October

The leaves were falling on all sides like the last illusions of youth under the tears of irremediable grief. A brood of chattering birds were chasing each other through the shrubberies, and playing games among the branches, like a knot of hiding schoolboys. Every landscape is, as it were, a state of the soul, and whoever penetrates into both is astonished to find how much likeness there is in each detail.

- Henri Frederic Amiel

October

oil on canvas, plein air, 16x20in

 copyright Jan Yates, 2013
available

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

a pretty good day so far

When I think of the horror and heartache that is currently happening in other parts of the world, I wonder how survivors cope-or at least get through. The human spirit is strong and tenacious, but  I am a coward-I don’t think I could get through if I couldn’t create.

Thank fate or god or both that I live where I do- and try never to take it for granted.

 July, a pretty good day so far

oil in canvas, plein air

24x36in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

available

Tree stories

Through the seasons this locust tree, framed by a lightning- struck fence, has been a constant source of awe. 

As well as being a social hub for birds, and their families- having been raised in her protective mass of  gnarled limbs- the bees also take nectar from her heady blooms. The honey is divine.

  

 June, the Locust tree, oil on canvas, plein air,  16x20in,  copyright Jan Yates 2014

Among
of
green
stiff
old
bright
broken
branch
come
white
sweet
May
again
~ William Carlos Williams

you are everywhere (sold)

'The Lilacs are out and I'm thinking of you'-recent email to my Daughter. Every spring she would make a point of picking some for me. I hold the memory close.

I love this passage from 'Lilacs' by Amy Lowell

' Lilacs in dooryards

Holding quiet conversations with an early moon;   

Lilacs watching a deserted house

Settling sideways into the grass of an old road;

Lilacs, wind-beaten, staggering under a lopsided shock of bloom

Above a cellar dug into a hill.

You are everywhere.'

May, Quiet Conversations,  oil / cold wax on canvas, 16x20in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

*On another note, I am happy to report that Saturday's open studio event was a perfect day! Thanks to new visitors and collectors, students, neighbours, friends and loyal patrons for stopping by. Your support means more than I can say.
The only downside - I was so busy in conversation, I forgot to take photos !

cloud illusion

The world's favourite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.

-  Edwin Way Teale

Yes, I continue to work in the orchard series as I am drawn to what the trees represent.

In the time of blossom there is an airy feel-almost as if a cloud is resting on the land.

This cloud camouflages and protects the nesting birds, one of which made it's way into this painting.

Waiting for May, oil on canvas, 36x48in, copyright Jan Yates 2014

 available (inquire here)

"It was such a spring day as breathes into a man an ineffable yearning, a painful sweetness, a longing that makes him stand motionless, looking at the leaves or grass, and fling out his arms to embrace he knows not what."
-  John Galsworthy

special plein air workshop

In the Orchard

The vibrant spring colours are here for a very short time-let’s get outdoors and paint them! We will work on location Monet style-‘en plein air’- among  orchards, lush fields and big open sky. For those preferring  to paint structures, there are barns, fences and wonderful fallen down sheds for inspiration This afternoon workshop is enjoyable for those with minimal art-making experience as well as more seasoned artists. In inclement weather, painting will progress in the studio with fresh spring cuttings as inspiration. Sessions are in oil or acrylic. Participants are responsible for their own supplies, paints etc. and a suggested colour pallet and list will be provided upon registration. Some outdoor easels are available.

Saturday, May 10 1:30-4:30PM *this workshop will make a lovely Mother’s Day Gift! REGISTRATION:     Grimsby Public Art Gallery 18 Carnegie Lane, Grimsby,    Ontario, L3M 1Y1 phone: 905-945-3246 e-mail: gpag@town.grimsby.on.ca webpage: www.town.grimsby.on.ca/ArtGallery/Main/

push-pull

This is another sketch to be considered for a large commission.

 Working small allows for experimentation and play. I have been changing /testing mediums (I like to make my own) as well as underpainting with cold wax and a lovely orange/red by Kama pigment.

Of course, what is underneath affects the work, so thinking through an idea helps, although often when I prepare surfaces, the physical process sparks the idea. I like the push-pull of planning and spontaneity.

*i also played with knives

 

 Escarpment fog (May), oil/cold wax on canvas, 8x10in

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

looking back, looking through

I’ve wanted to revisit this for awhile.

While spending time at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland what first struck me was the wild Rhododendron juxtaposed against the endless hues of green. 

A midst the evocative, mysterious and changing light, it is heady. Witnessing it also brought to light a fascination with portals.

 Annamaghkerrig 'bench', oil/cold wax on canvas, 16x20in, 2014, available

copyright Jan Yates

Winter Sleep

It's not the case, though some might wish it so
Who from a window watch the blizzard blow
 White riot through their branches vague and stark,
That they keep snug beneath their pelted bark.
They take affliction in until it jells
To crystal ice between their frozen cells,
 And each of them is inwardly a vault
Of jewels rigorous and free of fault,
 Unglimpsed until in May it gently bears
A sudden crop of green-pronged solitaires.

-Richard Wilbur, Orchard Trees, January 
 

 January, (winter sleep) oil on canvas, 40x48in, diptych

copyright Jan Yates 2014, available

night moves

It is a struggle for me to paint with oil under artificial light, however  with these #/*#%!!^ shorter days and my schedule, I have no choice. I often switch over to  encaustic at night because I am working flat and don’t have an issue with glare-but upright on the easel is an altogether different story.

I have spent more time getting the right bulbs, adjusting lights, then glare, then adjusting, then glare-however I think I've finally gotten to where it is fairly even, although I might have to glaze work when I asses it in natural  daylight.

So here is a new painting in progress-30x40in. Limited pallet-again my favourite winter combination. Not sure how far I will go with it. 

I do like making art at night as my mind is empty of daily left brain jargon and open to a myriad of possibility.

Gift of Art

Last Christmas I was fortunate to have requests for gift certificates and this season I am offering the same option. They can also be individually customized.
Art resonates on an individual level so this way your loved one will be able to select what speaks to them!

Just choose any of the artworks from my website and I will incorporate it into the gift certificate design-at no charge. Or simply select one of the two designs below. The certificate can be redeemed for either a workshop (70.) or a work of art (starting at 70).
Orders and payments can be made online. Please email: janyatesart@gmail.com

 *as well, I am shamelessly flogging my 4th annual Online Art Auction. Info is on the sidebar with a link to available works of art-thanks to those who have already made bids!

breathing out & breathing in

It felt great to be painting again after working all week on either the computer or other art projects.

I have to say that this is a subject matter and pallet that continues to entice me. November in it’s changing motion, the warm breathing out and the cold breathing in. As I was working (looking out my studio window) there were many starling murmurations, moving in continues motion, mirroring the rolling clouds but in reverse black.

Snow is on it’s way.

 November, oil/cold wax on panel, 14x30in, 2013, sold

copyright Jan Yates

kindred

Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.
- Rainer Maria Rilke

 November,  kindred, oil /cold wax on canvas, plein air, 20x24in, 2013

copyright Jan Yates

a little madness in the spring

"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King."
-  Emily Dickinson

April, waiting for May, oil on canvas, 40x40in, available

encaustic workshop

In today's encaustic workshop, participants were interested in learning how to work in a somewhat representational style. Below are two works that started as oil and cold wax under-paintings, and then were built up with layers of molten wax and pigment.

 winter 5, encaustic on panel 14x20in, 2013

In this  advanced class, participants also explored shellac burn techniques as well as warmed drawing, monotype and mixed media.

 winter 6, encaustic etc on panel, 9x12in, 2013

As usual, I was so engaged with my students that I forgot to take pictures in-situ. I emailed them and they promise to pass on their finished paintings so I can share them as they made some really exciting work. 

I will be posting dates for March and April encaustic studio workshops soon. For info please visit my website or contact me.

Encaustic Workshops coming in March

 

 

The upcoming month will be crazy busy but I did manage  to arrange two encaustic 'mini' workshops and possibly a third full day workshop-still fleshing out dates/time on my calendar for the latter.

I enjoy conducting these shorter workshops and my students, some never having picked up a paintbrush, quickly become excited and inspired-shedding any pre-conceived notions of how intimidating art-making might be. 

 For returning and practising artists that are familiar with the medium, these sessions offer time and materials to explore new and challenging ways of working  and enable them to expand on ideas and approaches. 

Participants will thoroughly immerse  and engage  in a variety of techniques, or if they wish, can focus on one or two. At all levels, there will be  lots of hands-on time to play.

Encaustic Workshop @ the Grimsby Public Art Gallery
Wednesday March 7, 2012 (1 session)
From 5:00pm– 8:00pm
$30 + $20materials
to register
phone:  905 945 3246 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            905 945 3246      end_of_the_skype_highlighting 
email: gpag@town.grimsby.on.ca

Ancient and intriguing, this method of painting originated in Greece, where it was used for the earliest easel and mural painting. A heady combination of colour, melting wax and heat, encaustic mixes dry and oil pigments in hot beeswax. Artist & educator Jan Yates has been working with this luscious medium for over 15 years and will share techniques including image transfer, photo collage, colour, glazing, layering, drawing, mono type and cold wax techniques. Classes are enjoyable for those with no previous art-making experience as well as returning artists who want to further explore this alluring and tactile medium

 

                                           

Encaustic Workshop @  my studio (Grimsby)

Tuesday, March 13, 6~9pm

$65

to register: jan@janyates.com

winter plein air & random show images

This week I have been working in the studio -still drawing - but I needed to get out and paint from direct observation. For the last month I have worked in either encaustic or dry media and have been craving the sensation of painting with oil- in it's fluidity, immediacy and movement. So I packed up my gear and set off late afternoon when the light was interesting, but didn't venture far from the studio. I wasn't sure how the weather would hold and in feeling so rusty only brought one small canvas. (which is NOT what I tell my students-always have at least two surfaces, no matter what!)

This painting is merely a study-an exercise. It was good to be back out there-felt like home-which I was, I suppose.

February (study), Niagara escarpment, oil on panel, 8x10in, available

Below are some random images from the exhibition 'This land is OUR Land: the Greenbelt Dichotomy

As usual I forgot to take pictures at the opening, but it was packed and a LOT of fun! Thanks to all who came out-your continued support is deeply appreciated.

Planting by the moon, encaustic on panel, 10x10in, 2012

Fallow, encaustic and aluminum on panel, 12x40in, 2012

Greenbelt Dichotomy

Tired Eskar, installation by Jefferson Cambel Cooper, portraits by Michelle Teitsma

greenbelt dichotomy close up 2012

Almanac Moons

May, Supply & Demand

Oil on canvas

30x36in
Collection of J & K Barrett

Statement

‘Niagara’s very limited fruit lands are the best in North America, and they are much threatened by development despite the Greenbelt protections. Fruit farmers are aging and are increasingly under huge financial pressures, and neither their farm expertise nor the land can be replaced elsewhere. And, crucially, if the government is not prepared to save this unique part of the Provincial Greenbelt through a substantive investment in the land and the farmers, through payments for easements, we will be left not too far in the future, with a “token” fruit belt having blossoms but no real farmers on the land. In fact the very success of the Greenbelt will be totally undermined, as after all, if the government cannot save the best lands in Canada what other part of the Greenbelt can they protect for farming and for feeding Ontarians?’

Val O’Donnell, President,

The Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (PALS)