Hallowe'en - Two Works in Progress

With Hallowe'en being tomorrow it was only fitting that our theme for the still life class at KAGS should be spooky and scary things related to the day.














Hallowe'en

We two different displays. The first had many wonderful things to put into a painting including hat wearing toads, tombstones, pumpkins, masks, ghosts, spiders and webs.














Jack and Kitty

The second was a little more whimsical with cats and Jack o' lanterns wearing witch's hats and cauldrons filled with Hallowe'en treats.

I will post each of these two drawings at a later date as I have time to paint the ghostly figures.

Show at the Dancing Blueberries

This morning I went to the Dancing Blueberries at 360 George St. N. in Peterborough, Ontario to hang a dozen of my paintings.











I met Tom Young, one of the members of the Buckhorn Artists' Group who has had his show hanging there since last month.

It didn't take long for us to take his show down off the walls and get the paintings into his truck.











Then it was my turn to decide which of the paintings I had brought and had to hang them on the existing nails that were already on the wall in order to make a pleasing display.













It took about an hour until I was happy with their placement and the paintings were finally on the wall.















If you have a chance, please come out and see the display and perhaps stay and have a meal. The food is excellent and the soup is home made fresh daily.














The show runs through to 26 November 2014.

Koi 3 and 6 - Two Works in Progress

Today was  a very busy day with many errands to run and things that had to be completed, but I still wanted to either draw or paint and in the end I did a little of both.

I pulled out some sketches of koi that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 18 and 30 July 2014). I refined the sketches until I was pleased with the drawing.














Koi 3

For the first one I painted the water using a mix of Cobalt blue and French ultramarine blue, then set it aside to dry. The second one the water was painted with Antwerp blue and Cobalt blue.














Koi 6

I will post both of these paintings at a later date once I have completed the koi.

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

Poster for Abstractions and Contraptions

I just found out that one of my paintings "Stained Glass" (see post on 23 January 2012), that I had submitted for the Abstractions and Contraptions Show with KAN held at Art on Kent in Lindsay.

It is a pleasant surprise with it being the third time my artwork has been selected for one of their posters.

Last Day of Water, Water Everywhere

Today was the last day of the Water, Water Everywhere show at Art on Kent.

I had one of my paintings in the display window on the lower level of the Gallery facing out on Kent Street.

It was a lovely display but unfortunately I couldn't take a better photograph of it due to the glass reflecting back the building from across the street.

But it did give a very good idea of the artwork patrons would find on the upper level of the Gallery.

I brought in three paintings for the next show called Abstractions and Contractions which will open on 01 November, which unfortunately I will not be able to attend as it is also the same day as the opening of the Outdoor Painters' Show at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery & Studio.

In addition to the show opening at KAGS there is also the silent auction of art work by the ODP to raise funds for the Best of High School Art as well as a frame sale to raise prize money for the Juried Art Show being held next year.














I spent most of my time either taking in paintings for the upcoming show at Art on Kent or working on drawings of Koi for six paintings on which I am working and hope to have completed before the year is over.














I hope many of you will be able to come out and enjoy the art at both shows next month.

Tulips - A Work in Progress

Hallowe'en will be upon us shortly and I wanted to do something with blacks and oranges, so I decided to I would paint black tulips which bloom each year in my garden but have warm oranges, yellows and reds in the background to make them stand out.

I drew out the tulips, transferred them onto the paper and using liquid frisket I masked out the edges of the flowers and the stems.

Next I used various mixtures of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, Cobalt blue, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin to paint in the background wet on wet.

As the background was drying I sprayed a little bit of water in some areas to create interest. The paper was then set aside to dry.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have removed the masking fluid and started to paint the tulips.

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

Horses Standing 1-6 - Six Works in Progress

After visiting one of my friends in Bobcaygeon, on my way back home I came across a field with a number of horses relaxing in the shade under a couple of big maple trees close by the road.

I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and stopped.

As usual I almost always have a sketch book, pencils and the camera with me. After getting out of the car and taking a couple of reference photographs.

I started sketching each of the horses as a separate animal without any overlapping.

Standing 4

There were a number of different kinds of horses to draw.

The first one was an older paint mare who stood peacefully with her head down and eyes half closed totally relaxed.

The next one was a very active thoroughbred cross who watched me the entire time I was there sketching.

She nervously moved constantly never staying in one spot for long.

Standing 5

There was a yearling in among the group who preferred to be as close to the paint mare as possible, probably because she offered a calming effect and a sense of security.














Standing 1

Next was an Arab cross with a lovely dished face and lots of chrome; having four white legs, a blaze and a long flaxen mane and tail.














Standing 2

The heavy weight hunter was a rich dark brown, well put together gelding, without a spot of white on him.














Standing 3

The last one was a handsome, buckskin Quarter Horse with a striking contrast between the black points and the golden coloured coat.














Standing 6

I will post each of the sketches at a later date once the outline drawing has been completed.

Eventually I may even put all of them into one painting just as they were in the shade under the maples. Only time will tell.

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