Umbrellas on Spadina

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Trying to achieve harmony in my paintings, I have been using a limited palette and focusing on values. With this painting, I still kept a limited palette but changed to Ultramarine blue, Ivory black, Transparent Oxide Red, Viridain, Cadmium Red, Yellow ochre, cadmium yellow medium, and titanium white. I also wanted to keep it loose, so kept my painting time to three hours.

These fabulous umbrellas and their owners are waiting to cross Spadina on a rainy day in Toronto. 

Spring Meadow-Pleinair

8x10 oil on canvas panel

It is such a great time of year, I decided that I had to get outside to paint. I'm still a bit shy to paint in town or in the city, but with practice, I will get there.

I really enjoy reading Richard Schmid's early book from the seventies called "Richard Schmid Paints Landscapes". This book is difficult to find, and if you find it, it will cost anywhere from $140.00 to $250.00. The copies have even disappeared from our local library. He has such a great no nonsense attitude toward painting. I love his comment on using photography:

"...photography, like wine, must be used with descretion lest it become a crutch. There is no substitutefor working from life and I would discourage anyone from using photos until he has first put in years of painting from life." 

I do most of my work from photographs, but when time permits, I'm hoping to get outside more often.

This little scene is from a path off York Road, outside Dundas.

Toronto Spring

12x20 Oil on Board

What can I say.Its spring and a glorious time of year.

These Victorians are near College Street in Toronto.

College and Spadina

24x24 oil on canvas

I was tempted to call this painting "Yellow Slicker". I liked the bright yellow of this cyclists rain gear and how it accented the painting so nicely.This is a very busy corner where College Street meets Spadina in Toronto. Lots of streetcars, tracks, traffic and people. I went for a more traditional scene in this painting and liked the dark reflections created by the trees.

I kept to a limited palette of ivory black, viridian green, yellow ochre, cadmium red and titanium with the smallest touch of dioxinine purple to add some blue to the distant buildings.