'Water Lover' oil on canvas 24 x 30

Monday, March 31, 2008

Frequent Flyer **SOLD**

My eldest son in the heights, doing what
he lives for, flying high through the
cold mountain air.
Oil on canvas 8 x 6 done from a photo yesterday.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Feet what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"
(Fredia Kahlo)
*SOLD*

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Grounded

A special tree in a special place.
Grounding yourself can be accomplished in many different
ways. Being close to nature
has always worked for me. The sights,
smells and feel of a walk in the woods, arriving
at a place that brings those things up close.
The spiritual feeling
of the silent woods that surrounds it all.
Done this winter 14 x 11 acrylic on canvas.
Comments always welcomed.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In a tree there is a spirit of life,
a spirit of growth and a spirit of holding its head up."
(Robert Henri)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Rising Wind-Cave Island

A familiar scene out of the Swartz Bay ferry terminal,
this tiny island always intrigues me.
Here the winds are rising and blowing clear
the rain laden clouds with the promise of a sunny afternoon.
Oil on canvas 6 x 8.
Comments always welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Each painting should be a surprise journey
with an unexpected ending"
(Robert E. Wood)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

'Forest Path' **SOLD**

No matter how often you might hike a favourite
trail they always seem to bring a visual joy.
The way the light filters in through the trees, changing
with the seasons and time of day. The sights
and smells of a hike through the woods is like
a tonic for the soul.
I did this one last fall, acrylic on canvas 8 x 8.
Comments are welcomed.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"As the woods are the same, the trees standing in their places,
the rocks and the earth... they are always different too,
as light and shadows and seasons and moods
pass through them."
(Emily Carr)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOLD

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Lupins & Poppies


There is something special about wildflowers.
The way they grow wild and free, often in surprising places.
I really enjoy painting wildflowers as the main
subject in a landscape.
This one is an oil on canvas 20 x 16.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"One of the main reasons I paint is because I think
nature is so wonderful. I want to try to get my feelings
down on canvas, if possible."
(E J Hughes)

Monday, March 24, 2008

Heritage Apple

Just for fun, and because my new painting isn't
photographed yet, I decided to reach back
into the "VAULT".
This is a watercolour I did seveal years ago
and gave to my brother on the
occasion of his 50th birthday.
It was done on stretched Arches 180# rough paper.
There were many scenes like this in the area where I grew up.
( This was done from my memory/imagination.)
(NFS)

Comments always welcomed.

Jeffrey

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Another belief of mine: that everyone my age is an adult, where as I am merely in disguise."

(Margaret Atwood)

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Top of the Rock

Just finished this one from a photo taken while out
plein air painting on Friday.
I loved the drama of the two isolated trees
backdropped by the hudge clouds
rising up behind them.
Oil on canvas 8 x 6.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Clouds are fascinating to paint because they are the only
element in a landscape that possesses free movement."
(John F. Carlson)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Me plein airing.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Trial from Above

Finally got out again with our plein air painting
non-group group (were not a group) yesterday.
The weather cooperated for the most part and the location
chosen was a wonderful little park overlooking
Trial Island, the strait of Juan de Fuca and
Washington's Olympic Mountains.
Very dramatic.
This painting was started out "there" and finished
in "here".
My fascination with clouds was in overdrive as we were
treated to an amazing show of spectacular
cummulization....hmmm(?)
Really, I took photo's!
Oil on canvas 9 x 12.
Comments welcomed.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My aim in painting has always been
to make the most exact transcription possible
of my most intimate impression of nature."
(Edward Hopper)

Friday, March 21, 2008

Summer in High Country


Even on a small canvas mountains are
a powerful subject. Their majesty draws you
in and your imagination starts to wander.
However I do wonder if we can ever do them justice
in our painting of them.
This was painted from a photo a couple of evenings ago.
Overall I was pleased with it but...
I don't usually paint after dark as I seem to have
trouble with my old eyes without at least some
natural light. Have to keep fiddling with the lights
and see if I can do more painting after supper.
Oil on canvas 6 x 8.
Comments always appreciated.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I have memories of the clearest crystal
mountain days imaginable when we fortunates
in the heights seemed to be sky
people living in light alone."
(J E H MacDonald)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Urban Mexicana

Happy First Day of Spring Everyone!
Another one from this winters effort.
This is a street scene from the little
town of Melaque Mexico. I loved the shadow on
that turquoise coloured wall.
Oil on canvas 10 x 8.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"An artist feels things largely."
(John Burk)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Blossom Time


Spring has arrived in Victoria (offically not till tomorrow)
and everyday brings a new discovery of something
else bursting into bloom.
The plum and cherry trees are some of the first.
This painting is of street close to my studio and is
typical of a lot of the streets
in my neighbourhood right now with
the blossoming plum trees.

Oil on canvas 14 x 11.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A thing long expected takes the form
of the unexpected when at last it comes"
(Mark Twain)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Rocky Shore **SOLD**

This is a scene not far from my studio that I have painted
before. Though it is the first one on a small canvas.
Done quite quickly with no fussing.
6 x 6 oil on canvas.
Comments always welcome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Look deep into nature and then you will be
able to understand everything better."
(Albert Einstein)
*SOLD*

Monday, March 17, 2008

Reflection **SOLD**

Hello everyone.
I'm happy with the way this painting turned out.
I took the photo for it awhile ago
and I kept looking at it and putting it aside
and later looking at it again
only to dismiss it once more. Finally, two days ago, it grabbed me
while deciding on the subject for my next painting.
When I felt it was finished and put my brush down
I decided that this was
a painting I had wanted to paint all my life.
This is a feeling that comes to me
often when things work out with a painting.
(When they don't...not so much.)
Oil on canvas 10 x 10.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to draw your attention to the
Chilean artist Alex Perez.
Check out his amazing work at
Wonderful landscapes and seascapes
full of light and colour!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We cannot express the light in nature
because we have not the sun.
We can only express the light we have in ourselves."
(Aurthur Dove)
*SOLD*

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Gorge Reflections - (SOLD)

Victoria's celebrated Gorge Waterway has been
the subject of quite a few of my paintings.
This beautiful inlet has much history.
Originally named the Victoria Arm it was the
focus of much of the areas recreational
activity in the early days.
A wonderful book "the Gorge of Summers Gone"
written by local author Dennis Minaker is a must read
for those wanting to
know more about the fascinating history of
the Gorge Waterway.
This painting is an oil on canvas 8 x 10.
Comments welcome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Half the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative
act is sharing it with others and that feeling of connection.
It could be the colour.
But it is something that someone other than you
has seen and felt.
It is momentous. It is magic."
(Sara Genn)
(SOLD)


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Early Snow


This painting was done this winter
from a photo from the previous November as
we didn't get any snow this year.
I love painting snow. It seems to be very
freeing and expressive.
Acrylic on canvas 14 x 18.
Comments welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Twenty years from now you will be more dissappointed by
the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbour.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore! Dream!"
(Mark Twain)

Friday, March 14, 2008

Autumn Fields


Another in the cloud series done this winter.
This one an acrylic on canvas 6 x 8.
I have always been fascinated by the look of water
laying in a field.
Not sure why (something from my childhood) hmmm?
Perhaps because it seems out of place yet
in some way compelling to the eye.
The reflection of the sky colour in amongst
the earth tones and grasses.
Comments always welcome!
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wonder if any of you caught the documentary
the other night on
Canadian artist Peggy Nicol, and what you thought.
Such wonderfully powerful work,
though I doubt few Canadians are aware of her.
I would love to get more
in depth information on her and her work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There are high spots in all our lives and most have
come through encouragement
from someone else. I don't care how great, how famous or successful
a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause."
(George Matthew Adams)

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Passing Storm-Trial Island


Hello everyone,
I had a heck of a time getting a good photo of
this piece. This image is pretty good, but as always,
I wish you could see the real thing.
Another one of Trial Island light from the opposite
side of yesterdays post.
I really loved the dramatic atmosphere in this one.
Something which is often present in this area.
Oil on canvas 6 x 8.
Your comments are always appreciated.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special congratulations goes out to my blog buddy
Vicki Shuck
who has been accepted into the
Daily Painters Gallery!
Vicki posted her 105th daily posting the other day!
You can also get to her site by
using the link in the Other Artists section of this blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I know of no more encouraging fact than
the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life
by conscious endeavour"
(Henry David Thoreau)

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

June Morning-Trial Island

This one was painted this winter from a photo
I took while out salmon fishing.
The sun was breaking through cloud cover behind me
and lighting up the buildings and the rocky shore.
The fog horn from Trial Island
can be heard in many places
around town when the fog rolls in.
Oil on canvas 8 x 10.
Your comments are welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I was not ready for abstraction. I clung to earth and her dear shapes,
her density, her herbage, her juice.
I wanted to feel her volume and I wanted to hear her throb."
(Emily Carr)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Dallas Road Daffodils **SOLD**


One of the wonderful things about Victoria is
the naturalized daffodils found along
Dallas Rd. and throughout Beacon Hill Park
in the spring.
This was done from a photo taken
last Wednesday! Soon these daffs will be joined by
the purple camas lily's.
This is a larger work, 30 x 24 oil on canvas.
Comments always welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I feel that when I am painting it is a form of worship.
I see how wonderful nature is and how
wonderful art is...and by trying to
produce these works of art, I feel that I am just
showing my appreciation of these creations."
(E J Hughes)
*SOLD*

Monday, March 10, 2008

Approaching Storm

A couple of years ago Linny and I had a wonderful October
day plein air painting in the lower Cowichan Valley.
These gals and several more looked over our shoulders the
whole time. Later in the afternoon the weather started to
change and I took the photo this painting was done from.
Oil on canvas 10 x 10
Comments are always welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Every work of art which really moves us
is in some degree a revelation - it changes us."
(Lawren Harris)


Sunday, March 9, 2008

Late Summer-Cowichan Lake

Another of my cloud series I did this winter.
This of a grand lake an hour or so up-island.
We usually make two camping trips there ever summer.
More paintings to come of this area and the valley below.
6 x 8 oil on canvas.
Your comments are welcome
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I want to paint sunshine and burning yellow leaves
and blue waters and laughing faces"
(Fred Varley)

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Fallow Fields (SOLD)

You may have already noticed that I am
entranced by clouds, their ever changing forms and colours
and the effect they have on the landscape below them.
This winter I started on series of small landscapes
with clouds being a major component.
This one is an 8 x 10 acrylic on canvas.
Your comments are always welcome.
Jeffrey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Art should not be purchased to fill a space on a wall nor to match the colours of your drapes,
but to fill an emotional space in your heart."
(Tom Thomson)
SOLD


Friday, March 7, 2008

Marsh Edge (SOLD)


I love being at the edge of a marsh in the early morning,
talk about primordial.
Being a birdwatcher I really get a wonderful opportunity in
this particular location. It is one of the first places to spot swallows
in the early spring in our area. I didn't see any this day.
This painting was developed from
the one in yesterdays post.
8 x 6 oil on canvas.
Comments always appreciated.
Jeffrey
SOLD

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Interurban Wetland

This painting was done plein air on beautiful warm morning
a couple of weeks ago. Often I will "go back in"
after returning to the studio, but I didn't this time.
I personally have set a goal to work hard
at mastering plein air painting. I love it and it can be a
really freeing experience.
9 x 12 oil on canvas.
My next post will be a painting developed from this one.
Your comments and critiques are welcome.
Jeffrey

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Peninsula Gold


This is a little looser than my normal style,
but I really love painting like this.
Just putting in the neccesary stuff and suggesting the
rest with brush strokes.
The farming area of the Saanich Peninsula
is a wonderful place for the landscape painter!
This one is 6 x 8 oil on canvas.
Your comments are welcome.
Jeffrey

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Winter Afternoon-Saxe Point (SOLD)


As our winter starts to fade we are often favoured
with wonderful spring like afternoons.
This from a scene here in Victoria.
One of a series of small oil paintings I have been
working on this winter.
8 x 10 oil on canvas.
Your comments are welcome.
Jeffrey
SOLD

Monday, March 3, 2008

Swan Lake Splendour

Scenes like this don't happen often here in Victoria
(some would say that is a good thing).
The day after a snow storm when the sun comes out
and lights up the snow covered world is
truly one of natures magical wonders!
This is a 20 x 16 acrylic on canvas that I hope depicts some of that magic.
Jeffrey


Sunday, March 2, 2008

Hello out there.
This is my first attempt at using my own blog to connect with other
artists and art lovers everywhere.
I will add my name to the growing list of daily painters
world wide, though it may be more like
a painting a week to start.
Please take the time to leave comments and critiques on my work
or other related topics.
The painting above is from a scene in the Victoria area.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey