Painting in a Kayak

Morning on Manitou  6x8 Oil on Board

 

I've been fortunate to be able to get out onto the water in my kayak and paint what I'm seeing of late. I have a small 6x8 pochade box that I take along because of its portability and size; not much room in the cockpit of my skin boat.  I'm loving it and look forward to doing more.

Natures Palette

Natures Palette 60 x 48 Oil on Canvas

A new Oil on the easel which is inspired by my walk in nature, always a dependable source of inspiration.

Afternoon Shadows

Afternoon Shadows Oil 20 x 20 in.

Its been awhile since I last posted, no real good excuse. The shadows are getting longer, a sure sign that the days are getting longer and spring is approaching. I encounter this scene regularly on my walks in the countryside around my home and was quite taken with what I saw here the other day and was inspired to paint it. Hope you enjoy it!

Autumn Painting

Big Eddy  30 x 40 in Oil

I dug this painting out of storage and gave it a dusting, its been awhile since I've enjoyed its presence.  It is a 30 x 40 in. Oil on Canvas painting a few years ago.

Otter Lake

Otter Lake, Mb.  Oil on Canvas 30 x 30 in

An Oil painting of a place dear to my heart.  I have driven past this location for as long as I can remember since I was a child and I have also trekked here at different times of the year.  It is precambrian shield country between The Pas and Flin Flon Mb.  Lots of cool lakes with rock outcroppings in the most unlikely places, a real gem.

Northern Lake Oil 60 x 34

Fresh off the easel, this is a large Oil on Canvas of a Northern Manitoba scene, close by where I grew up.  Had a great time with this one.

Late Afternoon Light

Late Afternoon Light Oil on Board 12 x 12 in.

Here's an en plein air piece from about a month ago when the weather was unseasonably warm. There is a small pond that I call Wellington Pond that is a favourite spot of mine to hang out at, lots of interesting things going on there if one spends the time to look and listen.

Approaching rain

Approaching Rain Oil on Board 10 x 12

I was digging around in my box of small paintings this afternoon and came across this en plein air piece I did last summer. The funny thing is that another painter painted the same painting, she must have been sitting in the exact same place I was. Good eye. I just finished this and it started to rain. Love how they bring back memories.

Pond Study

Pond Study Oil on Board 8 x 10

I've done three studies for a large format painting I'm currently working on, 48 x 60 in, this oil, a pastel and a small pencil sketch.  I don't usually go to this extent but it has been helpful, although I am now deviating a bit from the original idea.  Its good to have something to go back to, the original idea and inspiration.

Legend of Kate Rice

Legend of Kate Rice Oil 30 x 40 in

Its been awhile since I've posted on the site so I have an addition to share.  I call this piece Legend of Kate Rice.  Its speaks of a famous woman prospector who lived near my hometown of The Pas Manitoba in the early 1900's.  She was responsible for discovering many valuable mines in the north. Kate Rice largely lived on her own in the forest and apparently thrived on the experiences all year long.  I don't think it is something many people could do these days.  She trapped and fished, wrote and drew. They say she was quite a beauty but she chased off all advances by men, sometimes with an axe!  She died alone in a care home in Minnedosa, Mb.

RockyView

RockyView  Oil on Canvas 36 x 60

I've painted this particular place a few times now, I dearly love Amisk Lake, SK.  There is a world class lodge and resturant and this is the view from the room my wife and I stayed in a number of years ago for our anniversary.

My 60th birthday

My 60th Birthday

The evening of my 60th birthday presented an awesome sky in all quarters. Most fascinating of all were the Mamulous clouds over the lake, a beautiful site and a memorable one that I will remember for a long time. The evening was also spent with family and friends and we all had a great time storm watching. This is an oil painting I created, 36 x 48 in on canvas to commerate the occasion.

Spring Breakup

Spring Breakup on Manitou Lake  Pastel  12 x 12 in.

I suspect that the salt in Manitou Lake does something to the vibrancy of the colours in the air and water and that is what I have tried to capture in this pastel. It wasn't long after I did this that the ice was gone.  Spring is early here by probably 3 weeks and the winter was very unusual.  These days the air is filled with smoke from the huge forest fire around Fort McMurray, Alberta, which has now entered Saskatchewan.  Global warming and El Nino are wrecking havoc all over the world!

A Pond of Water by the Woods

A pond of Water by the Woods  Pastel on Paper

I worked on a farm house not far from this scene this past spring and summer and was quite taken with the place, it was a bee hive of activity all the time. Many birds and waterfowl, bugs, beavers and muskrats, foxes and coyotes just to name a few.  I loved how it had an ever changing ambiance to it depending on the kind of day it was. I'm lucky and thankful to be able to be witness these miraculous places and times.

Magical morning

Sparkling Creek  Oil on Board

It was a magical morning as I went for a walk in my favourite places near home.  The creek is always a source of inspiration and peace and I was inspired to paint what I saw and felt.  I still have to figure out how to paint the lovely ice crystals I saw forming on the rocks and twigs.

Squash

Squash  Pastel on Paper

What you are looking is my entire squash population from this past planting season. Oh well, better than a  kick in the pants! My brother Richard is a squash maniac, he harvests hundreds of them of various species, including an ancient squash. He acquired the seeds from an archaeologist who determined that they were over 800 years old.  I hope to plant them next year.  Enjoy.

Glorious Autumn Afternoon

Autumn Afternoon in the hills of Eastend

I spent some quality time with my good friend Dean Bauche of Eastend SK awhile back and we managed to find some time to hike back into the hills around his home and do some en plein air painting. It was one of those glorious Autumn afternoons where the colours were so vibrant and the air was so crisp and fragrant with the odor of fallen leaves. Can't get much better I think.

California Poppies

California Poppies Oil on Cardstock

This is a plein air piece I've been working on periodically as I find the time and the right light. I sit in my backyard on a nice warm and sunny day and enjoy the moment. Its fall now and there are many thousands of geese flying back and forth overhead, an nice soundtrack to paint to!

Schist Lake Afternoon

Schist Lake Afternoon  Oil  36 x36

I painted this piece at an Art Retreat that I was a co-organizer of in Assiniboia, Sk a few weeks ago.  Its been a summer of larger clouds but not necessarily a lot of rain, particularly in the northern part of Canada. I love painting the Northland, a place where I was born and raised.

Approaching Storm over Manitou

Approaching Storm over Manitou Lake Oil 36 x 48

I've just come home from our Annual Artists Retreat. This year we organized it to be in Assiniboia, Sk. the home of the fabulous Shurniak Art Gallery.  Bill Shurniak and staff are celebrating their 10 year anniversary of the opening of this absolute gem of Gallery. I'd venture to say that there is nothing in Western Canada to compare with it, and I've been in a few galleries out here!  The retreat is a week long and brings together artists from all parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and sometimes further away places.
This Oil painting was started on the first day of the retreat and depicts a wicked storm coming over the lake. It spawned a twister that you can pick out if you look carefully.