The Farm

8 x 16

Acrylic on canvas

Well spring is on it's way and our plein air group had it's first paint out of the new year.  The location chosen was my favourite valley in the Okanagan between St. Andrews, Willowbrook and Twin Lakes.  It's also a favourite for birders and from now through the summer full of many species of birds but especially meadowlarks and bluebirds.  I did this painting the following day from a photograph as I had taken the wrong bag of assorted paints with me and only had some odd colors to work with.

Day 12 of 30

Lafare Vineyards

8 x 8

Acrylic

Another scene in beautiful Provence but this could also be in the Okanagan, British Columbia.  How lucky I am to be able to visit one and live in the other.

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.

Fresh and Organic

Saturday Market   SOLD

11 x 14

oil on canvas

There is no better way to eat than fresh and organic right from the garden and full of nutrients.  It's been a fabulous summer and I am sad to see the days of the Saturday Market in downtown Penticton come to a close till next year.  I will miss these brightly coloured stalls but was able to get a chance to take my paints and join a few other plein air painters and capture some scenes.  This vendor is Food of the Sun from nearby Cawston, BC.

French Countryside

La Cote-St-Andre SOLD

9 x 12

acrylic on canvas

Here we are back in France again and what a joy it has been to take walks in the countryside, slowly taking in the views and seeing a possible painting every where I look.  This is a scene on a climb above the little village we are staying in.  La Cote-St-Andre is gorgeous, full of beautiful architecture and quaint shops but the best thing is the Michelin rated restaurant at our Hotel France.  The chef has been preparing the most incredible dinners all week and the best part is they are gluten free.

Day 28 of 30

Out to Pasture

6 x 6

Acrylic on Canvas Paper

Love old machinery and found this specimen at my favourite lunch and produce stop Covert Farms in Oliver.

Day 24 of 30

Flooded

6 x 6

Acrylic on Canvas Paper

The weather is beautiful so I'm not sure why there is so much evidence of flooding around unless it's the result of the dense layers of fog that seem to drift around. 

Farm houses

Day 22 farmhouse

6 x 6

Acrylic on canvas

Another farm house in quite a different climate.  Langley is generally lush and green all year  and this farmhouse is photographed by many.  It's a place I must go to paint plein air but in the meantime a borrowed photo was used as resource.  Don't think I can do justice to the photo but the simplicity of the scene made it a joy to paint.  

Keeping life in balance

Day 21 Barns

6 x 6 

Acrylic on canvas

Today was epic from the start.  An intense somewhat anaerobic hour and a half solo skateski out into the boonies the whole while taking in the beautiful scenery and taking notes on ideas for future landscape paintings, back home to finish off todays and start tomorrows painting and then up into the hills with my petzel light and a good friend for a night time trail run in the snow and back to make dinner and finally put my feet up.  Good thing it's January and I have time for all of this.  Wouldn't happen spring to fall with all the other activities going on...