Clear Lake V - A Work in Progress

I had some time today and thought I would like to try and get this drawing completed that I have been working on it for quite a while (see posts on 09 June 2013, 16 May and 06 July 2016).

I started by working on the background trees first, beginning from the pine tree by the cottage and working to the right along the top of the rocks.

Next I put the rocks beneath the trees into the background, and along the edge of the lake and below them the water ripples.

From there I started in on the foreground by putting in the two dead pine tree trunks first, followed by the maple tree and the pine tree by the cottage.
















I put the rest of the cottage in behind the trees surrounding ii and added grasses and growies at the base of the trees.

As my time for working on this drawing was running out I started adding some rocks along the shoreline.

I will post this drawing again once I complete the foreground and the lawn chairs.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Clear Lake VII - A Work in Progress

Today I worked on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see post on 09 June 2013) while canoeing on Clear Lake.

I started with the foreground island, putting in the rocks first, then adding the bushes on top, lastly adding the pines and dead tree trunks.

I added in some of the areas of the background shoreline.













Next I put in the reflections from the island into the water and added the water ripples below the two islands in the middle area.

Then I started on the main pine tree trunks before I had to go out.

I will post this drawing at a later date once it has been completed.

Countryside Art Group Blog - Show Updates

On the first of each month I will update the Countryside Art Group's blog with a listing of shows where the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work.

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

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

I pulled out this sketch that I started earlier this year (see post on July 2016).

First I added more details to the fish and started on the branches of the sea fan.

Next I added various coral and sponges onto the rock.

I started to ink in the main branches of the sea fan before I ran out of time.

I will post this sketch at a later date.

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

Pink Sky 6 and 7 - Two Works in Progress

Today I just couldn't get into painting, but I wanted to do something.

I thought I would at least put in a couple of early morning skies in shades of pink, blue and mauve.

I started by using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson.

I decided that I would work on both pieces at the same time and started by wetting each piece and started with a wash  of alizarin crimson as the base colour.

Pink Sky 6

With the blue I streaked in a few areas of the blue across the sky, letting the colour blend into the base pink and creating mauve, while at the same time leaving some areas of the pink untouched.

I sketched in one of the rocks into the foreground.

I will post each of these pieces at later date once more work on them has been completed.

Pink Sky 7

ACEO - Christmas Pines 1

Today is Christmas Eve and what better way to celebrate it than to paint a snow scene with pine trees?

I started by putting in the pine trees first using various mixture of French ultramarine blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and cadmium yellow.

First a thin line of water was run on the paper and blotted with a tissue to lighten where the white birch tree trunk would be placed.

Burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue were used for the birch tree markings and branches.

A little more blue was added to the dark mixture and the maple tree was painted in beside the large pine tree.

Various mixes of cadmium yellow and raw sienna were used to put in the grasses and growies beneath the trees.

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

The ACEO 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 $20.00 and sold unframed.

Therese's Oven I - A Work in Progress

This morning started off as cold as yesterday's high of 25F (-4C) with the wind chill making it feel like 14F (-10C), but the nice thing is it will warm up to 36F (2C) with a wind chill of only 25F (-4C).

Today I wanted to do a little work on a pen and ink drawing so I pulled out this sketch from a few years ago (see post on 26 August 2013) when painting with the KAGS Outdoor Painters at Therese Harmon's home.

I started on the left side of the drawing and inked in the tree, adding the leaves as I put in the various branches.














I started putting in some of the grasses and growies around the base of the trees and at the bottom of the oven.

Next I put in one of the fence posts a put in some of the grasses on the lawn below the post.

From there I started working on some of the field stones that the oven was made of and added shadows to the rocks.

I will post this drawing at a later time once I have completed the oven.

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

Northern Island 1 - A Work in Progress

I didn't have a lot of time to work on a painting today as had to go out and run a lot of errands for last minute things I had forgotten about and needed before Christmas.

I simply refuse to be in stores on Christmas Eve. I did that once in my teens and vowed never to do it again.















I picked this piece that I had started a few years ago (see post on 14 June 2013) and started by putting in the sky, using a mix of French ultramarine blue with a tiny amount of burnt sienna. I was careful to have the small seagull on the left side of the island in an area that was fairly light in colour.

I will post this painting at a later date as more work on it is completed.

Birch Trio 1 and 2 - Two Works in Progress

Today I wanted to do more work on these two paintings that I had started a few years ago (see post on 21 September 2013).

I decided to work back and forth on both pieces.

First I tidied up the branches of the birch trees and gave the trunks a little more definition.

Next I mixed the sky colour using French ultramarine blue, cobalt blue and added a small amount of burnt sienna and painted in the sky on both paintings.

I set them aside to dry.

Birch Trio 1

As I was deciding what I would like to do in the background of each painting I had friends drop by for a visit.

I will post each of these paintings as more work on them is completed.















Birch Trio 2

White Picket Fence I - A Work in Progress

Today is a little warmer than it was yesterday, but the sun is out which makes it nicer.

I came across some sketches that I stared while I was at Astrid's farm in May of this year and wanted to add more detail on the drawing.














I added more branches and leaves onto the trees, followed by evening out the uprights on the fence.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it is completed.

Long Shadows 1-3 - Three Works in Progress

It is cold day 18F (-8C) with the wind chill making it feel like 3F (-16C) and we are expected to receive another 2" (5cm) of snow.

I thought it fitting to work on a couple of snow scenes that I had started a few years ago (see post on 30 November 2013).















Long Shadows 1

I decided to work on all three of these pieces at the same time, beginning with the sky.















Long Shadows 2

I used various mixes of Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue to brush in the sky, keeping it darker at the top and gradually lightening it toward the bottom.















Long Shadows 2

Before I could start putting in some of the shadows on the snow I had unexpected company drop by to visit.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date as more work on them is completed.

Affordableism

Today is the last day of the Affordableism at Art on Kent for 2016 and it will re-open on 05 January 2017 and continue through to 14 January 2017.
















I tried to get a good photograph of the window display from the street, but there was too much glare and reflection.

So I went into the foyer and took a photograph through the side window which had a little less glare. Even with that the photographs do not do justice to the window display.

As the name of the show implies the paintings are priced to be affordable and the range starts at $10.00 and goes up to the most expensive are $300.00.

Upstairs was a treasure trove of gifts for every occasion.

There was original framed art from 4" x 4" up to *24" x 30" in acrylic, charcoal, conte, graphite pencil, pastel, pen & ink, Prisma pencil, watercolour and mixed media in a wide variety of subject matter which would please almost anyone.

There was a wide variety of sculptures in wood, papier-mâché, metal and clay.

Beautiful handcrafted dolls in luxurious costumes and bold coloured wall hangings.

Many one of a kind pieces of jewellery could be found scattered throughout the Gallery.

There were necklaces with matching earrings in semi precious stones, boxed as a set or as individual pieces; carved leather earrings, brooches, bracelets and hair clips of leaves, flowers and animals.

And to hold the jewellery there were stained trinket boxes in glowing colours.

I chose a bracelet of fresh water pearls for a family member as a Christmas gift.

There was a wall of Christmas wreaths in traditional cedar decorated with holly and bows, then others of grapevine adorned with ribbons, bows, flowers and leaves each with its own distinctive flavour and some made of braided cloth and others of cut felt.

Interspersed between the wreaths were many different ornaments in hand blown glass, stained glass, Styrofoam covered with sequins, beads and metallic ribbon, all hanging suspended by ribbons, leather cords or chains. 

I spent some time looking at the many of the one of a kind pieces of hand formed pottery bowls, cups, trays and figurines.

On the whole it is an exceptional show and if you are unable to make it out to see it today, I hope you will find the time in the New Year when the Gallery reopens on 05 January 2017.

Tied Up 3 - A Work in Progress

This morning I went out to do the barn chores with the temperature at 9F (-13C) and the wind making it feel like -4F (-20C) and on top of that, we are to get 8" (20cm) of snow today in addition to what is already on the ground.

I pulled out this drawing that I did a couple of years ago (see post on 11 September 2014) and thought I would work on this piece until the snow plow comes by so I can go out and run my errands.














Using Antwerp blue I brushed in the sky into the background, but before I could do more work on this piece the snow plow arrived and is here clearing my driveway.

I will set it aside for now and post it again once more work on the painting has been completed.

Communion - A Work in Progrress

It is 10F (-12C) and with the wind chill it feels like -6F (-21C) and snowing. I have no intention of going out today so I want to try and at least finish the goblet and do a little work on the water decanter on this painting that I have been working on for quite a while (see posts on 09 May, 18 July, 02, 09, 19, 23 and 30 August, and 13 October 2016).

Starting with a very dark mix of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the darkest black on the goblet first and gradually lightened the colour for each value of grey needed to for the goblet, the water in the decanter and on the stopper at the top of the decanter.

With a pale wash of alizarin crimson I indicated the reflection from the wine decanter onto the goblet and in the water of the second decanter.













Using a pale wash of burnt sienna with a touch of raw sienna I put in the reflections from the wood panels of the walls onto the goblet and the stopper of the water decanter.

Next I added small touches of new gamboge, French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and raw sienna for the rest of the reflections on the polished silver of the goblet.

I will post this painting again once I have completed the water decanter.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Rock Shadows - A Work in Progress

Today is a little colder than yesterday with the temperature in the morning at 14F (-10C) and as I walked down to do the barn chores the wind chill made it feel like 1F (-17C) compounded by snow flurries blowing around.

I pulled out this painting to work on that I have been picking away at for a while (see posts on 30 January 2011 and 12 March 2013).

I started with the centre section behind the birch trees and completed that first before taking a break to have a cup of tea and lunch before taking the dog out for a walk.

















The nice thing was that it had warmed up a little with the temperature at 19F (-7C) and the wind chill was 3F (-7C), but the not so nice thing was that the flurries had changed to snow and now there was another 6" (15cm) on the ground and according to the weather report I can expect another 2-1/2" (6cm) overnight.

I continued to work on the trees in the background until I completed those on the right side of the painting before calling it a day.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have painted the large birch trees behind the rocks.

Sunken Logs 1 - A Work in Progress

With the temperature at 27F (-3C) and the wind chill making it feel like 19F (-7C) and snow coming down I decided to put my smaller unfinished paintings in portfolios; that way when I wanted something to work on I would have easy access to a wide range of subjects.

The original lines that I had put onto the paper (see posts on 08 August 2012 and 20 July 2013) had faded, so I went in and reworked the logs.















I will post this piece at a later date once I have turned the fish into a Smallmouth Bass and perhaps added a snagged lure onto one of the logs.

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

ACEO - Chance of Snow 1

It seems appropriate that I would work on this painting today, that I started earlier this year (see posts on 12 June and 11 October 2016) since it is 27F (-3C) and snowing.

With a grey mixture of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I painted in the deciduous tree trunks and branches.

Next I used various green mixtures of French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge, I put in all the pine trees. 













Lastly, with mixes of burnt sienna, raw sienna and new gamboge I put in all the grasses and growies in the foreground and among the trees.

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

The ACEO 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 $20.00 and sold unframed.

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

Loon Call Lake VII - A Work in Progress

Today I woke up to a very thick heavy fog; it was so dense that when I went out to do the barn chores I could barely see the outline of the east barn. It was the type of fog that would probably last most of the day and the temperature hovered around 24F (-4.4C).

Once I returned from playing hide and seek in the fog with Kyora I thought I would work on one of the drawings I started a while ago (see post on 14 September 2014), while canoeing on Loon Call Lake.

I started with the background trees and lightly indicated them, followed by adding in a few tops of pine trees here and there to create interest.















Next I put in the cottage on the island and around the base I added a few grasses and growies.

Around the cottage I started putting in the pine trees until Ron came in and we had to go out and run some errands.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it has been completed.

Sunrises - Two Works in Progress

One thing I have noticed is that when the sun rises, the colour of the sky in the west is often in shades of pink and blue.

I pulled out this drawing that I did a while ago (see post on 12 November 2014) which looks similar to the west fence line at the front of the property.

After wetting the sky area I used Antwerp blue and alizarin crimson to brush in the morning sky and then set this painting aside to dry.















Quiet Place 2

Next I pulled out this drawing of a barn I did earlier this year (see post on 13 June 2016) and I wet the sky area.

Starting at the bottom I put in layers of colour beginning with aureolin, adding various amounts of alizarin crimson and adding in cerulean blue into the top and middle of the sky.















Farm Buildings 4

I will post each of these paintings at a later date as more work on them is completed.

I would like to thank new collector Christine Barker of Peterborough, Ont. on her purchase of Getaway 2 (see post on 06 July 2012).

Fence Posts 5 and 6 - Two Works in Progress

I pulled these two pieces out that I started earlier this year (see post on 26 July 2016) while out on location and decided to do a little more work on each of them.

Working on both pieces at the same time I used French ultramarine blue into the sky on each painting to remove the tape lines and balance the colour in the sky.

Next I lifted the colour from each of the fence posts with water and blotting with a tissue, leaving some of the green on the posts as the under paint for the moss that is often found on old cedar posts.

Fence Posts 5

I will post each of these paintings at a later date as more work on them is completed.

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










Fence Posts 6

Peach Sky 5-8 - Four Works in Progress

I worked on the sky in four paintings yesterday and since I still have a lot of the paint colours I mixed, I decided I would work on four more pieces today and use up the most of the paint before I clean the palette.















Peach Sky 5

Before I started, I mixed a small amount of blue grey made of the blue, brown and white and also a green of the yellow and the blue for some of the distant trees at the bottom.















Peach Sky 6

Once more I worked on all four paintings at the same time and I started with the yellow first and put it in various and sections on each piece, followed by the peach colour.














Peach Sky 7

Next I put in the pink, followed by the blue grey and then the mauve into the sky in various amounts.















Peach Sky 8

Lastly, I put a few trees into the bottom of a couple of the paintings.

I will post each of these pieces at a later date once they have been completed.

Peach Sky 1-4 Four works in Progress

Today I thought I would use the semi-opaque paints a friend of mine gave to me to try that has a very limited palette of four colours and white.














Peach Sky 1

I started by premixing the colours I would use in each of four paintings; a peach of the red and yellow, a pink of red and white, a beige of brown and yellow, a mauve of red and blue, pure yellow and white.















Peach Sky 2

I worked across four paintings at the same time and started by wetting the paper.  Next I brushed in the yellow across varying sections of the sky on each painting.














Peach Sky 3

I switched to the peach colour and brushed it into large areas of the sky, leaving some sections without paint, which were next painted with the pink.















Peach Sky 4

Next I brushed various areas of the sky with the beige. Lastly, I put in some areas of mauve on a couple of paintings and some areas of the white on the other two paintings.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date once I put in the silhouette of the land and trees at the base of the sky.

Long Lake VII - A Work in Progress

Overnight the world turned white with the first snow storm of winter.

I had a Red-bellied woodpecker come to my feeder. It is the first time I have ever seen one and by the time I got my camera it had disappeared. I can only hope it comes back and becomes a regular visitor.

Since I saw a new bird this morning, I thought I would do a little more work on this drawing that I had started a long time ago (see posts on 14 September 2013 and 15 October 2016).

I started by putting in a few more reeds on the right side and added another part of the fallen tree in behind the reeds and then added in the waterline and a few ripples.












Next I added a few more water ripples below the large tree trunk an put in the reflection of the branch.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have completed the heron.

I would like to thank returning collector Mrs. Joanne Fernall of Norwood, Ont. on her selection of Rearing I (see post on 19 May 2011).

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

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 December.

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

Big Cedar Lake V - A Work in Progress

It is an interesting day with the temperature staying above freezing at 39F (4C) and the wind chill making it feel like 28F (-2C). This is causing us to end up with swings between rain and snow flurries and just about everything else in between.

I thought I would work on this drawing that reminds me of a warm summer day on the lake.

I started by putting in the top line of the rock face that was at the edge of the lake.















Next I put in the closest pine tree trunks at the top of the rock and then I added in the pines that were dead or dying.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it has been completed.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Confirmed Shows for 2016-2017 - December

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

Kawartha Arts Network - Art on Kent, Lindsay, Ont.
KAN
27 Oct 16 - 29 Apr 17 Wall of Small
24 Nov - 17 Dec 16 and 05-14 Jan 17 Affordableism
Opening Reception 26 Nov 16 from 1-3p.m.
13 Apr - 06 May 17 Added Dimension
Opening Reception 15 Apr 17 from 1-3p.m.
11 May - 03 Jun 17 Annual Members' Show
Opening Reception 13 May 17 from 1-3p.m.
08 Jun - 08 Jul 17 What's Your Canada?
Opening Reception 10 Jun 17 from 1-3p.m.
13-29 Jul 17 Diversity
Opening Reception 15 Jul 17 from 1-3p.m.
03-26 Aug 17 Open for Interpretation
Opening Reception 05 Aug 17 from 1-3p.m.
31 Aug -23 Sep 17 Holy Cow - It's a Moonet!
Opening Reception 02 Oct 17 from 1-3p.m.
28 Sep - 21 Oct 17 Featured Artist in Members' Room
28 Sep - 21 Oct 17 TBD
Opening Reception 30 Sep 17 from 1-3p.m.
26 Oct - 23 Dec 17 and 04-13 Jan 18 Affordableism
Opening Reception 28 Oct 17 from 1-3p.m.

Extendicare, 860 Alexander Court, Peterborough, Ont.
07 Nov 16 - 02 Jan 17
06 Nov 17 - 01 Jan 18

Roland's Steak House , 845 Highway 7 East, Peterborough, Ont.
21 Nov 16 - 27 Feb 17

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
30 Nov -18 Dec 16 and 04-15 Jan 17 Warm in the Cold
Opening Reception 04 Dec 16 from 1-4p.m.
18 Jan - 12 Feb 17 The Mix
Opening Reception 22 Jan 17 from 1-4p.m.
15 Feb - 12 Mar 17 Petals and Pitchers
Opening Reception 19 Feb 17 from 1-4p.m.
15-26 Mar 17 Diversity
Opening Reception 19 Mar 17 from 1-4p.m.
29 Mar - 04 May 17 Spark Photography Show
Opening Reception 02 Apr 17 from 1-4p.m.
21 Jun -09 Jul 17 Sunlight and Shadow
Opening Reception 25 Jun 17 from 1-4p.m.
16 Aug - 10 Sep 17 Faces and Figures
Opening Reception 20 Aug 17 from 1-4p.m.
13 Sep - 08 Oct 17 150 Years of Canada's History Featuring Peterborough County
Opening Reception 17 Sep 17 from 1-4p.m.
25 Oct -12 Nov Outdoor Painters' Show- Rural
Opening Reception 30 Oct 17 from 1-4p.m.
29 Nov - 22 Dec 17 and 03-14 Jan 18 Winter
Opening Reception 03 Dec 17 from 1-4p.m.

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, 425 Douro Fourth Line Road, Hamlet of Douro, Ont.
28 Feb -30 Apr 17 Countryside Art Group
Opening Reception 03 Mar 17 from 7-8p.m.

The Evinrude Centre, 911 Monaghan Road, Peterborough Ont.
07-09 Apr 17 The 17th Annual Peterborough Garden Show

28th Annual Kawartha Arts Festival
Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
02-03 Sep 17

Dancing Blueberries, 360 George St. N., Peterborough, Ont.
01 Nov 17 - 03 Jan 18
05 Sep - 07 Nov 18

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

Warm in the Cold

Today is the first day of the Warm in the Cold art exhibit at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio that I was a co-convenor of together with Margaret Tough.














The exhibition runs from 30 Nov - 18 Dec 16, closes for the Christmas holidays and reopens in the New Year and continues from 04-15 Jan 17.

The Opening Reception is on 04 Dec 16 from 1-4pm. I hope that some of you are able to come out and see the show.

ACEO - Autumn Trees 13

I didn't have a lot of time to paint before I had to leave for the Executive meeting at KAGS; I wanted to work on this painting that I started last year while at the Knoepfli Inn in Magnetawan, Ontario (see post on 05 October 2015).

Using a mix of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in all the tree trunks first. Raw sienna was added to the trunk colour and then painted into the foreground.

Using raw sienna, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I painted in the background trees and undergrowth.

While the paint was still wet I dropped in a little bit of pure new gamboge to create interest.

With a sponge and mixes of raw sienna, alizarin crimson, cadmium red new gamboge and cadmium yellow I added the leaves onto the trees.

Into the dark foreground I put in splashes of bright colour withe cadmium red and cadmium yellow.

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

The ACEO 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 $20.00 and sold unframed.

New Painting at Roland's Steak House

Today I returned to Roland's Steak House at 845 Highway 7 East, Peterborough, Ontario, to replace one of my paintings that had sold (see post on 21 November 2016).













I would like to thank new collector Ms. Tina Fitzpatrick, of Mississauga, Ontario on her purchase of Aurora Borealis (see post on 04 April 2010).

Break in the Fence 2 and Fence Line 3

While out running errands I noticed as I was on my way home the various different types of fences enclosing the fields.

I stopped along the side of the road and did a quick drawing of one the fences. This one had a break in the wire and some of the fence posts were leaning or broken. The field was overgrown with weeds, showing that this property was no longer being maintained.















Break in the Fence 2

I continued down the road and when I came to the stop at the end of the road, right across from me there was a new post and rail fence that had been put in during the summer.















Fence Line 3

New people had purchased the farm a couple of years ago and now that their new home had been built they were starting to do work on the fence line around the property.

There were a lot of differences between the two properties and it is amazing how a little time, care and a lot of work can change the look of the land.

Poster for Affordableism

This is the poster for the "Affordableism" exhibit at Art on Kent which features one piece of my art.

The show begins on 24 November and runs through to 17 December 2016, then closes for Christmas and New Year's holiday and reopens from 05-14 January 2017.

The Opening Reception is on 26 November 2016 from 1-3p.m.

Hopefully some of you will be able to come out and view the exhibit.

Long Shadows

Today I am painting with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group and I thought I would like to finish this painting that I had started quite a while ago (see posts on 20 August 2010 and 14 January 2016).

Using a grey made with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I darkened down the pine tree trunks and branches.
















Using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, cobalt blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin I made the greens for the pine needles on the trees.

I put the grasses and growies showing through the snow at the base of the trees with cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, raw sienna and lemon yellow.

This original 6" x 6-3/4” watercolour painting when framed will be available for $125.00.