Toast to Maui Sunset #1

This painting is from the end of a week's holiday in Maui. The sunsets are quick but beautiful. The wineglass was filled with beautiful sunset colours reflected in the white wine. The wine like the sunset, quickly disappeared!

 

"Toast to Maui Sunset #1"

Oil on canvas panel    9" x 12"

 

I plan on doing at least 3 different paintings of this scene (hence the #1) in different sizes and colours.



Drop in Figure Drawing/Painting

What fun last night was! I finally went to a figure drawing/painting open time (no instruction). There were artists drawing in pencil, pastel, water colour and oil painting. The model was accidentally booked for the wrong night so the moderator did short poses (clothed). The moderator was wearing a heavy long sweater and jeans.

 I worked in oils and just wiped my board off after each pose. Luella beside me gave me a piece of paper and suggested I try to paint on it so I could layer and add colour (bottom painting). It felt really dry and I had to really push the paint to move it initially but will certainly do that again. I took photos of some of the quick studies before I wiped them off my board.

If any other Calgary artists are interested, it is drop in on Monday nights from 6pm-9pm at Atlantis Framing. It appears that most of the artists there come weekly. Next week is also pot luck so bring a plate, utensils and something to share!

 

I was just wiping off the lighted area of the face when time was up.

This one looks scary but I was just starting to wipe out the paint in the lit area of the face and hand.

This one is on paper wrapped around my board. A longer pose with time to get the shapes in better but no details.

 

"Nanking Cherries"

I started this painting at the end of Dreama Tolle Perry's workshop in May. Life seriously went sideways and I finally just finished it. It certainly feels good to be painting again!

"Nanking Cherries"

Oil on linen panel 8"x8"

 

Holly McWilliams Workshop

What a fun, energetic and wonderful learning experience it was on the weekend with the FCA Calgary workshop with Holly McWilliams. We all drew then painted the same figure photo reference, learning how to make the body warm and cool (hence the two sides painted differently). It was really fun to work with purples, yellows, reds and blues for the figure.

On Saturday we watched Holly demo and fill our brains with so much interesting information, then we went on to paint on our own. On Sunday we worked on our figure again, then moved on to a photo of our choosing (that is why some of the figure paintings were
 not finished). Holly taught both oil and acrylic at the same time which was wonderful to hear and understand.

 

"Figure in Warm and Cool"

20" x 10" oil on board

 It was a very fun workshop with a wonderful group of artists led by the much loved Holly.

A sad "See you later" to the Pettitt Superman

"In Memory of our Superman - Clay Pettitt"

8" x 10" Acrylic on board

I painted this in an effort to release some of the sadness and shock of my cousin Clay's passing. He died suddenly of a brain aneurism leaving shock, anger, heart brokenness and disbelief. He was the Pettitt family's Superman.

The back of the board was painted bright yellow, a reference to the ray of sunshine he was in so many lives. I printed comments that friends and family had said about Clay on Facebook around song words that meant so much to his wife. Clay loved with all his heart and knew he was loved back!

Sponge Toffee Meets Terracotta Warriors

 

"Sponge Toffee Meets Terracotta Warriors"

Oil on canvas 16" x 20"

 

I received 3 photographs via email from my friend Joan. She had recently been to Bryce Canyon and aptly had already named her photo. Joan is always very generous and allows me to paint whatever she sends me from her world travels. With a title like this one and the wild colours, it was just what I needed to get into painting again! Thanks Joan, keep 'em coming! The bit of shine is from the still wet painting.

Shuswap Villas View #2

This is the second plein air painting that I have painted from the deck at the Shuswap Villas in Sicamous B.C. a couple of weeks ago. The view is large and too much to fit in one canvas so I painted the end of what I could see of the beach beside the Eagle River. This is my view, easel set up and the painting in progress.

 

 Shuswap Villas View #2 (in progress)
Plein Air Oil on board

View from Shuswap Villas

This plein air was painted with an almost aerial view from the Shuswap Villas deck in Sicamous B.C. The deck is on a rock bluff with the view of the lakes and Eagle River mouth far below. Even though this one was painted on site, I decided to do a larger format (16" x 20") and was amazed how much more time it took. I was really happy with my easel set up as I could easily move to keep out of the sun.

 "View From Shuswap Villas"

Plein Air 16" x 20" Oil on canvas board

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sicamous Evening

This painting is from a photo our son Curtis took in the Shuswap. It felt good to turn it into a colourful view of what we see in Sicamous. The moon over the hills and reflections on the lake are very beautiful especially in the early morning. I completed this a couple of weeks ago, but haven't had time to post it.

 

"Sicamous Evening" 

16" x 20"

Oil on board

 

 

...in progress....with the photo above the painting.

 

California Coast

I loved the photograph Curtis took from the plane as he flew over the California Coast with his Mount Royal University Aviation classmates a few years ago. The curve of the land and river, thin cloud silhouette,  malleable looking terrain and the plane wing reflections were all appealing. I thought only a plane buff could figure out what this was but happily a few artist friends got it right away!

 

"California Coast"

16" x 20" Oil on board