Family Day Weekend

Crystal and I spent a wonderful weekend with close friends at a ranch in Northern Saskatchewan.  The mornings were supernaturally beautiful, as winter mornings can be when there is fog and hoar frost.  This pastel is my attempt to capture one of those rare moments.  I wonder what people thought when they looked up and saw me sitting on the roof of the log ranch house playing around with my pastels?

Under Construction

Afternoon Shift

In another life I was an industrial electrician for the Canadian National Railways. After I had finished my apprenticeship I was assigned to the afternoon shift, where I spent most of the thirteen years I worked for the railway.  I remember times coming to work at the Roundhouse in the afternoon when the sun would be blazing in through the windows and this, combined with the smoke from the diesel engines and arc welders, would make for a Turneresque (my word to describe the technique of the great British artist William Turner) effect.  This is what I am trying to capture in the painting above.  Another challenge is to paint in a monochromatic scheme, which actually works quite well for the environment I remember working in.  It was kind of like Hell, or what I imagine Hell would look like.  We always had a gray Shop Cat who would regularly check all the incoming locomotives for dead things that would make for a tasty dinner.  She never was wanting for food as I remember and would proudly show off her latest catch, something alot of cats do for some reason. So I am titling this piece Afternoon Shift to honour the cat's and my time at the Roundhouse in The Pas, Manitoba.

Luminous Morning

Luminous Morning 10 x 12 in Oil

This is a small painting depicting a lovely morning last August on Schist Lake, Manitoba. I am going to let it sit for awhile before I call it finished.  Comments welcome.  Some of you may know I have been painting a number of pieces based on a trip I made up there in 2011.  A beautiful place.  I am going up there in two weeks time to visit old friends and will be taking my paint box, snow shoes and camera.  Hope the weather cooperates.  I am anxious to get some sketches and photos of the place in the winter with all the snow.

The Prairie

I felt like doing a large watercolour the other day and this is it.  This is a scene that is so typical of the western Canadian prairies that it could be anywhere, this particular location is just northwest of Melfort, SK. It is 22 x 30 inches in size on 140 lb. Arches paper and portrays a afternoon sky that threatens rain.

Warning Wet Paint

I've been working away on this larger painting ( 30 x 60 inch) for a few days now and find I'm getting to the fiddling stage which could mean a few things. It is done or almost done, or a complete and unequivocal failure.  I leave it up to you my dear audience, what say you?

Wouldn't it be nice

Wouldn't it be nice if winters were always this way?  I have enjoyed this winter so much, being able to paint outside practically everyday and going for long walks in the hills and fields with my two dogs.  I plan on going out tomorrow again and finding a nice place to paint and enjoy life. I like listening to Van Morrison and Neil Young while painting, funny how music and painting go together so well! The painting above is an oil of the hill across from Wellington Park.

Baby its cold outside

Lone Pinion

This pastel is my response to the bloody cold weather, I withdraw to my studio and memories and re-create past experiences.  Crystal, Michael and I came across many amazing vistas when we were down in southern Utah and this lone Pinion tree was one of them.  They are extremely hardy trees and seem to grow anywhere, they remind me of our hardy pine trees in the Precambrian shield country growing out of rocks.  Anyways, it was a hot day and just looking at this painting takes me back.