Marine Commuter Traffic

Marine Commuter, 14 x 21", watercolour, September 2010

Available throught the Flight of Fancy

Bear River, NS

You can read about the sketch that led to this painting and the gentleman who inspired it in an earlier post on my blog, here.  Rowing in this fashion used to be a major means of getting around in the days before good roads and motor cars.  There are stories of men rowing across the Bay of Fundy (35 nautical miles!!) to see their sweethearts on the other side.  Now that is a sign of committment, if you ask me.  It took this fellow a while to row the 1 km from the wharf back to his boat, but it did not seem like it would have taken much longer than walking.  (Of course I was painting while he was rowing and my husband can tell you all about my perception of time while I am painting....) 

So when your look at this painting contemplate how you get around during your day.  When you are hopping in the car to drive somewhere really near by, stop and consider if you could actually walk that distance instead.  So often I find myself rushing to get places and hopping in and out of the car.  I do not leave myself the time to walk the short trip from the bank to the post office or from the store where I work to the place where my meeting is.  But I should.  It would be better for me and for the planet.  More restful, too.

News!!

Waiting it Out, 10 x 14", watercolour

Diploma Collection of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour

I am very excited to announce that I have been elected a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC for short). After attending their most excellent symposium in Cape Breton last August I felt encouraged enough to submit an application to be a member. My application was successful and I am one of a few to be selected this year to join the ranks of over 265 very accomplished Canadian artists. The goal of the Society is to recognize, encourage and nurture excellence of work in watercolour. You can read more about the Society by clicking here: http://www.cspwc.com/ I am thrilled to join the ranks of the Society, which includes members such as Jean Pederson, Bill Rogers, Chris Gorey and many many more fantastic painters. All whom I have met within the Society have been very generous in sharing their knowledge, and I look forward to learning more from them in future. Stay tuned for more Society news, as there will be an information session about the Society, complete with a demo by yours truly, scheduled for Digby July 17, 2010. Contact me for more info if you are interested.

A Lighthouse painting and coastal scenes

Halifax Harbour Lighthouse, 7 x 5", watercolour, April 2010

Now on ebay.ca, click here to view and bid

Atlantic Coast of NS I, 5 x 7", watercolour, April 2010 Atlantic Coast of NS II, watercolour, 5 x 7", April 2010 Now on ebay.ca, click here to view and bid.

These are all little paintings that came of my recent trip to Halifax. I spent some time making sketches on the coast between Purcell's Cove and Herring Cove. There is a walking path which goes right up over the crest of the headland in the pictures above. These paintings do not give one any idea of the scale of these rocks. If I were to try to paint figures to scale on the headland they would be invisible. Perhaps someday I shall do one which shows how massive the granite bones of the coast really are.

East Quoddy Light, III, watercolour, 5 x 7", February 2010 Click here to view and bid on ebay.ca

Here is a one of a series of the East Quoddy Lighthouse on the island of Campobello, off the coast of New Brunswick. We went for a great day trip last summer. It truly was a day of island hopping. We took 2 ferries to get there, first from the mainland to Deer Island. Then from Deer Island there is a seasonal private ferry which takes one to Campobello Island. After that there are still 2 more islands to cross to get to the light house, though this is done on foot, and only when the tide is low enough. The lighthouse is situated on it's own tiny island, sticking out into the Bay of Fundy. According to some sources, it is the most photographed lighthouse on the eastern seaboard. It really is a gem, this pristine white tower with a bright red cross on it's landward side, it is nestled in a complex of buildings which continue the theme of red and white. Also listed on ebay for this week: Fishing Boat at Wharf's End III, 5 x 7" (ebay) and click here for blog post and Blueberry Pickers, 5 x 7" (ebay) and click here to read my blog post about this painting

sailboats again

I have been away for a couple of days, so today is a good time to share with you some older paintings, both from last year. These will be listed on ebay this Sunday (Feb 7) I will add links at that time.

Sparkle, an Abstract Seascape, 6.5" x 11", watercolour, August 2009

You may recognise this one from Paint the Town this summer. Even though no one bought it then, I still love the loose texture of the paint on the paper. To me it looks like the light sparkling or shimmering off the water on an overcast day, caught just when the sun in breakng through the clouds far out over the water.

"Quiet" 5 x 7", watercolour, December 2009

SOLD on ebay.ca

With this one I recycled a drawing that I had done earlier in the year and did another version of the same image. It is good practice for me to work on perfecting how I apply the paint in smooth washes. That is what gives this painting it's quiet, soothing mood.