Alberta Culture Days

I enjoyed an extended morning/early afternoon at the Leighton Centre outside of Calgary. It was Alberta Culture Days and I had a chance to learn about leather tooling & painting, pottery and made a felting lady bug!

I set my easel up in front of the Leighton Centre to enjoy painting a very small part of a very large view. They had painting demo's going on inside the Leighton Centre and I enjoyed hearing the sounds of talking without hearing actual words. One of the demo/activies was put on by Isabel Porto (Perceptual Drawing on a clear skin put on the windows). People looked out the window and drew what they could see by basically tracing the outline. It was very cool to try, watch and look at when done. The fun part for me is when I went inside, I could see myself drawn by a number of people at different heights. You can see me painting in my blue coat.

Photos courtesy of Isabel Porto (thanks!), drawings courtesy of a lot of people enjoying themselves at the Leighton Centre, Alberta Culture Days.

Leighton View, Alberta Culture Days

10" x 8" plein air

#20104016

Alberta Culture Days - Fall Leighton View 2

This is the second painting I did at the Leighton Art Centre just outside of Calgary. It was a "Fall Paint-Out" for Alberta Culture Days. There were artists sprinkled all over the property and demo's were also held inside. It absolutely fills my soul being outside painting natures' beauty. All my senses are fully utilized.

Alberta Culture Days - Fall Leighton View 1

"Fall Leighton View 1"

En Plein Air Oil on board 12"x12"  $140 unframed

What a wonderful and varied day this was at the Leighton Centre just outside of Calgary. The Leighton Centre was celebrating Alberta Culture Days with a Fall Paint-Out. There was live music, en plein air painters as well as demos, talks and interactive art to enjoy. I managed a painting in the morning and one in the afternoon. The overcast lighting was challenging but I felt like I was in my element!

"Fall Reflections" Plein Air Painting

Yesterday Debbie and I headed back to a spot in a private yard near the Leighton Centre. We left a note on their door and ducked under the barbed wire to find our peaceful spot. It was serene and quiet, a wonderful way to spend some time with a friend!

 The light was changing so quickly, so I added colour that I saw glimmers of. Thanks for taking the photos Debbie! Note the painting outfit: gardening gloves, rubber boots, an apron and paint on my face and clothes, without the paint brush in hand, most people would stay clear!

A little more of my view and set up while the painting was progressing.

"Fall Reflections" Plein Air

12" x 12" Oil on Board $200 unframed

Plein Air Event & Wet Paint Auction Alberta Culture Days

"Autumn at Leighton Centre"

Plein Air (Outdoor on location) Oil on board

9" x 12"

This was painted on a very grey and rainy day at the Leighton Centre during their Plein Air Event and Wet Paint Auction during Alberta Culture Days. I love, love, love this painting! It was rainy then cold most of the day but Debbie and I painted until we couldn't feel our fingers and wet toes anymore.

The challenge was to (speed) paint for 2 hours then pop the paintings into a frame and a live auction would follow. There were about 30 artists but everyone (artists and buyers) were to wet and cold to stay so I am happy to report that I get to enjoy this painting!! This is a first time annual event and Debbie and I agreed that next year is a must.

Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #3

As my time was running out and the noon deadline to have all paintings handed in, I used the paints on my palette and quickly laid down the shapes I saw in a completely different direction. This one had a small lake, tree groves and farmer's crops in view. This painting was really fun and with time running out there was no getting into any details. It was fresh and the sun reflected on the top left corner so the colour is off in the photo.

I was only allowed to put one painting in the judging so I put in the second one. I did not win the challenge but enjoyed the wonderful views, friends, being with like minded people, a delicious lunch and a fabulous day! I will certainly go again next year!! A big thank you to Reflections West Art and the Leighton Art Centre for all their hard work!

"Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #3"

Oil on canvas board 12" x 9"

Painting #2 at the Plein Air Painting Challenge

On August 17, Debbie and I enjoyed the Plein Air Painting Challenge presented by Reflections West Art and Leighton Art Centre. As we had time to paint from 7am until noon, I worked on a second painting with a completely different view, just by picking up my easel and turning slightly. This view had the rolling hills, lit up wild grasses and flowers and a farm house in the background. The Leighton Centre also had a wood art instillation of thin tree trunks that intrigued me.

"Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #2"

Oil on gesso board 12" x 12"

The farm house is in the middle of the picture, just barely visible. This is a picture of my painting in progress as well as my set up.

Plein Air Painting Challenge

My friend Debbie and I attended the Plein Air Painting Challenge presented by Reflections West Art and Leighton Art Centre at the Leighton Art Centre (just outside of Calgary) on Sunday. The motto was "Retreat . Create . Rejuvenate" and all three were covered well. The day started at 7am and the artists had until noon to paint. The sky was overcast and the mountains were barely in view. Below is the view and my first completed painting. When the sun did peak out, the grasses were alive with colour. I loved the rolling hill in the background so made it more dominate than what I saw. I will post the 2nd and 3rd paintings later.

"Leighton Art Centre Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #1"

Oil on canvas board 9" x 12"

Big Hooves To Fill - Juried painting!!

 

"Big Hooves To Fill"  *SOLD*

Water colour 14" x 19" double matted & framed to 16" x 20"
click on painting for a larger view

 

 I painted this after I enjoyed a gift of a hot air balloon ride. What interested me was how little I could see of the cows (basically just their backs) and how much the shadow described them. I loved the contrasting shapes.

 

I am really excited as this painting has been juried into the 11th Annual Juried Members Show at the Leighton Centre (just outside of Calgary). The show is called "Transcending Tradition" and will be on from April 26 through to May 30, 2013. The Public Opening Reception is on Saturday April 27th from 2pm - 4pm. Please enjoy the show if you are in the area, as well as a stroll on the grounds, the views are spectacular!                         www.leightoncentre.org

 

Swinton's Meet Up - Leighton Centre #2

Fall view from Leighton Centre

8" x 10" Oil on board

This is the second painting I did on the Swinton's Meet Up that my friend Deb arranged. Two other artists joined Deb and I at the Leighton Centre just out of Calgary for a spectacular windy and sunny afternoon. It was hard to paint and hang onto everything at once. My palette did a little flying itself hitting my back as I bent over to pick something up and fortunately landed right side up on the ground. Next time, I will wear linen and have an abstract painting when I am done. My shirt was very brightly coloured when I left! The little white dots are the wet oil reflecting, not white on the painting.

This is just a taste of the view, how do you limit what you paint????!

Swinton's Meet Up - Paint out at Leighton Centre

This is a picture Deborah took of Debbie and I painting at the Leighton Centre. The view is awe inspiring and breath taking! It is extremely beautiful and peaceful but very hard to paint as there is so much to take in it is hard to not try and paint it all. This picture does not show the beautiful Rocky Mountains in the background as it is focusing on us, but I did manage to get them into my painting below.

Leighton Centre View - SOLD

5" x 19.5" Oil on gessoed picture board, framed

I had bought a framed kitchen picture (all in one), gessoed the picture, taped the frame and painted the picture en plein air. The size was perfect for the panaoramic view.