Big Cedar Lake Birch VII - A Work in Progress

Today, we are still under a Weather Advisory and this time it is for heavy snow and ice pellets, with the temperature at F(-7C) and the wind chill making it feel like F (-14C). Needless to say the horses are going to spend another day in their stalls with plenty of hay and water.

After doing the barn chores and having breakfast I thought I would go through some of my pen and ink drawings and do some work on one of them.

I chose this one of a birch tree that I had started a number of years ago when we were canoeing on Big Cedar Lake (see posts on 11 August and 11 October 2019).

I knew it needed a number of things changed so I worked in pencil adding shading to the tree trunk, adjusting the branches and putting some more leaves.

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

First Teaching Assignment

Going through some old files I came across this drawing of a swam that I did when I was in Grade One and it was dated on the back 21 June 1962.

It was because of this drawing that I ended up having my first art teaching assignment. I was asked to teach a class of Grade Six students on how I did my drawing of the swan.

I had them start by placing the water line followed by doing the numeral 2 to place the top of the swan on the paper.

Next, they put a ball at the start of the number for the head and added a triangle for the bill.














To slightly below the centre of the ball (head) they drew the bottom of the neck and came slightly forward and brought the chest down to the waterline.

From there I extended the bottom of the two slightly upward for the top of the tail.

Below that we put in a curved line for the bottom of the tail and brought it down to the waterline.

Just back of  the neck we put in the wing and added the large feathers.

Lastly, the top of the leg was put in slightly above the waterline.

Long Lake Cottage XIII - A Work in Progress

Today it is snowing, with the temperature at 25F (-4C) and the winds blowing the 2" (5cm) of snow at a steady 12mph (20km/h) with gusts of 24mph (39km/h) making it feel like (-10C) 14F.

With living on the top of a hill there is nothing to stop the full force of the wind driving the snow into your face.

After doing the barn chores, filling all the bird feeders and having breakfast, I thought I would like to work on this drawing that I had started a couple of years ago while canoeing on Long Lake (see posts on 16 September 2019 and 20 July 2020).

Before I can finish inking in the drawing I need to do some work on the cottage to square it up and get the proportion correct.

I started on the main part of the cottage, straightening the walls, squaring up the windows, putting on the roof, adding the shingles and chimney.

Next, I started on the mud porch, trying to get its roof under the overhang of the main roof and making it looked like  it was an addition to the cottage.

Before I  could finish the porch I had friends drop in for a visit.

I will post this drawing again once I have the cottage and remaining landscape drawn.

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

Eels Lake I - A Work in Progress

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to have a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) come to my fat feeder at the front of the house. She tried to get onto the feeder so she could get to the suet a couple of times before landing on the ground and looking up and studying the feeder.

It didn't take her long to figure out how she would have to land on the feeder to gain access to the food.

These mainly black birds are one of the largest forest birds in North America and I usually see one a couple of times a month.

The name Pileated comes from the Latin word pileatus which means "capped" and refers to the bird's prominent red crest. This one is a female, as the male has a red line from the bill to the throat patch running through the lower black stripe on the cheek.

As they do not migrate, a Pileated woodpecker pair will stay together on their territory all year round. They will defend their territory in all seasons, but tolerate others during the winter.















While walking through the fields and in the forest on the property I have often seen signs that they are in the area. This is because Pileated Woodpeckers digging into dead trees and fallen logs in search of their main prey, of carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae, they leave a unique, large and roughly rectangular hole in the wood.

I hear them drumming to proclaim their territory and they will often use hollow trees to make the loudest sound possible.

In April, the male excavates a hole for their large nest in the cavity of a dead tree, to attract a female for mating and raising their young. Once the young are raised, the nest is abandoned and they do not use it again.

When abandoned, these holes provide good homes in future years for many other birds and a wide variety of other animals.















After she left, I thought I would like to work on this drawing that I started while we were canoeing on Eels Lake a couple of years ago (see post on 30 September 2019).

I started working on the rocks in the water in the foreground, indicating the outline and adding some of the shadows.

I put in a few water ripples to give me a base for the island.

Next, I put the bark texture on the lower part of the main pine tree.

From there I started on a small pine that was just in front of the larger pine.

I put the ground lines in first. This was followed by the trunk and then gradually adding branches and needles.

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

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

Loon Call Lake VII

Today I was sitting at A Place For The Arts in Bancroft, Ontario.

The new show in the Annex, "Exhibition of Colour" was being hung, featuring the art of Jewell Allington and Jane Hall, both are friends I made through my time at the "old" Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.

After opening the Gallery and doing the various chores that all sitters should do to keep the site looking clean and tidy, I took out my artwork and continued to work on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 14 September 2014 and 10 December 2016).















It was another fairly quiet day for a Wednesday so I ended up having plenty of time to work on this piece.

I started by completing the cottage and followed by putting the rocky shoreline in to the left side, putting the shadows to the rocks and adding some grasses and growies.

Next, I worked on putting in the pine trees on the rocky area to the right of the cottage, followed by adding the rocks, their shadows and the grasses and growies.

Lastly, I put the reflections of the trees into the water.

This original 6" x 9" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Selwyn Beach VII - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to do some work on this drawing that I had started a couple of years ago (see post on 06 May 2018) when we were at Selwyn Beach Conservation Area.

I started at the bottom of the shoreline and gradually worked my way up, adding water, rocks, weeds, grasses and growies.

When I came to the edge of the bank I continued adding the grasses, growies and rocks.

From there I started working my way across the far edge of the land adding the rocks and growies.

I left the area where the birch and cedar trees are going to be placed blank until after they have been drawn in and completed.

Next, I did a little work on the land extending out into the Chemong Lake.

I will post this drawing again, once I have finished putting in the foreground trees.

Lovesick Lake XI - A Work in Progress

Today I thought I would work on this piece that I started last year (see posts on 07 July and 22 August 2019).

I started by finishing the large pine tree, from there I worked on the next largest tree on the right side of the drawing.















Next, I started on the smaller trees beginning on the left side and working across to the right.

But before I could finish the final tree, Christine came over for a visit.

I will post this drawing again once it is completed.

Long Lake Cottage XIII - A Work in Progress

Today, I had planned on working on my art outside, but even though the temperature was 81F (27C) with the humidity making it feel like 88F (31C) it was a little breezy out with the wind at 12mph (20km) and the wind gusts up to 22mph (35km/h).

So instead of sitting outside and fighting with my paper, I sat in the porch enjoying the sunshine while I worked.

I wanted to get the main rocks inked in and if I had the time, to also start on the trees and growies.

Once the rocks were placed, I put in the tall leaning pine trees. 

This was followed by the putting the bushes around the base of the pines.

Next, I put the small trees and growies in the cracks and spaces between the rocks and some bull rushes coming out of the water.

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

Front Field II - Lone Pony - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to continue with this pen and ink drawing that I had been working on earlier this year (see posts on 18 June and 19 July 2017 and 13 January 2020).

I started by putting the trees into the background, followed by the lower bushes.

Next, I completed the background by adding in the grasses at the base of the trees.











I put a bush into the middle area on the left side and added some clumps of grass around it.

Lastly, I added a few details to the pony.

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

Queen Conch and Sand Dollars - A Work in Progress

Today I was painting with the Lakefield Creative Arts Group at the St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Lakefield.

Since I wouldn't be able to stay the entire day, I chose to work on small pieces in pen and ink.














I brought along three pieces that I had started a long time ago (see post on 26 September 2014).

Beginning with the first one of three sketches featuring Queen Conch shells, I finished the first Sand Dollar and started on the Conch shell before I had to leave to for a number of appointments.

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

Aaron's Dragon

Today I am at Christine's place babysitting Aaron. We played with various of his toys until suppertime.

After supper he got himself ready for bed and we settled down on the couch to draw until his dad came from work to put him to bed.

Aaron asked if I would draw a dragon for him to put on his wall. So I asked him what kind of dragon he wanted an he and he told me it had to have horns, big green eyes, long claws on its feet, a long tail and its scales had to be blue.














Once he approved of the drawing, I started to colour in the horns, while Aaron picked out the colour for the dragon's eyes.

Next he gave me a pink pencil to do her nostrils, and he gave me a dark brown pencil for the claws.

Lastly, he picked out the blue for the dragon's body and I started colouring in the dragon's body when his dad came home.

I offered to finish colouring the dragon before I left to go home, but he insisted on taking it to his room with him and put it by his bed.

Fire

Today, after supper while I was babysitting my grandson, he brought out his and my drawings of Fire that we had started during the summer (see post on 02 August 2019).

I was very surprised to see that he had kept them and wanted to finish them.

We worked on putting in the flames with red, yellow, orange, blue, green and purple until the area of the fire was completed.

Together, we decided that it would be better if we did not try to put a dark background behind the flames.

He asked me if he could keep my drawing and I was happy to give it to him.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kawartha Arts Festival

Today I went in early to the Kawartha Arts Festival to make any needed changes to my display.

First I made sure all the glass was clean, the tags were with the correct paintings and everything that was hanging was straight.

Next, I filled the rack with the shrink-wrapped originals, filled the holders with biographies and show schedules.

Lastly, I opened the binders filled with ACEOs and OSWOAs.

As usual, it was a busy day with many people coming through to visit the show, which is always nice and I spoke with people about my art and about doing animal portraits.














I would like to thank new collector Ms. Heather Fairly of Toronto, Ontario on her purchase of White Picket Fence (see post on 07 June 2018).













With it being so busy I didn't have much time to work on my drawing of Barn II (see posts on 25 September 2013 and 15 November 2014) but I prefer it that way, as I can always work on my art at home.

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

Last Day of the Shades of Summer Art Show and Sale

Today is a little more busy than it was yesterday and as usual I am sitting at the back of the building working on my art work.

I worked on this drawing of a small island on one of the lakes that had a solitary, large dead tree.

The tree skeleton had been bleached to a shimmering pale grey.

At a later date I may turn this drawing into a painting, but I will have to give a lot of thought to how I can have the tree stand out boldly against a dark background.

All Alone 1

One painting was sold by Rebecca Bilcox and small items were sold by Diane Collins and Emil Varga.

The hours for our show are:
18 Aug 19 - 12:30pm - 4:00pm

Hopefully some of you will make it out to see the show today.

29th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show and Sale

Today as usual, I was at the back of the Church at my table working on a drawing. In this case it was one of the sketches I did last month (see post on 21 July 2019) while out on Chemong Lake.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten to bring along the photographs so I could put the cottage on the island. Instead I worked on the land in behind the island and left the area where the cottage would go blank.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have added the cottage.















Three paintings were sold by Ron Desjardine and Rebecca Bilcox, as well as pottery by JoAnne Connell Northey and small items by Emil Varga and Diane Collins.

The hours for our show are:
17 Aug 19 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
18 Aug 19 - 12:30pm - 4:00pm

We hope you will be able to come out and visit the show either today or before it closes tomorrow.

Young Pine Tree I

Today I wanted to work in pen and ink, so I pulled out my box of pencil sketches and found this one of a young pine tree that I did on location a couple of years ago (see post on 25 December 2017).

First I tidied up my sketch adding a few more details to the branches.

Starting at the top of the tree I indicated the centre of the tree trunk by running a line down from the top of the tree to where it ended in the grass.

From there I added the branches, once again from the top and worked my way down the tree trunk.

Next I added the pine needles onto each of the branches.

I gradually thickened the tree trunk, as I approached the bottom and filled in a few small broken branches coming off from the trunk.

Lastly I indicated the ground line by adding in some grasses and growies.

When matted and shrink wrapped, this original 4" x 9” pen and ink drawing will be available for $45.00.