More 2007 Paintings

St Andrews Wharf I, 7 x 10", Oct 2007,

Private Collection

St Andrews Wharf II, 7 x 10", Oct 2007

Private Collection

Pink Tiger Lily, 10 x 15", Sept 2007

Afternoon Wharf, 10 x 30", Sept 2007, Private Collection

Wharf's End, 7 x 10", Sept 2007, Private Collection

St Andrews Artists by the Sea 2007

Artists by the Sea is a fundraiser for Charlotte County Hospice, which provides in home care to people who need it in Charlotte County NB. Artists come and paint scenes in and around St Andrews and the paintings are offered up for sale by silent auction during the two days of the event. The next Artists by the Sea will be held on July 11 & 12, 2008. Day 1, Friday July 13, 2007

Wharf in the Fog, 5 x 7", Private Collection

This one is much less blue in real life. The photo was taken in the shade and I find I cannot adjust for the blue that reflected from the sky and the water around me.

After the Fog, 5 x 7", Private Collection

Please excuse the finger tip in the photo. It was quite breezy and my painting kept trying to flutter away.

St Andrews Wharf, 10 x 14", Private Collection

253 Queen St, 10 x 14", Private Collection

Three Views, One Boat, 10 x 14 " Private Collection

Day 2, Saturday July 14, 2007

I spent the first part of the morning painting at Indian Point. I completed 2 small works and one larger one. Being caught up in the artistic moment, I failed to photograph them before taking them to the legion hall where the auction was being held. The works practically sold as soon as I entered the hall and consequently there is nothing to show of what they look like. If you are reading this and have bought one of the following, I would be grateful if you emailed me a photo to the address in the blue toolbar at the top of my blog. The paintings were called: Boats Going By, Indian Point I and Indian Point II.

Ralph Welch's Dory, 5 x 7", Private Collection

30 Year Old Dory, 5 x 7", Private Collection

I did these two dory pictures around noon time and alternated between the 2 views of the boat as it swung around its anchor. Then the owner arrived with his motor. We chatted a bit and I chastised him gently for taking away our muse (my sister was painting with me too) That did not stop him from putting out to sea. Sadly he did not raise sail until he was out of our line of sight. I would have enjoyed watching that and had had hopes of getting some reference material for future works. It was a beautiful little boat, and had obviously been well cared for, judging by the sparkling white paint on its interior.

In the afternoon we moved to a different location and all I produced was a truly terrible painting which I have already used for scrap paper, so I shall not show it here. Other than that one painting, though, I was very pleased with what I had managed to create.

New Landscapes and old exercises

Landsdowne Road, 10 x 14", March 22, 2008

Annapolis Basin, 14 x 21, March 2008

Cool Daisy, 5 x 7", 2007

Warm Daisy 5 x 7", 2007

I was experimenting with using warm and cool to create form. This is an exercise from Jeanne Dobie's book "Making Color Sing" which I enjoyed doing. I have found her book very educational and helpful, though I have since discovered through other readings and my own tests that some of the pigments that she recommends most highly are very prone to fading.

On the topic of fading I endeavour to use only those pigments which do not fade at all. I have determined this through quite a bit of research and my own light fastness tests of the pigments that I do use.

Paint the Town, Annapolis Royal Aug 2007

Day One

It rained. It rained and rained. Then the wind blew and then it rained some more. I spent the morning painting under a pavilion just outside of Annapolis. The view overlooked the Annapolis River. I got cold and my feet got wet but I did manage to produce 4 paintings. The rain spatter created some interesting effects on some of them if you look closely.

Untitled, 5 x 6" , Private Collection

Rainwashed I, 7 x 10"

Pink Trumpet, 5 x7", Private Collection

Rainwashed II, 10 x 14", Private Collection

At Lunchtime I took a break to thaw out, buy some dry socks and eat a delicious bowl of sweet potato chowder from the Pony Expresso Cafe. Thus fortified I ventured out once more into the inclement weather to paint. I ended up painting in the back of our van, while parked on the town wharf. I had an unresticted view up and down the river. At this point even though it was still gusty and wet I could see some blue sky peeking through. The clouds were actually quite marvelous. So that was what I painted.

Annapolis Basin, 7 x 10", Private Collection

Storm Clouds, 10 x 14", Private Collection

Clearing 10 x 30", Private Collection

Day Two

Saturday presented much nicer weather. I managed two paintings in the morning, then got tired in the afternoon and produced a bunch of not too much. However, I finished with what I think is the best painting of the day, the view of St Luke's bell tower.

Puddles in the Road, 7 x 10"

Marsh in the Morning, 8 x 14"

Waves I and II, approx 6 x 8" each

I am not pleased with the wave pictures but here they are to show that I cannot always paint what I try to.

St Luke's Church, 14 x 10"

More 2007 Paintings

Bear Island, 4 x 6", July 2007

Private Collection

High and Dry, 4x6", July 2007

Ebb Tide, 4x6", July 2007

Private Collection

Heading Out II, 7x10", July 2007

Private Collection

Heading Out I, 7x10", July 2007

Private Collection

Moth Orchid, 10 x 14", July 2007

Private Collection

Annie in the Sheds, 6 x 7", June 2007

December Sunset sketch II, 4x6", June 2007

Private Collection

December Sunset sketch I, 4x6" , June 2007

Floating Iris, 8 x 10", May 2007 Private Collection

More Early 2007 Paintings

As I have had difficulty loading all my paintings from last year into the post below I shall try to add them here and in future posts.

Red, Red Rose, 16 x 20", April 2007

Glads, 6.5 x 10", Mar 2007

Private Collection

Pink Tiger Lily, 7 x 10 " Mar 2007

Cherry Blossoms, 10 x 14 ", March 2007

As you can see from here, Little River featured heavily in the work I did early last year. I had been commissioned to do a scene of the harbour there, and in the course of my research I came across several views that I wanted to paint. By the time I had finished the larger Low Tide painting I had started to repeat myself, which has taught me a valuable lesson about how far I can explore an image before getting bored of it.

Low Tide at Little River, 14 x 21", Feb 2007

Low Tide sketch III, 7 x 10" Feb 2007

Private Collection

Low Tide Sketch II, 7 x 10" Feb 2007

Private Collection

Low Tide Sketch I, 5 x 7", Feb 2007

Holly I, 10 x 14" , Jan 2007

I did two paintings of this this holly branch; I used the second one for my Christmas Cards this year. The two of them are really quite similar, so I shall only show one here.

Little River NS, 20 x 30" Jan 2007

Commissioned work, Private Collection

Some Spring Flowers

Mock Orange 10 x 14"

watercolour, March 2008

Apple Blossom 10 x 14"

watercolour, March 2008

In honour of the nice weather we had for a couple of days, I felt like painting some flowers. Now it is snowing again they help to remind me that spring will come. I took the reference photos for these myself. The top one grows in my parent's back yard. The apple blossoms are from a wild apple tree just down the road from here.