Winters Last Hurrah

16 x 20 oil on canvas

This is pretty much the weather we have been having for the last week. Snowy, windy, messy, and cold. I know spring is here...I saw a turkey vulture and a robin today. Turkey vultures don't make their way up here until it is warm. I think this guy is a little early.

This scene is at the corner of University and Queen street showing the typical cab colors and the iconic toronto streetcar.

Spring Rain, Dundas and Spadina, Toronto

14 x 18 oil on canvas

Spring is just around the corner, but with the snow and cold weather we've been having, it doesn't seem possible. This scene is from last year, when we actually had green leaves and a nice soft rain.

This scene is at Spadina and Dundas Streets.

Nocturne reworked

I knew that I couldn't leave the picture alone. The waste bin front centre really bothered me, not because I have anything against a waste bin, but the large round shape didn't work with the compostion. I replaced it with some newspaper boxes and a bike that I like somewhat better...still not sure. I also darkened the buildings in the background. The temperature was wrong in the original and it didn't recede into the background. 
I think its time to get away from it and see what I think later.
Night scenes are a lot more difficult that I thought. The background is worked completely differently with so many darks. There is no receding into the distance with a nice mix of greys and things are blurred even more.

Nocturne No. 3

24 x 24 oil on board

Sometimes the hardest decision in a painting is finding a grey mix that is suitable for the overall background of the picture which will hopefully add to the harmony of the piece. Being a night time scene, I didn't want something too warm, so I decided on a mix of terra rosa, ultramarine blue, with a touch of ivory black. Keeping a limited palette, I hoped to mix most of the colors with adding cadmium red, yellow ochre and white. I added a couple of touches of viridian. Night scenes will be a whole new learning experience.

The local critics (husband) decided that I should remove the litter bin from the painting. I really don't mind it, but perhaps I could put in newspaper boxes instead.
 

Thanks to John Tavares for the photo reference for this painting.

Nocturn #2

12 x 12 oil on board

The lights at the corner of King Street and John are illuminated on the wet streets in Hamilton Ontario. I used the Zorn palette for this painting with just a touch of blue for the lights in the far background. The building on the left is home to a Tim Hortons restaurant.