'Water Lover' oil on canvas 24 x 30

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

'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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

'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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oil on canvas 16 x 20.
Your thoughts & comments always appreciated.
Jeffrey


Sunday, December 12, 2010

'The Potholes'

One day at the end of October this year I went
on a plein air adventure with fellow artist
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oil on wood panel 
10 x 8.
Your thoughts and comments
greatly appreciated!
Jeffrey

Sunday, December 5, 2010

'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