Xmas Presents and painting.

Well, it's here. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I can finally show this special xmas present for a special person.

Here is "Maverick", a Brittany Spaniel painting for Andre and Donna.

Enjoy.

Pam

Swan Song

OK, another one finished.

"Swan Song"

Working on xmas baking tomorrow, so I don't think I'll be painting. :)

Pam

The Cello Player finished.

Well, it's about time.

"The Cello Player" is finished and going to hang at the Timmins Symphony gallery.

24 x 36" Acrylic on canvas with painted edges.

Next, I have a few to finish for xmas and some small painting challenges to catch up on.

Pam

Inspiration done.

Well, my self-portrait and "Forest Inspiration" paintings are done and hanging in our annual art club show at Northern College.

Here is the finished inspiration painting.


Pam

Me and My Inspiration

Here is my self portrait with my inspiration painting in the background. I have a little more to do on the "Forest Inspiration" but my portrait is done.

"Me and My Inspiration"

Step 3 of "Forest Inspiration"

Pam

Stage 2 Forest Inspiration

Here is step 2 of "Forest Inspiration".

Going to work on it more and update tonight. :)

Pam

Forest Inspiration Step 1

Here is step 1 of "Forest Inspiration" the painting to go with my self-portrait in our Artist & Inspiration show.

So here is my inspiration.

The rest of the painting will be shown tomorrow.

Pam

Digital Suzie painting

I have to teach a workshop on Photoshop Monday.

One of the things I have to explain is Digital Painting.

Here is the beginning of Digital Suzie and her reference photo below.

More to come tomorrow.

Pam

Finally...something new!

Well, I'm painting again, thank goodness.

Everything else seems to be going at a nice pace so I can concentrate on my painting again.

Don't even remind me how many days there are left till xmas. I don't want to know! I think I'll be the Grinch this xmas. :)

I'm doing the kind of painting I love to do, very loose and not much detail.

Here is step 3 of Cello.

I have to finish this tomorrow....or I HOPE to finish this tomorrow by supper time.

Pam

Phantom of the North finished.

Finally, some finished work to post.

I have to mail this to The Owl Foundation and I just finished it last night. A flying snowy owl.

"Phantom of the North". 24 x 24", acrylic on board.

Pam

Didn't get chosen :(

Sigh.....I didn't get chosen for the 2008 Ducks Unlimited Artist Portfolio contest. Oh well, I'll try again next year.

I actually went on vacation and I am just starting to paint again, if the bears would leave me alone!! YES, I said BEARS! I had one looking in my screen door at lunch time. Good thing he ran when I yelled. Anyway, he went to the other side of the building and started eyeing the cat under the deck. That's when I got serious and shooed him farther away. Next time, I'll have to call the bear hot line.

I took some pics, fuzzy through the double glass and farther ones with me on the deck.

Here is the bear at the front deck, after I chased him away from the back deck screen door.

Here he is sauntering away with me yelling through the screen. Does he look scared? I don't think so.

He is circling back around, so I'll keep the bear situation updated. :)

And, tonight I'll work on the owl and the goose paintings.

Pam

Vacation from painting.

I have finally stopped myself from painting for a few days! It's not a BAD thing. I told myself to take a vacation and then started painting the next morning, but I've calmed down and I'm enjoying the change.

I'm not sitting like a blob in front of the tv on my self inflicted vacation. I've been on the computer morning till night creating a workshop series on Adobe Photoshop and Computer Basics for artists! I'm doing these free of charge, in conjunction with the Porcupine Art Club as part of their 60th anniversary.

Note: If anyone is looking for a Great Photo Editing program, equal to Photoshop, I suggest GIMP! No charge, just download from the internet.

I'm also working on a second website for the club, to mentor young local artists on-line.

As you can see, I'm not bored! I do get some interesting reading done in the evening. (There's NOTHING on television.) I get to read my favourite murder mystery series, "The Cat Who..." by Lillian Jackson Braun. Yes, it is a CAT that helps solve all the murders. :)

So, until my self imposed vacation is over, around the 25th of Aug., have a great summer!

Pam

Art In The Park 2007

Well...what a great turnout for Art In The Park! Our annual sale and invitation to the public to see our studio and view painting demonstrations by the artists.

I worked on the cello painting just because it was big, bold and would draw people in from the park.

Here is step 3. I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate music symbols into the background as I go.

I'll also have to add a new section to my website named Miscellaneous paintings. You might have noticed that there is NO LANDSCAPE in this painting and you might think it is a strange subject for me to paint. The truth is, classical cello music is one of my favourite types of music and I listen to it while I paint. So, I am painting what inspires me. :)

Pam

November art show.

So.....I have to create two pieces of work to hang in our November exhibition at Northern College.

I have to do one self-portrait (already started) and create another piece that shows what inspires me (can be inspired by words from a poem or music). The name of the show will be, "Artist and Inspiration".

The self portrait won't be hard, it's already started, about 1/2 done, painted from life using a mirror.

My painting desk and table easel will be in the background with the "Inspiration" piece in progress on the easel. I have to find the perfect inspiration piece to match the poem I have chosen.

FRIENDS IN THE FOREST

by Bernard Freeman Trotter, 1906 in Wolfville.

Second Lieutenant, Eleventh Leicesters, Killed in Action, in France, May 7, 1917.
.

Give me no crowded city,

When my heart is lone, and sad,

With its countless thronging thousands.--

The tumult would drive me mad.

.

In the throbbing life of the city,

Who cares for another's moan?--

Tho' around me the crowd were surging,

I should stand by myself, alone.

.

Give me no heaving ocean,

Give me no wind-swept plain;

For there--is but time for brooding,

Nothing to heal the pain.

.

But give me the wide-spread forest,

With its hemlock, and beech, and pine,

With its ash, and its oak, and its maple,

And its ferns, and its mosses fine,

.

With its rocky glens and streamlets,

And the music of water-falls,

With its birds, and beasts, and flowers,

And its dreamy wild-wood calls.

.

Tho' I wander, alone, through the forest,

There are friends upon every hand:

Tried friends, who comfort and soothe me,

As they whisper "We understand."

Pam

A puzzle.

Question: What does an Artist do on Vacation?



The Answer: The SAME thing she does when NOT on vacation!



SIGH.....

I'm obsessed! I MUST BE....otherwise I would not want to paint when I told myself that I was on vacation.

Oh well.... I couldn't help it so....here is step 1 of "Cello".
Acrylic on canvas, 24.5 x 29.5"

I'll probably work on something else tonight...I give in. :)

Pam

Some progress today.

I worked on the snowy owl and another one I can't show.

It's coming along. The paint is very sticky in the heat and humidity so I'll switch to the Canada Goose again and let this one hard dry.

Pam

Back to the Snow...Snowy Owl that is.

I better get a move on with "Phantom of the North", which is due in September.

Here is Step #2:

Just trying colours and getting a second layer of paint on the board. I like brush strokes in my works.

The sky will have to change, I don't like it.

And, of course, the snowy owl will look like one when I'm done.

Pam

Goose Step 4

Here is what I got done street painting at the Downtown Sidewalk Sale. Boy, a lot of people walked by in the time I was there! It was great, but I'm tired this morning.

There was music coming from 3 different directions, huge blow up games were available for the kids, all the downtown stores had their wares outside with sales, and the art club was advertising our membership and the art gallery where 8 of our artists have a retail store. Busy, busy, busy!

Here is step 4 of Canada Goose:

I'll be painting more this evening. I need a day off.

:)

Pam

Painting at the Sidewalk Sale

Well, it's been awhile, but I finally finished my big portrait.

So on to the next item. I'm painting at the Timmins Sidewalk Sale later today to draw attention to our art club and the art gallery my sister is part of.

I'll have some updates at the end of the day.

Pam

Getting back to the WIPs

I'm using my Works In Progress to limber up before serious painting.

So here is step 3 of Canada Goose and I'll have more to show on Thurs.

Pam

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Well, today I sent in all my entries for the Ducks Unlimited Canada Art Portfolio Competition. I have been planning to enter for the last year and have fulfilled my goal for this year.

It took a long time to do the paintings and I appreciate all the permission slips I received to use photo references for the competition. I can rest easy now and concentrate on day to day painting.

I'll keep my fingers crossed and see what happens.

Sorry for the delay, I'll update the goose tonight. I'm struggling with a portrait at the moment. :)

Pam

A goose.

OK....I know I haven't posted in a long time!

I can't show you what I've been working on, but I have more time to work on a second one while each stage of the other one is drying.

I am starting to block in the goose in "Canada Goose", and blocking in the ground.

Also, this is step one from "Lantern", a piece I am painting to pass the time at our weekly "Open Studio" to greet the public at the Porcupine Art Club.

More tomorrow.

Pam

Yes, I'm still here. :)

I'm still alive, even if I haven't posted recently. I'm working on a painting that I can't show on the internet, so you will have to bear with me. Next week, I will finish up the fox painting, " Good Morning" and either "Deer At Night", or the heron painting.

I held a computer workshop last night, through the Porcupine Art Club, to teach older artists how to use the computer to help their art businesses. I'm doing this free of charge with the help of GCF Learning. A source for free computer training.

I started with a Computer Basics slide show and will go on to teach, Operating Systems, such as Windows, and then Adobe Photoshop for artists which will be my own lessons.

I have agreed to give this Basic Computer workshop, again, through the Timmins Museum as part of the Porcupine Art Club's 60 Anniversary celebrations. We are trying to include the public in our celebrations and all of our summer workshops are free.

So, until next week.

Pam

I'm DONE, I'm Done...

Yeah,...I'm Done "I Can Do It". The hair is still wet and will dry darker. I'll check the results in the morning to make sure.

Pam

Fighting off something.

I've felt terrible for over 24 hrs fighting off an invisible bug of some sort. Sorry for the delay. I'll be finishing the painting "I Can Do It" tomorrow morning.
:(

Watch for the update.

Pam

Left side left to do.

Well, a little slower than usual, but the right side is done. Just the left arm and leg to do and some hair wisps.

Then I have to add a quick fishing rod.

Well, this morning I added the fishing rod and started fixing the hair. I added the highlights and now have to add all the dark on the hair.

Then it is just the arm and leg. :)

Pam

Chair finished.

Well, I finished the chair and the shadows. Tomorrow, it's on to finish the boy and add the fishing rod.
:)






Pam

A typical victoria day weekend.

Yes, it's Northern Ontario on Victoria Day. The weather was typical.

Let's see. It started with rain, then hail, freezing rain, snow and -2, to finally change to sun and + 11 deg. Celcius. Yup, a typical May Run here. :) It's supposed to get down to -7 degs tonight.

A picture from this morning. The trees had on their finest ice jewelry for Victoria Day celebrations.

Other than that, I slept in and then worked on the painting to finish. I have a full day tomorrow.

At least I've figured out the focusing on my new camera. These colours are very close to the actual painting. More to come.

Pam

Funeral stress and camera practice.

I didn't know how stressed I was until I got back from our favourite Aunt's funeral. I was really tense so my sister took me shopping for garden plants.
:)
That worked to calm my nerves. I slept a long night and I'm ready to work this morning, and will finish up "I Can Do It" this weekend.

Update:

Typical May Run weather, rain, sleet, hail, freezing rain and snow. At least I'm inside painting. I got to watch the loons playing in the mist on the river this evening. That was nice.


Working on the shoes, shadows chair and highlights. It's a good thing my painting is better than my photography, it's not quite in focus. :( I KNOW, the shadows aren't in line but I have to add the fishing rod and then I can fix everythin.





* I had the chance, while I was out of town, to practice with my new camera. I need a lot more practice since I'm no photographer, but I know what I like in a picture.

Lucky the cat kept me company while out of town.



Lucky was also a hypnotist:

My rock fountain turned off:

A russian olive tree branch:

Pam

Last Hours of Mural Mosaic auction.

I'm watching the last few hours of the Mural Mosaic auction. It ends tonight!

Well, "Alpha Pair" went for $250. Not a bad donation to CPAWS. :)

Some sad news today. Our favourite aunt died.

:(

She would have been 98 next week. She will be missed but she lived a full, long life and lived BY HERSELF until 5 days ago. I can't say that I will be able to do the same. A true northern pioneer.

But, to good news. I have my NEW digital camera and plan on taking a lot of wildlife photography. NOW, I just have to learn to use the thing!! I hadn't gotten the tripod out when the fox came to eat. A Wobbly shot and out of focus at dusk in a rain storm. I have the tripod out now!

Till tomorrow then.

Pam

Yes, I AM Painting!

I have been painting, although I can't show you those things, how unfortunate. :)

But, I am finishing the boy on the dock, called "I Can Do It" and I'll be finished soon. I'm finishing the extra things on the dock first and then the boy.

A family member is gravely ill in the hospital and it's been a tense weekend waiting for news. So, forgive me if I haven't posted much.

Pam

Dock.

Just finishing the decking on the dock so I can do the chair, fishing rod and boy. I don't want to touch up the deck and risk getting paint where I don't want it.

Pam

No voice, No painting...

After finishing, "It's Too Cold", my neck swelled and I lost my voice. :(

Unfortunately, I didn't feel well enough to paint with the aching neck. My voice is slowly returning and I'll be able to talk on the phone again! (Thank goodness for e-mail.) And, I can paint again, so watch for progress today. I just won't push myself until I'm well.

Pam

Water finished.

Not much left, the water is finished and I'm working on background trees.

Pam

The Push to Finish...

24 hrs...countdown, the big push to finish, "It's Too Cold".


Going well this morning, the faces.









Next is the clothes...





Pam

Girls, girls, girls...

I'll be glad when I am finished this one now. It's getting down to the wire. :)

I always work best with a deadline looming. ANYWAY...
Here is step 9:

More this evening.

Step 10:

Pam

Back to the water.

I have to finish this one within a few days.

So, I'll leave the water for now and concentrate on the clothes.

I'll continue this Wed.

Pam

Sketching at the Timmins Symphony

I got a real treat tonight and was one of a few artists allowed to sketch the Timmins Symphony Orchestra at practice.

They were extremely kind and encouraging, and asked us to return any time.

Beautiful music, voices and a lot of subjects to choose from! :)

I hope to get the chance to visit often.

Here are some of my sketches.

Pam

Back to painting...its too cold.

Well the last painting of the lab is varnished and framed so I can finish, "It's Too Cold".

I'm blocking in the colour of the water and then put all the highlights and shadows in.

More later...

Pam :)

Better late than Never...

Almost done, just a little shading Sunday morning.

The Golden Years: Step 11

I spent a lot of time making sure the lab looked exactly as the original dog does. Anyone can tell their animal on site. I didn't want to make this a generic lab.

I have to put a wash of white over him and fix his toes. The paint was too wet to work longer on it. Thank goodness I don't work with oils. :)

The final picture will be posted here.

Pam