Wonderland

Wonderland is a scene from the end of my road. I have probably photographed this stream during every season of the year! One day I will have to do a series! I was aiming to capture the bright light and the shadows in this painting.

Georgian Bay Scene

Georgian Bay was painted using acrylic paints. I bought an Acrylic Painting DVD tutorial which I used to paint the sky but I decided to paint the rest using my own photos.

Sunflower

The purpose for doing the painting Sunflower was to do a loose painting using plenty of water and developing the painting through a technique known as negative painting. I really feel that I was able to obtain my objective. I feel that another strong point of this painting is the bright, pure colours.

Smokey

Smokey is a drawing of a stray cat that hung around our yard a couple of years ago. He was one of the most beautiful and friendly cats that I had ever seen. When he showed up it was obvious that he was well cared for and not abandoned. Luckily for him and his owners he found his way home in late August.

Fall Cows

Fall Cows is part of a three part series. See Summer Cows and Two Cows.

Summer Cows

Summer Cows was from a photo that I took locally. I was preparing for an art show and decided that it would be nice to do a couple of other cow paintings of similar size to my Two Cows painting(see post for April 16, 2011) to create a series. I ended up representing Winter, Summer and Fall in my series so I renamed Two Cows. I now refer to it as Winter Cows. I was asked at my show where my Spring Cows were.

Wedding Tree

Wedding Tree is a different type of 'guest book' that we used for my son and daughter-in-law's wedding this past summer. I drew the tree in pen and ink then the guests put their finger prints on it for the leaves using an ink pad. They then signed their leaf. It turned out to be a very attractive memento for the couple to hang on the wall of their home.

Laundry Day

Laundry Day is another long painting since I wanted to focus on the laundry and the table. I spent time this summer going out with people from the Manotic Art Association to different locations to do Plein Air Painting. I mainly did pencil sketches. Originally, when I sat down to sketch this scene my main motive was the laundry but I found myself getting lost in the umbrella and chairs and the sunlight. Artists would say that I entered 'the zone'. It was quite an exhilarating experience for me. With this painting as well as the sketch that I did of the same scene I trie to employ some principles that I was reading about in one of my art books. I am quite pleased with the results.
Painting Plein Air this past summer was one of my highlights in a very busy summer. I felt that I really grew as an artist through this activity and am looking forward to taking part in this experience again next year.

Sea Gulls

Sea Gulls was painted from a photo that I took in Cape Hatteras NC. I am enjoying painting in 'long' format since it poses a new challenge. I did a similar painting to this one but forgot to take a picture before I framed and sold it at an Art Show. This one was given to my friend as a gift.

Rachel and Ted

Rachel and Ted is a pencil portrait that I did as a wedding gift / guest book for my daughter and her husband this past summer.

Eric and Kristen

Eric and Kristen is another pencil portrait that I did as a wedding / guest book that I did for my nephew and his wife in Alberta.

CCS

CCS is a painting that I did on commission. It was presented to the former principal as a retirement gift.

The Old Mill

I took this photo a few years ago and have looked at painting it several times but could not figure out an interesting composition. Lately as you may have noticed I have been painting these small 6"X6" paintings and realized that doing this painting as a square would work nicely. I hope to some day do this one much larger since I really like this painting.

Two Cows

Two Cows is a different view of my painting Old Barn. I really like the way that the mounds of hay in the foreground worked out.

Sandshroom

Sandshroom was painted from a photo that I took on the beach while camping last summer. I had fun trying out some different techniques such a spattering the paint to try to get the sand texture.

TeaTime

Tea Time is one of my first attempts at painting a still life. I am quite pleased with the way that the reflections worked out and the visibility of a light source on the left hand side.

Sam and Erin

Sam and Erin is a drawing done for my nephew Sam and his wife Erin as a wedding gift.

John and Floyd

John and Floyd are two trumpet players in my community band.

Fall Forest

Fall Forest is painting that I copied from one of my painting books. I did struggle with this one since it was not a step-by-step demonstration so I had to choose my own colours and decide how to get the effects. It is a bit looser than what I am used to doing which is why I think I was attracted to the painting in the first place. I had a bit of a challenge with getting the birches to stand out but I think I was able to achieve my goal. I am quite pleased with this painting.