Renewal

Prince Edward Island 'Scape - $25 -  8" x 8"

The recent weekend at the cottage was exactly what I needed to get myself back into thinking about and painting every day. Our cottage is a post and beam cabin that we built (ourselves!) about 22 years ago and is one of about 20 on an island in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario. We look across a large, deep and  pristine lake and see forest and cliffs, hear loons and breathe in fresh air and relax.
I took my water colour paints with me that weekend and played. I worked on several at once and wanted to experiment with juicy colour and loose brush strokes. It was fun and that's what I needed.

Pears I  -  $25  - 6" x 6"

Pears II  -  $25  - 6.5" x 6.5"

 

Water Dog

Water Dog

14" x 18" acrylic on canvas

This is for sale - contact me for price if interested.

This is Molly, our 9 yo black labrador, wading in water and looking for fish. This painting is based on a photo I took last summer while visiting friends on Georgian Bay - on the hottest day of the summer. Like Molly, we spent a lot of time cooling off in the water. 

Opening the Cottage

Bellerby's Island

30" x 30" acrylic on canvas  

This is for sale - contact me for price if interested.

We spent the Victoria Day weekend (just passed) in a traditional Canadian way - 'opening the cottage'. Our small, very rustic cottage (outdoor shower and even an out house) is located in the Haliburton Highlands - a beautiful rugged area about 3 hours north of Toronto. The weather was fabulous and the black flies that normally drive us indoors, were almost non-existent (what does that mean?). This painting is one that I completed late last summer while at the cottage and was inspired by some views I had of a tiny island on our lake, owned by some dear older friends who have the coolest tiny cabin imaginable, there. You can barely see the island ( the clump of trees that seem to project on the horizon) in the photo taken from our dock - but you will see what the area is like.  I wanted to portray my love of this place and beauty of the land forms through a bolder more colourful palette.  Can't wait to get back there!

Spring Adventure

Spring Adventure

36" x 24"  acrylic on canvas  

This is for sale - contact me for price if interested.

Do you remember learning to ride a bicycle - and your first 'two wheeler'? If you are of a certain age, you will know what I mean. I have had several bikes since my first one (a birthday present at the age of 5), and still love riding. It is something that reminds me of spring and freedom. In this work I wanted to suggest both. 

Starting Again

I'm back - in Canada, in my new condo home, and starting to paint, again. What with our house move last January, time away in the winter, and settling into a smaller condo townhouse that included painting a room or two, as well as other 'life' matters, painting has taken a back seat to everything else.  

Starting to paint after a hiatus of a couple of months, however, is really painful. I am working through lousy drawings, throw-away paintings, much soul searching and hand wringing.  Have you been there? The only way I know how to get through this tunnel is to keep my head down and keep working, and this week I am beginning to see some light. Realizing that I had to be purposeful, I looked again at the photos of Otis the cat and these inspired some drawings, and finally a small painting that I am quite happy with.

Otis Encore 

sold

12" x 12"  acrylic on canvas

Though I have never met this handsome orange feline, I am told he is quite the colourful guy.