This Monday I finally got to get back to painting. The cold that I got in Vancouver set me back several days, so it wasn't until this week that I was able to begin again. Monday is the day I paint with the Artists' Workshop group now. I am just in the process of setting up a website for this group, so it is fairly basic at the moment.

Anyway, on Monday I was determined to begin practicing some of the ways of painting that I had learned about at the Alvaro workshop.  One of those things was to practice making people in the landscape. Alvaro showed us how to pull people out of just a dark squiggle. So that is what I did - made lots of dark squiggles and then proceeded to turn them into people. I still plan to practice doing it a lot more. These were my most successful people so far. Doing the legs was the hardest part! One important thing that I learned was to hold the brush at the end, not down by the ferule, which is what I have been doing. Alvaro's method of painting is big strokes, lots of paint and you just can't do it by holding the brush tightly. To get the legs to work, you have to use your whole arm in one big motion. Something I have to work on more.

I tried a couple of quick landscapes from photos I took in Vancouver. They are strictly learning pieces and not for public consumption. Again, lots to practice.

Here is a painting I have just finished.

Not the best photo because the light right now isn't great. It has too much reflection on it. This is a piece I started back in the spring, and I have worked on it off and on over the summer. I was not sure how to work on the foliage. From the workshop, using the brush loosely, with lots of colour, was how I went at it, and I am quite happy with the way it turned out. So what I learned transferred to oil painting as well. I might still have to work on the darks a bit more, but it is nearly there. When the weather cooperates, I will get a better photo. I actually have someone who might be interested in the painting. It will go into our Escape Artists' 'Art by the Hearth' show otherwise, in December. 

Now I feel like painting! Most of the house stuff is done. Next weekend, I will be taking the multimedia workshop, for two weekends running. I have lots of things to get together for that, so that will be next weeks undertaking. I am glad that I already have metal leaf. It should be lots of fun.

Now that March is just a day away (will the sun come out tomorrow?), I am sure that time will seem to pick up speed as it always does this time of year. Gardenscape is only 25 days away, to be followed by our annual Prairie River Artists' show a couple of weeks after that.

I have been focussing on floral pieces for Gardenscape. I am not sure if I will get any more done, as I would like to do a landscape piece next, or more likely a seascape/harbour piece. After months of gazing upon the backyard full of snow I am looking at my photos from the coast, and thinking about the ocean and beaches.

Also, Redberry Art is now being hosted on a new server, and the migration over the weekend seems to have gone smoothly. A couple of images need fixing, but that is minor. Thanks to my wizard(s) behind the scenes who makes everything up front look good.

So, off to make a decision about the next painting, thinking of mild ocean breezes, instead of the blizzard that is whizzing by the window today.

You can tell by the glare that winter is in full spate here. January is the half way mark. We have about 2 feet of snow now in the back yard. The sun is out today, and my windows in my little studio face north and west. The easel is in the corner, so have lots of reflections going on.

I am just finishing up this 11 x 14 of poppies. It is in the 'contemplation phase' now, where I let it sit in various places to see if there is anything I want to touch up. I recently finished another floral of the University of Saskatchewan's Centennial lily. The upcoming Gardenscape show has me in flower mode these days. Plus it is fun to play with all the colours when the view out the window is fairly monochromatic for months on end.

I really admire the American painter, Stapleton Kearns, who paints en plein aire in winter. He has been holding his annual winter workshops again. There is no way I could do that - not as cold tolerant even with all the gear. But it is interesting to see how he does it. It would be interesting to take advantage of the 5 - 6 months of winter we get here and use the landscape to paint in. However, I will never be a polar bear, even after living on the prairies for getting close to 40 years. So for those who like to get out and paint, regardless of weather, he has lots of great ideas.

Me, I'll sit in my little room, space heater on by my feet (it is the coldest room in the house, facing the prevailing winds and had 5 windows), and enjoy the photos of my garden I took in the summer, and paint colours.

The best way to ignore January is to get stuck into projects of various kinds. Although the white from the snow is always the backdrop, it is always very bright, and now, by slow increments, it is getting lighter each day, particularly in the afternoons. And although this is usually the coldest month, a little space heater in the studio takes the chill off - I pretend it is a little fireplace.

And the projects get underway. Here is the first painting getting underway for this year. It is of the lily that was developed for the University's 100th anniversary about three years ago. A limited number of the bulbs were produced and were sold at Gardenscape and Hort Week. I managed to get three bulbs which have since multiplied well. They are a beautiful flower, particularly in the late afternoon sun.

I got this much of the painting started yesterday afternoon, and plan to get the rest of the initial work done today. That's what you do when it is frigid outside - paint summer things. If it works out the way I hope it does, it will go into the Gardenscape art show at the end of March. I decided I would participate for another year. I always volunteer with the planting of the demonstration gardens, and have been in the art show for 4 years so far. I just discovered that there is a photo gallery of several past Gardenscape shows here. I will put the information about dates on the events calendar.

So, time to have a bit of lunch, then get back to the easel. And ignore January.

On this first snowy day of the season, I have done some major updating of this site. The Drupal platform that is used for this site recently underwent an upgrade, so I decided it was time to do a little sprucing up of the site. I have done some housekeeping, revising photos of my new calendars for 2011, revising what I will have available for cards made from my paintings and photos, and updating my gallery page of new works. I also added a new photo gallery, 'In My Garden'. It is a source for a lot of my inspiration, so I thought I would put up some photos from it. I will be adding new materials over the winter and will post about it when that happens. Now that I have a fresh Redberry Art house, it is time to get back to painting. Our December Escape Artists' Show will be here before you know!

Although the leaves changed colour and fell off fairly quickly, I did manage to find a few that are the inspiration for some small watercolour studies. Over the past while I have been focussing primarily on oil paintings. I have been missing watercolour, so thought that doing some leaf studies would be a great way to get back into it. Later this fall I am going to take a watercolour workshop with Kiff Holland. It had been a few years since I did a workshop with him - he was the instructor that really got me painting in watercolour and I have done a few workshops with him over the years. When I saw he was doing one this fall, it seemed like a great opportunity for a 'tune up'. I am looking forward to it.

In the meantime, I am going to do a few more of these small paintings of fall subjects. I have a pod from a wild cucumber that grew in the back yard. That will be a challenge, with all its spikes.

Here we are, officially into autumn 2010. In many ways it is my favourite time of year, particularly because of the light and the colours of fall. The only down side is that winter follows. Then again, winter is when I can really settle in to painting again. There are fewer distractions because winter here is cold and outdoor activities are limited. There are the usual routines to take care of, but gardening is put away for about 6 months at least. This year I have two full days without any commitments, so I look forward to that dedicated time.

Right now, our Prairie River Artists group has a show at the Magenta Gallery at the Circle Park Mall. When that show comes down, I put up one of my own in the gallery right next door. Also, our Escape Artists group is looking into a fall show again, likely at the end of November. We have our group show still at the Hilton Garden Inn until mid October.  Also, the Mendel Art Gallery is doing its Members' Show in October this year, instead of in the summer. I will put in a couple of paintings again to support the gallery. So there are a few activities underway for the fall.

I have added three new small paintings into the 'Gallery of New Works' - Bings, Bread and Cheese, and Summer's Best. With the new upgrade of the site, the paintings now are displayed alphabetically by title. I think I might do some rearranging of the pages over the fall, and rethink what pages I want. I have also been thinking about the possibility of adding the option to purchase, but know that will be more complex and will take some working out. Maybe this is something to consider for the new year.

So lots to look forward to for the next few months. And I will have some more art sites to share. Stay tuned!

This is the fruits still life, nearly done. When It is almost done, then I like to let it sit for a bit, to keep looking at it and see what little finishing touches need to be done. Photographing it also seems to be useful; it provides a different perspective. This is an 8 x 10, on a Raymar panel. I really like these panels.  Easy to use and transport if needed. They have simple panel carriers too.

Yesterday, which was a very nice day, I spent the afternoon out on the deck, working on one of the little still lifes I like to do. Which reminds me, I need to order some more small canvases. I'll have to check with Raymar and see what is the smallest size they have.

I like to do the very small pieces as they are a good way to 'warm up' and to practice with the oils. I hope to get a bit quicker and to learn more about alla prima painting. Because I learned to use oil paints from someone who does an underpainting as the first step, that is primarily what I do. I'd like to learn more about alla prima, that is how to paint directly, without the underpainting step. I still need some more experience with using mediums as well. I don't really want to use any of the organic solvents, regardless of whether they are odourless or not. They are still organic solvents - you just can't smell them much.

This fall, the Federation is holding several weekend workshops. One is on alla prima painting, and then, fortuitously, there is a watercolour workshop the following weekend with Kiff Holland. I really feel in need of a watercolour 'tuneup'. And the workshop is called 'Anything but Landscapes'. Kiff is great with still lifes, something that I have come to realize I really enjoy. So I am hoping that I might be able to do both.

One other thing. My site got its Drupal upgrade a little while ago. That has made it possible to reactivate the comments function. So now, if you are reading this and want to make a comment, you can. Also, as a result of the upgrade, now the individual paintings that show in the galleries have their names visible which is a feature that I always wanted. I am hoping to make a few small changes as well later this fall, nothing drastic, just regrouping some things. Once the cooler weather sets in will be the time for these kinds of undertakings. 

Well, had better go and gesso some new canvases. Ideas to work on and the Circle Park show in just two months.