Gratitude!

I would like to thank everyone that has encouraged, helped, laughed and cheered me on in this art journey I am on. This blog has received over 1500 views so far, way more than I ever dreamed of. I started it to keep me painting, learning, expressing and experiencing the world around me as I see it.

To those that have commented (especially Marie Flynn), I take to heart your words of encouragement and suggestions. I still have difficulty knowing if my responses are posted or not (or even how to check).

To those wonderful friends (especially Sue and Karen) that take beautiful pictures and allow me to paint my own interpretation of their artful photographs, again I am grateful.

My Creative Path friends that have travelled most of my painting journey with me, I am very grateful for your honest suggestions, laughter, like mindedness and friendship!

My family are my greatest cheerleaders and critics, and I am happy to receive both.

Not least by any measure, a very big thank you to those that have bought my art and share my blog. It instils that others believe in this journey AND keeps me in art supplies!!

This post is of one of the paintings that gets viewed most, a Calgary sky view.

Second figure class

We had our second figure class with Ingrid Christensen painting in oil. The model was lovely with a combination of bare legs and a flowing dress. We did thumbnails first to decide on what we wanted to include and the placement of subject and empty space and how we were going to link our darks. From where my easel was, the view was mainly of her thighs and everything was foreshortened. Here is my view from my easel and the painting so far.

Ingrid showed me how to make the folds in her dress on my painting. I scraped the paint off at her suggestion and then did it again myself. The other difficulty I was having was the size of her hand and the fore shortened forearm. Again with Ingrid's help, I was much happier with my result. This was a one evening class so once again, a full painting was not completed, but I am happy with the result below.

Ingrid's still life class #3 - Value

This week's lesson was on value (light to dark). Ingrid set this still life for half the class to paint and a similar one for the other half. This is the view I had of the still life and my work in progress in front. It gives you a sense of the view I had. Ingrid had us do thumb nail sketches first of the scene with basically just the values, white, mid tone and black to find the size and placement we want. I was the only one that chose to turn my canvas this way. I liked it better in my thumbnail sketch which is a very good reason to do thumb nails instead of trying to correct on the canvas. She also made us aware of the darks and how they need to connect.

Once again, I am happy with the progress I made and really had to paint fast to get this far. It is interesting I took this view from this angle as my painting view was from the other side of the easel so everything looks slightly off in placement.

Nectarines and canned cherries still life

16" x 20" oil on canvas

This picture was taken outside in the sunny afternoon. Quite a difference in the colouring, the true color is somewhere in between the two. I am still trying to figure out how to take better pictures to try and get a truer sense of the colour.

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

Two water colour studies

These two water colour studies were done after watching a Sterling Edwards DVD. It was an interesting way to work and I like his teaching style. I will try some of my own photos next. I wasn't sure what I wanted to paint and in what media so the timing of this from the library was perfect. I like different things about each picture. I don't usually use Thalo colours, but it seemed to work in the first picture.

7" x 10.5" on 200lb water colour paper

Click on pictures for a larger view

Portrait of Chi Chi

This loving pet belongs to my sister Shannon. Chi Chi is 2 years old and is just getting to know her new loving owners, Shannon and Jim. I was surprised at my sister's choice of dogs, but Chi Chi is so happy, friendly, playful and loving that she really grows on you quickly. In my oil class with Robert E. Wood, he suggested the orange grass and I loved the idea and the end product. Chi Chi's face was a real challenge, to suggest such rolls and folds on a flat surface was really interesting. Her eyes are big and expressive. This is her "Are you coming to play? I'm ready!!" look.

Chi Chi Oil on birch board

11 x 14 framed    Not For Sale

Kananaskis

I loved how this picture turned out! The colour, shapes and shadows all feel right! The colours were on my photo and my goal was to match them.

Kananaskis

Oil on birch board

12" x 16" framed

click on picture to see larger view

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"."

Oil painting as an MRU Grad gift

This is a painting I did from a photo Curtis (our son) took early in the morning of the plane he was about to fly. The sky colours were amazing and reflected perfectly on the white plane. I painted this in oil as a grad gift for Curtis as he graduates from Mount Royal University with a Commercial Aviation diploma. We are very proud of him!

 The painting currently hangs in the Mount Royal University library as part of the 100 year anniversary for MRU. I surprised him with the gift by showing it to him hanging in the library.

Oil painting 16 x 20 MRU Grumman Cougar plane

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.

Fall in Chase

This oil painting is my interpretation of a beautiful fall day taken by Sue Bingham in Chase, B.C. Her photographs are often an inspiration for me and she willingly shares her talents. I love pictures I feel invited into!

I was painting this in the Robert Wood's class and Deb suggested that I paint the sky in the background instead of the brown hill. Robert helped with the colour and he added the blue on the ground and tree trunks for me. It was amazing to see it brighten up further. It was such a bold use of a colour that was not in the picture! I really did not like it until it was added to the trees. This photo does not show the colours in the painting well.

Oil on canvas 16" x 20" 1/2" deep with painted sides, no frame required

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"

Finished oil painting

I had a hard time trying to get the background hills/mountains the right value, but am really happy with the finished picture. It evokes the feeling of calm and warmth to me. Again the photo is more muted than the painting.

Oil on canvas 16" x 20" 1/2" deep with painted sides, no frame required.

End of figure unit

Our figure unit ended with me missing the last class (out of town). It was very quick, fast paced and fun. We worked from a model program, magazines and pictures. The work was once again very impressive and some people worked very hard and very large (not me). We drew stick people, 2 minute studies, working our way up to adding "tin man" style figures to full body poses. I unfortunately missed the portrait class! This is a watercolour of a girl in the cold lake. I again painted vibrantly, having difficulty painting with muted colours! I am beginning to think that is a personal trait, as muted colours are not my thing (obviously). This excercise was to get shapes, body, face, hair but not in detail, we were to make a painting not a photograph.

"Cold Water" Water colour on 140lb paper. 5" x 6.5"

Calgary sky, winter 2011

This is an oil painting of a beautiful winter sky in Calgary. It was taken from the parking lot at work. I painted it on birch panel in oil. I had Robert E. Wood's suggestions and help during the oil painting class, I and 3 of my Creative Path Artists are currently enjoying. This is such a different medium for me, lots to learn but fun creating with it. Again, the colours are much more vibrant in the real painting! I haven't quite figured out why the colours look so bland once transferred to this blog! Anyone with any ideas?

"Calgary Winter Sky" oil on birch panel 12"x15.5"

First Animal Portrait - a heartfelt gift

"Buddy" Water colour on 140lb paper 10.5" x 14"

I watched and did a "paint-a-long" to Pat Weaver's "Animal portraits in watermedia" of my Mom's dog "Buddy". I was really happy with the way this water colour pet portrait turned out. I brought it to my class for background ideas as I had a pale yellow-orange background and was not happy with it. I pulled and added the same colour from the collar into the background which gave the dog more definition. Buddy is a wonderful friend to my Mom and really the whole family. I have matted this picture to 16 x 20 and will deliver it the next time I go to B.C. Love you Mom!

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!