Three trees

Today, with happy anticipation,
I am leaving for Moose Jaw, SK.

Going to visit a few artist friends.

Last week, using charcoal,

I made three drawings of

one tree along the river.

in the blue book: 110lb paper, 6x9"

I like this last one the best :)

Alberta Landscape 2018-5

Three friends painting at Sibbald Creek.  Look at that lovely vista!

I did not like the lovely vista.  I painted something more simple.

But I think my painting is not boring.

1. sketch

2. midway

3. Completed

...

All our paintings together:

left: Frances Vettergreen, mixed media on paper
centre: my painting, oil on panel
right: Russel Mang, watercolour on paper

When we had done painting, we had a picnic supper of bread and olives and two kinds of hummus and cheese and meats and cut veggies and grapes and probably some other things as well which I have forgotten. 

Before we painted, we went walking in the woods and around a little lake.  There were many wildflowers.

It was a really terrific day with good friends.

Alberta Landscape No. 2017-3

the view

the palette

the sketch

before the debris-laden wind gust

after the debris-laden wind gust

finished work with debris

on location

in studio, with slight touching ups

Wildfires are burning in Banff and the air is hazy but this does not stop us from going out painting.  In fact the haze lends a wonderful atmospheric effect.  

That wind gust, though: full of sand and ashes and whatever else the fast wind can pick up.  Too much debris to remove completely.  Guess it'll just have to dry in the paint layer; I'll call it "natural provenance".

some old, some new

Less words, more images

8x10 sketch

last night at the kitchen table

oil-based paint marker and gouache in 9x12 sketchbook

yesterday while working at the art supply store

oil-based paint marker and gouache in 9x12 sketchbook

yesterday while working at the art supply store

oil-based paint marker and gouache in 9x12 sketchbook

yesterday while working at the art supply store

Alberta Landscape #97: view

Alberta Landscape #97: palette

Alberta Landscape #97: oil on panel, 12x12 inches

6 weeks ago, near Black Diamond AB

Ink Cap mushrooms - they really do make an "ink" you can draw with!

8 weeks ago

Ontario Landscape #2

This one was done from near the top of Harold Town Conservation Area.  Another gorgeous spot with lots of trails and varying topography.  After making the painting, I realized I had chosen a view that is similar to what one might find in Southern Alberta... with a few more trees.

the view

the palette

the beginning

the middle

the finish

the artist

Ontario landscape #1

I'm in Ontario, and I brought my painting kit!  This was made in the Miller Creek Wildlife Area, a beautiful wetland-and-woods type area full of birds and beavers and gorgeous views.

"En Plein Air" upcoming exhibition

Two days ago:  Yet another landscape painting!  Autumn is here, the weather is very fine and I want to spend as much time outdoors as possible before the wintry cold arrives.

This week I do some final prep, and then on the weekend we go to hang our landscapes at the Western GM Gallery in Drumheller, AB.  It is the first time I show my landscapes here in Alberta, and quite special for my husband and I to be showing our paintings together.  We are quite excited about seeing our work up in this beautiful gallery!

Alberta landscape #95

the view: flat, semi-arial

the palette: limited

the layout

the beginning

the middle

the end

In preparation for an upcoming exhibition, I am framing a few of my plein air landscape paintings.  I have seen works where the frame is an integral part of the painting.  That approach appeals to me far more than the standard black gallery frame, so I'm following suit with a simple but colourful framing of my small works.

This will be the first time my landscape paintings are shown here in Alberta and I'm feeling excited!

Alberta landscape # 94

My husband has taken his work holidays, during which time we take a few local road trips.  Of course we bring our painting kits with us!  Here's one I did on the hills above Drumheller a couple of weeks ago.

the view

the painting

the perch

I had thought about painting with earths mixed with oil medium, but then the colours were so lovely, I did not want to do a monotone version.  

The clouds were so lovely, I wish I could've conveyed them better, but oh well.  It was the first time I ever perched on the roof of our vehicle in order to get a better view... and it may not be the last time!  

red sketchbook

I recently went to visit a friend for a few days, and brought along my red sketchbook, a couple of Sharpies and a set of watercolour crayons.

My friend is understandably a bit shy about portraits of her & family so I won't post those, but here's a landscape I did from the window of their guest room:

under drawing with Sharpie marker

gone over with watercolour crayons

Then, on my way back home, I was able to meet up with someone whom I'd only ever known through social media.  This was very interesting, a first for me!

Uli and I hit it off right away and had a few hours of great conversation and a lovely meal at her home, before I had to get on a plane.  During our brief visit I was able to see some of her paintings.  That was a real treat, as I have admired her work for some time, and the actual paintings have even more impact than the images on a screen which first impressed me. Click here to see some of Uli's work.

I also managed to make a couple of super-quick sketches of her and her husband with a perishing Sharpie.  An old partly-dried marker is a much more interesting drawing tool than a fresh marker.

Not super-accurate anatomically, but catching a little of the feeling:

Sharpie marker

Sharpie marker

I've had my red sketchbook for several years and it has slowly filled up with portraits, maybe 50+ faces painted and drawn with all sorts of materials.  

And 3 landscapes.  For variety, you know.  :)

Alberta Landscape #89

Last weekend we went out again plein air painting at the Sheep River just a little way out of Calgary.  It was a perfect day for painting outdoors.

When we arrived at the river, we noticed a really beautiful trout/tag painting done under the bridge, a very sophisticated work of art:

Here's the painting I made, downstream from the beautiful fish tag:

Alberta Landscape #89
oil on wood panel
10x10 inches

Reflections and shadows on water are so beautiful: semi-transparent, shape-shifting, always in motion.  Like this whole world, hey.