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!

Reminiscences on a blustery winters day

Sweet peas

Couldn't help posting this small oil painting of my Sweet Peas on this chilly Saturday afternoon.  Winter has arrived in my part of the world, lots of snow and cold temperatures.  In a couple of months these pretty little flowers will just be a dream!

Pansie en plein air

Pansies  Pastel on Paper

We've had a wonderful break in the autumn weather lately so I've had a chance to sit outside and do some plein air pieces in my backyard.  Seems like I do all this garden work and never have a chance to enjoy the fruits of my labour so its awfully nice to be in the sunshine and soak everything up.

Autumn en plein air

Flood Aftermath  Oil on Canvas 9 x 12

I painted this sitting on the shore of the Assinaboine River at Shellmouth, Mb. It was the morning and I remember everything about it, the warm temperature, the stillness occasionally broken by a fish jumping, no mosquitoes and the overall serenity.  The flooding has changed the geography quite a bit in the last number of years. I couldn't get to another favorite spot because the river had created a new tributary!

Robert Genn's Passing

Sailing on Little Manitou, SK

As some of you may know by now, Robert Genn has passed on. He was the gentleman who originated the Painters Keys internet site that has since gone on to be a magnet to thousands of people worldwide with an interest in reading his online letters and ruminations on Art and related matters.  Robert Genn was a wonderful Canadian artist, his paintings are instantly recognizable. He was witty, funny, well versed, philosophical and so generous.  It is hard to imagine how he found the time to do his twice weekly letters and still manage a busy schedule of painting and related business but he did.  I will be indebted to him as I go out on my own plein air excursions, another thing that he excelled at.  So thank you Robert for your example of how to be human.  Also thanks to his daughter Sara for continuing on with his legacy.

The Village Inn

Village Inn

Its been awhile since I've done any en plein air work but the weather was so nice yesterday morning that I decided to set up near Wellington Creek and paint the view towards the Village Inn.  It was sunny and around 0 Celcius so it was very pleasant to stand there for a couple of hours and paint. Not a soul around, just me and my two patient dogs. This is an oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches. How tranquil it was to paint to the sound of the water gurgling around the stones and ice!

Sweet PeasSweet Peas

Sweet Pea Plein Air

I love sweet peas. You can put a small bouquet of them in a room and they fill the space with their heavenly scent.  Sitting by these will painting was a wonderful experience.  I will miss them when the frosts come but look forward to them again next year.  I have been saving their seeds to plant for a few years now.

Dusk en plein air

Dusk on the Assinaboine River

This is a pastel painted just as the sun was going down over the Shellmouth valley.  I was sitting with a friend by the river desperately trying to capture the colours before they were gone, a near impossible task.  Near the end of the session I was just guessing because I couldn't really see the pastels in my box, hence the sketchiness of the piece.  A memorable experience by the river with the waterfowl flying about and the  fish jumping out of the water trying to catch bugs.  

Shellmouth Valley

This is a 6 x8 oil on birch plywood painted en plein air at Shellmouth, Mb at our annual
Art Retreat.  I've painted down here on numerous occasions, this time I had two friends with me, Jan Layh who is the facilitator of the event and Hollande Woods.  A wonderful time spent enjoying the moment.

A Plein Air piece

I painted this 6 x 8 oil in the company of my good friend Garry Harris. We were advised not to go out at this time of the day as the temperature was above 30 Celcius and the humidity was quite high but I am probably a little stubborn so we sat on top of a lovely butte and painted to our hearts delight.  There were turkey vultures and red tailed hawks screaming at us from above and the sun was scorching but it was all worth it.  Garry did a nice little sketch that he was quite pleased with. This is looking south by south west.

en Plein Air

This past Sunday afternoon I took my pochade box down to the lakeside and painted this view down Little Manitou Lake, looking west.  It was a lovely day but a bit windy at times as I had to weigh down my easel to keep it from flying into the salt water!  As it was Spirit of Manitou Studio Trails weekend there were lots of people about and I had one visitor who was curious enough to stop and ask if it was Ok if she watched me for awhile. We had a nice chat while I painted and then she was off to visit the galleries all about our community.

Rocky Mountain High

Rocky Mountain Morning 8 x10 Oil on Plywood

We're just nicely back from a week long holiday in the Canadian Rockies with our kids.  Had a wonderful time snowshoeing and hiking in the mountains and sightseeing in the townsites of Banff and Canmore.  I only had one opportunity to paint outdoors and the result is above.  It was a nice morning but I discovered that it wasn't as warm as I thought it was after being out in the elements for awhile.  There was a pretty stiff wind blowing up the valley, maybe you can notice the shaky knife strokes in the painting attesting to my cold hands!  I plan on doing a few large canvases based on my experiences in those mountains, very inspiring for sure.

New en Plein Air painting

Warm February Afternoon    8 x 10      Oil on Board

I finally had some time and nice enough weather to get outside and paint, boy its been awhile since I've been able to do that!  Found a nice vantage point off of one of my favourite walking trails and painted to my hearts delight.  My long suffering dogs bunked down beside me and patiently waited for us to resume the walk I had promised them.

Bright Morning

I had the chance to paint outdoors the other day when the temperature was hovering around minus 5 Celcius in Wellington Park.  While down there I spotted what I think was a Sand Piper and a male and female Mallard duck. I think these birds missed the last plane south and hope they can manage through the winter, which hasn't got very cold yet.  I'm considering taking some bread crumbs and such down there to hopefully help them out as they seem to be moving a lot more slowly than usual.

New en Plien Air

I had a rare opportunity to paint outdoors the other day. The weather was great and it was so beautiful with a heavy coating of hoar frost.  I set myself up beside Wellington Creek and painted to my hearts delight. Hope I have more days like that!

The last Hurrah

I've posted numerous paintings that had their beginnings by my looking out my studio window, and this is another one.  Painted just before the cold weather set in and the wind blew all the leaves away, it also celebrates my continued interest in the Canadian Group of Seven, in particular Tom Thompson.  Hope you like it.