ACEO - Quiet Place 2

Overnight we had freezing fog which coated all the trees and grasses in little white crystalline coats, which is why today I wanted to finish this painting that I had started a while ago (see posts on 12 November 2014 and 09 December 2016).

First I wanted to put some of the sky colour into the snow, so I used alizarin crimson and Antwerp blue and brushed a pale wash of each colour across the snow.

Next I mixed a grey of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and painted in the bare tree trunks and branches as well as the rail fence.















To compete the painting I used various mixtures of raw sienna, burnt sienna, new gamboge and alizarin crimson for the grasses and growies poking up out of the snow.

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.

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

ACEO - Farm Buildings 5

Today I thought I would like to work on a painting with some farm house and barns and after going through a number of small paintings I came across this piece that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 13 June 2016 and 22 January 2017).

I started with various greens made with Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge and painted in the trees on the horizon line, the furthest back field, then field by the farm house and then the field by the barn.

With alizarin crimson and French ultramarine blue I painted in the barns, leaving the windows and doors untouched.

Next I used burnt sienna for the roof on the farm house.

I used cadmium yellow to put in the open doors and windows in the barn and some of the farm house windows.















I mixed a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and put in the the fence rails and the windows in the farmhouse that were in darkness.

Lastly, I lightened the dark colour with water and painted the barn roofs and the silo.

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

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.

ACEO - Fence Posts 4

I wanted to finish a painting today and decided to work on this piece that I had started last year (see posts on 26 July and 21 October 2016).

I started by putting in the background trees with various mixtures of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue aureolin, new gamboge and raw sienna.

Next I mixed various greys using French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for the texture on the old cedar posts.

Lastly, with pure burnt sienna I painted the strands of barbed wire in between and on the fence posts.

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.

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

ACEO - Fence Posts 6

I wanted to finish a painting today and I pulled out this one that I had started last year while on location (see posts on 26 July and 08 December 2016).

Making various greens from French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin I painted in the coniferous trees in behind the fence posts.

With a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the cracks and fissures on the weathered cedar posts.

I put a little of the bright green on the posts for the moss.

Lastly, using burnt sienna I ran the barbed wire between and across the fence posts.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

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.

Rural Outlook - A Work in Progress

Today I was painting with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group and for a change decided to work in acrylic on canvas.

I used various mixtures of Hansa yellow, burnt sienna and Grumbacher red for the sky.

With cobalt blue and various mixes of the sky colours I painted in the fields starting with the one furthest away and gradually moving until the foreground field was complete.

Using various red, yellow and burnt sienna mixtures I put in the trees against the sky and the larger one behind the barn.














With mixtures of burnt sienna and cobalt blue I put in the roadway to the barn and added the fence rails on the far side of the roadway.

Next I put in the red barns, the one on the hilltop and the other one in the foreground and then I added a little titanium white to the road mixture and put on the barn roofs and the under paint for the closer fence posts.

I will post this painting later once I have completed the fence and decided if I would put people walking to the barn to start their morning chores.

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

Back Forty II - A Work in Progress

Now that I am back from Magnetawan I thought that I would work on a couple of pieces from my property that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 25 June and 07 August 2017).

I added a couple of younger maple trees to the right of the larger trees by the entryway to the lower field.

Next I put in a few very small saplings to the right of the young trees.

















I wanted to add a little more depth to the drawing so I started with the distant fence by the treeline which is the start of 60 acres (24.3 hectares) of class 1 through 3 wetland and mixed forest which makes up the southern boundary of the farm.

I will post this drawing again at a later date once I have more of the tree lined boundary fences finished.

Front Field I

Today is the last day of the Kawartha Art Festival held at the Fenelon Fair Grounds.

I arrived at the show a little bit earlier to change some of my paintings around to fill in the space left by the painting that was sold yesterday.

The weather is a little different than yesterday with it starting off with rain, which is to clear around noon, but the temperature is going to be just a little warmer at 72F (22C).

The rain didn't stop the crowds from coming out.

For most of the morning I did little bits on a number of drawings, but couldn't settle down and get into working on one of them.

It wasn't until after I had lunch that I decided to work on this piece that I had started earlier this year (see post on 18 June 2017) while Ron and I were out in the fields at the farm using my new toy.

I started by putting in the clouds and then proceeded to work on the trees along the fence line, finishing with the foreground.

This original 9" x 12" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $75.00.
















I would like to thank new collector Mrs. Christine Martin of Peterborough, Ontario on her selection of A Spring Bouquet (see post on 20 September 2011).
















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

ACEO - Fence Posts 3

Today I thought I would like to finish this painting that I started last year while painting on location (see posts on 17 July and 21 October 2016).

Starting with the pine trees in the background, I mixed various greens from Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, new gamboge and raw sienna.

Next I mixed various shades of grey with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to put the texture onto the fence posts.

Using burnt sienna, I put in two strands of the barbed wire between and onto the fence posts.

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.

ACEO - Fence Posts 2

Today I wanted to finish this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 17 July and 21 October 2016). 

I started by using various greens made of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge to paint in the background trees and bushes.

Next I started on the fence posts; using various shades of grey made of various mixes of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to put in the various cracks, knots and crevices in the weathered wood.

With burnt sienna I ran the barbed wire between the fence posts.

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.

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

ACEO - Late Fall 1

I pulled out this small painting that I had started last year (see posts on 12 June and 11 October 2016) and decided to get it completed.

First I washed in the distant hills with a pale mixture of burnt sienna and raw sienna.

With a dark green mix of raw sienna and French ultramarine blue I painted in the pine trees.

With burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue I painted the deciduous tree trunks and branches along the edge of the field.














Lastly I added a post and rail fence to divide the fields.

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 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Therese's Oven I - A Work in Progress

This morning started off as cold as yesterday's high of 25F (-4C) with the wind chill making it feel like 14F (-10C), but the nice thing is it will warm up to 36F (2C) with a wind chill of only 25F (-4C).

Today I wanted to do a little work on a pen and ink drawing so I pulled out this sketch from a few years ago (see post on 26 August 2013) when painting with the KAGS Outdoor Painters at Therese Harmon's home.

I started on the left side of the drawing and inked in the tree, adding the leaves as I put in the various branches.














I started putting in some of the grasses and growies around the base of the trees and at the bottom of the oven.

Next I put in one of the fence posts a put in some of the grasses on the lawn below the post.

From there I started working on some of the field stones that the oven was made of and added shadows to the rocks.

I will post this drawing at a later time once I have completed the oven.

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

Fence Posts 5 and 6 - Two Works in Progress

I pulled these two pieces out that I started earlier this year (see post on 26 July 2016) while out on location and decided to do a little more work on each of them.

Working on both pieces at the same time I used French ultramarine blue into the sky on each painting to remove the tape lines and balance the colour in the sky.

Next I lifted the colour from each of the fence posts with water and blotting with a tissue, leaving some of the green on the posts as the under paint for the moss that is often found on old cedar posts.

Fence Posts 5

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.










Fence Posts 6

Break in the Fence 2 and Fence Line 3

While out running errands I noticed as I was on my way home the various different types of fences enclosing the fields.

I stopped along the side of the road and did a quick drawing of one the fences. This one had a break in the wire and some of the fence posts were leaning or broken. The field was overgrown with weeds, showing that this property was no longer being maintained.















Break in the Fence 2

I continued down the road and when I came to the stop at the end of the road, right across from me there was a new post and rail fence that had been put in during the summer.















Fence Line 3

New people had purchased the farm a couple of years ago and now that their new home had been built they were starting to do work on the fence line around the property.

There were a lot of differences between the two properties and it is amazing how a little time, care and a lot of work can change the look of the land.

Fence Posts 2-4 - Three Works in Progress

I decided I wanted to work on these three pieces that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 17 and 26 July 2016) while out on location.

Working on all three paintings at the same time I wet the sky and with French ultramarine blue I reworked the sky to remove the white paper where the tape lines were.

Once the sky was dry I lifted the paint from the fence posts with water.

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

Fence Posts 2



















Fence Posts 3



















Fence Posts 4

ACEO - Fence Posts 1

It is a nice hot day at 82F (28C) and with the humidity it feels like 90F (32C); good weather for the letting the second cut hay to dry.

I thought I would like to work on one of the fence post paintings I started last month, (see post on 17 July 2016).

I started by using water and lifting most of the colour off the fence posts.

Next I mixed a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and put the wood grain onto each of the fence posts.

Using a thin wash of Antwerp blue and aureolin I brushed it on some areas of the fence post to show the moss and staining.

Then using burnt sienna I put in the strands of barbed wire fencing across the fence posts.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

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.

First Day of Shades of Summer Art Show

It turned out to be a wise choice that I waited until early this morning to finish hanging my paintings.  I was able to hang the additional nine paintings and arrange the exhibit so it made a pleasing display without being rushed or feeling tired due to the heat or high humidity in place at night.

Once again the temperature reached 95F (35C) and the humidity was even higher making it feel like 107F (41.7C).  I was fortunate in that where I was sitting at the back of the church hall I got an occasional breeze coming through the open door.

I worked on this painting that I had started quite some time ago (see posts on 29 January 2012, 11 December 2015 and 23 February 2016).

I started by painting in the hills using various mixtures of raw sienna, French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue and left the trunk of the main tree in the left side field white.

Once the paint had dried I used a mixture of the grass colours and burnt sienna to paint in the fence posts and then using pure burnt sienna for the barbed wire fence.














Country Road 1

I am not sure that I like the light green colour of the hills but before I change the colour I will probably put in the trees take and decide at that point if I will change the colour. I will post this painting at a later date.

Although not many people came out to see the show today, fourteen paintings were sold from Ron Desjardine, Pat Harvey-McCourt, Rebecca Bilcox, Susan Sydney, JoAnne Connell Northey, Dianne Collins, Catherine Selinger and Heather Grant. Small items were sold by Dianne Collins and pottery by JoAnne Connell Northey.

I would like to thank Ms. Joan Smith of Toronto, Ont. on her purchase of Pristine Beauty (see post on 13 June 2010) and Sunset Reeds 1 (see post on 20 July 2012). I would also like to thank Ms. Lucy Lehmann of South Bruce Peninsula, Ont. on her purchase of Barron Canyon 1 (see post on 12 April 2016) and Evening Sky 1 (see post on 26 October 2012).

The hours for our show are:
11 Aug 16 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
12 Aug 16 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
13 Aug 16 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
14 Aug 16 - 12:30pm - 4:00pm

Please come out and enjoy the artwork displayed at our show.

Fence Posts 4-6 Three Works in Progress

It is another sunny hot 86F (30C) and humid 93F (34C) day and I am going to go along more of the back roads like I did earlier this month (see post on 17 July 2016).

I thought I would continue using the same two blues: French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue for the sky and mixtures of the two blues together with new gamboge, aureolin, burnt sienna and raw sienna for the trees and grasses.

The first place I stopped at had a bent pine tree in the background, deciduous trees in front of them all behind a fence line.

Fence Posts 4

As I did at all my previous stops when doing quick sketches I took a reference photograph before going to another location.

As I continued down the road I came upon a cluster of intertwined cedar trees close to the fence with a hay field in the background and a distant line of trees on the horizon.

First I put in the sky with a graduated wash of the two blues.

Next I blocked in a rough outline of the mass of cedars and the small pine tree with a dark green.

Fence Posts 5

That was followed by indicating the hay field and background treeline.

By this time the sun was coming around and I decided to take the next road in the direction of home.

After coming to the top of a hill in the distance I could see a part of the Miller Creek Wildlife Area.

I did this piece the same way as the others, starting with the sky, followed by the areas of woodlots and open fields.

Fence Posts 6

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

Fence Posts 1-3 Three Works in Progress

Today while I was out driving along one of the back roads I thought I would stop when I found an interesting scene with a fence line.

It wasn't long before I came across a tree covered hill with a grouping of fence posts and a broken wire fence.

I washed in the background with a pale mix of Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue.

While the sky colour was drying I made various greens of   the two blues, raw sienna, new gamboge, aureolin and burnt sienna.

Fence Posts 1

I then used the various greens to paint in the hills and foreground grass and set the painting aside to dry.

Before I left I took a reference photograph before carrying on down the road.

Next I came to an area with a stand of pine trees behind another wire fence.

Using the same two blues I put in the sky with lighter and darker areas.

With the various greens I put in the pine trees and the distant hills.

Fence Posts 2

Once again I took a reference photograph before continuing  down the road.

Since there was a side road which would take me back home I took it planning on doing one more background.

I came across a weedy field with deciduous trees in front of pine trees.

I used mixes of the same two blues for the sky and different combinations of the blues and yellows for the trees and grasses.

Fence Posts 3

I will post each of these paintings once they are completed at a later date.

Clear Lake I

Overnight we received almost 4" (10cm) of snow and was still snowing and blowing in the morning with the wind at a fairly steady 20mph (32kmph) with the temperature slightly warmer at 18F (-7.8C) and a wind chill of 4F (-15.6C) than yesterday.















However, in the afternoon the sun came out and some of the snow melted and we were able to start working on the rest of the east fence line and into the south east corner.

It didn't take a lot of time to clear the rest of the east fence, everything was cleared with the exception of a couple young maples and one of the magnolia trees I had planted a couple of years ago which has once again survived the winter.

After lunch we started on the big apple tree in the corner and cleared all the fallen limbs out of the way.

Next we had to cut all the dead limbs off the tree being careful that they didn't drop on top of my second magnolia tree which also survived the winter.















After supper I pulled out this partially completed pen and ink drawing of Clear Lake I (see posts on 09 June 2013 and 24 February 2016).

All the drawing needed was the reflections from the rocks and trees added into the lake.

This original 5" x 8-1/2” pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $40.00.

Coon Lake VII

Today we decided it was time to work on clearing a lot of the dead branches and scrub trees growing along the fence line around the house. The ground is getting harder since it is once again starting to freeze as the temperature drops and we are expecting more snow over the next two weeks.














Due to the brush and sumac growing up around the two large apple trees by the pasture gate, it was almost impossible to see into the fields directly below the barn.














It took most of the day and Ron had to sharpen the chainsaw blade twice, but then apple is a fairly hard wood and should do well next year providing heat as it burns in my fireplace.

After a tiring day outside I still wanted to do some work on a painting.

I brought out this piece that I had been working on last month, (see posts on 29 July 2014 and 21 March 2016).

I put in a few more shadows and the darker area at the base of the rocks caused by the water lapping against them.

Lastly I put in the tree reflections and a few water ripples.

Once I press the paper to remove the few wrinkles from doing the sketch while in the canoe, then erase the pencil lines and mat and shrink wrap this original, 6" x 9” pen and ink drawing will be available for $50.00.