Sunflower still life

This painting was done in oil on birch board in Robert E. Wood's class. It is based on a large painting he brought in to show us that he painted. This one is 12" x 16" and is painted with brushes and a palette knife. This is the first time I have painted with a palette knife and really enjoyed creating the textures. I was inspired enough to start on a large 23 1/2 x 31"  painting of the same picture. Not only is a palette knife new but the larger size is. I will post it later on when it has dried.

This painting was really fun and freeing to do and has a real variety of colours in it! I certainly used a lot of paint!

 12" x 16" oil on birch board

unframed
click on painting for a more detailed 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.

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"

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!