Earth laughs in flowers

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

With hollyhocks was kept ablaze;
In all my recollections they
In friendly columns nod and sway;
And when to-day their blooms I see,
Always the mother smiles at me;
The mind's bright chambers, life unlocks
Each summer with the hollyhocks.
-Edgar-Albert-Guest

Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful. ~Jim Carrey

August, the summer day

 oil on canvas, plein air

 30x30in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

available

art & wine , fundraiser

Hhhmmm.., really..I wasn't aware of the magnitude of my obsession with dandelions (yes I accept the vineyard fixation) until  I came across this painting from LAST May!

At the time, I recall putting it aside with passages unresolved-but now quite like it for those exact qualities.. 

 May, oil on canvas, plein air, 11x14in, copyright Jan Yates, 2014

'May' will be available at tomorrow's Studio Sale.

 I would also like to thank Mr Zettel for writing the lovely article published by Niagara this Week. You can read about the sale and fundraiser for my Scotland residency here

 At the event I will also shamelessly show off Kacaba's lovely VQA wine-with my painting label-sampling may be in order.

..hope you can drop by-!

what a difference a day makes

Finally. The last two days have been warm. sunny. promising.

The snow has melted.

Although  forceful winds had me tying the easel to a tree as well as wire the canvas to the easel, it was worth it just to be outside painting again.

That warm sun felt SSSOOO good!

 April, oil on canvas, plein air, 12x16in, copyright Jan Yates, 2014

 available

750. secure online payment via Paypal, Visa, M/C. shipping arranged. inquire here

 

Last week; 

the same vineyard, on a cold, wet, grey day.

 April, thaw, oil on canvas, plein air, 11x14in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

mind field

I am working on a few small oil sketches to possibly be made into larger commissioned paintings. Wanting to bring a plein air feel to the work, I wondered about the idea of revisiting May in March.

Apprehensive  about making a study indoors-I was afraid of losing that ‘plein air’ feel. But surprisingly, I found it did the opposite-it took me back outside.

 I was in the orchard, feeling that balmy May breeze, hearing the Spring bird voices, breathing the sweet smell of new-new grass, new blossoms, things were growing faster than I could paint them. 

I can go into the field of my mind. 

Waiting for May, oil/cold wax on canvas, 14x16in, 2014
copyright Jan Yates

remains of the day

After being in Spring (Vancouver was resplendent with new growth-forsythia, daffodils, flowering trees)-I was not thrilled about returning to our Ontario winter. 

 Needless to say it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted with a warm sun melting the mounds of snow-things were starting to thaw.

 

 

It felt great to find my paints after going without for ten days. The spring warmth was enough for me to stand outside on the front porch and make a little painting –a wee promise.

 March, Remans of the Day, oil on canvas, plein air, 8x10in, copyright Jan yates 2014

 under 200 incl. tax. Visa, Paypal, Mastercard. 

 inquire here

Thaw

milkweed, goldenrod, snow. copyright Jan Yates 2014