Summer Haze - oil on canvas - 28″ x 24″
I was trying out a new product called Garrett’s Copal Painting Medium. It is a blend of linseed stand oil, copal, gum spirits & turpentine. Larry Seiler recommends it. It leaves the painting with a glossy finish, no varnish needed. I had to make sure to really ventilate the studio, and with it being so cold outside, this makes the studio pretty uncomfortable to paint in. I think I would prefer to use this product in future when painting plein air.
I’m experimenting a lot these days to try and figure out what I prefer as a medium for my oil painting. It seems there are so many different methods and products. It seems the only way I am going to learn is to try working with them.
Monthly Archives: March 2008
An artist can get so caught up in all the periphial stuff that goes with art making…you know, mostly things like marketing the work, pleasing clients, finding galleries, joining artist societies etc etc etc…but when I get a chance to enjoy a solid day of painting…now that is when I most know myself and when I recognize that it’s not about the other stuff, …for me it’s about painting.
My Mother’s Eyes - oil on canvs - 8″ x 6″
Yesterday I attended the Open Studio workshop with the Portrait Society which was held at the studio of the Arts & Letters Club in Toronto. What a fantastic refreshing experience that was!!! Painting with amazing artists and being immersed in that arts environment has left me feeling refreshed and invigorated! I have resolved to attend the next one which is in May as well as the International Portrait Artists Festival which will be held in Toronto for 4 days in December. Below I have posted some little thumbnails of the day and my attempt at painting the model’s portrait…I say attempt because I had major difficulties with getting a likeness, but enjoyed myself non-the-less. I am also posting a new painting ‘Spring Trees’ completed this week.
Spring Trees - oil on canvas - 28″ x 24″
Vladimir - oil on linen - 12″ x 12″
This Kingston landmark was built in 1873 for the Warden of the Kingston Penitentiary. It was entirely built by convict labour and served as the Warden’s official residence between 1873-1933. It was later used as office space for the penetentiary, and now serves as the Penitentiary Museum. Below is my autumn oil painting of the museum,(a commission) and a postcard from the Kingston Penitentiary from the 19th century.
Cedarhedge - oil on canvas - 20 x 16″
Kingston Penitentiary Postcard
