Pub Entrance and Happy hallowed eve!

Pub Door - oil on canvas - 30 x 30"

Here's one I've been working on a bit at a time over the past month, it is  30x30". I was drawn to the design created by the  architecture mingling with the shadows and foliage. I'm working on it a bit at a time because I've been having issues with my hand and arm(the one where I had tennis elbow about 8 years ago) again,so I need to work in fits and starts if I dont want to completely 'do in' my working arm.  This way also allows more time for contemplation while I resolve areas...nothing like time and patience if you want to enjoy the journey.

There is a new shop in Kingston opening up that will sell some of my cards and prints, called Koru Art Annex and Studio.  It's at 66 Brock street right next to the Kingston Olive Oil Company.  I popped in this morning to drop stuff off, meet the owners, and also get a peek at it before opening day, which is tomorrow!  It looks nice...gorgeous quaint space, beautiful jewelry, home decor and art pieces and nicely lit too; overall, it's got a happy energy vibe. All the best to you both Grace and Christine, it was lovely to meet you this morning!

Happy Halloween everybody!! isn't she just the sweetest little monkey? ha ha ha!! it's my grandaughter...first Halloween...I couldn't resist!

autumn atmospheric perspective

oils demo

I painted this demo in my afternoon class in oils to illustrate the concept of atmospheric perspective.  I had cad orange, ultramarine blue plus white on my palette because I wanted to keep it simple.  Too much colour can get overwhelming when you're learning.  About three quarters of the way through I caved and added cadmium yellow to the palette as I just couldn't get the birch foliage with orange and blue.  But it's kind of interesting to see how far one can take a painting with a super duper limited palette.

I'm heading to Vermont next week for a few days, looking forward to viewing the foliage on route. I will not be painting there but hope to gather photo resources while hiking. 

Birthday's are wonderful when the day's errands begin with lattes and pretty table linens...o...and did I mention scones? Thanks Roz. xo


 

weekend rework

On the Patio - rework - 30 x 30

Just spent a lovely 2 days with friends in Smiths Falls for Thanksgiving weekend, which was absolutely spectacular weather-wise. Much outdoor work was accomplished(if not by me) and socializing over croquet and wine's on the patio. A delicious turkey dinner for 14 by candlelight was a highlight last night.  The break  was just what I needed.  We came back this afternoon and I headed for the studio pretty much after we got unpacked. I had been thinking about reworking 'On the Patio' and painting in my head while I was away! ha ha...it never really stops.   So this is where I am now, and I'm feeling like I can almost hear it 'singing'.

home prepared supports

I had some raw linen which had been rolled up in my studio for a couple of years, and since I had some stretcher frames I thought I'd make use of them and stretch and prepare my own linen supports.  Easier said than done!!  Stretching and stapling is an art in itself.  At least I found a handy new use for my old AGO membership card...makes a good trowell!  First you cover the linen in a special size, then trowell on the oil ground, let it dry overnight. sand again, trowell again, let dry again and repeat...ugh. really i will NOT do this again!  I wonder what the surface will be like to paint on...hopefully  worth it!

here's an oil version of the Roman water stand demo that I painted previously in watercolour...I worked away on this today during the afternoon class in between one on one's with each person about their own painting projects.  We talked about edges today..how they can be employed to move the eye around the painting, describing surfaces and shapes. 


In the morning class we talked about the same things, but I demo'd a little bird painting instead.  

side step poems and collage

'Hope' - acrylic on wood -6x6

Only a month or so before the shows in November that I've signed up to participate in.  I like to take small paintings with me to these shows. I am realizing that my inventory is down considerably so the push is on to boost it and paint some small ones that will be new and different from last years selection.  I'm painting a bunch more 'mini's' and I'll also work on a bunch of 4x4's, just as soon as I get the boards prepared.  Meanwhile I was doing a side step yesterday fooling around with acrylics, collaging some poetry into small whimsical painted images... different from my usual path, but it was a fun creative thing none-the-less.  Good way to spend the rainy windy weekend tucked in my studio. 

'Wear Do You Go?' - acrylic on wood 6x6

Sometimes I wonder when I try  ideas like this if it's just way too crafty and I shouldn't show it with my other paintings, but the fact is I am a gal with a hat of many feathers and occasionally I like to wear the crafty one too. yikes...there's that word, 'craft'.  somehow its demeaning in art. why is that?  
I have only just discovered a fab show from BBC called 'Show Me the Monet'. I love it!  So fun to watch these ordinary folks/artists brave the critics to enter the exhibition and sale at the Royal College of Art in London. I've just programmed the pvr to pick it up everytime it's on, so episodes await. yay!

mixed neutrals

Roman Waterhole- watercolour 8x10

Thursday's classes were about mixing colour; mixing from primary's and compliments. This Roman stone wash stand was a good subject because it had a variation of neutral tones mixed from compliments.  This is watercolour, but I also did a demo version in acrylics for the morning class and an oil one in the afternoon class. 

busy artists in the morning class

There was great energy in the room for both classes as everyone got right into their paintings. It's a good feeling when the enthusiasm is obvious; after all it is about having fun as much as it is about learning painting.

Friday morning was back to my own painting projects...I have been reworking the painting 'On the Patio' from a few posts back! i know I know, you probably think: "knitpicker!".  but the truth is I cant leave something alone if it's not singing to me.  I'm still not there yet, but will continue to revisit it until it rests well with me.  A number of other works are in various stages of resolution too which is kind of good, because I like flitting from one thing to the next better than slaving laboriously on one thing.  I somehow can keep my momentum going a little better this way.