Jazz Clip

I finished a painting I started at the Brian Atyeo workshop. This is acrylic,15 x 30 inches and untitled at the moment.

I also did another clip of Brian's Jazz demo with Louis Armstrong singing 'What a wonderful world'...I didn't want to waste his beautiful song so I filled the rest with some pictures of our group dinner and various other shots I took around the area.

It was a wonderful week and chalk full of information and energy. Brian is a wonderful teacher has a great ability to know exactly what each individual needs. Each day he did a morning demo and although I tried a few of his techniques, I decided it best for me to paint the way I paint. Even though I was frustrated at times, I'm glad he pushed me. I came away a better painter...in my opinion.

I hope you enjoy this little clip

Brian Atyeo Clip

acrylic 15 x 30 inches
I don't have much time to write, but I wanted to share Brian Ayteo's second day painting demonstration.(an amateur clip of stills I shot).

Also my warm up... a painting done the evening before the workshop started, at River Rock Studio outside Cochrane Alberta.

 

Where Magic Happens

acrylic, 24 x 30, "Where Magic Happens",

I just arrived back from a five day intensive advanced acrylic session with the talented Brian Ayteo. I'm exhausted and my brain is full, so here is just a peek of what I've been up to.  ( the beginning of my new series ). Once I have wound down, I will be using this blog to post many of my exciting experiences...so stay tuned!

Hidden Falls Commission

 

I'd been dreading starting this commission,even though I've done nothing but think about it for the past month. But actually,it came together quite nicely and quickly too. I had painted a vertical waterfall painting and the client loved it,especially the colors...but she wanted it horizontal. Tricky. I hope she likes it.

Small Landscapes

acrylic 8 x 16 inches

I've been working on a couple of small landscape studies,getting ready for some larger works I promised in June. I also have a commission and a week long workshop with Brian Ateyo this month. May was a relaxing month for me and I enjoyed the family time, now it's time to clean up the studio and get back to work!

farm animals

I am enjoying a little break with my sister and brother-in-law from New Brunswick, and my brother's 50th Birthday party. I had time though, to finish these two little animal paintings.  June is going to be a busy month for me...I must try and get back into a schedule.

Lady Bovine

Some Moo time,acrylic 11 x 14

Bear Portraits

A couple of bear portraits. These animals are fun to do and helpful when I'm in a state of flux and indecisiveness. Instead of pondering and worrying, I keep my fingers and mind busy, knowing my uneasiness will eventually pass. Acrylic 12 x 12 inches 'Bearishly Shy' and 'Forebearing'

Rundle Through The Red

acrylic 20 x 28 inches

Ok, so I took a lot of artistic liberties with this one, by pumping up the reds. But they really do exist. The following is my reference photo and some others just to show the reds are alive at Vermilion lakes.

Lac Beauvert,Jasper

acrylic 24 x 30

We were recently in Jasper,staying at the Jasper Park Lodge ( where my gallery is located ). The lodge is on the beautiful Lac Beauvert. There is a path around the lake, and on this particular afternoon the ever changing brilliant colors of the lake were spectacular! Just a few patches of snow and ice remained and it was such a peaceful sunny day.

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.