A reminder of summer days.......

 This trio of flowers, all of them from my own gardens, help to bring back thoughts of warm, sunny days from the summer.  I treated the canvases first with a layer of texture from tissue paper that was wrinkled and glued down.  You can see that in the photos.  Once that dried I painted some of my favourite flowers.  The texture makes painting quite unusual, and forces me to let go of my natural tendency to have hard and clear edges on the shapes of the petals and leaves.  It's quite freeing, actually!  They are all on a 12 by 12 inch gallery canvas.

Blooming Begonias
acrylic
12 by 12

Climbing Clematis
acrylic
12 by 12

Dazzling Daisies
acrylic
12 by 12

For artists: A great online course is coming up!

I'd like to invite you to take a look at this amazing online course given by experienced art instructor (and friend) Cheryl O. I took Cheryl's last course in the late spring and loved it!  Her new one, called "Colour and Composition",  is more extensive, with lots of information, zoom meetings, community interaction, and demos every week for 14 weeks.  Here is a link to the information:   http://cherylo.ca/online-art-courses-2/  The deadline for application is September 4.  

Below is a painting I did as a result of one of her lessons.  

I hope to "see" some of you there, online!

Pink Peony
acrylic
12 by 12

Leroy's hens are out!

 Here are two of Leroy's concubines, charging out of their inside pen to the outside run.  And run they do!  (They are likely trying to avoid Leroy......)   I thought the innovative system for the door was interesting to include.  It made for fun textures and shapes to paint.  

                                "Checkin' the Coop"

                                         acrylic

                                         24 x 12

Introducing Leroy.......

 .........who rules the roost in our chicken yard!  He's very handsome, with iridescent blue and purple feathers between the black ones.   I hope those lovely colours come across in the photo.  At the end of his tail is another long black feather that waves theatrically as he struts around, herding his small household of hens.  My next painting will showcase a couple of the ladies.  

"Leroy"
acrylic
24 x 12

The pansies have arrived....

The final spring flower painting is finished, and completes the foursome.  Pansies are such a happy flower, especially since their petals form a delightful "face" looking at us in the spring, and sometimes far into the summer.  It's a great accomplishment to keep pansies growing into the later months, requiring deadheading and careful attention to watering.  My own efforts this summer don't look nearly as happy as the ones in the painting!

Each painting is 8 by 14 inches, and I like this arrangement of the four:

A spring series...... to be finished soon

I started this spring flower series when the first crocuses bloomed, way back in early spring.  Then Covid hit....... and I started Cheryl's online course (I'll tell you more about that another time!)....... and the fourth flower in the series was postponed.   It's time I finished it-- with pansies, which I still have blooming in my garden.  The paintings are done on small 8 x 14 wooden supports.  The flowers actually "bleed" on to the frame edges.  I love the way that worked.   It looks like they're coming right off the surface.

         Stay tuned and the fourth painting will arrive soon!  

If you are downtown Hanover............

Now that we are all feeling more encouraged to travel downtown, you may want to keep your eyes open for three large banners on display at the Heritage Park in Hanover.  My painting is on one of them!  They are about 6 feet high, and a great addition to the park.  (The original painting is on display at the Southampton Gallery, which is now open, with careful restrictions and protocol.)  While you're downtown, look for the banners up and down main street with other artwork displayed on them.   I have a couple of paintings on those as well.