Pamela Swainson Painting Journal

Free Ranging Chickens

2011-12-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

No Fences!
oil on canvas board 5" x 3"

Study in Black & White

2011-12-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

Black & White
Though if you have overheard 'chicken conversation' there is no black or white, only infinite variations. Especially on things to cluck over.
oil on canvas board 5" x 3"

The Brahmas

2011-12-11T08:48:00.000-05:00

The Light Brahmas
Don't tell the rest of my hens, but these two are my favourites!
oil on canvas board 5" x 3"
(sold)

Storm brewing over Nuttby Mountain

2011-12-09T12:51:00.000-05:00

Storm Clouds.
Very dramatic clouds at the top of the mountain.
Oil on Canvas Board 5" x 3"

Fall Blueberry Field

2011-12-08T09:55:00.000-05:00

The Blueberry Fields
Can you feel the cold wind?
oil on canvas board 5" x 3"

undefeeted...

2011-12-05T10:53:00.000-05:00

Ahh

End of the day
Oil on Canvas Board 5" x 3"
I have had this idea for awhile...

Cobequid Valley Farm

2011-12-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Cobequid Valley Farm
Another in my min-scapes series.
5" x 3" oil on canvas board.

Tractor

2011-11-28T16:25:00.000-05:00

Tractor
Oil on Board 4" x 4"
(sold)
I have an affinity for this little tractor down the road. I learned to drive on one very like it. It has a presence.

Three small and one from the summer...

2011-11-24T10:24:00.000-05:00

Main & Park St. Truro
5" x 3" oil on canvas board

Sunset in Port Howe, NS

5" x 3" oil on canvas board

Farm in the Hills, Earltown, NS
5" x 3" oil on canvas board

Summer Day in the Shade

8" x 8" oil on Canvas Panel

Here are three more for the small series for the Market. And finally finished one from the plein aire work in the summer! Had to look at it for awhile.

Small Works...

2011-11-07T19:49:00.001-05:00

Introducing my new small works...for my market stall. The launch is November 19. Don't know how many I will have ready, but the paint is flying. At 5 x 3 they are quite small, but fun to do. The spring calf I may do some more work, but it needs to dry a bit. I am so used to watercolour, the timing on oils requires a different planning!

House

2011-08-29T12:57:00.000-04:00

Ashton House
Watercolour 7" x 5'
A commission to paint from a photo. Always hard to keep it fresh, but I think it worked here.

Gardens at the NSAC July watercolour

2011-08-28T08:21:00.002-04:00

July painting day at the NSAC. Amazing gardens on one of our rare hot sunny days this summer. The Truro Art Society was invited to come paint on the College's Open House day. It was an enjoyable time and wonderful to discover this delightful spot in Truro.

Lost Camera...Found!

2011-08-28T07:45:00.000-04:00

New posts coming.

Oyster Boat

2011-07-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

Oyster Boat in Merigomish, NS
7" x 5" watercolour

Last Fall we went to an oyster tasting. It was a bright, windy fall day. The seafood was amazing. This boat had been pulled up on the edge in the fall tinted grasses. I could not resist and squirreled away the photo until I had time to paint it. I hope to do a larger piece now, just deciding watercolour or oil?

Spring Hope from theGreenhouse

2011-07-31T10:52:00.000-04:00

Spring Hope
Oil 12" x 18"
The larger oil painting as a follow up to the smaller one. I had it for while, and needed to tweek it, took awhile for me to see I needed to darken some areas and highlight just a little more on the begonias. Then I decided time to move on to the next!

Garden excitement

2011-05-29T12:29:00.000-04:00

Spring Rituals
oil on gessoboard 6" x 6"
I am helpless in the flower section of the greenhouses. We have a lovely one here in the village and it is one of my favourite places to go on a dreary-or lovely-day. There is something so optimistic about it. I had this little painting in mind for awhile. Thinking of a different composition for a larger painting.

First Tiny Radish

2011-05-16T14:36:00.000-04:00

First Radish
6" x 6" oil on gessoboard
Wayne brought in the first radish from the cold frames on a cold rainy day. What a sign of hope for spring! It was so delicate and I could immediately see the painting. I had to keep spritzing it with mist to keep it from wilting ....and paint fast

Winter Rose

2011-05-12T11:29:00.000-04:00

Winter Rose
Oil on gessoboard 6" x 6"
A cabbage sort of rose. The pink was a challenge to get the values. But fun!

Delicate Balance Oil on canvas panel 6" x 6"

2011-04-08T11:28:00.000-04:00

A yellow rose. I wanted to focus on the petals and the light behind them. I was surprised it would balance in the small jar...thus the title.
I have not done an oil painting for awhile, nice to be back.

Storm at Sea

2011-03-31T09:29:00.000-04:00

Storm 1
7" x 5" watercolour

I really had fun with this one. At one point it 'bloomed' on me, but I just worked with those edges and poured on more paint. I also let it dry for a few days and I think that helps.

Wet brushes again!

2011-03-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

both Watercolour 5" x 7"
After some serious angst, I just started splashing some paint around. Watercolour is an easier place for me to start and I am comfortable with it. I tried a small oil, but after two hours and a knot in my stomach, I wiped it. The little canvas no longer mocks me as I wiped it and took charge! Ha!
It feels good though. I am working on some more abstract-ish seascapes.

Circling the Studio....

2011-03-20T18:57:00.000-04:00

No pictures, except a new photo for my dashboard!
I just realized it has not been a full year since my last post...this is reassuring! I have been blocked--okay I know I am the only person to ever experience this, that is why it is so uniquely painful! It is a longer story than I want to go into, but it has been a complicated year with some major losses and family transitions. My call away from art making to taking care of family is something I just had to do. Now I am circling the studio. Have been for some time. I cleaned it out (after some renos in other parts of the house). Then re-arranged it and built new shelving. Abandoned it. Yesterday I went down to just be there. Ended up vacuuming the stairs--dust on them don't you know!
I did find a new easel that will not have my paintings popping off and landing face down on the floor-we are talking oils here.
Still a lonely room.
So I circle. I think about painting all the time. Imagine paintings, compositions.
How to return? It feels like I (I, Me) have such heavy expectations! Okay, so maybe we just go down and play. Yes. That is a start.

Winter Light

2010-04-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

12" x 18" Watercolour 140lb Arches
I have been working out some larger paintings in watercolour. I have a few winter scenes in mind. Easy to keep thinking about it as we are getting a light snowfall today!
I have wanted to do this view for awhile. It is a cluster of trees out behind my horses' run.

A Pair

2010-03-22T11:43:00.000-04:00

5" x 7" oil on canvas
A pair of pears, with energy! I put the two on a shiney plate with the light behind them for a little drama. The colour took me a little time to work out how I wanted to do it. I was looking for a way for the pears to 'hold' the light.

A bite size pear

2010-03-18T06:08:00.000-04:00

3" x 4" oil on canvas
This is a teeny painting I just completed for the upcoming "Little Picture Show" at the Raven Gallery in Tatamagouche, NS. It opens April 2, 2010. I was in pear mode and want to do a few pieces for this show. I like the simplicity of it. I think it would be interesting as a larger painting. Maybe I should try it--and use really big brushes to keep myself from getting too detailed!

One Pear

2010-03-17T06:20:00.000-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6" x 6"
One pear, only one, not a pair. Standing alone! Okay it is too early to be witty. I had an earlier version of this composition, and really like it. However the earlier painting got damaged, so I decided to redo it. It is different, new pear and less red on it. But still an unusal composition I like. I also quite restricted the number of colours I put on my palette.

Turnip!

2010-03-16T06:24:00.000-04:00

Oil 6" x 6"
Another for my boiled dinner series...I decided to play with complementary opposites and just make the chunks of turnip into an abstract kind of painting. I mean what can you do with turnip pieces? It was fun painting and figuring out the light effects and colour changes. By the way, I arranged the pieces on a piece of reflective silver board with a purple matboard behind it so it is all purple around it.

Onion Line Dancing

2010-03-15T13:47:00.000-04:00

Oil on canvas 6" x 6"
I am working at keeping loose with this series, well, loose for me. It adds a lively motion...suggesting dancing maybe!

Dancing Onions

2010-03-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

Dancing Onions 6" x 6" oil on canvas
Sometimes I wonder if I should title them, it takes away from the viewer coming to their own conclusions. But, well in this case, they looked like they were dancing! I love the stems on the home grown onions especially when I pull them off the braid. I take my basket into the basement through the winter and 'pick' onions.

Winter Cabbage

2010-03-01T17:48:00.000-05:00

Oil 6" x 6"
Ah, winter cabbage. How else would we localvores (those who eat locally) survive? I was thinking of a boiled dinner series-at least the veggies. A way to celebrate those humble vegetables. We had one the other night with friends after a sauna. Yum. A funny thing to paint actually, but I loved the lines of the curly leaves.

The Tomato Affair

2010-02-28T07:41:00.000-05:00

The Tomato Affair Oil (6" x 6")
Okay, indulge me here. There is the tomato couple, and the new hot tomato comes into the scene, see how he/she is pretending indifference-but beckoning with the leaf? The interest shown by the other tomato? It was a challenging composition to work with-the actual set up-but fun to play with. The story line came after I was done!

The Tomato Team

2010-02-26T21:41:00.000-05:00

The Tomato Team (oil 6" x 6")
Back to some oil paintings again! It has been a few months. I will be focusing on some of the small ones for the market--and it limbers me up. They are fun to do... work too as they can be a challenge. I am not showing the ones I wipe off. I think I spend a third of the time just getting the composition! After using watercolours, my but these babies take a long time to dry!

Country Girls

2010-02-13T14:13:00.000-05:00

3 1/2 x 4 1/2 " watercolour
As opposed to city chickens...and all the controversy. We have had chickens now about 13 years and can't imagine life without them. They are better than TV! Oh, and the eggs are good too!

MacKay Farm Study

2010-02-12T21:19:00.000-05:00

3 1/2 " by 4 1/2" watercolour
Everytime I drive by this farm on the hill the shape catches me. This very cold day with the bright sun and strong shadow made it perfect. This is a study for a larger painting. I have done it once, but it didn't quite do what I wanted. So I do it again. I am reluctant to post it! For a painting I get stuck in my head, with watercolour, I sometimes do the painting up to five times before I am ready to leave it!

Winter Shadows

2010-02-02T06:34:00.000-05:00

watercolour 14 1/2 x10 1/2 "
The late afternoon shadows are so marvellous. So much subtle and vivid colours. Out skiing behind our house is our own trail overlooking the valley. I can feel the crispness of the day and the bite of my skis in the snow.

Snowy Drive (sold)

2010-01-29T06:31:00.000-05:00

Winter Squash

2010-01-27T06:08:00.000-05:00

Some friends gave me this squash in the fall, at the Market. To paint. Well it was a bit of a challenge and took a few tries! It is a 7"x 5" watercolour. They said it grew in their neighbours compost and would I like to paint it. I liked that. I believe art is also embedded in community, or should be. Like we have the butcher, bank, drugstore, library, artist....

Rural Routes show in Tatamagouche NS

2009-07-23T08:09:00.000-04:00

Rural Roots a collection of paintings by Susan Sweet and myself. Opening reception is July 31 at 7 pm at the Fraser Cultural Centre in Tatamagouche. All welcome!

Marian's Place

2009-07-18T04:46:00.000-04:00

24" x 36" oil on canvas
This painting is in my current show and will also be in the August show Rural Roots opening July 31 in Tatamagouche at the Fraser Cultural Centre.
It is a scene I walk by often, esp when I take my horses to graze in a neighbour's field. This is at sunset. The fields are overgrown as they are not worked anymore. It is a lovely little farm and I hope some day someone will take on farming it actively again.
The grasses were interesting to do. I was not really sure how I would render them. In the spirit of not over thinking, I just started and here it is.

Cat and Horse at Rest

2009-07-13T18:25:00.001-04:00

Oil on Canvas 10' x 10"
Finished this one today for the upcoming show. My old horse Ljomi in this painting still has most of his thick winter coat so he looks very shaggy. He sheds till end of July then starts on his next winter coat. Okay maybe he has a week of summer coat!
It was really fun doing the curvy shapes in Layla the cat. She loves the horses and curls up on their backs when I am grooming them. And purrs.
Thank you to my friend Susan for permission to use her photo as reference!

The Egg

2009-07-13T08:04:00.000-04:00

Watercolour 18" x 12" on 140lb Arches
I love chickens. Maybe I watch them too much. I did several versions of this painting before I got what I wanted. I don't want to say how many, my partner thought I was becoming obsessed, me who usually does not usually agonize over a painting. This one just haunted me till I got it right. This is going to be in my upcoming two person show in Tatamagouche, NS, Rural Routes. I am doing this show with another artist, Susan Sweet, who is well known for her luscious painting of cattle and horses. Her blog is www.susansweetartist.blogspot.com. The show is in the Fraser Cultural Centre Gallery and runs July 31-opening night- to September 1, 2009.

Park Bench

2009-07-08T17:22:00.000-04:00

Park Bench in Victoria Park, Truro, NS
3 1/2" x 5" watercolour
The last weekend of June the Truro Art Society did their first 'Paint the Park'. It was really fun and a chance to get to know some of the TAS members, plus some folks who came in from other places. It was grand to paint together in such a beautiful setting. Only thing is-so much green! It is so intense. But lovely. I did this one after I came home.

Slow Moving Vehicle
3 1/2" x 5" watercolour
We have all been behind one of these in July when they are bringing the hay home. I know we are always relieved once we know the hay is in and we are set for the winter. I don't want to have to search out hay in the winter and don't know where it came from. So, this could be us...well, actually we can't get quite so much on our little truck. My partner was not so sure about this painting--I did it for fun.

Stitching the Night & Bayhead Farm

2009-06-30T18:31:00.000-04:00

Stitching the Night
24 x 36" oil on canvas

Bayhead Farm
24 x 36" oil on Canvas
Today we hung the paintings in the Gallery. A tremendous thank you to Deanna and Susan. They are amazing! Words fail me.
It is profound to see the work properly hung in a public space.
I am thoroughly and pleasantly exhausted!

McGill Farm

2009-06-24T08:27:00.000-04:00

18" x 24" oil on canvas
Another damp, rainy morning in the hills. Everything is growing madly, it looks like a jungle. This morning I was awakened at 4:30am by coyotes playing close to the house. We think there is a litter being raised up behind our place. We can hear them at times, especially night. In the winter we hear them howling and yipping. The sounds this am were yipping and snuffling. As soon as I got up to the window, they stopped. I did see one once a few years ago. Mostly we just hear them.
Good thing the chickens are all securely locked up and safe.

This painting is for my July Show. It is the farm up the road. I love the view to it from both sides. Here is early morning late summer.

The Figure Made the Landscape

2009-06-23T06:44:00.000-04:00

My new show in the McCarthy Gallery in Truro, Nova Scotia! I am very excited, nervous and finishing stuff up like a fiend. Since I have begun to do oils again, I have quite a few in this show, along with some watercolours. The opening is July2 at 7:00 pm and all are welcome!

Oh the piece on the invitation is oil on canvas and is 24" x 36".

Farmy watercolours..

2009-06-22T17:31:00.000-04:00

Red Barn in Spring
31/2 x 5" watercolour on paper

Cow Drinking (SOLD)
31/2 x 5" watercolour on paper

I am doing some larger watercolours for my upcoming show. For some sizes, I stretch the paper, but then have a strip on the side. So I had a little fun with these for my Farmers' Market paintings. They are quite small after the other work I have been doing, but fun to do. The paint is so much easier to control. For these, I did base them on photos I took last spring on a visit to Ontario.

Clouds and Watercolour!

2009-06-09T16:55:00.000-04:00

Spring Clouds Racing
Watercolour 4 1/2 " x 3"
The above marks my return to plein aire painting! The clouds were irresistible. I almost had stage fright-what if I forgot everything I had learned? The small painting was not intimidating, and well, I did three at the same time so no one of them got too precious. The above sketch is the one I liked.

From the Clearcut.
12 1/2 " x 18 1/2"
Watercolour on 140 lb Arches CP
This is one of my favourite views. (Of course this morning, I found out the blackflies love it too!) It is a view out over the Northumberland Strait to PEI. I love it because you feel like you are on a level with the clouds sometimes when they are racing over your head as they were on this day. The sky was clearing above but still cloudy over the water. This one is for my July show.

Knitting

2009-06-03T09:18:00.000-04:00

9" x 7" oil on canvas
I am working to my show for July. This small painting is a study for a larger work called 'The Figure made the Landscape' as adapted from a Milton Acorn Poem. This small painting was fun to do, I like doing hands I am finding. They can be so expressive. My grandmother taught me to knit the 'continental' style, so the position may look funny to some. I just finished the larger work last night. Whew. Once I get a good photo, I will post it.

Single Begonia

2009-05-29T08:41:00.000-04:00

6X6 oil on canvas
A variation on the last painting. I should have posted it yesterday, but I was off to Guysborough for the day to take photographs. A day with magnificent clouds and amazing scenery. The coast is so uncluttered. So back to the painting... I used the phaylo blue again, but more muted. I like it. I saw the red reflections of the flower in the shadow and with some misgivings, put them in. Perfect, it balanced out the composition I think!

Red Velvet

2009-05-26T13:14:00.001-04:00

6" x 6"
oil on canvas
Red Velvet is the name of this begonia plant. One of my favourite spring outings is to the greenhouse in our village. I love the rows of blooms as they are massed by colour. Of course a planned colour scheme is out the window as I just can't think clearly in all that glory. Okay, I did come home with some sun tolerant begonias (above). I picked up a few and as I made my way to the cash I heard the ohhs and awes. Everyone wanted them. I guess we were all in the greenhouse spell!
I picked a bloom off the plant and put it in a little glass jar. I used Windsor Blue in the background. It is such a pervasive colour, I am usually reluctant to use it, but really loved it in this, it was perfect for the red blooms.

Red's a crowd!

2009-05-24T12:33:00.000-04:00

I could not resist picking up a bunch of these luscious red tulips at a local veg stand, they are from the Valley in NS so are local too! I usually just try to do one or two, but the bunch all together was fun too.
6" x 6"
Oil on Canvas(SOLD)

Study for painting of Nest Lined with Horsehair
10" x 8" watercolour pencil on Arches 90lb paper

I just finished, I think, the painting resulting from this study. I had a black horse living with us for awhile, quite lovely and truly black. One day I found on the ground this perfect little nest lined with long hairs from Disa's mane and tail. The hairs were perfectly swirled and woven into the grass and twigs to line the inside with the warm soft hairs. I will try to get an image of the larger painting. I am finding photographing oil paintings to be a challenge. Not like drawings or watercolours. It is difficult to get an image without the little highlights of the ridges from brushstrokes.

Chick Days (SOLD)

2009-05-14T19:11:00.001-04:00

It's that time. The day old chicks have arrived. Really it is amazing how they are just in their own little world out there in their house, the light is on, food and water nearby. Doesn't matter the wind or cold. It's chick world, where they run around sleep, play and eat. I spent some time crouched in the shelter doing drawings...maybe I will post one later(I continue to have computer problems so this is not easy!). Anyway then photos helped me do the painting. The photo is a little blurry I think, but the painting is loose too. They do grow pretty fast and don't stay yellow and fluffy long!

Yellow Tomato

2009-05-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

A brief break in painting, a visit home by family interceded...so I found these translucent tomatoes and just could not help myself, I had to paint one, at least one...

Circles

2009-04-30T10:36:00.000-04:00

6" x 6"
oil on canvas
Ok, so I say yellow is hard to do...then I paint another lemon! I also decided to just do the circle in the middle. Interesting composition. I finished this yesterday when I took a break from my larger painting, but it was too dark to take the picture then.

Orange Boats

2009-04-28T16:02:00.001-04:00

6" x 6"
oil on canvas
Today's painting. Orange is a tricky colour, though not as weird as yellow. I had fun with this one, especially the curvy pulp! Working on larger paintings too for the upcoming show...so back to the easel for me.

Lego Hello

2009-04-28T15:56:00.000-04:00

5" x 4 1/2"
oil on canvas
I'm back. It was so hard to stay in the studio today. When I went out for barn chores, it felt and smelt like a summer day! The above is a fun painting I did yesterday of some of the lego still around the house. It was such a present element when my sons were young. I hadn't painted for a few days and this was my way back.
The demonstration day at the market went well overall I think. I was not able to finish something myself. I have not been using the watercolour all winter and felt out of touch even with a little warm up....I also had forgotten that terrifying time at the beginning when you are not really sure you can do it, how to start, etc. When you have to just start. I forgot it would be worse with people watching! It is what happens when you work in the studio for a few months....summers I do alot of plein aire painting and get used to having people stop by. I find folks are interested and also not wanting to disturb my concentration. It is good to push yourself a little I think.

I'm Back!

2009-04-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

Brio Toy Memories
7" x 9" oil on canvas

McGill Farm Late Afternoon
18" x 24" oil on canvas
Computer problems solved...for now. Actually I had mulitple issues including the need for a new keyboard. Oh well. Here I am.
The above are two of my latest. The Brio Toy is left over from when my children were small. I think I always liked it more than they did! It is mostly wood and the red egg turns as you pull the little wagon. It is not evenly round, so does funky turns as it rolls across the floor.
The McGill Farm is a larger oil for an upcoming show. I did a small watercolour of this and it wanted to be a bigger painting. So, here it is. I love the late afternoon sun on the fields.
Tomorrow I am doing demonstrations in painting at our Farmers' Market in Tatamagouche. I always feel a little nervous, especially with watercolour as a partner, it can be so fickle! Performance anxiety?

Pamela's Posting Problems...

2009-04-16T13:10:00.000-04:00

Well, techological challenges come in groups I think. I did replace my little camera with a new little one I am learning to use. Then my computer crashed, well maybe it is a fender bender-they are looking at it and it is in the queue for repair.
I hope to have it all together next week!
Mean time I am working on a couple of larger paintings and some small ones I will post once I am able.
We still have snow on the ground, but mostly bare ground now!

Welcome back Tulip

2009-04-03T09:04:00.000-04:00

This was part of a bouquet welcoming me home as I returned from a trip a week ago. We still have three feet of icy snow in the yard, but the rain and warm rains should help melt it...surely.
I started this small painting and forgot (again) how intense red can be. It took a while before I felt like it was a tulip!
On a different note, while I was away I dropped my little digital camera. It is definitely broken. I can take pictures but the screen is broken. It is about four years old and was 4.2 megpixels. It doesn't owe me anything I suppose, but it was like an extension of me, I carried it everywhere. It creates a problem for this blog too! I can still take some pictures, but may have to save up some and post a bunch! In the meantime, most of this week I was working on a larger painting, and will post it when it is light enough for me to try to get a photo.

Sweet Pepper in Bowl

2009-03-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

7" x 5" oil on canvas
My friend still has not come for her bowl. Those swirls are entrancing...and so hard to do! I learned also, grey is not gray is not grey.....Fun though! Today was the Farmer's Market in Tatamagouche. I take my paintings and some of our fresh eggs for Saturday morning. It is important to get out and see people at least once a week. I love a chance to talk about painting and hear some reactions to my offerings. Last episode of The Week the Women Went, so it was some of the talk at the market too.

Waldegrave Garlic

2009-03-13T17:59:00.000-04:00

5" x 7" oil on canvas
Today's painting is Garlic from Waldegrave Farm, a land trust where a group of young farmers and others are sharing their lives and work. It is not too far from where I live. Rob grows this amazing garlic. It is quite purple. Really. And very good.

Rice Please!

2009-03-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

6" x 6" oil on canvas
Last weekend some friends came for dinner. We had a late winter feast to get ourselves through the long winter we have had this year. This bowl was left with some yummy dip in it. Well I just had to paint it before I return the bowl! I loved the blue pattern and painting it 'in the round' was fun.

Oh Pear

2009-03-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

6" x 6" oil on canvas SOLD

Today's painting, same pear, different pose. It is getting very ripe. I struggled longer than I wanted to get the colour in the shade right. A lot of wipe offs before I was able to leave it! I lost a few of the edges in my photo. I have a small digital camera that is old but faithful.

Ripe Pear-fection

2009-03-09T10:30:00.000-04:00

This pear painting I actually did last Friday. I had to sleep on it-well not the painting, but I wanted to see it in daylight again so decide if I was done. I have a piece of striped cotton I have used now for a few small paintings and I love the effect. Pears are such a good old stand by for when you need to just get painting.

This painting is from last week. I had been looking for some fresh freesia to paint as I love the way the stem flows and curves to the base of the flowers. The petals were more of a challenge than I thought and I had not painted a couple of days before doing this one. The flowers don't last long, so I will try again some day. Maybe a more high key painting. In the spirit of posting daily paintings, I will include even those I am not as happy with!

Daily paintings from February 2009

2009-03-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Lime illusions
6" x 6" oil on canvas

Lemon Red

6" x 6" oil on canvas

Blood Oranges in Bowl

6" x 6" oil on canvas (SOLD)

Luscious Limes

6" x 6" oil on canvas (sold)

Blood Orange Slices
6" x 6" oil on canvas (SOLD)

Tangelo in the Round

5" x 7" oil on canvas

Complicated Corkscrew

6" x 6" oil on canvas

Old but Simple

6" x 6" oil on canvas (SOLD)

Woolens in a Jar

5" x 7" oil on canvas

More note cards...

2009-03-03T11:40:00.000-05:00

Seven Springs Sunrise, Middle River, Cape Breton NS
The image on this card is from a watercolour I did from the farm in Cape Breton where my horses lived with some dear friends before they came to me. It was an early September morning just before the sun came up, but the early light was caught in the valley fog.

Primary on Main Street, Tatamagouche, NS
I love the old buildings along the main street of our village. I could not resist the primary colours of the library, butcher shop and soap store.

Pink Rose

2009-03-03T06:01:00.000-05:00

Watercolour note cards for 2009

2009-03-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

Bayhead Farm, Tatamagouche, NS
watercolour
A classic north shore farm just outside of Tatamagouche. I asked permission to spend time in the farmer's field to draw the cows and take some pictures. The view looks out across route 6 and the bay to Malagash. The cows were pretty friendly too!

Island Trees, Malagash, NS
watercolour
A lovely spot looking across the bay to Tatamagouche. It was one of those perfect shore days with the sun chasing the clouds so the shadows were constantly changing on the water.

March 2, 2009
I am learning the hard way to do the postings. As I only have dial-up internet service (all I have available) I can only load a couple of images at a time.
The note cards are just a little less than 5" x 7" with a white border. It is quite exciting to finally have them after all the work that goes into getting them done by me and the folks at the print shop. They are available locally in a few shops in Tatamagouche and one in Truro. I also take them to the Farmers' Market in Tatamagouche on Saturday mornings.

Pink Rose

2009-03-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

6" x 6" Oil on Canvas
March 2, 2009

My painting from yesterday. Did some final touches on it this morning as the background was too dark. I also just loosened it up some by rubbing the paint around more.

Last week I picked up my newly printed note cards for this year. I am adding four new ones. It is exciting to see the final cards after all the work by myself and the folks at the print shop. I am new to blogging, but will try to paste them below too.