The Pond Willows

I didn't get out to paint today, but was thinking about the pond and when the willows will be blooming. I wanted to paint that scene soon and decided to just try something different from my imagination. There was no planning or designing, just a quick gut reaction. Seems rather ethereal.

Sunflowers: Unfolding

This was an unusual sunflower to paint - it is just before full opening, the petals are starting to peel back as it comes into full bloom. To paint it was again that tricky dance with values.

The Frog Pond

Yesterday I went back to the little pond, and tried to find a "correct" composition. The trees are still bare, and the day was so hot and very windy. Now the buds will all pop. My Mom came with me and sketched. We enjoyed the afternoon so much, that we decided to come back in the evening when the shadows are long.

The evening light came in softly, the wind had stopped, and I sat at the north end of the pond. I had missed the long shadow time, and some clouds diffused the light. A few frogs started their song.

I look at my paintings from the viewpoint of composition, design, value, etc learned at the workshop and see that there is lots of room for improvement, but the memory of that magical spring day has been captured.

Next time I want to paint the whole pond.

The Plantation

This is the edge of one of the many red pine plantations on the family property, (next to the chapel for those who know it). It was actually a bit rainy and the vegetation is suddenly getting that spring green effect. As I painted, a light seemed to manifest from the top of the laneway.

Sunflower: Are you coming?

The sunflower project is continuing, mainly for the amusement of family members. Yet there are many interesting learning curves involved - like the colour of the ground paint - have been trying blue and also yellow.

Spring Flowers

Mary came over and got me painting again. These first spring flowers in my garden seemed like the perfect candidates. But flowers are not that easy to capture, and to make it a bit harder, each time we looked, the buds were progressively changing to full bloom due to the warmth inside. Then my tulip was too dark with a lot of hard lines so I wiped it out. But it was a great day!

t

The Frog Pond

Finally.....went out to paint! My parents have a little pond near the woods and I plan to make it a frequent favourite for a few weeks. I was thinking composition, big shapes, values, modulating colours......it's a start.

Collingwood Workshop

Just came back from a composition and design workshop with Ian Roberts. We used still lifes to learn the principles, which can then be translated into landscape painting. We did a lot of designing and sketching, and then built a painting in layers. This is the end result of all of my learning curves.

Sunflowers: Bedhead

Such characters! It is a lot of fun to get the different personalities. And lots to learn about value changes in the petals.

Am leaving tomorrow for Collingwood Ontario - going to Ian Robert's workshop, so wouldn't be posting for a week.

Sunflowers: Whose blocking my light!

Sunflowers: Mom Bea

This was actually the first sunflower done several weeks ago. And that is a bee. Makes me think that the character of this one is very maternal.

I think that Harry had originally planted the rows and rows of sunflowers for his bees.

Sunflowers: Oh Joy

What is so much fun with this project is that sunflowers seem to have so much character and expression. This one was throwing its head back, basking in the sun, carefree.