Winter Solo I - A Work in Progress

I thought I would like to work on an 8" x 10" painting for the Small Treasures exhibition in March.

I started by under painting the panel with raw sienna and then using Grumbacher (naphthol) red I blocked in the main tree, indicated the far treeline, the land on the far side of the lake and the base of the foreground rock.

Earlier this month we had an interesting sunset with an almost horizontal line of clouds above and below the setting sun that I decided to put into this painting.

I started the clouds with cerulean blue and Grumbacher red with a little titanium white above and below the sun.

Adding more blue to the cloud colour I put in the distant trees.

I put in the sun and the sky colours in between the clouds with various mixtures of cadmium yellow deep, the red and a little bit of white.

Using white with a touch of blue I put in the snow covered land, followed by a little of the sky colour on a few areas of the snow.

Next I put in the under paint for the foreground rock with burnt sienna, the blue and the red.

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

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Winter Lakes - Two Works in Progress

Since it is 12F (-11C) and it is snowing what better to paint than a couple of snow scenes.

I came across these two pieces that I had started a few years ago (see posts on 24 November 2013 and 29 November 2015).

For the first one I thought I would use Antwerp blue for the sky and the ice covered lake.















Frozen Lake 2

I added burnt sienna to the blue and painted in the trees on the far side of the lake and set it aside to dry.

For the next painting I used French ultramarine blue for the sky and the shadows on the snow covered lake.















Cold and Calm 1

I used burnt sienna and the blue and painted in the rocks in the foreground and on the far shore.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date once I have put in the pine trees.

ACEO - Winter Evening 1

It was on the chilly side this morning, with the temperature at -13F (-25C) and the wind chill making it feel like -27F (-33C). The snow under my feet made that crackling sound with each step I took on my way to do the barn chores.

The nice thing is that it is supposed to warm up this afternoon to a high of 1F (-17C) with the wind chill at -13F (-25C).

Once I warmed up after having breakfast and a second cup of tea, I pulled out this little painting that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 11 January and 08 February 2017).

I started by using various greens using mixtures of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna and new gamboge, beginning with the trees on the distant horizon.

On the slightly closer trees I darkened the greens on the pine needles and for the closest trees I darkened the colour a little more and put in a single dead tree trunk using a light green with a small amount of burnt sienna.















Using French ultramarine blue with a small amount of burnt sienna and a lot of water I washed in the shadows across the snow.

Lastly, I used various mixes of raw sienna, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I put in the grasses and growies at the base of the pine trees, and a few areas where they came out through the snow

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy 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 painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Fabriano 100% cotton, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Riverview Pines and Horses I - A Work in Progress

Today was a little on the cool side with the high being 7F (-13.9C) and the wind chill making it feel like -17F (-27.2C).

I pulled out this sketch that I did while we were bringing in hay during the summer (see post on 06 August 2017).

I wanted to do a little more work on this drawing and thought I would start on the foreground and put in some grasses and growies.

I will get my photos of their horses for reference.

I will post this drawing at a later date as more work on the horses are completed.

Young Pine Tree I - A Work in Progress

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Being in the warm house looking out the window across the front field it looks like we are having a wonderful, white Christmas with 6" (15.2cm) of snow covering the ground with a white blanket. From here you won't feel the cold 23F (-5C) weather with the wind chill making it feel like 6F (-14.4C).

While I sat at the kitchen table enjoying the view I saw one of the young pine trees that are growing along the north fence line and I decided to do this graphite pencil sketch of this snow covered Christmas tree.

I may add more detail at a later date and work it up into a pen and ink drawing, but now I have to get ready to go out to the family Christmas.

Pink Sky 7 - A Work in Progress

It is Christmas eve and I thought I would work on this little painting, which I started last year (see post on 26 December 2016).

Using a pencil, I lightly drew in the outline of the rock face in the foreground that would be touched by the sunlight and be lighter in colour.

This was followed by indicating the shoreline on the land in the background.

Next I indicated the tree trunks and the main branches of a couple of pine trees on the rock face.

Using a pale mix of Antwerp blue and raw sienna I painted in the trees on the far shore leaving the paper above the horizon line untouched.

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

Along the Shore 1-3 - Three Works in Progress

This morning I woke up 19F (-7C), with the wind chill making it feel like 8F (-13C) and add to that another 3" (7.6cm) of snow on top of everything we had received a couple of days ago.

To offset the cold I decided to work on these three paintings that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 16 September 2013, 27 August 2016 and 16 January 2017).

Working on all three paintings at the same time, I started by putting the seagulls into the sky using a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.















Along the Shore 1

Next I put in the blue of the water using various mixtures of Antwerp blue and raw sienna, leaving some areas of the paper white against the shoreline.

I added a small amount of French ultramarine blue to the water colour and added a few darker areas throughout the water to indicate waves.















Along the Shore 2

Using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, raw sienna, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I started adding layers of colour onto the distant islands on the horizon line.

Darkening the colours slightly I put in the closer islands.















Along the Shore 3

Lastly, I worked on the closer more detailed rock cliffs close to the beach.

I will post each of these paintings as they are completed.

Winter Buildings II - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to do some work on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see post on 04 November 2013).

I started working on the wind bent pine tree on the left side of the building and thickened the tree trunk, added a few more branches and some pine needles.

I found this building interesting in that the roof on the one side of the building extended further out and was lower than the back part of the building. 

The roof also, had a dip almost in the middle with both peaks higher on the ends.

The back part of the building was set back from the front part and it extended further out on the far side which, unless you walked around the building you wouldn't know.

I worked on the back part of the building and added the dip in the back part of the roof near the peak.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have completed more of the building.

New Toys at Work

Ron finished fixing my newest toys, put them all back together and took them out today for a "test drive".















He started at the back of the house and cleared a path for me to get to the bird feeders making it easier for me to fill them without the risk of falling.















From there he cleared the way to the bird feeders at the front of the house and to the porch door.















He finished by clearing the snow on the way to the back of the barn to the far door leading to the hay mow, which makes my life a lot easier.

ACEO - Early Morning 1

Today we are supposed to have a high of 23F (-5C) and with the wind chill it will feel like 16F (-9C) which is a lot warmer than yesterday when I had no heat for most of the day.

We did however, have a beautiful sunrise and I thought I would finish this painting that I had started quite a while ago (see posts on 11 February 2013 and 22 July 2016), by adding some of the sky colours which were reflected onto the snow.

Next I painted in the tree trunks and fence rails with various mixes of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.















Lastly, I added in some of the grasses and growies at the base of the trees and some of the ones poking out of the snow.

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.

Sharing the Sky I - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to do a little more on this sketch that I started in Cuba (see post on 23 May 2016).

Using pen and ink I started with the clouds putting in the outline first and then adding in some shadows.

Next, I put in the horizon line, followed by adding the islands and hills.

From there I put in the palm trees, life guard hut, and the pier.















I then started in on the water and put in the waves and white caps as well as the ripples from the waves washing onto the beach.

The kite boarder was added onto the water. I then erased the hut that had been on the end of the pier as I felt it made things too "busy" and fought for dominance with the kite boarder.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have added a few more kite boarders and some of the seagulls which are sharing the sky with them.

Winter Island and Open Water 1 – Two Works in Progress

Today I wanted to paint a couple of small winter scenes on boards and I thought I would work back and forth on both pieces at the same time.

For the first one I painted in the sky using titanium white and ultramarine blue. I then added a small amount of alizarin crimson to the sky colour and painted in an area of open water.












Winter Island

Next using burnt sienna, raw sienna and white I painted in some trees on the horizon.

Adding ultramarine blue to the background tree colour I put in darker closer trees near the horizon line before setting it aside to work on the second painting.











Open Water 1

Using the same colour for the water as in the first painting, I painted in areas of open water on the second painting.

At this point I wasn't quite sure how I would progress with either of these pieces. But I found four small wooden frames and I make cut them down to fit the frames.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date once I decide what direction I wish to go with them in the future.

Dusk 5 and 6 - Two Works in Progress

I didn't have a lot of time today to work on my art before having to go out and run errands, so I pulled out a couple of watercolour backgrounds that I started earlier this year (see post on 08 March 2017).

I thought that I would sketch in the land areas, the lakes and the some of the larger trees, so when I come back to this painting I can get it completed.

Dusk 5

On the first one I put in the horizon line and thee trees on the far shore.

With the light coloured area on the right hand side, I decided to use that as rocks and added three pine trees on top.

For the next background I decided to turn it upside down and use the lighter area at the bottom for a base to put in a few large pine trees.

Next I added a few trees into the middle ground area between the trees.

Dusk 6

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

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

Poster for the Waterfall Painting Class

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 17 January 2018.

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

Toys and Gift Wrapping - Three Works in Progress

Today I was in the Still Life class at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio in the morning and sitting the Gallery in the afternoon.

There were a wide variety of things to paint and I decided to do three small sections of the display.














Don't Drink and Drive 1

The first was of a bottle of wine, a small snowman, a teddy bear and a couple of toy cars with a gold ribbon running between them.














Gift Wrap 1

The second was of various gift boxes and bags with a roll of gold ribbon.















Santa's Bag 1

The third on was of Santa's bag filled with toys and wrapped gifts.

As more work is completed on each of the three paintings, I will post them at a later date.

Hung Up to Dry - A Work in Progress

This is a larger version of one of the sketches I did last month in the Still Life class at KAGS.

It was of a teddy bear on a clothes line with its arm tangled in the shoulder strap of a corset.

I thought it would make an interesting painting and will probably get a chuckle out of many people who see it, as it certainly caused a lot of laughter in the class.

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

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.

ACEO - Caribbean Shore 1

It is fairly mild here 39F (4C) with the wind chill at 28F (-2C), fairly "balmy" weather for a December day, which is why I pulled out this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 08 April 2015 and 27 August 2016).

Using greens made from various mixtures of  Antwerp blue, burnt sienna, French ultramarine blue, new gamboge and raw sienna I started by putting in the trees on the distant land on the left side of the painting first.

I followed this by putting in the palm trees on the right side of the beach, followed by adding the closest palm trees on the left side of the beach.














I added a few strands of seaweed onto the sand of the beach just above the waterline.

Finally, using a dark of burnt sienna and the darker green mix I painted in the coconuts among the palm fronds on the two closer trees, then lightened the colour with water I put in the tree trunks on the closer trees and on the tree trunks at the far end of the beach.

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. Fabriano 100% cotton, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Confirmed Shows for 2017-2018 - December

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

Extendicare, 860 Alexander Court, Peterborough, Ont.
30 Oct 17 - 01 Jan 18

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
29 Nov - 22 Dec 17 and 03-21 Jan 18 The Winter Show
Opening Reception 03 Dec 17 from 1-4p.m.
24 Jan - 04 Mar 18 Beauty of Stillness
Opening Reception 28 Jan 18 from 1-4p.m.
07-25 Mar 18 Small Treasures
Opening Reception 11 Mar 18 from 1-4p.m.
Draw 25 Mar 18 from 1-4p.m.
28 Mar - 03 May 18 SPARK Photography Show
Opening Reception 08 Apr 18 from 1-4p.m.
20 Jun - 15 Jul 18 Interactions
Opening Reception 24 Jun 18 from 1-4p.m.
08 Aug -09 Sep 18 Figuratively Speaking
Opening Reception 12 Aug 18 from 1-4p.m.
26 Sep -21 Oct 18 Driven to Abstracrion
Opening Reception 30 Sep 18 from 1-4p.m.
24 Oct - 11 Nov 18 Outdoor Painters' Show- Nature's Splendour
Opening Reception 28 Oct 18 from 1-4p.m.
28 Nov - 21 Dec 18 and 03-20 Jan 19 On the Move - A History of Transportation
Opening Reception 03 Dec 18 from 1-4p.m.

Academy Theatre, 2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, Ontario
Guild Room
29 Nov 17 - 03 Feb 18

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, 425 Douro Fourth Line Road, Hamlet of Douro, Ont.
04 May - 04 Ju1 18 Countryside Art Group
Opening Reception 11 May 18 from 7-8p.m.

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