Bay Street Blues

14 x 14 oil on canvas paper

I've mentioned this before, but doing studies on paper allows me to get the information down quickly and helps me stay "loose" and less contrived. I think it has something to do with the fact that its only "paper" and therefore just a study. That said, I always like the way they turn out and wish I would have been so spontaneous on a canvas or board. I'll get there..sometime.... .

I'm looking forward to trying this on a larger scale.

Late Afternoon Shadows, Bay Street

8 x 10 oil on panel

When I do a study, I don't know if I will do a larger painting from it. I like the composition and the colours of this image, and so I think it will work well on a larger scale

.The  sunlight shining down Queen Street is reflecting off of The Old City Hall tower and spilling onto the adjacent towers. Suits head home after a day in the financial district.

Suits at Bay and Wellington

12 x 12 oil on canvas

Lunch time at Bay and Wellington on a warm spring day. Another view of Toronto's financial district.

Midday Sun, Bay and Richmond, Toronto

24 x 24 oil on board

Another painting in my foray into sunny scenes. I am not leaving the rain and snow behind...I love weather events, but I was in the mood for a change. Maybe it's the -18 C (about 0 F) weather were having. I tried a little different composition, including the yellow crosswalk.

This scene is at the corner of Bay Street and Richmond.

Heading Back to work, Bay Street

12 x 12 oil on panel

I had a feeling this one would be tough with the opposing colours on either side of the street. The road, middle sidewalk, and right sidewalk were all different colours. I was tempted to add some cooler blue temperature to the pillars on the left, but I didn't want to change their colour too much. I let my" artist" side dominate decisions that should have been made by my "design" side. We can't help it. sometimes we "need" to add that light standard even though we know it messes with the design of a painting.

As Mike Svob says in his book, "Let your artist/design side boss your artist/drawing side around. In other words, try to make decisions that work for the picture/painting. 

I think parts of the painting work really well, others may need some adjusting.

A "suit" heads back to work on Bay Street in the financial district of Toronto.

 

Enjoying the Scenery

8 x 8 oil on canvas

I was quite amused by this photo. It was obviously lunch or break time, but enjoying the scenery was not part of the plan. Having seen so many suit styles, its interesting to see the style so "retro". I particularly liked the pointed shoes.

Two young men walk down Bay Street on a sunny afternoon in Toronto.

Winter Blues, Financial District, Toronto

8 x 10 oil on panel

I have some shows coming up and I want to work on some studies for larger paintings. I find that it really helps to do a smaller painting when there will be so much time, paint, and energy to go into the finished product.

I took this scene last January in the early evening when it was minus 20 celcius. The air was clear and the sky very blue. The blue reflected on many of the surfaces. In spite of the cold, there was a lot of interesting light and reflections.

Promise of Spring

8x8 oil on canvas

When I was taking photos in Toronto a couple of days ago, it was windy, rainy and cold. We haven't had a very nice spring here in southern Ontario, but we are hopeful that the nice weather will arrive. I took this photo in front of the Hudson's Bay store on Bay Street. The young lady was walking by the display window full of spring blossoms and pastel dresses.

Verticals on Bay Street, Toronto

12 x 12 oil on board

There is no rhyme or reason for the way the light falls in the city. With so many glass buildings creating reflections on other buildings, light and shadow pop up anywhere. This scene was around five o'clock, just in time for rush hour. A beam of light contrasts with the verticals of the tall buildings as it cuts across Bay Street in the financial district of Toronto. The old City Hall clock tower is visible at the end of the street.