Finished!

I had entered this into the Federation of Canadian Artists Postcard Competition a couple of weeks ago.  Was pleased to know that it was juried into the final judging - final winners are going to be chosen May 1st. Crossing fingers.

36x18" oil on canvas
Spring Thaw

Finally, I have completed my painting of Fernie, BC main street.  This has taken a lot of time and effort, but I am fairly pleased with the result.  It will be one of the pieces in my solo show at the Fernie Arts Station in July 2019.  Check it out in person then.

Loosey Goosey or is Tighty Righty??

Just when I feel like I am getting closer to a preferred 'style' of painting, I do something different and start to wonder.  For example, I am in the midst of painting the two pictures below.  The landscape was fairly loose and fast with colours that were not quite what I saw so I ramped them up a little.  The building is very tight and controlled and the colour is pretty true to the photo I was painting from.  I enjoyed doing both.  Hmmm.... I think in about a year's time after I get another 100 paintings under my belt I might be closer to the answer.

HOT painting

I tried another day outdoors, painting the same bridge again.  I found a painting buddy, Alina, to come with me and it was nice to have company.  The mosquitoes were particularly fiesty but as it got hotter out they were smart and found the shade.  We did not and sweated away - not used to the heat.  BUT i am not complaining, our summers are short.    I cranked out one little study and then started doing some rock portraits - close ups of what was right in front of me.  I even tried the beer can left in the river.  I did pick it up when I left to throw out and wondered what someone coming down the trail might think of me with my backpack and beer can...but luckily passed no one on my way out.

What is art?

Starting to add some colour

As an 'emerging' artist I am always interested in learning new things and trying to improve my art.  I was looking up a residency program in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan when I came across the following:

"Have you always wanted the intensity of a day or 2 (or 3) in a large earthen hole with one other person?

In the Hole is a short-term residency located in an earthen hole on Treaty 6 territory in rural Saskatchewan, Canada. Each resident will spend 6 hours each day in this hole as a participant in this residency. Residents can come for one day up to a maximum of 3 consecutive days. There will be one person at a time at the Residency.Have you always wanted the intensity of a day or 2 (or 3) in a large earthen hole with one other person?"

You can check it out yourself by clicking residency in a hole.  I admit I did laugh, thinking that this was a joke and I pictured a camera being set up to take pictures of whatever unsuspecting sucker came along who actually took it seriously.  Trying not to judge.

Anyhow..back to the ongoing struggle.  I am working on the larger version now of my smaller study of Cypress Hills.  Trying to use lots more paint and make it more 'impressionist' in style.  I found the beautiful paintings of Erin Hanson to inspire me.  We shall see if this larger one turns out.

Get Organized

Oil sketch for larger painting

I am enjoying the oil sketch I am doing in the hopes of tackling it on a larger scale.  I often find when I am doing a 'sketch' I am very relaxed, loose and enjoying just slapping down some paint.  These paintings not surprisingly usually turn out much better than the second more laboured painting.  Think I would learn from this.

I was trying to do another painting and was struggling with finding the colours I wanted. So...  I finally got sick of digging through the pile of oil paint, went out to the garage for organizing inspiration and found this tackle box that is not being used, because it was too big to be practical to haul out into the woods.  It now holds all my oil paints and needed oil paraphernalia.  I think I love it.

My beautifully organized tackle box with a yellow, red, blue and green drawer; a swatch of each colour painted on thick board and labelled.

Canada 150

'Build the Habit of Art Production'

In the book I am reading 'My Real Job is Being an Artist', de Wal recommends building an art habit.  Popular belief is that if you do something daily for 3 weeks, it will become a habit.  No matter what  is happening you must spend time daily creating some art if you want to get 'good enough'.   I am not great at this, life happens, so I am going to make a concerted effort this year to put in some more hours.  So, my challenge to myself is to create 150 paintings and or pottery pieces with Canadian themes for Canada 150.  Our big national celebration is this year and I am jumping on the bandwagon with artists such as TimothyWilson Hoey and Carla Perkins among others, and choosing Canada related themes to paint.  Also check out Canada 150 Projects for other interesting projects happening this year.

Here is the official start of painting #1 - this is just the underpainting, which is the base to establish values,

before I tackle the oil painting on top of this. Hope to get it done sometime this week.

Underpainting of a bridge in Jasper, AB

the photo by my son

Cezanne style oil

We took a little break and went off to Jasper for what turned out to be some great powder, and relaxation.  My son has an interest in photography and a good eye, he snapped this one on our rainy bike ride.

I returned to work Monday rested.  However, my in progress painting has stalled out.  I am aiming for a Cezanne style oil painting but I aint loving it right now.  I feel a need for thicker paint and more colour in the houses.  Might put it aside and try something else today for a change of pace and return to it later.