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30 Paintings in 30 days Finale
Wow. What can I say. I really did stick with the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Only I painted 28. Really 27 as my last painting was finished today – after the end of the challenge. I am so glad I decided to do this challenge for a few reasons – it help passed this cold month and I wanted to use materials and subjects I do not always get around to. And I learned a lot. I learned that I actually do like acrylic paint. I just do not like to use it on canvas as I am unable to get the degree of detail I want…
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Icky ick ick ick
Icky ick ick This is an interesting photo I want to share. When working up close and personal on a bug painting there is a bit of a creepy factor with that level of concentration. It actually imprint on my brain! I still feel the disgust… As I was focused on this little painting, I almost jumped out of my skin. There on my drafting table was a dead roach of some kind between me and my palette. I stood up in disbelief, moved my canvas away and swatted at the thing a few times. It didn’t move. Then I squinted at it and low and behold – the creepy…
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Painting Returns Home with Two Awards
My painting “Sitting Duck” just returned home the 89th Annual “Open Water” juried art show recently held in Toronto. This show is the major event in the Canadian Society Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC) exhibition calendar. Open Water is open for jurying to artists working in transparent watercolour. With my painting were two award certificates; the “Sally Sloan” Award and “The Artists Magazine” Award. This is all very exciting – I was pretty proud to have a painting selected for the show. Then just prior to the show opening I was notified about receiving the Artists’ Magazine Award. Pretty happy about that. Then I received a call awhile later informing…
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The Naming of a Painting of a Raven
Naming the bird Here is my yet unnamed and unfinished painting of a raven. My friends at Google tell me that there are three names for a group of ravens. Unkindness. Conspiracy. Constable. When I embark on painting a series I do quite a bit of research on the subject, in this case ravens. I like to title my paintings with meaning whenever possible, especially if I can come up with a name that includes somme tongue-in-cheek humour. What’s in a name? I know ravens are important in the culture of First Nations (and I have this lineage on my mother’s side) so my curiosity is naturally piqued. An Unkindness,…
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Call of the Raven finished
It is always an exciting part of the painting adventure to call a painting finished. I looked over the “Call of the Raven” numerous times and then called in my critiques er family to scrutinize. I appreciate their honesty, fresh eyes and ability to see what I may be missing or just not seeing anymore. The happy moment is when a painting passes the family test. I have been hunting crows and ravens with my camera for a few years now with a series in mind. This is the first of that work. I delivered this painting into my framer and asked Mario to order in enough of the same moulding for…
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Call of the Raven
I admit that from the moment I started planning this raven painting that I was unsure what to title it. While I was uploading photos of the work in progress it occurred to me to name it “Call of the Raven”. This makes sense as it is certainly cawing about something. I did quite a bit of research with my good friend Google to find out “what do you call a group of ravens?” The search came back with a few possibilities such as “unkindness, constable, conspiracy and parliament”. I played with “Call to Parliament” but when I tested it with a few friends they really didn’t understand it…
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Yesterdays Blooms Finally Finished
The name Yesterday’s Blooms came from a few different ideas I had white working on this watercolour of white roses that grow in the back corner of my yard. Early in the season the blooms are so white, almost a transparent white. As the season progresses, the blooms take on a hint of pink. Only to become quite pinkish and coral nearer to the fall as the bloom matures. I stepped back from this painting for a period (far too long) once I deepened the background. I had to get my head around how deep the values really are on the “white” roses. The value of a grey scale value…
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Encore – Watercolour painting of Hibiscus
This is an interesting watercolour painting of a hibiscus that grows in my corner garden… it is the last plant to emerge in the spring and the last plant to bloom in the garden. Usually, this one blooms only after the first frost….and it takes it’s sweet old time. Teasing us. And then.. WOW! I promised myself Every year I promise if it blooms on time (before the first frost) I will paint it. Mother Nature has not exactly been on my side with this. I get a little anxious towards the end of August each year as I watch the wine coloured buds swell promising to soon open.…
