Stacked (in the city)

So I am taking an abstract painting class and I have to say abstract painting is tough, tough, tough! But thoroughly enjoyable. This is acrylic on canvas, 15"x30". Below is a detail.

Bliss, Bella Lake

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished ~ Lao Tzu

Finished. This painting is acrylic on canvas, 24"x30"x1.75" deep and is $750. 

Almost there...

Hi friends. Here's what I was working on today. I began painting the coniferous trees and adding a bit to the rocks. Next steps are continuing to refine the pines (shape and value) and ditto the rock bed. Then tightening up a few more bits and I should be done!

In the studio

Thanks for your nice comments! It was interesting to hear that many of you share my feelings about unfinished paintings. There is a certain freshness and promise in them I guess. I'm always disappointed when I overwork a piece because it's almost like a physical heaviness sets in and the radiance disappears.
So I am continuing with this one. Today I began painting in some of the darks on the trees and a middle tone in the ground.

Step 2 - Work in progress

Blocking in shadows and painting highlights in tree bark. So torn regarding how much to paint over the existing canvas. I really like a lot of what is happening regarding show-through yet I've got to develop it! I guess as long as I am able to hang on to the variety and contrasts... It's odd but I really enjoy paintings that are half-done. Can anyone relate?

New landscape - work in progress

Here's what I've been working on the past couple of days. It's based on another picture I took in Northern Ontario. The goldish colour is the underpainting - it will basically disappear. I was asked why in the last painting of the woods, I painted the trees and branches before the sky. As you can see from this one, I do it a bit differently all the time! Generally I don't paint the sky completely across, and then trees on top because with the way I paint, I feel it would look like too much of a cut-out. I paint in sky around branches, and then go back to more brances and perhaps leaves on top, and then go back into the sky...a lot of back and forth. Thanks for asking and I hope it makes sense! ; )

Bella Lake, Muskoka - SOLD

Okay, I'm done! I enjoyed painting this piece tremendously. I took the photo on a beautiful day, when the air was fresh and warm and the sky shades of the bluest jewels. The scent in the woods **deep inhale** swirled with rejuvenating pine.
I loved it so much I am going to do another, but imagined in autumn.
Below is a picture of it to show the size.
acrylic on canvas / 24"x30"x1.75" deep / $750

Cedar in the evening

I am still working on the woods painting - getting close to completion. Hopefully I'll have something to post tomorrow. I saw this painting hanging in my studio and I can't recall ever having posted it on my blog, so here it is. It's from a few years back. Acrylic on canvas. 

Coming along...

As you can see, I got to the studio today! So, just plugging away on my trees. This scene is from a photo I snapped at Bella Lake in Muskoka, Ontario.

A little Redon + treasures everywhere

 Nasturtiums (1912) / oil on canvas / Odilon Redon

Two Young Girls Among Flowers (1905-1912) / oil on canvas / Odilon Redon

Although I've been itching to get back in the studio and work on those trees, one of my children has been sick the past couple of days so it hasn't worked out. Hopefully tomorrow. I decided what I needed today was a little Redon. As in Odilon. He popped in my head when I was taking the dog for a walk. And then when I was almost home I saw a few things that made me feel invigorated and happy so I returned with my camera.

Fantastic tire tread marks.

Wet, sunkissed gravel on our driveway

 Colour

Look at that skid on the left leaning against the chicken coop. 

Fabulous pattern. Art Deco-ish!

Next Steps

So today I added a middle value into the trees and began adding some leaves. I don't know if it is tedious to see the incremental steps and if I should just wait until a huge chunk is done? Anyway, I am feeling very good. Even just painting trees makes me feel like I'm breathing in the forest air : )

Stage 2

If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer.  But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Yeah. I'm a tree hugger. I know not a lot has changed since yesterday but here's what it's looks like today. 

In the studio today

Thank you for the comments about my piece yesterday! I was going ot post a good shot of it today but the lighting was off so I'll wait and take a better picture tomorrow.
This is what I worked on today. The start of a woods painting.

In the studio

Today I was back in the studio painting and it felt great. Here's what I was working on today with a detail shown below.

-45˚

These are the last paintings from my time at Jay Peak in Vermont. It was -45˚C at the top of the mountain (hence why I was painting from a hotel window). The thing I couldn't get over - standing in this conference room - was the million dollar view! Who could ever concentrate on the business at hand with mountains are all around you! 

Below is a watercolour sketch I did from our bedroom window just as dusk was settlling in. I was taken with the rhythm of the trees and the cold and wanted to record the memory. Tomorrow - back in the studio!

Winter Trees / Watercolour / $150

Last of the sketches

Lettuce root ball

 Jay Peak Mountain

Mountain as seen through lobby window

I'm thinking I might add a wash of colour to the lettuce leaves. Well, I guess I'll sketch another one and try it as this isn't on watercolour paper. These are my favourites from the week.