Long Lake VI - A Work in Progress

I had planned on going painting today with the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group to the Miskwaa Art Studio and Outdoor Gallery in Trent Lakes, Ontario. But unfortunately, we ended up having rain most of the day with the chance of a thunderstorm, due to the continuing heat 86F (30C) and high humidity 102F (39C).

Instead I decided to work on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 15 June 2013, 05 July 2016 and 23 March 2018) while canoeing on Long Lake.

I started by putting in more of the background trees and then adding the outline of the tops of the main rock masses.














Next I put in some of the larger dead tree trunks and then, added in a few of the grasses and growies among the rocks.

On the foreground island I started adding in some of the crevices and shadows on the rocks before starting on the trunk and lower branches of the largest pine tree.

I added some water ripples to the base of the foreground island and to the base of the middle rock island.

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

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Back Forty III - A Work in Progress

I picked this one to work on today, I had started last year (see post on 25 June 2017) when we were out in the bulldog and going through the back fields and had a doe pop out from its hiding spot at the edge of the sugar bush.

I started by putting in the hay growing at the edge of the field.














Next, I started putting on the leaves on some of the bushes, but before I could get any further I had a long distance call that took up a fair amount of time.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I add more details onto the deer.

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.

Suppertime? - A Work in Progress

Today, I wanted to get more of the sponges, coral and plants painted on this piece I had started quite a while ago (see posts on 15 March, 31 October and 30 December 2012, 25 March 2013 and 09 August 2017).

Using Titanium white, ultramarine blue and raw sienna I finished adding to the plants at the top of the rock face. With the white, I indicated the top of some of the sponges lower down on the rock face.

With various mixtures of raw sienna, burnt sienna and Hansa yellow, I added some tube sponges on the edge of the rocks closest to the Jack-knifefish (Equetus lanceolatus).

From there using the same colours I added more sponges into the middle of the center area and a few more smaller ones towards the left side.















Next, I used a mixture of Titanium white, ultramarine blue and vermillion and put in a couple more of the purple sponges toward the middle of the rock face and some much smaller, duller coloured ones to the left side.

At this point I wanted to get the top area of the rock face completed. I mixed various greens using ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, raw sienna and Hansa yellow.

Using the greens I put in some of the small, leafy sea weed, draping it down the rock face from beneath the light coloured sponges and corals.

Lastly, using the darker greens I added a few pieces of seaweed above and around the smaller purple sponges.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have finished painting the remaining coral and sponges on the rock face.

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

ACEO - Peaceful Morning 1

Today I wanted to finish this piece that I had started a while ago (see posts on 10 September 2014 and 26 February 2018).

I started by putting in the far shoreline trees with various greens made from French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, raw sienna and new gamboge.

Next, using burnt sienna and a tiny amount of alizarin crimson I indicated the rocks at the edge of the water.

Now it was time to start on the island in the foreground.

Using the same green mixtures from the background trees with the addition of small amounts of burnt sienna I put in the large pines.

With French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the dead tree trunks; and then adding a little alizarin crimson I painted in the rocks on the waterline.

Lastly, I added the grasses and growies at the base of the pines and in among the rocks.

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.

The Pit Crew

Last year, Ron noticed that our grandson Aaron was outgrowing his motorized Jeep and probably wouldn't be using it this year.

Since we had a small and very old Husqvarna lawn mower on which the deck was no longer working, Ron decided to work on it over the winter to give Aaron a "new ride" for the summer.

He took the rusted, old deck off first and then cleaned up the undercarriage, making sure there were no rough edges that could cause problems.

Next he bolted a steel plate across the speed control so that it could only go forward on the slowest setting.















From there he worked on the motor to make sure it was in working order and would start and stay running.















Next he fixed the two flat tires and then it was time to take it for at test drive to make sure there were no unforeseen problems.















And of course he found that when you got off the seat the kill switch wasn't working and the engine didn't stop running.

That took a couple of weeks until the part came in so he could fix that and finally get the lawn mower out of the shop and into the west barn stone room with all the other lawn mowers which were waiting for spring.

Finally, today is the day when Ron and Kyle handed the key to Aaron and took him down to the barn so will be able to drive his new "toy".

They showed him where the brake was and then allowed him to start it and he was able to drive it slowly out of the barn for the first time.















With his father and grandfather on each side of him, they left the barn drive and headed up to the main driveway for his first time of going up and down the driveway.















After the first turn up and down the driveway Kyle went with him and left grandpa to relax in the shade watching them.















On the way back just before turning around to go again, it ran out of gas so it was time for a pit stop to fill the gas tank. Aaron was standing by, watching them closely to make sure they were doing it right.

Once it was fueled up they tried to start it again but it just wasn't working.

While grandpa went down to the stone room to get the battery charger out Aaron and Kyle pushed the mower down to the doorway.

Aaron was right there watching how they hooked up the cables onto the battery and asking them questions.

It didn't take very long for the battery to charge enough so it started and Aaron was on his way once more going down the driveway.















This time it was grandpa's turn to go with Aaron and he asked grandpa if he could drive on the front lawn for a change.















Ron explained to him that when he went down the hill he had to go straight down and not go on an angle, as the hill was steep and he didn't want him to roll the mower over and get himself hurt.















After Aaron safely negotiated the hill and turned a couple of laps around the front lawn they headed up onto the back part of the track and went to the back bend before turning around and coming back.















Then one final trip around the front lawn and it was back to the barn.















But just before they mad it back to the barn it quit and Kyle pushed it into the west barn stone room.

Grandpa will have sorted the problem with it quitting by the next time Aaron comes up to play with his new toy.

Old Shed I - A Work in Progress

Today I was in the mood to draw and I pulled out this sketch that I did a number of years ago (see posts on 13 July 2013 and 03 March 2017) when I was on a paint out with the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group.

I started with putting the boards on the right side of the shed door and then added more leaves to the climbing vine on the building.

From there I finished the large upright board leaning against the side of the shed.















I wasn't happy with the way the shed looked and I decided to extend the roof and length of the building.

Next I added another barrel on the left side of the boards leaning against the wall.

Perhaps I will add another window and put a door in the open space on the building and I will post this drawing at a later time once I have finished more of the building.

Monster in the Barn

This morning, while I was doing barn shores I got quite a shock when I went upstairs into the mow to throw hay out for the horses.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw what seemed like the face of  a monster. It was just the way the light coming through the knot holes and spaces between the barn boards caught the headlights and grill to give it an eerie glow.

Especially since I didn't know they had put Christine's ATV in the alleyway between the hay mows.

She had it at her place for the winter, using it to keep the pathways clear of snow between the house and the garage.















Now, I know Christine's monster is in my barn for the summer and it won't cach me by surprise again.

Dusk 7 - A Work in Progress

Today I was going to work on a couple of small paintings and try to get them finished.

I pulled out this little piece that I had started last year (see post on 09 March 2017).

Since I liked the colours in the top of the painting, I decided to put in a low horizon line so I could have a lot of sky showing.

Next I added a few rocks on the shoreline, followed by placing in some of the larger pine trees on the shore.

Before I could go any further with this painting I had friends come over and I will post this piece at a later date once it has been completed.

ACEO - Moonlight 7

Today I thought I would like to work on another of the moonlight paintings (see posts on 17 September 2016 and 08 March 2018).

I decided that I would make a few changes to this one by removing the trees on the foreground land mass as well as on the land on the left side.

With the sky colour on this one being more into the mauve range I thought I would continue with the same colour throughout the painting.

Mixing together alizarin crimson, Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue I brushed in the areas of water first, being careful to leave areas of white paper showing, which could be snow on the frozen water or areas of thin ice.

Adding water to the paint I washed in the shadowed snow covered areas of the land, again leaving areas of white paper touched by the moonlight.

Next I painted in the moon with new gamboge and lemon yellow.

Adding a little bit of cadmium yellow to the moon colour I painted in the moon's reflection on the water.

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.

Selwyn Beach VII and VIII

Today was another bright and sunny day with a nice breeze, although a little cooler than yesterday at 63F (17C).

After all the work we did to clear most of the debris from the windstorm we decided to go to Selwyn Beach for a picnic. While the others were looking for "treasure" with their metal detectors I sketched the south end of the beach.

Most of the rocks at the end of the beach were underwater.

The only thing showing above the water was the top half of the post where during the summer one end of the rope is tied to mark the south edge of the beach's swimming area ends and goes the other end of the rope goes through the water across to a dead weight mooring at the north end of the beach.

Selwyn Beach VII

My first drawing was of the shoreline on the east side of Chemong Lake facing south down the lake. I started with the edge of the water on the beach and continued where the land juts out into the lake.

I added in the main trees on the shore first, followed by the grasses, growies and smaller bushes.

Lastly, I put in the horizon line and added the trees on the distant shoreline.















Selwyn Beach VIII

For my next drawing, I thought I would start with the post at the end of the submerged rocks and work my way back to where my first drawing ended.

Once the post was drawn in, I followed the path through the water first to a clump of bushes, then the top of a few rocks, followed by a small bent cedar tree, partially submerged by the high water of the lake and then, I a few more tops of rocks with some small, partially submerged bushes.

Lastly, I put in the horizon line, added trees onto the distant shoreline, a closer island and a few cottages and boat houses on the west side of the lake.

I will probably ink in both of these drawings in at a later date.

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.

Wind Damage

So far this year we have had quite a few Meteorological Alerts and Warnings from Environment Canada; and today we are having another batch.

We are under a severe  thunderstorm warning, a severe wind warning with the wind speeds to reach 55-60mph (90-100km) and a severe rain warning with another 3/8" (10mm) and the temperature to reach 70F (21C).

It was overcast and fairly calm until around noon and then the wind started to pick up, the thunderstorm rolled in bringing the rain.

With all this going on, we also lost power a number of times during the course of the day and into the evening.















At the end of the storm more branches came down from the willow tree, a few of the pine trees lost the top branches and the maple in front of the house also lost a few more branches.















The maple tree at the back of the house lost a large limb and the old apple tree along the fence line had its trunk snapped in half.















The south walls on the east and west barns took  a major hit with the west barn losing eight boards and the east barn losing more than ten boards and the wind breaking one of the doors.

Although, the damage could have been a lot worse than what happened.

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery Exhibit

Today Cindy Allan, Diane Collins and I went to the Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery to hang our show.














Once all of the artwork was brought into the building we each chose one painting to hang in  the front room on the wall between the windows in front of the computer terminals.











From there we hung our art in the main room of the library. Diane and I shared one long wall, while Cindy took the long wall on the opposite side of the library.













We were very fortunate to have the help of one of the Library volunteers, Debbie O'Grady whose help with hanging the exhibit was invaluable and cut our time with setting up the display in half.














Since I used only one half of the wall in the main room of the library and left the area above the book shelves to Diane and Cindy, I took a number of my paintings into the front room to hang above some of the book shelves.















I started on one wall above a lower set of books shelves and hung four paintings on that wall.














Just around the corner from there was a place for a single painting above a tall set of book cases.















Lastly, there was a place on a wall to the left of the tall book cases, which I shared with Diane.













All that remained to do was to hand in the list of paintings, pack up the containers and wrappings and take them out to our vehicles.

The exhibit runs from today through to 04 July 18, with opening night on 11 May 18 from 7-8p.m. I hope some of you will come out and enjoy the show.

Countryside Art Group Poster for Library Exhibit

Today I picked up a number of posters for our exhibit at the Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery.

Tomorrow we will be hanging the show, while today I will be going around and putting up posters throughout the area.

The exhibit will run from 03 May through to 04 July 18.

If you have a chance, come out for our opening on Friday, 11 May from 7-8 p.m.

Confirmed Shows for 2018 - May

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.

Academy Theatre, 2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, Ont.
Guild Room
24 Mar 18 - 28 Jul 18

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Peterborough, Ont.
KAGS
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 02-20 Jan 19 On the Move - A History of Transportation
Opening Reception 03 Dec 18 from 1-4p.m.

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.

Automotive Flea Market and Car Show
Douro Community Centre and Arena - The Harvest Room
2893 Highway 28 and County Road 4, Douro, Ont.
02-03 Jun 18 9a.m.- 4p.m.
15-16 Sep 18 9a.m.- 4p.m.

Northey's Barn Boutique
1981 13th Line, Selwyn, Ont.
09-10 Jun 18

Lang Pioneer Village and Museum, Keene, Ontario
28 Jun - 26 Jul 18 MacKelvie Gallery

Miskwaa Art Studio and Outdoor Gallery, 250 Edwina Drive,Trent Lakes, Ont.
14 July -12 Aug 18

St. Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont.
Buckhorn Artists' Group
16-19 Aug 18 28th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show

Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
Kawartha Arts Festival
01-02 Sep 18 Kawartha Arts Festival

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