Much Happier Now

Something wasn't quite right. I wasn't happy with it. It was either not finished or something was wrong. If it doesn't feel right ...trust your instincts. I worked on it another hour or so this morning and I'm much happier now.

Elbow Falls By Bragg Creek

Acrylic 24 x 30

Another version of Elbow Falls ( different time of day). I'm revisiting a few earlier paintings but not because I've run out of ideas or new material. I have various reasons.  I like the subject and feel I haven't exhausted the possibilities.  I like to see how different my approach is and have I varied my techniques. Do I still remember how I painted it? I like to compare to see if I have learned or can improve anything. Can I make one cool and the other warm. Can I recreate the same spontaneity and feel. Do I have the same palette etc.

Parker Ridge

Acrylic,30 x 30,
My husband and I are making a trip to Jasper on Sunday, travelling along my favorite highway. We will pass this scene of Parker Ridge,and hopefully, I will be able to convince him to stop,so I can surrender myself to it's beauty! So, I thought it only fitting that I paint Parker Ridge in anticipation.

Back to Landscapes

acrylic 30 x 60 inches. Light Along 40 Mile Creek,Banff,

Ok, the urban scenes were starting to frustrate me and after spending 8 hours in a 'Paint Till You Drop' ( live models), event this weekend, I decided to paint another larger version of one of my favorite landscape paintings...and it sure felt good to bring out my large palette knife and attack the canvas! Bringing me back into my comfort zone calmed me down. I like to venture back and forth.

The paint till you drop,was a lot of fun, even after my dismal painting attempts. I'm looking forward to the next one and will be better prepared. For those wishing to see some of the work,go to the facebook event page here

Lessons

 

I thought I'd add some snow....first thing I thought of when I looked outside and this nice snowy spring day.

'Lessons',acrylic 8 x 16 inches. 

My winter trip to Whistler last year was incredible. We had never been,and we don't ski,but my gallery is there so we had to visit. it was a beautiful weekend,full of sunshine and warm weather. it was quite the dichotomy watching the skiers while having lunch outside with a few passersby in shorts. We did the Sky to Sky and must have looked quite out of place but no one paid us any attention. I took hundreds of photos with the intention of doing some 'ski paintings'. I thought I'd share a couple. My husband is the one who is definitely out of place in the photo below.

Dancing Light

Another pub scene. 'Dancing Light' ,acrylic 20 x 10 inches.

The Stroll

acrylic 10 x 20
There's nothing like taking a leisurely stroll on a warm almost spring day

Urban Scenes

I'm taking a short break from my usual landscapes and putting down the palette knife. I'm going to be working on some urban scenes for an upcoming FCA show. I'm also going to be painting some animals and figurative work.

My solo show was a huge success with Mountain Galleries. Aimee and John did such an amazing job of setting up the show.! Many Thanks!

 

'Toward The Light',acrylic 12 x 12

 

'Hazy Day At The Pub'

16 x 12,acrylic

This painting would have been a lot more successful had I not stuck the figure smack in the middle of the canvas...I'm not sure how I'm going to fix this yet.

Easter Waterfalls

A couple of tiny waterfall studies for this Easter weekend. 8x 16 and 12 x 12.

Griffth Woods Park, Calgary

'Griffth Woods Still',acrylic 12 x 12 inches

        'Griffth Woods Stroll',acrylic 10 x 20 inches


My two smaller efforts for yesterday and this morning. I had trouble sleeping so I was up and painting in the studio at 6 am, after my morning tea and websites updates. I tried to be bolder with my palette knife strokes and not adjust them too much.  These were both reference from my winter stroll through a portion of Griffith Woods near Discovery Ridge in Calgary. I definitely need to explore that park  more often.

Across The Creek

Acrylic,18 x 36 inches,
Another view from the Fenland Loop Trail and 40 mile Creek. This time I made the red leaves 'pop' a little more, thanks Brian Buckrell

Towards The Light On Fish Creek

acrylic 24 x 36,

My husband says this is different for me. I really enjoyed my walk up Fish Creek with this perspective and the light casting a turquoise glow. The water was almost black and I kept walking towards the light.

It was really hard to photograph though.

revised Glow Along The Creek

 

I'm glad I added leaves to the trees but I think I made the right decision to keep them in shadow. I didn't want to shift the focal area,and by making them pop I felt I would do just that. Above is with and without leaves and the original reference photo. Below are two stages of the painting in progress.

 

Glow Along The Creek

I'm sooooo tempted to put some red leaves on those branches....should I?
acrylic 30 x 60 inches

The bottom of Tangle Falls

'The Rush Behind',acrylic 36 x 60 inches
This was referenced from a photo taken during my visit to Jasper last May. This is the bottom of Tangle Falls,one of my favorites to paint. I must be in a red bush mood lately. Below is a 20 x 20 I did during a break at the Michael O'Toole workshop.

Michael o'Toole Workshop

I had a great three days at Michael O'Toole's workshop his website  very inspiring. I have loved his work for years,and I picked up a few great tips and a painting!I am now the proud owner of this demo piece. I will post some of my work once I touch them up.

Fish Creek

Acrylic 48 x 48
From my walk along Fish Creek in Calgary. I took a lot of artistic liberties with this one as you can tell from my original photo.

Sunwapta's Edge

acrylic 36 x 48 inches,

I came across this great photo of Sunwapta Falls from Anna Davidson. I was really struck by the light and the different perspective. I've painted the falls many time but always with the big oblong rock jutting out. Many thanks to Anna for the use of her photo as reference.

Anna is an Australian blogger/teacher now living in Calgary. Checkout her awesome blog and share in her adventures. Anna's Next Adventure

Coming Through

acrylic 30 x 40 inches,
This is a larger version of a small study,9 x 12, I had done earlier. I painted over an old painting which gave it more texture and allowed me the freedom to get a little looser and add more abstract qualities. Also the main focus was the red tree in the smaller painting ( see below), but I wanted to shift the focus on the back waterfall. I really like this one.

Victoria Falls

I'm finished my large 5 x 4 foot painting of Victoria Falls. It took me longer than I expected and I had a hard time knowing when to quit. I hope I haven't overworked too much. Quite pleased with how it turned out. Location is in Yoho National Park,above Lake O'Hara in BC.

Victoria Falls Wip

Yesterday before I decided to take advantage of our gorgeous weather and head to Griffith Woods FaceBook Photos ,I worked on my large painting of Victoria Falls. I'm about halfway through. I've photographed my progress below. Total time so far is about 2 1/2 hours.

I started with a taped diagonal grid ( no measuring needed),I usually only do this for large canvases.

 

  I then mixed up several dark colors with gel, and applied with a large palette knife.

I do the background mountains and sky with a little more detail but will go back to it at the end.

I brush on some lines to have an idea where my water is going.

 

I loosely work on the middle and foreground,still using the palette knife. I like to have all the canvas covered first and fast. I don't worry too much about color.Now the fun begins with more detail,dry brushing and glazing.

Victoria Falls Study

 

Acrylic, small 12 x 16
A study for a large 4 x 5 ft canvas. This is Victoria Falls above Lake O'hara in Yoho National Park,BC.

Untitled Tangle Falls

acrylic 24 x 24

There was a Friday night reception, an art talk/tour by the hotel historian, a Mountain Gallery presentation/slide show and a demo for the guests who signed up for the spa/art package during my stay as the artist in residence.

I did a short demonstration of the techniques I use for my animals, and then started a demo of Tangle Falls. I usually start my paintings with the palette knife in a very loose,painterly and abstract way,before I start to refine and add detail. The guests had a hard time seeing where I was going until, I rushed the demo a little, and added some lights of the waterfall. I promised I would post the final painting on my blog without naming it. The guests wanted to have that privilege. Below is where I ended my demo.

Creek Surprize

'Creek Surprize' acrylic,30 x 15 inches

Walking along fenland trail in Banff, the sun lights up the dogwood with brilliant shades of red. I took a lot of artistic liberties in making the dogwood bushes have red leaves, But it was the mood and the contrast I was most interested in capturing..

More from my Banff Residency

acrylic 24 x 28 'Almost Melted,Lake Louise.

Dogwood At Vermillion, acrylic 20 x 24