Early Morning Rain

"Early Morning Rain"

6" x 24"  Oil on canvas, in a black drop in frame

#20119218

I wanted to try a different format and loved painting this size - narrow but long. It was nice to be able to put more of a vista in a painting rather than crop off so much. I bought this canvas in a frame and loved that it was so easy to see what it looked like framed.

Biking View

"Biking View"

9" x 12" Oil on canvas

#20122018

This little painting is of a beautiful view of the Spanish countryside. I painted it from a photo my husband or I took on a beautiful blue sky day while on a pedal bike trip. The memories this painting evoke are wonderful.

Deck View

 It is quite amazing what light will do. The photo on the left was taken indoors with the lights on, the one below was taken outside, even though the sun was being filtered through smokey skies from the province's forest fires.

I started drawing this out on location but the light was so dull it was quite uninteresting. This is the view of Mara Lake from Hyde Mountain Golf Course in Sicamous, B.C. This is one of my favourite views to paint en plein air.

The finished painting at the bottom can be viewed at Gallery One-Fifty in Sicamous B.C. until Sept 15.

"Deck View"

28" x 32" Oil on wood panel, framed

#20028818

Harvest Ready - Grape Escape Series - #11

"Harvest Ready"

"24 x 18 " Oil on panel
#11 in Grape Escape Series

#20126017
Photo Reference by Joan Keating

This is the last painting in this series. I started painting grapes as a distraction from watching the sump pumps and preparing for a flood on Mara Lake this spring. When I asked my friend Joan Keating to help name my paintings, she also supplied more photos from her travels. Her husband Ross suggested I paint a grape rolling away and title it "Grape Escape", voila I had the series title! This series was a mental escape.

Fall Bounty - Grape Escape Series - #10

"Fall Bounty"

Grape Escape Series - #10

16" x 20" Oil on canvas

#20122017

Reference photo by Joan Keating

I really enjoyed exploring with a wider range of colours and shapes in this painting. The posts with bright tape holding the trunk upright really caught my eye. It was interesting trying to get a sense of depth with size and colour.

Epoch - Grape Escape Series - #9

"Epoch"

#9 in Grape Escape Series

8" x 10" Oil on canvas board

#20114017

I painted this painting as a demo on how to "start" a plein air oil painting. This was not done en plein air (outdoors on location) but I brought my plein air easel and showed how I set up. I was not satisfied with my under painting or "start" when I got home so I wiped half of it out (see below) and started again. I took pictures so I could show the Eagle Valley Brush and Palette Club how you can wipe out an oil painting unlike acrylic where you paint over.

Arbor of Bounty - Grape Escape Series #8

"Arbor Of Bounty"

#8 in Grape Escape Series

12" x 12" Oil on canvas framed

#20030817
Photo reference:  Joan Keating

I am enjoying painting this grape series in different sizes and shapes. I haven't worked in a square format for quite awhile and really enjoyed it.My plan is to paint a series of 10 different paintings of the same subject. This is my second series, the first was a series of 50 small flower paintings. The photo references were fun to work with as well.

Golden Globes - Grape Escape Series #7

"Golden Globes"

#7 in Grape Escape Series

20" x 24"   Oil on board, framed
#20024817

I was telling my friend Joan Keating that I wanted to paint a series of 10 paintings with grapes in them. She sent me wonderful photos she had taken on her many travels and this is my rendition in oil. Joan has been supplying me with titles as well. It is great having friends support me on my art journey! This painting will be on display in the SACU (Salmon Arm Credit Union) in Sicamous B.C. tomorrow until the end of September.

Sweet Bunch - Grape Escape Series #6

"Sweet Bunch"

#6 in Grape Escape Series

9" x 12"  Oil on canvas board

#20016817

The reference photo for this painting is from a picture Joan Keating took on her travels. I loved the contrast of the warm browns and reds with the cool blues. Painted as another great diversion from the flood watch on Mara Lake.

Winesome - Grape Escape Series - #5

"Winesome"

#5 in the Grape Escape Series
10" x 8" Oil on canvas board

#20012817

Not only does my friend Joan Keating help me with names for this series, she also sent me some photos she has taken on her travels. I used one of Joan's photo's for this painting. I loved the contrast of the red vines and leaves with the green leaves and of course the dark fruit.

I am not sure if these are grown for wine or eating but they sure looked good.

Sun Kissed - Grape Escape Series #4

Sun Kissed
Grape Escape Series #4
10" x 8" Oil on canvas board
#20006817

I am still using the photo reference from Kathy's gifted calendar of her gardens. I enjoyed using Caribbean Blue in this one as it is my new favourite colour.

Fruit Of The Vine - Grape Escape Series #3

"Fruit Of The Vine"
Grape Escape Series - #3
 20" x 24" framed
# 20031717

This large painting just flowed. I used very different colours for the background and really enjoyed the peaceful feeling both painting it and as a finished painting.

I painted this while handling potential flooding in Sicamous B.C. I think that is why it feels peaceful, it took my mind off pumps, high water, sand bagging etc.

Bountiful - Grape Escape Series #2

"Bountiful"

20" x 29" Oil on board, framed

Grape Escape series #2

#20024717

This large painting was done from a calendar that Kathy Kean put together for her overseas family. I used one photo of grapes from her garden as a reference. It is great having friends helping with this art journey. Thanks Kathy for the artful calendar and Joan for great titles!

Vine Ripe - Grape Escape Series #1

"Vine Ripe"
Oil on canvas board   10" x 8"
#20020717

We were almost flooded in Sicamous B.C. this spring. I was on "pump duty" making sure all the pumps were working and minimal water was coming in. Kathy Kean had gifted me a calendar she made for her overseas family of her beautiful garden. She had a photo of grapes hanging on a metal fence and this is my rendition. I was talking to Joan Keating saying that I needed names for a series of grape paintings I was doing and could she send me some names. Her husband came up with the name of "Grape Escape" and just like that I had a perfect name for my series. Painting this series was both a mental and physical break/escape from all the flood work. Thanks Kathy, Joan and Ross! I gave this painting to Kathy as a gift.

Beyond The City

"Beyond The City"

Oil on canvas    16" x 20" framed
#20010617

Jean Ellithorpe (at Sicamous Brush and Palette Club) showed me a couple of beautiful acrylic paintings she had done on black gesso. I had never tried that so with a borrowed photo from Jean, some tips and suggestions, this is the end result using oil paint. I really had to change how I handled the colours working on such a dark background. Thanks Jean for the inspiration and suggestions!

Ontario Cottage Country 2

Another reference photo from Denise of the area around their cottage in Ontario. I pumped up the colour but really liked the shapes of the trees, especially the stand alone funky tree.

Ontario Cottage Country 2 

9" x 12" Oil on board

#20028217

Ontario Cottage Country 1

 Ontario Cottage Country 1

from Denise's photo 12" x 12" Oil on board

#20019217

My friend Denise gave me some photos of the area around their cabin in Ontario. The Canadian Shield rocks are so different from what we have in Alberta or B.C. and interesting to paint. The meandering creek had very interesting reflections and colours. Of course the fall colours were fun to paint and enhance.

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

                                           

Canola Field & Canola Field 2

I used a photo reference and really enjoyed painting this one. The feeling of a large space with a big sky really held my interest.

"Canola Fields"

9" x 12" Oil on board

#20122216A

I enjoyed painting the one above so I thought I would paint it on a larger scale and on canvas this time instead of board. It had a completely different feel as you can see in my colour choices and shapes.I love the lines of the fields with the trees and buildings dividing them. The larger sky was fun to do.

"Canola Fields 2"

16" x 20" Oil on canvas

#20122216B

Open Country

The expansive view of this painting from the grass in front, fields, hills, mountains to the open sky really peaked my interest. I had a hard time starting this one, just couldn't seem to settle down, like I had to much energy for such a calming scene. I finally had to cover the board with Red Iron Oxide to get rid of all the starting/drawing paint marks and start again, that seemed to help. Once I got started it started to flow.

"Open Country"

Oil on board 9" x 19 7/8" in thin silver frame

#20120216