edges demo morning /atmospheric perspective afternoon

oils demonstration on 'edges'

The topic in my morning class today was 'edges'. Specifically their use as a tool to direct the eye, describe form during the painting process.  I began a 20 minute demo in oils, blocking in the main shapes on a small 8x8" square wood panel. The small size is good for demonstrating because it allows me to cover the area in a short amount of time, getting to the topic at hand.   This afternoon's class topic will be atmospheric perspective, so I plan to do a watercolour demonstration to highlight that idea.( yes I'm blogging during my lunch break)
The subject for the edge demo was Holly and Jane when they were young teens, on a paddle-boat pollywog search.  It made me feel good while I painted,  remembering that idle summer day at my sister in law's cottage.  Sadly, I rarely have snapshots like these lying about anymore. With digital images, they tend to all be buried within my computer files, and I rarely think to print them.  

new look

I've recently discovered how to create image collages on my computer. I've never properly learned much software manipulating.
 But... I've been having a bit of fun playing around lately.  You can probably tell if you've been to my blog before; things have a whole new look.  The image collage building gave me an idea to change my blog design a bit; add a new header of some of my works. I played around with colours too.  I tried robins egg blue yesterday, which is a colour I love, but somehow it didn't say 'Sally' to me, so I played around some more this morning.  Warm colours seem to be a better fit for me, so I switched to melon.  
Change is good.  I never want to get stuck doing the same old things over and over.  Not that there's anything wrong with old things, they're good too, but the exploration of new ideas keeps the mind alive, and I choose alive.  

bicycle sketch - acrylic 5 x 7

In my class the focus was on shapes within compositions. For a class demo this small acrylic bicycle painting explored that concept. Although looking at it now, I feel the main shapes are rather lackluster.  
I had planned to try and work a bit more with acrylics in my own painting practice this winter. The benefit is that there is no need to ventilate the studio(pretty cold here for that at the moment), but ...I began 2 larger paintings in acrylics, only to end up switching to oils as I progressed.  So you see, there is something to be said for the old ways and what we're comfortable with too.

mid week excursion

me enjoying the Doig exhibition

all Aboard!

My artist friend Sarah Hunter, and I took the train to Montreal this week for a much needed art excursion to the MMFA. Mainly we went to see the Peter Doig exhibition, but we also managed 3 other exhibitions while there, a little shopping, plus a variety of meal stops. What an enjoyable mid week art trip!  

Both of us LOVED the Peter Doig exhibit.  His canvases are massive; his colours and sense of design bring to mind a tradition begun by Gaughin and Matisse. To quote the New York Times; " Mr. Doig's canvases are unabashedly beautiful, a trait often viewed with suspicion in the contemporary art world, but for which he makes no apologies."  

Each of us went through the exhibit fully once, and then went back through it a second time to fully absorb it. The paintings are strong, all of them. Many had geometric imagery juxtaposed with organic shapes.  Personally, I was most drawn to the ones that were exclusively organic patterns and imagery; and especially the colours.  Bamm!..wow!...Pop!..Kazamm!  Gorgeous.

February days

February seems to get filled up with the jobs I dont want to do in the spring; that's because when spring will arrive I will be just DYING to be outside, puttering around the garden, and soaking up the lovely light of longer days.  So today was one of those February kind of jobs days...I've been repainting the kitchen chairs (which I've wanted to get at for 2 years!)and giving a fresh lick of paint to some of the other woodwork too.  
I started that winter landscape in Mont Tremblant,the one on the desk by the window, but haven't had a chance to get at it to complete it yet.  Hopefully there will be time tomorrow or Monday.  
Tues and Wed I will be in Montreal...I'm looking forward to it for a bit of shopping and a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts with my friend Sarah. woohoo for February get-aways.

winter winter everywhere

Mont Tremblant 4 - 5x7 - SOLD

Painting was a refreshing change in Mont Tremblant, good to have the creativity reservoir topped up.  The scenery is different than from around here, and that always inspires me.  I am primarily a landscape artist, there's no denying it...it is what I notice as I go through life.   I worked on 'plein air' views from the chalet I was staying in, mostly. Here is another 5 x7 one, looking up the hill in front of the chalet, we had some nice weather which brought out the sun frequently, and kept the bitter winds at bay.

This little guy has the right idea, below.   love his enthusiasm for life.

And while I'm posting vids...have you checked out facebooks 10 year birthday present to their members?  cant really blame them for getting some of the dates wrong but, hey, otherwise a pretty sweet idea.
 

Mont Tremblant weekend

 Mont Tremblant landscapes

I was invited to Mont Tremblant by my pal AEmilia this weekend.  She loves to ski and often spends time here.  Chatting on Monday, she asked what my schedule was like and could I come? We'll, yes!! I'm delighted for the opportunity to refresh my creative reservoir...which runs down a bit during the winter blahs that sometimes accompany this season.  The topography of another area usually inspires me and Makes me feel like painting again.

These 3 little (5x7inch) landscapes from the chalet windows were all done yesterday, and this morning, while the others were out enjoying the slopes, I started a 16x12 inch landscape which I'm still working on.  Woohoo for winter getaways!!