January 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

Quail   SOLD

8 x 8

Acrylic

Next week brings in a new year and with that the annual 30 in 30 Painting Challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta!  This is a fabulous project to get the brush moving and creativity flowing.  I've planned ahead a little preparing 8 x 8's this time as I'm finding the 6 x 6's a little too small.  It is interesting though how two extra inches adds considerably more of a challenge to paint in my self imposed limit of 2 hours.  I highly recommend  this project and you can find information about it here.

Food Fraud

Free Range

8 x 8

Acrylic

I am feeling a little worried about the state of our food supply after having searched for products that are healthy and made locally, a challenge these days as most of our food comes from elsewhere.  Our government cannot possibly keep up with testing and much of the imported food has been found to be contaminated in one way or another, the importers not concerned as the fines minimal and of no consequence.  On top of that the labelling is woefully inadequate and downright misleading and in fact is a lie in many cases.  Made in Canada or Product of Canada means absolutely nothing.  Read your labels, avoid food products and buy local.  The chicken above was a lucky bird having a huge field to explore and find food.  Not sure whether it is destined for someone's dinner but very beautiful and a joy to paint.

Paint what you know or where you go?

Pismo Sand Dunes

12 x 9

Acrylic 

We have spent several months in the last year or so down in Arizona and California and though there is an amazing diversity of landscape I'm often hesitant to paint something unfamiliar to me.  Maybe it's a little more challenging to paint the unknown.  However growing up on the east coast and west coast I am definitely drawn to the sea and the harsh shorelines.  This is a little study done of the wind whipped trees and shrubs and the struggle to survive above the tideline.  In the evening we would sit up in the dunes to watch the sun set over the Pacific, a perfect end to a beautiful day of beach walking, bird watching and exploring the landscape.