Wisps Over K-Country [oil, 6”x8”]

This is the view from a pathway beside Allen Bill Pond looking towards Kananaskis Country. I love clouds, and painting clouds…  these are cirrus or mare’s tails.  Their feathery appearance makes them looks like they’re dancing across the sky.  Our weather continues to be gorgeous here, although the wind is up today.  It’s been perfect weather for harvesting this September – much needed due to a late, wet spring.  Cheers!

Early Morning Calgary [14x11 watercolor]

This Calgary sunrise is another of my photo references from our deck [different house than the Bearspaw Dam shot earlier this week]. What a city view we had from this deck! This was a particularly memorable sunrise… I have several photos of this bright, bright color. Just a bit of “low-lying fog” hanging over the Bow River and downtown with the lights still twinkling across the city. Enjoy!

Rock Isle Lake (20x14, watercolor)

A year ago I attended the Sunshine Meadows Plein Air PaintOut near Banff, Alberta.  The area is spectacular – what a gift our beautiful mountain parks are!  I nearly froze solid up there on a day that couldn’t make up it’s mind whether to snow, sleet, rain, or shine.  The overcast conditions made for the most spectacular photography though.  The purpley mountains set off the new, yellowish green growth perfectly.  My favorite spot is the basis for this watercolor painting – Rock Isle Lake.  Spectacular views and the cleanest, purest air I’ve ever breathed.  This year the PaintOut is August 5th so hopefully the weather will be more cooperative.  Regardless, it will be a day of fun and fellowship with other artists and enough photo reference material to last a lifetime! 

Mexico tomorrow!

Ron and I are off to Mexico for two weeks. We leave tomorrow and it doesn't look like we will have much internet access while there. I will post as I'm able... I plan to do some sketching and a LOT of photography while there. I leave you with 2 photos... the first is one of the friendly faces I hope to see again, the second is a lovely sunset over the palapas on the Bay of Banderas. I've also provided some information on the peregrinaciones that we will see from Dec 1-12 in Puerto Vallarta.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (source )

The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Virgen de Gualdalupe), with its colorful religious processions (Peregrinaciones) from December 1-12, is the most public and extended religious holiday in Mexico. Guadlupe is the patron saint of both Puerto Vallarta and of Mexico. She is also known as La Virgen Morena (the brown-skinned virgin). She is believed to be the manifestation of the Virgin Mary in the Americas.
December 12th celebrates the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Guadalupe to the peasant Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on a hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City in 1531. Puerto Vallarta celebrates this event with daily processions by social, civic and business groups and from adjoining communities to the Church of Guadalupe, in the center of Downtown Vallarta for special masses. Some of the larger of these processions may include parades with floats, dancers, music and fireworks. The final day of the peregrinaciones is a fiesta with fireworks and food vendors in the central plaza.
Visitors are encouraged to watch the processions from the sidewalks or even to join in. The processons usually start around the area of Juarez and October 31st streets.
At midnight on December 11, large numbers of people gather around the Church of Guadalupe to sing the Mananitas to Mary. During the day of December 12, Mariachi bands play and around mid-day the main pilgrimage named de los hijo suentes y previligiados (missing and privileged children) occurs with the largest assemblies of the whole 12 days. Children are dressed in sackcloths and traditional customs made of linen.
At 8pm on December 12 is the last mass of the celebration and the processions keep coming to the Church until almost midnight.

Sky Study (10"x6")

I decided to do a quick sky study today. I usually use ultramarine blue for my skies but thought I'd find out what I get with pthalo blue instead. Phthalo is a cool blue and it gives great grey/black when mixed with burnt sienna. It follows it should be good for greys and stormy skies. But it's a bit too blackish grey... I think I'll go back to the warmer ultramarine blue because it' gives more realistic warm greys for a stormy sky. Enjoy!

Rocky Mountain Clouds (11"x7")

Last Wednesday class we worked with a landscape photo, did up a quick value sketch and made quick adjustments to composition required for a good painting. Then we were to paint a small painting matching the original photo closely and another painting pushing the colors into something more exciting and dramatic. The photo I had (thanks Sally) was similar in colors to the left most painting above. I don't mind it but I really like how the piece on the right turned out. It's pretty much the same scene but I changed things around using the triad green gold/ultramarine violet/scarlet lake. The color scheme really makes things sing... Enjoy!

North Glenmore Park - work in progress

I began this today and I have some bits to complete. However, I want to share it with you here tonight. I'm very excited about the mixed media class that I started today. It's quite freeing to be able to get back lights and whites in a variety of ways. I'm still waiting for the remainder of my supplies to arrive soon from Curry's. Have a look at this painting in progress and check back for future updates. Have a great Tuesday!

Dolphin Sunset (10"x14")

The circular patterns that came out of one of my recent "starts" immediately reminded me of jumping dolphins. So, I developed it along those lines. I've never seen this particular green in a sunset but it works in my imagination and that's all that counts here. The dolphins looks like they're having fun! Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers! Tomorrow is election day in Canada - VOTE!

So Glad We Came (6"x6")

... and I'd be glad to go back anytime! The sketch for this little painting is based on a couple of photos I took when I was in Nuevo Vallarta. This couple was standing just in front of us as we watched this astonishing sunset. They seemed to be reveling in each other and the memories of the week - a great week. It was such an awesome sight over the ocean and it lasted a long time. The reflections on the sand were more colorful than I've been able to capture here. Perhaps on a larger surface I'll have enough space to explore that more fully. It's on my list.

Folks talk about Hawaiian sunsets but Nuevo Vallarta served up gorgeous sunsets almost every night - any of which were more beautiful than what I saw during 14 days on the big island, 8 nights on Maui and 3 nights on Oahu. Don't get me wrong - I'd be quite happy to return to the Islands at any time... August is a particularly beautiful time there with the ocean SO warm for snorkeling.

Now, back to beach volleyball... until tomorrow!

Still Standing II (6"x6")

It seems that both my dd Kim and sil Stephanie each left a bit of her heart on the West Coast of the West Coast. So, to keep the family peace, I agreed to paint another little scraggly tree as viewed from Pacific Rim National Park. Kim gets to pick which she wants.... She was, as she pointed out, with me when we spotted this tree. The other I will mail to Stephanie in Wausau, Wisconsin (home of the Woodson Art Museum).
Here's my second try at the little twisted pine. This time I toned down the sky by using warm ultramarine blue instead of cool pthalo blue. The tree has just a bit less foliage and I like that. However, my first attempt is, in my opinion, wilder and reflects the mood I was in when I painted it (see July 23rd post). Six of one, half dozen of the other.... Enjoy!

Sorrento II (12"x12")

I snapped the reference photo for this painting in April 2007. What a gorgeous view over the lake that day!!! Absolutely no waves, nothing breaking up the huge heavenly mirror that morning. I was surprised at the brilliance of the color reflected in the water. That said, I don't think it was quite this bright. So, I'm half done Sorrento III and I should have that for your comparison tomorrow. I do believe I will like it better as it is just a bit calmer and less hectic than this one.

Speaking of less hectic, my daughter Candice and her girls Kiera (4) and Kalista (2) are off on their Japanese adventure tomorrow. I wish them well and we will miss being in the same time zone and within 4 hours travel time - sigh. They visited last week and things around this house have definitely been less hectic since then. I've had time to paint and read and think about the fact that the girls and I got in only one painting session.

Until next time...