Red Marsh

 Time to hurry and post some paintings I did before our holiday as I am hoping our son will make me another book of my year of painting from my blog postings (as a Christmas present).

"Red Marsh"

12" x 9" Oil on board

#20109216

The painting on the top is the finished painting. The photo below is the painting (almost finished) with the photo reference on my easel. I liked the feel of the photo so worked on it in a class I am taking with Doug Swinton. I found this painting very challenging, but am happy with the finished painting.

Bebo Grove #2, Fish Creek Park, Calgary

"After The Flood", Fish Creek Park, Calgary

8" x 10" Plein Air, Oil on board

This is the second outdoor painting I did with Deb. There were quite a few trees down due to the Calgary flood.The challenge here was to use fun colours instead of the painting a reality view. I really enjoyed painting this one and it was fun making it evolve. I had bright orange and yellow on the path to the water but it ended up to garish.

Below is the under painting, quite a difference from the finished painting. You can just feel the fun I had with colour!

Here is my painting partner Deb almost finished her first painting.

"Sunflowers"

The picture above is the painting about midway. I took it to my class with Doug Swinton as I was unsure of how I wanted to proceed. I realized with Doug's help that the photo reference composition was stronger than my layout. Doug helped me to make the flowers larger (like the photo) as well as with the background. I am going to paint this one again as I really like the shapes and colours.

"Sunflowers"

Oil on board 11' x 14"

#20002116

Sicamous Colours (or lack of), last painting of 2015

This is the view towards the town of Sicamous this morning. It looks like I took it in black and white but that is the view in colour. The painting below was done last fall, quite a contrast! Wishing everyone a celebratory end to 2015 and a happy and healthy start to 2016!

"Sicamous Colours"

8" x 10" en plein air, oil on board

#20117015  $75 unframed

This is an evening view towards town that I painted outside on our deck last fall. I painted this with a brush and palette knife.

Sicamous Creek Falls 2 and 3

These are the second and third paintings that I did on a very hot day in August. I was completely unaware of the audience I had watching me from the large rocks above me and was quite startled when they started talking to me! I loved the green colour of the water with the algae on the rocks below, a very shady undisturbed area.

Sicamous Creek Falls 2

Plein Air, Oil on board 5" x 7"

#20019815     $20 unframed

Sicamous Creek Falls 3

Plein Air, Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 9" x 9" (see painted top below)

#20019815A         $80 no framing required

Sicamous Creek Falls

I painted standing just below these falls. It was pleasantly cool in the shade with the spray heading my way, perfect for a very hot August day. The water pooling was a very interesting green from the mossy rocks below. I was having so much fun enjoying myself that I painted 2 other small paintings using a variety of different colours for the under painting (next posting).

Sicamous Creek Falls

12" x 9" Oil on board plein air

$100 unframed  #20014815

Fish Creek Plein Air - Creek Bends

"Creek Bends"

Plein Air Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

$75 unframed  #220024615

I painted Creek Bends as a second painting with Debbie and Gerry (Sketch Club Paint Out). The sky finally opened up to a lovely blue but changed my shadows drastically from when I started. I had trouble with the distant trees on the left until Debbie suggested making them more blue...love it when friends are absolutely right, happy again!

Fish Creek Plein Air - June Early Evening

I met Debbie and Gerry (from Calgary Sketch Club paint out) to plein air paint in Fish Creek Park (Calgary) at 6pm. We happily set up our easels and started painting. The early evening light was changing quickly to dark cloud cover. This painting just flowed. I wanted to paint one that when you stood away it all came together but looked very abstract up close. I had to take care not to step back in the water when I looked at it from a few paces back. Can you just feel the pleasure in this one!

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"June Early Evening"

Plein Air Oil on Board 8" x 10"

$75 unframed     #20020615

Winter Blues

"Winter Blues"

9" x 12" Oil on board

$150 unframed

#20001415

This was painted in between caring for my Mom in Kelowna. A bouquet she was given had these flowers just not in these colours. As I couldn't take paints in my carry on luggage, Shannon picked up paints that I had ordered at Opus Kelowna. It was a real treat to play with new fresh paints and brushes!.Painted unconventional 4 flowers instead of the usual odd number, it just felt right for this painting. 

Pretty in Pink - A pet portrait

"Pretty In Pink"

12" x 12" Oil on board

#20024315  $175 unframed

I had been wanting to do this female pet for a long time but wasn't sure how to make a basically white dog interesting. I decided to just have fun with it and add wild colours to my heart's content. I started with covering the whole board with Alizarin Crimson to get a nice pink background and worked from there. You can see some of the original colour in her face. I am really happy with this painting and feel I captured her without adding detail.

"Tunnel Vision"

"Tunnel Vision"

Oil on board 9" x 12"

$150

#20017315

I took a photo when we were travelling through one of the tunnels in the Roger's Pass on the Transcanada Highway in B.C. The sun was shining and I loved all the colours and reflections. I am really happy with this abstracted view.

Bridge View

"Bridge View"

Plein Air, Oil on board, 9" x 12"
$150 unframed
#20013315

While I was in Kelowna, I took an afternoon off and walked all along the downtown water's edge sidewalk past the yacht club to the other side of the bridge. I found a very quiet spot and happily painted. I reveled in the fact that I could be plein air painting (outdoor, on site) at the end of February! It was a very long walk carrying my palette, easel and supplies but I enjoyed walking with like-minded strangers until I felt inspired to stop and paint.

2015 Self Portrait 2

"2015 Self Portrait #2"

Oil on board 12" x 9"

#20027115

I painted this in Ingrid's class. We were to use all the colours on our palette and keep switching from warm to cool to warm etc. colours. I had set my mirror up on my easel above my canvas and hadn't noticed that my eyes were looking up at it until I stepped away to have a look as you normally do at art. I decided not to work on it at home to make it more realistic as I liked the variety of colours.

2015 Self Portrait 1

"2015 Self Portrait 1"

Oil on board 12" x 12"

#20020115

I painted this portrait while looking in a mirror on my easel. Ingrid Christensen was trying to teach us to look at large shapes then smaller. We worked with a limited palette. I like this portrait as it was an unusual view of me concentrating and not animated as usual "selfie's"| are. I used a stylus and wrote the Shel Silverstein around my portrait. It is hard to see in this photo.

Shel Silverstein quote:
"Underneath my outside face
There's a face none can see
A little less smiley
A little less sure
But a whole lot more like me."

"Robin's Pride"

"Robin's Pride"

10" x 8" Oil on board

$75 unframed

#2013115

I found this nest in Sicamous last summer and took a photo so I did not disturb it. I have painted it once before (click here) and could easily paint it again and again. I loved how the layers were woven in and around the nest and how deep it was.

Free shipping in Canada, contact me for shipping international shipping.

"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

"Sparkling Hills"

I painted this on site at the Sparkling Hills Spa near Vernon B.C. this past summer. It was so peaceful and warm. I found a shady spot and painted to my heart's content. This is the second of 2 painted that day. The other painting can be seen if you click here.

"Sparkling Hills"

9" x 12"

Oil on board, plein air 

$150 unframed

"Early Winter's Light"

"Early Winter's Light"

Oil on board 9" x 12"

This is my take on the time between fall and winter. This view is one of my favorites...looking at the town of Sicamous B.C. from our deck view by Mara Lake. The lighting and colours are so different from the bright summer and cool winter. I find it very peaceful as a view, time of year and painting.

Plein Air Event & Wet Paint Auction Alberta Culture Days

"Autumn at Leighton Centre"

Plein Air (Outdoor on location) Oil on board

9" x 12"

This was painted on a very grey and rainy day at the Leighton Centre during their Plein Air Event and Wet Paint Auction during Alberta Culture Days. I love, love, love this painting! It was rainy then cold most of the day but Debbie and I painted until we couldn't feel our fingers and wet toes anymore.

The challenge was to (speed) paint for 2 hours then pop the paintings into a frame and a live auction would follow. There were about 30 artists but everyone (artists and buyers) were to wet and cold to stay so I am happy to report that I get to enjoy this painting!! This is a first time annual event and Debbie and I agreed that next year is a must.

"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.