'Maybe in the Spring',(Canadian west coast Impressionism, plein air oil painting of southern Vancouver Island)

 
I was out painting last Wed. on the sunniest day we have

had here on the south Island for awhile now.

Many of the low lying fields in our area flood through

the wet season much to the joy of the waterfowl.

Of course these fields will remain much to wet

for the folks who work them till sometime next spring.

The wet areas in the distance were thick with mallards,

pintails and a few ring-necks. A flock of swans were using

a large pond to the left of this scene and so while

painting I had several small groups of swans glide low

over me and land in the pond.

(The snow? Maybe...maybe not?)

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'Maybe In The Spring'
oil on wood panel
 9 x 12.

Your thoughts & comments are always valued!
Jeffrey

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Another year has gone by... how'd that happen?

I would like to take a moment to say thanks

to the many of you out there who

have been a much cherished

source of support through this past year of art

and challenges. I hope you all know how

much I appreciate your friendship.

A very 'Happy New Year' to you and

all the best in 2011.

Jeffrey

'A Fine Morning',(Canadian west coast Impressionism, Fisgard Lighthouse, Winter Solstice, Salish Sea, Esquimalt Harbour)

* Happy Solstice Everyone! *

Finally the darkest days are in the rearview and the

light returns a little more each day, put your

hands in the air and yell hooray!!

(or what ever you think would be appropriate)

=:-/

What better way to celebrate the return of the light

then a sunny morning painting of

Fisgard Lighthouse,

the first light on the Salish Sea.

Built for the British Admiralty 150 years ago.

It marked the approach to the mouth of

Esquimalt Harbour where the navy had their

base here on the west coast of Canada.

This is a scene I have painted before in smaller formats.

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Oil on canvas 16 x 20.

Your thoughts & comments always appreciated.

Jeffrey

'The Potholes'

One day at the end of October this year I went

on a plein air adventure with fellow artist

Linny D. Vine.

It had been at least 10 years since either of us had

been to a beloved (now protected) part of the

Sooke River know as the Sooke Potholes.

This treasure of the south Island is a salmon

spawning river and they where present in the

water as we painted. This mystical geological

wonder lies in a deep canyon with sides eventually

reaching over a thousand feet in some places.

During the wet seasons the water roars and

tumbles through the contorted rock formations

that tend to make you weak in the knees as you

gaze down from your cliff side perch at the

turbulence 50 feet below. The spot we

painted however is at the lower and quieter end

of the run. During the heat of summer it is

a well used 'swimmin' hole'!

We started to paint during a sunny break on this

somewhat wet day but just as we got into it

the sun left us and because of the steep sides

of the canyon it became quite dull and dark.

It was a challenge to see the subtle values

to say the least.

The main rock formation in this piece towers

30 or more feet above the pool below, just to give

you an idea of scale.

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Oil on wood panel 
10 x 8.

Your thoughts and comments

greatly appreciated!

Jeffrey

'Garry Oaks & Snow'

Another snow scene, this one a variation of a scene

I have painted before, can you recognize it?

This is the largest format that I have used so far

for this scene...

I love the rhythm that happens when I'm painting

snow and I often look to my snow paintings

when trying to get that flow of rhythm

in other types of landscapes I paint.

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Oil on canvas 16 x 20.

Your thoughts & comments are always

greatly appreciated!

Jeffrey