Underpainting Demo with Olga Rybalko

Once again I found there is always something new to learn.  Olga demonstrated three different under paintings.  Seeing someone else do this is interesting, not only do you learn from the technique but is fun to discover with them the picture emerging.  She said one off-hand thing that I loved, it was about the flow of the eye over a painting.  She didn't say it but I immediately thought, e-motion.

Yellow Beach House 18x36" Acrylic on Canvas $390

Windswept beach where one little yellow beach bungalow adds a ray of sunshine.

Plein Aire Retreat

Just came back from a wonderful outdoor experience in Langley, BC.  Lalita Hamill and Michael King created a terrific hands on course.  We stayed at Wisteria Acres a beautiful home in a park setting.  With only 8 beds the group was small though during the day there were upwards of 20 more artists joining us on our excursions. 
Some highlights:
Painting in the great outdoors is FUN but material management is critical.  The first day I was ready to through myself and my "art" into the pond. Sticky, mucky brushes, a dried up pallet and an irritable artist (me).

How many greens can you make using 2 colours?  a forest!

Standing and painting for 6 hours is hard work.

Bugs like to commit harakari on your artwork adding DNA to the canvas.

French Ecluse 12x18" Acrylic on Canvas $215

On the Canal du Midi there are numerous views as this and I painted it as I think Seurat would love.  I think his "Farm Workers" could be seen in the field beyond the canal.

Recent Activities

Winter is coming to a close and so is the most active time of the year for artists. A short list of some of my events.

Kaboom!  this was the first year of a kind of free-form showcase of local artists.  I participated in the big screen presentation where my art was displayed and am now part of the brochure.  It's not often that artists are celebrated in this way and so thank you Kaboom!

The Art of Being Together
This is a fundraiser for the L'Arche Society and was beautifully done.  Artists were asked to submit work to the show (and sale) and then were themselves invited to the Gala. 

Art To Go
A one-day art sale.  This was a great opportunity for all the artists and while it was a long day it was very rewarding.

Classes and Workshops
Transfer Techniques with Lori Bagneres
Powdered Graphite Demo with Lalitta Hamill
Printmaking with Heather Aston

next is the Plein Air Challenge in May and a 4 day retreat in July with Lalitta Hamill

 

Obi Path 24x36" Acrylic on Canvas $850

On a trip to Kyoto I saw these three modern women dressed in kimono.  I was struck by the way their obi, the elaborately tied belt, was echoed in the shape of the path on which they stood.  The obi became the focus as it bound them in friendship and tied them to tradition.

Irises 30x48" Acrylic on Canvas

My favourite flower. The ones in my garden are an incredible deep blue and smell of blueberries.
While I didn't think about it at the time, the sky has a Cezanne feel and the flowers are more Monet.