Jun 23
Sketch of me painting – By Cynthia Thom
I just had to share this beautiful birthday card that I received from my friend and fellow artist, Cynthia Thom. Although she has never seen the elevator in my home town of Mayerthorpe, she has captured it just right – complete with the railcars in the front. You can have a look at my elevator paintings here and here.
May 26
Spanish Banks Fall 18″x14″
I am always happy to paint a tree. If I am at a loss for something to paint, or if I am undecided, a tree can be an excellent subject. They are available in an endless variety of sizes, colours, shapes and positions. I am lucky to live in a city that has so many beautiful trees. This huge maple is one that I pass by frequently in Jericho Park and I’ve painted it before as a tiny painting.
Slowing Down 9″ x 12″
Here is the second yield sign painting. Like the previous one, it is a scene from Mayerthorpe – the Alberta town where I grew up. I always wonder what people think of me photographing their houses and then painting them. I admit that I feel very self-conscious about pointing the camera at private residences, but I do it all the time.
May 5
This is the first of two paintings I’m working on that prominently feature a yield sign. As I’ve worked on these I have been thinking and wondering – what is it about the yield signs? Why do I feel compelled to paint them?? I love the splash of red, but it’s more than that. I am not drawn to stop signs in quite the same way. I do, however, have the same attraction to power lines and light poles – they make a painting more interesting somehow.
Yield sign #2 should be completed next week.
Apr 28
Winter Bales 18" x 14"
After finishing my Fine Arts degree, I stopped painting for several years. The job I took to pay the bills had nothing to do with art. I kept on drawing in my spare time, but without the direction and studio space provided by art class, I did not paint. I can’t remember what inspired me to pick up a brush again, but I do remember what I painted. It was an awful picture of hay bales that I did on cardstock. It was my first attempt at working with acrylics, and it did not turn out well. As bad as the painting was, it obviously sparked my interest in painting again. After practicing for a few years, I now love acrylics and I am much happier with my latest attempt at hay bales.
Apr 3
Vineyard at Mont Redon 11"x14" - painted in 2012
I painted this from an old photo that I took while traveling in France. It is the second time I’ve painted it. I wanted to try it again because my first attempt was many years ago (10 to be exact), and I think that my style has evolved since then. I deliberately did not look at the first painting before doing this one. However, I couldn’t help but compare them after I’d finished.
I can see that I have become less adventurous with my colour – or to put a positive spin on it, more accurate with my colour. I also see that I am more precise with shapes and forms. What I used to imply loosely, I now work to make more solid. I am not sure that this is a good thing. My older painting is shown below. (I apologize for the glare in this photo. It seems I have become more careful about photographing my work as well).
Vineyard at Mont Redon 16"x20" - painted in 2002
Buy Vineyard at Mont Redon (2012 version)
Maple Trees, Jericho Park 8″ x 10″
I love painting trees. That is not to say that it’s easy. I chose to paint this complicated tangle of branches for practice.
I would like to do another painting of these trees in the fall, when the leaves are bright red.
Sold
Feb 18
Old Barn 18" x 14"
This barn stood on the acreage where I grew up. This was the run-down, worn-out condition of the barn when I was a kid, so I am sure that it no longer stands. I used two faded, old photos as source material.
Although some parts of the painting were challenging, I had fun remembering the many hours I spent playing and exploring in this yard and surrounding forest. And remembering the various animals – horses, pigs and barn cats – that lived inside.
Feb 5
Lupines, Jericho Park 10" x 8"
I had a bit of trouble with this painting but after sitting with it for a week, I don’t mind it so much. I often struggle with paintings where both the foreground and background are full of complicated shapes. I had to keep reminding myself to simplify and not to paint every leaf and blade of grass.
These lupines grow in a wild field in Jericho Park. In June, it is a lovely sea of purple and you can hear a steady buzz of happy bees.
Jan 24
The Red Steps - 14" x 11"
My children and I walked by this house many times in the summer, on the way to a near-by playground. Actually, it is part of a row of townhouses. I imagine it must be fairly old, but I always admire how well-kept it is. The shutters, the siding, the flower pots, the garden and, of course, the red steps all looking their best in the hot afternoon sun.
Too often I see character houses such as these with development signs out front, soon to be demolished. If you see a strange woman rushing around the neighbourhood taking photos of old houses, it’s probably just me.
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