Hudson Artists Association Spring Exhibition Weekend

These are three of the six entries for this year's exhibition, and I'm pleased to say that the middle entry (cups with spoon) won Best in Show!

Apples and Black Vase

Black Vase with Apples

12" square on wood cradled panel

Oil

My favourite of the latest square format series from October.  I really liked this black vase and will use it again soon.  

These pink and yellow dahlias with the last bit of summer phlox from my garden were the perfect simple little flowers to paint.

Early Start

Early Start

Oil on 12" Square wood cradled Panel

One of the paintings from the latter part of October while the last few Dahlias were left.  These flowers are one type of Dahlia that I had never planted before but made a wonderful border plant.

They kept on blooming from the time I planted them until now.  

Last Dahlias of Summer

The Last Dahlias of Summer

12" square

Oil on wood panel

The colour of the dahlias and the apples look just great together.  I enjoyed painting the teal vase as well because of the carved pattern.  The first of a series that I'm working on this Fall.

A new repeat pattern.....

We're well into Summer and the rewards of vegetable gardening are all around with farmer's markets in the country and food and flower markets in the city which is what has inspired me to take my watercolour paintings and create this repeat pattern.

Arts Alive Summer Event

This first weekend in June is our town's "Arts Alive" event in conjunction with ELAN (English Language Arts Network) and I am participating by having a demo of "painted papers" i.e. gelatin printing on Saturday morning followed by a second demo/mini workshop at Gallerie Plus on Main Rd.  These are a few of the piece I am exhibiting alongside some collage work designed for the Hudson Food Collective and their Dandelion Festival.  A series of cards and prints will be available at the event.

Paisley and Apples

As I mentioned in my last post,  I had decided to paint this orange paisley pashmina a second time.
The difference this time is that I think I treated it too literally.  What I like about the last one is that it is only loosely interpreted.  It was necessary however to mute it a bit in order for the tiny florets of the phlox to pop against the background.

A New Old Start

Two posts back, I showed a work-in-progress photo of this painting.  As much as I was happy with it, the little pewter bird bothered me and I have since painted in out.  Because of the placement, I think it still needs something; maybe a fallen leaf or petal would be enough.  But for now, I am busy creating a few new paintings for a Spring art show next week.  I did like the paisley background, although I favour the left side more than the busier right side.

I thought it would be a good idea to use that paisley background again and now I'm wondering why!?
I think it will work out in the end but because of the lighting of the current painting, the paisley pattern is darker and I still have the problem of the dominance of the pattern asserting itself in the wrong places.  Since I have artistic license, you would think that I could solve the problem, but most likely not until I finish it as it is and then decide.

Backgrounds have taken up more importance lately in my painting.  I love the fact that there is still so much more to learn.

A New. Year, a New Start!

I neglected this blog these last few months and I miss it.  This painting was a much larger format 30" square and I loved having a painting that I could indulge in.  These last few years I have been painting small daily paintings measuring 6" x 6".  So time management did get away from me!

I will post the other paintings from the latter part of 2017 in the next week and hopefully will be

here more frequently as 2018 is shaping up to be a very busy year. 

On My Easel

Roses and Perfume

12" Square

Oil on Canvas

I had to try this subject in oil as I had enjoyed painting it in gouache.  This time though, I thought I'd challenge myself and include an orange paisley patterned pashmina as the background.  So far so good....

Perfume

Acrylic on Paper

12" x 19"

Our local garden club has a flower exhibition every July and this year invited local artists to
exhibit along with them.  The theme was Fashion so I created this one using whatever was blooming in my garden (not my strong point) and some perfume bottles I had always wanted to paint.  I should really call this one "L'Air du Temps" after the perfume.

There is a slight haze in the lower left corner as I photographed this already in it's frame with glass.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy using gouache and or/acrylics on paper and plan on using this more often.

Interestingly, when I previewed this post, I realized the rose is from the same yellow rose bush and that I had painted a few years ago and which is in my banner at the top of this blog.

Lucy

Lucy

6" x 8' Oil on wood cradled panel

A recently completed portrait of Lucy.  A soon to be delivered gift to her master whom she adores.

Two Blue Teacups

Two Blue Teacups

10" square

Oil on Wood Cradled Panel

This is a 10" square oil painting I finished for our local Spring Art Show.   It was one of several teacup paintings I painted and is now on its' way to a gallery to find a new home.  

Spring Art Show

Black and Silver brought Gold

10 x 12 Oil on wood cradled panel

I am pleased to say that one of my entries into this year's Sprint exhibition won Best in Show!

I have been enjoying painting reflective surfaces lately so my collection of metallic tea cups became

the centre of interest.  Painted in oils on a collaged background, I am most happy with the results.

Never Enough Daffodils

Well April started with a snowstorm and ended with Daffodils.  Those flouncy, brilliant flowers that bring such a ray of sunshine into our homes are wonderful to paint.  They have such a distinctive
profile.  I chose to paint this version in oils on a papered background on a wood panel.  

Daffodils in April

March can be such a blustery cruel month and such a contrast to the month of April bringing

tulips and daffodils.  Always eager to paint flowers, daffodils are the first on my list.



                

Daffodils

12" x 18" on stretched canvas

Always Learning Something New

Petunias on Green Gingham

Acrylic

12" square

Sold

Although I've used acrylic paint longer than I can remember, it was rarely for fine art and usually for decorative purposes.  I decided to paint this image from photos I had taken at the end of summer 2016 using acrylics instead of oils.   The lighting was adding quite a bit of interest to this arrangement.  I enjoy painting white flowers in particular and petunias have such a flare and flounce that make them fun to paint.

Playing Catchup

16" square

Oil

Sold

Since I had not been posting regularly toward the end of 2016, I thought I would post some of the paintings done towards the end of the year now.

I painted this teacup twice.  Once as a profile (not a very dynamic image) and from this angle which turned out to be much more interesting.  Painting the golden highlights in this shadowy lighting was a bit of a challenge but I quite like how this turned out.

A Busy Year Ahead

I had painted Missy's companion, Jessie, a year or two ago and now her owner has asked me to paint Missy too.  A bittersweet memory of a loved pet.

These are actually two separate paintings and not a closeup of the first one.

Getting Back Into My Comfort Zone

Here is a little recap of the latter part of the year as captured from Instagram (#pinestreetstudios).

I even managed to squeeze in a little paper maché in the form of Christmas decorations.