Long Pose

"Long Pose"
12" x 12" Oil on 1 1/2" thick canvas with painted sides (framing not required)
#20024119

The still life reminded me of how difficult it is to be a model posing for artists and how setting up a still life lets you have all the time you need.

Spring Mix In Blue

"Spring Mix in Blue"
10" x 8"
Oil on canvas board
#20014917

The reference for this painting was taken and shared by Teri Sanders in an online course I was enrolled in. Teri graciously shared photographs for others in the class to paint and I loved this one.

The pot reminded me of a white enamel coffee pot my Grandmother had (chipped and well worn) and now my sister cherishes.

Dreama's Online class - Week 4 & 5

Week 4    "Seated In The Garden"         14" x 11"                 Oil on canvas board  #20027617A

   

               Week 5  "Gathered In Love"

                                          12" x 12" Oil on canvas board
                                                                     #20027617B

These two paintings are my rendition of an online art class I took with Dreama Tolle Perry. The chair is Week 4 and the flower pot is Week 5. I am going to have to take better reference photos for myself as I love her photo references, all the composition work is done!

The painting of the chair was given to the Mount Royal Staff Association as one of their door prizes for their professional development day. I put Dreama's info on the back and that I had completed it in her workshop.

Dreama's Online class - Week 2

I have signed up for an online workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry. Her first image and instruction (week 2) is of a photo she took of a cupcake. I watched the video instruction and painted along (first cupcake). Later I painted a second cupcake just using the photo reference. I enjoyed painting these cupcakes so much I am going to have to buy some fancy ones,  paint them and then enjoy eating them (at least that is my excuse!).

"My Little Cupcake 1"
8" x 8"
Oil on wood
#20021617A

The second painting was done on canvas paper so it had a different textural feeling. I used the same colours and reference photo but the speed and how I felt while painting it was so different.

"My Little Cupcake 2"
8" x 8"
Oil on canvas paper
##20021617B

Splash Of Pink

"Splash Of Pink"
12" x 9" Oil on canvas
#20007617


The photo reference is from Teri Sanders that was shared on Facebook for other artists in the group to use (Thanks Teri). I went bolder with colours and really had fun with this one. I loved the little sprigs of baby's breath as a design element.

After The Ceremony

I was given some flowers and decided to put them on the deck and do a "plein air still life". I think I made up that category but it worked for me. I loved concentrating on the flowers while listening to the lake waves roll in. A large umbrella provided the shade I needed.

"After The Ceremony"

14" x 11" Oil on canvas

#20021816  $150 unframed

Sweet And Shiny

"Sweet And Shiny"

9" x 12" still life

oil on canvas board

$150 unframed

#20007415

I painted this in my last class with Ingrid Christensen. I had been away and missed the previous 3 classes. I did not have anything to set up as a still life so I painted the back view of another student's still life set up. I loved how the red apple almost mimicked the vase shape from my vantage point. I miss taking the weekly class but once again would miss to many with other commitments. If you are an artist and want to learn, check out her blog by clicking on her name above. She is an amazing painter and a very kind instructor. 

Study In Blue

April 7 Painting Challenge

"Study in Blue"

9" x 12" Not for Sale (for my own reference only)

This painting was done in a Rick Berg 3 hour workshop today. It was a study of blue objects and their shadows. It was interesting to paint all the "shadow family" and then the "light family" as Rick describes them. We saw examples, watched him paint and then worked our own from a lit still life set up.

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Whidbey Island Workshop - Day 3

This was our final workshop day and had to head to the ferry then the airport to go home. Dreama Tolle Perry talked about the "business" of art and how she manages her own art business. It was very interesting in how she grew and what she did as well as talk about self promotion which is hard for most artists. After that we worked on a small painting 8" x 8". Dreama handed out about 5 different pictures (the yellow icing cupcake picture was painted upside down). We started on our painting and blocked it in then she had us move to the next easel and continue painting on that one with whatever paints the artist had on her palette. We moved to 6 easels with an unknown time frame at each.

It was interesting moving on to the next easel and look at what others had painted, deciding what you liked, what you didn't and what you were going to paint on it. For tight painters it was mortifying to follow a loose painter and vice versa. Here is my cupcake painting that I arrived back to. We were allowed 5 paint strokes then had to quit. I am still hoping to work on it at home and make it mine. I really enjoyed this challenge and learnt a lot from it.

Dreama just put her photos of the weekend on her website. My blue vase painting is in the second row on the left and the bottom photo is of Deb and I painting at our easels.

dreamatolleperry.com

 

Whidbey Island Workshop - Day 2

12" x 12"

Oil on canvas board

 

This is the painting I did on day 2 in Dreama Tolle Perry's workshop. We all painted this from a photocopy of a picture from Dreama. The groans were very audible as this was a very complicated picture. Dreama again showed us how she minimized the photo, did the under painting and then how to get started.  The 12"x12" was different, but it certainly worked for this picture as there was so much in it. Most people left out the folded up umbrella, but I put it in mine.

 

It was fun to work with these colours and just dove in. I was really hoping to do a building or something other than flowers so I was pleased and intimidated as well. Dreama walked from easel to easel helping us with the "wonky" chairs (which were very difficult for most people).

 

Again Deb and I stayed until our paintings were complete. I was very happy with the day and my painting.

Whidbey Island, WA Workshop

My friend Deb and I flew out to Seattle on Thursday morning, toured around, went to a couple of art stores, had a delicious lunch then made our way across the ferry to Whidbey Island. There were hilarious adventures in getting lost, found, lost, found, lost and found just trying to get away from the airport as well as meeting Mad Madge in the ferry line up! We stayed in a wonderful cabin on Goss Lake, enjoying the canoe and hot tub.

We were both there to learn and enjoy Dreama Tolle Perry's 3 day oil painting workshop. The picture below is of my name tag....perfect! Each tag was different and we read them out when we introduced ourselves at the beginning of the 3 day workshop.

Dreama talked to our group and then started a demo working from a picture. She painted a brilliantly coloured under painting and then we painted ours (from the same picture). We went back and forth about 3 times watching Dreama demo then working on our own painting. Deb and I wanted to finish ours so we stayed and closed the place up for the night.

 

12" x 12" Oil on linen board

 

I enjoyed the whole experience of painting this. I had never painted a 12" x 12" format before and really like the size. I finally found a way to enjoy the Caribbean Blue oil paint and freely created. I was using the colours Dreama recommended for the workshop.

 

 

Early Morning Flower Series #49 and #50

Early Morning Flower Series #49

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

click on picture for a larger view

Below is a picture my friend Karen took of me painting the last of the series...#50!  My goal was to paint 50 in the 6" x 6" format and as varied as possible.The flower is just out of view on the window pane. I really enjoyed painting these and loved the freedom a small painting provided. I used whatever flowers I could find and sometimes the same one(s) for various paintings, even as they wilted or petals fell off. It made me really look at it instead of "filling in the blank spaces" to make a pretty picture. Backgrounds were fun and creatively invented, a real trial and error with textures and colours.

Early Morning Flower Series #50

Oil on Board 6" x 6"
click on picture for a larger view

Early Morning Flower Series #47 & #48

Early Morning Flower Series #47

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

These two paintings were done because I was interested in their petal shapes. It is usually colour that interests me, but the shapes were so different on these. It was quite a contrast painting a flower with very few petals, then one with many petals that overlap.

Early Morning Flower Series #48

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

The Pretty Ones Get Picked First

The Pretty Ones Get Picked First

5"x7" Oil on board

This tomato was a little funny shaped with a flat bottom and not quite ripe. The shape and spiky vine is what caught my interest to paint, the others had caught my interest tastebud wise. 

Early Morning Flower Series #45 & #46

Early Morning Flower Series #45

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I really enjoyed working on these flower paintings. Keeping an orange background, I wanted to see how two different flowers would look and if I could keep the bold background from taking over. I really enjoy the vibrancy and looseness of the both of these.

Early Morning Flower Series #46

Oil on Board 6" x 6"
click on pictures for a larger view

I changed the position of the 9 flower paintings in my office (3 across by 3 down) and it looks like a whole new set! As I have sold some, putting the new ones up make the variations feel endless.

Sue's Hydrangea

The picture above shows the Hydrangea on the window sill and the painting I had just completed. I went to stay at Sue and Ross's cabin in Chase, B.C. for a well needed break from all the work in Sicamous. After my overnight stay of being totally spoiled, I took a sampling of some of the beautiful flowers in Sue's garden. The poor flower had wilted in the sun by the time I finished, but I love the end result....restful and full of life.

Sue's Hydrangea

12" x 16" oil on panel

click on picture for a larger view

Early Morning Flower Series #43 & #44

Early Morning Flower Series #43  SOLD
Oil on Board 6" x 6"

The two morning challenges was to use the same flowers with completely different coloured backgrounds.It is amazing how differently we respond to different colours. The flowers were starting to get a little old in the one below and I think the background made it feel even more so.

Early Morning Flower Series #44

Oil on Board 6" x 6"



Early Morning Flower Series #41 & #42

Early Morning Flower Series #41

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I have enjoyed this series of small flower paintings. My goal was to paint 50 very different paintings. I had not painted in a small square format before. They certainly have been fun and challenging to try and do something different each time. Using the same flower (a couple of days apart) with different backgrounds really changes the whole feel.

Early Morning Flower Series #42  SOLD

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #39 & #40

Early Morning Flower Series #39   SOLD

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

These are two of my favorites...bright, cheery, full of colour and fun! The one below is a little over exposed, as you can't quite see the detail in the blue flower. The essence is still fun and bold.

Early Morning Flower Series #40

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #37 & #38

Early Morning Flower Series #38

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Both of these paintings are for sale at the Eagle Valley Art Show and Sale in Sicamous B.C. I challenged myself by painting a different flower painting during my shifts helping out greeting visitors etc. I am uncomfortable painting in front of people and find as soon as eye contact is made, observers feel the need to comment. I know they are being kind and friendly but feel my painting is unworthy of their generous comments until it is completed. It was such a fun environment that I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. If you get a chance, the show is in Sicamous at the Red Barn community centre 10 am to 6pm ending Tuesday evening.

Early Morning Flower Series #39

Oil on Board 6" x 6"