Sketch Stalking

I have attended "Music In The Park" in Sicamous, B.C. and "WOW - Wednesday On (the) Wharf" in Salmon Arm B.C.This is a free weekly live  music family event that I bring a sketch book to and try to sketch the moving people (also known as Urban Sketching). My sister Shannon coined it "Sketch Stalking". Sometimes I have other sketchers with me like my sister-in-law Marg. We try and sketch discreetly so we don't get to many onlookers, interests and questions. These are not portraits but as much as we can get while they are still.

The lady on the right in the family photo had come up behind me during the musician's break and said "Looks like you are sketching my family", I was pleased they were recognizable as humans never mind her family. Her grand-kids came over and pointed out themselves and who I had not drawn yet. I only had time and energy to sketch the Dad and then closed up my book. I had also done a couple of pages of partial people as they moved or left.

Worth The Hike

This was a fun painting to do with our beautiful Rocky Mountain range in the background. This was painted in acrylic and I really had fun with the colours in every part of this painting.

This painting was sold in Gallery 150 in Sicamous, B.C.


"Worth The Hike"
SOLD

Walking In Peace

"Walking In Peace"

9" x 10" Pastel on paper

#20008818

I painted this with pastels for the 30th Annual Ribbon Fair at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Art Gallery.

 I was pleased with a second place ribbon in the pastel category. This is the first year I was able to enter one painting in each of the categories and will try to do it again next year. It is an interesting goal as I do not normally paint or draw in all the categories.

Golfers Haven

 This is one of my favourite views at Hyde Mountain Golf Course in Sicamous B.C. It has been so hot that I wanted to get out and paint before the heat of the day. I was set up by 6:45a.m. and happily painted. The sky was pink and hazy from forest fires around the province. I had to quit as the pink had disappeared and all the colours were changing especially in the shadows. Loved the happy sounds of the golfers getting ready for their tee off time.

"Golfers Haven"

8" x 10" En plein air oil painting

#20005818

Family Huddle

This was painted en plein air in Sicamous B.C. standing at the edge of my brother and sister-in-law's home. They have so many flowers and interesting objects in their yard to choose from. So many people walking by told me how much they enjoyed "my" yard on their walks. Yes I did fess up to it not being mine. One fellow stopped his car to tell me his wife was painting as well on her back deck so I dropped by when I was done and met a new art friend,
how great is that!




"Family Huddle"
10" x 8" Oil on 1 1/2" deep canvas
#20031718

Mara Lake Calm

"Mara Lake Calm"

8" x 10"  Oil on 1 1/2" deep canvas

#200028718

Oh what a glorious morning! I finally organized myself to get out early and do some en plein air painting. This is one of my favourite viewpoints, amazingly the well organized town dump is at my back! The sky was hazy and colours were soft from forest fires in the province. It felt so good to be out feeding my visual eye and soul. The sounds of birds, the scent of the cedar trees, early morning temperatures and happy walkers interested in what I was doing and my progress all added to my delight. 

High Water

"High Water"

7" x 11" water colour

#20026718

I painted this from the vantage point of our yard. While we were away our kids were looking after our cabin during flood watch and this is the view when I arrived. These trees on the edge of our beach were well under the water. The reflections of the sun through the branches were beautiful and soft so I thought water colour would be the perfect medium.

Working on the Sicamous Legion Mural

Last week I worked on the mural on the long wall at the Legion in Sicamous, B.C. The Eagle Valley Arts Council collaborated with the Legion to have this mural painted. There was a lot of work done before I came on the scene but worked for 4 days with other local artists. We had so much fun and the laughter was loud. It was heart felt work as we have our own family members as well as passersby that stopped to share their memories. It was a pleasure to work with these ladies (and a few more that did not get in that day's photo). Thank you ladies for the fellowship, art experience, and laughter!

My sister-in-law Marg and I (she named us the blister sisters as in "blister-in-law", what fun. It was awkward to paint under the stairs but you can see we still had fun.

Ready For The Shedding

"Ready For The Shedding"

12" x 12"  Oil on canvas with 1 1/2" painted sides

#20027618

I really liked these bulrushes and the fluffy seeds looked like they were barely hanging on. Bulrushes are hardy and seem to grow in the most unlikely places. My photo reference was taken last fall as I walked along the road near our place in Sicamous, B.C.

End of holiday sketches - Surrey, UK

We ended our holiday with a half a day and evening in Surrey, UK with our friends Lucy, Barbara and Peter. They took us for dinner at the Weir Pub then we walked along the channel. These are some of the views on the walk. Barbara and Lucy drove us to the airport for our flight back to Canada the next morning after enjoying a night as their guests. What a wonderful holiday and my sketch book will conjure up all those wonderful moments and memories long after the holiday is done.