Third Session on this piece!

Well, I am pleased with my progress on this painting...didn't meet my end of the week deadline so I am moving it forward till Monday! I have books to do for my accountant, (a job I would put off forever...they were due Aug. 1st.)

This painting I have been trying not to paint every detail I am working on well thought out placement of value and colour rather than every branch. I really admire the work of American artist "Clyde Aspevig" he is a master at painting realism without painting ALL the details. Check His work out at  www.clydeaspevig.com You won't be disappointed! (that's if you like realism).

Second Session of painting!

Well this is the second pass on this painting, and I must say I do like it so far! (Unusual for me) I am trying to achieve a realistic painting with out using great amounts of detail. I feel I lose a lot of "feeling" in my work by over working the piece. (commonly called "over kill") I should leave details to my drawings and commercial work! So, here it is....any comments are more than welcome, even negative!

The Beginning.....again!

Well, here is the first pass on top of an older painting that never made it! It is the "block-in" stage. I am establishing the composition, darks and basic colours. From this point I will develop the whole piece and hopefully finish it within 1 week! I am teaching on Wed. and I have to put together the fall classes' supply lists. I can't believe summer is just about to come to an end...I wait all year for 3 months. Maybe a home in the south? Dreamin' never hurt anyone did it?

A Well deserved break!

We rented a cottage for the week of Aug1st -Aug.6th. It was a nice break from things that have been going on here. The cottage was nice but we were disappointed that the water wasn't suitable for swimming. The photos showed it was on a river opening up to Little Bald Lake. However, it was quite swampy and full of weeds. And our other dog, Dan, got a severe skin infection and had to be brought in to the vets. This wasn't from the water but his immune system was low due to the depression He is having from the loss of Toby. I had to teach on Wed. so we returned home on Tuesday evening and then went back to the cottage on Friday. Needless to say the "vacation" wasn't what we had planned but a needed rest all the same. I have posted 2 photos from the spot. It was good for painting purposes and I started a small "sketch" which will work itself into a larger painting. I did several pencil drawings and they help to keep the "observation" skills honed!
I will be attending a "Meet The Artist" event at Gallery on The lake in Buckhorn this weekend and will have a couple of new paintings to show. (sorry if this is repeat information; I need to keep advertising!)

Finished!

Well, hard as it is to believe...I finally finished this "Winter Light" painting. It is going to be at Gallery On The Lake  in Buckhorn, Ontario; for the weekend event on August 13th from 1PM till 4 PM. It is a "meet the Artist" weekend and I will be there on the 13th. I will have some selected "new works" for the event only. Hope to see everyone there!

When summer mornings look like this I feel so happy to be an artist! It is about 6:30 AM and I was out driving around my Mother's area looking for inspiration...found some! Mosquitoes and deer flies were out in full force and painting on location (for me) was not an option. These biting pests ruin everything!!!

I made some quick notes and a small sketch. I needed the break this past weekend. I am finding the loss of Toby to be quite overwhelming. He followed me continuously and always had to be touching me. A big paw on my foot, a nose on my lap etc. We still have Dan, but he is a real loner and we have to coax him up to meet us when we come home!

Well, on the work front...I managed to get 2 teaching jobs for the start of September. Now I have 3 classes. I can hardly wait! It has made me realize that I need to figure out the why of things. I tend to just jump in to my work and to teach something, you must have a logical and correct way to proceed in order to explain things to students. I have a pen & ink class  and a beginners watercolour class at the Seniors Centre in Newmarket. I also have my watercolour class in Toronto which starts at the end of September.

So, I am back to the easel and will post the finished paintings soon!

Almost There...still adjusting Values!

Well, the snow on branches just isn't right! I want it to look like the sun is coming thru the trees and glistening off the snow tipped branches. I am almost there, but will be into next week.

I have to get in touch with "Gallery On The Lake" and get new work in there. I will post the images they accept.

Today is going to be a real scorcher...with humidity it will be in the forties!!! May just stay in the basement painting today!