Back again

Here I am back after a longer than intended break. First vacation then the urge to garden has kept the painting time shorter than usual. Right now I am struggling on a large pink peony (am getting tired of pink so I hope I finish it soon) Meanwhile I finished these before vacation but am only posting them now.

Bear Island (again) 7 x 10" May 2008 (watercolour) Cornwallis seen from Digby, 14x21" May 2008 (watercolour)

April Paintings

One would think that I have been in a blue kind of mood. Most of what I have done lately has been predominantly blue. Must be that I am eagerly awaiting the green of spring and have had enough browns and greys.

Scallop Boat Portrait, 7 x 5", watercolour 

This was a sketch for a larger work which did not turn out. I was experimenting with watercolour canvas which is quite different to work on than paper. I think that I shall stick with paper for now, even though it too has it's problems.

White Boat, 6 x 4", watercolour, Private Collection

Soaring, 6 x 4 ", watercolour

Bear Island, again, 4 x 6", watercolour, a study for a larger work

Private Collection

Fleet, 6 x 15", watercolour, Private Collection

White Violets, 6 x 4", watercolour, Private Collection

Storm over Cornwallis, 14 x 21, watercolour,

Private Collection

Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day and so I wish you all the best for today and all days. Here are my Earth Day wishes. I had a whole list of small wishes, but to spare you those I realized it all boiled down to two big wishes: I wish every person was aware of Earth day and that every day was Earth Day, where we consider the health and safety of the planet in all of our actions. I wish that every person on earth could enjoy a equitable, safe, sustainable and comfortable lifestyle, erasing the incredibly vast difference in living standards between ours and that of the developing world. It is truly not fair that we live the way we do when there are so many people who do not have even the very basic necessities of life. I wish we could level things without conflict, that we in the developed world could learn to give up the things we have become accustomed to that are unnecessary, but do so without a sense of hardship. I have some hope that someday the first wish might come true, but probably not in time to prevent vast environmental change. I have basically no hope of the second wish coming true but I ask all of you to be concious of the planet today and everyday that you can.

St Andrews Marina

These are some pictures of the Marina in St Andrews NB.

Sailboat sketch 5 x 7 " April 2008, Private Collection

St Andrews Marina, 20 x 30", April 2008

Rowing, 10 x 14", March 2008

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.