ARABELLA Canadian Landscape Awards Celebration

  I'm happy to announce, that I tied for the Peoples Choice award in the Arabella Landscape Contest. I was with great company...congrats to all the winners. I know how difficult the judging must have been.

More Banff Residency Paintings

Here are the remainder of my residency paintings. Some of the images are off as I didn't have the luxury of photographing them in my studio. The lights seem a little washed out.

Winter Gold, 24 x 48 inches

 Mountain Shadows, 12 x 12

Winter Wander, 12 x 12

Winter On The Hill, 12 x 24

Echos Mystery, 30 x 60

Artist In Residency Photos

Here two more paintings from my artist in Residency at the Banff Springs Hotel. ( I would add them all but I'm having trouble with my ipad ,so I'll wait until I get home and use my computer).

Winter Chaos, 30 x 30 is my favourite so far. Lots of underlying texture and more abstracted.

Bow Bright, 24 x 48

Productive at The Banff Springs

Normally I'm a fast painter, but this artist in residency is intense. The beginning of the week has been a slow period for the Banff Springs Hotel allowing me some serious and continuous painting time. I don't have time to ponder and be distracted with my usual day to day stuff in my studio. I feel I'm more concentrated even while talking and and answering questions from the public.

I have been treated like the queen of the castle. They put me a huge suit, private bedroom and a balcony! I'm able to enjoy the delicious food from any of the  restaurants  and free access to the spa as we'll! I'm not too spoiled.

My first day of painting, a couple from Montreal, loved the painting I was working on and bought it

before I had even finished it! They were leaving that day and couldn't stay to see it finished. It made me a little nervous completing it, so I didn't do too much more to it. This is the painting:

This and That

acrylic 18 x 36 'Along Canmore Trail'

Well, I have finally cleaned up my studio of work left undone. I either painted over or completed all unfinished canvases, and now have no distractions and can move forward. I'm on my way to Banff for a week residency in conjunction with 'Snow Days'. I'll be painting in the lobby of the Banff Springs Hotel ( poor me).  More winter scenes to come.

acrylic 24 x 30 Highway Glimmer

High Key Fish Creek

acrylic, 36 x 48 inches
This really wasn't how I intended the painting to turnout. I have included some process images and the references photos.

It was at this point that something didn't sit right with me and I couldn't pinpoint it, other than the fact that it didn't feel like 'Me'. Too much brushwork and not enough palette knife, maybe. In any case I wanted to change it up.

This wasn't right either. It was too busy and I felt each side was competing against each other. I decided to tone down the left side. And thus begun my negative painting.

 my reference photos below before and after enhancement

Experimenting Winter Scenes

acrylic, 24 x 24 and 20 x 24

I'm doing a week residency at the Banff Springs Hotel from Jan 19th to 26th in conjunction with 'Snow Days', and Mountain Galleries. In anticipation, I'm working on some snow scenes. I'm trying to be looser and not so postcard perfect. The first painting I did 'Edge Of Blue' was very successful...these two maybe not so much. I wasn't sure if I was going to post them, but my gallery manager said I was too hard on my self...so I'll keep plugging away.

Finishing Up Loose Ends

acrylic 16 x 20

I started to get a back-load of unfinished canvases, including two studies I did for a larger painting ( Highway Magic ). A little backwards I know, but this morning I have finished them. I had started the studies with a loose palette knife and lots of greys ( shown below)...and finished with dry brushing and glazing.

small acrylic 9 x 12

New Browser

OK, I think I'm up and running . Downloaded Firefox until IE11 fixes its issues.  Here is my latest painting 'Edge Of Blue'. It came together really fast and I'm very happy with it.

Blog is not working

I'm not sure why but my windows explore11 doesn't seem compatible with my blog and I can't post anything...so I will try my iPad. Nope...I can write but can't insert my photo. I guess this blog will be on hiatus until I can figure this out

Gem Along Johntsons Creek

Much happier today. This painting came together very quickly. I did fuss a little at the end...but not too much. acrylic, 18 x 36 inches. This is referenced from my hike to Johnston canyon. I went the other way ( no people),  and followed the creek for some amazing shots.  Original and cropped photo below.

Few and Far Between

"Between", acrylic 22 x 28
Yesterday, I worked on a painting using bits and pieces from several references and found myself unsure in my direction. It's no wonder I struggled, and the resulting work was too 'postcardy' for me. I overworked it ( again) and focused on too much detail. I very seldom paint at night...but found my self doing just that. I'm not sure if my reworked piece is much better but I'm more satisfied. I have started another and am determined to be be looser!

2014 Beginnings

 It feels like it's been forever since I've been in my studio. This cold really knocked me down...but I'm happy to say, I'm almost 100% and ready to tackle my studio. I really have to think about my entries to Stampede, since I only have a few days left. Last year I submitted a couple of waterfalls, so this year I'm thinking about my mountains and/or streams...with a bear thrown in.

I started a mountain scene and abandoned it, as I felt I was getting too tight and detailed...so instead of plugging away and finishing it...I wanted to start a fresh one and try to become looser. ( I'm realizing that I'm tighter when I haven't painted for awhile ). My second one is more successful and I'm happy with it. acrylic 30 x 30. I have included my unfinished one below.

Bear Love

Time for some bears...been awhile since I painted these fellows. Technique is a little different from my landscape paintings. First I do a detailed drawing on a white canvas. I then use palette knives to apply thick heavy clear gel ( I'm basically sculpting the fur). I let that completely dry and then tone the canvas with red iron oxide and wipe off the excess. ( so that the drawing still shows through). I'm now ready to paint using brushes! I start with the detailed eyes ( so I don't lose them when I paint all the darks with a large brush). I paint my darkest darks and work lighter in layers eventually using a very soft dry brush to bring out the textures.

'Bear Alert', acrylic 24 x 30 and 'Blue Beary' 36 x 24

Winters Glimmer

'Winters Glimmer', acrylic 24 x 36

While flipping through all my references, trying to decide what to paint for the Stampede Art Auction, I came across my Griffith Woods photos and suddenly had the urge to revisit a previous study based on these. It's not exactly a 'western' theme, but I wasn't about to let my sudden urge go unanswered. I find it important to paint what you desire, what sparks your interest or inspires you at that moment. The passion, freshness and spontaneity comes through in the painting. Stampede Art Auction will have to wait...I still have a few weeks.

Highway Magic

Nothing like a cold to slow you down. In between coughing and sneezing, I managed to complete a painting...only took me 4 days. 'Highway Magic', acrylic 30 x 40 inches*UPDATE I don't like the sunlit snow and clump of trees hitting smack dab in the middle. To fix this I am going to stretch the canvas to 30 x 30 inches*

I'm showing my reference photos, the original and one I enhanced and cropped. It was a dreary day and I liked the atmosphere and mood but it needed some punch and more light.

What a Mess And Empty Tubes

I don't just use palette knives, but you'd think I only use brushes by looking at my messy work area. I just can't/ won't take the time to clean my brush after every use...I just grab a new one. Just like in my kitchen, as I whiz around I grab clean utensils instead of finding the one I just used. I don't worry about saving paint and I use a paper palette because it's efficient, ( although probably not the most economical ), I can just tear it off and throw it away. Sometimes I have three paper palettes going at the same time on different tables.Same with my rags and towels, they end up everywhere. The reason being is, I don't like to interrupt my rhythm, especially if I'm in the zone. When I take a break, I'll clean up the rags and organize my paint tubes again. I don't fully clean or wash my brushes until the painting it done, when I get it all nice and clean to begin my next painting. You really wouldn't want to see my walls or floors...I'm a very messy person.

Now what to do with all my empty paint tubes? This is probably a year and a half's worth. Would anybody like to have them? Maybe for a school project or some sort of sculpture. They definitely need to be recycled and not just thrown away. I should get rid of some of my brushes as well...turning into a little hoarder, lol.

Commission Finished

The client wanted three 18 x 18 based on three painting I had previously done. I know I said no more commissions until the new year, but I think these came together quite nicely.

Red It Is

As an artist, fear is my worse enemy...so I had to go for it. Red it is. I think I like it better. Just a few refinements, live with it for awhile and then I'm done. I do need to photograph it better though.

Should I Make My Bushes Red

I've struggled today with my decision making, and in doing so have changed my colors several times. Cool or warm, cool or warm. I'm at a point now where I'm so tempted to change all my bushes to red. Sooooo tempted.

Middle Stage WIP

Working more on my diptych this afternoon. Finished the back rocks and falls ( will still need some detail later...maybe), Changed the sky color. Added the middle ground trees and foliage ( need to let it dry so I can add more and refine.

Beginning Stages

I am starting a large diptych. 5ft x 5ft total. Referenced from one of my favorite falls, Tangle. ( top view ). These beginning stages are fast and furious.

image 1)
 I don't always tape out my paintings, but for this large size, I wanted a fairly accurate  but simple drawing.

image 2 &3
I premixed some greyish colors for my rocks in the back. I mixed them with a little heavy gel to extend, add texture and prolong the drying time.

image 3&4
Time for my large palette knife...or so I thought. I guess I got so excited about painting this big boy I forgot a couple of things. First I forgot to remove the tape. I also forgot to tone my canvas. I really don't like painting on white and always end up going back and covering all my white holes. No problem, the foreground is where I wanted it most anyway.

image 5 &6

I toned the bottom of my canvas with  transparent red iron oxide and varied it with phthalo blue . I also roughed in some mid ground rocks, the top trees and sky ( all of which will probably change as I go on). At this point I have been working for about 2 hours. I like to have the canvas covered before I hone in on any details.

I will wait for the paint to dry, finish the background, add some large trees and bushes and start on the foreground. This stage I will work a little slower. stay tuned.