Disappearing Sun, James Street, Hamilton

8x10 Oil on Canvas

I love this row of Victorian homes along James Street. This is still a wonderful neighbourhood, full of great old homes and some spectacular architecture. These homes are overshadowed by the large apartment building in the background. Hamilton is surrounded by the Niagara Escarpment, which we call "the mountain". These cars are headed up the mountain after work on a cold but sunny late afternoon.
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Snow Bank, James Street South, Hamilton

11x14 Oil on Canvas

On Saturday, when I started this painting, it was brilliant sunshine outside and minus 14 Celsius (about 6 Fahrenheit) I liked the abstract quality of the snow bank and the buildings in light and shadow, but as I painted, I realized there were too many other things going on. I simplified it as much as possible, and I think I am happy with it now.
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Snow Plow on King Street, Dundas

8x10 oil on canvas

I have attempted to paint snow storms before, with limited success. I am so captivated by them, they are magical. Snow flakes fly everywhere, colors are all soft and muted. But its these muted colors that make it a challenge, as there are few shadows and colors to delineate things. Last year we had several wonderful snow storms, and I took many photos. (Challenging as well) I ran into the middle of the street for this one. This snow plow lifts up his side blade to avoid hitting parked cars.
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Slivers of light,King and James, Hamilton

13x11 oil on canvas

Once upon a time, the corner of King and James was the center of Hamilton's finest stores, a wonderful cut stone city hall close by and several thriving small businesses. This corner convenience store now dominates the scene and here it is illuminated by slivers of light finding its way through buildings. After snow fall, city crews spread salt everywhere which melts the snow, creating wet streets and dirty snow banks.

Icicles, Jackson Street, Hamilton On

8x10 Oil on Canvas

I would like to thank everyone for their positive and generous comments on my last post. I was really happy with the way the painting turned out, and its great to hear how others feel about it. Sometimes I feel that I am achieving the looser more expressive style and stronger values I set out to learn ....but I am afraid that if I stop painting even for a short time, I will forget the process. Are all artists as neurotic as I feel sometimes?

On another note, we are in the middle of tearing out the inside of our stone cottage, and so I am spending a lot of time moving stuff from one room to another. (Renovating is so much fun when you live in the house at the same time.) As a result, I have been somewhat absent from painting and blog land and haven't visited as much as I like to. I will make the rounds soon to see what everyone has been up to!!

This painting is from a photo I took last year. I don't know if I have ever seen such large icicles. After our recent rain, all of this years snow has melted away. Still lots of time for a snow storm!

Winter Light, King William Street, Hamilton

16x20 Oil on Canvas

It seems like forever since I was able to pick up a paintbrush, but I made up for it today. I was determined to get a painting done. I started this yesterday, and pretty much spent the day today without stopping. (Except to walk Bailey) This is King William Street in Hamilton, with snow piled up on the sides. Snow in the city isn't as idyllic as snow in the countryside. It gets filled with salt and dirt from the streets and isn't always a pretty sight.  The late afternoon sun  created a wonderful glow on the buildings, transforming an ordinary dismal winter street.
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Late Afternoon Light, James St. Hamilton

16x20 Oil/Canvas

I have mentioned several times that I love architechture and old buildings. Hamilton has lots of great architecture, some of it in a bad state of disrepair. This is a wonderful old church with blueish stone. I debated whether or not to put the people in, but I liked the contrast between the vastness of the buildings and the people waiting at a bus stop.
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Yonge Street Patterns, Toronto

16x20 Oil on Canvas

I started this during our recent rainfall a couple of days ago. I liked the abstract quality of the signs and doorways and the buildings in the distance. The street was surprisingly devoid of cars. At the right hand side is the entrance way to the Zanaibar Club..a renowned "strip joint" that has been there for at least 50 years.

Click on image for a larger view.

First Snow, Dundas On

8x10 Oil on Canvas

We definitely had a major weather change. We didn't get this much snow. Merely a dusting which may not last. I mentioned Richard Schmid in an earlier posting. I was able to find one of his  books in the library. It is from the 1970's and even then shows the great brush work and style that I aspire to. The book is full of interesting demonstrations and information. I would like to quote one of his passages:

"Trees are endlessly fascinating, and I regard them as almost personal friends. It is always hard to view trees dispassionately, as I must, in order to paint them. I once knew someone who failed utterly as a painter, because he always saw things as things and not as shapes of color.The fellow struggled for years but always kept seeing trees and branches instead of color value, shapes, and edges. Nature must be broken down in this abstract way in order to be interpreted in paint."

This is a lesson that has been difficult for me, but I am making some progress. I love old buildings, architecture, and trees etc. and I always want to paint "them" and all of their wonderful details. But they must be seen as only part of the whole, not as an entitys in themselves. Of course, if one is doing an illustration type picture, its a different story.

This house is in Dundas, down the street from where I live. It is a wonderful place with ginger bread and lots of detail. I tried to make it part of the scene.

Bay and Dundas Street Rain, Toronto

6x6 oil on board
Click Here to go to ebay auction 

To break in the new studio, I thought I would start small. I did a similar scene before, but wasn't pleased with it, so decided to do another. I am enjoying adding paint with a palette knife where I want the highlights to be stronger, more pure color. As I post this, it is pouring rain again, a system coming from Texas I believe. We would often have snow now instead of rain.

December Sun, James Street Hamilton

8x10 oil/canvas

Before the snow falls, the December landscape is grey and brown and dreary. It is dark at 5:30.  It requires  just the right timing to catch the sinking sun as it casts a warm glow on these buildings on James Street in the Hammer. This is another value study, trying to focus on shapes and not the details. Still difficult to do.

November Rain, Toronto City Hall

20x16 Oil on Board

I had some great momentum going with this painting last Tuesday until I was struck down and immobilized by a cold/flu. H1N1 you ask? How would we know, no one is testing, but somehow they seem to come up with numbers infected. Thats all for my flu rant. I could go on. When painting Alla Prima, you try to complete the picture in one go so that you can paint wet into wet. When I returned to this picture today, the colors had dried, my palette had dried and so I tried to continue the best I could. It is difficult to "mush" colors around and make nice reflections when they are dry.
I would also like to thank everyone who left comments about creating a signature "style". (Post Nov 18) Its good to know that I am not the only one who struggles with this. How important is it? I think it is important if you want acceptance into galleries. Buyers want to recognize an artist by what they do. Its the same for music.
Another rant. Why are some artists such "machines" at producing? I tell myself that I am going to produce everyday. Take a look at my posts for November and it obvious that I can't live up to my own promises. A few artists come to mind who are amazing producers: Carol Marine, Edward B. Gordon, Kathy Weber. How do they do it?

Sinking November Sun, Main Street, Hamilton

8x10 Oil on Canvas

More value studies. The November sun sinks so fast, its only minutes before it disappears. I love this old bank building at the corner of Main and James. It has wonderful corinthian pillars, which I wantd to capture with more details, but continuing on with my studies, I remembered to paint the shapes and values first, then add suggestions of detail at the end.

For Rent, Main Street, Hamilton

8x10 Oil on Canvas

As artists, we want to develop a style. We would like people to look at our work, and know who the artist is. Getting there is a difficult process that requires hard work and learning. The best way to learn, I think, is to take a workshop with an artist who's work inspires you. When you look at their work you say, "I wish I could paint like that". Many of us don't have that opportunity. The internet is a great way to "study". There are so many artists to discover, and therefore, a great way to see what kind of art is inspiring and ultimately  discover how you want your paintings to look. I don't know if I have been hiding under a rock, but I just discovered Richard Schmid. I don't want my paintings to look exactly like his, but I want to learn how he achieves the animated brushwork, how to say a lot without fussy details, and what is the process  for starting each painting. I have ordered his book called "Alla Prima". So I will be taking a workshop from him in my own home. He also has DVD's.

One lesson is about blocking in values. In this painting from Main Street East in Hamilton (some shrub type trees are still hanging on to their green leaves), I tried to block in the shapes with their values, and add details near the end. So much to learn....sigh.

Under The Mast Hoist 2

11x13 Oil on Canvas

I always say that if you think a painting is done, don't leave it on the easel. I think I may have left this one there because it didn't seem finished. I have had a few busy days of not getting into the studio, so today, getting ready to start a new picture, I thought I would add a few dabs of paint to this one on the easel to see if I could "liven" it up. I also picked up a palette knife which I rarely use. I didn't look at the reference photo, I just painted. This is the result. I think I like it better.(click on picture for a larger view)

Under The Mast Hoist, Macdonald Marine, Hamilton

11x13 Oil on Canvas

Sometimes the colors in nature don't seem real. You think, if I painted that, no one would believe me. This evening scene was one like that. The autumn colors were so strong as the sun set, everything was illuminated. This scene is from a couple of weeks ago when there were still leaves on the trees. Since then, they have all but fallen off. I wanted to do one more boat picture before all the boats are put away and covered up for the winter. There is one last boat under the hoist waiting to be "lifted out". A time to put some things away, and start on new endeavours.

Mom and Daughter share a coffee at Starbucks

6x6 Oil on Canvas

I can't say how many times I repainted this picture. I just couldn't get it. First I started the painting by sketching and then painting the dark values and coating the surface with transparent red oxide. I couldn't keep the darks dark and I hated the picture. Then I decided to try  a black underpainting a la Karin Jurick .(I have so much respect for her ability to capture so many great scenes. I had to ask these two ladies if I could take their photo.) When you start with black, you sketch in the image and start painting from there. I'm not sure if I like this painting yet, but at least it doesn't look like the dogs breakfast :) Also, keeping things "loose" can be difficult and frustrating.

Question for you: Does anyone paint on a black undercoat? What do you think of the process involved?

Chevy Truck at the Drive Thru

6x6 oil on Board

Its time to get back to some small paintings and studies. Maybe until my studio is ready. It is too difficult to stand back and look at what I'm painting with the bigger ones...to see the big picture and not the details. The small paintings keep me honest..I stay closer to the style and look that I want to create. And the best way to do that, is to try not to be too serious, stop thinking, and KEEP PAINTING.

This Chevy truck is turning the corner after going through the Drive Thru at our local Dundas Tim Hortons during more and more rain.

Winner of Dreama Tolle Perry's monthly draw

 Dreama's painting "Lilly Ann" 6x6 Oil on Board

I am very pleased to be the winner of Dreama Toll Perry's monthly draw. She paints in a style that many of us aspire to. Her paintings have dramatic brush strokes, wonderful color, and are just plain gorgeous. Her blog is full of positive comments about art, painting and life and she always adds a touch of humour. Lately, I have been pondering about why we blog and she answered it quite nicely on her blog:

Each one of you who take the time to read and view my art---it is so amazing for it creates such a sense of family--- it is a way of putting our heads and hearts together on art and life. Along with the comments here on the blog, I receive so many nice emails--it is just interesting because it truly is like opening a little bit of love in the mail. My heart is brimming over so I always want to remember to say a very, very sincere thanks to each of you. You are special and your contributions enrich my life and my art. Thank you--thank you!

The Sail Loft, Hamilton Ontario

20x16 Oil on Canvas

The main activity at Macdonal Marine at this time of year is boat hauling and winterizing. Some people store with the mast up, some take them down depending on your preference. In this scene, there were still leaves left on the trees and the evening sun cast a warm glow. It was one of those times when you were glad to have a camera. This building has probably always been a sail loft. It was called Grants Sail Loft in the 1860's. Hamilton Harbour has a lot of history dating to the 1830's.

I was tempted to put more detail on the right side water reflection, but when I did, I lost the dark value. I decided to leave it simple to draw attention to the lightest values.