Sunset Island I, 3 and 4 - Three Works in Progress

Today I taught a class at The Point in Young's Point, Ontario with Cindy Allan and Norma MacEachern as my assistants.

I showed the group the one Cindy and Norma had worked on with me (see post on 26 May 17) earlier this month.

I did a small painting of the sky and water for the group using mixtures of raw sienna and burnt sienna.

All of them wanted to do the sky in the poster (see post on 03 May 2017).

Sunset Island 4

I did a large sky, warning them in advance that they must be careful so they do not end up with green in the sky where it comes in contact with the yellow.

Using a mix of Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue the top of the sky was brushed in and while I was still wet burnt sienna and the blue mix was brushed in for the clouds.

A mix of raw sienna and burnt sienna was put into the bottom of the sky, darkened slightly and brushed across the bottom for the water.

Sunset Island 3

Most of the group were having a few problems with following along with what needed to be done so I did up two smaller pieces (one for each group) so they could see the steps.

Once they had the sky and water painted in we then broke for supper while the paint dried.

With a dark mixture of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna, we started painting in all the silhouettes beginning with the far island, its reflections in the water.

I started working on one of the small pieces to add in the rocks, trees and water ripples.

Sunset Island I

I would like to thank Mrs. Denise Coon on her purchase of Sunset Island 5.

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.

Garden Shed 2 - A Work in Progress

Today when I returned from my physiotherapy appointment looked at my lilac bushes, which are currently in bloom and decided I would go out later this afternoon to cut a fresh bouquet for the house to bring their scent indoors.

Since I needed to take some time to rest and relax I thought I would like to work on a painting with lilacs and I pulled out this little paintings that I had started last year (see post on 26 May 2016) while with the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group.

Using various mixtures of alizarin crimson, Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue I added more lilacs around the shed.

While the paint was drying, I worked on the shed and erased the wheelbarrow which I will redraw in at a later time.















Next I mixed various greens of raw sienna, French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and new gamboge and I put in the leaves throughout the lilac bushes.

With burnt sienna and one of the greens I put in the facing boards on the shed and with a light mix of colour I put the tin roof on the shed.

Now it is time for me to have lunch before I go out to get my bouquet of lilacs.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Big Cedar Lake V - A Work in Progress

Last night, I sat on the porch with a cup of tea and enjoyed the thunderstorm.

I pulled out this drawing that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 23 August 2015 and 02 December 2016) to do some more work on it.

Beginning in the background behind the trees, I drew in some more tree trunks.
















Next, I added more detail onto the rock face and indicated some of the shadows.

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

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

Clear Lake IX - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do some work on this sketch and try to get all nine pieces of Clear Lake at least started (see post on 09 June 2013).

I thought I would like to add a mother duck and her brood of ducklings into the foreground in front of the rocks.

Along the shoreline of Clear Lake there were a number of areas that had bull rushes close to the shore and I added them into the drawing to create interest and depth in the picture.














First I put in the closer rocks, the small pine trees, the grasses and added the shadows to the rocks and reflections beneath them.

From there I started on the bull rushes and cattails behind the rocks and then added a few of the reeds to the left side of the drawing.

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

Sunset Island II - A Work in Progress

Cindy and Norma came over to paint a sunset with me so they will be able to help me next week when I teach the class.

I started with pure raw sienna streaked in the sky with curved diagonal strokes leaving some areas white.

While the paper was still wet I brushed in the water with horizontal strokes leaving a few areas white.

I mixed burnt sienna with the raw sienna and painted it into both the sky and the water.

Next I brushed a little pure burnt sienna into the sky and water.

I added French ultramarine blue to the burnt sienna for a dark grey mixture and painted in the distant islands and leaving a small space put in the reflections.

With a dark mixture of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and a small amount of alizarin crimson I started painting the main pine tree and indicated the trunks on the three larger trees.

With the same mixture I started painting in the rocks adding a little water in some areas to give it a mottled effect.

Lastly, I put in a few reflections of the rocks into the water.

Cindy and Norma each completed their paintings within the time allowed for a class, so we are good to go with the class.

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

White Picket Fence 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I was hoping to go to Astrid's farm and just sit and sketch with the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group and see the peacocks, but unfortunately it was raining all day long so I didn't get to go.

I thought I may as well work on this drawing I started at her place last year (see post on 20 December 2016).

I started by putting in the fence and a few trees on the horizon line in the field behind the picket fence.















Next I indicated the trunk of the tree located in front of the fence.

I then indicated the bushes in front of and behind the tree trunk and from there I started work on the picket fence.

I will post this drawing at a later date once the bushes, grass and growies in front of the fence are completed.

At the Beach 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I was given the wonderful news by the surgeon that I would no longer have to wear the hinged splint and that I could finally put full weight on my leg, drive a car and go upstairs. I can get back to having a life that goes beyond being confined to my living room and kitchen and most importantly I can have a shower instead of a sponge bath using my kitchen sink.

I pulled out this painting that I had started a number of years of years ago (see post on 24 November 2014) and thought I would like to work on something bright and colourful to match my mood.

I started by under painting the sky with aureolin, leaving the sun untouched.

While the paint was still wet, I used a mixture of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson to paint in the evening clouds at the top of the sky.

Next I used new gamboge; I darkened the sky just above the horizon line.

I darkened the sky colour with a little bit of alizarin crimson and painted the sky reflection below the horizon line leaving some areas of white for the crests of the waves.

To this mix I added some cadmium yellow and put in the middle area of the water.

Lastly, using burnt sienna and raw sienna I put in the sandy shore.

I will post this painting at a later date once I decide on the colour of the water against the shore and place the people on the beach.

ACEO - Morning Sky 8

I wanted to finish this painting that I had started earlier this year (see post on 28 February 2017).

Using a mix of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I painted the foreground tree trunks and branches.

With cobalt blue and raw sienna I painted in some distant pine trees at the edge of the field.















For the leaves on the foreground trees I used French ultramarine blue and new gamboge.

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.

Eyes of Caution 1 - A Work in Progress

While sorting through some boxes that I had in the basement I came across a block of pastel paper. To my surprise as I flipped through the pages, I came across this sketch that I did for a much larger drawing of a wolf that I did in the early 70's.















There are a large number of faults in this piece and at a later date I will go in and fix them.

I will post this drawing at a later date as I go through the process to correct the mistakes.

Roadway I - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to do a little more work on this drawing that I had started a while ago (see post on 19 June 2013).

I started with the building on the right side first. Working from the top of the building down, I put on the aluminum roof, leaving a slight ripple in the top line of the building. Finished the roof by adding in a few lightning rods.

Next, I extended the wall to fit under the roof, straightened up the barn doors, added the frame around the window and finished by putting on the barn board.












From there I started on the building on the left side, I first worked on the back attachment to the building, putting on the roof and indicating a door.

Next, I started straightening out the front part of the building, but I had to get ready go to an appointment.

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

Tied Up 3 - A Work in Progress

Although there was a Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for the area, all we received were a few rumbles of thunder and a strong wind.

I thought I would do a little more work in this painting that I had started a few years ago (see posts on 11 September 2014 and 16 December 2016).















I started in the background with a mixture of raw sienna French ultramarine blue, for a soft green to indicate the distant trees. I mixed in a little burnt sienna to the green and put in the posts for the pier.

Using a various mixtures of burnt sienna and raw sienna I painted the sand onto the beach.

I will post this painting again once the pier and the water have been completed.

Clear Lake II - A Work in Progress

The swallows have arrived! I saw one pair of barn swallows and two pairs of tree swallows. Hopefully this year they will nest again in the barn and in the surrounding trees.

I decided that I would continue to ink in this drawing (see posts on 09 June 2013, 23 March and 12 October 2016 and 05 March 2017).

First, I lightly put in the distant trees into the background behind the far rocks.













Next I indicated the top of the distant rocks and then the closer rock, at which time I added the small pine tree.

Then I turned my attention to completing the three large trees on the island.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have completed the shadows on the rock.

Long Lake V - A Work in Progress

Today, I thought I would like to work in pen and ink, as I looked through my sketches of the lakes in the area, I decided on this piece that I had started a number of years ago (see post on 15 June 2013) while we were canoeing on Long Lake.

I started by putting in the water at the base of the rock face, and from there I put in the larger tree on the right side of the rocks.














Next, I started adding the shadows on the large stones that made up most of the cliff, but before I could get much further along on this drawing I had company come over.

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

Abandoned House I - A Work in Progress

Today I have to go to P.R.H.C. and get the results of my bone density scan.

While I was waiting for Christine to come and take me to the hospital I thought I would like to do a little more work on this drawing that I had started a few years ago (see posts on 18 Jun 2013, 20 March and 29 July 2016 and 14 January 2017).















I started by putting in the mortar around the stones on the walls of the house.

As I finished indicating the last stone in the wall Christine arrived. I will post this drawing at a later date once I have inked in the stones.

Pink Sky 2-4 Three Works in Progress

Today I thought I would like to work on these three paintings that I had started last year (see post on 16 October 2016) and thought like to try and get them completed today.

Working back and forth on each painting I drew in the horizon line, placed an island into the lake and drew pine trees onto the island.

I mixed a green of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and burnt sienna and painted in the trees on the far shore of the lake on each painting.

The rocks were made of washes of alizarin crimson and burnt sienna.

Pink Sky 2

After the first and second layers dried I added a little ultramarine blue together with both rock colours put in the shadows on the rocks and the waterline at their base.

Next I mixed a dark green of both blues and raw sienna and indicated the main tree trunk and branches and started to put on the pine needles.

Before I could go any further on these paintings Christine came over and wanted to take us out for supper.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date once the trees have been completed.

Pink Sky 3

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.



















Pink Sky 4

Birch Tree Trunks I - A Work in Progress

Christine came up today after work to do the barn chores and fill all of my bird feeders. She knows how much I enjoy watching all the different species of birds that come to visit me.

Lately, there have been lots of little birds and today was no exception, I had Tree Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Fox Sparrows and Song Sparrows and White Crowned Sparrows in addition to the many Chickadees, Dark-Eyed Juncos, Goldfinch, Red Polls and Purple Finches.

While sitting at small table near the window I thought I may as well do something productive and I started to work on this drawing that I had started a while ago (see posts on 11 June 2015 and 01 January 2017).















I had pulled out a couple of photographs of the birch trees by Cabin 5 at the Knoepfli Inn in Magnetawan and started adding some of the birch trees from there onto on each side of the three trees in the drawing.

I finished the birch trees to the left side of the original trees and am pleased with the results.

I will post this drawing at a later date once all the birch trees have been completed.

ACEO - Peach Sky 6

I started this piece last year (see post on 07 December 2016) while I was playing with opaque watercolour paint.

First I lightly indicated the main tree trunks and then I mixed various greens from Antwerp Blue, French ultramarine blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin.

Working from the left side of the painting across to the right side I put in the tree trunks, branches and needles until all the trees were completed.














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

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 paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Sunset Island I and II - Two Works in Progress

I had my pair of Rose breasted Grosbeaks arrive at my bird feeders today. This pair has returned to nest in one of the elm trees by the barn for a number of years.

I pulled out these two sketches that started earlier this month (see post on 02 May 2017) in preparation for a class I should be teaching at the end of the month.

First I drew in the horizon line then added more details to the islands in the background.

Next I worked on adding more details to the main pine tree branches and needles and the small pine.

Sunset Island I

Lastly I did a little more work on the rock shapes and to the reflections.

I started this drawing the same way as the last one, by putting in the horizon and the distant islands.

With the main pine tree being windblown with many broken and bent branches it took a little while until I was pleased with its shape.

Next I added the small pines, the dead trees, put in the growies at the base of the tree and then added reflections.

Sunset Island II

Now I will get copies of both of these drawings in preparation for the class at the end of the month.

Summer Sky - A Work in Progress

Today the morning started with the temperature at 34F (1C) with the wind chill making it feel like 25F (-4C). I wanted to do work on a painting and I came across a panel that had been primed and set aside to paint.

I started by putting in the sky using titanium white, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and cobalt blue, keeping the sky darker at the top and lightening it and adding clouds as I went toward the bottom of the canvas.















Using a mixture of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I started to put in the main trunks of a couple of trees.

Before I could go much further I had company arrive bringing with them a mixture of rain and snow. I decided to put this painting away and enjoy a cup of tea and baked goods with my friends.

I will post it at a later date once some of the trees have been painted.

Moonlight Reflections 1 - A Work in Progress

Today while I was going through my binder of small paintings to complete I came across this one that I did a drawing of a few years ago (see post on 13 June 2014).

I did a little more work on the drawing and started to paint in the background starting by putting in the moon with cadmium yellow and aureolin and then added a diluted mix of the two colours onto the sails of the boat.

With a mixture of Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue I brushed in the night sky, leaving a halo around the moon of lighter colour.

I added raw sienna to the sky colour and put in the trees on the far shore.

As the paint was drying, I lifted some of the colour with small amounts of water to make different layers of trees and create some interest.

Once the paint was partially dry, I added in some of the moon colour onto the trees as though they were being touched by the moonlight.

I will post this painting at a later date as work is completed in the far shore and the water is painted into the lake.

Art on Kent to Close

I just received a notice that Art on Kent in Lindsay, Ontario will close its doors when the "What's your Canada Show?" ends on 08 July 2017.

As I have found with most cooperatives, there are members who feel that they are entitled to reap the benefits of having a Gallery in which to exhibit their art and to attend classes and workshops; these same "members" are unwilling to do their fair share of the work, which is required as a member of the cooperative.

This year it became mandatory for all members to be on a committee and do their fair share to keep the Gallery. In this case, over two thirds of the members chose not to renew their membership because they were unwilling to do their fair share of the work.

The end result is the Gallery will close on 08 July 2017.

Blue 1-6 - Six Works in Progress

It is another overcast and rainy day with the temperature dropping to 46F (8C) and they are calling for another 2" (51mm) of rain today.

What hurts more is that the weatherman is also calling for snow flurries over the weekend.

With that in mind I thought I would work on painting a number of pieces with blue skies in them instead of clouds and grey skies.

For the first one I did a graduated was of French ultramarine blue, and having a mid tone at the bottom.

Blue 1

On the next one I used Antwerp blue and had the right side slightly darker, gradually going lighter to the left and kept the bottom without paint.















Blue 2

Using the same blue as the last one I had it darker on the right side lightening toward the right leaving a smaller area untouched at the bottom of the paper.















Blue 3

Leaving a large area of white paper at the bottom and having the colour again darker on the right side, with it light in the centre and changing to slightly darker on the left side.















Blue 4

Next I combined the two blues and streaked the paint across the paper.















Blue 5

For the last one I used both blues again in a flat was leaving a small amount of white paper at the bottom.















Blue 6

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

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 May.

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

Shadows I - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do some work on this drawing on which I have made a number of changes (see posts on 26 May 2013 and 18 February 2017).

First I put in the water lines at the base of the background rocks and then I added in some of the background growies among the rocks.

















Some of my friends came over with a surprise lunch party for me. It was completely unexpected, but very enjoyable.

I will post this drawing again once I have completed the background rocks.

Sunset Island I and II - Two Works in Progress

Today I thought I would start work on a drawing for a class I am supposed to teach at the end of the month.

I thought something fairly simple in a landscape would be for the best.

Since windblown white pines on the islands in many of our local lakes are fairly common, it seemed a good place to start.

I started with the central pine tree and placed it on a rocky island and then added a few smaller trees on the island and a couple of dead trees.

Sunset Island I

I added an island on each side near the horizon line in the background and put reflections into the water beneath all of them.

I thought a second sketch would be a benefit, if I put in a few less trees on the island and let each student decide which image they felt more comfortable painting.

Once again I started with the main pine tree and then placed it on a rocky island and then added a few dead trees and smaller trees.

I added islands into the background and placed reflections into the water.

Sunset Island II

I will post drawings from each of these sketches at a later time.

Confirmed Shows for 2017 - May

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 - 08 Jul 17 Wall of Small
Opening Reception 29 Oct 16 from 1-3p.m.

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
29 Mar - 04 May 17 Spark Photography Show
Opening Reception 02 Apr 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 Outlook
Opening Reception 30 Oct 17 from 1-4p.m.
29 Nov - 22 Dec 17 and 03-14 Jan 18 The Winter Show
Opening Reception 03 Dec 17 from 1-4p.m.

27th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show, St Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont.
17-20 Aug 17 Buckhorn Artists' Group

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

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

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