Lime Lineup

Had to get the brushes going again, and limes were available.

Sunlit Corner (completed)

Last finishing touches of deepening the darks in the distance and defining the clump of trees in the middle. Painting seems like such a recurring theme of lights and darks.

Last pomengranate

Today I finally decided on a convenient still life area and set up my supplies and a proper structure for it. So much better! My friend Mary came over and we energized it by painting. Problem - in the initial enthusiasm, I didn't do a preliminary sketch and therefore the neck of the bottle is cut off. Lesson learned. But I am happy with the pomengranate!

Sunlit Corner (update)

Last posted on Nov 27, this painting is still in process as I am getting great feedback and critique from Ian.

Escape

Was in Toronto for the past 10 days - had just finished these tomatoes before I left, and was really looking forward to paint each day. Seems that my concept of a "painting a day" is being very stretched!

Pomengranates

After several duds, I finally decided to do some still life. Promengranates are in season now, and so I bought a case of them. Such interesting fruit to paint - round yet angular. The basket is woven sweetgrass that I brought back from Charleston.

Sunlit corner

Ian showed me this sweet spot at the edge of the house, of lights and darks, horizontals and verticals. The morning sun changed so fast, that it became confusing and was difficult to finish on location. I did take a good photo and completed it at home.
This completes the South Carolina workshop pieces.

Roadway by Blue Heron Pond

The roadway was backlit by the afternoon sun, and the feathery type of bushes looked magical.

The Marsh at Kiawah

We were looking at the different hues in the marsh grasses in the autumn, and how yellow ochre unifies the big mass of the marsh. I added the puddle of water afterwards, to anchor the mass. Next day at high tide, only strips of grass were showing.

Kiawah Island

We were painting masses and shapes that were interesting, and in this case, were overlapping too. The flat golden plane is the marsh.

The Dove Field

Back to Mullet Hall, South Carolina - this is the dove hunting field - the doves sit on the wires. There was back lighting, and the little corn shoots were lit up like fairy lights. Ian muted my yellow dabs - too distracting.

November in Ontario

Painted in a workshop today with my group. We were shown the effects of priming the canvas with a strong colour. Mine was primed with burnt sienna, cad orange, alizarin crimson and some black for this fall scene. Makes the scene very warm - quite the opposite of the frigid weather here today.

Reflections

Last Friday, we went to paint at Mullet Hall, a private hunting lodge near Kiawah Island. Along the way, we did see alligators resting in the water. This composition is all about using the water and reflections as shapes.

Eagle Point

This is the afternoon painting of the same site, the tip of Kiawah Island, as yesterday's posting. The tide was receding and little crabs were scurrying around in places. I choose this view for the overlay of shapes - from layers of grasses to trees to the still foggy distance.

Foggy Morning at the Marsh

The full moon brought high tide, and so the path on the marshes was slightly flooded. It was a beautiful foggy morning that changed rapidly as we set up. I was working on seeing the many different colours in the marsh grass.

Alligator Pond

South Carolina was magnificent, the plein air workshop with Ian Roberts tremendous, and the whole reunion joyful. The suitcase with most of the paintings has not arrived yet, so I am posting what I have. This was a compositional quick study. Maybe it was quick because it did sit in the back of my mind that alligators have been seen here in the past.

Katie's Teapot

Katie brought me this teapot from South Africa and this is my first attempt at painting of it. I love its shape and vibrant colour.
Tomorrow I leave for South Carolina for a reunion and plein air painting workshop. Will have lots to post on my return.

Behind the Barn

This is actually the back corner of a riding arena, that was sunny and warm on a chilly fall day.

Sumac patch by country road

Early autumn, my sister Francesca and I were in the Kingston area on an equestrian clinic, and at breaks would walk down this delightful little county road. I made a sketch of this vivid spot in nature. It is said that a tea made from the fruit of the sumac has all the nutrients needed to sustain a person for many days, should they be lost in the forest.

Laurentian Foothills

Dec 12 - have added some shrubs to break up the big green field.

Behind us are our mini mountains, the Laurentian foothills that run along the Ottawa River. They go through the most interesting colours - from deep purples, intense cobalt blue to faded out greys. In the crisp morning air today, they are very blue. Maybe I painted them a little too dominant and the eye gets stuck there. Opinions?

Morning Light

A few days ago, the early morning sunrise illuminated the now bare forest, and finally only a pencil thin focus shone on one birch tree, giving it a bright orangey glow. And today there was snow!

Sherwood River

Each summer, the children would set out from the cottage on Round Lake by canoe to explore this favourite little river. An old spruce tree had turned red as it dries, and stumps and logs could be found to maneuver around, and often wildlife was seen. I did this quick study from a photo.

Last of the Leaves

Autumn splendor, Thanksgiving, guests from Europe, traveling - all a whirlwind of activity. How difficult it is to keep to my commitment of painting, let alone a painting a day! So today when all fell quiet, I painted where I was and what I saw - the evening sun on the bare trees.
PS Nov 2 - improved version posted - have added some darks.

The Driveway in Autumn

The autumn colours are in their full glory, and yesterday the wind was blowing so that leaves scattered all over. Even though it is Thanksgiving weekend with company coming and all, I had to quickly get a start on the fall version for the series I had planned to do. Not fully pleased yet. Might do some changes or start another one tomorrow.

Hills in Provence

Another painting from France.

Fading Beauties

These are the rescued wedding flowers that were standing around, still looking brilliant and yet past their full glory. I was trying to capture their intensity and vibrancy as they were fading.

Provence Greens

Everything is green in Provence in May. It was a great colour mixing opportunity to see how many greens I could create. This painting is actually long and narrow but it was photographed smaller - both ends are cut off.

Jan 15 - now that I know how to trim, here is the full painting.

Brilliant Spring Vines in the Vaucluse

Hard to believe that vines can be that limey, but they were in May in the Vaucluse in Provence. We were working on composition au plein air. I was hoping that the eye is lead into and around the painting, but those vivid yellow-green grape vines really dominate the whole scene. The photo seems even more intense than the actual painting. I need a better set up for photographing the paintings....any tips?

Village in Provence

This was painted in the summer, after a spring plein air experience in France.

Doorway

Until I get back on track, I will post some paintings done this year. This lovely doorway is in Tuscany, Italy.

Two in One

There is lots to painting a simple bowl! I could continue fiddling with this one.
But now I am going to pack up the easel until after the wedding. Maybe I will do three extra ones next week.

The Driveway in Summer

I have started a painting today but couldn't finish and so I post one already done. Tomorrow I have to pack up the easel to make room for guests coming. The driveway was painted in late August. I plan to do a series - one per season.

Fill your Bowl

Wedding plans are scooting along and I even managed to paint. My thoughts of the young couple come through, as the two apples beside an empty bowl that is symbolic of life holding their full potential and all possibilities.
On the painting note, I think darker shadowing is needed on the left side of the bowl.

Partners

As this wedding takes on a life of it's own and forges forward, I decided to paint so that I can calm myself and listen, to hear what it has to say. The dishes are all stacked, ready, so I took two mugs to symbolize the pair, on a plate of life. The handles intertwined when I put them down, and so it stayed that way. The dishes are actually white, and in working on the shadowing, came out more blue. One mug is leaning a bit, towards the partner, so I'll leave it for now.
It has been my therapy.

Excuses

Look past the flowers. This sweet pair's wedding this coming Saturday is my main focus lately. So I have not painted today. Maybe tomorrow.......

Fresh from the garden

With the wedding energy around, I am in a different space. I tried to paint the fresh produce that was on the counter today.
Posting has been deleted - and I feel better!

Garden Sentry

Today, I had to post a painting that was done earlier, because Frederic and Katie decided to get married in a week rather a year due to cross border timing. So the next 10 days will be on/off for painting.
This sunflower stood so strong and tall but with a wonderful quirky twist. I think the inner core of the flower needs something. Suggestions?

Trial and Error

This is a copy of a Carol Marine painting. I just had to try her interesting angular style with those quick short confident strokes. Of course my strokes did not come close to hers. But the exercise taught me how important it is to see the subject properly, and have many subtle value and colour changes.

Silver Maple

Finally a plein aire day! Mary and I went out just as the late afternoon started to cast long shadows. This is a pathway on my parents property that used to lead to the beehives. The silver maple glittered in the sun. When a breeze blew, the leaves turned and showed their very white underbelly. I still plan to put in some stems and branches to give it more form. Left is an old woodpile. It still needs something to define it more, don't you think?

Harry's Glads

My brother-in-law Harry grows the most beautiful gladiolas and always brings a bouquet when visiting. I finally decided to paint one - starting out carefully, gently trying to get the translucent pastel colours, which resulted only in an abundance of light values that said nothing. Annoyed, I wanted to wipe out and start again but instead went in with strong colours and bold strokes. It was with nearly carefree reckless abandon - a bit of an attack. I was pleased with the improvement and oddly satisfied with the moment. Of course, I wanted to repeat the exercise for the learning. This is the second one.

Pears & Plums

Now the pears and plums are cozy together. Last chance to paint them before they are either eaten or overripe and gone. There is an orange underpainting which seems to give the painting a certain glow.

Purple Plums

I painted this in the evening and did not see the colours well enough. In daylight, it is a lot of purple....well, at least change from all of the yellow and oranges. I had been looking at how Carol Marine does her fruit - quick and decisive, and then trying to follow Arthur Stern's book "How to See Color and Paint it". I try to get into the science of it, and then the feeling part wants to take over and smooth around with the paint.

Rescued

These brown-eyed-susies were rescued from the lawnmower at the garden edge, so I had to paint them. But it took several attempts to get the background right, and then the vase....oh my...but here it is.

Today I ordered an Open Box M Palm pochade, a tiny plein air painting box of great design and high quality! I look forward to going outside for the fall colours and even winter scenes.

study on reflections

Was away today, so this is the challenge of painting every day. At least I have one to post from another day - a quick study on painting glass - it was quite liberating to paint this in black and white and just focus on reflections and refraction.

Flower Jungle

Because it was no nice outside, I painted this one plein air. But it went through so many stages of confusion into finally a bit of a mess, just like the flowers that are mixed in with the weeds. I should have wiped it all out, but there is that strange element of attachment - maybe this stroke will bring it all together - not!

Hot Fruit

The set up had a shiny rusty orange fabric as background and so the reflections became very bright. The bowl was difficult and still looks a bit off. But it was fun to paint - lots of up energy.

Shall we dance?

Here is my first post. I was so inspired and intrigued by Carol Marine's blog that I did this painting of zuccini from my garden, and from there started the internal challenge - can I really do a painting a day? wouldn't that be a major growing curve! I have to do this!