Farndale

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

Watching the Children

There is a lone sunflower in the garden, surrounded by echinacea and black-eyed susies. Sometimes I need to try new ways of expression, and this one was inspired by the paintings of Brian Rutenberg.

Turkey Lane

Mary and I went out to paint today, into the corn field behind my house. A wild turkey crossed the path, and then while we painted, a whole flock came out of the corn row.
I was all enthused to paint another rectangle challenge, but quickly got into the painting and completely forgot. A weak sun was shining through some fine clouds, so everything looked soft and gentle.

Low Ceiling

Seastar

Sometimes I have to express jubilant passion and painting something large and unusual, like this big seastar at Chesterman's Beach in Tofino. I was told that it was not a starfish but a seastar....sounds good to me. These fascinating colourful flower-like creatures come out of the sea for a peek during low tide, and then disappear again.

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.

Snow Capped

It is wonderful to paint mountains - shapes and values are big and definite. This is from crossing Vancouver Island from the east side to the west.

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.

Gavin Workshop - the ScoutMaster

Last painting of this fabulous workshop - we used a lot of turp to draw and "coax" the figure out, so the paint is a bit light and faded looking, especially in the photo. All of the paintings are unfinished....the point was to get it down quickly without fussing, then go onto the next painting. Ellen was great for explaining things, demonstrating and then making sure that we experience it. She was full of sayings and analogies that were so funny but also hit the mark and were therefore easy to remember.

Now we are back from the US, and lucky me, am leaving on Sunday for an Ian Roberts workshop in Meaford Ontario. This is really getting into the groove.....

Second Day at Workshop

Today Ellen started with a demo and then we painted....and so much was learned. My painting did not photograph well, and I think I attempted too big a project with a horse AND a figure which became a portrait. I see that the hand is still off....but it was a very good day.

Equine Workshop with Ellen Gavin in Hudson Valley NY

Francesca and I are enjoying a wonderful workshop of painting horses and dogs with Ellen Gavin who is an excellent instructor. She is teaching us to be loose while staying true to powerful basics. We have to paint fast, not finish but go on to the next and the next.... Although it is about horses and dogs, it is really just about shapes, values, edges etc etc.

The Greenville Arms Inn is a wonderful place for a workshop. We are enjoying the good life!

Doodle

Right now, I am enjoying painting roosters for a change of pace. Last fall, I got some photos of prize winning roosters at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. This guy has a flat comb - don't know the name of the breed, but he had attitude.

Himself

Pearly

Time for something whimsical.....

Lush June

What I didn't paint are the bugs....water and deep forest = lots of mosquitoes.

MacKenzie King's Park

This was painted from a sketch while in Chelsea and Wakefield Quebec, in early May.

End of the Road

Up the Road

It was sunny but cold and windy last week when I went out to paint with friends, so I did several thumbnail sketches and painted when I came home.

Early May

Wishing

so hopeful for spring to burst.......

Another Challenge

this week's daily painter's challenge - a self portrait....

Lily

Challenge - Chicken

The latest challenge from the Daily Painters.

Spring Run-off

Finally we got to go plein air painting again and it was perfect - gurgling water, sunshine and fresh air, friendly landowners who invited us for return visits.....I think I was hopeful and painted the land more green that what it is.

Challenge part 2

O'Grady's Cow

It was time to paint a cow, and being a beige cow (not too far from white) gave me lots and lots of greys to worth with.

Ceramic Bunny

This is my submission to the DPW challenge for this week - doing a small painting one stroke at a time, mixing a new colour with each stroke. Ohhhh is that a test...but an excellent exercise!

Castello di Montegufoni

Lately I am painting from my photographs. It makes me appreciate plein air, but also the comforts of the studio. My sister Francesca and niece Vanessa joined me today. I have been wanting to paint this doorway in a dreamy location in Tuscany, where life stood still for a while.

Zipped

A Zippo lighter was the piece featured in the DPW Challenge this week, and it was to be painted with only ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and white. This is my submission.

Juicy Fruit

This time I took fruit up a notch - in size. I found it very different painting fruit large .... big strokes, big areas of colour to cover and yet try not to lose the value shifts.....

Red Pine Plantation

A few weekends ago, several of us went for a walk on the family farm of yesterday. The red pine plantations are 50+ old now. I enjoyed the way the sun slanted through them and lit up the little balsam trees. When painting, I was paying attention to the shift in values with each tree, and giving them some texture and individuality.

Hibiscus

Flowers bring such joy, especially in the thick of winter. This hibiscus is bravely blooming on my windowsill, and since a bloom usually lasts only two days, I had to honour it.....and paint it.

Green Apple

Another 10 minute challenge - with a timer, and the apple did get rotated for different angles. I am impressed with how much improvement there is with each try.... I really start to "see", to the point of wondering what in the world I was seeing with the first square.

The Challenge

Carol Marine double dog dared everyone to do this ten minute per square challenge. Having attending Carol's awesome workshop this summer, Mary and I knew this was a good exercise, so today we did it, and what a learning curve that was.....and so much fun too! I think that I need to do a lot more of these.....soon....like tomorrow.

Amaryllis

Again a flower is blooming in front of me and being in the depth of a northern winter, it was just too desireable to paint it. For once, a subject that works in this 8 x 8 square format that has been waiting to be used. The petals are verigated and that made it rather difficult to get values right...which was a real test in the best of places.

In the Spotlight 2

Am fascinated by the contrast lately....the black cloth is velvet and very rich, the apple so shiny and bright. There is still a bit of glare in the photograph, no matter which angle I positioned it in. Maybe that will improve once it is dry.

Hot Sumac

I have been playing with the idea of painting our fall sumac bushes, and did several small sketches. This one was the impromtu extra that just seemed oh so happy!

Early Spring

Reworked a painting from about a year ago....wanted the reflections in the water to come more alive.

In the Spotlight

Today I wanted to try a really dark background. It is strong....and quite dramatic! I rather like it.

We Three

There is much to be said about doing several quick studies of the same subject......to a timer. It just brings out the best and the worst, and hopefully lots of improvement. This was my third go ..... What else do you do when it is -30 C.?

From my Children

My children sent me this bouquet, for my birthday, the day my youngest flew to Australia. I wanted to savour it longer, so decided to paint it - life size. The one gerber daisy to the right could have been placed a bit higher to balance the three out, but otherwise I am happy with it. The process was very satisfying. And so this is how I start the new year with painting!

Another World

This painting has taken days to manifest - but it is finally born! I seem to be attracted to elements of magic and enchantment, even being a bit surreal. This is the garden in Kiawah Island, and it felt very much like another world there.

The Barn

Painted this from a photograph that I took in November. I love the late fall colours - oranges and purples with that unusual splash of intense green. It is all buried under a foot of snow now. Enjoyed the painting process in this one.

Snow Apples

Finally I got to painting again......I have been busy but also in a reflective state post workshop. Where am I going with painting, what do I really want to paint, what makes me happy........
So while I muse, I painted the frozen apples outside our window.......