Shooting the Curl

At Jake's request - for his 24th birthday.  Kind of looks like fun!

All By Myself

Our favourite Georgian Bay beach - and a late afternoon walk.

Riverside

Thanks to my talented son Ben for this photo taken when he was down east.  His eye for composition made this easy for me.

Island Life

Not the Caribbean but rather the wonderful world of Temagami in our north country.  Our family has a beautiful set of islands there and hosted us this summer.

Garden Party!

Love those poppies....

Road Less Travelled

Another square foot painting from my time this fall with Marina and Mary in the Ottawa Valley.

The Long View

This also has had a few previous lives but I like the composition that emerged.

Just for Fun

The title says it all - a quick one done with colours I like.

Boathouse View

The first of a couple from our tranquil time this summer in Temagami at Barry and Sandra's summer island - heavenly!

This Way Up?

This painting has had many lives but has landed as moody landscape, entirely from my imagination.  In one of its previous incarnations, there was a very precise reflection, hence the name as I couldn't decide which way should be up!  Now I do.  It will be shown at the Don Valley Art Show for the next few weeks.

Tumble

This one is for my son Jake who took up surfing this summer in Vancouver Island.  Notice he is not in the picture - his mother cannot quite visualize him riding the waves - yet.

After the Rains

My friend Marina and I did some light chasing just after a huge autumn shower that produced some shining fall colours.

See Through Sunset

After a very long absence, I am back posting! A trip to paint plein air in the Ottawa Valley with my buddies got me going again.

Storm Tide

Safe on the beach, waiting for a magnificent storm to sweep across.  Glad we were not out on the sailboat this day!

Behind Door #1

If only these doors could tell their stories.  Painted on a canvas gifted by Michael - a canvas with its own intriguing history!

Flotilla

Having fun with big, wide canvases!   This is on the Thames and yes, more finger painting with oil.

Letting Go

Another painting from the reject pile comes back to life with new vigour.  I reworked this multiple times with great feedback from artistic friends to help me finish it.  Fun to play with no particular goal or plan.

Approaching the Edge

From a small painting that didn't work, I played with this until it settled into its own new version.  My colours are again unusual for me and some finger painting and scratching happened along the way.  So, new technique, new colours and voila!
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Mists of Winter

From a photo in England - winter there was memorably grey and wet but there was beauty too.  This challenged me to use a very different colour palette and I found I liked working in more muted colours.  Also, can you tell I have seen lots of Turner lately?

Lessons

Now I have my Big Girl easel, my paintings are coming along more slowly due to their size but they are a joy to do.  I can relate to this mother swan...and her son.

Shine, shine, shine

My first piece painted on my new massive sized easel - I have given myself the gift of painting big again after many years toiling away on tinier canvases.  I thoroughly loved doing this, imagining having this view from my own window!   

Blue on Blue

My sister's garden.  We both love blue! 

All Lit Up

Same road as previous post, the next morning.  The light seems cooler and sharper.  I played with the brushwork this time for the trees and like the effects.   October shining.

Down Country Roads

Done from a study in October while painting in the late afternoon en plein air - to be followed soon by a view looking the other way on the same road, the next morning.  Fun to see the difference in light from end of day to beginning. 
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Down River

A mystery of a reflection - how does the light create this?  And, as with all reflections, so temporary and fleeting.

Lakeside Oasis

Another try at a subject I just really am drawn to paint.  I found this little bench in cottage country looking so inviting and tucked away but instead of going up and sitting, I decided to paint it.  Maybe I should have "smelled the roses" and done both?
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New Kid on the Block

I painted this scene many years ago.  The day I took the reference photo was cloudy and grey so I painted it that way and it worked quite well.  This time however I decided not to "be a hostage" to my subject so I created a sunny day version.  This one suits my painting mood right now!
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All Tucked In

The combination of warm coloured cedars covered in cool coloured snow appealed to me and helps me remember to look for the beauty in the oncoming winter.  This piece among many will be at the Loft Gallery in Collingwood soon. 
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Dream a little Dream

Now this is my idea of summer!  Loved the light and colours in this - what else can I say?
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Surf's Up

This is from a picture taken down south some years ago on escape from the winter. I liked it so much after painting it in tiny form, I thought a 12x12 might be fun.  It was.  The ocean got a bit more frothy this time! 

Morning has Spoken

Here is the last of my plein air sketches done on our Fall Retreat (we also call it our Do-it-Yourself workshop).  This is a farmer's field located just behind my friend Marina's home.  It is lined with beautiful trees and foliage and makes a great spot (also easy to get inside for a great lunch afterwards!).   Thanks again, Marina and Mary for a fabulous time. 

 The "Milky Way" - a lovely rural road in the evening and then again the next morning.  Fun studies of light and shadow with Marina and Mary, painting our days away. 
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Riverside

The great Ottawa River - painted on retreat with my wonderful painting friends in Pembroke.  More to come from this fall get-away. 

Summer Reprised

I am in the mood to blog a bit more - here is a subject I have painted before and this time as a "square foot" painting.  Summer lives on in this English pond. 
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Dancing in the Wind

On a chilly day, with the furnace on, I retreat to my studio and paint the fall colours to help me appreciate the beauty of this yearly transition to autumn. 
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Harvest

From our trip out west to BC in early September, to visit my son Jake.  This is the lovely Okanagan Valley.  It is home to orchards and hundreds of vineyards - Canada's Napa Valley.   We  had a blast checking it all out with Jake, our willing guide. 
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Christmas in June?

Oriental Poppies - growing wild no less.  Happiness is playing with lots of red paint!
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On Duty

This little bird seems like a sentry, guarding the bay.   As usual, the reflection grabbed my attention. 

Emerald Lake

From a photo taken by my son Jake this summer in the Rockies during the thousands of forest fires.  I can see why he loves it there and glad Jasper was mostly spared. 

Run!

Since my abstract drawing in the city this summer, I have been wanting to do a little abstract painting again, after a long hiatus.  This time I scraped, cut and really pushed the oil around.  Had fun!

Late afternoon on Lac Bataille

We spent many lovely days at my sister's cottage this summer, with this time of day my favourite.  So many great family memories here.
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Farewell

A memorable sunset at the end of my son Ben's studies - complete with a "Z" in the clouds as a special salute to him. 
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Wrap up the day

Night time Toronto, inside and out.

Locals and their Market

 Kensington Market, home to many newcomers to Toronto, always changing, always new but with multi-layers of  human history in the city. 

Dancing Queen

Queen Street West, home to a fascinating, diverse array people of all types and brimming with life and colour.  One of my favourite streets.

My Graffiti Alley

And now, for something completely different - for the next few posts, I will be showing some abstract oil pastel drawings I have done outdoors in the summer evenings to celebrate my town, Toronto, during the Pan Am games. 

Before the Wildfires

Thinking of my son Jake today, in Jasper, surrounded by wildfires.  He is safe but the land is being ravaged.  This is from a beautiful shot he took in the early summer there.
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Tiny garden

Part 2 of my day in the gardens.  Simplify, simplify, simplify!  And, as my artist mother said, "Lie"!