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.

Rock Painting

Rock Paintings

One of the high lites of Retreat in Denare Beach last summer was a tour of Amisk Lake and what is purported to be aboriginal rock paintings on one of the islands we were shown.  (secret location) That is the subject of the painting on this post.  Truthfully, I had a hard time making out the paintings on those rocks so I have done the same with my painting.  The best things in life are often subtle and understated anyways.

Black and Yellow make Green

Amisk Lake

I recently read of an artist who regularly re-cycles paintings that didn't work out by simply painting directly over them, no underpainting or toning of the canvas.  Because I happen to have a few of those laying around I decided to try it myself and the painting above is the result.  If you look very close you might still see signs of the previous painting underneath.  I simply did a rough charcoal sketch of the scene and then went directly into it, what a fun experience! Oh, by the way, black and yellow make a nice green.

Morning on Schist Lake

I've been spending quite a bit of time lately working on paintings of Schist Lake, Mb, where I had the pleasure of being this past summer.  A fellow painter, Ron Watt, took us on a boat trip around the lake one glorious morning and I am eternally grateful for that!  My only regret is that we didn't get on the lake a little sooner in the morning so that we could have caught the mist on the water.  This painting portrays the last vestiges of that pristine morning (I hope). I'm going to give this one a rest for awhile as I find I am fiddling with it which could mean it is telling me that it is finished or just needs a break from me for awhile.

Being There

There have been some lovely sunrises (and sunsets) lately, maybe its got something to do with the angle of the sun and time of the year.  Anyways, its been a joy to paint outdoors in such conditions because the temperatures have been unseasonably warm for winter in these parts.  I feel that being there when the sun rises and sets and attempting to paint that phenomena is a rich experience that enriches my life.

Patterns

Pretty much every day the dogs and I take this path down into Wellington Park and beyond.  Its a nice, arduous walk that gets my heart pumping and I always see something brings delight to my eye.  I think I am developing an extensive vocabulary of colour, sometimes after a walk my eyes are literally vibrating!  There always seems to be happy combinations of colours and patterns outdoors. Never boring.

All the Diamonds

Of all the songs out there, Bruce Cockburns "All the Diamonds," off of his Salt, Sun & Time album has to be one of my personal all time favourites.  Everytime I hear this song it sparks a deep personal response in me, I was so pleased when he played it at a recent concert that I attended.  Cockburn is one of Canada's greatest poets, in my humble opinion, and his lyrics invoke wonderful imagery in my fertile mind.The other day, which was extremely warm for January 9th (11 Celcius), I had the distinct pleasure of painting an alla prima painting near my new home of Manitou Beach while listening to the album on my iPod.  Life is good, all my children I have spoken.