Soon...

I'm getting really excited. My eldest son Nathan is coming to visit in one week.  He lives in Toronto and we live on the far west side of Canada, thus we only get to see each other an average of every three years.  I still plan on painting but I have to start baking cookies, home made bread and all the other goodies mothers make for their kids, no matter how old they get. :)

Today is my artist group morning, but the weather isn't cooperating. Snow is coming down like it's Christmas. Class ended early and outside looks like a postcard again... beautiful but not good for travel.

While I wait impatiently for this week to go by, I'll leave you with a picture of a painting I did of Nathan.  He claims he's not that heavy but he was back when I took the photo... now he's skinny.  ;)

Another juried competition.

I miss having my little pansy paintings to use for a blog post.  I paint so slow...sigh.  Now I'm working on the BIG one, teaching and occasionally working on the black-eyed Susans.  I'm enjoying the process but I want something new to post here.  Hmmm......

I KNOW!!! Yesterday I delivered two paintings to the Lake Country Art Gallery.  They will be juried and hopefully at least one will be accepted for the up-coming show.  Below are photos of the two entries.

"Evening Rendezvous"

"Only Joy"

Hoping your life is full of Joy.

Still painting...

It's raining out but it feels cozy in my warm little studio area, in the diningroom.  My BIG painting is progressing nicely. 

I've put together the two paintings for the juried show at the Lake Country Gallery.  I hope at least one gets accepted but the number of competitors gets larger every year. I still enjoy the process even if my paintings aren't chosen. 

Tomorrow is when the ladies come here for a time of painting, coffee and visiting. I can't wait to see how they're progressing with their projects.  Maybe they'll let me show you.

Until next time, have fun...

The BIG one continues...

 

Base coat done...now what?

For several months I've been complaining about a painting of some black-eyed Susans that I just can't get right.  Every night I would scrape the unused paint from my palette and place it on that canvas to add texture...some in the center of the flowers and lots on the three central blooms.  My original idea was a soft painting with pastel greens and yellows.  Scratch that.  The whole thing looked flat.

Soft wasn't working so I darkened all the greens and yellows... a little better but nothing special.  You realize, this canvas is three feet high and two feet wide...that's a lot of paint.  

OK... one more time.  This third time of repainting reminded me of my younger years when I used to spend hours colouring in my one inch thick colouring book. Like then, I didn't worry about details or shading, I just laid on the paint and tried to stay inside the lines.

Base coat done, where will it go from here?  I have no idea, but I do like the dynamic contrast.  

work in progress

36" x 24" oil

Is it springtime yet????

The snow is melting and it feels like spring. I know it's a bit early to get excited but I can't help it.  With the sun shining and the birds singing I want to dig out the camping gear and head to some Provincial Park and put up the hammock.  Dreams are fun...

Meanwhile back at the easel I'm working on the BIG painting and remembering that the night we took the  reference photo it was so cold that there were no people on the side walk or even on the public skating rink.  I have to add the people from photos taken later in the year,

Today's image is a shot of the area where I paint. The paintings on the easel are from the BIG painting.  I've put them up one under the other to make sure light standards etc. line up the way they should.

Janettmarie, notice the hot water in the cup instead of coffee.  That's why I need your coffee paintings to get me through the mornings.

My student's amazing painting...

Wednesday morning is special.  It's the day I have a couple ladies come to my home for a time of fellowship and painting.  It's nothing formal, I just help them past any obstacles they encounter while we paint. I feel a little guilty charging them, since I have so much fun, but they insist that I'm teaching them lots of new things. Below is the latest painting by L. Enns. She is improving by leaps and bounds.  This painting is wonderful don't you agree?

Amazing

by L.Enns

The two accepted pieces...

Here are the two paintings that were accepted in the Brew Gallery show in Vernon.

"Only Joy"

"A Gift of Love"

Brew Gallery: ROUGE! Opening Reception THURSDAY FEB 9th

This is where I'll be next Thursday! Please come if you're in the area. I'll have my two paintings on display.

Brew Gallery: ROUGE! Opening Reception THURSDAY FEB 9th: The Brew Gallery is transformed with a celebration of 'ROUGE! and all it's multi-faceted incarnations. Love, emotion, fire and life exhibition!