Craving Sunlight

The thing about winter is quite often there can be long periods of overcast days with little direct sunlight. It is in that spirit that I post this painting, painted in the height of summer under very warm temperatures. This is definitely a hot subject!

Summertime

Oftentimes in the middle of winter my thoughts and sentiments turn to summertime. Lazy days sitting by the water enjoying the heat, insects buzzing around, birds of the air and water, blue skies and fluffy clouds. This painting is about that. Hope you enjoy it.

Full moon falling

Nocturne in Pink

I meant to post this painting when the moon was full around a week ago but forgot for some reason. It is loosely based on the now non existent Blue Hotel, which I have been using as a model for some time now and likely will continue to do so.  Problem with some of these paintings is that its hard to determine which side is up, the jury's still out on this one.  Any suggestions?

Alina - under construction

Alina

I'm working on a new studio painting, 60 x 30 inches on canvas.  Taking my inspiration from my daily walk with the doggies in the valleys and dales about home. Loads of paint, especially flake white.

Crystal faieries

I am   Oil painting on canvas  30 x 60

My wife Crystal commented the other day while we were walking in a splendid landscape of hoar frost laden trees that she felt like she was being watched by tiny fairies hiding amongst the glittering trees and grasses.  I had to agree with her and that walk became the subject of this painting. The gold leaf doesn't show up very well in the photo but it does come alive in the sunlight!

Going to Abstraction

A favourite theme, the former Blue Hotel in bygone days and later a brine shrimp processing plant.  Remember those Sea Monkey ads in comic books many years ago?  They came from good old Manitou Beach back in the day.  This is a pastel and charcoal piece over a heavy undercoat of marble dust and other stuff.

Somehow this painting explains where my head is at when I am in the "zone". It is a self portrait of me, don't ask me why or how, it just is. Does anyone see the family resemblance?

Untitled

This is an encaustic painting, 12 inches square, painted on a cradled wood panel.  Loosely based on a freight train speeding past my field of vision on an amazing prairie summer afternoon somewhere near Melfort Saskatchewan in the year 2010.

The Painter

I rather enjoy exploring the scarier side of my psych on occasion, and usually what happens are paintings such as the one above.  The title is "The Painter" because that is the first thought that came to me when I considered giving it a title.  I am considering refraining from titling my paintings in the future, especially if I continue in this vein.

Something out my window Version 2

Every one in awhile I get an urge to paint out of the comfort zone and more likely than not paintings such as the one above appear.  I actually really enjoy painting these as they allow me to use what ever technical abilities I have garnered over the years combined with a rampant imagination and playfulness.  The paintings give me the same wonder I feel when gazing at summer clouds, always changing and open to interpretation.  This piece is painted on a 12 inch square piece of masonite prepped with acrylic modelling paste and shellac.

Feeling Blue

Those that know me comment on my use of the colour Purple.  I don't deny that I love the nuances of purple but I do use other colours on occasion, one of them being Blue.  Of course when you mix blue with red, guess what, you get Purple. This painting is predominantly blue and explores a building here at the beach that I am fascinated with called the Blue Hotel.  It is commonly known locally as the shrimp plant but is now abandoned and falling into disrepair.  This painting also explores my fascination with geometric shapes, which shouldn't surprise to many people who know me as a Carpenter who strives to build things square.  How does this painting make you feel?

Bull Lilies

I haven't posted for awhile as it seems I've been on the road so much lately traveling to far away places to visit good old friends.  This painting was started at a weekend retreat held here at Manitou Beach awhile back and I finally had some time to get back at it.  Today I found myself nit picking away at it, a sure sign either to call it done or put it away again for awhile! I absolutely love the abstract nature of nature and definitely want to continue to explore that quality in my painting.  I don't think it is physically possible to paint every ripple in moving water, and why bother.  I like making it up based on the experience I have being in the presence of such an event.

Spring Raining Down

Spring Raining Down  Oil on Canvas  $600.00

I call this abstract painting "Spring Raining Down".  To me it symbolizes alot of spring type attributes, I'll leave it to you to figure that out.  Maybe its a mistake to talk about what the painting means to me, I should just let it go out there and let the people make their own determinations about it.