Heading Home, Union Station, Toronto

24x24 oil on canvas Sold

This is another scene that I was hoping to get finished for the upcoming show. I don't think working under pressure helps creativity. All it does is create stress, but nonetheless, I am still enjoying the intense painting time. I hope to get back to some regular posting after the show.

I did this scene in a 12x12 a while back and wanted to do it on a larger scale. I hoped to keep the main structure of the scene and not work on too many details. When going up in size, its easy to start focusing on details rather than the shapes.

"Suits" head for the Go Train after a day at the office.

Bay Street Rain, Toronto

24x24 oil on canvasSold

There is nothing like an upcoming show to get one motivated. There was a time when I came into the studio, checked mine and other blogs, and procarastinated a "little". Now I come in, pick up a brush, and get going. I have to say that I really enjoy the momentum and the production, even though it is sometimes exhausting. 

I did a similar scene to this a while back, but wanted to revisit it in a square format. My focus this time was the streetcar tracks and cables. I think it is a little darker and drearier, reflecting our weather for the past week.

If you are in Toronto for the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibiation, visit me at booth 262.

FAV 15% in the May Boldbrush competition

12x12 oil on canvas

I am pleased that my painting "Movie Night at the Westdale Theatre" was voted into the FAV 15% in the May Boldbrush painting competition. You can view the FAV 15% paintings HERE.

6x6 oil on board

Here is another Toronto Streetcar using the Zorn palette with the addition of Viridian for some highlights. I like the misty rainy look that is possible with the limited palette. I also tried to incorporate more palette knife work and thicker paint. I often use a palette knife on certain areas of my work, but would like to incorporate it a bit more. For some great videos on painting with a palette knife, visit Tom Browns blog. He has several videos where he paints on a small scale using the palette knife only. You can visit his blog HERE

Taxis On Yonge Street, Toronto

30x40 oil on gallery wrap canvas Sold

I previously did this scene 8x10 in acrylic (view it here) to get a sense of what it might look like on a larger scale. An obvious lesson I learned, is that you have to PAINT it on a LARGE scale if you want to know how it will look. There really are no shortcuts. And then I ask myself why I am doing this,(as I am covered in head to toe paint and the studio is a complete mess) and the answer is "because I have to" and also because the image is kind of fun and funky.

When painting on a large scale, I found it difficult to maintain the value study I did. The details try to sneak in. I had to repaint the middle and far distances three times.

This is Yonge Street in Toronto with the signature Taxicab colors dominating the foreground.

Toronto Streetcar 2

12x12 oil on gallery wrap canvas Sold

I've been spending a lot of time getting paintings ready to take to the TOAE in early July. Varnishing, signing (I have a very bad habit of not signing them until I think they are done, and then I forget). I am also painting the sides of the gallery wrap canvas...a lot of work.
There are  a few more pictures that I want to paint to take. I did a smaller version of this one, and would like to do a large (24x24) but decided to try the 12x12 first.

I used a version of the Zorn palette here, but added some viridian for a few highlights. I may do another 12x12 with a more extensive palette to decide which one to use for the 24x24.

Toronto's Painted Ladies

6x6 oil on panel sold

The other day the forcast was for rain and more rain, so I grabbed my camera gear and headed into Toronto hoping to get some nice rainy shots of the Kensington Market area. As the train was pulling into the station, the rain stopped and I was left with a boring gray cloud cover. I decided to head over to the Kensington Market area anyway, took in the Art Gallery of Ontario (more on that later) and then wandered around the streets between the University of Toronto, Kensington Market and  Dundas Street. There are some wonderful Victorians here, some in a state of desrepair, some fixed up nicely, and many of them painted in  unique colors. They are surrounded by fences, gates, and overgrown gardens. As I wandered around, the sun would peak out every now and then, and shine through the many lush chestnut trees that lined the streets. I'll get that rain another day.

6x6 oil on canvassold