Country Girls

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

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

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)

Winter Squash

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

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

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

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

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

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.