Sunflowers

This was a wonderful summer for sunflowers and I took many photos. N ow that winter has arrived those photos encourage me to paint flowers.This is my latest painting, from my summer photos, of sunflowers. i like the way the sunlight is bouncing off some of the petals and some of the sunflowers are in the shade. Hope you do too.

                           

This is painted on an12x24 gallery wrapped canvas.

                                       

Hollyhocks by the House

Hollyhocks such as these are beautiful flowers. They grow so tall on very strong stems and one morning the blossoms start. The wonderful flowers face the sun and they just seem to shine as the sun hits them.

                       

A Monarch finds Bliss

                               

Yes, one of the few monarchs we saw this summer found our purple cone flowers! Here she is feasting!

She visited all the cone flowers and golden rod but did not feast on the Queen Anne's Lace. She was a very welcome sight since we have not seen many monarchs this summer. Maybe next year there will be a recovery of this much loved visitor.

Big Hazel, Poppa, Little Hazel, Chris in the Fall Woods

 Our grandkids have moved to Calgary and when the fall foliage came this year we missed walking in the woods with them. Instead I did a painting of the lovely fall colours and drew an imaginary picture of the four of us walking in Le Moins Point. I wish it was a real photo of all of us out for a walk.

                         

Banff Hot Springs

While we were visiting Banff we walked to the Hot Springs for a look around. What an interesting place with the hot springs and pool and trails. We walked along a few trails and when we followed one path we looked at this wonderful view of these mountains. The marsh in the fore ground had changed to its beautiful fall colours and I had to paint this when we got home.

                                     

A Special Cottage

A friend asked me to do a painting of an uncles cottage. Here is the finished building and if you look closely you will see something hidden in the painting that is a special memory for that uncle. Hope you can find it.

                         

A Pass in the Rockies

We spent a day in Banff while visiting out west. This is a town that calls to tourists! Flowering window boxes and railing boxes, large and numerous barrels on the streets overflowing with flowers and so many shops, aimed at tourists. Oh the art galleries! I could have spent a lot longer in those, but grandkids are just not into it, so we moved on. Many town homes and small condo complexes line the Main Street but they are very well done and fit in well with the general atmosphere. We did not see any high apartment buildings, since they would have definitely spoiled the view of the towering mountains all around. What a lovely town! 

This is a pass we pulled over so that I could take a photo. It is oils on a canvas 16x20.

                               

A Train Trip to Calgary

A couple of weeks ago, we set off on the Transcontinental Train, from Toronto to Calgary. What a wonderful way to travel; so relaxing and enjoyable. The great country of Canada unfolded out our window. First there was Ontarios northland, then the prairies. The observation car with its glass dome gave us a 360 degree view! So beautiful. We enjoyed the three days and nights to Edmonton and after about eight days with our son and daughter in law and grandkids we returned the same way. The dining car with its white linen tablecloths and china and great service was incredible, and so was the food. Moving about on the rails was challenging with the constant swaying and bumps. Everyone had to be careful, even the serving staff, who managed not to spill a drop of soup or coffee. We were not used to bunk beds and the small ladder made it challenging. We were constantly reminded that Via rents the track fron CN when we pulled over and waited for the freight trains to pass. There is a lot of freight travel !!!!!!!! On the prairies the wheat and other crops had been harvested and we think they were moving ALL this on the rails when we were there!!!

I managed to do some small watercolour pictures while sitting in the activity car. 

                               

         

                                              

Kingston Mills

During August, on one Wed. Paint Out, we went to Kingston Mills to paint. We have been there other years so to make the location a little different we met at the eastern side of the locks. ( there was another reason as well). There is a swing bridge at the lock and when I made the schedule in May they were planning to close the bridge to facilitate work. We really had no idea how long this would take so when we planned this location I directed artists to approach the locks from the Highway 15 direction. This meant they did not have to cross the bridge and there was plenty of parking. This is the view when we parked.

                          

Garden Bouquet

These are cut flowers from our garden. it has been a dry summer for flowers such as these. Also the bugs have been multiplying and the hollyhocks and roses have had interesting caterpillars that have had to be removed daily. Our garden gives us a lot of pleasure in the spring, summer and fall and many flowers to put in bouquets, such as this, in the house.

                                    

                            

A White House and Porch in Napannee

On Wednesday last week, we painted in Napanee at Springside Park. What a lovely sunny day with a gentle breeze, perfect for painting. After checking out Springside Park I went for a walk in the surrounding neighbourhood and found this lovely house. The sun just lit up the front of the house and the deep porch. I had found my painting. it was right across the road from the Chit Chat Cafe and in this parking lot was the perfect shady spot. The owner gave me permission to paint there and after I bought a coffee, I was ready to start. I think this is one painting that painted itself.

                            

This was done with oils on an 11x14 board. 

For Sale & Abandonned

On Wednesday we painted at Collins Bay Marina. What a very hot and sunny day. I found a spot that had thick shade and a light breeze. There before me was this sad looking yacht, abandoned and as you can see, for sale. It was love at first sight and since I did not know how to sail, I painted it. 

                    

Christ Church, Cataraqui

                                     

 This was our second paint out location, The National Historic Site: Cataraqui Cemetery. What a beautiful historic site in our city of Kingston. Our first Prime Minister, who had his legal practise in Kingston, is buried here. Also there are many military graves and some very,very historic graves from the earliest days of our city. The historic church in the cemetery is Christ Church, which I chose to paint. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.

A Marina Store

                                         

                                      

Friends are traveling north, in their boat, from Florida, up the inter coastal waterway, to New York City, then canals north to the St Lawrence River and Montreal. They are traveling on their boat, a cruiser, for a year. This photo was contained on their blog, about their travels, around the New Jersey shore coastline. I only painted the small marina store and did not keep the rest of the marina in the painting. It was an interesting experiment on a 16x20 canvas.

Church of the Good Thief

It has been quite a while since my last post and I have busy....painting, scraping it off, painting another...wiping it off..nothing came out right. Finally today, my first day plein air with my regularly scheduled paint out group. I created this. This church is in Portsmouth Village, in the city of Kingston. The weather was not great, but once the fog started to lift we found the parking lot that gave us this view of the church. Since it was Canada Day all the government workers who usually park here were on a holiday, so the parking lot was free of cars. It ended with eating lunch at Timmy's together and discussing our efforts. What a wonderful way to end out first plein air session.

                                      

Lilacs

I was very fortunate last Tuesday when a fellow artist brought lilacs to our painting session. I had a 16x20" canvas with me and after I borrowed purple oil paint I was set to go. The artist who brought the bouquet, found a vase and arranged the lilacs in an artistic manner, or so he claimed. I arranged my easel where I could paint the lilacs from the vantage point that I liked best. Here is the finished result. 

                         

Spring at the Stream

The weather is beginning to change and the buds are opening on the pussy willow bushes and the willows. The maples have a sheen of green and today, I think, the leaves will open. I love the spring time! This rushing stream was done from a photo because, even though the weather is changing, it is just not convenient to go out to paint on location. We are busy working in the garden, cutting the grass, and getting the yard ready for summer. Maybe soon, very soon, I can paint on location, in the woods, and listen to the forest awakening. This is done on a 16x20 canvas.

                                         

Late summer at the Creek

The leaves are starting to change and they sparkle against the dark green of the pines. The Stream hurries by, among the boulders, and the sky goes on forever. What a wonderful day to paint. This oil painting is done on a 16x20 canvas.

                        

The Smallest International Bridge in the World

Returning home in the Spring is always challenging, as far as painting is concerned. There is a difference in the paints you choose to paint with in Ontario, as opposed to Florida. The yellow is the biggest change. In Florida because of the lush foliage and the bright sun, we usually choose lemon yellow to mix with the ultra marine blue, to create more yellow greens. in Ontario, painting from photos as I am now, the summer greens need a cadmium yellow to mix with the same ultra marine blue. It is too cool and cloudy to paint outside at this time of year, but in a few weeks, when the buds open, we will have the need for the lemon yellow again, as the leaves are all new and just developing. As summer   nears the yellow greens turn to more vivid greens, and we need cadmium yellow again. What an interesting hobby this painting is. 

This painting is on an 11x14'board and was done from a photo. I am quite pleased with the result. As the title states, this is a big island on the Canadian side of the Thousand Islands, joined to a smaller island on the U.S. side of the Thousand Islands. They of course, are joined by a small bridge, which we like to think, is the smallest International Bridge in the World, well, maybe, just the Thousand Islands.

   

                           

Heavenly Biscuit

This business thrives, as you can see, in a small house. Last year there were five or six tables inside, the bakery and order desk and cash. As you can see there are small tables on the small porch and most people stand. The fire department didn't like all this, wonder why, and this year they had to change a few things. Now you line up, outside, beside the building, on their new ramp. The door must be kept closed. When it is your turn you go in, order what you want, pay, help yourself to coffee and sit wherever you can, usually outside since now they only have two tables inside and a bigger kitchen. In spite of all the fire code regulations they have kept their charm, which is mainly friendly service, crowded conditions for customers, which means everyone chats with everyone else and has fun. 

I painted across the road from the Heavenly Biscuit and all morning there was a steady stream of people willing to stand in line for quite a while, and then devour heavenly biscuits and cinnamon rolls.Everyone obviously enjoyed their visit. I decided to take my turn in line, when it was quite short, only about eight customers. I left my painting, on the easel, since it was done, and lined up. When I got to the door, a gust of wind caught the easel and it all went over. I think I whispered something and ran and picked everything up. I went back over and the people in front of me in line said, Here we saved your spot.. At the order desk!  Wonderful. The cinnamon bun was about four inches across and two inches deep and full of cinnamon, brown sugar and butter. It was heavenly!!!

                        M.  

The Porch at Edison Estates

                          

If you have been following my blog, you will know that this is the second version of this porch on the Edison Estate in Ft. Myers . The first version, posted last year, was sold and subsequently during a move, was lost. The purchaser asked me to re do the painting. Here is the finished result, for the second time, on an 11x14 Masonite board.

It is sold.

Time Square

This oil painting on an 16x20 canvas was quite an undertaking. I had signed up for a workshop on perspective using a Streetscape and this was my example to be used. I started with a photo and during the workshop I learnt a lot of interesting techniques on planning a painting and then how to plan the use of perspective and implement this new knowledge. The instructor was excellent, she wins many awards in the art shows down here and is an excellent teacher. During the lessons she wondered around the class and offered a lot of individual advice and guidance, which I needed. This painting was started during the class but finished on location at Time Square. This is the heart, the downtown of the B each and as you can see has open air patios that serve meals as well as drinks. Many of the seniors at the Beach spend time sitting and watching the action in this area. Buskers are always there and sunset is an event with a live band and entertainment. These days the area is even busier as the students are coming here for their winter break. Bikinis and partying are favourites to watch. The Cincinnati firemen are famous here for their entertaining shows that they put on daily, outside, for the college kids. The group of firemen has been coming down for years, but their stay is short just two weeks then they return to fighting fires in Cincinnati, and practicing for next years shows.

     

      

                     

This oil was sold off my easel at Time Square.

Living the Life of Riley at Red Coconut

                    

                            

I know the title is long, but I just had to name it this. I was at the R ed Coconut one Wed. morning and it was foggy! Thick sea fog was over the whole area and while I was searching for a place to paint, I was hoping the fog would lift. I have always been fascinated by this campground. Well, it used to be a campground and they were always full with no vacancies. People were packed in very tightly, but the most dense was in this first row, that is right on the beach. Campers waited for years for a front row vacancy to come up and I'm sure there is a waiting list. This camp is in high demand as it is all prime real estate. The park straddles Estero Blvd., and has four or five rows on the beach side and about three or four times that many spots on the other side of the Blvd. They are and have always been very crowded. But times change on Fort Myers Beach, and soon the Red Coconut campground was not a campground anymore but an R.V.  Resort. Now they could charge more money and hopefully crowd in as many people, on the same number of spots. I walked around the Park as the fog cleared and decided if you really wanted to park your very expensive motor home on the beach, or close by, this was the best and only park available, you have to tolerate the surroundings. You do still get a spot to put your motor home and room to extend one canopy on one side, and all the amenities, including running water and sewage hook up. There are bath houses with bathrooms and showers, laundry facilities, shuffle board, and The Beach. Because you are on the beach, there is sand everywhere and very little grass.  There are paved lane ways throughout and everything is close, very close. 

I got busy painting that front row of lucky Motor Home owners, who had the best spots in the Resort. Everyone who walked by stopped to chat and check my progress. They are a very friendly, out going, sociable group of people who live in the R.V. Park. If you live as close as they do to their neighbours, then you have to be very sociable and easy going. Whereas this resort is not for me, it obviously appeals to many people who wait for a long time for a vacancy. There truly is something for everyone on Ft. Myers Beach. One R.V. Owner said he was Living the Life of Riley on Ft. Myers Beach. That had to be the title.

Docs Beach House

Last Wednesday we painted at Bonita Beach Park on the southern part of this area. It was in the forties and a stiff breeze was blowing off the gulf. I went late, about 10:00, instead of 8:30, and so I was in a bit of a rush. I got the under painting done before lunch and finished the painting at home, where it was warmer! Here is the result.

               N.  Nn. N. 

Iris

This collage is done on an 12x16 canvas board with magazines, acrylic paint, construction paper and tissue paper. I enjoyed the process of ripping up the magazine pages, creating the petals and then the leaves using cut strips. These pieces were glued on a tissue paper background and acrylic paint was used last to darken some areas and lighten others. I am pleased with the result.

                                            

Another day at the B each

I spent a lovely morning at the same Beach Access, this time painting the view to the north. I chatted with a lot of people and the main topic of conversation was the weather; either here or to the north. We all agreed we would rather be here than shoveling the snow in the cold. 

                        

the Beach at Newman House

On a previous day painting out, I did the Newman House Cottage. I returned to the Cottage for another session and discovered there was a wonderful view of the beach from the front of Newman House. Palms trees broke up the expanse of the beach and many tourists were busy, on the beach, walking and collecting shells. Here is the finished oil painting on an 11x14 board.

                

                      MM.  

A Portrait

This portrait wa done in a two day Portrait Workshop, that I attended last week.The instructor Mary Klunk has been doing portraits for more than thirty years. With that kind of experience and also her career in teaching, she was a wonderful instructor. There were five of us in the class so she spent all her time circulating amongst us giving advise, after her morning demo. I have never tackled portraits before so there was a steep learning curve for me. We had the same model for the two days, and Mary made sure the lighting was right, which I think, made our task easier. Small mistakes have a very big impact in portraiture and the only reason this portrait is "blog ready", is that Mary had corrected all my little mistakes. Portraiture is challenging, I'm not sure if I will try another, or just enjoy this one.

                 

The Bay B each Access

                            

                            

The other morning I spent an enjoyable couple of hours at this point of access to the beach. It was early morning so the shadows were great and the beach behind the pavilion came shining through. This is the spot, under the sea grapes tree, in the shade, that I set up my easel to paint the beach and hopefully sell some paintings. 

Flowers in the Garden

This is a collage, using tissue paper, magazines, and construction paper. It has pansies, lupine, daisies and impatience. Great fun. It was done on a 12x24 canvas.

    

                                                  

The Pelican

The pelicans in this area offer a great deal of entertainment to tourists. We love to see them flying low over the Gulf, in squadron formation, and then, en masse,dive into the water for fish. If they are skilled enough to surface with a fish in their beak, this is when the fun starts. Seagulls are always close by, and they cluster around the lucky pelican, while he squeezes the water out of his bill. The seagulls are hoping he will squeeze out the fish too of course. Then he has to get the fish in the right position to swallow whole. There are many chances in all this for the  pelican to make a mistake and loose the fish.Of course the seagulls are hoping for that and  they will swoop in for the unlucky fish. Now  you can see the fish going down the pelicans throat while he stretches his head up to help the fish pass down ,  I think. The seagulls, see it too and always try to get the fish to come back up, by irritating the pelican. After this performance, it all starts again.

I couldn't get a pelican to sit still, in one position long enough to paint him SO this oil painting on a 12x24 canvas was done from a photo.

                                              

Thomas Edison's Study at Edison Estate

Yesterday, we spent the morning painting with a very large group of artists, at Edison Estates in Fort Myers. About 15 artists were there because there is so much to paint at the Estate, and they give us special tags with Artist in the Garden on them, which gives us free admission. I have never painted with so many bus loads of tourists and guides, walking by. There were bus loads from all over the world. I recognized the guides speaking German and Italian, but I'm sure there were more. I think the Estate provides the guides since they were so knowledgeable and gave personal anecdotes along the route. 

Last year when we went to the same location, there was a very cold breeze blowing off the Caloosesee Hatchee River and it was cloudy. This year there was no sun all day and it was cool, but just a light breeze. I found this lovely spot right behind Thomas Edison study where his wife created a Midnight Garden with a Reflection Pool. The flowers here were all white so you could see them in the night. The Reflection pool, of course, reflects any light there is. I esp. liked the chimney, made of stones from the nearby river side. I hope I did this quiet, tranquil site justice.

                              

Pansies and Impatience

This is another collage created with magazines and construction paper. A piece like this is an interesting change from oil painting. I finished it with the Experimental Group at the Ft. Myers Beach Art Assoc. on Tuesday morning. About ten very creative and innovative artists get together to create interesting pieces, of which very few are realistic. It is a very interesting morning where I learn a lot and meet and share with other artists.

                                             

The Pond beside the Matanzas Preserve

Another wonderful morning to paint outside. I was with the Fort Myers Beach Art Assoc. Plein air group, at the Matanzas Preserve and Historic Cottage. There was a warm breeze and I found some shade under a Live Oak, which of course had a lot of moss hanging from its branches. This pond was surrounded by oaks, palm trees and other Florida scrub and homes shared the shoreline. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

                             

On Oak St.

This was an ideal day to paint outside. Across from the shrimp fleet, I found a secluded roadway with large Live Oak trees along the length of it. The homes are lovingly taken care of and renovated to up date them. The people who live in those homes are interesting individuals who add their personal touches to the interiors and outside. last year I had the pleasure of painting the Mermaid House and even seeing the inside of that unique home. This year I enjoyed painting this turquoise home with a large Norfolk pine in front. I will have to go back again this summer to paint another home. 

                         

The Beach at Bowditch Park

This was painted from a photo reference. What a shame to come all this way to paint outside and end up painting inside with a photo, in air conditioning. It was just too hot, humid and no shade to paint this view. No matter where I painted it, it seems to work for me. I like this one. It's a simple composition and I seemed to capture the feel of the beach,(which is what I wanted to do).