Paradise Found

Paradise Found was again inspired by our sailing vacation in the North Channel, Georgian Bay. The photo from which I painted this painting was taken while 'gunkholing' in the Benjamin Islands.

The Lone Pine

The Lone Pine is a painting of a typical white pine that you can see in the Georgian Bay area. This particular tree was located in the Benjamin Islands of the North Channel in the Georgian Bay. The photo was taken years ago and unfortunately this tree no longer exists since it was cut down.

The tree and the rocks in this painting were done entirely with a pallet knife. I also added some acrylic modeling paste to my paint to thicken it and give it some texture.

It was a fun painting to do since it seemed to paint itself. 

McGregor Bay Impressions

McGregor Bay Impressions was a painting that I created using several photos taken while motoring up McGregor Bay, Georgian Bay. The views in this bay are spectacular. The boat in the foreground belongs to my brother. We have been sailing in the North Channel, Georgian Bay area together with my brother and his wife for the past four summers. About two years ago, after completing our passage up the bay and over a glass of sherry, my brother challenged me by asking how I would depict what we had just experienced in a painting... This painting is the result of that challenge and it wasn't easy!

Painting Workshop

This past summer I had the opportunity to participate in a four-day outdoor painting workshop at one of  my all time  favourite places - Killbear Provincial Park - on the Georgian Bay. One thing that made this workshop extra special was that I was able to introduce one of my good painting friends to the park.
Each morning we would leave the lodge in which we were staying to spend the day painting on location. In the evenings, after our day of painting, in which we usually completed two paintings, we would have a time of group critique. Our instructors of the week encouraged us to try painting in this 'group of seven / folk art' style of painting. I really enjoyed this since I had been trying to push my boundaries in painting this summer.  Included here are what I consider three of my more successful paintings of the week.
This workshop was a very enjoyable and inspiring experience.

North Channel - Geogian Bay

These are three paintings done while sailing in the North Channel this past summer. The two 'tree-ones' are watercolour and ink while the one with the boats is an Acrylic. They are all rather small - approx 5" X 7" since I don't want to take large canvases on our 25' - sailboat and I don't have much time in which to paint. The North Channel - Georgian Bay is definitely worthy of painting; I am sure the Group of Seven did some of their paintings in this area.

Killarney Boat House

Killarney Boat House was painted from a photo that my sister-in-law took on our sailing holiday in the North Channel. I was drawn to the red house reflected in the water. The reflection and the water took several 'tries' but I finally achieved my desired effect.
I like many things about this paining: the subject, the colours and the shape of the board. I think that all these things work together to make this a successful painting.