Thursday’s sketch

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Habitant Estuary

Still in the midst of our January thaw, and keeping up with our Thursday painting time, I did another sketch from the window while Susan captured similar views on a couple of post cards. I’ve decided to stop trying to be a purist when it comes to using ink and other mediums to sketch. It’s all practice and I’m not entering any art competitions. Instead, I’m conservatively letting the mark making lead me. This muted sketch was fairly satisfying though I could bump up the values a tad. I was happy with the low line of clouds between North Mountain and Habitant which were misty. And, the touch of blue in the water gave the sketch some depth (thanks for that suggestion, Susan). Next Thursday will be a change of scenery as we plan to meet at her place. It might be time to try a still life.

January Thaw

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January Thaw I
January Thaw II

January Thaw I & II – With ArtCan closed for renovations and the water turned off at Susan’s place, Susan and I spent what was our normal Thursday paint time practicing at my place. Susan did portrait sketching while I got in some plein air time. Both of my paintings are a mixed media of watercolour, gel pen, conte, and ink. The first painting is the view north west while the second is looking east to the Minas Basin. Temperatures were hovering at just above freezing and things were very grey with heavy cloud cover.  It was great to do some plein air again, and the company and conversation was excellent. By 3:30 the sun broke through, changing the scene and atmosphere significantly. I don’t think I have a third painting in me today but the contrast is worth noting.

The Gap at Percé Rock, Quebec

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Percé Bay 5×7 watercolour

Our Monday morning paint sessions for The Evangeline Artists’ Cooperative resumed today after the holiday break. Unprepared and a little uninspired, I grabbed my sketching stuff and tablet, and headed out for our 9:30 start at the rec centre.  We were at half complement even though a couple of new members joined us. By that time everyone was eager to paint. I found a reference photo I took of our visit to the Gaspé region of Quebec a while ago, then searched for a name for the gap between Percé Rock on the right and the mainland. Maybe the locals have a name for it but the internet doesn’t.  if anyone knows what it’s called let me know. Apparently you can walk from the shore to the rock when the tide is out. With everyone catching up, the time passed quickly, and before I knew it, I was done. Perhaps a bit of distraction was helpful this time.

A Memory of Summer

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9×12 oil on canvas

This was put on hold for a couple of weeks while several of us at Ron’s studio tried working with a live portrait model. I’ll post about that later. This painting was done from a reference photo taken on site in West Lawrencetown this summer during a plein air watercolour session of the same shore (captured in one of my earlier posts). I began this one with thick paint for the rocks and grass, but when it turned to mud, which lead to Ron’s suggestion to start with thinner paint, I wiped off the bottom third and started over. Sometimes it’s easy to forget simple painting rules. Also, finding the forms and shapes of rock is more difficult than it looks.  It’s finished now except for the drying and signing. I’m pleased with the results as I think it captures some of the atmosphere of that morning. Let me know what you think.

Moonrise

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Moonrise 8×10 oil

Having just sold three paintings at our winter show and completing three others for the gallery in Canning, I settled down to capture the quietness of dusk and the pink glow of Venus’ belt with this small 8×10 oil. It took a morning and a half at the studio to complete.  Not that long, really. I used a 50/50 ratio of walnut oil to paint for the upper lauers so it will take a lot longer to dry. At first I wasn’t sure if I was on the right track with the leaf shapes but once the bottom was filled in they read okay.  The highlights were added for extra dimension. It’s just enough to convey the intense light from the full moon. I was careful not to get to carried away as I often do when something’s working. (Sold)

For the foodbank

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Habitant River
10×14 oil on board (Sold)

ArtCan Kitchen and Studios has a gallery exhibition of student artists every December where all the students paint the same picture. These paintings are displayed as part of the December exhibition and are for sale for around $100 each. All monies from the sale goes to the local food bank.  This is my interpretation of the scene. I’m very happy to say I found out a couple of days ago that this has sold!

Judgement Day

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“No Soup for You!”
8×10 oil on board

This is the second painting I’ve submitted for the ArtCan exhibition in December.  I took the reference photo several years ago. I’m not sure whether the idea of painting feathers was what prevented me from getting to it sooner. Or, perhaps the eagles expression was saying I had better not try anything. We have a lot of eagles where we live and they can be like that.  For the show we’ve agreed to title this “No soup for you” after the famous Seinfeld episode. I feel it will definitely take the right buyer to purchase it.

Cloud Study 3

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Cloud Study 3
9×12 oil on board

There were a lot of stops and starts as I worked my way through this.  In the end it became more of a wave study. I tried various combinations and permutations of the number of waves to include,  the size of the breaker, to the amount of beach, or no beach, to correcting values in the sky. Many of the changes were suggested by fellow artists and the owner of the Gallery, Ron Hayes, where I was painting. I think it came together okay. The clouds were basically done in one sitting. This and a couple of other paintings of mine will be on display at ArtCan Gallery in Canning, NS, during the month of December.

Jan’s Journey

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This was from our last group plein air session a few weeks ago. I just got around to putting the final touches on it this morning. The road runs alongside Gates U-pick apple orchard.  I had set up my easel partway up the road when one of our artists wandered into view. I took a photo of her for later reference and continued laying down the general image. Today, I corrected some values, added some details, and included Jan. She was surprised and laughed when she saw it remembering the day well. Another artist in our Evangeline Artists’ group, Joan, suggested the title.

Bowlby Farm

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Bowlby Farm 9×12 acrylic reproduced (with permission) from an original painting by Twila Robar-DeCoste

Our painting group attended an acrylic workshop instructed by my first watercolour teacher, Twila Robar-DeCoste, who owns Windsong Studio and Gallery in Aylesford, Nova Scotia.  She selected one of her own images of Bowlby farm, with its beautiful rows of highbush blueberries, for reproduction and provided excellent step-by-step instruction.  This painting was my attempt, as I happily waded into a medium that is neither watercolour nor oil but hints at both.  I’m pleased with the results. I’m also feeling tempted to spend some more time here.