Hidden Trail

I wish I knew the names of these trees in Mexico - they bloom yellow and were rather short, or else like tall bushes. The long dry grass had a very grey look to it. I liked the little pathway that snaked through to the ranch. I have gone in with quite thick paint for the grass - might be too heavy but I am experimenting with thick and thin paint right now.

Yesterday's Cups

Yesterday, Mary and I painted these cups. I completed and then wiped off the first go. Mary gave me a piece of unprimed birch plywood to paint on, to experiment with the underlying wood grain and colour that comes through. It is different and would be interesting for landscape. This is what the Group of Seven, specifically forerunner Tom Thomson often used.

Tool Bouquet

Another one that I painted together with Mary. We had an interesting thing going - one of us painted the scene warmer, the other one cooler than what was actually there.

Snowdrops

After San Miguel, I have finally painted again, today with Mary - snowdrops from her garden, a true first sign of spring. It has been too chilly to paint outdoors yet, in my reality, and especially after Mexico!

Courtyard

Today I had a moment to paint again, trying out some of the things that Frank did when he painted things in shade. It was done quickly, before I cleaned up the easel and palette for travelling home. Once home, I will put all of the learning to good use.

Final Day of Workshop

This morning Frank reviewed his demos and showed us how he makes adjustments and finishes them. A lot of interesting topics were shared, and a lot of information gained. In the afternoon we all painted together in a small area, but we had 360 degrees of vista to choose from. I am pleased with mine, and major pleased with what I learned and practised on this workshop. I now am starting to work with one value relevant to the next. I have heard this, understood it, but couldn't quite do it before...this has shifted. It has been an amazing workshop, Frank is a phenomenal teacher and I look forward to returning.

Thursday

This morning we painted, and in the afternoon Frank demonstrated. I am quite happy with my painting - just wish I would have taken a bigger canvas. It might not be the best photograph - there is a little glare. This whole week I have only used three primaries and white - ultramarine, cadmium red and lemon yellow - and it has been great. Frank is an excellent teacher - patient, wise and clear....with a good sense of humour. His demonstrations have been excellent teaching tools - today he painted the same cactus but from the other side. It was fabulous to see how he approached the same subject...his composition, his colour mixing, his start and block-in, and then the evolving steps (top photo).

Mid week

Today Frank set us out on our own, to paint whatever and wherever we want, then to come back for critiquing. He wanted us to work through our obstacles and our vision, and that he critiques without seeing the scene that we are working from.
We are having formidable mexican lunchs.
In the afternoon, we chose a design and painted while Frank came around to assist. It was very windy again today, and warm, so I made a shady spot my priority. The larger painting is not quite finished and was from the afternoon.

Second Day at the Workshop

Frank did a wonderful demonstration this morning. The block in exercise of yesterday was expanded to deeper attention to values. There was a white carriage standing in shade, and he started on a canvas primed with leftover mud from his palette, then drew in the basic shapes and started with the lighest value to key the painting. Frank said to not stare at anything for too long because it will expand, change colour, move forward....

We painted in the afternoon - I am not finished with mine yet....will postone later.

The house at the horse ranch where we eat lunch and keep our supplies.

Evening sun from Los Frailes.

First Day of the Frank Gardner Workshop

Today was the first day of the painting workshop. We were at a ranch about 15 minutes from San Miguel. Weather was a bit overcast and windy in the morning. Our group consists of 8 painters. Frank started with a demo about blocking in to get the values right. We then did three value studies - just flat shapes.

Second Day in San Miguel

My cousin Marina Desiree's house in Los Frailes area by San Miguel, the garden in the Bellas Artes and a street scene. It has been a busy day meeting friends and being around town.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Mexico

Arrived last night in San Miguel - it is warm, the scent of flowers was in the air, crickets were chirping, the stars were out, and we quickly went into the town centre just to see the town square with the beautiful lit up La Parroquia church. Mariachis were playing and it was like entering into another world. I start a plein air workshop with Frank Gardner on Monday for five days.

Tulips

Mary, Victoria and I painted tulips yesterday.

Toya's Painting of Tulips

Victoria has been painting with me and this is one of hers. This is only her fourth oil painting. She is a natural!

Early Spring

Post Valentine

Victoria and I wanted to give ourselves a 15 minute time limit to paint, after preparing. It was a good exercise to be definite with strokes and values.

The Fam

Victoria is home on her reading week and we are having such a wonderful time together. Today we set up a still life and painted.

Study

Found a little black and white value study from long ago and decided to give it a quick try.

Grapefruit for Breakfast

Bird Bath

These grouping of Canada Geese were in this small creek last summer, preening and grooming and swimming around together. I liked the S curve in the composition, and the shapes of the geese without using too many brushstrokes.

Geese in the Reeds

Still working with my gray puddles, although the mud which had a bluish tinge looks too blue here, might need a more muddy look to see that it is an embankment. Did the geese strictly as shapes and am pleased with how they turned out - minimal strokes too!

Toronto Street Scene

So with all of these wonderful leftover greys, I put them to use in this painting because most of it is in shadow. Maybe the wall could have been a bit darker, but I think it still works.

Frozen Colours

When we drove past the ice falls last week, the sun came from the side, and the ice was a medley of colours. I wanted to recreate these nuances by using different greyed down colours. It was exciting to work with so many puddles of grey.

Ice Falls

Near Mazinaw Lake there are frozen waterfalls beside the highway that are beautiful.

Alabaster

These pieces are alabaster from Egypt. The small bowl is variegated with white and different shades of green. I am still working on the shapes of ellipses - it is getting better.

Tucked

Does this look a bit confusing?

Winter Roses

This summer, I had a big clay pot with mini rose bushes. When it was time for the fall clean up, they were still making buds, so I brought the whole pot in and now they are really blooming in full splendour. The buds reach for the light on rather long branches and so it was tricky to even attempt to keep them in place as subjects. But it was fun standing in the sun, painting nearly plein air.

Mates

Am slow with ideas lately, they are baking somewhere. Carol Marine had done an interesting composition, so I did my version.

Lemons

Today I watched a Helen van Wyk video, and tried some of her teachings.

Basket Case

Mary and I painted together today, a great start for February. This is a sweet grass basket from Charleston. I cropped the composition really close, for a zoom-in effect.

Stained Glass Plate

I am lagging a day behind again because of wipe offs/outs...what a way to end the month. The experiment was to paint this stained glass plate because of the interesting shadow it gives off. I am still after suggesting more translucency...but think I got the shape.

Grace

Time for roses again, and all their tricky captivating nuances. The brass jug has become a favourite of mine.

Three Amigos

Found some round red mangoes in the grocery store today.....time for some fresh subjects.

Waterlilies

Last summer, I drove past these lilies near Kaladar, Ontario. In the depth of winter with the pristine snow spoilt by rain, I am pulling out my photographs, sketches, and notes of all the things I would paint some day.....and the day has come.

April in Tuscany version 2

In the first version, I wanted soft pastel evening colours, and thought the result to be a bit rich in saturation, so painted the whole scene again, curious how it will turn out with more greyed down colours. The result is very similar. So - wherever I go, there I am. Good to know - again!

Baby Melon

This little watermelon graced the fruit bowl for along time, and yet it was still sweet and juicy. It was delightful to paint its curvey shape and the wonderful colour contrast.

April in Tuscany

This was done from a photograph that I have had for a while. The scene was so idyllic - I wanted the soft colours of a spring evening but it turned out quite strong . The buildings were difficult because they really are crooked, and nearly patched together, but that is their charm too.

Green Grapes

Grapes are in the house - a tricky new subject. One broke off and rolled into the little saucer. I like the colour contrast and the deep dark background, and of course my favourite - reflections.

Je ne sais pas

With these roses, my objective was to really accentuate them, and I think that happened with the darkened background. I was in the midst of posting and asked my husband what to call the painting - he was busy and said that he didn't know - but he said "je ne sais pas.....and so they are named.

Chinese Teapot

Painted at Mary's today. This teapot was complicated to draw but I think I got it. The background is brushstrokes of different grays, which could have been darker and look even lighter in the photo. I am still working on brushstrokes of mixed colours, same value, no blending and it is coming along.