River

Today our painting group went to paint at Pansy Patch Park in Pembroke. I wiped out my first try. The young spring greens are so light valued that I was getting lost "in the bushes".
May 15 - adjusted the lights and darks - much better.

Warm ups

Continuing the theme of softer edges, I am working on loosening up with more flow. Am going to paint out in the country today, so this is my warmup.

Pansies

Good critique from a friend - lacking midtones! And then the contrast between light and dark is quite sharp. So now the light background has been brought down in value. Did the same to one of the other attempts - just to see the effect.

Spring pansies looked so pretty on the table. That lead to a quick study, which lead to a series of paintings, looking for what was not working. I finally concluded that there are too many hard edges. So I painted looser, with lots of soft edges. It was okay but not worth posting. It has been one of those days.

Sunflowers: Greetings

This one is giving us a nod, or looking for dropped keys.....
Although they look simple to paint, I feel they are such a challenge and learning process.....and actual rather satisfying!

The Driveway in Spring

This series has been a delight to paint, and I couldn't wait to paint spring. Even though the trees are still just a shimmer, the trilliums are blooming. I plan to paint it again when the leaves are out. The canvas had been primed with a peachy ground, and that is giving it a very pastoral evening feel - not so evident in the photograph.

Spring Pond

The idea tonight was to paint the whole pond, but this angle held my interest. It was against the light of the setting sun. The trees are still just a shimmer. One thing with evening light - you cannot be there early enough to set up, sketch and plan the design, because it soon becomes a race with the rapidly changing light.