Strutting

This was a very fun rooster painting to do. Apparently strutting his stuff was not very successful with the hens for this little guy, but with a little practice and time I am sure he will do fine.  Michelle Grant had some photos for sale, this reference was well worth the $2. Her photos were beautiful and varied.

"Strutting"

10" x 10" Oil on board

#20118216

FCA Richard McDiarmid Workshop - "Shared Wisdom"

I painted this acrylic mixed media painting in a FCA Experimental Painting Techniques workshop taught by Richard McDiarmid. On the first day we started with an under-painting, mono-print, stencils, and a whole variety of mark makers that we could find and share in the classroom. The idea was to make various "starts" and backgrounds then Day 2 was to bring it together to finish our paintings.

The variety of subject matter and initial starts was huge. Richard demonstrated various techniques on his own work and then off we went. I really enjoyed the workshop and found myself less tentative the more I worked with the acrylics. It is hard to see in the photo but this painting is very textural. We talked about each person's work and Richard only demonstrated on his own work, preferring to leave our paintings as ours.

"Shared Wisdom"

24" x 18" Acrylic Mixed Media on canvas panel

Totem pole photo reference supplied by Richard McDiarmid

"Stillness"

 This painting is the first of a challenge I have given myself for the month of April - paint a painting every day! My friend Linda gave me the idea as she has challenged herself with a painting a day for this month. It will be fun to see how we do, especially on work days. Today I painted this based on a photo my friend Joan took in Sydney, B.C. of a blue heron waiting patiently. It is great to have friends encouraging my art journey.

"Stillness"

16" x 12" Oil on board

$150 unframed

Northern Flicker

This painting is from a photograph Sue took in Chase B.C. Sue is very generous with her artful photographs and sends me ones she knows I will enjoy. I just wish I had more painting time. I hadn't really painted a bird close up before, but with such a good photograph, the challenge seemed possible. Another photograph on the calendar Sue made for me was a great reference (March).

Northern Flicker

Oil on Board 12" x 16"

click on picture for a larger view



Creative Path Artist Challenge

Every two weeks, The Creative Path Artist group meets and paints for an afternoon at a community hall. It is a very safe environment to challenge ourselves and share our art escapades and lives. We set up challenges for ourselves and the last few times together, an artist brought a picture for everyone to paint. I brought this picture in of a bird fishing in the ocean near Sidney, B.C. I loved the reflection of the bird. I am not sure what kind of a bird it is. Once again, starting was the hardest part! I am pleased with the way this one turned out and happy I painted it in oil.

"Fishing in Sidney"

Oil on birch

11" x 14"

I bought a new tool for signing my name. It has a rubber tip on it and really just pushes the paint around. It would work better if you had a colored canvas to start with. This painting was white underneath and you can just barely see my signature in the bottom left.