recent paintings and news

recent paintings and news

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

both sides now




I am still in Flensburg, taking a wee breath to catch up on the other side of my life. I was hesitant to bring along my computer but so very happy I did. I can still listen to CBC radio in English and also do research-as well as visit the artists’ blogs I so enjoy.


Although I did get some painting done here I will refrain from posting just yet. So far this journey has me filled with such overwhelming emotion and exceeded any type of expectation I might have had. No time now to sort the words and get them down.

The leaves are turning here and remind me that summer has officially gone, so I thought I'd share this painting, rendered a few years ago. 







October, oil on canvas, 24x40in, 2009

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Saturday, September 17, 2011

fall into temptation




In the last post I mentioned that I did not have much time to paint before my trip. Well, I've just contradicted myself. Today was so beautiful I could not resist temptation and got outside for some plein air. 






September, (feels like October) oil on canvas, 18x24in, 2011, available


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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Sky & journey: Baltic Sea




I’ll be travelling to Germany  next week to visit my Daughter. She is living in a small village on the Baltic Sea very close to the Danish border. Although I am extremely excited to be spending time with her I am feeling apprehensive because of the language barrier. She says not to worry - even in that remote village, most people at least understand English—but I can’t help feeling anxious… I am sure once I get there I will feel differently. In staying almost two weeks I hope to drink in as much art and architecture as possible. But what I am very intrigued with is the Baltic Sea. I  have been doing some research and will pursue this by bringing along some materials for art-making.



Needless to say with all the preparation for the trip I don’t dare attempt to make the time required in resuming  studio  works in progress—so I have been stealing time in my field -preparing my palette and backpack ahead of time-to save time-for catching patches of sky at the remains of the day…


September, Remains of the Day, (1) oil on canvas, 11x14in, 2011



September, Remains of the Day, (2) oil on canvas, 11x14in, 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

curious thrill seekers

mmmmmmm

September (detail center)




Last September my painting comrade and I set off outdoors with very large canvases (at least for plein air). The hike itself was quite an undertaking, making our way through tall grasses and the kind of weeds that tangle around ankles in order to trip and maim. Trudging through the dense unruly field and uneven ground resulted a few tip-over’s for our gear-laden wagon, but we soldiered on. The destination?-a heavenly perch on a field of purple alfalfa, garnished with loaves of earthy hay that had been sitting since June.




September (detail left)




The view from the hill looks down at least  half a mile to a vineyard and beyond to an open field speckled with a few distant farmhouses (omitted from my painting).



September (detail right)


We painted from afternoon until early evening and were completely immersed in our work. At one point I shifted my eyes to check the light and there before me stood the silhouette of a little woman. At first I  thought she was an aberration, but then Dora saw her too. It turns out this wee Irish lady caught sight of us from her farmhouse below. Overcome by curiosity she climbed through the tangly weeds and made her way through muddy vineyard rows (in her proper shiny shoes and tidy cloths) just to see what we were ‘up to’. I love that-artists aren’t the only curious thrill seekers. But the encounter did put the kibosh on painting any further, which was fine as I managed to get down the composition and build up some of the masses enough to use as a guide when I resumed the work. But it is another that I put aside in hopes to get back to it in this new September. And I did, however this time working in the studio by intuition and recall.  I thought I would post it as some passages are perhaps not yet resolved. Right now I am too close and need to look again with an objective eye. 





 September, oil on canvas, 24x48in, 2011

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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

foolhardy pear

 
Today was a total washout-literally-my friend & I got absolutely drenched while painting in the vineyard-wind /rained washed the paintings right off of our 30in canvases-foolhardy pair we were-

so a wee pear of a different sort,  created in a DRY studio....
 
 
detail: Harvest 4, encaustic on barn board



 Harvest 4
encaustic on barn board, 6x14in, 2011, available



Saturday, September 3, 2011

leave


September is bittersweet for me...birds are leaving..leaves are turning...I am searching for what was but look on to what will come





Sumac
encaustic on panel
7x10in, 2011
available

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Friday, September 2, 2011

Ms. Aubergine





My studio is  beginning to look like a produce market with Bartlett pears from the fallow orchard, tomatoes from our garden and my favourite, Ms. Aubergine! I find it absolutely impossible to resist the allure of her shape, colour, texture and gesture.....





 ' Feelin Groovy'
encaustic on panel
8x11in, 2011
available


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