Avocado

I'm still working on the fruits and veggies series. They are fun and great practice.

The Glass Vase

Oils on stretched canvas 20" x 24"

C.$850.

Of all the paintings I have done in the last two months, this is my favorite. It was like the glass vase painted itself and totally wanted to be on the canvas. Sometimes it is like that...those painting moments are so precious. They come to me more often after a prolonged period of creativity and concentration. I think the key word is SIMPLIFY...and it is one of the hardest concepts to actualize. Pare everything down to what is most important. Let go of the details...relax and follow the brush.

Heron

Oils on stretched canvas 10" x 12"

C.$200.

Of course there were many herons where I was in Florida. In fact I got quite used to them walking by my windows and fishing when the tide was low. I took many photos and then had my laptop set up near my easel, so I could use what was on my monitor for reference.

Seagull at the Beach

Oils on stretched canvas 16" x 20"

C.$450.

Haven't been on line for a number of days...travelling back to Ontario...I loved the beach in Florida, and so of course did a number of paintings of birds. Even common birds like gulls have incredible grace and majesty. This painting took me a long time to do, and wasn't easy. I was trying to make it light in weight. Like air.

Willets and Feather

Oils on stretched canvas 16" x 20"

C.$450. unframed

I do love painting birds. This one is very different from my usual approach. I think these shore birds have such personalities, and group dynamics. Just like us!

Clam Bayou

On location oil on stretched canvas 10" x 12"

C.225. unframed

This is what it looks like where I am in Gulfport, Florida. I feel so lucky to be right by the water watching the tide go in and out, and had great fun doing this painting. My only problem is that it's sunny every day (!) and so doesn't make for good lighting for taking photos of paintings. I like to take them outside on a cloudy day.

Three Hibiscus

Oil on stretched canvas 16" x 20"

C.$450. unframed SOLD

The third in a series of totally red hibiscus flowers. They are growing right outside my door here in Florida. Again, the glass fascinates me...all the lights and darks...I would highly recommend it as a painting excersize. I'm in Gulfport.

Red Hibiscus

Oil on stretched canvas 10" x 12"

C.$ 225. unframed

It took me several trys to get to a point where I am satisfied with this painting...it's occuring to me lately how challenging painting really is. A painter has an image, in reality and then in his or her imagination. I usually visualize the end result that I want on the canvas...along the way I "follow my brush"...I try to let the painting and my inner voice guide me to create what is an interpretation of my subject. I leave things out, and put others in, and constantly check and rearrange my values and colours. Does this always result in a fabulous work of art? Unfortunately no, and why that is...remains a mystery to me.

Azaleas

I'm becoming totally fascinated by glass...forget landscapes and wildlife, I just want to paint glass.

Evening Shore

Oil on stretched canvas 10" x 12"

C$250. framed

I have always loved the luminous colours the surface of the water reflects at sunset. I have tried with other paintings to get that effect, and I think I was successful here, finally. Maybe it was the dark ground I generally paint on these days, so there is lots of contast. I simlpy negative painted the birds.

Willets - final

Oil on canvas 10" x 12"

C$250 framed

I've been so busy painting the last few days I couldn't get to all the computer work...but here is the final version of the Willet painting with numerous changes, not all even visible. Again...changes can be subtle or dramatic, and can be made at any time during the process of painting, in order that the statement of the painting be made more clear to the viewer.

Tomatoes

Oil on board 8" x 8"

C.$95. framed SOLD

This was a great journey in the world of reds. What fun...

Not a Masterpiece

ok, ok, one has to learn somehow right? One of my goals this year is to teach myself how to paint glass...so this seemed like a good place to start.