Begin anew...

If you have been following you know that for 2012, I aimed to do a painting a day.
I managed to get to 130 total - about 3 a week.
I shouldn't beat myself up on the number - it was actually quite difficult to do at times.

I faded near the end of the year after I moved to a new house. Paintings walls needed to be done - not art.

Now is time to get back to work.
I have turned back to an old habit of creating mini watercolours as I go.
They are about 4x4 inches and the subject matter varies widely.

Here is the start. These are small sketch/watercolours of Hamilton are waterfalls.

Week 33 – Oct 15-22 – 3 flowers

Fall is upon us and winter is not too far behind.

This past week, I begun the dreaded task of cleaning up the yard for the season. In doing so, I was reminded of how, the now old dried up sticks and stems once held gorgeous blooms.

Painting these flowers is my way of dragging out the good weather as long as possible.

Iris

Oct 20, 2012

Carnations

Oct 19, 2012

Glads

Oct 18, 2012

Week 32 - Oct 1-8 - One view, 3 ways

I kept with the fall theme this week as it is all around and fantastic.

I am also working on some new larger pieces and needed to do a bit of experimenting for that so I took 1 view and worked it up in 3 different ways. 

I think I got what I needed for the larger works but it will be a while before they are unveiled and the choice of direction taken here is revealed.

Fall Road 3

October 8, 2012

Fall Road 2

October 7, 2012

Fall Road 1

October 6, 2012

Week 31 – Sept 24-30 – Fall is here

I didn’t get a lot of work done this week, but I did get out and enjoy the great colour around us. 

Fall colour is finicky this year, not even started in some places and full blown colour in others.

I did get a couple of quick works done however. 

The colours are a bit primary but that is what they feel like when you are outside on a glorious, crisp sunny day.

Sept 30, 2012

Fall Tree

Sept 29, 2012

Fall in the Distance

Week 30-Sept 17-23 - White Boxes in a Field

I actually painted this week in my new studio. 

I had to force myself to stop rearranging everything and just pick up a brush.

I decided to carry on with images from my day of painting on the Escarpment on August. While walking through the lush fields I could see this great cluster of bee hives. The stark white against all of that colour made them really pop out of the landscape.

Sept 23, 2012

Bee Hives 3

Sept 22, 2012

Bee Hives 2

Sept 21, 2012

Bee Hives 1

Week 29 - Aug 27-Sep 2 - A Day on the Escarpment

Yes, I was back at it again this week. 

I spent most of this summer preparing to move, so painting took a back seat. I was pleased, however to spend a day with a painting pal, Jan Yates in a lovely area behind her home on the Niagara Escarpment, where everyway you turned there was something beautiful to look at.

One view was a wide open field, another area was lined by gorgeous pines and many hay bales sat in the middle. Another was rolling hills and yet another, rambling grape vies and goldenrod. It was difficult to decide what to work on and I am sure I will do more work based on this afternoon.

The day was perfect and it was fun to get back outside and paint.

You can see Jans’ work at http://janyates.blogspot.ca/

August 29

Fall Colour Starting

I hate to admit it, but the trees are starting to change. The subtle colour on the hill was lovely.

August 29

Red Barn

The contrast of this great red barn against the surrounding green was stunning.

August 29

Day Ending

As the day got later, the sun was starting to set behind the pines on the hill.

Week 27 – Week 28 June 26-July 8 - Behind again

I am so far behind I have posted 2 weeks of pics together.

It looks like my only impetus to paint lately is a mini vacation. I just can’t seem to get in the studio these 

days.

I was invited by friends to a place just outside Gravenhurst ON for the first week of July. It was horridly hot in the city, but fantastic by the lake. Lots of swimming, reading, great eating and a bit of painting.

There is a great island in view with a lovely rock outcrop and tons of trees. It was really interesting to see how it looked differently throughout the day as the light changed. I actually painted early each day, not too long after sunrise but the best light was late in the day. I was chastised for my picture taking as I did not wait for that perfect time around dinner where the light was directly on the island, just before the first shadow appeared along the tree line.

I was ambitious at first doing 2 paintings a day for 2 days.
Then Canada Day arrived and I figured a true vacation day was in order.

I did do a few more pics the next day and those are the works of the second week posted here.

July 2, 2012

Pine Lake 9

July 2, 2012

Pine Lake 8

July 2, 2012

Pine Lake 7

July 2, 2012

Pine Lake 6

July 2, 2012

Pine Lake 5

June 30, 2012

Pine Lake 4

June 30, 2012

Pine Lake 3

June 29, 2012

Pine Lake 2

June 29, 2012

Pine Lake 1