En Plein Air in Nanton

Nice weather - an awesome view - all your favorite tunes on your iPod and a paint brush in your hands! What the heck else does a person need? Well maybe... a Vanilla Vodka and Soda;) Recently I have switched back to oils - and have been doing my underpainting in indian red/orange...

Anyhow - a few weeks ago me and my painting friend Sheila (who is awesome) went out for the day together and painted. It was great - we packed a picnic lunch and painted for the whole afternoon. We are hoping to get out again soon! Painting is fun... but painting with a friend is better!

9x12 oil on linen board

Painting in Black Diamond Alberta

The artist retreat at 'Diamond Willow' (just outside Turner Valley) this weekend was amazing. I learned so much and had lots of fun painting with the all the other artists and creative spirits. I didn't quite finish the little oil sketch (shown above) of the little creek / river so will have to finish it in-studio or come back to Turner Valley and finish it plein air... My vote is to come back and finish it before the summer is out - fingers crossed. You cannot see the glass of wine sitting on the other side of my easel - but it was there and it was good...

I managed to finish this 12x12 acylic (above) while it was pouring rain - I found the best spot on an out door balcony over looking a ridge. I got rained on a little bit but was painting acrylic so it kept my paints wet!

Painting In Hawaii

Okay yeah - I have a goofy smile on my face - painting is darn fun!

January 2010 - Landscape painting in Maui

Painting Moleikini - had a good trip in January getting away from the snow in Calgary... messed around in the paints. Had fun getting back into it. It's not easy with a 6 month old baby watching your every move...

Kameole Beach II

Makenna Beach

2009 Painting

It's been a while since I posted here. I have been busy with Virtual Violet Inc. doing ID work and haven't had as much time to paint as I would have liked. I also had a baby girl in 2009 so that has kept me busy as well. Here is my last painting that I did in Hawaii last February (while I was prego!)... Anyhow it's on the beach Kamaole II in Maui.... It was so awesome looking out at the beautiful scenery.

Painting #15: Winston - 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

This is my best buddy Winston. He loves his little toy and takes it with him everywhere. I really enjoyed painting this one of my funny little dog...

Painting #14 : The Canoe - 18" x 24" - oil on canvas

I had a great time making this painting. I really want to explore this style a little further - group of seven meets Van Gogh... Next week another lake scene... can't wait to get started - I may have to fiddle a little more with this one but I think I will let it dry for a week before I touch it again.... is a painting ever done?

Painting #13: Flowers from Volvo Dealership - oil on canvas 16"x20"

I thought painting these pretty flowers would be a great way to start the week.  As long as the house work doesn't distract me! I find I have to have the whole house in order before I start... hopefully that will pass... Currently working on a conoe picture - and just thinking about how to get started on my skating series of the skaters down in Bowness park. Aiming to have conoe pict done in a couple days...

Painting #12: West Shore Wave

This one may be a work in progress - trying to get settled into my painting routine...

Painting #11: Childrens Book Illustration Painting - 30"x 30" Acrylic Painting

I just completed this painting this past weekend. It's quite large and took me a couple weeks to complete. It was commissioned by a client who liked the illustrations in a children's book that I illustrated in March 2007 called Hope & the Dragon, which raises money for kids with cancer - check out http://www.hopeandthedragon.com/

More paintings to come hopefully! Trying to keep at it but it's hard to juggle work and creative time...

Other paintings that were fun to do little oil sketches from travels:

Oil on Board - Cancun Mexico on the beach

Oil on Board - Trip to Nova Scotia 

Painting #10 - Studio Painting Wailea Golf Course

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Painting #9 - Lake Louise - Studio Study

8"x12" oil on Linen

Painting #8 - Renfrew Ridge, Plein Air

Renfrew Ridge, Calgary, Alberta - Oil on board

Painting #7 - Lake Ohara - Plein Air

Lake O'hara, Banff National Park, August 2007

Painting #6 - Vermillion Lakes Again: Plein Air

Vermillion Lakes - Banff, Alberta

Painting #5 - Crowfoot Glacier II - Plein Air

Close up of Crowfoot Glacier, Banff National Park, Alberta - August 2007

Painting #4 - Crowfoot Glacier - Plein Air

Crowfoot Glacier I - Near Lake Louise, Alberta -August 2007

Painting #3 - Vermillion Lakes - Plein Air

Vermillion Lakes August 2007 - Banff, Alberta

Painting #2 - Bow Falls - Plein Air Painting

Grey Day at Bow Falls in August - Banff, Alberta

Painting #1 - Tootsie Pop Tribute

12x12 Oil on canvas
August 20, 2007 : Week 1I thought a fitting first painting would be a tribute to Justin Clayton's Red Tootsie Pop... I first spotted his painting on ebay a couple weeks ago and it caught my eye and  I tried to buy it on e-bay, and I ended up losing the bid...Shux - I wanted the painting so badly, that when I lost the bid, I decided to create my own. Not quite the original but...

Here is my attempt at a Blue Tootsie Pop. The name of the game in my mind is to just get started - so whatever inspires me is fair game. Gotta start somewhere!


Here is a snap of the tootsie pop I used to set up my still life. I shone a big lamp over top to get the nice shadows. It took me 4 hours to finish the painting and I still had time to make dinner and get the laundry done. I am a little rusty but with practice I know I will get better...