It Has Been a Struggle

I wouldn't say that it has been a disaster but I have been struggling of late.  I am not so sure that what I am doing is bad so much as I just want for it to be much better.

Seven of us went out to the Royal Botanical Gardens to paint today.  It was 8 C with billowing clouds and sunny intervals when I left home.  By the time I got to the parking lot it was a solid grey and spitting a bit but it did seem to be breaking up.  An hour into my painting and it had dropped to 4 C and was pouring.  I didn't bring gloves so my hands were freezing and turning blue from the cold rain,  This painting is looking out over still frozen Coote's Paradise and perfectly matches how I felt when I was finished.

Last Wednesday Cassandra modeled for our sketch group.  She is always fun to paint and this day was no exception.  She came dressed as a clown and we all struggled with her eyes.  The black makeup made it hard to capture the form of her eyeball and brow.  I struggled with that for so long that I never did get this completed but I think that it works.  It was painted with the Anders Zorn palette and a touch of cobalt blue,

This third painting was done two weeks ago in Ancaster along the rail trail. It is a lone tree in Golf Links Park.  It was another very grey day.  Oh what I would give for a chance to paint on a warm sunny spring day with some light and shadow.  It has not been a great winter for painting outside in any medium.

Despite the struggles I still love my job.