Snow makes for great fun painting!

I was pleased to sell a painting at the Southampton Gallery recently-- on Christmas Eve!  It's called "Come in out of the Cold".  It's a 12 X 24 acrylic, based on a view from the building I meet in for church each week, in Chesley Ontario.

Snow really is fun to paint.  The shadows can be almost any colour.  Our minds tell us it's snow because of the placement of the shapes, and the gradation of the colour to pastel shades.  There doesn't even have to be any pure white!  

I have been inspired lately by some visits to art galleries.  One was the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg, which had an extensive display of works by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson.  How thrilling that was! The others were 3 beautiful galleries in Waterloo.  I am attempting lately to be more painterly, to allow my brushstrokes to show.  It's not as easy as it looks-- every stroke needs to be deliberate.  As I work with a slightly new style, I realize I am dealing with some of the same issues with paint that Tom Thomson and Lawren Harris did!  Following the fashion of those early outdoor painters, I decided to do some small winter studies, 12 X 12.  Here they are:

"Connections"
12 X 12
acrylic

"Guardians"
12 X 12
acrylic

"Shadow Play"
12 X 12
acrylic

 I think there are more winter scenes in the works yet!

It's after Christmas-- finally I can show what I've been working on!

I was busy for months before Christmas completing several commissions that were to be gifts.  What an honour to be asked to paint a picture of someone's precious castle!  I've included them here. 

The first three were done on half-sheets of 300 lb watercolour paper that was at least 15" by 22".  All were to be Christmas gifts.

 The next three were done on watercolour paper that was 8" X 10", which I framed.  The first was a Christmas gift.

 The next two were gifts for clients.

I hope everyone enjoyed their gifts!