Washed Ashore - A Work in Progress

One thing about Aruba the weather doesn't change very much and the temperatures remain fairly constant between 84-89F (29-31C).

The eastern shore of Aruba is fairly rugged and has a constantly crashing surf. This year with Hurricane Thomas north of us in the gulf, it is very calm compared to previous years.

On one of the small beaches between rock cliffs we came upon an abandoned boat stranded above the tide line. If only it could speak and tell the tale of how it arrived to its present destination.

I will post this painting later when it is completed.

Carousel Horse

The last time we were in Aruba we had planned to go and explore the caves on our last day since we can't dive 24 hours prior to our flight.

Unfortunately, we rented a new KIA with less than 800 miles on it which broke down in the middle of Arikok National Park. Fortunately, one of the tours takes ATVs through the Park and they called a tow truck for us.

By the time the tow truck arrived in the middle of nowhere, got us back to civilization and had the piece of junk replaced with another one, it was too late to go back and see the caves.

This year we made sure we rented a North American built car and visited the caves on our first day. They were well worth going back to Aruba to explore.

This 15" x 20” graphite pencil drawing is the first in a series of Carousel Horse drawings for hand coloured limited edition prints. I will post them once the edition is printed and in each of the different colours.

The Carousel Horse graphite pencil original will be framed and available for purchase in after the prints are produced for $445.00.

Arriving in Aruba and Painting Wave Patterns

The weather in Aruba is beautiful 87F (30C) and the water is wonderful!

After leaving Toronto early this morning we have landed, gotten out luggage, picked up our rental car and made it into our lodgings at Paradise Beach Villa which is right across the road from Eagle Beach.

This is a quick watercolour sketch of the wave patterns. I will finish it when I return to Canada.

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

OSWOA - Trees 1

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $30.00 and sold unframed.

Today I have to go and hang my seven paintings for the Outdoor Painter's Group Show at KAGS called "Here and There".

Afterwards I have all the last minute running around before we leave for Aruba. It is going to be one busy day.

ACEO - Ladybugs 1-3

With the weather turning cooler for the mornings it seems like the Ladybugs are congregating together for the coming winter.

After painting the barn board background it was fun to decide just where I wanted to place that little black spotted bug.

Once I had the red base colour of the body painted on the barn board I had to decide on my light source. Then I could place the highlights on the shiny body and put the cast shadow beneath the Ladybug to ground it.

Ladybug 1


I had hoped for better weather today since I have to go to Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene to take down my paintings from the show at the McKelvie Gallery.

The up side to it raining is that it just makes the autumn colours that much brighter. While I am at Lang I will take some pictures of the Village.

Ladybug 2

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Ladybug 3

Lighthouse - A Work in Progress

The lighthouse and the rock face were drawn onto the paper first.

These areas were left dry and the rest of the paper was wet with water. A pencil mark was put on the stone face and on the left side to indicate the horizon line.

Alizarin crimson was brushed into the sky and the water first.

Then the cloud colours of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and burnt sienna were brushed into the sky and into the water.

A little new gamboge was put into the sky to indicate the sun behind the clouds and a bit in the water as its reflection.

A little raw sienna was brushed into the shadowed side of the lighthouse tower.

The rock face was painted with a mixture of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna and a little bit of French ultramarine blue. A palette knife was used to scrape out some of the rock shapes.

I will post this painting at a later date when I have worked on it again.

Rushing Water - A Work in Progress

This is another painting I have been working on from my sketches and photographs from Burleigh Falls with Neil Broadfoot.

This is right at the top of the Falls where the water is rushing over the rocks just before the drop.











There is still a lot more work to be done on this painting and I will post it as I continue to work on it.

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