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.

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 - 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.

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 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.

Farm Buildings 1-3

We had freezing rain overnight and everything was covered with a light coating of ice and I was greeted to ice pellets falling as I headed down to the barn to do the morning chores.

I decided instead of going to Buckhorn and paint with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group that I would stay home and work on some drawings of farm buildings.













Run In Shed 2

I put in the main barn first and then attached a run in shed on the back of the barn. Next I added a fence for the paddock.

All that needed to be added was a tree for shade and a couple of horses.














Autumn Barn 2

Since this paper already had a few bushes in fall colours, I felt that the season may as well be autumn.

I drew in the distant fields first and added a few trees; then ran fences around the edges of the all the fields. To complete the drawing I drew in the barn.














Cattle Barn 1

I live on the top of a hill so what better place to put the barns? Then I ran the fence along a couple of pastures.

In the foreground I added a shade tree and a couple of cows.

Later in the day the ice pellets changed to snow and once again everything was white for a few hours; but by late afternoon the sun came out and once more the white stuff disappeared. It should be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

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.

Barn II

Today I wanted to put more detail into my drawing of an old barn that I did last year (see post on 25 September 2013).

I started working on the barn roof first and added a small section where the tin had been torn off by the wind and showed the wooden beams running the length of the barn through the opening.

From there I worked my way down the barn, adding the barn board onto the top section of the barn walls above the concrete base.

This was followed by putting in the windows and the main barn door.

Next, I put in the two large main trees in front of the barn, this was followed by the two trees toward the end of the barn on the right side of the drawing.















I added in the fence running from the corner of the barn behind the trees.

I put in the grasses and growies along the edges of the roadway and around the base of the trees.

The foreground of the drawing looked too plain and needed something so I added a couple of round hay bales to the left side of the drawing.

Lastly, I added a tree in behind the hay bales.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Birches and Trilliums

Today while I was sorting through some boxes that were kept in storage, I came across three partially completed paintings that I had started in a few workshops with Mary Lampman a number of years ago.

In Mary's classes we used a palette knife in pretty much all of the painting and this one shows quite clearly, that I was not used to using a knife to paint. 

I just had the foreground to complete and I used Payne's grey and titanium white to put in a rail fence.

















Next, using various mixtures of raw sienna, hansa yellow and burnt sienna for some of the dead grasses and growies and ultramarine blue, cerulean blue and the different yellows for the green grasses and growies I added them into the foreground leaving a small opening for a pathway into the background.

Using titanium white, I added in trilliums through the vegetation in the foreground.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

This original 12" x 12" acrylic painting when framed will be available for $250.00.

Uncle Alfred's Farm - A Work in Progress

This is a sketch I started in the third class with Gail Hawkins of her Uncle's farm.

I liked the way the buildings were leaning and how sheets of plywood had been nailed onto the walls where the boards had been torn off by the wind.














A few more chickens need to be added into the foreground and a couple of draft horses to the other side of the fence.

I will post this painting at a later date once more of it has been completed.

Cedar Fence Posts - A Work in Progress

This is a sketch that I started in the second of four drawing workshops with Gail Hawkins. I did a little more work on it today before we had to leave to go to Toronto.

I thought I would show the details of the work on the post.

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

Today we took Ron's parents out to Niagara Falls for the day and visited the floral clock and the botanical gardens as well as seeing the Falls.

We passed by the ship wreck at Jordan Station on the way there and I know I will have to do a painting of it at some point in the future.

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

ACEO - Afterglow 1

Using various mixtures of new gamboge and alizarin crimson  put in the sky and foreground and set it aside to dry.

Once it was completely dry I lightly drew in a fence line and some trees along the fence.















With a wash of alizarin crimson and French ultramarine blue I put in the distant trees.

Next I darkened the mixture with burnt sienna and I painted in the snake fence and the tree trunks.














I added raw sienna to the mix and put in the coniferous trees along the fence line.

Lastly I used various mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna, new gamboge and alizarin crimson to paint in the grasses and growies along the fence line.















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 Windsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Silent Cedars - A Work in Progress

This is a scene I often see in the winter when I am able to go out for a walk through the fields before the snow becomes too deep and I need to put on snow shoes if I want to stay on top of the snow instead of breaking through it.

I masked out the fence rails and a few tree branches and leaves with liquid friskit and while I was waiting for it to dry I mixed the paint for the sky.

Since this painting is on a full sheet of watercolour paper a fair amount of paint needed to be mixed in order to paint the sky.  In one saucer I mixed a large pool of pure French ultramarine blue and then did the same for Antwerp blue in another saucer.














First I wet the paper with water and then painted in the top of the sky with ultramarine blue being careful to leave a few areas of the white of the paper to show for clouds, as I moved down through the sky I mixed Antwerp blue with the ultramarine blue and allowed the colours to mix together on the paper for a soft transition between the colours.

I still have a lot more work to do on this painting and I will post it at a later date.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Birch Tree and Rail Fence

Along one of the side roads I sometimes travel when going to KAGS there is an old birch tree at the entrance to a field.

Most of the time the farmer has the rail gate open but during the winter the farmer puts up the rails across the opening as soon as the snow stays on the ground to prevent snowmobiles from running through the fields.

When I went by on this day you could see that someone had dropped the rails down and taken at least three snowmobiles around the fields and made a mess of the once pristine blanket of snow. Obviously they had no respect for private property.

This original 6" x 8" framed watercolour is available for $95.00.

Fence Posts

This is an original 6" x 8” framed watercolour available for $145.00.

A lot of times while driving through some of the back country roads I will find the opening to fields that are either not used or have a crop on them each year. The gate which once stood at the opening is long gone to the ravages of time and the only thing that remains are the weather bleached uprights.

Poppies and Fence Post - A Work in Progress

While at the Shades of Summer show I spent some time working on drawings of poppies. This is the finished drawing for a new painting of poppies growing at the base of a fence post.

I saw a scene similar to this along Highway 507 toward the end of June and though t it would make a lovely painting.

I will post this painting at a later date after I put in the background washes of sky and greenery.

Autumn Pasture

Autumn has always been my favourite time of the year with all the glorious colours of the trees. This old horse is unconcerned that winter will soon be on its way as he grazes peacefully in his pasture.

This original 11" x 15" framed watercolour, was purchased by new collector Ms. Denise Figueiro of Brooklin, Ontario. Thank you.

Thank you to Ms. Stephanie Shorter of Toronto, Ontario. on her purchase of Frozen Land.















Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Quinn and Lianna Chu-Liddicoat of Toronto, Ontario. I hope you both enjoy Hung Up and Hello Dolly for the nursery of the soon to arrive baby.

With the Buckhorn Community Care having their annual summer yard sale on the front lawn of St. Matthew's Church a large crowd also attended our show as well.

A total of ten paintings were purchased from Bonnie Windover, Susan Sydney, Irene Smith, Diane Collins, Rebecca Bilcox, Lorraine Ryan and Helen Sheppard; with many small items from JoAnne Connell Northey, Barbara McGregor, Heather Grant, Irene Smith, Diane Collins, and Penny Little.

The hours for our show are:
14 Aug 10 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
15 Aug - 12:00pm - 5:00pm