Scenes of Magnetawan

Today Norma MacEachern and I went up to the Knoepfli Inn, at 5484 Highway 124 in Magnetawan, Ontario to hang the Scenes of Magnetawan art exhibit.

Once we arrived we brought almost 50 paintings into the Inn, unpacked them and placed them on the tables so we could see what we had to hang.

We picked the largest paintings first as focal points and would place the smaller paintings around them to make a pleasing arrangement.

Two of the larger paintings were placed in between the windows.

Next three brightly coloured paintings were put on the wall by the stairs.

Two larger paintings were put onto the main wall with a smaller one to be the centre between them.

First a smaller painting was placed over the light switches.

The remaining four spaces were filled in with paintings having similar frames, colours or subject matter.

Working on the next wall three paintings by one artist whose style was completely different than any of the artists were hung.

On another of the smaller walls in the main dining room we hung three paintings together that had darker wood frames and had orange, green and yellow colours that went well together.

We moved onto the hutch in the corner of the dining room and started with two larger paintings first.

Keeping to green, grey and pastel colours we placed paintings that went well with the larger pieces.

Now that the dining room was completed we started into the lounge area.

First we placed a large vertical painting on each of the corner walls behind the piano which were brightly coloured and would attract attention.

The rest of the areas required smaller paintings.

That would be placed around the mounted deer heads and annual fishing tournament plaques hanging on the walls.














Below the plaque a single painting was hung that had a frame of the same wood as the plaque.













Around the first deer head two paintings were placed that had autumn colours which added a bright spot to the room.















On the last wall four paintings were hung having either neutral tones or autumn colours.













The Scenes of Magnetawan exhibit will be at the Knoepfli Inn from 31 July to 04 October 2017, hopefully some of you will be able to go out and enjoy the show.

House on the Hill II - A Work in Progress

Today was another hot sunny day 82F (28C) with the humidity making it feel like 90F (32C) but there was a nice breeze blowing which is making the weather bearable.

Ron and I went out in the side by side down the front field where he has been clearing some of the overgrown pathways that lead to the pond and to the trails that go through the 60 acres (24 hectares) of forest at the south end of the property.

As usual I took my sketch book with me so I could draw while I was waiting. I did this sketch of my house on the top of the hill.

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

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

ACEO - Fence Posts 2

Today I wanted to finish this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 17 July and 21 October 2016). 

I started by using various greens made of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge to paint in the background trees and bushes.

Next I started on the fence posts; using various shades of grey made of various mixes of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to put in the various cracks, knots and crevices in the weathered wood.

With burnt sienna I ran the barbed wire between the fence posts.

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.

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

Dusk 8 and 10 - Two Works in Progress

Today as I was waiting for a couple of my friends to come over and pick me up so we can go to Curry's and buy some art supplies, I took out these two little paintings that I had started earlier this year (see post on 09 March 2017).

On the first one I indicated the far shoreline across the lake.

For now I will leave the foreground alone, as I am not quite sure if I want to put land and trees there or rocks.

On the second one which has a lot more sky, I put land on the horizon line.

Then I indicated a small island closer to the foreground.

Dusk 8

Now that my friends have arrived I will put both of these paintings away for now and I will post them again at a later date once they have been completed.



















Dusk 10

Poster for the Crazy Cow Class at The Point

I just had the poster made for the class I am teaching at The Point - the Young's Point Diner and Pizzeria, at 403 South Beach Rd., Lakefield, Ontario on 23 August 2017.

If you are interested in taking this class, please contact Janice Costa at The Point.

Path Through the Woods I

Today is the first time in a while that the weather has been nice so we could go out on the side by side without the rain.

Ron has been using the rocks he picks out of the back fields for filling in the trail through the sugar bush.

The mosquitoes swarm you when you are in the forest and some of them seem to be the size of jumbo jets.

I did this sketch of the trail which is about three quarters of the way down the trail.

Needless to say, we didn't spend a lot of time in there, but we did put three loads of rock on the trail trying to make the path easier to traverse; and I did a nice little sketch.

Tied Up 4 - A Work in Progrress

I thought I would do a little more work on this piece that I had started earlier this year (see post on 19 April 2012) before I had to leave for my physiotherapy appointment.

Since this is going to be a painting of  the Caribbean I decided to use Antwerp blue for the sky.

I wet the top part of the paper first and brushed in my sky being careful to leave some areas of the paper untouched for the clouds.

Before I could mix the water colour it was time for me to go and I had to stop painting.

I will post this piece at a later date once the ocean has been painted.

Sand Bucket 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to put some paint on this little drawing that I did quite a while ago (see post on 21 Jun 2013).

First I needed to fix a few of the lines on the bucket and then I moved the horizon line a little higher up in the painting.

Using cerulean blue I put in the sky and the under paint for the lake.

Next I made a mix of raw sienna with a small amount of burnt sienna and brushed in the sand being careful to leave an area of white paper between the sand and the water.

With a mix of Antwerp blue and cerulean blue I put in the waves on the lake surface almost to the beach.















Into this section where the waves roll over the sand and onto the shore I first put down the water colour and then added lines of raw sienna and burnt sienna to indicate the churning sand.

With pure burnt sienna I put in the "wet" areas of the sand between the water and the dry shore, still being careful to leave the white paper as the foam.

Lastly, I put in the distant shores on the horizon line with a mix of the blues and raw sienna.

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

Wooden Wheelbarrow 1- A Work in Progress

Today I was at a paint out with the KAGS Outdoor Painters Group at a farm just south of Buckhorn which had a lot of interesting things to draw and paint.

It was a beautiful day with the temperature at 81F (27C) and the humidity making it feel like 91F (33C) and while we broke for lunch there was a shower, but it didn't last very long.

I spent most of the morning taking photographs of the many pieces of old farm equipment found around the house and barnyard.














I finally decided that I would do a drawing of an old wooden wheelbarrow that was resting in the shade of a large maple tree.

As I was working on the drawing the clouds rolled back in and it began to drizzle again, which meant it was time for me to head home.

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

Front Field II - Lone Pony - A Work in Progress

I had a little bit of time and I wanted to work on one of my drawings and I chose this one that I had started last month (see post on 18 June 2017).

Looking out my living room window down toward where I did the original drawing, I thought I would add a pony into the field between the two stands of trees.

I started with the tree trunks of the stand of trees in the foreground and then added shadows from them into the grasses at their base.















Next, I started to add some of the shadowed grasses below the further back treeline and before I could go any further on this drawing, I had friends arrive.

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

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

Clear Lake IX - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do more work on this drawing and at least finish the reeds.

I started with the ones on the left side adding in more reeds in among the ones that were already there until I was happy with the arrangement.

From there I moved to the rocks on the right side and added in some reeds in behind those rocks.














Next I added the reed reflections into the water and added a few more water ripples into the water.

I was not ready to put in the shoreline behind the foreground rocks so instead I put in the tops of the two large pine trees into the background.

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

The Morning After - A Work in Progress

I did a couple of sketches last month (15 June 2017) of the bridge on Peterborough County Road 10 that crosses the Cavan Creek.

I thought I would do a larger sketch of the bridge and the things beneath the bridge and with a number of changes.

The water bottle became two beer bottles and a wine bottle, all empty.














The towel was changed into a blanket and the stool into a folding chair.

I started with one of the tree branches in the foreground before I ran out of time.

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

ACEO - Morning Sky 9

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

Working with transparent watercolour on top of the opaque paint I put in the far shoreline with a little bit of cadmium yellow (which is fairly opaque for transparent watercolour).

Next I indicated the distant tree trunks with a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

With various green mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, cobalt blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin, I painted the foliage onto the trees.

While the background was drying I used a pencil to give the foreground granite rocks a little definition before dry brushing in mixtures of alizarin crimson, raw sienna, burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue to give texture to the rocks.

With the tree trunk mixture, I painted in the trunk and main branches of the foreground bushes and the branch of a larger tree on the right side of the painting.














Using darker mixtures of the background tree foliage I added the leaves onto the foreground bushes and just before the paint dried dropped in a little cadmium yellow. to added some brightness.

With a green mix more into the blue tones I put the leaves onto the  branch at the right side of the painting.

Lastly, I painted in the foreground grasses and growies in front of the rocks

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

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.

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.

Dusk 3 and 4 - Two Works in Progress

I pulled out a couple of watercolour backgrounds that I started earlier this year (see post on 08 March 2017) and thought that I would sketch in the land areas and the lakes.

For the first one, I wanted it to seem as though overlooking a series of islands on a large lake.

On the second one I needed to turn the piece upside down.

Dusk 3

From there I indicated the horizon line and added in the trees on the distant shoreline.

I added in another layer for trees into the middle area of the lake.

From there I added a closer line of trees against the water.

Next I added in a couple of large pine trees into the foreground.

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


Dusk 4

Sunset Island 6 and 7 - Two Works in Progress

This time of the year most nights weather permitting; there are some very beautiful sunsets with the colours reflected in the waters of the lakes.

Working back and forth on each of the two paintings and using similar a colours, I started by wetting both pieces of paper and put in the top of the sky with Antwerp blue and the reflection of the colour into the water at the bottom of the paper.

Next I used alizarin crimson and streaked it in below the blue of the sky and above the blue of the water.

Sunset Island 6

This was followed by a mixture of raw sienna and new gamboge into the unpainted area between the sky and the water.

Using dark of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I started working on the first painting and put in the far shore on the horizon line.

Next I indicated the rocks of an island in the foreground.

This was followed by indicating the pine tree trunks on the island and some of the needles.

Sunset Island 7

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

Winter Creek 2 - A Work in Progress

It is going to be another hot 81F (27C) and humid 91F (33C) day and I would like to I thought I would like to work on a winter scene. I chose this one that I had started last year (see posts on 15 September 2016 and 17 January 2017).

I started in the background using greens made of French ultramarine blue, new gamboge and raw sienna to create the pine trees in the back ground, leaving space for the rocks in front of the trees.

With a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the trunks of the deciduous trees in the background and then painted in the trunk of the maple tree in the foreground.















Next I darkened the trunk colour with a touch of alizarin crimson and painted the bark onto the birch tree. This was followed by using burnt sienna on the areas where the bark had peeled away from the trunk.

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

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

Clear Lake VI - A Work in Progress

Today I didn't have a lot of time before I had to leave to go to physiotherapy and then run a lot of errands.

I pulled out this sketch that I had started a while ago (see post on 09 June 2013) when we were canoeing on Clear Lake.

I put the main pine tree into the distant background and then I put in the suggestion of smaller trees in front above the rocks.













Then I started on the two main trees at the front that were lit by the sun and it was time for me to go before I could do anything more.

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

Upper Stoney Lake I

Today I am sitting the last day of Art on Kent before it closes its doors for the last time.

While sitting the gallery I worked on a drawing that I had started a while ago (see post on 24 August 2015).

I was at Quarry Bay Beach on Stoney Lake and after a nice swim and lunch I relaxed and did a couple of sketches of the nearby islands.

I started with the land in the background by putting in the distant trees with vertical strokes adding in the closer trees with more definition and then putting in the rocks beneath the rocks.














Working on both sides of the drawing I started by putting in the rocks and adding the shadows.

Next I added all the pine and cedar trees onto the islands and then I put grasses and growies at the base of the trees and in various place in among the rocks.

Lastly I added the water ripples and some the reflections from the pine and cedar trees.

This original 4-1/2" x 9” pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $40.00.

Dusk 13 - A Work in Progress

Today is another hot 84F (29C) and humid day 95F (35C) so I decided to stay indoors and pulled out the opaque watercolour paint set that I tried a while ago for a series of skies that later became landscape paintings.

There were still some of the colours I had used in some of the previous "dusk" paintings so I thought I would do another.

It didn't take long for me to put in the sky. I then set it aside to dry and while I was waiting I relaxed with a cup of tea.

Next with a pencil I lightly sketched in the placement of the trees and the land.

I had some unexpected company arrive before I could do any more work on this piece so I will post this painting at a later date once it has been completed.

Grass Huts I - A Work in Progress

It is hot 84F (29C) and humid 91F (33C) and I thought that I would work on one of a number of sketches that I did while I was in Cuba (see post on 15 February 2017).

Along the beach by the Tryp in Cayo CoCo were a number of dilapidated huts that were left there to provide shelter should you get caught outside during a thunderstorm.

Hopefully, the wind won't be strong enough to cause them to collapse on top of you.

I finished the huts by putting in the walls and doors.

Next I indicated some of the sand on the beach and the waves along the shoreline.

I drew in a clump of palm trees by the huts.

I started with the small clumps of young palm trees at the base of the large palm trees before I started on the trunk and some of the palm fronds at the top of the trees.

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

Granite Cliffs 1 - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do a little more work on this painting that I had started last year (see posts on 05 November 2016, 05 February and 07 March 2017).

Using various mixes of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, French ultramarine blue and raw sienna, I painted the shadows onto the rock cliffs, the boulders and the rocks in the water.














With a green of raw sienna and French ultramarine blue I put in the pine trees scattered throughout the rocks.

The dead trees and branches were put in with a mix of burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue.

I will post this painting again once the water has been completed.

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 July.

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

ACEO - Peach Sky 7

This is another painting I started last year while experimenting with opaque watercolour paint (see post on 07 December 2016).

The first thing I did was to turn it upside down because I wanted to keep the peach color higher in the sky and then I lightly sketched in the trunks of the main trees.

Using various mixtures of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, aureolin, new gamboge and raw sienna I painted in the trees in the foreground.















Thank you for looking at my artwork.

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.

Confirmed Shows for 2017 - July

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

Knoepfli Inn, 5484 Highway #124 Magnetawan, Ont.
31 Jul - 04 Oct 17 Scenes of Magnetawan

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
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 03-21 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

Millennium Park, Peterborough, Ont.
7th Annual Purple Onion Festival
24 Sep 16 from 11am-4:00pm.

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

I look forward to seeing you at some of these shows.