Black Cat on Fence Rail 1 and Witch's Kitty 1 - Two Works in Progress

While going through a folder of small paintings I came across a drawing that I did in a Still Life class at KAGS a long time ago of a black cat (see post on 12 December 2014).

Since it is Hallowe'en, and we are getting the usual rainy weather, although this year it is also very windy (21mph (34kph) winds and gusts up to 31-37mph (50-60kph) it seemed fitting to do some work on it.

First I cleaned up the lines on the stuffed cat wearing the witch's hat.

I wanted to see how Antwerp blue would look as a background colour for a painting of a black cat.

So, on a small piece of paper I did a quick drawing of a cat sitting on the top rail of a fence.

Next, I applied Antwerp blue into the background.

Black Cat on Rail Fence 1

Once the paint was dry, I put a cut out of black paper over the cat drawing and I was pleased with the colour contrast.















Witch's Kitty

It didn't take long for me to wash in the background behind the cat wearing the witch's hat.

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

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

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.

ACEO - Early Morning 2

This morning I saw a number of flocks of Canada Geese flying in their V shaped formation as they head south for the winter.

I started in the background and put in the distant hills on the other side of the river with raw sienna and a little bit of cobalt blue.

With a grey of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and put in the furthest back tree trunks on the left side and then darkening the colour slightly and put in the closer trees on the left side, followed by using a darker grey for the maple tree in the foreground on the right side.

I wet the river with water first and then using the colours of the sky I brushed in bands new gamboge, alizarin crimson and the cobalt blue for the reflected sky colour into the water















Lastly, I used various mixtures of raw sienna, new gamboge aureolin, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, cadmium red and burnt sienna to put the leaves onto the maple trees and the grasses and growies into the foreground.

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 90lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Stoney Lake I - A Work in Progress

Today I had a little bit of time before I went out to run errands with Ron and I thought I would like to do a little bit of work on this drawing that I started last month (see post on 19 September 2019).

I started by putting in the pine trees first and as I was starting on the rocks it was time for us to leave.











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

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

Hay Bay I

Today we took the trailer for our last trip of the year and went to Pickerel Park Sun RV Resort and Campground in Napanee, Ontario.

It didn't take very long for us to get into our spot and have everything set up. This time we brought Kyora with us and she quickly learned not to charge out at the other dogs or bark at people as they walked along the road.














Then we went exploring. The Campground is located on 21 acres (8.5 hectares) and features over 700' (213.4m) of shoreline on Hay Bay. The boat docks are set in such a way as where the small sandy beach is located the central dock forms a large, rectangular protected swimming area, with the boats docking on the outside, or at other straight docks on either side of the protected section.

The heated pool, been drained for the season, but there was bingo in one of the buildings and craft/art activities, there were a number of horseshoe pitches and Ron couldn't wait to go fishing.















After lunch, we went back to the docks and Ron went fishing while I did this little pencil drawing of the shoreline on the other side of Hay Bay.

Kyora, caught up on her beauty sleep as she lay behind Ron's chair and occasionally lifted her head and looked around to be sure that we were safe.










Time seemed to pass quickly, and before long the sun was getting lower in the sky and we headed back to the trailer to have supper and relax for the evening with a campfire.

We left the next morning, early enough to beat the Thanksgiving weekend traffic as we headed back home.

Chemong Lake VI and VII - Two Works in Progress

Today I didn't have a lot of time to work on my art, but as I looked through my sketch books I came across these two drawings that I started last month (see post 02 September 2019), when Ron and I were out on Chemong Lake.

The buildings needed to be straightened and have more details added.














Chemong Lake VI

Time passed quickly and before long it was time for me to go to an appointment.












Chemong Lake VII

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

Big Cedar Lake VII - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to work in pen and ink and as I looked through my sketches and chose this one of a birch tree on Big Cedar Lake (see post on 11 August 2019).

From there I worked my way up the right side of the birch tree, adding branches and markings onto the trunk and leaves onto the smaller branches.

Then I worked from the top, down on the left side, adding markings, small branches and leaves leaving the largest branch to do last.

I gradually worked my way up the branch until a friend came over.

I will post this drawing once it is completed.

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

ACEO - Sunset Island 7

Today is our last day at the Knoepfli Inn and we will head for home after breakfast.

Last night I couldn't get to sleep so I got up, made myself a cup of tea and worked on this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see post on 12 July 2017).

With a dark mixture of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I painted in the silhouette of the pine tree and a couple of dead trees to either side of the main pine tree.

Next, I in a few reflections into the water.

With a lighter mixture of the same colours I put in the cracks and shadows on the rocks and indicated a few grasses at their base.

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.

The Old Outhouse 1 - A Work in Progress

Today is our last full day at the Knoepfli Inn, we will be leaving for home tomorrow morning after breakfast.

Since the weather was sunny and warm with the temperature making it up to 61F (16C) and no wind.

After breakfast I decided I would work on this painting of the old outhouse that I started last year (see posts on 01 October 2018 and 04 May 2019).

During the morning I worked on the getting the outhouse finished as I wanted the sunlight shining on it instead of having it back lit.

Time passed quickly and before long the bell rang calling us in for lunch.

After lunch I took the time to take some photographs of Ahmic Lake, the Knoepfli Rapids and the Magnetawan River for future paintings.

I went back to the cabin and did a little more on the painting by starting he trunk of one of the foreground trees.

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

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

Ahmic Lake I

Today is our first full day at the Knoepfli Inn in Magnetawan and I got up early to take photographs of Ahmic Lake which as usual had a layer of fog over the surface of the lake.

I stayed out until the sun came up and started to burn of the fog at which time the bell at the Inn started ringing to call us in for breakfast.

After breakfast I returned to the cottage picked up my  chair and sketchbook and walked back to the boathouse.

From the dock I started working on the first point jutting out into the lake.

Time seemed to fly by and before long the bell was once again ringing to call use in for lunch. I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it has been completed.

View from the Farmhouse 1

Today we arrived at the Knoepfli Inn in Magnetawan, Ontario and had enough time to get settled into our cottages before we headed back to the Inn for lunch.

After lunch I returned to the cottage and picked up my smaller bag with paper and pencils and went to the farmhouse on the lake side of the property.

Since it was raining I set up on the porch on the upper level of the farmhouse.

I sketched the maple tree that was close to the building and had Ahmic Lake and the shoreline in the background.

I took photographs for reference before I left and depending on what the weather is like, I may work on this piece again tomorrow.

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 October.

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

Woodland Nymph - A Work in Progress

I pulled out this drawing that I had started in the late 80's. I had set it aside because I had to make changes to the little girl in the drawing.

I wasn't totally happy with the nose; it was a little "bulby" at the end and needed to be smoothed out.

I started with the top of the head to get rid of the flat top first, followed by adding strands of hair going across her forehead at the sides of her head and going across the ear.

The fingers of the hand needed more definition as well as the back of the hand and wrist.  I also added a few details to the elbow and defined the arm from the shoulder down.

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

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Changing Season 1 and 2 - Two Works in Progress

Today I wanted to do a couple of small autumn paintings, so I used a couple of photographs that I took while canoeing on Eels Lake earlier this week.

The first one is taken from the dock of the shoreline area nearest where the boat launch is located.

It is a nice mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees at the edge of the lake.

It shows how low the water levels are in the lake at this time of the year, with so many of the rocks and stumps being above the water.

Changing Season 1

Next I chose the area in the inlet on the far side of the parking lot for those using the boat launch.

This view shows even more of the exposed rocks that are normally below the surface of the lake.

Most of the deciduous trees are higher up and further back from the shoreline, while the pines and cedars are lower and almost on the edge of the water.

I decided I would do these paintings just at sunset as I saw them.

Changing Season 2

I started by putting in the sky in with a mix of raw sienna and alizarin crimson.

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

Confirmed Shows for 2019-2020 - October

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.

Knoepfli Inn, 5484 Highway #124 Magnetawan, Ont.
18 Jun - 09 Oct 19 Scenes of Magnetawan

A Place For The Arts, 23 Bridge St. W., Bancroft, Ont.
24 Sep - 17 Nov 19
19 Nov 19 - 16 Feb 20
01 Jul - 03 Aug 20 Solo Show in The Annex
05-31 Aug 20 Buckhorn Artists' Group in The Annex

Selwyn Public Library - Bridgenorth Branch, 836 Charles St., Bridgenorth, Ont.
04 Sep - 05 Oct 19

Presqu'ile Provincial Park, 328 Presqu’ile Parkway, Brighton, Ont.
02, 03, 06, 09 and 10 Nov 19 28th Annual Christmas at Presqu'ile
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, 425 Douro Fourth Line Road, Hamlet of Douro, Ont.
08 Jul - 27 Aug 20 The Buckhorn Artists' Group
Opening Reception 10 Jul 20 from 7-8 p.m.
05 May - 30 Jun 21 The Buckhorn Artists' Group
Opening Reception 07 May 21 from 7-8 p.m.
05 Jan - 30 Mar 22 The Art of Daniel Marlatt and Susan Sydney
Opening Reception 07 Jan 22 from 7-8 p.m.

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