"Bettina" three portraits

oils

One woman, three portraits

During this weekly art session we can experiment and sharpen our skills, in my case working in various media in under three hours = oil, pastel and pencil.

Bettina sat for the Goward House Portrait painters today. 

                                                                 

                                                                      

 Click each image to see enlargements.
I find that working in different media keeps one sharp and improves overall skills.



"False Bay" watercolor 6x8

I try watercolors because I'm still learning this medium. Working in another medium visits kindly on your home medium (my oils). Watching Sandhu Singh paint at the Peninsula Gallery I made sure that my washes were gradual and my brush strokes strong. Thanks, Sands.

"Finnerty Gardens Path" oil 8x10

Painting out is great - I hear the sounds and smell the flowers. It keeps me within Nature, and apart from two walkers and a dog owner I was pretty much left alone to my own intuition. Out the corner of my eye I spied two bounding rabbits and a male deer munching grass.
Plein Air painting makes me paint direct from a scene without the help of a photograph. I chose to use a biggish brush (half inch) and thick juicy oil paint. I wasn't aiming for realism - in fact this way of painting intuitively is more real than real because it carries along what I feel when painting out.
The Finnerty garden is on the boundary of the University of Victoria and thank goodness they preserved the wilderness. I take it as a personal compliment.
Click the image for a bigger view. Call or email me if you want this one.

"Bree" oils 11x14

Bree, an artist's daughter is well-versed in sitting, she sat patiently while we painted her for nigh on three hours.
While working away at my canvas I found myself thinking of John Singer Sargent - I think he would have used smoother strokes, but nice and broad.
He was the man.
I also thought of young Scott Burdick and how he would have employed thick juicy paint, unblended.

He too is the man.

Click Bree's painting to see a bigger image.

"Chinatown Bicycle" 8x10 oils

Click it to see a bigger image. Own it by contacting me, $435 for this original oil (with- or without a frame, your decision) add on for shipping direct to you door. I love PayPal...
This is Chinatown in Victoria, I believe it's the oldest Chinatown in the whole of Canada, and of course the ubiquitous bicycle is right there. Good.

"Cadboro Bay" oils 8x10

Plein air in the morning mist. This time I painted like a millionaire and used a LOT more paint. Click on it for a bigger image. Should you want to own the painting please go to my Fine Art America site (link on this page).

"Beaver Tracts Road" pastel 9x11

I love plein air painting - this time I sat on an upturned bucket and rendered this San Juan Island scene in pastel.