Lucy's gift

This painting was sent to England as a Christmas gift for Lucy. She was up very early one morning walking dogs and took photos of the beautiful sky and the reflection on Mara Lake. She was so excited she wanted to wake everyone to have a look. I know the colours look odd, but that is what they were.

 Lucy posted the photo on her travel blog and I painted it as a surprise. She made many friends, impressed people with her spirit and had a lot of adventures in Sicamous, B.C. She reminded us very much of our daughter.


"Lucy's Gift"
12" x 9" Oil on board framed
#20126216

                                           

Rainy Day On The Lake

 June was really rainy in Sicamous B.C. and so the outdoor painting was not colour filled. I stood under the deck tarp at Hyde Mountain Golf Course trying to stay dry while painting the heavy clouds.

"Rainy Day On The Lake"

en plein air oil on canvas board

8" x 10 "  $80 unframed

#20029816

The painting below is of another very blustery and raining morning. I made use of Hyde Mountain Golf Course deck once again.

"Grey and Raining"

Plein Air Oil on canvas panel

10" x 8"  $80 unframed

#20029816A

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Morning View of Mara Lake

Carolyn came with me up to Hyde Mountain Golf Course to plein air paint for the first time. It was an overcast rainy morning so we huddled under the canopy on the deck and painted away. We were just finishing up as the lunch patrons were arriving to enjoy a delicious lunch on the deck.

"Morning View Of Mara Lake"

Plein Air Oil Painting on canvas panel 12" x 16"

#20022816   $200 unframed

Plein Air Painting on a rainy day

This was my view from the beautiful covered deck at Hyde Mountain Golf Course in Sicamous B.C. Kim gave me free rein to paint where ever and however long I wanted to. I had no competition for the deck so hid under the canopy and happily painted. It was raining hard and the clouds were moving quickly, you can see the difference in the two pictures. By the time I got to the closest hill the colour green was finally emerging. 

"Rainy Day plein air from Hyde Mountain Golf Course"

8" x 10" oil on canvas board

"Dragon Boat View"

"Dragon Boat View"

Oil on board 21 3/4" x 27 3/4" in silver metal frame

#20009116

This is a typical scene of the very quiet Mara Lake early in the morning. Our group would gather for the 6 am - 7 am paddle before the lake would get busy with boats. This mist would just be lifted and the water was reflective and peaceful. I have such great memories of the last summer's fun and looking forward to more adventures this summer.

Hyde Mountain Golf Course, Sicamous B.C.

"Hyde Mountain Golf Course view of Mara Lake"

10" x 8" oil on canvas board

$75 unframed

#20005815

The view is absolutely stunning from the deck of the Hyde Mountain Golf Course. I went up early and set up my easel at the edge of the deck soaking in the beautiful view of Mara Lake below and beyond. It was very smokey which added a real pink haze to the sky and water. As the sun was trying to burn through the colours were changing quickly and lightening up. There were no golfers having breakfast yet so I had the deck all to myself and happily painted away.

"Golfer's View"

I painted Golfer's View last September plein air at the Hyde Mountain Golf Course in Sicamous B.C. The day got to hot so I had to go back and finish it later. You can look at the unfinished painting I posted here. I realized I never put the finished painting on my blog. It was so much easier not trying to photograph a wet painting!

"Golfer's View"

20" x 27" Oil on board, Plein Air

$500 unframed

#20128214

"Making Waves"

"Making Waves"

Oil on board, 16" x 20" 

A framed gift

I painted this as a surprise gift to our friend Brent. He is one of the summer "boys" that I have had the delight to go on early morning water skis summer after summer. Over the years I have given the other boys paintings, but so far this is my favourite. Below is my reference photo taken last summer. I was thrilled to get an action shot that was paintable.

"Golfer's View"

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a wonderful morning at Hyde Mountain Golf Course painting the beautiful view of Mara Lake. My spot was in the corner of the parking lot using the shade of a truck. The owner came and went and then I had to quit as it was to hot in the sun. The sky and water colours were continually changing. The board had to sit on my palette as it was to big. I have never tried such a large painting plein air (20" x 27"). I will post a photo of the final painting later.

View from Hyde Mountain Golf Course

This plein air painting was done on July 1 (Canada Day) from the parking lot of the Hyde Mountain Golf Course in Sicamous B.C.; a fitting tribute to a view Canadians and visitors enjoy. This is also the view of Mara Lake from the deck where you can enjoy a beverage and food. I preferred working quietly in the shade of a big cedar tree.

`View From Hyde Mountain Golf Course`

Oil 8`` x 8`` framed to 9`` x 9`` in a black deep frame

"Mara Lake" plein air

I started my first plein air painting yesterday and realized that I was missing key items (palette etc.) so did the under painting only. Today I went back with all the pieces and finished my painting. It felt wonderful enjoying the beautiful view of Mara Lake and sunshine!

There are always critics and here is mine checking out the same view.

And the final painting....

"Mara Lake"

Oil on canvas board

8" x 10"

click on any picture for a larger view

From Spain to Sicamous

I had set this blog with paintings to post while I was away, but something did not work so I will keep posting the work I had set up. I will not have new painting work for awhile, but will continue posting my flower painting series!

This is a picture of Costa Brava in Spain. We were basking in warm weather, with a great group of people at a B & B trying to deal with the rapidly rising water in Sicamous, B.C. on Mara Lake as our cabin was starting to flood. We went from this view of Costa Brava Spain:

To this:

My husband Gord and I had finally gone on a long awaited celebratory holiday in Spain. The water levels were in the normal range for Sicamous so everything was a go. What we did not bank on was extreme rain and therefore Mara Lake rose to flooding levels in record time. Gord's Mom (Noreen) and Tom were here for a couple weeks of holiday time only to be stressed by the very quickly rising lake level. The normal procedure and protective aquadam was not put in quick enough or properly by the company hired to do this and Noreen and Tom suffered the stress of not being able to keep back the rising water.

We were up for 26 hours, arrived home in Calgary (from Barcelona) at 1 a.m., went straight to bed to wake up to the phone ringing at 5 a.m. to tell us the water had come in. We put our suitcases back in the car and headed to Sicamous. We were about 45 minutes away from Sicamous to find out the rain had created a mudslide and the highway was closed. We were rerouted, had to take 2 ferries and the normal 5 1/2 hour trip took 19 hours!

Thankfully we had the help of my brother Ken, his wife Marg, Carl, Leslie (Gord's sister), my sister Shannon and Jim to hold the water at bay awaiting our arrival.

We arrived completely exhausted to find the basement filling up with water and a work team had hooked up sump pumps, hoses, wet vacuums etc and were battling the water. The lake peaked 2 days ago and we are now seeing some of the lawn on the side of the house etc. We are so grateful to Noreen, Tom, Len, Gladys, Ken, Marg, Leslie, Carl, Shannon, Jim, Claire, Steve, Colleen, Brian, Jack, and Lynn and for their support and help!!!!

And today's view:

This is a picture of our yard from the road (under water). We are finally seeing some grass and side yard again. The big worry is boats going by and the wake moving our Aquadam. The weather is overcast today and all the boat launches in town are flooded so it should be okay.

View of Sicamous, B.C. from Mara Lake

This oil painting was done on holidays with our view of Sicamous. The colours in the lake contrasting with the white buildings (White Sands condos) on the shore front is what attracted me. This is a favorite spot that I always bring my paints to, but usually do not paint as there is to much to do. 

For something new, I added the twitter and facebook share buttons so hopefully someone will find it useful to share art on this blog that they may find interesting. I am still learning what I can do on this blog. 

View of Sicamous across Mara Lake

Oil on birch board, unframed 11"x14"

click on painting for a larger view