Coffee and Email

Today the Victoria Sketch Club went to Fernwood to paint. So much detail it was hard to choose a scene. The doorway of this cafe intrigued me. When I set up there was another man sitting in the opposite chair. He left just as I started then this man sat down. But he soon left. I had him blocked in but most of him is from memory. Oh the joys of en plein air. After I came home I touched up some highlights.  My daughter saw it and said it was Fernwood so I guess I sorta got the idea.

Way to The Barracks

Day 5
I had quite a typical lazy Yellowpoint day. Then in the afternoon I was discussing art and "teaching" with a yellowpoint buddy and this is the little study I did in about 30 minutes.

Many Changing Lights

Day 4 I painted the same car but from a different angle. I stood in the trees and was lunch for mosqitoes. The light kept changing so did my painting.

Headlamp Web

On day 3 of our vacation I painted this painting. It is of an old Ford sedan car. What stories could it tell? hmmm.

Moss Top Jalopy

My husband Glen and I are at our annual Yellowpoint Summer vacation. While here I decided I would paint everyday. The first day did not produce great results, will be painted over.
On Day 2 I painted Moss Top Jalopy and sold it to one of the yellowpoint gang. Yippy!

Lily Pond

Lily Pond

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

Okay so the post will say it is the 25th of July but I finished this small painting just before midnight on the 24th. I spent today helping Lisa make some dust curtains for Langham Court Theatre. Feeling guilty that I have not been painting small paintings daily and on a day that my ability as an artist is in question, I put paint to board at 10:00 pm. I quickly chose a picture of the lily pond at Government House and put out some acrylic paints. I could have gone crazy on the lily pads but tried to keep it fairly simple. I could see me doing this image larger. Goodnight.

Auntie Carrie further on

My Shades of grey painting of my great Auntie Carrie is progressing. I am doing the fun stuff now, clothing. I love working only with 3 colours, Titanium White, Ivory Black and Torrit Grey (from Gamblin, a once a year  promo grey using all the pigments captured in their filter system, producing a grey which is different every year). It is a great exercise in value. I am loving the challenge.

Painting with Blue tunes blaring away.... great way to spend the afternoon.

Slow progress

I am working on this black and white and shades of grey painting. Background mostly in now the fun stuff, painting the person. Depending how it progresses I have some ideas about final look amd colour.

Water Feature

Water Feature

9x12

Oil on Canvas

This morning I went painting with the VSC at Gorge Kinsmen Park. I chose to paint this little water feature from the Japanese Garden.. It always amazes me how differently I paint when I am outside. It was very peaceful in the gardens especially with the sounds of the water.

Roadmapped

Here is the painting roadmapped. I call it that because the lines may not be final but it gives me a direction to follow. I normally use a red or umber to road map but in keeping with only black and white I used black gesso.

Auntie Carrie

Today I am starting this painting of my great aunt Carrie. The original photo was taken in 1927. I plan to paint it 36x24. At this stage I will be painting it in black and white and shades of grey. Depending on my mood and what the painting tells me I may then add colour. hmmm how do I paint the diamond pattern of her hose?

No Painting today

Today I painted no paintings. Instead I did a bit of prep work on a large painting idea I have. I also met a friend in Ladysmith and we talked art for 3 hours!!! Wow now I feel energized. I also rearranged and tidied my  studio. Tomorrow I must decide if I will go plein air painting or work in my studio. I need to focus. and create a working routine.
Cheers

Lavatera

Lavatera

6x6

Oil on Canvas Panel

Wooh. It has been over a week since I painted and posted. Crazy week followed by an awesome weekend at The Vancouver Island Music Fest. I only took watercolours with me but only did a little painting which is going to stay hidden.

One of the concerns I have been having is my back and the weight of gear, and it is light , I am just a wimp. Actually since my back surgery I cannot carry much weight and never for long distances. Long story short I made a thumbbox out a cigar box and this was my first painting done on it. It worked pretty well. I painted my  gorgeous Lavatera  plant. I did it in about 40 minutes. I like it. It makes me smile. 

Miner's Cabin

Miner's Cabin

6x6

Oil on Canvas Panel

A year ago today we were in Princeton BC.  I have memories of buying chicks en route  and driving up with chirping chicks sitting in a box next to my mother in law and watching River Road Theatre perform 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change'.

Walking around this little town I turned the corner and saw one of the smallest house's I have ever seen. When the mine changed to open pit mining the miner's cabins were relocated into town. .This is one of the few still remaining and used as permanent dwellings today.

I have painted this cabin before in a larger painting, making the roof red, and have never been thrilled with that painting. Wanting to revisit this subject I chose to repaint it today, one year from the first time time I saw it. I painted smaller and tried to keep it simple. I like it much more than the fist painting. 

This little cabin will always bring back the memories of Princeton,

Mud Flat Crossing

Mud Flat Crossing

6x6

Oil on Canvas Panel

I almost didn't go plein air painting today. I am so glad I did. We were at Witty's Lagoon, the long way down to the beach. I could paint there everyday and find something new and exciting to paint. I stopped at the marshy mud flats. This log was once the way across, now there is a bit of boardwalk. Log is still crossable but for how much longer? Nature is slowly reclaiming it.

This painting was a good reminder to check amounts of paints in the pochade box before setting out. I had only a wee tiny bit of white which I had to use very judicially, scraping the still wet areas on the palette from yesterday's painting.. A good lesson on colour. I love the different colour choices I was forced to make.

'51 Moffat

'51 Moffat (AKA Tofu Oven)

6x6

Oil on Gesobord

Well having had a couple of days away from painting and trying to recommit  myself to painting daily, I chose to paint my beautiful '51 Moffat Range. It is like having a Buick in the kitchen. Tofu oven is what Glen called it when I bought it, he was not pleased with me... another story. 

Some days I think are not meant to be painting days. AND today was one of them.  Maybe I am tired or too much coffee, not enough coffee, wrong height  of the pochade box, not wearing the right underwear. Goodness only knows....

I used a teeny tiny palette knife to add some highlights, Note to self must do a plein air in only palette knife soon. And yes my tiles behind the range are big blue and green tiles.

Painting done can I curl up and read now?

I am Following You

I Am Following You

24x30

Oil On Canvas

I am Following You is finished. This painting is based on a quick photo I took on Willow's Beach while out painting in plein air. A grandmother is  follwing with her young grand daughter as she walks along the beach. It was a bright morning, I loved the glints of light on the subjects.

Time for Breakfast

I have been painting since 6:45 am. Time to eat and another cup of coffee.

slow progress on a rainy day

 After I 'drew ' it in I put a colour wash all over the painting. After this dried I put in the basic background using acrylic. I then changed my mind or chickened out I switched to oils.

I Am Following You

Today being Friday is a plein air day with the Al Frescoes. After struggling with some self imposed guilt I decided that today was a day in the studio. I have been needing a bigger project for awhile.And although this painting is pretty simple it can offer me some complexities, the water and the 'wet' sand. I am painting it 24x30. Here is is roughly drawn out using black gesso. I am blogging while it dries.
Cup of tea time then back to work.

Happy first full day of summer

So yesterday was one of those days when my body needed to some TLC.  I had a low-grade migraine all day and honestly I couldn't face paint smells or much else. So I spent some time resting in the rare and warm sunshine, Breathing in the fresh air and Painting pictures in my head and planning. No guilt.
Today I feel much better I am energized and excited to be creative and get the business done.
Happy first FULL day of summer everyone.

Rose Pathway

Rose Pathway

7x9

Oil on Canvas Panel

Today the Victoria Sketch Club went to Government House. This rose covered arbor leads to the rose garden.This scene has been painted many times before but is still so beautiful. I did some artist pruning and thinning of foliage, tried to keep the image simple.I was painting in a high traffic area and had a lot of lookie loos. I met some visitors from China, Japan and Germany. Also today was the volunteer gardeners day at the grounds. A hive of activity. What a great way to spend a morning. 

Hijab

Hijab

6x6

Oil on Gessobord

Ahh Oil. I love painting in oils. When I was waiting for the whale watching tour the other day, there was a family exploring the Victoria Causeway. The mother was watching her three children goofing around on the mushroom lights while their dad took pictures. I loved her Hijab, the light grey and it's soft folds mirrored the early morning light play on the water.

The Great Greats

The Great Greats

18x24

Acrylic On Canvas

I wasn't able to fit in any painting on Saturday, I guess life just happens sometime. But Yesterday I worked on The Great Greats.This painting was done from a very small and very damaged photo.

 It was painted in acrylic, my least familiar medium, so I notice my style is different.

It was quite a challenge to paint from the photo, there was very little definition and some areas were very dark. I tried to choose colors that would have been appropriate for the era. 

Bug a boo

I noticed that something was bugging me about painting daily. It was my quest for quality and getting better with every thing I do. Or at least learning from my flops. It is not about speed or 'close enough'. I am trying to embody a professional attitude and ethic to my work. Some of my daily paintings were not acheiving this goal. I have been posting my paintings to Daily Paintworks and yes some have sold. But I decided that from now on only paintings that I feel are up to the quality I expect of myself will be posted on that site. Here I will still continue to show my daily painting and I will discuss what works and what doesn't. Feel free to comment.

Willows Beach Plein Air

 Mt Baker

6x6

Oil on Paper

Willow's Beach

6x6

Oil on Paper

Today I met the Al Frescoes at Willows Beach. The sun was shining and I was able to paint with my barefeet in warm sand. 

Nap After Whale Watching

Nap After Whale Watching

6x6

Oil on Arches Oil Paper

I was able to join a tour going whale watching today. Great fun. This Australian tourist closed his eyes and had a nap while the boat travelled back to the harbour. After I warmed up at home I painted this picture. There is something to be said for the freshness when painting fast and alla prima. Lots of medium and direct painting. 

Doodle Day

Doodle Day

6x6

Acrylic on Canvas Panel

With a few minute to spare I completed a Daily painting. It is a doodle in acrylic. 

Red Tin Rooster

Red Tin Rooster

6x6

Oil on Paper

I had a fabulous morning painting en plein air. I tagged along as a visitor to the Victoria Sketch Club and painted at the most beautiful private gardens. There was a small and very quaint rustic log cabin. The wood was weathered and moss grew in the chinking. I started with a thumbnail and then 'drew' on the paper using a stiff brush and cad red. I then painted the darks and shadows so they would be in place as the light shifted.Then we all had lunch and good conversation in the house as it has decided to pour with rain. A good day.

The Great Greats

As much as I am enjoying painting small daily paintings, I need a project I can sink my teeth into. When I had been at mom and dad's I had gone through some old photos with another project in mind. There some very old photos and this one of my great greats said it needed to be painted. As you can see the original photo is teeny tiny, quite faded and damaged on the back. I tried scanning it but that was unsuccessful, so thi morning I tried with my camera. Much better. I printed off a copy to grid up and will be working from the reference photo viewed through my wall mounted monitor. I drew the image on an 18x24  canvas and roughly painted in the darks and toned the canvas.Hmmm now to think how i will approach this painting. And yes I will be painting it in colour and applying value and temperature.

I will continue to paint daily on small paintings but also working on The Great Greats and updating their progress.

Marc's BBQ

Marc's BBQ

10x8 

Oil on Board

Today's painting is a quick plein air from my back yard. My son,Marcus, made this BBQ 5 years ago, and used it a few times before becoming vegetarian. Beside it is an overgrown herb garden box that my daughter, Colleen, painted.

Emmi's Fence

Emmi's Fence

6x6

Oil on Canvas Panel

I actually painted this painting last evening. I was sitting watching TV and I glanced out the window and saw my neighbour's fence and boulevard garden. I quickly did a thumbnail and went to my studio and set up a few small daubs of oil in my pochade box. I used only 2 small brushes, a flat and a round. Using the KISS rule it only took me about 45 minutes to paint. What I put down stayed, no fiddling. I really like it. When I showed it to Glen he knew right away where the scene was.

Beach Explorations

Beach Explorations

6"x6"

Acrylic on Canvas Panel

Yesterday while in Parksville, BC, I went to the boardwalk and snapped some photos of people on the beach. I am such a chicken I use my ultra long lens so I am not intrusive. This was a lovely little family scene. They were really focused on being in the moment with their young son. I painted it with a very limited palette, 4 colours and black and white, experimenting with Kroma Acrylics (made on Granville Island BC). Very nice. Still finding acrylics a bit of a challenge and my painting style is a bit different. It is all good.

Waiting for a Ferry

This daily painting is addictive. This was painted in my car while on the ferry. Bouncy. I had taken a quick photo of this man standing in the back of his camper using his cell with my phone on extreme digital magnification. Then drew a thumbnail. I was bored on the ferry so I went to the car and painted this painting in about 40 minutes. A wee bit messy.

Idle Paint Brush Day

Today was an idle paint brush day. I did some  prep work for a really big painting I want to work on, I also rearranged my studio for this rather big canvas. I set up and photographed the portraits, and got them web ready and emailed them off to Lisa. I put on a coat of medium to even out the surfaces of the 2 large portrait commissions.  So I didn't actually paint but I did do art related stuff. I am doing a small road trip tomorrow so I hope to take pics and maybe some sketching but paiinting will need to wait until Saturday.

Cheers
Chris

Ankle Deep

Ankle Deep

6x6

Acrylic on Canvas Panel

This is my second painting today. I had some acrylics still open on my Stay Wet palette after painting Maple Leaf Ankle Socks. This is an image I took about 10 days ago during a plein air morning. It is of a fabulous plein air painter Darlene Young.

Maple Leaf Ankle Socks

Here is this morning's painting. The model is my sister Kathy. Trying to apply things from Mike Svob's workshop. It is also an acrylic. Had fun.

June 4, 2012

Well I did paint today but alas I think me being so tired caught up with me. But here it is.

Sooke River

Sooke River

9"x12"

Oil on Canvas

Form workshop flunky to a finished little image of Sooke River. I added some colour and depth. And I should say that although I painted this at the workshop it is no way the style of the facilitator and in no way did he paint on this image. . I wasn't getting his method totally, and am still processing it.Oh well, had a blast anyway.

Yellow Door

Yellow Door

6"x6"

Acrylic on Canvas Panel

Tried something new tonight, more along the lines of what I heard at the workshop with Mike Svob. This is an acrylic. I was too lazy to set up my staywet pallet, I have been painting all day so I am tired, and it was drying too fast. Something I will be exploring in the next little while.

Workshop Flunky

Workshop Flunky

Oil on Canvas

12x9

I was on workshop with Mike Svob today, he paints using amazing colours, but alas I obviously don't. He actually was talking and demoing in acrylic today and I had oils with me. Okay I did learn a lot of stuff and I do plan to paint acrylic in a bit to see if I can put all he was talking about into practice. Tomorrow he will discuss oils, we will see what that one looks like.

Plein Air at Government House

 Old Rock Stairs

6"x6"

Oil on Paper

I went painting with the Al Frescoes this morning at Government house. It was drizzly and overcast. Again I am using Arches Oil Paper. I decided to use a lot of medium (walnut alkyd) and to paint fairly impressionisticly . The second painting I started with only about about 30 minutes left before the group finished and did the show and share. Slapped on paint and worried only about large spaces of colour. A very different style for me but quite happy with the results.

Mossy Rock

6"x6"

Oil on Paper

NHL Playoff Moonsnail

NHL Playoff Moonsnail

6"x6"

Oil on Paper

I am not a hockey fan at the best of times. Last year when the Canucks made it to the finals, I could alomost get enthused. Last night was the first game of the finals, so while my DH watched, I came into my studio. The shell was still n the box and the paints still wet in my pochade box. I grabbed some precut Oil Paper and taped it to a board and painted. Best ever way to watch a hockey game. From another room doing something I love.

Peacock Feather, Moonsnail and a Pebble

Today's painting was set up in a shadow box. I had spent the morning working on tidy up issues on a portrait commission. My pup.was running out of patience with me. I think this would be a great painting in watercolour or coloured pencil. Hmmm ideas.






 

Red White and Blue

Red White and Blue

Oil on Paper

6"x6"

It was hard to find the time to paint today but I managed to fit it in late afternoon. These small paintings are proving to be quite challenging but enjoyable just the same. Once again I was trying the Arches Oil Paper and I continue to like it. Tomorrow I am going to try using 50/50 poppy seed oil and OMS medium and my new synthetic sable brushes from Rosemary & Co.

My Turquoise Bathroom

My Turquoise Bathroom

6"x6"

Oil on Paper

May 28, 2012

Happy Birthday to me. A new year, a new challenge. I set up this blog a few weeks ago but never got around to my painting goal of painting daily. Well my work situation changed and I am now able to pursue this small goal wholeheartedly. 

This painting is my first painting on Arches Oil Paper. Quite a different feel but I love the velvety texture the finished image has. I set up my pochade box in the bathroom doorway and painted this using only natural light. Painting small is quite a change from painting large, my usual format.