My Itty Bitty Yard

Well, since JJ is bragging about her palacial home and surrounding gardens, I thot I'd give y'all a dose of life in Northern Ontario. We have had another 70 cm of unexpected snow last week on top of what you see here. The tree is on the two-foot wide strip between me and my neighbour.

WHEN IS SPRING REALLY COMING?????

View out of my front window.

This is the view from my home office window, right now. it is raining. albeit lightly and it is wonderful. I would half like to go for a walk, but I want to study some painting techniques as well, and the art wins out ;-)

Here are a couple of photos of my back yard too.




Rain is good.

There is one pussy mobile hanging against the post in the second picture, here are the other two.

4 paintings, the 3 seagull ones are easy, and fun.

The other painting was fun, it is a sunset at the Wynnum waterfront. I can't get decent photo's darn it. I painted these this evening, now I am off to bed. All 12" x 16" single thickness gallery wrap canvas acrylics. c&c of course..

Contemplation

12" x 16" canvas - acrylics.

Survivor, the Hospital Version

Hi y'all, just when you thot it was safe to view the blog....I'm baaaack...

The operation to insert a third wire into my heart for my pacemaker was successful and what a difference already!!! However, I woke up in the operation when they started the pacemaker agian and felt my heart flutter. It was great....until they started digging and cutting around the pacemaker, without freezing...it had worn off...I yelled loudly and they added more freezing but I still felt it and let them know, arrrgggghh.

And to top off the fun, I got an infection at the same time which kept me in the hosp for an extra 5 days. So instead of coming home in two days, I spent a week in there, plus I have to wear an IV pump for another four days, but I'm home finally. Made it back last nite. I may haunt you all for a while yet.

I see you all have been up to some nice work while I was away. Good to see you guys producing.

Puffins for Anne ;-))

So I have to tell you it 'aint easy painting puffins.. *sigh* The second one isn't finished, but it is 1.30am and I need some sleep..
Both are 10" x 12" canvas acrylic. c&c very welcome!

Gee, they don't photograph well, do they Anne? Wow, they look so much better in person.

HAPPY EASTER Everyone!!!

I am going to put a new challenge up after Easter. Everyone is busy with their families, and recovering from holidays and stuff, so just have fun painting away at whatever you want this weekend, if you have time.

We are getting very worried that we haven't heard from Bruce since he got out of hospital, Bruce if you are reading this, I hope you are well my friend, and please if you can just check in for us.

Colleen is back from her Korean break, so we shall hear from her soon.

I know Anne has a house full of family this weekend, so hopefully she will find a spare moment to check in.

Ree and I are going to paint. Oh and I have the Market on Sunday if it is not blowy and wet.

I feel another marine art coming on, and I have a little puffin to paint.

And I have to think of something really exciting for our next Challenge, how can I top Anne's Zorn Palette? Hmmm

It;s that puffin again ..... well actually it's a different one .....

I'm still working on painting a puffin and trying to get it right ....
This one is 6" X 8" acrylic on board

Itty Bitty Kitty with Zorn Palette

It's a bit dark as I took the photograph at nighttime ....but at least it hides the mistakes!!!
12" X 10" acrylic on canvas

Annes Zorn Palette Challenge

Hastings point! I took this photo way back in 2004 I think, of the sunset at Hastings point. We had gone for a drive down there with Tania and her family for a picture shoot, plein air paint for me, and just some good old family get together fun, as we did in those days. I have been meaning to paint it for a long time, but was mystified as to which palette I wanted to use, as the colours in the photo are very subdued and I like them that way.
I had the headache from hell this afternoon, so I lay down for a nap. I started to dream about this painting so when I woke up I went straight down to my studio and painted it. This is a study for a larger painting I am going to do for a competition. 10" x 12" acrylic canvas Zorn Palette except I didn't use the cad red. I only used the black, which in my case was Neutral Tint as I didn't have ivory black, only a cheap tube of lamp black, yellow ochre and white.

Don't laugh

Lyn suggested I paint a sneaker, so here it is. I am sure she meant a pair of sneakers, but I just did one to get the feel of it.. haha

The usual, 10"x12" single thickness gallery wrapped canvas and acrylics

This is what I meant by adding a pot to your amarylis, JJ.
I'm not saying this is a good painting, just saying that's what I meant by adda pot.
Your pot would not show as high because you want to retain that sturdy long stalk identiable to the amaryliss.

Bible Study

Following on from my "Say a Prayer For Me" post (I think that's what I called it!!) I thought I would try painting hands holding a bible.
I want to get something ready for 2 Church Exhibitions that are coming up in May ......
As it's not finished yet any C&C would be most welcome ....
8" X 10" acrylic on board .....

I'm Alive and Well

The surgery was a success, more difficult than they expected but doable. As a result I CAN FUNCTION better already. I woke up in the middle of the operation with a start as they started adjusting my heart rate etc, but they forgot to freeze the area around the pacemaker and started digging and cutting. I was not amused to say the least. But I feel great. Praise God in Heavan.

It was yesterday and I am in a hotel with my wife tonite and home tommorrow. What a great relief.

Caesia Silver Princess Gum Tree and a Red and Green Kangaroo Paw

10" x 12" on canvas in acrylics.

Christmas Bells.

Both 10" x 12" on canvas painted in acrylics. (I am missing my oils and watercolours)

Cooktown Orchid. Statev Floral Emblem of Queensland

10"x12" acrylic on canvas

One more. Waratah update for Ree

The Waratah is the New South Wales Floral Emblem. Ree hails from NSW.

Painting is done on canvas 10"x12" Acrylics.

Two new paintings for Wednesday

I am into painting the Australian State flowers at present. Well the red ones anyway. I am in my Red Mood.
Both on 10"x12" canvas in acrylic.

The first flower is the Sturt's Desert Pea Floral Emblem of South Australia.

The second one is the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw State Floral Emblem of Western Australia

Hippeastrum II

This is a companion painting to the last one I painted. It is a mirror image. They look quite nice hanging together.. Lets hope someone thinks so at the markets too.

10" x 12" canvas and acrylics.

Ok ....so now it's my turn for the Challenge .....

This weeks challenge is to:
Research the Zorn Palette (if you don't already know all about it)
Paint a painting, using your own reference picture, in the Zorn palette.
List the colours you used and say what your thoughts were whilst painting with them.

YOU HAVE ONE WEEK TO COMPLETE THIS CHALLENGE
PLEASE POST YOUR FINISHED PAINTINGS ON APRIL 8th

Ree's Tree

Sorry Ree .....I'm a bit late too ......I am in a bit of a melancholy mood as it is 3 years ago today that my mother died. I am off to the grave soon to put some flowers on it. Thank you for this challenge Ree .....it made me get my paints out today and do a knife painting .....maybe when I come back from grave visiting I will paint a masterpiece ....or something ......
Acrylic on board 6X8

Ree's Birch Tree Challenge (late sorry)

This was fun. I used gel medium and acrylic paint, and my palette knife. 5"x7"

Hippeastrum

I thought I would paint some botanical art for my stall. People just want to buy paintigns that are clean and simple and basically no background.

10"x12" acrylic on canvas.

Preparations for a future Challenge..

I have been thinking about Tali's Thread “Local Colour” more and more, and I really enjoyed painting those blocks and reflected colour, even though they are very rough, and not at all in perspective, they gave me what I wanted from the exercise.

So, today I went out and bought some wood, and some polystyrene balls, . I had the wood (2”x4”) cut into 2 square blocks, 2 triangles which, when joined together, makes a square. I had cardboard here, as I couldn’t find polystyrene cones today. (the balls were cheap by the way, $1.99 for 6 balls.)

I made 3 cones out of the cardboard, and painted them in the primary colours. I painted 3 balls in primary colours and one white. painted. I painted the blocks and triangles in primary colours.. (See pic)

When you have time and feel like having a play, you guys make this set as well, and we will have a challenge in the near future incorporating the shapes.

Once you have your set made up, you can also use them as tools for future paintings. Try this. Sit the red ball next to the yellow one and see the reflected colours on each ball. What colours do you see? The white ball is perfect for this exercise. By placing the red ball next to the white one, you can see the colour I am talking about reflected onto the white ball. What do you see when you place the yellow and green ball together? What colour?. The red and blue? See the complimentary colours?

These colours are all reflected in the shadows cast by an object sitting on a surface. To see what I mean, look at the surface your balls and blocks are sitting one. Put light source on one side and look. See the colours from the individual objects on the surface. This becomes more obvious if you have a white surface.

Shadows.

Form shadows are the shadows on an object, cast from the object itself, and from objects near it. Also shadows that have bounced off the surface onto the object create form. These shadows give the object it’s 3D look.

Cast shadows are the shadows cast by the object onto the surface the object is sitting on. There is colour in these shadows if you look hard enough. The colour is reflected from the object onto the surface, by the surrounding light.

When you have time and feel like having a play, make this set as well, and we will have a challenge in the near future incorporating these shapes.