Orange Evening

Each day the heat and humidity continue to increase and today is no exception with the temperature at 86F (30C) and the humidity making it feel like 102F (39C).

I thought instead of working outside in the garden that I would take my paints and find a place by one of the lakes and paint.

Since I didn't want to travel very far, I went up Highway 28 until I came to the Trent-Severn Waterway Lock 28 - Burleigh Falls. I parked the car in the lot and took my art supplies and chair and set myself up along the far end of the concrete edge of the boat launch out of the way of people using the launch.

I could look out across Lovesick Lake and see the Buckhorn shoreline to my right and Ruba Island across the channel on the left.














I lightly indicated the horizon line and the land on each side of the channel with a pencil. It was at this point that I decided I would make it an evening scene.

I wet the paper thoroughly, then washed in the sky and the water and using mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna and alizarin crimson. While the paper was still damp, I added French ultramodern blue to the sky colours and put in the evening clouds into the sky and their reflections into the water.

It didn't take long for the paper to dry completely and I mixed burnt sienna with a little bit of the blue and painted in Ruba Island on the left side and the reflections into the water below the rocky shoreline.

This was followed by painting the closer shore using a darker mixture of the same two colours and adding more details to the trees, rocky shoreline and into the reflections on the lake.

This original 11" x 15" watercolour painting when framed will be available for $295.00. SOLD

Ruffed Grouse

It is another hot and humid day with the actual temperature reaching a high of 81F (27.2C) feels like 97F (36.1C).

I didn't feel like doing too much outside so I worked on this drawing of a Ruffed Grouse that I had started last year (see post on 26 December 2014).

Fortunately, I had a lot of reference photographs to get the detail correct on the grouse.

One thing I learned was that if the band on the tail of a Ruffed Grouse is unbroken it is a male.

This original 9" x 12" graphite pencil drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $75.00.

Barn III

Today is another bright, sunny and hot 82F (28C) day and with the humidity it feels like 93F (34C).

I thought that I would develop this sketch that I did a few years ago (see post on 25 September 2013) into a more finished drawing.

Next I started on the barn by adding the tin onto the roof, windows on the long side of the barn and a sliding door and a door to the mow on the front of the barn.

I removed the fence that was in front of the barn and then worked on the large rocks in the foreground, filled out the pine tree and added a roadway to the barn.













I put grasses at the edges of the road and rocks and the added a fence along the edge of the field.

Lastly I added a farm house and some trees on top of the hill in the distance.

This original 5-1/4" x 9” graphite pencil drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $40.00.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Oriental Pottery

It is another hot day 77F (25C) but with the humidity feels like 84F (29C).

I wanted to do more work on this drawing (see post on 06 February 2014) that I had started in the still life class at KAGS.

I tightened up the drawing and added the pattern details on the vase and pottery jar.

I made a few changes to the composition by enlarging the clay tea pot and shifting its position slightly.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Barn XII

Today was a very busy day for me; but a least it is a bright and sunny day with the temperature climbing to 79F (26C) but with the humidity it feels like 84F (29C). Fortunately, there was a breeze and while driving I had my sun roof open on the car and the air conditioner on which made things comfortable.

First I went to Lang Pioneer Village and got my paintings from the McKelvie Gallery and while I was there, I took some photographs before I went out with some of my fellow KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group artists for lunch in Keene.



















From there I headed out to The Lindsay Gallery to pick up my painting from the juried art show and then returned home and where I had planned to do some work in my garden.

Instead I sat in the shade of one of the apple trees near the barn and did this drawing of the fronts of the east and the west barns. It was a peaceful way to end the day.

Mine! 1

Today we had a temperature of 72F (22C) with the humidity making it feel like 84F (29C) but we will have rain for most of the day which means I do not have to water my garden.

I wanted to work on a still life drawing today, so I set up one of my stuffed toys in this case a dragon and added a few blocks to make it interesting.















It didn't take very long to get the drawing of the dragon finished.

From there I started adding in the various blocks to complete the drawing. The last thing I did was to curve the dragon's tail around the blocks making him look possessive.

Pine Forest

Today started off with a foggy morning but it is supposed to get hot and humid again today, with the temperature reaching 78F (25.5C) and the humidity making it feel like 91F (32C).

I thought I would like to paint outside this morning but didn't want to go too far from the house so I decided to paint the forest at the edge of the front field.

Using mixtures of titanium white, ultramarine blue and cobalt blue I brushed in the sky.

Next I mixed a wide variety of greens using raw sienna, yellow ochre, pthalo blue, burnt sienna cobalt blue and ultramarine blue.

Using the various greens I worked my way from the background trees through to the closest ones to me, gradually darkening the colors.

Now I have to go to the Norwood Skillet and take down my show.

Saddlebred Head Study

I was watching a program about the different types of gaited horses on television.

I found it interesting about the many different gaited breeds that are found throughout the world. Including a couple that I hadn't realized they were considered gaited.

I did a number of sketches of the different breeds which I will post at a later date.

This original 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" graphite pencil drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $20.00.

Poppies 2

Today as I sat on the front lawn enjoying a cup of tea, I decided to do a pencil drawing of my poppies which are out in full bloom.

The sad part about poppies is that they last for such a short time.














I may at a later date do a painting of them, with their bright red colouring.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at the artwork.

OSWOA - Pears in Blue Bowl

This is a painting I started a while ago (see post on 30 April 2010) in a class with Margaret Roseman.

The pears and bowl were pretty much complete and only required a small amount of detail to be added.

The paper around the pears and bowl down to the tablecloth was wet with clear water and the background was painted in with a mixture of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson and a touch of burnt sienna creating a soft, warm grey.

 











Once the background was dry the tablecloth was painted using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and burnt sienna.

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $50.00 and sold unframed.

ACEO - Dockside 1 and 2

Today I was bound and determined to finish the two little paintings that I had started last year (see postings on 16 October 2012, 09 February 2013, 20 May 2013, 15 August 2013, 10 December 2013 and 09 January 2014).

It seemed as though every time I started working on them something came up so that I wasn't able to get very much work done on them.

Dockside 1

On the first painting I only needed to finish the tie rope on the one post and add a little more shadow on the posts to complete the painting.

The second painting just need a little more work on the larger gull by adding a few more details.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

Dockside 2

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Watering Cans I

Today I was at a paint out at the home of one of the members of the Outdoor Painters' Group.

She has beautiful gardens surrounding her home and I took many photographs of them, but what attracted me to sit down and sketch were the two watering cans on her back porch.














I liked the way they were sitting at the edge of the deck, in front of the exterior door with the screen panel.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Buckhorn Artists' Group Blog - Bonny Windover

I have posted the biography of another member of the Buckhorn Artists' Group, Bonny Windover to the blog as well as examples of her artwork.

Stormy Sky I

It was a beautiful day today with the temperature going up to 77F (25C) and with the humidity it felt more like 88F (31C), this caused us to be treated to three thunderstorms.

I have always enjoyed watching thunderstorms and with living on the top of a hill you can see the lightning all around you during a storm. It was especially nice being able to sit on the front porch with my husband and enjoy the beauty of the storm with its many lightning strikes.












While going through some drawings I came across this one that I had started a few years ago (see post on 27 August 2011).

I thought it fitting that I should finish this drawing of a stormy day.

I lightly penciled in the bottoms of a series of clouds and then gradually inked in the layers of the clouds as they stacked one on top of the other.

This original 4-1/2" x 9" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $45.00.

In the Caribbean 1

Today I was watching a program on television about the various resort islands in the Caribbean.

As I was watching the program, I pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and did this little sketch which was a composite of a number of the beaches.















I put in the horizon line where the sky meets the ocean.

I added clouds into the sky and added some of the larger waves into the water.

Lastly, into the foreground I added the bubbling froth as the wave starts to recede back into the ocean.

Summer Trees 1

Today as I went to the Peterborough Riverview Park and Zoo and went down to the lower level by the Otonabee River where there is a footbridge leading to a small island. I wanted to work on a small painting, so I sat down to paint for by the river.

It didn't take long for me to rough in the main sections of the rocks, the far side of the river and the trees.

Wetting my paper first, I brushed in the sky and the river with French ultramarine blue.

While the paper was drying, I mixed various greens using Antwerp blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin.

I started by painting in the trees on the far shore of the river, this was followed by painting the areas of the leaves on the trees that were in the island.

















Using alizarin crimson and burnt sienna, I indicated where the rocks of the island would be located.

While the rock base was drying, using raw sienna I indicated some of the reeds in the water by the far shore.

I mixed a dark of burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue and painted painted over the rock area, and using a palette knife I lifted some of the dark colour to create the rock shapes, with the under paint showing through.

Next, I painted in the tree trunks with the dark mixture.

Lastly, I added in a couple of gull silhouettes as they flew across the sky above the river.

This framed, original 3" x 3-1/2" watercolour painting is available for $85.00. SOLD

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Mountain Range

I wanted to compete this painting that I had started a number of years ago (see post on 26 May 2010).

Working from the background forward I started by rounding the top of the middle mountain so it didn't look as though someone had put off the top.

Next using various mixtures of cadmium red and cadmium yellow, I brushed in some areas with colour to give a little more depth to the autumn colours, but not enough to make them jump out at you.

Now I wanted to work on the rocks. Beginning with the further back ones on the right shore, I tidied up the top edges that were against the background trees. This was followed by adding some darker colors and lighter colours to give the rocks shape.

On the middle section of the rocky shore, using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna and alizarin crimson, I gradually added more definition to the individual rocks, instead of having them as one large mass. This was followed by adding various textures to some of the rocks, while leaving others fairly plain.












On the foreground rock face, I toned down the far left section and added a few cracks onto the rock surface.

Lastly, I wanted to make changes to the the lake, again working from the back forward, I lifted a few highlights from the dark reflections in the water below the reeds at the shoreline.

Below the furthest back ones on the right side I darkened the colour in the water slightly, while still letting some of the paler colour show through; and dry brushed some of the dark green colour right across the water.

I removed the dark section at the bottom of the middles section of the rocks leaving only a thin line at the base  of them.

Using various mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna, and French ultramarine blue and using a dry brush I put in ripples through the middle section of the lake from the base of the rock across the other side.

From there I continued working across the lower part of the lake with a dry brush to add more ripples on the lake.

When this original 6-1/2" x 11-1/2” watercolour has been matted and framed it will be available for $245.00.

Moonlight Reflections 1

Tonight there is a full moon in the sky lighting up the ground with a soft glow.

I thought I would like to do a drawing of a full moon at night.

I started by placing the moon in the top of the sky and indicating the path of the moonlight on the ground, but in this case on water.

Next I put in the horizon line and to the right side of the lake I indicated an island.

To create some interest I put in a sailboat on the water along with some reflections from the sailboat.

At a later date I may develop this drawing into a painting.

Lake Reflections I

Today I just didn't feel like going to a paint out with the group, so instead I went to the Selwyn Beach Conservation Area. I wandered along the hiking trail and about 1 mile (1.6km) along the trail I stopped to sketch this view of Chemong Lake.














What I liked about this scene was the two trees that flanked the trail that led to the lake. It made it look so inviting to go and stand at the edge of the water and look out across the inlet.

Pine Tree at Dawn

Today my Smoke kitty finally came back. I thought something had happened to her, since she was gone for almost two weeks.

This morning I watched the sunrise and painted the dawn colours and added the same pine tree from yesterday to the painting.

This original 6" x 8" framed watercolour is available for $125.00.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Sunset Pine

With living on the top of a hill I am fortunate to see both the sun rise and the sun set each day, weather permitting.

I have a number of stately pine trees on the property and they are often silhouetted against the sky.

Last night I sat at the kitchen table looking out the window and watched the sunset and painted in the background sky for this painting.

Today I added the silhouette of a solitary pine tree.

This original framed 6" x 8" watercolour is available for $125.00.

Foggy Morning 1

Today is a very hot 79F (26C) and humid 93F (34C) day. Fortunately, we do have a bit of a breeze that is helping to keep it from being unbearable outside.

I am saddened that Smoky has not returned from her wandering. I hope she has just found another farm rather than the alternative.

Often in the morning as the sun starts to rise over the distant hills, I look out over the woodland and Snelgrove Brook at the bottom of the hill, I watch the tendrils of fog as they drift above the water and weave in and out between the trees.

I drew in the parts of the trees that could be seen and left the bottom areas blank with the fog hiding them from sight.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork.

OSWOA - Autumn Woodland 1

Today I noticed the tamarack trees at the bottom of the front hill have regained their light green needles and are no longer just tree skeletons.

Thinking about how these trees change with the seasons I decided to work on this autumn painting (see postings on 08 March 2012 and 11 February 2014) that I had started a while ago.













If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $30.00 and sold unframed.

ACEO - Morning Trees 1-3

Today I had some time to work on a few paintings and I pulled these three pieces out that I had started earlier this year with just painting in the background colours (see postings on 25 January 2014 and 27 February 2014).

I began work on the first one that already had the trees painted in and added more colour and details to the foreground tress.

Morning Trees 1

I decided that I may as well complete them in order so I started on the next one that had been called Yellow Sky 5.

Rather than have them in a forest setting I wanted the trees to be standing on their own, windswept, bent and some broken standing against the elements silhouetted against the sky without any background other than edge of a rock face.

Morning Trees 2

For the last one that had been called Yellow Sky 6, I thought trees on the rocky shore of a lake with the golden light reflected in the water.

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Morning Trees 3

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

Sunlit Poppies

In my garden the first of my tall irises are blooming, the lavender ones and the beautiful royal purple ones in the main bed, as well as the pale, yellow ones in the rose garden. Many of the other irises have buds which will soon open with their wealth of colours and elegant beauty.

Yesterday the first of my poppies bloomed and today there is a riot of red in the front beds of the house garden. Poppies are one of my favourite flowers and I look forward to them blooming every year.

It is not often that I have apple blossoms, lilacs, tulips, bleeding hearts, irises and poppies in bloom all at the same time.

It seems that with the cold weather and the snow staying for so much longer this year than before, they are trying to make up for lost time.

My peonies are also full of buds and it will not be long before they are in full bloom.

With the poppies now out and blooming I decided that I would work on this painting that I recently found on a shelf in a stack of watercolor paper.

All it needed was me to go through and add the small white "hairs" on the stems and the unopened bud of the poppies.

This original 8-1/2" x 13” watercolour painting once it is framed will be available for $365.00.

Cottage Country 1

Today I went out to Big Cedar Lake along one of the back roads at one point by the lake there was a place to park and a large rock face where I sat for a while and did this sketch of two cottages one across an inlet from the other.















Now that I know about this place where a canoe can be launched, I will come here again with Ron and we can spend some time on this lake.

Buckhorn Artists' Group Blog - Show Updates

I have updated the Buckhorn Artists' Group blog with a listing of shows some of the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work in during the month of June.

If you get a chance please come out and visit them at one or all of the shows.

Summertime

Although today is overcast with the promise of more rain and thunderstorms in the forecast it is a wonderful 72F (22C) with a breeze blowing which helps keep the mosquitoes away.

I received confirmation yesterday that one of my paintings "Through the Storm" (see posting on 19 April 2013) was accepted for the juried show at The Lindsay Gallery which is held 03-26 June 2014.

I wanted to paint today and came across this painting in my portfolio of a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) that I had started many years ago.  It didn't need a lot of work for it to be finished as there were only that a few wild grape leaves on the fence rail that needed their final layer of colour.

After a couple hours of work on those leaves and a few other spots throughout the painting I was finally happy with the results.

I will continue to post the painting I finish each day during the course of the month. I hope you will return often to see the postings.

This original 15" x 22" watercolour painting when framed will be available for $1,480.00.

In the Shade

I was a hot 82F (28C) and very humid feeling like 93F (34C) day, thankfully the breeze kept the air moving and prevented it from becoming unbearable.

I worked in the garden this morning before it got too hot and put out a couple of hummingbird feeders. I put one in the lawn garden and another from the maple tree at the front of the house.

It certainly didn't take long for the hummingbirds to find the feeders. It is always nice to have them around, especially when I am working outside.











I pulled this painting out that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 15 January, 24 February and 19 May 2014).

I added more leaves to the maple tree and a little more colour to the grass.

This original 2" x 3-3/4" watercolour painting when it is framed will be available for $65.00.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Confirmed Shows for 2014 - June

This is a listing of confirmed shows that I will be exhibiting my artwork at this year. I will update the list as more shows are added.

Kawartha Arts Network - Art On Kent, Lindsay, Ont.
KAN
08 May 14 - 05 Jun 14 Exhibit Exchange with Gallery in the Attic
Opening Reception 09 May 14 Evening - 7-9pm
03 Jul 14 -02 Aug 14 Member's Show
Opening Reception 05 Jul 14 from 1-3pm.
04-27 Sep 14 Reaping and Gathering
Opening Reception 06 Sep 14 from 1-3pm.
02-25 Oct 14 Water, Water Everywhere
Opening Reception 04 Oct 14 from 1-3pm.
30 Oct 14 - 22 Nov 14 Abstraction and Contraptions
Opening Reception 01 Nov 14 from 1-3pm.
27 Nov - 10 Jan 15 Affordableism
Opening Reception 29 Nov 14 from 1-3pm.

Norwood Skillet, 4247 Highway 7, Norwood Ont.
28 May - 24 Jun 14

MacKelvie Gallery, Keene, Ontario
PioneerVillage
29 May - 26 Jun Lang Pioneer Village Museum, Keene, Ont.

The Lindsay Gallery, Lindsay, Ont.
LindsayGallery
03-26 Jun 14 Annual Juried Show
18 Nov - 19 Dec 14 Members' Christmas Show and Sale

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
08 Jun - 03 Jul 14 Summer Sizzle
Opening Reception 08 Jun from 1-4pm.
10 Aug - 04 Sep 14 Figuratively Speaking
Opening Reception 10 Aug 14 from 1-4pm.
21 Sep - 16 Oct 14 Carnival of Colour
Opening Reception 21 Sep 14 from 1-4pm.
02-20 Nov 14 Outdoor Painters' Show
Opening Reception 02 Nov 14 from 1-4pm.

St Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont
BuckhornArtistsGroup
09-17 Aug 24th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show

Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
KawarthaArtsFestival
30-31 Aug 14 Kawartha Arts Festival

Please come out and enjoy the artwork displayed at some of these shows.