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.

Sparkling Hill Resort Plein Air

"Sparkling Hill View"

8" x 10" Oil on board

$75 unframed

#20017715

On my way to Kelowna at the end of May, I stopped at the Sparkling Hill Resort to paint the gorgeous views. I found a shady spot on a walking path just below the entrance and filled my senses with the sounds, sights and smells of this beautiful location. The colours were a wonderful variety with the hills in purples and oranges and the grasses a vivid yellow green. I turned my easel slightly to the left and had a completely different view to paint the second painting. It felt like the world and time stopped while I painted, I felt so lucky.

"Sparkling Hill View 2"

8" x 10" Oil on board

&75 unframed

#20017715A

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

Garden's First Blooms

"Garden's First Blooms"

Plein Air Oil on panel 

7" x 5" unframed  $40

     #20010615

I love everything about this painting. I sat on our front grass so I could get more of a straight on view and happily painted in the warm sunshine. The first blooms in the garden are always a celebration but do not last long with frost, snow and wind to deal with.

"Reflection" plein air oil painting

I joined the "Swinton's Meet Up" group last week and painted plein air with 2 other artists. I think the dark and stormy clouds kept others away.

The photo above is of my easel and the painting in progress. It had been threatening to rain (hence dull colours above) then it cleared up and felt especially bright, so I changed my painting's light and colours. The actual painting's colours are more natural.

"Reflection"

8" x 8" plein air oil on board $65 unframed

#20002615

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.

"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

"Fall Reflections" Plein Air Painting

Yesterday Debbie and I headed back to a spot in a private yard near the Leighton Centre. We left a note on their door and ducked under the barbed wire to find our peaceful spot. It was serene and quiet, a wonderful way to spend some time with a friend!

 The light was changing so quickly, so I added colour that I saw glimmers of. Thanks for taking the photos Debbie! Note the painting outfit: gardening gloves, rubber boots, an apron and paint on my face and clothes, without the paint brush in hand, most people would stay clear!

A little more of my view and set up while the painting was progressing.

"Fall Reflections" Plein Air

12" x 12" Oil on Board $200 unframed

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've traveled from B.C. to Calgary today so thought I would post a painting that I did during a plein air class at Carburn Park in Calgary last May. The top photo is what I was looking at. My finished painting is underneath. It is really hard to narrow your focus down when there is so much to see and it is all similar in colour so I concentrated on the shapes I saw. You can see a fellow artist busy with a different view.

"Carburn Park Reflections" 

Oil 10" x 8"

$100 framed as shown

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.

Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #3

As my time was running out and the noon deadline to have all paintings handed in, I used the paints on my palette and quickly laid down the shapes I saw in a completely different direction. This one had a small lake, tree groves and farmer's crops in view. This painting was really fun and with time running out there was no getting into any details. It was fresh and the sun reflected on the top left corner so the colour is off in the photo.

I was only allowed to put one painting in the judging so I put in the second one. I did not win the challenge but enjoyed the wonderful views, friends, being with like minded people, a delicious lunch and a fabulous day! I will certainly go again next year!! A big thank you to Reflections West Art and the Leighton Art Centre for all their hard work!

"Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #3"

Oil on canvas board 12" x 9"

Painting #2 at the Plein Air Painting Challenge

On August 17, Debbie and I enjoyed the Plein Air Painting Challenge presented by Reflections West Art and Leighton Art Centre. As we had time to paint from 7am until noon, I worked on a second painting with a completely different view, just by picking up my easel and turning slightly. This view had the rolling hills, lit up wild grasses and flowers and a farm house in the background. The Leighton Centre also had a wood art instillation of thin tree trunks that intrigued me.

"Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #2"

Oil on gesso board 12" x 12"

The farm house is in the middle of the picture, just barely visible. This is a picture of my painting in progress as well as my set up.

Plein Air Painting Challenge

My friend Debbie and I attended the Plein Air Painting Challenge presented by Reflections West Art and Leighton Art Centre at the Leighton Art Centre (just outside of Calgary) on Sunday. The motto was "Retreat . Create . Rejuvenate" and all three were covered well. The day started at 7am and the artists had until noon to paint. The sky was overcast and the mountains were barely in view. Below is the view and my first completed painting. When the sun did peak out, the grasses were alive with colour. I loved the rolling hill in the background so made it more dominate than what I saw. I will post the 2nd and 3rd paintings later.

"Leighton Art Centre Plein Air Painting Challenge, painting #1"

Oil on canvas board 9" x 12"

Sicamous Public Beach plein air painting

This post was accidentally compositing in my "Draft" section of this blog so here is today's post:  This painting was purchased for a wonderful man as a thank you gift. It was important to buy local art to celebrate living in Sicamous B.C. Thank you Jeannie for your selection of this painting. 

 This is my painting in progress as I painted plein air (outdoors, on location) from the Sicamous, B.C. public beach. I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree. The park was not busy in the morning and other than early morning walkers and a few families, I was pretty much on my own. This is my painting in progress with the view of the public swim area and the boaters directional light post that caught my eye.

"View from Sicamous Public Beach"

9" x 12" oil on board

plein air   SOLD

#20022816A

Sicamous Public Beach plein air painting

This painting was purchased for a wonderful man as a thank you gift. It was important to buy local art to celebrate living in Sicamous B.C. Thank you Jeannie for your selection of this painting. 

 This is my painting in progress as I painted plein air (outdoors, on location) from the Sicamous, B.C. public beach. I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree. The park was not busy in the morning and other than early morning walkers and a few families, I was pretty much on my own. This is my painting in progress with the view of the public swim area and the boaters directional light post that caught my eye.

"View from Sicamous Public Beach"

9" x 12" oil on board

plein air   SOLD

#20022816A

Sicamous Public Beach plein air painting

This painting was purchased for a wonderful man as a thank you gift. It was important to buy local art to celebrate living in Sicamous B.C. Thank you Jeannie for your selection of this painting. 

 This is my painting in progress as I painted plein air (outdoors, on location) from the Sicamous, B.C. public beach. I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree. The park was not busy in the morning and other than early morning walkers and a few families, I was pretty much on my own. This is my painting in progress with the view of the public swim area and the boaters directional light post that caught my eye.

"View from Sicamous Public Beach"

9" x 12" oil on board

plein air   SOLD

#20022816A

Sicamous Public Beach plein air painting

This painting was purchased for a wonderful man as a thank you gift. It was important to buy local art to celebrate living in Sicamous B.C. Thank you Jeannie for your selection of this painting. 

 This is my painting in progress as I painted plein air (outdoors, on location) from the Sicamous, B.C. public beach. I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree. The park was not busy in the morning and other than early morning walkers and a few families, I was pretty much on my own. This is my painting in progress with the view of the public swim area and the boaters directional light post that caught my eye.

"View from Sicamous Public Beach"

9" x 12" oil on board

plein air   SOLD

#20022816A

Sicamous Public Beach plein air painting

This painting was purchased for a wonderful man as a thank you gift. It was important to buy local art to celebrate living in Sicamous B.C. Thank you Jeannie for your selection of this painting. 

 This is my painting in progress as I painted plein air (outdoors, on location) from the Sicamous, B.C. public beach. I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree. The park was not busy in the morning and other than early morning walkers and a few families, I was pretty much on my own. This is my painting in progress with the view of the public swim area and the boaters directional light post that caught my eye.

"View from Sicamous Public Beach"

9" x 12" oil on board

plein air   SOLD

#20022816A