Grape Reflections

6 x 6

oil on doorskin

I've been wanting to paint grapes to go along with the vineyard theme that I thought I'd focus on this summer and as usual I can't make it simple and want to be different so I laid the grapes down on a mirror, spilled some wine over them and presented myself with the additional challenge of multi reflections. Had the usual battle with the brain insisting on knowing how a grape should look versus what I was actually seeing in the composition. Once I went with trusting what I saw the paint went down faster and the shapes started to make sense.

Riverwalk

20 x 16

oil on canvas

This is a painting I started last summer. I was fascinated by starkness and the stately structure of the branches of these trees and was trying to re-create the drama. I had started by putting down layer on layer of bright color for an underpainting but was soon starting to flounder and was not sure where to go next. I have this inner battle whereby my love of abstract bright color is smothered by the sensible part of my brain which tries to sway me more towards the realistic. I think it's a left brain right brain dilemma. My daughter saved me when she came along and declared she loved it just the way it was so now it hangs on her living room wall.

Legs

8 x 8

oil on canvas

I live in Canada's only desert which has become somewhat of a mini Napa Valley and the wine industry is booming here. One of the signs of a good wine are the 'legs' that run down the glass after swirling. I found this project a little frustrating changing colors many times till the paint wouldn't stick anymore and I'd have to wipe off areas. Next time I'll spend more time thinking about my color choices before I start to paint.

Little House in Kits

8 x 10

oil on masonite

I'll admit it - I'm cheap... comes from growing up in the tiny 2 bedroom home above with 6 people and no money. I cherished every little thing I owned and wasted nothing. I'd put out tiny little dabs of paint and by the time I mixed the color I wanted the brush would be dry and I'd have to start again squeezing more little dabs out of my tubes. Afraid to ruin an expensive canvas it would sit white and glaring, taunting and daring me to start. When I recently started to paint again I discovered many professional artists were using doorskin which is a thin wood veneer found in 4ft x 8ft sheets at the local lumber yard. Prime it, gesso it and cut to it any size. I found the freedom to paint with abandon, fearlessly experimenting and so what if the painting wasn't a success. My 6 inch x 6 inch pieces cost less than 25 cents each. The painting above is one of the few I did on Masonite before I found the doorskin. Used a different technique on this one. Did the values in acrylic and then glazed with oil.

Loyal Companion

8 x 6

oil on doorskin

Okay - I spent more time trying to photograph this than it took to paint...Of course I could have spent more time painting it but I'm trying a new approach on these challenges of Karin Jurick's whereby I'm developing and executing a plan, learning what works and what doesn't and then moving on. I really enjoyed the flow of fabric, curves of the body and the connection between the woman and the dog and by not pressuring myself to come up with a good product I enjoyed the process more.

Village Stroll

16 x 16

oil on canvas

This is a little streetscene painted from a photo I took while on holiday in France last fall. I discovered I had a great deal of reference material when I blew up my photos and could see all kinds of action in the background that wasn't apparent from a little 4 x 6 image. It was nice to work on a bigger piece but this project has taken me over a week and finally after picking away this afternoon I could hear the Painting Police shouting firmly "Move away from the easel ! Now!" So - out to the garden I go...

Last week I was amazed to find I was nominated for a Lemonade Award by Liz Holm. Thanks so much Liz - I am so honored and overwhelmed. I used to be an ironman triathlete with a desire to paint and now I'm an artist with an exercise addiction so the last few days have been spent out on my bicycle in the beautiful spring weather instead of painting or blogging so now that I'm thoroughly stiff and sore I'll finish my current painting - get it posted and then work on nominating 7 more artists. To be continued....

Beach Family

8 x 12

oil on dooskin

Karin Juricks bi-weekly challenge was a whopper this time and intimidating as she drew me out of my comfort zone into her arena. I moved the boy as I wanted the kids between the parents as they both are looking like sentries guarding the brood. I find I still battle between trying to be realistic and wanting to be painterly. I need to loosen up some more but am happy with this one as I learned so much. Thanks Karin.

Apple

6 x 6

oil on doorskin

I didn't have anything in mind so did an apple just to get the paints out and in doing so made several mistakes and should know better. Planning pays off - should have had more than one item in there and not centered and should have decided on the colors first. My lack of a game plan resulted in the foreground and background being redone many times but regardless it's still a good exercise to go thru and I'm farther ahead than if I'd done nothing.

Over The Edge

12 x 16

oil on doorskin

I have joined a local photography club as I wanted to learn how to make better use of my camera for collecting resource material and the club has turned out to be too much fun, the meetings dynamic with many experts attending and the 'walks' a great way to let loose and look for unusual angles and subject material. Here a fellow photographer and myself peer below a dock looking for interesting ice formations. We are caught in the act by another one of our group whose fabulous photos can be seen on the Penticton Photography Club Flicker group along with the photo that this painting was done from. Thanks Drew.

Sushi

Sushi

6 x 6

oil on doorskin
SOLD

What I love about these biweekly challenges from Karin Jurick is that I would never have otherwise considered painting this but found that I really enjoyed playing with the colors. I did a lot of experimenting with this one and in the end was happy with the results.

Foraging - in progress

16 x 20

oil on doorskin

Still lots to do on this project but time to put it aside for a while and then it will be more clear which direction to go. It's rare that I feel a painting is finished but I know that when I'm spinning my wheels it's time to take a break. My first attempt at wildlife this being a wild horse and one of many encountered on the drive the local ski hill. Every time I've gone by this delapitated cabin I've wanted to paint it and then wouldn't you know a friend got a photo of this horse grazing in front and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I still seem to be caught between an inclination to paint realistically and a desire to be more painterly. I will try this one again with a looser approach.

Wig Shop

5x6

oil on doorskin

Here is my final version of Karin Jurick's latest challenge - haven't managed to capture it properly yet with my camera and will try to get a brighter version without relflected light, something I've had trouble with since I started this blog. As for the painting it gave me great confidence to overcome my apprehension of painting faces and as I starting having fun with this I was thanking Karin for pushing me way out of my comfort zone. Decided at the same time to try something different and tone down the color but will go back to what i love which is bright beautiful bold color.

in progress

5x6

oil on doorskin

Wow! What a challenge this one is from Karin Jurick - see 'Differentstokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com. Sat on it for a week till I decided I couldn't procrastinate any longer so I got down to work and formulated a plan. First of all there was a lot of information in this photograph of the display window of a wig shop - how to simplify? I decided to try black and white with 5 values and am now going to wait for a week till the paint is somewhat dry, to get around the fat over lean rule, and then glaze in a little transparent color to warm it up a bit. I think the biggest problem so far has been trying to photograph the painting without accentuating light reflections and glaring errors!

Ice Caves

enhanced photo

I've been distracted lately by the accounting side of my life as it's year end for many and my adventuring into photography for the purpose of collecting resource material is also consuming much of my time so am getting a little playful with the photos to satisfy my creative side. Back to painting next week hopefully.

Today's Paper SOLD

16 x 12

oil on canvas board

With this project I tried to use just a few colors and focus on the composition. Discovered how difficult it is to draw a bicycle that not only involves circles turned into ellipses but as well the effects of a vanishing point on the ellipses! Will try this one again and this time on doorskin as I find it way more enjoyable to use and less absorbant than cheap canvas on some sort of cardboard.

Victorian

7 x 5

oil on doorskin

I am really enjoying Karin Jurick's bi-weekly challenge. This is painted using as reference her photo posted to the blog 'Differentstrokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com'. I enjoyed the shapes and added some color but still had difficulty making it look painterly. Again not a subject I would choose but the fun started about halfway thru and I found i enjoyed painting it.

Reading Break
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

A good friend of mine came to visit in the summer and gave me a firm lecture on my having taken enough years to get organised and motivated and I was to start painting, no more excuses. She then went out to sit among the sunflowers and read so I captured the moment on film and vowed to paint it. This is the first of some quick studies.

Different Strokes Challenge

6 x6

oil on door skin

This was my first attempt at the Different Strokes From Different Folks blog biweekly challenge and I have to say this isn't a subject I would normally think of painting but I really started to enjoy it once I looked for simple color patterns. I was definitely pushed on this one and am looking forward to future challenges.

Poppies

6 x 6

oil on door skin

So I started was I thought would be an easy project - what could be easier than flowers. My first mistake was approaching it like a paint by number filling in the individual areas with appropriate color and my second mistake was using smaller brushes for a smaller support. When I finally got frustrated over how long it was taking and I picked up bigger brushes and started applying largers strokes of luscious color then the fun began. Alas it was time to wrap it up and some day I'll try this one again hopefully with much more abandon and looseness.