Church alerts on the road to Charlottetown

Road Trip, PEI - oil on panel, 12x16 inches

While in Prince Edward Island, I started this painting after a road trip we took to Charlottetown... then it sat on the shelf for 6 weeks.  I may get a tweaking, yet. Can you feel my delight in that bucholic landscape? Sometimes it's difficult not to let my imagination take over completely, but I do work at grounding my thoughts as best I can with the principles of 'light on form'.  
In PEI, there are a lot of churches dotting the landscape.  As we drove along, Susan would spot them first and call out: " Church alert! "  Some were well worth a slow down to view the particular architectural features; many were quite unique.

Speaking of bucholic landscapes...I just got back from a few days in Victoria, and my oh my, the colour there at this time of year is spectacular; golden autumn light creeps into every nook and cranny of the landscape, both rural and urban.  I didn't sketch while there, but did take a few pics of the trees. Of course the pictures don't do them justice at all, as my photography skills lack the ability to capture the brilliance.

last class today!...hello BC!

Six weeks has flown by. My 'Time to Paint' thursday classes wrap today. It's been  an enjoyable adventure, teaching from the studio. I will definatly run it again during a winter session, although as yet I'm not too sure of the dates.  I'll post them on my website when I confirm that.
The only thing about running a teaching session, is that I find that I seem to paint less myself during the time the session runs for. I'm not quite sure why that is, because I'm only teaching 1 day a week, but it seems that all 'other stuff' gets scheduled in on the other days! life! ha ha ha.  Here's my set up for my demo today, which I hope to keep to 10 min each for the watercolour version and the oil. wish me luck! ha ha.
I'm off to Victoria BC tomorrow morning for a quick trip with the inlaws.  Really looking forward to a few days away with Dave and catching up with the west coast contingent! 
I'm posting progress on my Halifax harbour painting, I'm dying to get at it and finish, hopefully when I get back from BC.! At least I wont have any worries about it being too wet to work on! ha.

birthday bambino

...what else about me does Google know?

Switched on the computer this morning and Google was there as usual, but different...I have to admit, it's just a little creepy, I'm sure it's all meant to be very friendly, but it makes one wonder...what else do they know? Hovering over the image I received a little message: 'Happy Birthday Sally!' ...cute... but it sort of creeped me out.
I am completely spoiled!  Dave bought me an ipad for my birthday! I was at Holly's on the weekend, and we were using their ipad to chat with my daughter Rachel via 'facetime'.  He said my face was 'priceless'  ...it's what gave him the idea. I am totally delighted!!  So nifty! Looking forward to giving it lots of use...and it is a white. I like white.

Friday was road trip day. Bonnie and I delivered new paintings to Gallery Perth.  Sarah came too, and then we did lunch afterwards. Always a pleasure, time with artist gal pals.  A very agreeable jaunt...autumn leaves glorious above the Canadian shield rocks as we drove through the Westport area.  Gallery Perth will be launching their new show A Change of Art on November 10th with an opening reception between 2-5pm.  I have 4 pieces in the show!

Quick post before classes

Autumn in the Islands 1 and 2 - oil on wood

Good morning! Cup of tea by my side, thought I'd while away the time before my class starts this morning with a little blog update. Yesterday I got cracking and did the prep needed for today, (it's all about atmospheric perspective today)so it feels relaxing to not be rushing around this morning. 
Weren't we just blessed with fantastic weather for our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend!?  We spent nearly the whole time out of doors, and gosh it was lovely! I was lucky this year, only did some veggies and bought the bird, but Jeff cooked the turkey in his outdoor deep fryer this year...it was delish! and quite the event too. 

Winter Cabins 1 and 2 - oil on wood

I didn't get much time to work on my Halifax harbour painting, though I did get a little...but not ready just yet to post it...so thought I'd show you some more mini blocks which I've been doing to prepare stock for November shows.

Winter in the Islands - oil on wood - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches

My dad's partner Diana passed away, and the funeral is this weekend.  Sad that he will not have her in his life anymore for company, but she is in a better place.  She was not well for the last number of months.

It's Kingston Prize time again!

This afternoon Sarah Hunter and I volunteered to sit at the door for the Kingston Prize 2013 exhibit in Gananoque.  

This is ALWAYS a spectacular show, and really worth a drive out to see it.  We are so lucky to host this amazing national portrait competition in a town so close to Kingston.  It's open to anybody who wants to enter and lots do...I think this year there were about 400 entries from across Canada!  30 finalists from these entries are chosen for the exhibition, and they all compete for the $20,000 prize.  There are also two honourable mention prizes worth $2000 each, and a peoples choice prize of $1000.  The prizes are awarded at the end of the show.

 

detail of Sarah Sniderman's 'Algonquin Bride'

I was impressed.  Some spoke to me more than others.  I loved Sarah Sniderhan's 'Algonquin Bride' for it's quiet contemplative dialogue of subject and setting; a self portrait in an iconic Canadian landscape. 

 

Momcilo Simic's - 'Twelve'

Sarah loved Momcilo Simic's 'Twelve', an exquisite example of contemporary Canadian portraiture, painted with the technical excellence of an old master...one could almost mistake that face for a Holbein, Ingres or Vermeer.

Marina Dieul's - 'Bacchante 3'

I loved Marina Dieul's 'Bacchante 3' .  A contemporary trempe l'oeil masterpiece,  featuring a mythological child(Marina's daughter is the model) peeking out of a burled wood tunnel at what one can only guess is a strange new world.  Will she venture forth, or will she stay in her cocoon?...the viewer wonders...

Denis Nadeau's - Saltimbanka - le doute

A Klimt-like harlequin portrait twinkles from it's corner...why there is gold glitter in that paint! But it is not tacky as one might expect irridescent paint to be; it sings!  Denis Nadeau from Drummondville Quebec has beautifully orchestrated dramatic harmony between the harlequin's costume and her background.

I could go on...there were so many portraits that I thought, amazing.  You can view the 30 finalists online, but it doesn't do them justice.  You really HAVE to see them in their glory...glowing and spotlit in their dramatic temporary home in the Firehall Theatre in Gananoque.  The show is open everyday except Mondays from 12 noon to 8pm until October 20th.  Go see it! You wont be disappointed!

changing seasons

cottage minis series - oil on wood - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch

September sure flew by, October seems to be doing the same!  I am painting the mini blocks again, although not the beach-house series,  cottage themes with autumn and winter in mind. I am going to be participating in the Thousand Islands Art Show and Sale on Nov 16 and 17th,, and a few community shows in November too.  These mini blocks are quite popular at the shows, likely to do with the small size and price point, but it's been fun painting them again. 

Painting in my sleep

start of Halifax harbour - oil on canvas - 24 x 18"

Perculating ideas for some new paintings this last week has found me combing over my resource material and doing lots of thumbnail sketches. I was finding it difficult to zero in on exactly how I wanted to approach it.  I guess I knew that I didn't want an impressionistic literal harbour view. I think what I was after was 'the feeling' of this glorious harbour.  So last night I went to bed with my head swimming with possibilities.  I think I painted all night in my dreams!  This morning I began blocking it in on the canvas, and I'm happy with where it's heading so far.
I couldn't care less about accuracy; rather, I'm looking for iconic structures, things that make it memorable and unique.  So perspective gets shifted to include things that I feel are important... definately both bridges, pier 21, signal hill, ships and ferry's, St. Georges Island with the lighthouse...oh...ahem...and the Radisson! ha ha!(my daughter Rachel is sales manager there!)  So...how to cram it all in and convince the viewer that they are looking at Halifax, when co-ordinates dont line up?....well, possibly it will work if I show it to them viewed through my Sallyscope ;-)  heh heh.  update to come...