Fountain Fun

"Fountain Fun"

16" x 20" unframed

Pouring Medium with acrylic paint
$175 unframed
20016114

This high energy painting was done with a pouring medium and acrylic paint. I loved everything about it - colours, movement and design. Pouring medium almost has a life of it's own and everything makes it move and settle, including the weight of the paint, the air moving or nudging the table. It really reminded me of being a kid and holding your finger down on the water fountain!

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MRU Library Art Gallery - Winter 2012

This painting is now in the Mount Royal Library Art Gallery for the winter display. I had it in my office and really enjoyed the variety of colours. It is a watercolour and acrylic painting painted in a watercolour style. I love the bright red Anthurium with the muted leaves behind. I looked at the Anturium on line and made up the rest around them. It is painted on a full size water colour sheet and double matted in a dark brown wood frame.

 

Anthurium Garden

Watercolour and Acrylic on watercolour paper in a 22" x 28" frame

Commission - A Dog Portrait of Timi

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This commission was a dog portrait of Timi (right) for a Christmas present.I painted a small acrylic picture (upper left) of Timi to get a feel for her face and shape. I enjoyed this small picture in my office and everyone commented that Timi was expressive and looked like a character. I had a lot of fun painting this one as I did not have the pressure of the final product.

The picture (bottom left) is the commission with the original background. The background was not satifactory to the purchaser so I changed the background (below on right).

Now I was not satisfied, so once again I worked on the background and below is the final picture. It is certainly easier to paint for myself than a commission, but it was fun to do and as always, a learning process. The recipients were pleased with their gift.

 

 Acrylic on masonite panel in a 16" x 20" frame - Sold

Plein Air at Glenmore Reservoir, Calgary

What a beautiful day! I painted this acrylic at the Glenmore Sailing Club. As I was painting in a tucked away spot in the shade, I could hear the inspiring sounds of sails flapping and children laughing during their summer sailing camp. The afternoon quickly zoomed by as did my subjects!

A photographer from the City of Calgary asked to take a photograph of my unfinished picture with the children sailing in the background to use for their promotional material. It would be fun to see it used somewhere although I don't think I would like my unfinished picture!

Plein Air Acrylic 8"x10" on birch board, unframed

click on picture for a larger view

Plein Air at Forgetmenot Pond, Kananaskis

I took a one day plein air class with Peter Potapoff at Forgetmenot Pond in Kananaskis. It was a sunny but blustery windy day. We painted beside a stream and tried to paint something close and small (compared to the huge vista and views). It was really interesting and challenging in how quickly the acrylic paint dried on the board, palette and even brush in the sunny and windy outdoors.

As a visual learner Peter was kind enough to show me what he was explaining to meon my painting. I haven't decided if I am going to add more blue (from the sky) in the water reflections, but am considering it done right now. I will have to live with it for awhile. Standing outside painting with a drying palette filled with paint (ok for indoors), water bucket on the ground and hair blowing in my face was certainly a different painting challenge.

I learned a lot about what supplies to bring (and what to leave home!) and now have started a birthday/Christmas list. Peter is passionate about painting outdoors and shares his knowledge generously. He has classes through Calgary School of Art if anyone is interested.

Acrylic on Birch Board

10.5" x 13" framed in a metal (silver) frame

click on picture for larger image

This is our group with Peter on the left. You can see how windy it is by the wind pushing against my pants! I don't know how the guys did it, but I couldn't keep a hat on my head!

Third MRU 100 Centennial panel completed

This is my third and final panel for the Mount Royal University Centennial Mosaic. This panel was for the Institute of Nonprofit Studies. I really did not know anything about the program until I read about it on the MRU website. It was hard to come up with an idea, so I used a picture on their website as a template.

 The colours were very different for me and the shapes on the panel must be kept. To view it and the rest of the mural (and original panels) click http://www.mtroyal.ca/100/mural100.htm then click on any of the small panels to see the individual panel and information. It is really interesting to see what the original panel looks like and how they incorporated the colours and shapes with their idea. The whole mosaic will be unveiled in September and all the panels will make a final picture. I can hardly wait!!

"The INS as an academic centre can be thought of as the connecting hub of a forward moving wheel. The Institute for Nonprofit Studies fits within a broad institutional structure but it operates by moving things forward and exists at the point where the "rubber hits the road"."

Another MRU mural panel (#166)

I was invited to paint another panel for the MRU 100 year celebration mural. This mural and information can be looked at: http://www.mtroyal.ca/100/mural100.htm This panel is not on the website yet. My previous panel is #48 is up on the website. My son's panel (Curtis Oliver) is not showing on the website yet either. I had to work with the base colours and shapes on the panel so it will fit in the final picture. The original panel shows when you click on the individual pictures as well as the write up and fuller view on the website. The completed mural and final picture will be celebrated in September, I can hardly wait!!!

Panel #166  “Transition to University – old logo to new”

The old College logo, new University logo, and 100 year anniversary logo are all celebrated on this panel.

The MRU 100 logo is also a small piece of the university’s history as it represents this historical year. The cougar tracks are across both to represent our mascot and to celebrate the continued journey.

Bronte, a pet dog portrait

My good friend Joan sent me a picture of Bronte with her Xmas bow tie on when I requested one to use as a resource to try and paint another dog. I changed the colour of the tie and did not paint the Christmas tree in the background. I really enjoyed painting Bronte as she is so expressive, a really loving, pet me, pet me, tail wagging friendly spirit. I painted her with acrylic on birch board. I have this portrait framed in a metal frame and have her up on our coffee room wall at work (for a little while)...fitting as she likes people so much!!

"Bronte" Acrylic on Birch board approx. 13" x 15"

Last still life in class

This was started in our last class. These beautiful treasures are Leila's and we both worked from them. I used sepia ink for the first time to paint the underpainting. The underpainting was painted with a decrepid oriental brush that had bristles going every direction! It is painted in acrylic on water colour paper 7 1/2 x 10 1/2

This is my second painting using the same still life, but with my camera as the resource. I really enjoyed this one as well. After the class critique, I added more colour into the white flowers as well as a transparent wash on the dark background. The background looks flat in this picture, but it has reds, blues and purples in the actual painting.

Still Life - completed paintings

We have been working on Still Life in my art class. These pictures are ones that I did at home. I just used 2 items, a metal ladybug (a gift) and a small vase. I played with these items mainly to look at their shadow shapes and the variety of colours in the shadows (who knew?). They are all painted in acylic and roughly 8" x 8" unframed. I am going to frame 1 (or all 3) if I can't decide which one I like best and put them in my office. I also use the lunch room as a gallery so they might end up in there together for a fun trio.The blue one also had a shadow of a wooden flower that I just had to add in! It was fun to play with different angles and colours with the same subject.

 

 

 

This last one was a completed painting, but when I peeled off the dried paint on my pallette, I loved the design and colours so I incorporated it right into the painting! I love the textural effect when you look up close!