things I see

Recently we did a 3-day drive into southern Alberta with camping gear and painting kit.  Drove through one of the more dramatic thunderstorms I've seen in my life - lovely lightening show which went on for hours!

On the way out we stopped at the river near Hays.  There's an old bridge a little way off the road, a perfect place to set up for painting:

Evening sky changing quickly, had to paint fast!  Nice to get a little more practice painting water, which I still cannot get quite right although it seems there is some gradual improvement...

Just south of Cyprus Hills provincial park there is an old schoolhouse decaying back into the landscape.  It's a favourite place for walks, situated above a broad valley that slopes off into the distance.  This painting was made in one of the crevasses leading down:

I really like the distant flats peeking through the trees.  Camera couldn't catch the windy cloud-and-sun skies, but paint could!

Later I photographed both paintings in the studio:

Alberta Landscape #29
oil on canvas
9x9"

Alberta Landscape #30

oil on canvas

10x10"