A painting for my Grandson

Its been awhile since I last posted. I have been busy paying the bills using my carpentry skills most of the winter but I have had some time to paint.  This painting of foxes is for my Grandson Cohen to hang in his nursery. I wanted to paint something of interest for him, sort of like "wheres Waldo" with the foxes hiding in the bushes. Unfortunately this family of foxes home is currently being destroyed to make way for some bone ugly tract homes and condo's in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, across the backlane from where Cohen lives. Thats progress for you.  Instead of what do the foxes say we could ask "where will the foxes go?"

The Guitarist

The Guitarist Pastel on Paper  12 x 9 in

I cannot remember the name of this Lady, I know she is Russian and plays the classical guitar superbly. I was struck by her demeanor and how she was so in the moment. A pleasure to listen to, I must do a search and find her again.

Mockingbirds Song

Mockingbirds Song 48x48in Oil on Board

Last spring while out in my backyard I heard the most amazing demonstration of bird song in my life and it made a profound effect on me. For 30 minutes I stood transfixed while this bird sang its heart out, singing two measures and then two more, all completely different and continuously until it flew off.  I noticed that it wasn't a particularly pretty bird, proving that you can't judge a bird by its plumage! Its turns out that it was a mockingbird and I am crossing my fingers that I will hear it again this spring. I'll always remember the details off that evening, things like the light, temperature, the intoxicating scent of the lilacs and wolf willow and all the other sounds permeating my part of the world in those moments.

Awaiting spring

A watercolour painting of a sentiment about spring like conditions that have not as of yet arrived in my part of the world.  I remember the soft pastel shades of new and old growth mixed together and the moisture laden air with peppery scents of new leaves and the excited songs of newly arrived birds.  Ah, it won't be long now!

A pastel

Radiant Morning Pastel 9 1/2 x 12

I drew this pastel over a year ago and discovered it hidden away in one of my portfolios so I thought I'd share it. Its based on a little grove of trees down the road from my home. I kind of pushed the colour abit, by hey, its my world!

Autumn painting

Put the finishing touches on this en plein air piece from last fall today and also found a nice frame for it kicking around the woodshop so its a good days work!

Wellington Pond in Autumn

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!

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.

First Hoar Frost

First Hoar Frost

This is a small pastel I did yesterday morning after witnessing our first hoar frost of the season. I had a piece of pink mat board handy which seemed like a good colour to have peeking through in places. What a brilliant morning it was!

Ted Baschak 1919-2013

Ted Baschak

I've just recently received word that my uncle Ted Baschak passed away in a care home in British Columbia. There are some mixed emotions here as I never met the man, in fact as far as I know his brothers and sisters all thought he was dead a long, long time ago.  The man simply dropped off of the radar, never made contact with anyone for all these years.  I remember my Dad telling me they had some interesting times in Toronto back in the early forties and then he struck out on his own, never to be heard from again.  Apparently he was an artist and free thinker, just like yours truly. It would be interesting to see some of his work, maybe our sentiments had some parallels. I have no idea if he had any family, an estate manager is currently looking for someone to give him direction for burial etc. Very sad state of affairs in that I strive to stay in touch with my immediate and extended family just because of the manner in which my Dad's family didn't. He is not the only member of Dad's side that has pulled similar stunts. One of Dad's mantra's is "family should stay together", no wonder.
I've chosen this painting to show because Dad was a railroad engineer for 37 years, he worked all over Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan. The train ride to Churchill Manitoba, if I remember correctly, takes around 20 hours and passes through some pretty awesome landscapes, some of it very lonely and barren. The picture is about coming home through that barren land in the dead of winter, which can be a very lonely place indeed.  I wonder if my uncle Ted had his lonely times thinking about his Mom, brothers, and sisters for all those years?

Southward Bound  Oil on Canvas

Robert Genn

Islet, Grenville Channel, BC by Robert Genn

Yesterday morning I took my coffee out to the studio and sat down at the computer to read read Robert Genns bi weekly newsletter,  the Painters Keys, and was extremely saddened to hear he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I know and accept that life is short and that we all must pass sooner or later but why is it always such a shock when we hear such news?  It is abundantly clear that Robert Genn is dearly loved by thousands of people the world over and these people are even now sending out silent messages of hope and love that will benefit him, even as I do.  Wouldn't it be great if all people, all the time, treated each other in this manner? So Robert, may you go to that special place where your best work comes from and find the Love and Peace that heals the body and Soul of all worldly woes.

Matters of the Heart

I wasn't sure what prompted me to paint this Oil, which was painted in August, but now I'm wondering if it was my sub-conscious telling me something about my heart. I've just recently been diagnosed with a heart condition and the more I look at this piece I think it is about inner workings. I often discover hidden messages and images in my work after the painting is done, and others find their own meanings as well.  I know we all should listen to that still, quiet voice inside of ourselves.

And the Children will Play

And the Children will Play

Oil on Canvas

This painting started out in one direction and stayed that way for 75 per cent of the time, then it took a left turn. When I was a young boy a bunch of us would play in the school yard with a Catholic priest by the name of Father Henry. I remember he had an old CCM bike with a big wire basket on the handle bars. Father Henry would often bring a kite with him and we would spend hours flying it. I bet he had someone in his life that played with him in the same manner. A wonderful man, I often remember him when I see a kite soaring up in the sky.