Thursday, December 24, 2015

"Fluffy Love" watercolor and acrylic with pen 5x7

Love, a fine art rendering of two birds in love. I chose to paint them in watercolor then added pen and acrylic, much of my approach is instinctive, the painting kind of suggests what it needs as I go along. There's a conscious and a subconscious mix at play here.

Monday, December 07, 2015

Tom Thomson TV documentary - December 7th, 2015

Tonight on the Knowledge network they showed a moving documentary on Tom Thomson. Like many, I have always admired his work, and as you'll see by the attached ticket, I visited the AGO in 2013 where I sketched this famous "Dead Pine" while standing in front of the original Thomson (we weren't allowed to use paint to copy something, only pencil). 'Sad that Tom died in 1917 at the age of 39, his death a mystery although the consensus is that he drowned in Canoe Lake. Here is the Thomson original in the AGO:

What WOULD he have painted if only he had lived longer.....

Thursday, November 26, 2015

"In Blue in Bath" 6x8 oil

In June 2015 we visited the Roman Baths in Bath when this young lass obligingly stood in front of the building like so many other tourists.

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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

"Teenage Tusker, pastel, watercolour

I began with watercolour and over this I used soft pastel and a Conté pencil.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2015

"Lion, Lioness" watercolour on Arches 5x7

Pen and pencil hatching over watercolour paint. This adds an element of art to the otherwise photographic rendering of the male and female lions.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Ron goes ABSTRACT!

Watercolour crayons (yes really, a product by Mungyo) plus Conté pencil and Sharpie. This way up reveals the female figure. Turn the image upside down to see the faces. I'm not really an abstract painter - I got this design from the wallpaper in my bathroom!

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Monday, November 09, 2015

"Thatch" watercolour

Loose and juicy watercolour.

This is Chipping Campden, the pin-point centre of England in my view - halfway between the Cotswolds and Birmingham. Press the image for a bigger view

Monday, November 02, 2015

"lioness Stalking" acrylic 6x8

Here in the true African bush every animal needs to be alert, even the predator such as this lioness. Mr.Lion may be the king but mostly it's the mrs. who provides the meal.

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Sunday, November 01, 2015

"Coco" parrot watercolour 5x7

"Coco" is part of my Bird Series. She is a Red-Lored Amazon parrot and is so intelligent.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

"Seagull Landing" Bird Series - Fine Art charcoal drawing 5x7 available

My Bird Series is building, here is my Seagull Landing put simply but with strength of line, heightened with white pastel. Go to my Fine Art America site for purchase details.

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Monday, October 26, 2015

"Owl" Bird Series charcoal & white 5x7

As part of my Bird Series I drew this owl in charcoal, based on a newspaper photo by Bruce Stotesbury.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

"Crystal Cove Beach" oil 11x14

On the way to Tofino we stopped at Crystal Cove. It was a dull day so I put in a drop of colour here and there.

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OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SHARED THE TRAGEDY OF THE WHALE WATCHING BOAT CAPSIZING OFF TOFINO ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 25th, 2015. WE WERE THERE JUST DAYS BEFORE.

"Nefertiti" most watched art on my blog

To my many FB FRIENDS - here's flying a kite - if you want this 8x10 oil on ply, no frame, go to www.Paypal.com and send $250 to me at PayPal.Me/artistRonWilson it's secure and if you are not yet a PayPal subscriber it only takes a few minutes, and boy, is it handy to collect or to send money.

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Friday, October 23, 2015

"Lighthouse, San Juan Island" - Washington State

'Disappointed that a sale fell through this week but so far 224 other folks are looking at this pastel on Fine Art America (see the link, right). This lighthouse is iconic on the island, and I love the strong verticals and horizontals of the scene. Of course, I love pastels too....

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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

"Harley in pencil" 7x10

Harley-Davidson is in the news again but it's so iconic, I know that the collector value will keep on going up. Anyhow this actual drawing of mine is available as a print on Fine Art America - different sizes at different prices... Follow the link on my blog.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Bird Series "Quail" 5x7 available now as orig. or print

Quail charcoal on grey Canson paper. I love these little guys, they're so "grounded" and are real family folk to boot.

This is part of my Bird Series portfolio I'm building, I should have quite a number of sketchy birds for you to peruse now.

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Monday, October 19, 2015

"Crystal Cove Beach" vine charcoal 5x8

This Charcoal is so soft and subtle the real is actually better than the scan - like an original vs a print. Anyhow, this sketch is for a pastel I have in mind. A notan helps me to retain the value range. On the road to Tofino BC. We spoke to some surfer dudes who explained the various types of waves they enjoy.

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Friday, October 16, 2015

My brother-in-law -- pastel 7 x 11

My brother-in-law and my sister invited us to join them on a tour of Europe earlier this year. What fun. We saw a lot, Lindsay knew a lot, having been a tour guide in his youth. Sometimes he knew even more than the local guides who showed us around this time. Thanks you guys.

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Saturday, October 10, 2015

My Bird Series - Fine Art charcoal rendering of a hummingbird in flight. 5x7

"Hummingbird" my Bird Series - besides this orignal which is available (contact me for the price), OR, Fine Art America makes prints of my popular paintings and sells them at a reasonable price. Check it out at Ron Wilson on Fine Art America.com

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Thursday, October 01, 2015

"patchwork UK" oil on stretched canvas 16x20

From the hilltop of the White Horse of Westbury one can see for miles. I love the design that the successive farmers made over the years.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

My Bird Series - Guinea Fowl modern 5x7 inches

My children are selling my Bird Series, here's one such. Ask me at kyknoord@outlook.com

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Sunday, September 20, 2015

"Cousin Roger" charcoal 11 x 14

We looked up some distant cousins while we were in London a few months ago. Roger is one of them, drawn with in charcoal highlighted with a white pastel pencil.
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Friday, September 18, 2015

"An English Kitchen" (Yellow Pots) 12 x 24

My eye caught these cast iron yellow enamel pots in the kitchen of our B&B on our last morning in London a couple months ago and I got permission from the owner to paint them. I was going to call them dinosaur pots (why, I don't know) but settled for an English kitchen. Artist Bob Osborne says they are French le Creuset cooking pots and that they last forever.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

"Sunbeams under the Sea and ship's wheel" acrylic 36" x 48"

Looking for a home, my painting, my wheel and my float. Together or separate.
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Monday, September 14, 2015

"Young bird" charcoal sketch

Still exercising to keep my hands active, I did this charcoal sketch using vine charcoal and a white pencil on grey paper.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Chicken portrait oil on canvas original available for sale - oil 5x7

>This resting fowl (Rooster Resting?) has proved very popular among my family so I am posting on my blog,

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Thursday, August 13, 2015

Getting back into painting again

Recovering from a back injury I have been getting back (!) into painting again by producing these smallies, mostly 3x4 inches.

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if one or more interest you email me ronjbw@gmail.com

Thursday, August 06, 2015

Painting again

Happy that I am starting to paint again after a couple months' lay-off due to a soreness of my hands. This is a little 3" x 4" miniature done in a very rough style. It is the West Mitten, part of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park from a photograph...although my rendering is crude, it suits the limited movement of my crampy hands which are slowly getting better..

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Email me if you want it, I'll slip it in an envelope for you. ronjbw@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Stonehenge

Sore back notwithstanding, I limped around the stones a month ago. Fascinating, and to think it was erected about 4500 years ago - nobody really knows how or why.

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Gicleé of "The Gatehouse Store" orders being taken

Pelindaba Farm the lavender grower on San Juan Island is making a gicleé available of my painting. Let me know if you want one. ronjbw@gmail.com

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Saturday, July 25, 2015

"Markt Strasse, Spandau, Berlin" plein air sketch

June in Berlin, Spandau district. I had the sore back but managed to draw this conté sketch en plein air.

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Friday, July 24, 2015

"Yewtree Farm" watercolour sketch

Many artists who travel to other countries really try to get some painting done, but life gets in the way. Nonetheless I managed this little watercolour sketch in England.

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Friday, May 15, 2015

"Macauley Point Path" 9 x 12

Who said "simplicity is the measure of sophistication?" Was it Leonardo da Vinci or Robbie Koenig?

Under a muted Canadian sky we came to Macauley Point on Vancouver Island this morning. I had left my tripod in the car, so a half stump in the field served the purpose, removing me a few yards from where I really wanted to be, hey ho, Sargent used to plonk himself anywhere and still paint a good 'un. I aimed for simplicity this morning, not looking for the REAL but for the TRUTH. Press the image for a bigger view.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

"Proud Leo" acrylic sketch 8x10

I was born in Africa and wildlife is dear to my heart. Proud Leo is my mane man, and a lion is fun to sketch. We call these flowers red hot pokers, albeit out of focus here.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

"Lady Lowtide" acrylic 8x10

'Tis a Peep Show - every 12 hours, sweet Lady Lowtide lifts her frothy hem to reveal the discreet delights of her undersea treasures to this artist. Yes it's Mount Doug Beach revisited.

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Friday, May 08, 2015

"William the Goat" oil 11x14

Wow - while I was painting en plein air out at Metchosin, a billy goat hopped onto the roof of this shack! How good is that? One of my fellow artists said that the goat's name must be William.....

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Friday, May 01, 2015

"Mt.Doug Beach Contré Jour" acrylic 9x12

Slash, slop, swipe - frenzied application brought forth calm agitation on this acrylic painting done en plein air this morning.

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

"Gyro Beach" prep sketch

I gave a talk at the AGM of the Oak Bay Art Club on painting en plein air, and I've been scoping likely spots here in Victoria BC for the actual paint-out which will follow the talk May 4th.

Here's Gyro Park Beach....Press the image for a bigger view.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Clover Point - "Olympic Mountains, Windlines & Rocks"


Clover Point in Victoria BC. Original oil (painted en plein air) canvas mounted on board...10" x 12" $200 email me ronjbw@gmail.com

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Thursday, April 09, 2015

"Rhino and Calf" watercolour

Throwback Thursday. Nothing seems to prevent the poachers from their grisly task. I painted this wayyy back when I lived in South Africa and was actually charged by a rhino once, no harm though.

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Wednesday, April 08, 2015

"Ferry Tale" oil 8x10

Passengers on the Washington State Ferries look at the passing scenes between the islands here in the Pacific Northwest, or, if they are regulars and have seen it all, they may pass the time by reading.
I keep this painting very near to me so that I can study every single day. Each time I learn something.
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Friday, April 03, 2015

"Finnerty Gardens Hole" oil 9x12

The 'hole' is the center of interest and it was the first thing that stopped me when looking for a scene in the Finnerty Gardens of UVic this morning. Heavily overcast. Believe me - heavily.....I used lot of paint and got the big areas done first, with a big brush. I cannot tell you how much this helps to nail a plein air painting in a short time.

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Thursday, April 02, 2015

Devastation of Rhinos in South Afrca

Last night CBC presented a video report on the endangered Rhinos in South Africa, a rhino being slaughtered every 8 hours in the Kruger National Park. The horn can fetch up to $100,000.00

 Recently in Victoria BC an ancient rhino horn went on auction legally and sold for fourteen thousand dollars. Here's my monochrome of a rhino emerging from the bush in South Africa where I was born. Horns that pre-date the ban apart, I too am saddened by the reported incidents of current poaching there. Voice of America reports that poison is being used to protect the rhinos - Game farm owners have been hiring armed security guards to patrol their reserves, which can be a dangerous job. Now, they are trying a new tactic: they poison the rhinos' horns or ship the animals to a "safe House" at $40, 000 a time.

"Rhino Emerging" by Ron Wilson (oil painting framed 6 x 8). Click the image for a bigger picture. Your COMMENT is encouraged.

Wednesday, April 01, 2015

"Lavender Farm Harvest" oil 9x12

See the video how I finished this already DONE painting.....the wonder of painting. Press the image for a bigger view.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

"Barn & Crops" oil 9x12

Yes it's a bit tight for a Wilson. I had to use a knife and a ga-zillion brushes to get this effect, and I don't mind telling you that it took me MONTHS of painting - not your flash-Harry stuff! But I'm quite pleased with it - it reflects the peri-urban life just outside of the city of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Click the image for a bigger view. Comments and offers to me at kyknoord@outlook.com

Saturday, March 21, 2015

"Cattle Point Morn" oil 11x14 plein air

Plein air painting is wonderful. At Cattle Point on Vancouver Island this week the sky was grey and warm. I studied the changes over an hour and used juicy thick paint to capture the scene as I saw it...interpretation is truth when you're painting. Click the image for a bigger view.