Spooky

It is a New Year and I have to come to terms with myself that my little Spooky cat won't be back again.















The last time she was here was on 27 November 2019 and she hasn't returned, which is unusual, as she always stays for the winter and in late spring she leaves for the summer and comes back when the snow returns.

I can only hope she is with my other animals which have passed over before her and is enjoying a peaceful existence.

Confirmed Shows for 2020 - January

This is a listing of confirmed shows that I will be exhibiting my artwork at this year and into next year. I will update the list as more shows are added.

A Place For The Arts, 23 Bridge St. W., Bancroft, Ont.
19 Nov 19 - 16 Feb 20
21 Feb - 15 Mar 20
20 Mar - 10 May 20
13 May - 14 Jun 20
17 Jun - 12 Jul 20
01 Jul - 03 Aug 20 Solo Show in The Annex
Opening Reception 11 Jul 20 from 1-4p.m. 15 Jul - 16 Aug 20
15 Jul - 16 Aug 20
05-31 Aug 20 Buckhorn Artists' Group in The Annex
Opening Reception 08 Aug 20 from 1-4p.m. 19 Aug - 20 Sep 20
19 Aug - 20 Sep 20
23 Sep - 25 Oct 20
28 Oct - 29 Nov 20
03 Dec 20 - 17 Jan 21

Northey's Barn Boutique, 1981 13th Line, Selwyn, Ont.
23-24 May 20 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Miskwaa Art Studio and Outdoor Gallery, 250 Edwina Drive,Trent Lakes, Ont.
27 Jun - 31 Aug 20

The Douro-Dummer Library Art Gallery, 425 Douro Fourth Line Road, Hamlet of Douro, Ont.
08 Jul - 27 Aug 20 The Buckhorn Artists' Group
Opening Reception 10 Jul 20 from 7-8 p.m.
05 May - 30 Jun 21 The Buckhorn Artists' Group
Opening Reception 07 May 21 from 7-8 p.m.
05 Jan - 30 Mar 22 The Art of Daniel Marlatt and Susan Sydney
Opening Reception 07 Jan 22 from 7-8 p.m.

St. Matthews Church, Buckhorn, Ont.
Buckhorn Artists' Group
14-16 Aug 30th Annual Shades of Summer Art Show

Fenelon Falls Fair Grounds, Fenelon Falls, Ont.
Kawartha Arts Festival
05-06 Sep 20 31st Annual Kawartha Arts Festival

If you get a chance please come out and visit one or all of the shows.

Burleigh Rocks 1 - A Work in Progress

Today Norma and I went to paint with the Lakefield Creative Arts Group. It is the first time we have been there since January.

Norma had a photograph she had taken earlier this year, when we went on the M/V Spirit of the Kawartha Boat Cruise on Stoney Lake that she wanted to paint and we decided that we would do our own version of the scene.

I took a small section of the picture to feature a grouping of the rocks close to the shore, while Norma decided she wanted to paint the entire area shown in the photograph.

Using French ultramarine blue with a small amount of Antwerp blue I brushed in the sky leaving a few area of white paper for the clouds and brushed in the water below the islands being careful to leave the foreground rocks without colour.

With various mixtures of raw sienna, burnt sienna, Antwerp blue and a small amount of aureolin, I painted in the far shoreline. 















Next, I added some new gamboge to the various mixtures and add in the deciduous trees onto the islands on either side of the painting. 

While the paint was still wet I dropped small amounts of pure burnt sienna in some areas pure cadmium yellow into others and some raw sienna to create texture in the foliage.

Once the trees on the island were dry, I used the remaining light green paint and added French ultramarine blue and raw sienna to darken the colour and painted in the pine trees on the islands.

Lastly, using a mixture of alizarin crimson and burnt sienna I painted in the rocks at the waterline of the islands.

I will post this painting at later date once I have finished painting the rocks.

Countryside Art Group Blog - Show Updates

On the first of each month I will update the Countryside Art Group's blog with a listing of shows where the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work.

If you get a chance come out and visit them at one or all of the shows.

Snowed in Farm House - A Work in Progress

The temperature today is fairly mild at 23F (-5C) but I was not impressed with the 7" (12.7cm) of snow on the ground.

I lightly sketched in the farm house and the hills in the background.

With a mixture of French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue I indicated some of the shadows falling across the snow in the foreground.















Using the shadow colour I added a small amount of burnt sienna and applied the under coat of paint for the background hills.

For each layer of the hills I gradually added more of the blues and the burnt sienna to darken the colour on each layer of the trees.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have completed the background and started work on the farm house.

Buckhorn Artists' Group Blog - Show Updates

I have updated the Buckhorn Artists' Group blog with a listing of shows some of the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work in during the month of December.

If you get a chance come out and visit them at one or all of the shows.

Christmas at A Place For The Arts

Today my friend and fellow artist, Norma MacEachern came with me to A Place For The Arts in Bancroft.

It was nice to see the Christmas display for the front window had been set up. The two large trees were hung with a wide variety of handmade Christmas ornaments available for sale and displayed among the the twinkling lights.

The floor was covered with a blanket of glittering snow upon which was decorations for sale.

I went around opening up the Gallery and turning on the lights.

As Norma helped me with the various duties of sweeping, dusting and watering the plants I noticed that a few more of my smaller paintings had been hung in the Gallery.

When I went upstairs to the Annex it was nice to see that it too had been decked out with Christmas decorations, as well as a few strings of twinkling lights.

With a new exhibit in the Annex, some of my paintings had been moved and placed in a grouping on one wall.

It was an enjoyable day with many people coming through the Gallery and to view the new show in the Annex.

Time passed quickly and before long it was time to close the Gallery and head home.