Tundra Sunset

Today I went to at a workshop at KAGS with Valerie Kent.

The workshop was about painting in watercolour on canvas and on wood panels in how to abstract landscape paintings and painting in abstract.

We received a gift from Valerie of an 8" x 10" wooden panel which we primed at the class and painted as our final piece.

It was an interesting class and I learned a lot about painting on canvas. I had started one with Gary Chapman a number of years ago (see post on 09 May 2013) which I will soon pull out and complete.

I worked on three paintings during the course of the class and this is the final piece which I completed.

This painting once it has been sealed and framed will be available for $135.00.

Run In Sheds I

I am delighted that my first pair of barn swallows has finally arrived. I was starting to worry that they wouldn't find their way back.

I am sure more of them will arrive soon and return to their nests once again.














Today I pulled out this sketch that I had finished as an outline drawing (see posts on 18 June 2013 and 06 April 2015).

I thought it would look better as a pen and ink drawing and I added more details into the clouds and added some leaves onto the tree.

This original 6" x 9” pen and ink drawing is available matted and shrink wrapped for $40.00.

Farm Buildings 1-3

We had freezing rain overnight and everything was covered with a light coating of ice and I was greeted to ice pellets falling as I headed down to the barn to do the morning chores.

I decided instead of going to Buckhorn and paint with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group that I would stay home and work on some drawings of farm buildings.













Run In Shed 2

I put in the main barn first and then attached a run in shed on the back of the barn. Next I added a fence for the paddock.

All that needed to be added was a tree for shade and a couple of horses.














Autumn Barn 2

Since this paper already had a few bushes in fall colours, I felt that the season may as well be autumn.

I drew in the distant fields first and added a few trees; then ran fences around the edges of the all the fields. To complete the drawing I drew in the barn.














Cattle Barn 1

I live on the top of a hill so what better place to put the barns? Then I ran the fence along a couple of pastures.

In the foreground I added a shade tree and a couple of cows.

Later in the day the ice pellets changed to snow and once again everything was white for a few hours; but by late afternoon the sun came out and once more the white stuff disappeared. It should be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

OSWOA - Morning Lake 2

I know that the weatherman called for rain today, but what came down but although it is still a four letter word he didn't call for something that is white, cold, wet and fluffy and covered the grass to a depth of 2" (5cm). Fortunately by late afternoon it all melted away.

Since I wasn't planning on going out today I decided that I would pull a number of paintings out and work on them today and see how many I could either complete or get a fair amount of work on them completed.

I started with this painting that I have been working on for a while (see posts on 08 December 2013, 27 January and 22 February 2014, 22 January 2015 and 21 February 2016) and needed only a small amount of work to finish.

Using a green of Antwerp blue and new gamboge I put on the under paint for the pine needles and leaves on the bushes.













Next I put in the tree trunks and branches on the bushes with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

Lastly I put the darker needles and leaves on the trees and bushes with French ultramarine blue and raw 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 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $40.00 and sold unframed.

ACEO -Sailboats 3 and 4

I pulled out these two paintings that I had started last year (see posts on 29 August and 29 October 2015 and 03 February 2016).

I worked back and forth on both paintings starting with a mix of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to put in all the dark lines for the mast, windows, door openings and the heads on the figures.

With cadmium red and a mix of cadmium red and cadmium yellow I put in the life jackets to complete the figures.














Sailboats 3

With various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, cobalt blue. Antwerp blue and burnt sienna I painted in the shadows on the sails.

With a dark of French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue I put in the shadows on the water below all the boats.

On sailboats 3, I used alizarin crimson for the hull of the leading boat and Antwerp blue and raw sienna for the hull of the other boat.














Sailboats 4

On sailboats 4, I used cobalt blue and for the lead boat and raw sienna for the hull of the second boat.

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

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

In the Shade I

Today I wanted to finish this drawing that I have been working on for quite some time (see posts on 04 August 2013, 28 March and 28 August 2015).

First I finished drawing all the horses on the left side of the main tree.

Next I put in the fence line, the trees in the distance and the grasses at the base of the trees and some of the fence posts.












I drew in the barn and then added the shadows, windows and lightning rods onto the barn.

Lastly, I added in the large tree to the right side to complete the painting.

This original 4-1/2" x 9” pen and ink drawing when framed will be available for $95.00.

Woodland Nymph - Fawn

Today I wanted to do some work on a sketch of a fawn to go with the little girl drawing (see post on 30 November 2015) I did last year.

After blocking in the basic shape, I started working on the head first, gradually getting the proportions correct.

Then, I gradually added more details starting with the ears, followed by the eyes and then the muzzle.

Next, I added more definition to the structure of the ear, working on the forehead followed by putting in the details of the eye orb.

This was followed by adding the nostrils to the nose and giving it the correct shape.

Below that I added the lips, chin and the jaw line to the cheek.

I put in the back of the neck running it through to the withers and then drawing in the back.

From there I completed the neck and ran it down through the chest and continued through the under belly.

Lastly, I added the shoulder, the upper part of the front leg and finally, I put in some of the spots on the body.

Lakes 1-3

I was in the mood to doodle and thought I may as well do some drawings of scenes with water in them.

I thought for the first piece that I would like to have a lot of sky where the colours could be reflected into the water of the lake.

I put in my horizon line first, fairly low on the paper to leave plenty of room for the sky.

Lastly I put an island in the foreground on the right hand side with a couple of tall pines.

Lake 1

For the next sketch I wanted to have the water with a lot more movement.

First I put in the horizon line and then put in the large rock, followed by the lighthouse.













Lake 2

At the bottom put in the large waves crashing against the base of the rock and a few white caps in the distance.

For the third sketch I put in the horizon line first and then set down the leading wave on the shoreline.














Lake 3

Lastly, I put in some debris on the shore and indicated some waves on the surface of the lake.

Parking Lot Pine Tree

Today a few of us took a trip over to Gallery on the Lake in Buckhorn to draw some of the trees around the parking lot.

I chose to do this large pine tree which is at the back edge of the parking lot.

There were still patches of snow in the shadows beneath the trees.

To the left side of the large pine tree there was a small cluster of birch trees.

I added pine trees into the background.

Lastly, I put the rocks into the foreground and below the pines in the background, leaving the area in between as a roadway into the parking lot.

Pastel Colours 1 and 2

Today I was at KAGS in the afternoon drawing with the Outdoor Painters' Group.

I wanted to do a couple of small paintings with pastel colours in the sky.

On the first one I thought the sky should peek through the trees as an early morning scene.

I started with putting tall trees on each side of the paper, some slightly smaller trees were put in the background and tall weeds and growies in the foreground.

Pastel Colours 2

On the second one I wanted to have a large area of sky showing and framed by trees on each side of the painting.














Pastel Colours 1

Rather than having pines and cedars in this painting I wanted to have birch and maple trees, with an occasional coniferous tree.

It also needed tall grass and growies in the foreground.

Floral and Still Life Show

Today the Portrait class at KAGS was cancelled which due to the Gallery policy requires two people to sit the art show so Cindy and I were there together.

This made the afternoon go quickly as we discussed the upcoming shows, galleries we would like to visit and have an exhibit at in the future and the new art pieces we were painting.

I put in two paintings into this exhibit that had been shown at the Garden Show earlier this month.














We were pleased that a number of people came in to view the display which will run through to 05 May 2016.

If you have a chance please come out and view the show.

OSWOA - Barron Canyon 1

Today I was painting with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group and I took a number of smaller paintings to work on including this one that I had started a while ago (see posts on 0 May 2014 and 23 October 2015).

I added more raw sienna into the left side of the canyon walls and a few more trees.

For the distant hills behind the canyon walls some pale greyed green trees were added to the top and I put in a very pale wash of raw sienna against the bottom of the rocks.

Next I washed some alizarin crimson over the rocks at the base of the right side rock wall, which was followed by a mix of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

The tree at the edge of the narrows was darkened and more were added along the top edges of the rocks at the base of the cliff with various mixtures of green.













With the greyed green from the background hills, the edges of the outcroppings on the cliffs were lightly indicated. Then trees were put on the tops of the outcrops and against the skyline at the top of the cliff.

The water was put in using layers of Antwerp blue, burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue.

I lightly drew in a canoe and it was painted with cadmium red and cadmium yellow.

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. SOLD

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

ACEO - Sailboat 5 and 6

Today I am painting with the Lakefield Creative Art Guild and I wanted to complete these two paintings that I had started last year (see posts on 29 August, 30 October and 20 December 2015).

Working back and forth on both paintings, I first removed the miskit from the sailboats.

Next I indicated the top of the mast and put on the wind indicators with a dark mixture of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

I also painted in the cabin doorway, the cabin window and the peoples' heads with the dark mix.

Lightening the colour with water I put in the spar at the bottom of the sail, and the shadows on the cabin and deck.

For Sailboat 5 painted the hull red using alizarin crimson and for the shadowed area on the stern I add a touch of burnt sienna.

For Sailboat 6 I painted the hull blue using cobalt blue and for the shadowed area on the stern I add a touch of burnt sienna.

With pencil I lightly indicated the shadows on the sail.

Sailboat 5

While deciding which colours I would use to do the sails I painted in the outboard motors on the stern of each boat with burnt sienna and cobalt blue.

Using a mix of French ultramarine blue and cobalt blue I put the first wash of colour on the darkest areas of shadow on the sails.

I gradually built up the colour on the sails with each layer of colour until I was pleased with the way the sails looked.

Once the sails were completely dry I added numbers and letters on the sails.

Next I painted the life jackets with a mix of cadmium red and cadmium yellow.

Lastly I put in a few darker waves.

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

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Sailboat 6

Lone Pine 2

Today Christine took me to the hospital for a bone density scan so they can compare my results to the one I had taken in 2013.

While I was waiting, I did this drawing of the pine tree that I could see through the window.

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

Pinto News Illustration November 1980

Today, I was going through a box of old magazines and I came across a copy of the November 1980 Pinto News which featured the logo I designed for them (see post on 24 November 2015) on the cover.

As I went through the News letter I came across the names of people that I had competed against.

I exhibited my first horse Tom (Freedom's Mr. Thomas) in Halter, Driving, English and Western Pleasure, Conformation Hunter Under Saddle and Over Fences, Reining, Trail, Barrel Race, Pole Bending, Flag Race and Costume classes.

I was surprised to come across a drawing of my other horse Freedom's Lady Anne that I would exhibit in Reining and Western Riding, while Ron would show her in Halter, Trail, Barrel Racing and Flag Race.

16th Annual Peterborough Garden Show

It was a very busy day, starting first thing this morning when we took the grids and lights from KAGS and transported them to the Evinrude Centre to set up the art display at the Peterborough Garden Show.

Fortunately, we had many people helping to unload and set up the grids which were the most time consuming part.

While we waited for artists to bring in their paintings the drapery and lights were set into place.

For the most part we tried to keep all of each artist's work together and also to have similar colours and media on the same panels.

That way none of the paintings would be over shadowed and each one would have the chance to shine in their own light.

In total it took about three hours to hang all of the 58 pieces and to adjust the lights to present the paintings at their best.

Some of the group made sure the identification tags were put into place, being careful to make sure they were with the correct painting.

Others saw that the tables and chairs were set up, covered with tablecloths and the business cards, pamphlets and brochures about KAGS were displayed.

With a final check to be sure all the lights were working, the tie ends were picked up, the tablecloths were straightened and everything was neatly in place. We left for the afternoon.

I will return tonight to sit the first shift and if necessary correct anything that needs fixing, though I doubt there will be any problems.

The hours for the show are:
08 April 5:00-9:00pm.
09 April 10:00am-9:00pm.
10 April 10:00am-4:00pm.

If you have a chance, please come out and enjoy the show.

Who knows you may find something for your garden or a painting that you will enjoy having on your wall for many years.

Winter Trail 3

To say I was not impressed to wake up and see that the ground was covered in snow and it was still snowing is putting it mildly.

So after doing the barn chores and having breakfast as I watched the snow continue to come down I thought I may as well do a winter scene.

I decided to do the pathway by the paddock that leads into the two front fields below the house and barns.

I went back out into the snow and took a photograph of what I wanted to paint, although normally I would go out and make a sketch first.

Using titanium white and ultramarine blue I put in the sky first and the under paint for the snow in the foreground.

With burnt sienna, raw sienna and a small amount of white I painted in the background trees first. Many of them will be covered up by the foreground trees, but their colour will show through the branches of the closer trees.















The next layer of trees had more burnt sienna in it with a small amount of ultramarine blue.

More blue was added to the paint mixture to darken and make it a little greener for the front row of trees in the background.















Next I added a small amount of the tree colour to the white and put the tree shadows across the snow below the background trees.

Using ultramarine blue, pthalo blue and raw sienna I put in some of the foreground pines, next I added burnt sienna to the mix and added more trees.















With a mixture of ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I painted in the trunks and bare branches of the deciduous trees throughout the pine and cedar trees.

Lastly, I put in the dark shadows across the snow from the foreground trees.

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 April.

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

Clear Lake I

Overnight we received almost 4" (10cm) of snow and was still snowing and blowing in the morning with the wind at a fairly steady 20mph (32kmph) with the temperature slightly warmer at 18F (-7.8C) and a wind chill of 4F (-15.6C) than yesterday.















However, in the afternoon the sun came out and some of the snow melted and we were able to start working on the rest of the east fence line and into the south east corner.

It didn't take a lot of time to clear the rest of the east fence, everything was cleared with the exception of a couple young maples and one of the magnolia trees I had planted a couple of years ago which has once again survived the winter.

After lunch we started on the big apple tree in the corner and cleared all the fallen limbs out of the way.

Next we had to cut all the dead limbs off the tree being careful that they didn't drop on top of my second magnolia tree which also survived the winter.















After supper I pulled out this partially completed pen and ink drawing of Clear Lake I (see posts on 09 June 2013 and 24 February 2016).

All the drawing needed was the reflections from the rocks and trees added into the lake.

This original 5" x 8-1/2” pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $40.00.

Coon Lake IX

The temperature dropped drastically overnight with the wind increasing and I was greeted to 16F (-8.9C) with a wind chill making it feel like 0F (-17.8C) as I went out to fill the bird feeders, take the dog for her morning run and to do the barn chores.















Looking at the south east corner that we had planned on clearing today, we decided that instead we would continue to repair the walls and work inside the barn.

It doesn't look as though much was done to the window, but it took two full bags of sand mix concrete and a lot of smaller rocks; to get this section of the window finished.















After a late lunch Ron went back to the barn to move hay for me and to work on clearing things out of the east mow in preparation to turn it into an indoor work shop/space for him when vehicles need to be worked on in the winter.















I pulled out this drawing that I had worked on last month (see posts on 29 July 2014 and 21 March 2016).

First I added in the distant shoreline and a few water ripples into the background. Next I put the shadows and cast shadows onto the foreground rocks.


















This original 6-1/4" x 7” pen and ink drawing, when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $40.00.

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

Coon Lake VII

Today we decided it was time to work on clearing a lot of the dead branches and scrub trees growing along the fence line around the house. The ground is getting harder since it is once again starting to freeze as the temperature drops and we are expecting more snow over the next two weeks.














Due to the brush and sumac growing up around the two large apple trees by the pasture gate, it was almost impossible to see into the fields directly below the barn.














It took most of the day and Ron had to sharpen the chainsaw blade twice, but then apple is a fairly hard wood and should do well next year providing heat as it burns in my fireplace.

After a tiring day outside I still wanted to do some work on a painting.

I brought out this piece that I had been working on last month, (see posts on 29 July 2014 and 21 March 2016).

I put in a few more shadows and the darker area at the base of the rocks caused by the water lapping against them.

Lastly I put in the tree reflections and a few water ripples.

Once I press the paper to remove the few wrinkles from doing the sketch while in the canoe, then erase the pencil lines and mat and shrink wrap this original, 6" x 9” pen and ink drawing will be available for $50.00.

Confirmed Shows for 2016 - April

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.

The Evinrude Centre, 911 Monaghan Road, Peterborough Ont.
08-10 Apr 16 The 16th Annual Peterborough Garden Show

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
13 Apr - 05 May 16 Floral and Still Life
Opening Reception 17 Apr 16 from 1-4pm.
15 Jun - 10 Jul 16 Figuratively Speaking
Opening Reception 19 Jun 16 from 1-4pm.
24 Aug - 11 Sep 16 Black and White Plus 1 Colour
Opening Reception 28 Aug 16 from 1-4pm.
28 Sep -23 Oct 16 Nature's Palette
Opening Reception 02 Oct 16 from 1-4pm.
26 Oct - 13 Nov 16 Outdoor Painters' Show
Opening Reception 30 Oct 16 from 1-4pm.
30 Nov -18 Dec 16 and 04-15 Jan 17 Warm in the Cold
Opening Reception 04 Dec 16 from 1-4pm.

Kawartha Arts Network - Art on Kent, Lindsay, Ont.
KAN
14 Apr - 07 May 16 Petals
Opening Reception 16 Apr 16 from 1-3pm.
09 Jun - 02 Jul 16 Annual All Members' Show
Opening Reception 11 Jun 16 from 1-3pm.
07-30 Jul 16 Transportation
Opening Reception 09 Jul 16 from 1-3pm.
01-24 Sep 16 Mixed Masters
Opening Reception 03 Sep 16 from 1-3pm.
29 Sep - 22 Oct 16 Then and Now Part 2
Opening Reception 01 Oct 16 from 1-3pm.
27 Oct - 19 Nov 16 Feast for the Eyes
Opening Reception 29 Oct 16 from 1-3pm.
24 Nov - 17 Dec 16 and 05-14 Jan 17 Affordableism
Opening Reception 26 Nov 16 from 1-3pm.

Art in the Garden, Peterborough, Ont.
Griffins
16 Jul 16 Griffin's Greenhouse, 3026 Lakefield Rd. 11am - 4pm.

Lockside Trading Company, 2805 River Ave, Youngs Point, Ont.
23-24 Jul 16 5th Annual Art @ the Locks from 9am-6pm.

St Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont.
BuckhornArtistsGroup
11-14 Aug 26th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show

MacKelvie Gallery, Keene, Ont.
PioneerVillage
01 Sep - 06 Oct Lang Pioneer Village Museum, Keene, Ont.

Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
KawarthaArtsFestival
03-04 Sep 16

Canadian Canoe Museum, 910 Monaghan Road, Peterborough, Ont.
17-18 Sep The Uncommon Marketplace

Dancing Blueberries, 360 George St. N., Peterborough, Ont.
28 Sep - 03 Nov 16

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

Township of Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, Warsaw, Ont.
06 Mar - 24 Apr 17 Countryside Art Group
Opening Reception 10 Mar 17 from 7-8pm.

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