Coral Reef 3-5 - Three Works in Progress

I came across these three pieces, that had once started as granite rocks in a larger painting but it didn't quite work out.

After looking at them, I decided that I would turn them into underwater paintings.















Coral Reef 3

Using French ultramarine blue, cobalt blue and burnt sienna I painted in the water on each painting.















Coral Reef 4

Before I could get more work done on these paintings, I had friends come over for a visit.















Coral Reef 5

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

Coral Reef 1 and 2 - Two Works in Progress

Today, I wanted to paint but just wasn't sure which piece to work on and try to finish.

I decided to go through some of my pieces that didn't work out and were kept for playing with colour or cut up to make into small paintings.

I pulled out these two pieces that had started as moss covered, granite rocks, but it didn't quite work out.















Coral Reef 1

After looking at them I thought I could turn them into underwater paintings.

Using French ultramarine blue, cobalt blue and burnt sienna I painted in the water. For the first one I put the darker water at the bottom against the rocks and added some lighter areas toward the top to indicate the waves and light coming in from the sky.















Coral Reef 2

For the second painting I lightened the colour slightly with water to try and create what it looks like from under water when a wave comes over a rock near the surface and the sun shining through the sallower water.

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

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.

Suppertime? - A Work in Progress

Today we are under a Severe Storm Warning with the temperature at 86F (30C) and the humidity making it feel like 97F (36C).

We did get a wonderful thunderstorm in the late afternoon, during which I spent my time on the front porch watching the lightning.

I wanted do some work on this painting of a Knifefish that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 15 March, 31 October and 30 December 2012 and 25 March 2013).

Using a Schwan-STABILO All-Surface water-soluble pencil, I drew in where I wanted to place sponges, coral and other underwater plants on the rock surface.














The nice thing about using these pencils is that they was off completely with water; so if I don't go to the edge of the line or change my mind about the placement, it doesn't matter as once the paint is dry I can easily wash it off.

Using Titanium white, ultramarine blue and raw sienna, I started putting in some of the plants and soft coral on the top of the rock face.

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

Crystal Clear I

I decided to ink in this drawing (see post on 21 April 2013) of the tidal pool in front of our beach house that we stay in when at the CoCo View Resort on Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras.















The tide was just starting to come in and it wouldn't be long before the large rocks would be buried beneath the water, with only a slight ripple to mark their presence.

I enjoyed carefully wading through the tidal pool after may last dive of the day as there was a treasure trove of sea creatures to be found.















Usually a couple of Queen Conchs, various different kinds of crabs, a multitude of snails and a number of different types of small fish.

This original 9" x 12" pen and ink drawing will be available matted and shrink wrapped for $50.00.

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

I started to work on this underwater drawing that I began last year (see posts on 15 July and 28 December 2016) by indicating the bottom edge of the sea fan by the top edge of the rock.

Next I put in the top of the highest rock on this piece of the reef.

Part way down the reef I put in the rock out cropping with some yellow tube sponges. At the base of the sponges I put in some sea weed.

I will post this drawing at a later time once I have decided whether I am going to put in a school of French Grunts or Purple Wrasse.

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

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

I pulled out this sketch that I started earlier this year (see post on July 2016).

First I added more details to the fish and started on the branches of the sea fan.

Next I added various coral and sponges onto the rock.

I started to ink in the main branches of the sea fan before I ran out of time.

I will post this sketch at a later date.

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

Barracuda I - A Work in Progress

It is typical hot July weather with the temperature reaching 91F (33C) and the humidity making it feel like 99F (37C).

This is another sketch I transferred onto paper from my diving slate when I was in Roatan, Honduras at the CoCo View Resort.















I was on Newman's wall after the first morning dive on my way back to the Resort when I came across this small school of barracuda slowly moving along the reef.

I did a quick sketch of their placement in the reef and thought it may turn into a nice painting later.

I will post this sketch once more work on it has been completed.

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

We had rain last night and the power went out in the evening around 7:30 and didn't return until around 4:30 this morning. The rain, wind, heat 79F (26C) and the humidity 88F (31C) continued throughout the day.

I came across my slate that I use when diving and transferred this sketch that I did when I was in Roatan onto a piece of paper.

This landmark rock formation is at a decompression stop at 30' (9.1m) located between the Prince Albert wreck and the platform in the backyard of the CoCo View Resort.

While waiting there you are almost always guaranteed to see a multitude of fish swimming around the large sea fan.

I will post this sketch at a later date when I have tightened up the drawing of the fish and added the details of to the rocks and sea fan.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

On the Reef 1 - A Work in Progress

It is a nice, warm and rainy day but it will help the plants to grow and since my Mothers' Day gifts are hanging at the side of the house they won't need to be watered.














I wanted to do a little work on this painting which was originally called Sponge Work B (see post on 29 Dec 2012) and I have changed the name to On the Reef 1.














I washed cobalt blue into the top of the painting varying the colour on a diagonal to give the impression of sun rays shining through water and then set it aside to dry while I decided which kinds of fish to put throughout the coral.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have added the fish.

Coral Reef I - A Work in Progress

Today was the first day of the Kawartha Arts Festival and we are going to have a hot, humid day with temperatures reaching 81F (27C) and the humidity making it feel like 90F (32C).

Fortunately there was a nice breeze blowing which made the weather more bearable and it helped to bring out a steady stream of people to visit the show.

I worked on a number of pieces today including this one of a coral reef in Roatan that I had started last year (see post on 16 March 2013).












I added more coral to both sides of the rock face on Newman's Wall and put in a few more details to define the coral.

I will post this painting at a later date once I decide what kinds of fish and where I am going to place them in this painting.

I look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow for the last day of the show.

Watching the Boats I - A Work in Progress

Starting the morning off at -24F (-31C) and if I am lucky the high today will be 0F (-18C), so it is a good thing that I came across some of the sketches I did while lying on the beach in Cuba a few years ago.

I have inked in some of the drawing and I will post this piece at a later date once it is completed.

On that vacation we spent two weeks in Jardines del Rey Gardens (Gardens of the King) which is an archipelago or a chain of islands off the northern coast of Cuba that extends 125miles (200km). It developed on the coral reef system that lines the shore between the Bay of Buena Vista and the Atlantic Ocean.

The cays and islands include: Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Romano, Cayo Guajaba, Cayo Sabinal, Cayo Paredón, Cayo Grande and Cayo Cruz.

For the first week we stayed at the Tryp Cayo CoCo and I was very disappointed with a number of things. But I do have to say their entertainment was well worth watching, the dance routines were wonderful as was the music and singing.

We had booked this resort because it was supposed to have a dive shop on site, but when we asked at the front desk, they said they didn't have one and of course they were wrong. We finally found the dive shop at the far end of the property while taking a walk along the beach on the fourth day we were there so I managed to get three dives in using some of their equipment; it is a good thing I made sure I brought my own regulator unlike Ron.













He had expected the equipment to be of the same quality as the kind that was in the dive shop in the Breezes Veradero, unfortunately it wasn't and Ron had three pieces of equipment break before he even got into the boat to get taken out for our first dive. But the reef was well worth going out on with plenty of fish and a wide variety of different species.

The beaches were in deplorable condition, covered in seaweed and about mid-day when many of the tourists started to complain about the stench of rotting vegetation they brought out an ancient tractor and the beach then reeked of diesel fumes while they cleared the offending seaweed.

I had wanted to go back to the Bellamar Caves but with the King's Garden being over 185 miles (300 km) southeast of Varadero it was impossible to do it as a day trip, so for the next two days we booked tours through Sunwing and had an enjoyable time aboard a catamaran for the first trip where we were able to enjoy the sun and the sea, with good food and lots of fish while snorkeling on two different reefs.

The second day our tour took us to a sugar cane plantation, an abandoned sugar cane processing plant where we took a ride on the old train the pulled the sugar to port and ended our tour with a visit to a tobacco plantation where we watched the Cuban cigars being hand rolled. Each of us was given a cigar as a gift and since neither Ron nor I smoke friends enjoyed the two cigars we brought back.

Soon it was time to go to the second resort on Cayo Guillermo.

Article About Above and Below the Reef Show

This is an article published in Kawartha Lakes This week:

Inspired by beauty on both sides of the waves

Carol Rutherford and Susan Sydney join forces for Above and Below the Reef exhibition at the Lindsay Gallery

Kawartha Lakes This Week

(LINDSAY) When Susan Sydney and Carol Rutherford join forces, so does the beauty found Above and Below the Reef.

Currently on exhibit at the Lindsay Gallery, the work of the two artists showcases their ability to bring the wonder and delight they see in the world around them; be it an interesting gentleman spied by a Havana, Cuba bus stop or a fishy game of hide and seek among the coral.

Growing up in an artistic family - and encouraged to pursue her abilities - Ms Sydney began accepting commissions for animal portraits while still in high school. Primarily self-taught, the Bridgenorth resident has never stopped learning and has taken a variety of classes and workshops to further enhance and evolve her skills.

Several years ago, Ms Sydney combined another passion - scuba diving - with her penchant for art.

“I’ve always wanted to learn to dive...when I saw a sign for Adventure Divers, I just had to take the chance,” said Ms Sydney.

It opened up a whole new environment from which she has garnered excellent subject matter.

“I just love wrecks,” she said of one of the best places for her to find inspiration. “It opens up a whole new world. A lot of my work is from pictures I have taken while underwater...There’s this huge world we haven’t yet explored and it’s always changing.”

Ms Rutherford, a trained commercial artist, has been recognized for her ability to meld character and content onto canvas through texture and colour, both of which fit perfectly into her joy of travel; particularly in the Caribbean. Her work has earned her numerous awards, including the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, the Hastings Waterfront Festival and the Norwood Fall Fair.

When it comes to finding inspiration, Ms Rutherford considers herself fortunate that there is no shortage where she travels; providing one is willing to look with more than just the eyes.

One afternoon, while having a beach-side lunch, looking out onto the ocean in Cayo Largo, Ms Rutherford was serenaded by a man and his violin. The image not only inspired her to paint the musician, but the music he evoked through his bow further inspired another painting; Equine Agua, which is included in the exhibition.

Ms Rutherford hopes those who view the pieces which have been brought together to compose glimpses of what lays above and below the waves will have their senses heightened.

“I know I feel the most alive when I’m able to experience the culture and beauty of other countries,” said Ms Rutherford. “I hope we’ve been able to convey how we both feel [with this exhibition.]”

Above and Below the Reef runs until Aug. 24.

The gallery is located on the second floor of the Lindsay library and is open Tuesday to Saturday.

For more information, call 705-324-1780 or visit www.thelindsaygallery.com.

Above and Below the Reef
Catherine Whitnall
The beauty that Susan Sydney and Carol Rutherford have viewed - both Above and Below the Reef - is a key component of the delightful exhibit of work by the two artists, currently on display at the Lindsay Gallery

Above and Below the Reef Show

Tonight is the opening of my two person show entitled 'Above and Below the Reef' at The Lindsay Gallery, 190 Kent St, 2nd Floor, Lindsay, Ontario.

Please come out and join Carol Rutherford and myself from 7:00-8:30pm.

Red Sponges 1 and 2 - Two Works in Progress

These are two paintings I started while I was sitting at the final day of the Monochrome Show at KAGS.

Since the show was called Monochrome I thought I should work the under painting with one colour and I chose alizarin crimson.

I brushed water onto the two pieces of paper being sure to leave some areas dry.

Red Sponges 1

Using a brush I dropped in various strengths of the alizarin crimson and while the paper was still wet rolled it around allowing the paint to float across the water.

Once the painting was dry I started on the first piece giving shape to the sponges using various mixtures of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, French ultramarine blue, cadmium red and cadmium yellow.


Red Sponges 2

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

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

Anemone

Today I wanted to finish this painting of the anemone (see postings on 24 Mar 2012, 26 and 28 Jul 2012 and Dec 2012) in order to have another painting completed for the Above and Below the Reef Show at The Lindsay Gallery.














This 8" x 10" original acrylic painting when framed will be available for $225.00.

Sunken Wreck 1

Today I was thinking about diving in the Caribbean and since I enjoy wreck diving I thought I would do a drawing of a wreck.

I placed the wreck on the reef and put a hole in the hull.

Next I put in a distant hill in the background behind the boat.















At a later date I may go in and add coral formations onto the closer rocks or put some fish swimming around the boat.

It is also a good reference for a future painting. We will see what the future may bring.

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

Sea Fans

This is another painting that just needed a few details added to the fish before it is completed (see postings on 20 Oct 2011, 11 Jul 2012, 26 Dec 2012 and 17 Feb 2013).

With a mixture of burnt sienna, French ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson I added the markings on the bodies of the two four eyed butterfly fish.














This original 15" x 22" framed watercolour painting is available for $450.00. SOLD

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

Crystal Clear I

Finally a nice, sunny and warmer day; I should be able to start working in my garden later this afternoon.

In the meantime I decided to work on this drawing of the tidal pool in front of our beach house that I started the last time I was at the CoCo View Resort on the island of Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras.












I hope to go back to Roatan again in a couple of years, the diving is fabulous whether you go boat diving or shore diving and it has become one of my favourite places to dive.

I have taken this drawing as far as I am going to for the day and now it is time to go outside and work in the garden.

Spotted Eagle Ray

I took two paintings in for the Unfolding show at KAGS today and with the paintings that I saw at the gallery it should be an interesting show.

Now that I have returned home I wanted to complete this painting of the Spotted Eagle Rays.














This original 10" x 14" acrylic painting when framed will be available for $250.00

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