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 30 of 30

Whites

8 x 8

Acrylic

This is another subject I have painted before but I wanted to do it a little bigger and practise again with the whites. This is my little cheater of the 30 in 30 painted ahead of time as we are off to ski for a day or two.  It's been a great month with much accomplished and learned along the way.  Thank you very much to Leslie Saeta putting on this challenge.

Day 29 of 30

Sunset on the Dock

8 x 8

Acrylic

I have painted this previously but am drawn to the shapes and contrasts.

Day 28 of 30

Paris Transport

8 x 8

Acrylic

There always seems to be at least one bicycle parked outside every cafe in Paris, even in the rain.

Day 27 of 30

Bachelor Button

8 x 8

Acrylic

Designs in nature can be so astounding.  Which is more stunning, the beautiful long blue petals, the little magenta florets or the receptacle?

Day 26 of 30

Abandoned

8 x 8

Acrylic

We found this old girl out in the bush almost 40 years ago.  I've always wanted to paint her.

Day 25 of 30

Bikes and Umbrellas

8 x 8

Acrylic

France has so embraced the bicycle that you will find them everywhere including window boxes, this one funny enough with an umbrella for protection.

Day 24 of 30

Sunflowers

8 x 8

Acrylic

Flowers to brighten up a grey and dam day in the middle of winter.

Day 23 of 30

Whistler Glacier

8 x 8

Acrylic

Can you imagine a more beautiful back drop for a plein air painting demo by a well known American artist?  While I was waiting for her to set up I took a few pics for future reference.

Day 22 of 30

Alstroemeria

8 x 8

Acrylic

My favorite flowers I'm not sure why but oddly enough I was more drawn to the vase which is clear glass and has no color.

Day 21 of 30

California Bighorn Sheep

8 x 8

Acrylic

This poor girl needs work both on canvas and in real life.  She had chunks of fur missing and what looked like dozens of tics gorging away.  She was standing beside my car and giving me a bit of an indirect stare.

Day 20 of 30

Surf Mobile

8 x 8

Acrylic

I saw this little cutie in downtown Lahaina during the Maui Plein Air Festival a couple of years ago.  It was of course the subject of some great paintings.   

Day 19 of 30

Yellow Boat study

8 x 8

Acrylic

Another boat from Collioure, largely unfinished as I put a two hour max on the project to keep it fresh and spontaneous.  I may work on some of these at a later date. 

Day 18 of 30

Cafe study

8 x 8

Acrylic

This is a scene in the old town area of Nice where the streets are narrow and full of shops and cafes.  I could spend days wandering through the passages checking out all the wonderful food and products.

Day 17 of 30

Boats at Collioure

8 x 8

Acrylic

The colors of the Mediterranean are so intense and saturated, fun to paint but hard to get that kind of light translated using pigment and paper.  Next time maybe darker with the darks.

Day 16 of 30

Rainy Day in Milan

8 x 8

Acrylic

During our few days in Milan we noticed that almost everyone carried an umbrella and if you didn't carry one you were sure to have two or three umbrella salesmen chasing you down each block.  One afternoon we sought shelter from the rain at a cafe and watched the traffic go by including many cyclists carrying umbrellas.  It's ironic that living part time in the wet west coast Vancouver weather I have rarely owned and almost never carried an umbrella and have never ever seen anyone cycling with one, in fact it would probably be frowned on here.  Europeans ride a little differently though and with great skill.  

Day 15 of 30

Snag

8 x 8

Acrylic

Up in the hills during our trail runs we are always coming across beautiful old snags standing tall and looking majestic despite the inevitable decline.  

Day 14 of 30

Gordes

8 x 8

Acrylic

We decided one day to go explore the famous hilltop village of Gordes and not only did we pick the most spectacular approach giving us the most amazing views but we also lucked out on getting a parking spot right up in the village.  I was almost in a frenzy with my camera collecting many resource photos.  This view shows just the beginning of the layers of buildings climbing up the mountain side. 

Day 13 of 30

Steveston Nocturne

8 x 8

Acrylic

Thought I'd try a night scene.  This is a beautiful fishing village and one of my favourite places to go for a sunset.  

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.