Today was a good day. Sort of.

The day didn't start off great.  I was packing up my paints and somehow, without realizing it, got sap green paint on my finger.  I then used that same hand to brush my hair back off my forehead.  When I went to brush my hair before going out I discovered a dark green stripe on my forehead and a thick stripe through my hair.  I quickly jumped into the shower to shampoo it out but that only spread the green evenly through my hair.  When I showed up to paint all my artist friends had a good chuckle.

We were painting in Troy Ontario.  This first painting is a scene that I painted a couple of years ago in watercolour.  It is Debbie's favourite of all my watercolours so I decided to give it a go in oils.  It was a warm hazy afternoon.  I am happy with this.



This one was painted in the evening.  I was told that it may be my best ever oil.  I am not sure that I agree but it does look better than this poor photograph makes it appear.  The sun was low in the sky and shining through a thin haze of clouds



Yes my hair is still green.  Anyone know how to get it out?

I am Still Having Fun

I am discovering that with oils I don't have to fight with freezing temperatures or high humidity as with watercolours but I am discovering new battles.

When I painted this it was very windy and my easel was bouncing around so much that I ended up with paint everywhere.  All over my easel, the handles of my brushes, my coat, my hands, my face.  I do need to come up with a more wind friendly kit.

This was painted on a very still, sunny and warm day.  It was a pleasure to be outside painting.  Until the small black flies started get stuck to my painting.  Now leaves, sticks, needles etc can easily be brushed off when the paint dries but bugs have blood so it was a tad messier and there were a couple of dozen or so of them.

I am having fun.

Subtle Shades of Early Spring

There wasn't a cloud in the sky when I started painting and it was raining fairly hard when I finished.  Oh the joy of oil painting.


I managed two paintings.  This is the second much quicker and in my mind much better painting.  The changes in texture and colour were very subtle and the quickly changing light combined with the rain made for a very challenging afternoon.

Two Days at Christie Lake

We have had a three year old guest for a couple of weeks now so my painting and posting time is restricted a bit.  Grandchildren trump art any day of the week.


This painting was painted this week at the back end of Christie Lake.  It was just below freezing and the wind was gusting to 50 kph.  At one point it was snowing so hard that I could hardly see my easel.  It is days like this that I am glad that I decided to try oils.  Watercolours would not have worked.  The wind kept bouncing my easel and rolling brushes across my palette which got a bit messy but at least the paint didn't freeze.

This painting was painted last week at the same place.  The sunlight and shadows on the snow reminded me of Tom Thomson's painting "Path Behind Mowat Lodge so I had to try my version of it.  It was about 5 degrees and sunny so it was a joy to be out painting.

Early Spring in Paradise

Life is full of contrasts.  I have discovered that when there is way too much sadness in my life a few hours in the sun with a paint brush in my hand can be absolute bliss.


Debbie and I both lost family members yesterday.  She headed out of town early this morning to be with her family and I headed to Coote's Paradise with my paints.


I am excited about this.  It isn't perfect but no painting ever is.

Spring is in the Air

It was a fantastic day to paint.   There were just enough clouds to make the sky interesting but not enough to block out the very warm sun.   It was about -2 C but with the sun and very little wind it was quite comfortable.  We were on Paddy Green Road just outside Dundas.


I am pleased with this.  I think that I caught the lazy early spring feeling.  Lots of snow but with an obvious warmth.

Okay Maybe This Isn't So Easy

I am still having fun with oils,  Except for the horrendous messes that I am making.  I just finished cleaning all my brushes and then dropped them on my palette.  What a mess.

I love that with oils I can continue to make changes until I am happy with a painting.  This painting requires a lot more work but I am happy with the start.