"Summer Escape"

"Summer Escape"

16" x 20" Oil on canvas

This painting was done in Rick Berg's class. He brought the photo in and Deb and I both worked on the same reference.Rick wanted us to paint with a black and white underpainting, then cover it all in red iron oxide before starting with colour. I wish I had taken a photo with that start. I found this a very interesting and different way to work. I really like the shadows and light in this painting.

 I wish I had a photo of Deb's finished painting. It is just like penmanship and signatures, each of ours is definitely painted individually.

"At Rest"

"At Rest"

Oil on canvas 12" x 16"

This painting is based on a photo my friend Sue took near Chase, B.C. I loved the softness of the mountains behind the dilapitated barn. It has a peaceful feeling, almost as if the work is done and it is now time to rest. The painting was almost to dull until Deb suggested I add the bold yellow/gold ground...just the pop I needed.

Carburn Park, Calgary

Carburn Park, Calgary

8" x 10" Oil on Board, Plein Air

click on painting for larger view

This painting and experience warmed my heart. I went painting one evening after work with 2 of my Creative Path group, Deb and Joan. I hadn't seen them all summer and it was wonderful (as always) to spend time with them especially painting. This painting was fluid and I did not struggle with what I wanted to paint. I loved the looseness of it as that is also how I felt, unencumbered and in the moment!

Time To Rest

Time To Rest

8" x 10" Oil on museum canvas

Now that I am home, I am catching up on posts, emails etc. The flooding in Sicamous took a lot out of me - energy and spirit wise, time to regroup. I painted this picture in between checking pumps and cleaning up inside and out in Sicamous. Painting this was a restful haven for me, I think that is why the subject appealed to me...water still, but the bird is high and resting with the water active! This is when painting in oil as a medium really worked, I could stop and go continually.

View of Sicamous, B.C. from Mara Lake

This oil painting was done on holidays with our view of Sicamous. The colours in the lake contrasting with the white buildings (White Sands condos) on the shore front is what attracted me. This is a favorite spot that I always bring my paints to, but usually do not paint as there is to much to do. 

For something new, I added the twitter and facebook share buttons so hopefully someone will find it useful to share art on this blog that they may find interesting. I am still learning what I can do on this blog. 

View of Sicamous across Mara Lake

Oil on birch board, unframed 11"x14"

click on painting for a larger view

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

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

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

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.

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"

Sunrise at Duck Lake

I have started taking an oil painting class from Robert E. Wood. My Creative Path Artist friends (Suzanne, Joan, Deb and myself) signed up together to make up a class of 10. I painted this one at home after watching his demo. I have painted this one before in water colour as a thank you gift for our friends we stayed with but it sold before I could give it away. I painted it again and gave it to it's rightful owners and now have enjoyed creating it again in oil. I am still learning how to take pictures for this blog as the painting is really quite bright and this picture shows it quite dull in comparison. Again, painting it brought back fun memories of a wonderful weekend with friends. I have it framed in a silver metal frame 13x10 3/4".

I am currently working on this Vietnam picture in oil. I am hoping to finish it tonight (might be too optimistic). Robert is very helpful and encouraging. We paint on whatever we want individually and he goes around the room to help and make suggestions. It really is inspiring to watch different pictures with different painting styles come to fruition.