Monday, November 16, 2015

Seahorse 6

Today, I wanted to do some drawing so I pulled out some small pieces of paper and started with a seahorse.

It didn't take very long to get the basic shape of the seahorse drawn slightly off centre of the paper.

Working from the left side of the paper across, I added a few strands of sea grass, one going away from the seahorse, the other going behind it.

Next, I put one blade running up behind the seahorse and I wrapped its tail around it.

This was followed by putting two more pieces of seaweed at another at an angle behind the seahorse. 

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Late Fall

I wanted to finish this painting that I had started a number of years ago.

First I removed the masking fluid from the birch trees and the leaves in the foreground.

Using various mixtures of raw sienna, new gamboge and alizarin crimson I painted in the remaining leaves on the trees in the foreground.

Next I made a grey of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna and put it onto the shadowed side of all the birch tree trunks.

With a darker mix I added the markings.

This original 11" x 15" watercolour painting when framed will be available for $245.00. SOLD

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Please Mom?

Today, I am doing a double shift at the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio which is open from 1-7pm on Thursday.

While there, I thought I would spend my time working on a drawing of Christine holding a Poodle puppy.

My father had always wanted a white poodle and needless to say my parents ended up purchasing Teela.

Christine showed her in Junior Showmanship classes and in Conformation classes to earn her Canadian Championship, while I showed her in Obedience Trials at the same time and she earned her Companion Dog title.

After she earned her titles, she was bred to my male, Sootie and she produced a litter of five puppies; three males and two females.

I was given my choice of one of the puppies from that litter and I kept one of the females and called her Ariel.

All five puppies (Ariel, Crystal, Midnight, Skippy and Stormy), from that litter ended up earning their Canadian Championships, making both parents Top Producers.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Farm by the River I

Today I was driving along River Road and noticed a farm on the far side of the Otonabee River downstream from Lock 26 Lakefield.

The farm buildings were framed by a couple of large trees on this side of the river.














So I pulled over and did this little sketch before heading into Peterborough.

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

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Elements of Nature Art Show

Today I was hanging the Elements of Nature show at KAGS which will open tomorrow.












I was able to get my eight feet of space in my favourite place on the alcove on the far wall.

This year I am donating the painting Northern Winter (see post on 11 April 2012) as the draw prize for the show. 















The show features paintings from twenty three members of KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group.

It also has a silent auction from the members  with 25% of the proceeds raised going for prizes for the Best of High School art held each year in May at KAGS to encourage our youth to enjoy creating their own original art.














I hope to see some of you on Sunday 15 November 15 for the opening of the show or that you are able to visit the show before it closes on 29 November 15 at 4p.m.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Display Case at the Peterborough Public Library

Today Norman, Cindy and I went to the Peterborough Public Library at 345 Aylmer St. N. in Peterborough, Ontario to set up an arrangement of art supplies, paintings and posters in the main display case by the main entrance to promote the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.

With having had a meeting last month about how we would set up the display it didn't take long to bring in everything we needed.
















The display case is 120' (936.6m) long and 4' (1.2m) wide. We rearranged the shelves first and then set up the two largest paintings and the KAGS banner.

From there we started working from the right side of the case to the left, beginning at the bottom.














We put one of Norma's oil paintings toward the back and placed a couple of canvases in front of it, then her paint box beside them followed by my wooden case of Prisma pencils with a couple of water colour sketches and a small block of watercolour paper.

To complete the right side we added a small painting to the shelf, a container with a set of small watercolour brushes, bottles of varnish and paint thinners, a couple of tins with watercolour pencils, a wooden box with various sponges, rulers, pencils and other basic tools.














Lastly we added the poster for the upcoming Elements of Nature Art Show which opens this Sunday 15 November 2015.

Now it was time to complete the left side of the display.














We started by putting two posters with information about KAGS, its beginnings and what its mandate is, complete with a map and all the ways of contacting us.

On the bottom shelf we continued with more art supplies and paintings including another container of brushes, a painter's apron and a water bowl; followed by my wooden case of pastels with pen and ink supplies and some scratch board tools on the lid.














This was finished with a couple of blank canvases and a small painting on an easel.

On the shelf we set up two easels one with a partially completed watercolour painting and the other with a small oil painting. Next to this was another collection of brushes, more little boxes of pastels, drafting tools, and a couple of metal boxes of water soluble pencils and a photograph on stretched canvas.















Lastly we scattered a few small arrangements of silk autumn leaves throughout the display and tossed some individual leaves randomly among the art supplies.

The total time to set up the display took us just over an hour and next week when we return to take the display down it will probably take about half that amount of time.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Galloping

This afternoon we had the Annual General Meeting at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.

While I was at the meeting and this year I didn't have to read the Annual Financial Statement since I made copies of it for any member who wanted go over it on their own.

While the other reports were being read I worked on a sketch of a horse galloping. Unfortunately, I had to stop a number of times to answer questions and vote to accept the reports as read.

With the interruptions I ended up making the body far too large for the head of the horse.















After all the reports were read we stopped to have a short break before the voting for the Executive Positions.

When it came to voting in a new Treasurer for KAGS, no one wanted to take my place as Treasurer.

So, I agreed to stand for another two year term, but this will be my last term as Treasurer as I want to do something different with less deadlines, responsibility and hassles.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have corrected the size of the head to fit the body.