ACEO - Tied Up 4

Today I was thinking about being in the Caribbean, with the warm breezes and turquoise waters, so I thought I would work on this painting that I had started last year (see posts on 19 April and 24 July 2017)

Since I already had the sky with the birds completed I started by working putting in the water with a mixture of Antwerp blue with a small amount of cobalt blue. I left the area by the sand with the surf splashing up the white of the paper.

Next I used raw sienna as a base colour for the sand and as it dried I used a wash of burnt sienna I put in the islands on the horizon.

Darkening the burnt sienna was with a little cobalt blue I added the shadows to the islands and into the sand and put in the tethering post.

Using the Antwerp blue and raw sienna I put in some palm trees on the islands and some seaweed onto the sand around the boat.

Now it was time to work on the boat with alizarin crimson.

A lighter red was put on the sunlit side first and a hint of new gamboge was added in a few areas. On the shadowed side darker alizarin crimson was painted in first and Antwerp blue added  into the shadowed areas.

Lastly, with a mix of French ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna I put in the gunnels and the rope tying the boat to the post.

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.

Along the Road I - A Work in Progress

Today I didn't have a lot of time to work on art, as I have friends coming by to pick me up so we will finish up our Christmas shopping.

I thought I would work on this one which I can stop at any time with no clean up required (see post on 12 September 2018).

I started at the top and put in all the pine tree tops that appeared above the treeline.















From there, I put in the tops of the trees at various levels near the top of the hill.

Next, I indicated the base of the hill and the path the road followed.

The last drawing, I was able to do was put in the grasses and growies along the roadway.

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

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

ACEO - Dusk 5

This morning I wanted to complete this painting I had started last year (see posts on 08 March and 09 December 2017).

Using a green of Antwerp blue and raw sienna I painted in the background trees leaving the area between the trees and the water as rocks on the shoreline.

I used some of the same green in the water for the ripples across the surface of the lake.

Using a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I painted in the tree trunks.

Darkening the background green with a small amount of the trunk colour I put the needles on the centre line tree.

I used various mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna, new gamboge, cadmium yellow and cadmium red for the grasses at the base of 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.

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.

Skies - Three Works in Progress

Today I wanted to play with colour and what better way than to paint skies?

I pulled out these three pieces that I had started a while ago (see posts on 27 June 2013, 23 September 2013 and 07 February 2015).

To keep the palette simple, I would use just three colours which were alizarin crimson, Antwerp blue and new gamboge.

I made a puddle of each colour on my palette, so I could put the paint on quickly and not have to stop to mix color.

I wet the sky in the first painting being careful not to touch the sun.

Using the blue first, I brushed in the top quarter of the sky, this was followed by using the red into some areas of the blue and part way down the sky.

Windmill 1

Lastly, I used the yellow and painted down to the top of the horizon line and then set this one away to dry.

With the next piece I wet the entire paper and as with the first painting I started at the top using the blue and brushed a small amount into the top leaving white areas for clouds, followed by putting the blue into the bottom of the painting for the reflection of the sky colours in the water.















Snelgrove Brook 1

This was followed by using the red into the top third of the painting again leaving areas of white for the clouds and then putting some into the water just above the blue.

Lastly, I put in the yellow into the bottom of the sky to just above the horizon line, followed by putting it in below the horizon line and going down into the red of the lake.

I set this one aside to dry.















Morning Fisherman 2

For the last piece, I started by brushing in the blue through the sky and leaving some areas untouched down the horizon line. The blue was then worked through the water area the same way up to the horizon line.

Next, I brushed the red throughout the sky and in some places overlapping the blue, followed by brushing it in throughout the water.

On this one I decided not to add the yellow. Instead, I put in the rocks in the foreground using burnt sienna, the red and the blue. before setting it aside to dry.

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.

Cabin Memories 2 and 3

Today I was at KAGS sitting the On the Move exhibition and while I was there I thought I would do a couple of drawings to pass the time in between visitors.

I thought for a change I would draw some buildings set into a landscape, at the edge of a clearing or in a sheltered area at the edge of a forest.















Cabin Memories 2

For my first drawing I started by putting in a large building on the right side of the paper and then added a few large trees in behind.

It was at this point that I changed the building into an abandoned, run down  building.

On the left side I put a fence in the distance as well as a fence that was falling down, running out from the left side of the building.















Cabin Memories 3

On my second drawing I put the building a little further back and on the right side of the paper and set it at the edge of a forest.

Next I put in a few birch trees on the left side of the drawing.

After looking at both drawings I thought it would be nice to have them both as night scenes and added a full moon into the sky on the left side.

Vertical 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I pulled out this little painting that I started last year while I was in Magnetawan at the Knoepfli Inn (see post on 03 October 2018).

After looking at the drawing, I made a few changes and added a number of lines to create more interest.

Starting with cobalt blue, I put in the colour in various places throughout the painting to create some movement.

Next I added some areas of raw sienna touching the blue.

I then mixed the blue and the yellow together and put in sections of green.

I applied pure alizarin crimson in a number of areas.

This was followed by adding raw sienna to the alizarin for a nice warm orange.

After looking at the painting for a few minutes I added the alizarin crimson to the cobalt blue for a purple and put it in various areas in the painting.

Taking more time to look at the pointing I decided that I was best served to leave it for another day rather than continue working on it and perhaps making a mess of it that I would regret.

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

ACEO - Dusk 10

Today I had some time before I had to go out and run a few errand so I pulled out this piece that I had started last year (see posts on 09 March and 27 July 2017).

With a mix of French ultramarine blue and raw sienna, I painted in the pine trees on the islands.

Next I lightened the green mix and put it into the lake to create water ripples.

Lastly I softened the edge of the islands.

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.

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

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.

Confirmed Shows for 2018-2019 - 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.

Academy Theatre, 2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, Ont.
Guild Room
01 Oct - 31 Dec 18

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
28 Nov - 21 Dec 18 and 02-20 Jan 19 On the Move
Opening Reception 03 Dec 18 from 1-4 p.m.
23 Jan – 24 Feb 19 Monochrome and Black and White
Opening Reception 27 Jan 19 from 1-4 p.m.
27 Feb - 24 Mar 19 Awakenings
Opening Reception 02 Mar 19 from 1-4 p.m.
27 Mar – 02 May 19 SPARK Photography Show
Opening Reception 07 Apr 19 from 1-4 p.m.
19 Jun – 07 Jul 19 Two Guys and a Girl
Opening Reception: 23 Jun 19 from 1-4 p.m.
21 Aug - 22 Sep 19 Stems and Stuff
Opening Reception 25 Aug 19 from 1-4 p.m.
25 Sep – 27 Oct 19 Faces and Figures
Opening Reception 29 Sep 19 from 1-4 p.m.
30 Oct – 17 Nov 19 Sky, Land and Sea - Outdoor Painters' Show
Opening Reception 03 Nov 19 from 1-4 p.m.
04-22 Dec 19 and 03- Jan 20 Harvest of Colour
Opening Reception 08 Dec 19 from 1-4 p.m.

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, 425 Douro Fourth Line Road, Hamlet of Douro, Ont.
09 Jan - 22 Mar 19 Scenes of Canada, The Art of Daniel Marlatt and Susan Sydney
Opening Reception 11 Jan 19 from 7-8 p.m.

St. Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont.
Buckhorn Artists' Group
16-18 Aug 19 29th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show

Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
Kawartha Arts Festival
31 Aug - 01 Sep 19 30th Annual Kawartha Arts Festival

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

Elegant Elm I

I set out the way I wanted to place the leaves in his painting last month (see post on 16 October 2018).

I used gold paint on the cluster of elm leaves on the branch first and set it aside to dry before painting the three individual leaves.

Once all the leaves were dry, I used acrylic gloss medium to glue the leaves into place and set aside to dry.

Next, I applied four layers of acrylic gloss varnish, making sure each layer had time to dry completely.

This original 8" x 10" framed, mixed media painting is available for $150.00.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

On the Move Exhibit at KAGS

Today I was at KAGS to open the Gallery in the morning for the Still Life class, but I was unable to stay for the Snow Day theme as I had an eye appointment this morning.








I returned later to stay for the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group afternoon where I thought I would be able to work on some paintings.














Unfortunately, that was not to be. The person who was supposed to sit the Gallery in the afternoon did not bother to show up for their obligation for being able to exhibit.










I ended up sitting instead as I hadn't set up to paint in the studio.











I ended up making a number of phone calls until I had dates for this person to sit in place of this time slot that she missed.












Afterwards I had plenty of time to enjoy the show which featured the many ways that people have travelled from one place to another through the years.
















The show runs from 28 November - 21 December 2018, then closes for the Christmas Holidays and reopens from 02-20 January 2019. The Opening Reception is on 03 December 2018 from 1-4 p.m. If you have a chance, please come out and enjoy the show.

Big Cedar Lake II

I wanted to work on another pen and ink drawing so I pulled out this one that I had started a few years ago (see posts on 25 August 2015 and 30 January 2017).

I started by putting in the rocks at the base of the island on the left side of the drawing and gradually added the trees and growies.

Next I indicated the rock bases on the islands and distant shoreline in the background.















Working from the furthest back trees with the least amount of detail, I gradually added more detail as I worked forward.

Lastly, I put in the ripples on the water, lighter in the background and slightly darker in the foreground.

This original 5-1/2" x 9” pen and ink drawing will be available when matted and shrink wrapped for $40.00.

Background 87-89

As usual since I hate to waste paint I used the leftover paint from yesterday's painting to put on canvas as a background.















Background 87

For the first canvas I used the remaining titanium white, raw sienna and burnt sienna.















Background 88

For the second one I used the remaining manganese blue, raw sienna and the darker greens.















Background 89

On the last canvas I applied all the remaining greens, blues, yellows and the last bits of the white.

Benched

Today I went through a stack of unfinished canvases and pulled out this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see post on 02 October 2016) when I entered the 1st Annual Outdoor Painting Festival Cavan/Millbrook plein air competition.

Using various greens made from Hansa yellow, ultramarine blue, manganese blue, cadmium yellow lemon and raw sienna, I put the remaining leaves on the tree.

This was followed by adding some highlights using Hansa yellow, titanium white and shadows using and burnt sienna.

I added a little more of the pale green into the sunlit area behind the bench.

This original 8" x 10" acrylic painting is available for $150.00.

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

Simply Cedar I

I pulled out my box of dried and pressed leaves and found he parcel with small cedar branches.

After sorting through them I found four branches that would fit my canvas.

I painted my canvas with the background colour using a mixture of black and iridescent acrylic paint and set it aside to dry.

Next I used combinations of metallic paints including emerald green, copper, bronze and gold ring to imitate the colours already on the cedar branches. As each one was finished I set it aside to dry.















When the branches were completely dry I used acrylic gloss medium to glue the branches into place beginning with the ones on the bottom first and gradually working up to the ones on the top layer.

I let this layer dry and lastly to make sure they didn't move and were protected, I applied four layers of acrylic gloss varnish giving each layer time to dry completely.

This original 8" x 10" framed, mixed media painting is available for $150.00.

Brass Lamp 1

This is another drawing of the lamps I did in the Still Life class at KAGS yesterday.

This one is has a simple brass base which can hold various sized candles.

The chimney fits tightly into the base and has a double indent in the glass which I found interesting instead of having the single globe.

The candle on the inside was pink, but if I decide to do this as a painting I think I will make it a different colour either, white or red.

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

Hurricane Lantern 1

Today the theme for the Still Life class at the Kawartha Artists" Gallery and Studio was Lamps and Clocks. But with the temperature setting record breaking low temperatures (in the morning 1F (-17C) with the wind chill at -9F (-23C) and with the wind dying down in the afternoon it warmed up to 16F (-9C)) for the season, not many people came out for the class.

We had a large section of lanterns and not one clock, so to make the display interesting we added a number of art books and placed a pair of reading glasses on an open book.

We placed a wooden chair beside the table, added a pillow and draped a fringed shawl over the back of the chair. The finishing touch was a tea cup on the table by the chair.

For my first drawing I chose a tall antique copper hurricane lantern that I found interesting with the outer glass chimney held in place with five vertical copper slats and two rounded thick copper wires welded into place on one of the slats.

The cap at the top of the outer part of the lantern had the same copper wire that was used in the banding around the outer glass for a handle.

The lid at the top of the cap opens to allow the egress of air but would also protect the flame from high winds and also allows the candle to be lit.

The interesting thing about this lantern is that it is also has a dead-flame lamp inside and the base at the bottom of the lantern opens to allow the dead-flame lamp to be removed.

Dead-flame lamps have a (fuel tank) can be filled with either oil or kerosene that attaches to wick holding lamp burner which holds the glass chimney with four prongs. The airflow to the wick is controlled through the burner vents and the open chimney.

I will post the other lamp I started at a later date.

Spooky

Today I had a wonderful surprise, my little barn cat Spooky, came running up to me when I called my cats in to be fed. I have not seen her since May and with her being 15 years old, I thought that she had passed away.

I picked her up and she draped herself over my shoulder as she usually did and it was as though she had never been gone.















When I set her down inside the barn, both her daughters Inky and Smoke ran up to greet her while I filled their trays with kibble and then added some leftover chicken as a treat to their meal.

Hopefully, now that there is snow on the ground and it is getting colder she will stick around, at least for the winter before she disappears again.

ACEO - Dusk 7

I wanted to finish this little painting that I had started last year (see posts on 09 March 2017 and 09 May 2018).

For the trees and their reflections in the water, I used a mixture of French ultramarine blue and raw sienna.

I added burnt sienna to the mixture and put in the rocks along the shoreline and some of the dead trees scattered throughout the deciduous trees.

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.

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

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

Made in Kawartha Lakes Exhibition

Today is the first day of the Made In Kawartha Lakes Exhibition. It is held at the Fenelon Community Centre, in Fenelon Falls Ontario.

Last night between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. we were allowed to bring our paintings into the show to set up, as well as between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. with everything to be ready and set up for the opening at 10:00 a.m.















Since I would be demonstrating on the weekend I had one of the tables to paint at and had a couple of binders of my ACEO as well as two framed pieces on the table.

The other artists of the Kawartha Arts Network had their paintings displayed on either the large wooden panels or on the small set of grids by the second table.















Everything was ready and in place in time for the opening.

We had a nice selection of paintings on display at the KAN booth and a number of the members of the Group also had their own booths to display more of their artwork.

The hours for the show are:
Saturday, 17 Nov 18, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and
Sunday, 18 Nov 18, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

I hope you will be able to come out and see the exhibit during the weekend.

Wine Glass and Candles 1 and Wine Bottle, Glasses and Candle 1

These are the other two drawings that I started in yesterday's Still Life Class at KAGS and finished today.

In the first one, I started by placing the wine glass where I wanted it in the drawing.

Next I put in the candlestick on the right side of the drawing followed by the candlestick on the left side, which I placed partially behind the wine glass.

I then put in the spiral candles into the holders and added the flame.

Wine Glass and Candles 1

The next drawing featured the plain wine bottle without the basket and tassels.

I placed it on the left side of the drawing and added one of the wine glasses in front.

Toward the right of the centre I put in a candlestick with a spiral candle and even though we are not allowed to have lit candles in the building I added the flame onto the candle.

Next I added in two wine glasses in front of the candle.

Wine Bottle, Glasses and Candle 1

I may do a few more of these small drawings at a later date.

Wine Bottle, Glass and Bowl 1 and 2

Today at KAGS the theme for the Still Life class was Candlelit Dinner.

We had a wonderful assortment of interesting things to draw and paint.

We had a silver vase filled with red roses, a candlestick with a red candle, two different wine bottles, two crystal trays, two place settings, complete with wine glasses, napkins and silverware and salad bowls.

I moved things around and did some small drawings.

Wine Bottle, Glass and Bowl 1

In the first one I did the tall dark bottle with a metal basket around it and a couple of tassels, the wine glass and the salad bowl.

On the second drawing I used the other wine bottle which was quite interesting.

It had a pour spout and a wicker base covering the bottom half of the bottle and twine winding around from the neck of the bottle just below the cork to just above the base of the pour spout.

Next I added in the wine glass and then placed the salad bowl by the bottle.

Wine Bottle, Glass and Bowl 2

I will post the two other drawings I did in the class tomorrow once the drawings have been completed.

Snow Scenes

It started off very cold 18F (-7.8C) with the wind chill this morning making it feel like 9F (-12.8C) as I headed down to the barn to do chores. Fortunately it is going to warm up to 27F (-2.7C) with the wind chill making it feel like 16F (-8.9C) and we are expected to receive more snow flurries.

I thought with more snow in the forecast I may as well do a couple of drawings of snow scenes with a building in them.















Moonlight 8

For the first one I thought a log cabin would be nice set in a snow covered field.

As I worked on the drawing, I added some smoke to the chimney and a fence in behind the cabin.

Lastly, I put a moon in behind the tall pine tree on the right side of the drawing.















Snowed In 1

For my second drawing I thought a barn would be nice set back behind a barbed wire fence.

I added some long grasses and growies poking out of the snow in the foreground.

Either of these drawings could be developed into paintings at a later time.

Silent Sumac I

I had set out the sumac leaves on a canvas last month (see post on 19 October 201) and I wanted to complete it today.

First I painted the canvas with a mixture of black and iridescent acrylic paint and set it aside to dry.

Next while trying to keep the colour patterns of the compound leaves, I used the metallic red, emerald green and gold acrylic paint on the leaflets. Each set of leaves were set aside to dry.
















Once everything was dry I used acrylic gloss medium to glue the leaves into place and again set aside to dry.

Lastly to make sure they didn't move and were protected, I applied four layers of acrylic gloss varnish giving each layer time to dry completely.

This original 8" x 10" framed, mixed media painting is available for $150.00.

Silver I

This is the third drawing that I did in the Still Life class at KAGS earlier this week (see posts on 08 and 11 November 2018) this one features items make of silver.

I selected a silver warming dish, a glass container with a silver lid and an ornament of a silver rose with a "ruby" in the centre of the flower.

Again it was a difficult choice to make as there also was a coffee pot with a cream warmer on the top, a vanity tray with filigreed silver around its mirrored base, a cream and sugar set of royal blue glass set within a silver rim and base resting on a matching silver tray and lastly a silver plant holder.

I started on the left side with the large covered, four-legged warming dish which had ornate scrolling on the handle of the lid and at the top of each of the four legs.















To the right of this I put in the bevelled glass jar. The glass created a kaleidoscope of complex patterns from the colours behind it as they showed through the glass.

I then placed the ornate silver rose ornament with the red glass faceted stone set into the centre of the rose. The stem started the base of one foot of the warming dish, went behind the glass jar and the flower protruded out to the right beyond the jar.

Lastly, I put the folds in the cloth beneath the silver pieces.

Perhaps in the future I may do another piece featuring one of each of the three metals.

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

Brass I

This is another drawing that I did in the KAGS Still Life class (see post on 08 November 2018) this one features items make of brass.

It was very hard to make a selection and for this one I chose a creamer, a large bowl and a platter. There was also a bell, an ornament of a pear, a bud vase and a small bowl but, I thought would be overkill if I included everything.

I started on the left side of the paper and the first thing I put in was the large brass platter resting upright on a plate holder.















Next I put the creamer in front of the platter overlapping it on the right side.

On the right side I put in the large bowl and added the folds of the material which was behind and below all of the items on the table.

I will post the third drawing tomorrow after I have more work on it completed.

Construction Safety Helmet

Today I wanted to finish the third outline sketch from the Still Life class at KAGS from last week (see posts on 02 and 05 November 2018).

I thought it was suitable that the construction safety helmet was supported by a brick in this display of hats.

I also liked the fact that the brick was not one of the run of the mill flat red bricks, but had core holes called keys and on the long sides of narrow edge had a number of indents.

This brick was made for strength, quality, weight reduction and cost reduction.

I may go in at a later date and do more work on the brick and add shadows and highlights onto the helmet.

Fire

Today has a high of 32F (0C), with the wind making it feel like 27F (-3C) and we are going to get at least 2" (5cm) of the heavy, wet packing snow.

While it does make everything look pretty and it is great for making snowmen and snow forts, it does make shovelling the walkway hard work.















Needless to say we are going to enjoy a nice fire in the fireplace tonight, the first one of the season.

It is probably one of the things I enjoy most, as the cold weather sets in until it disappears in the spring next year.

Copper I

Today I had to go into KAGS to open the studio for the still life class. The theme was metals and we had two wonderful displays.

Carol and I were the first to arrive and we set up a large display featuring items that were made of brass, copper or silver on the large table in the centre of the room.

The rest of the group arrived later and what they brought in was set up on a smaller table which featured things made of either silver or brass.

I decided I would do a separate drawing featuring each of the different kinds of metal. I chose copper as the first metal and used a pitcher, a tall vase and a kettle from the display.















I liked the shape of the pitcher and started by placing it on the left side of the drawing first. This was followed by my putting the tall copper vase slightly behind and to the right of the pitcher.

On the right side of the drawing I put in the copper kettle which was a heavy enough piece that would balance the height of the two pieces on the left side.

Next I added the draping and some of the folds of the cloth beneath the kettle and the other copper pieces.

I will post the one in brass and the one using silver at a later date.

ACEO - Winter Creek 2

Today I wanted to complete this little painting that I started a couple of years ago (see posts on 15 September 2016, 17 January and 11 July 2017).

With a pale mixture of French ultramarine blue and cobalt blue I brushed in some shadows on the snow covered fields.

I darkened the mixture and added some ripples into the water on the creek.

Next I added burnt sienna to the darker blue colour and put in the tree branches and dark spots onto the birch tree on the left side of the painting.















Using various shades of green made from French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge I painted in the various clumps of trees growing in the fields.

Lastly I added the various grasses and growies throughout the painting using mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin.

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.

Three Hats

On Thursday last week I was at the Still Life class at KAGS where I worked on three drawings of some of the various hats in the display (see post on 02 November 2018).

I finished this line drawing today from the class. It is of three different hats, a broad brimmed lady's straw hat with a ribbon, a white boater and a cowboy hat.

The three of them made a nice display, with the Lady's hat resting at the top of a cylinder on top of a cloth covered box in the centre.














With the boater hat leaning against the box on the left side and the cowboy hat as it leaned against the box on the right side.

I enjoyed placing the folds of the cloth, as it draped down the box and onto the table creating interesting patterns.

I am not sure if I will go back into this drawing at a later date and add in some shading, or leave it as an outline sketch.

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 November.

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

REPTILIA

Today I drove down to Whitby to pick Ron up at work and bring him back, so he could leave his truck in the yard instead of bringing it home.

After having breakfast, we ran a few errands in the area getting things that Ron needed for fixing things at the house, the barn and various machines and vehicles.















While we were at our last stop we saw a sign for REPTILIA located at 1400 Victoria St. E. in Whitby, Ontario, which is Canada's largest Reptile Zoo and Education Facility.

So we decided to stop and see what the facility was like and to view the animals.

It was wonderful to enter the bright, open and very clean, building.

We were surprised that Reptilia is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p. m. with the exception of holidays where they are open from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p. m.

The staff was friendly, informative and outgoing.

They let us know the times for the next public feeding of the reptiles and the time of the next live show featuring three of the animals.

We started going through the Zoo which features over 250 reptiles, amphibians, a few arachnids and a Grey Parrot in its 15,000 square feet (1,394 square metres) of exhibits.
















Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

It was not long before they made an announcement that they would have a demonstration of feeding a Red Spitting Cobra and members of the staff showed us where to go to view the Red Spitting Cobra being fed.

It is amazing the speed at which the cobra took the bait. If you blinked you would have missed the strike and how quickly it swallowed its prey.















Red Spitting Cobra (Naja pallida)

We continued walking through the wide corridors, stopping at each display; in some cases the animals were easy to find, whether they were moving around in their habitat, curled up by a rock, or draped over a branch relaxing.

Others you had to try and find them in among the leaves, in the water or behind a rock and in one instance, one of the snakes had buried itself the mulch at the bottom of its home with only the head peeking out as though laying in wait for prey.















Monitor Lizard

A while later there was a live show and with one of the zookeepers of three of the animals in the zoo; in this case a Pakistani Leopard Gecko, followed by an Alligator Snapping Turtle and lastly, a Caiman.

The zookeeper give information about each of the three animals, asked the audience questions about their knowledge of the animals and answered all questions asked by the crowd.

Each animal was brought through the audience and everyone was given the opportunity to touch the animals if we wished. I of course did and Ron declined.

From there we continued going through the zoo, finding more interesting animals at each display. My only disappointment was that the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) stayed hidden.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)

This just means that I will have to go back again and perhaps next time he will be willing to come out of his cave and get his photograph taken.

Once we had gone through and looked at each display, we entered into a children's play area, complete with mazes, climbers, slides, toys and many other things to keep them occupied. Including the big kids (I almost didn't make it out of the maze).















Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

As we were heading out we noticed that there were two birthday parties going on in different rooms each of which included a live animal show, a visit from REPTILIA's mascot Sir Chompsalot.

Our last stop was at their Gift Shop/Store where they sell supplies for reptiles and occasionally have a few ready to be adopted. I picked up a t-shirt to add to my collection of places I have visited.















Blanding Turtle (Emys blandingii or Emydoidea blandingii) is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.