Jeff - oil on canvas - 16 x 20″
Been in the studio working on a number of ‘nearly finished’ paintings…I reworked the background in this painting about 4 times, but I’m happy with it now. this is the final version. Lotsa layers and texture on this canvas…I like working on textured canvas’s instead of completely flat ones.
Have hardly had any time for painting over the past month…working a lot plus helping present some art events taking up much time, plus it’s gardening season here in Kingston so mulching and weeding etc etc. I’m looking forward to our 30th anniversary trip which we will take this summer. We will head to Australia and meet up with my daughter and partner for a holiday together. here’s a little painting to get me in the mood for that.(i painted it when we returned from Australia in 2002)
May 1st I attended the portrait society of Canada’s open studio again in the studio at Arts & Letters Club Toronto. It’s a great place, painting and sharing with artist peers…I met a new friend there who is also from Kingston! That was a lovely surprise. I get a good workout painting portraiture there. Not to mention it gets me to the city and gives me a chance to see art there too. On the same day that I went to paint at the studio, in the evening I walked up Bay St. and attended the opening for the Ontario Society of Artists show which is on currently at the John B. Aird Gallery. Excellent work in this show, very contemporary and up to the minute…primarily photography, sculpture & installation work.
Here’s my 2nd attempt at Vladimir the model from the day of painting.
Vladimir - oil on linen - 12″ x 12″
Here’s my friend Barb and me at the opening reception for the show at Gallery Artplus.
here’s a few more pics taken at the opening…Brant Cowie did a great job of hanging my work in his lovely gallery.
This is the front and the back of the promotional postcard for the show ‘Awakening’. The show features 4 Canadian artists, and if you look closely at the third image and get your magnifying glass, you may be able to see that yours truly is participating in this show! I am delighted to take part in this group show at Gallery Artplus in Belleville Ontario which is located about half way between Kingston and Toronto. The 3 other artists are David Alexander, Edward Carson & Robert Huffman. I am delighted to be included with this group. The gallery is at 54 North Front Rd in Belleville. The show runs for the month of May… if you get a chance to please go have a look, it is a very nice gallery. The opening is Fri May 2nd at 6-8pm.
I’ve cooled the shadows in Holly’s face, and worked on the backgrounds though not quite done with them. Still need to study Holly’s likeness a little more…tweak the mouth and the eyes(?) to get the likeness back a little more. Need to wait for it to completely dry before trying that though. Here’s how they’re looking today.
works in progress - oil on canvas - two x 16 x 20″
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.
Today I’ve been working a little more on two portraits. The one of Holly you can see I have refined a little more, but in so doing I have also made her face narrower which isn’t quite right, will have to correct that next session…the portrait of Jeff is coming along, but needs some warm tones on his face, but I cant do that yet, I have to wait a day or two for the bottom layer to dry.I’m trying to show his nature…a bit of an adventurer he is.
work in progress- oil on canvas - 16 x 20″
I’ve been working on some portraits again which I love…especially when they are people dear to me. This is my eldest daughter Holly… at least it will be when I finish it. She is living in Australia at the moment. I’m thinking about her the whole time I’m painting it…those ambiguous shadows on the face are HARD to do!!! It’s not finished, but here’s what I completed today.
Mon Pere - by Joe Fafard 1972 - earthenware /glazes/ acrylic sculpture
Yesterday I was in Ottawa and went to the Joe Fafard exhibition at the National Gallery with my daughter Jane. It was interesting to me how well he was able to capture the personality and the mood of his subjects…most of them were people or animals close to his heart.
At the moment I am working on two portraits of people I know…i hope I will be able to show the nature of them to my satisfaction.
