I’m working on some more landscapes…just kind of seeing where they’re going…I want to stay open to what possibilities arise as I go…I’m asking questions, and finding answers. Here’s how they look this evening…I know there is areas that need developing more but trying not to push it too quickly, but consider options.
Category Archives: oil painting
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.
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
Lots of people came out for our show opening yesterday at Frameworks Gallery, which was a lovely surprise! It was the highest attended art show opening that the gallery has had so far! Both Hennie and I sold some work and enjoyed mingling with the crowd throughout the afternoon. The gallery was filled with spring tulips which looked very pretty. I guess no surprise that at a spring show it is the florals that are selling…everyone is so sick of winter. The painting below are the ones that I sold. You can click on them for a larger view. Also there’s yours truly.
Intention & Potentiality - watercolour - 36″ x 14″
Red Cycleman - oil on canvas - 20″ x 24″
me at th eopening
all done my portrait of Jane.
Jane - oil on linen - 12″ x 12″
My experiment with showing painting steps of a painting on this blog was dissappointing to me …in the beginning I was excited about what i was doing in the painting, however somewhere along the way i began to lose the plot, and ended up overworking. So definately time to move on to something else…i’ve been looking at the skies, and started this one yesterday.
Daybreak - oil on canvas - 30″ x 24″
Work in progress
Today i laid on a blue/violet glaze, and worked on the hills/trees a bit more, trying to bring in that evening glow, without looking too schmaltzy, difficult to avoid the schmaltz with a subject such as this…the blueish spots in forground will be rocks, haven’t finished them yet…i can see the blue areas are reflecting in the photographing of this, but they do not reflect that way in real life. I’ve been thinking of titles for this piece but haven’t come up with anything yet.
work in progress - oil on canvas - Janiebear - 12″ x12″
Have been busy today in the studio, managed to get the background hills in my large canvas blocked in, now i need to wait a few days, before I can glaze…i want to glaze it with a blue/violet to read as mysterious evening shadows, but might instead use a blue/green, I’m a little undecided at this point, will wait for a few days and listen for intuitive instructions…will post it after the glaze stage, which should be two stages before completing.
Since I’m unable to go any further on the large painting, I decided to finally start a portrait of my youngest daughter Jane…so started the blocking in this afternoon, and managed to get a few halftones in too…certainly need to refine it some, but I’m pleased with the beginning, and it’s looking like our Janie!..so I’m stoked about the likeness.
