"Garden Steps" oil 20 x 16 (SOLD)

The garden steps at Swan Lake in Victoria BC. I did this painting in front of about twenty-five thousand strollers-by as a demo at the Moss Street paint in, 2009. It's based on my smaller oil sketch which I painted en plein air some weeks ago.  Click on the little white envelope below for any questions. Click on the image for a larger view of my painting.

"On the Beach" oils 11 x 14

The scene is between the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and Gyro Park in Victoria BC. 15 minutes walk from the Gyro car park along the beach to the shady trees facing the water. The dinghy was drawn up on the beach with the sun behind - one of my favourite lighting situations. The scene could be anywhere on a tropical isle but of course it is here in wonderful Canada. One of my fellow paint-out artists noticed the Sargent influence in my brushwork. Right on!

"Trial Island" fr. Ross Bay Beach oils 11 x 14 (SOLD)

I have suddenly realized that I shouldn't make the painting look like the subject - instead I should make the subject look like a painting! I call this my Wilson Paradox. This way I simplify, and render the painting with loose interpretive colour and brushwork.

The rocks have been simplified so that the eye goes over them and deeper into the distance. Also, I have taken liberties with the colours.

It's not that I need to take shortcuts, it's just that I need to be "painterly" - I need to see with my own vision of the subject before me ...

SOLD at Moss Street July 18, 2009

"Two Trees" Pendray House, oils 9 x 12

Because of my weekly contact with other artists, I'm beginning to paint looser and thicker which certainly helps produce the kind of TEXTURE I'm looking for in my paintings. It's the portrayal of LIGHT combined with sound COMPOSITION that matters to me now.

To see a bigger picture simply click on the above image but remember to hit your BACK button to return here. All my work on this blog is for sale, click on the small white envelope below to ask about pricing and shipping.

This particular painting can be seen at the Morris gallery on Alpha street in Victoria BC.