Changes

Mountain Ridge, Whistler, 30x30, acrylic

I gave this one a hard look because I was taking it to the  Rendezvous gallery last week. I decided it needed a bit of a rework. I posted it before but I felt that I needed to redesign the area around the central trees. I took some of them out and tried to open it up a bit so that the eye could move around more easily. There is always so much to consider in creating a painting. I must take the time to lay a good foundation and do those value sketches, I am always in such a hurry to start a new piece and then I end up going back to fix things. Wouldn't it be nice if each piece just flowed off the brush with no need for revisions.

Trees

Twist and Shout, 30x30, acrylic

I just love to paint trees, they have such wonderful character. These are arbutus trees, they have great colour, rusts, mauves, oranges, ochres and greys, and their trunks and branches twist and turn all over the place. The bark peels back and reveals even more colour beneath. I enjoy stylizing the shapes and colours. This piece was inspired by a trip to Hornby Island a couple of years ago.

Acrylic

Shallow Waters, 24x48, acrylic
In my last post, I had a comment that asked why I didn't paint in oils. When I first started to paint I used oils, it is a beautiful medium. I then worked for years in watercolour, another wonderful medium, each had its own unique qualities. I enjoy acrylics, I am able to glaze and work the paint in layers without long drying times. I can work transparently or in impasto I find it very versatile. I am constantly learning different ways of applying the paint and I enjoy the process. This piece is new, I started on a white canvas and underpainted each area as I went along. I also used round brushes instead of the flats I usually use, fun to mix it up and see the results.