More New Toys

I have always wanted to have a little trailer to put my gardening stuff in and pull behind my lawn mower to make it easier to work in my gardens which are located throughout the 4 acres (1.6ha) of lawn surrounding the house.















Especially when carrying buckets of water to the flower beds along the west fence at the entrance to the property and on the south fence where my arbour with my climbers are located and the hose is not long enough to reach so they can be watered.















Another thing I wanted was to have a small snow blower attached to the lawn mower so I could use it in the winter to clear out the small areas that the snow blower on Ron's tractor cannot clear and it would make it a lot easier than shovelling it out by hand.















Earlier this week when I went into Lakefield I saw a small lawn mower with a trailer and snow blower and I let Ron know that I have found one that was for sale.















Since I was at KAGS today he was going out to look at and it would make a very nice Christmas gift.















When I returned home from the Gallery Ron told me that he didn't get the lawn mower and accessories that I had looked at, instead I could go and look at what he found for me, which was in the shop.















Needless to say I was delighted with what I found there, which was a much newer and larger lawn mower and accessories. Ron will fix the flat tires on the trailer and get everything ready for me to use the snow blower for the winter.

People's Choice Award

Today found that I tied with Lois Shaw as the People's Choice for Best Display in the "Outdoor Painters' Show - Rural Outlook" exhibit at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.













I would like to thank everyone who enjoyed viewing my display of paintings and selected it as their one of their favourites.

Loon Call Lake III

Today I was at St. Matthew's Church in Buckhorn, with the Tuesday Buckhorn Painting Group.

I wanted to change the watercolour painting I have had at the church since the summer with a different piece. The one I chose is an acrylic painting called "Strawberries".

I brought my pencil sketches and pen and ink drawings, that were in various stages of completion to work on and hopefully get at least one completed.

I chose this one which I had started a number of years ago, and have been working on this year (see posts on 14 September 2014, 23 February and 09 October 2017).

Since I usually work from left to right on a drawing, I began with the trees and foliage on the left, worked my way across in behind the boathouse and finished with the trees on the right side.

I did the same, this time putting in the rocks and shadows from the left to the right side of the drawing.















Lastly, I added some shading onto the boathouse, followed by adding in more reflections and ripples into the water.

This original 6" x 7" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Fire

Everything outside is white with a covering of snow that we received overnight.

With the temperature this morning, as I went down to do the barn chores at 9F (-13C) and the wind chill making it feel like -2F (-19C), I think it's going to stay for a day or two.















Tonight we started the first fire of the season, which is something I always enjoy.

I can now look forward to many evenings relaxing with the glow of a fire in the hearth. 

Back Forty II

Today I was at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio sitting the Outdoor Painters' exhibit "Rural Outlook".

With this exhibit having a large number of visitors I decided it would be best if I took in some sketches to work on rather than trying to paint.

I started with this one, which is of the corner of the back field where four of the fields meet that I started earlier this year (see posts on 25 June, 07 August and 15 October 2017).















I started on the left side of the drawing and put in the pine trees and grasses in the foreground and then put in the background forest and completed the maple tree.

Next I added in the centre background forest, drew in the maple trees and put in the foreground grasses to the drawing.

On the far right side of the drawing I put in the pine trees and then filled in the maple trees from the right side toward the centre.

This original 7-1/2" x 9" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

The Road Home 1 and 2

Ron decided to take the scenic route (also known as the back roads) as we were returning home after attending our second funeral this month.















The Road Home 1

I did these two sketches of long driveways leading to farm houses and barns in the distance.















The Road Home 2

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

ACEO - Dusk 9

Today is a rainy day and I thought I would stay inside and work on a painting, so I pulled out this piece that I had started earlier this year (see post on 09 March 2017).

I mixed various greens using combinations of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, new gamboge and raw sienna and painted in the trees on the far side of the lake.

Darkening the green mixes I put in the pine trees on the island in the foreground.

With a dark of blue and burnt sienna I painted in the tree trunks.

Using burnt sienna and a touch of alizarin crimson I put in the rocks on the island.

Using raw sienna and burnt sienna I put in the grasses below the trees.

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.