"High Tide, MtDoug Beach" 8 x 10 oil

Painted en plein air this morning, there's a bit of shine-back on this painting because of the amount of linseed oil that my Langnickels demand in order to get the strokes on the canvas. While a soft mongoose brush is a pleasure with which to work, one has to change one's way of applying paint! Dry-brush technique is out of the window ...

"Oranges Wedges" 6 x 8 oil sketch

With my soft mongoose hair brush (no.8 again) I painted this small study using thick and juicy brush strokes.

Should you click on the image you'll see an enlargement,  but press your BACK button to return here.

Thanks, Ron.

"Captain Bill McKechnie" oil 6 x 8

Today as a guest I painted with the group of seven portrait painters at Goward House in Victoria BC. Captain McKechnie was once the master of the "Queen of the North" many years before it met its end. Nice, chatty fellow with a wonderful Scottish accent. Afterwards group leader Jim McFarland invited our sitter to choose a portrait to take home, much like the "Star Portraits" on television. Captain Bill chose mine which is great.

I used four brushes, two of them Langnickels - the smallest of which was a No.8 so the session was quite a challenge for me, trying to get the finicky detail in.

"Mount Baker from Cattle Point" oil 11 x 14 en plein air

Mount Baker looks great with side lighting and the challenge was to separate the snow-from-the-clouds-from-the-sky tones. Shaun Cunningham, a photographer with a good lens happened to be passing by and later he sent me his JPG of my scene as it is actually.

Shaun Cunningham's JPG of me painting in the wind at Cattle Point. the wind won, I had to stop play!

"Maple Bay Gem tree" 11 x 14 oil on RayMar board

An Arbutus (Madrona) tree in Maple Bay, Vancouver Island. I was drawn by the gem-like appearance of the foliage and the boathouse tucked-around-the-corner .

"Seagull at Holland Point" oil 6 x 8 canvas on board

Painted en plein air at Holland Point just a few feet to the left of the previous painting location (see below). I used my new Langnickel series 5590 brush again - it's extremely soft (made from Mongoose hair) but it gives a silky effect - I like to see brush marks in my work - I want to show confidence and even bravado!

And yes, the seagull was really there, I worked quickly to get him down on canvas. He stayed for at least ten minutes...

"Holland Point Cove" oils 11 x 14 plein air

We are lucky to live in such a paradise, the sun came out, the sea was calm, so were we - sunny and calm. My lady love read a book whilst I painted - it took me an hour and twenty minutes to sketch this scene and I'm happy with it. I hope you are too ...

"Oak Bay Icon" oil 6 x 8

Painted at the re-opening of the United Church, Mitchell Street, Oak Bay.

"Stream, Michell's Farm" oils 11 x 14

I saw this from a narrow road with no place to park, so I drove around to another field, parked, and began to paint from memory. The result is a simple composition with few distracting elements - lending some impact to the work I think.

"Rubin and Bo Sweep Clean" oils

Rubin is the name of Bo's horse. Bo has an immaculate farm called Hunt Valley Farm and I mean it is CLEAN.  This is Bo sweeping Rubin's stable. I liked the halo on Rubin's head with light from the window.

Oil on stretched canvas 11 x 14. Click on the image for a close up look and hit your BACK button when you're done. Thanks for looking, Ron.

"Hunt Valley" oils 8 x 10

From the stables at the Hunt Valley Farm in Central Saanich (Vancouver Island) one can look across the field to this white house with its steep-pitched upper roof line.  Fog rolled in during this rainy morning, creating atmospheric perspective to the far trees.

"Expediter" study in greys 8 x 10

It was a grey day at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club today. The Expediter was hauled out by the owner for power washing - decks and hull. The drapes are to prevent overspray during blustery conditions. The club had spent money on extra concrete and drainage to prevent the grunge from falling back into the water. Good one.

For me it is a challenge trying to separate the greys.  I enjoyed it.

"Classic Refit, Port Townsend" 11 x 14 oil

This Ship's carpenter (Chippie) is busy restoring the planking of the classic wooden boat hauled out in Port Townsend.

Times-Colonist September 14, 2010

"Beaver Lake Reflections" oil 11 x 14

I could tell (even before I had stopped the car) that this was going to be my scene to paint.

In spite of the overcast and drizzly conditions, many artists turned up here this morning.
The benefit of having other artists around is that you may get some advice - and Keith Hiscock was very kind in his appraisal - I took his hint and avoided the "soldiers-in-a-row" scoops in the left-hand water's edge by limiting them to one instead of three little bays. He told me that it often happens to him when he paints poles and trees - spaced apart at regular intervals - I didn't spot my fault until he was gracious enough to mention it to me in the most tactful means possible. Thanks Keith.

"Astoria haul Out" oil 11 x 14

Astoria is a quaint village on the border between Oregon and Washington, with an iconic steel bridge between the two states. There it is in the background.
I was stopped by the man who is dwarfed by the extremely heavy hull and of course the reflection in the water. The seagull shape repeats the V slings. This is the good vessel "Mary" hauled out.

"Ross Bay Rocks" 11 x 14 oil study

The Ross Bay beach facing Trial Island lighthouse. This is a colour study I did on the beach this morning should I need to paint a bigger version later.

"Red Barn and Daffodils" Metchosin

This is a bigger painting of a miniature one I did some time ago. This size is 10 x 20 on stretched canvas.
The scene is in Metchosin near Frank Mitchell's farm.
This image is very small, so click on it to see a bigger picture, then press your BACK button to return here. Thanks, Ron.

"Salt Marsh" Wilapa Bay oil 16 x 20

When this painting said everything I wanted to say about the salt marsh - I stopped for fear of overworking it.  This is my second painting from my painting trip up the Northwest coast of the United States and I just love the random meandering of the grassy banks of Wilapa Bay. We had lunch at Bennett's in Grayland. The restaurant is tops.

"Cape Disappointment Lighthouse" Washington State 8 x 10

I chose a simple composition as my first painting on my recent trip to Oregon and Washington State.

"Blue Pine" Mt.Tolmie, oil 11 x 14

Painted from Mt.Tolmie this morning. That's the Tuscany Village shopping centre opposite, with Mt.Doug above. I don't know the name of this blue pine but it certainly is eye-catching amongst the many garry Oaks in the area.

"The Boondocks" oil 12 x 16

 

This painting won first prize at the annual Sidney Paint-In 2010.  The event was organized by Odette Laroche. The First prize is sponsored by the CACSP

The juror was Robert Genn:

In addition to the first prize award sponsored by the Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula, Robert gave each of the winners a signed copy of his book "Letters."

"Blue Dinghy" oils 8 x 10

Plein air painting with the Al Frescoes this morning at Oak Bay Marina, one of our local spots. Initially we were immersed in a fog bank and my fellow artists were delighted, taking photographs before the fog burnt off - it didn't last long enough to do a decent painting but maybe later we'll see a plethora of fog paintings from the ALFs ...

"Agate Beach Rocks" 9 x 12 oil study

In this study I used the 'broad brush' technique with my new Langnickel brush which helped produce a blocky, geometric style of plein air painting.

"Rocks at Lowtide, Cattle Point" 8 x 10

Painted in oils en plein air in an hour, I was drawn by the sparkles on the water backed by a bank of mist (fog) on the horizon. I wanted a simple seascape that would reflect my enchantment with this fugitive scene - I came away a happy camper!

"Glamorgan Farm" 8 x 10 oil sketch

Glamorgan Farm was established in 1851 on Vancouver Island in the district of North Saanich.

This is an oils sketch I shall be using later to paint a much bigger piece. Yes, I took photographs but it's always handy to record some of the impressions and colours to remind me how I felt when rendering this scene.
I excluded a lot of finicky detail but will include some of it in my bigger version to come ...

"Thunderbird Park" oil 9 x 12

Downtown next to the BC Museum is the Thunderbird Park with all its totems. I liked this one with the heritage Helmken House in the background. I was also delighted to have the whole scene bedecked in pink blossoms.

You may also click on the image to see an enlargement, but do hit your RETURN button afterwards. Thanks for looking.

"Shucked Corn" oil 8 x 10

Straight from the barbie, silk removed, husks peeled - ready to savour.

"Wait for Me" oil 11 x 14

This is my studio painting of "Mac" - my brother-in-law's new puppy, nine months old. We were at Oak Bay marina. The feeling of the work is of the dog being left ashore while master goes for a sail ...both the pet and the owner could be saying to each other "wait for me."

"Vineyard" line and wash 4 x 6

Not done en plein air but a memory painting, painting from memory based on all my visits to vineyards all over. I love line and wash

Folks this is really a very good painting, if you like it too please contact me at ronjbw at gmail dot com

"Anderson Hill" oil 8 x 10

This is McNeill Bay seen from Anderson Hill.  We were blessed with a cloudy day with wide patches of blue sky for a quick oil study like this. The scene is pretty much as I saw it on site, with me leaving out some details.

Here's my 'after' photo:

One of the challenges of painting outside is to reduce a 180-degree scene into a 9-degree acceptance angle which is ideal for a canvas 8 x 10 inches. Remember to CLICK on any of these images to get a bigger view. Then press your BACK button to return here.

"Sister Ships" watercolor 7 x 9.5

These are the two schooners berthed in the Inner Harbour of Victoria BC.  I have learnt how to make my watercolours LIGHT again, I can now safely return to my oils for the next painting (above).

"Clover Point" oils 9 x 12

Without fail, every one of the ninteen artists who were painting en plein air at Clover Point in Victoria BC did well today. In fact I have never seen as strong a showing of work as I did at the show 'n tell at noon. Wonderful clouds all 360 degrees. As they say here in North America, we really 'lucked out!'

Click on the image for a bigger view then hit your BACK button to return here. COMMENTS are welcomed.

"Saxe Point Cove" 9 x 12 oils

A group of 20 or so artists painted at Saxe Point this morning - when the neighbours across the way saw what was happening they came over to see our canvasses - I had excluded the house of this particular lady but she didn't seem to mind - painting is much about LEAVING OUT as it is about putting in ...

"Sunlit Path" (Government House Shed) oils 11 x 14

There are very many paintable subjects here at Government House in Victoria BC.

Today I chose this sunlit path, it's a quiet little spot near the boundary of the gardens. Only the buzz of the lawnmowers kept me company.

"Footpath, Banfield Park" 9 x 12 oil on Belgian linen mounted on board

Very windy today, my canvas blew over twice.

In Banfield Park Victoria BC I painted the foot path pretty much as you see it here but excluded the parked cars and the wind-blown artists facing me. The sun made a bashful appearance.

"Boys and Girls Club, Metchosin" 9 x 12 oil on board

Perfect weather brought out at least twenty plein air artists at Metchosin on Vancouver Island this morning.

I chose this tangerine-painted barn with the gravel workings on the hillside. To see my impasto please click on the image to get a close-up view, then hit your BACK button to return here and perhaps you might leave me a COMMENT (see the heading immediately below this text and click on COMMENTS).

"Cattle Point Wind" oil 9 x 12

This morning I scraped the bits of sand and husks that the wind blew onto my wet painting at Cattle Point yesterday, and I added the seagulls settled on the rock. Done is good.


P.S. I noticed that they stay facing the oncoming wind - this way they don't get their feathers ruffled ...

You do know that you can click on the image to see a bigger version. Afterwards hit your BACK button to return here.
Thanks
Ron

"Oak Bay Citizens Monument" oil 8 x 10

My approach is a bit like Harley Brown. A quick oil sketch,  painted in situ in about an hour. This monument, situated at Cattle Point in Oak Bay in Victoria BC, is dedicated to the memory of Oak Bay citizens who gave their lives during WW2 - 1939 to 1945. Lovingly surrounded by red tulips, yellow daffodils and purple camas, the monument nestles in a quiet bend in the road, facing the sea. Nearby, a tall Canadian flag was chattering in the wind this morning, saying more than my words can say.

"Reaching Out" oil on canvas mounted on board 11 x 14

It was blustery and cold on top of Mount Tolmie again but the yellow moss is in fine form, leading the eye to the young garry oak on a rocky outcrop. The branch extends outwards as if to comb the pale winter sky.

Click on the image for a bigger view then hit your BACK button to return here. COMMENTS are welcome.

"Tidal Flats" oil on stretched canvas 8 x 10

Thanks to Peter Crowe for suggesting the title of this painting "Tidal Flats" because that is what they are,  seen from a cliff above Metchosin. Tiny kittiwakes gather on the sandbars.

"Red hull" oil on stretched canvas 8 x 10 SOLD

I went back to Haynes Park again because the light was right and the tide was out - just enough to have the red hull firmly settled on the Oak Bay bottom! Otherwise the winds cause the boat to swing around anchor making it difficult to capture it. Cold again. But what a pleasure to be painting outdoors. SOLD June 25, 2010

"Beach Cluster" (dinghies) oil 9 x 12 plein air

A loose rendering of a small group of dinghies lying about. Painted en plein air at Haynes Park adjacent to the Oak Bay marina in Victoria BC. I'm glad the sun was out but boy was it cold! I had three- no FOUR layers on and I still shivered. Ken Faulks was painting alongside but he seemed immune to the cold.

"Farm Fence" Woodwynn Farm oils 11 x 14

A few of us chased the sun today -- we asked Richard LeBlanc for permission to re-visit this 100-year old farm, looking for SUNLIGHT (which we found). This leaning fence and the aluminum irrigation pipes stopped me - what else could I do but paint 'em ...

"Wyeth Doors" Woodwynn Farm - oils 8 x 10

The 100-year old farm hasn't changed over the years. I like these simple sliding doors and the patterns made by the strong winter sunlight today. Richard LeBlanc has invited us to come back again so please expect to see more paintings done en plein air at this spot in Saanich on Vancouver Island.
I am a fan of the late Andrew Wyeth as you can tell ...

"Geographical Marker - Cattle Point" 9 x 12

This is my quick oil sketch done in situ within 90 minutes.  Upon the stone plinth is a brass plaque showing you where the surrounding physical features are located,  i.e. Seattle is 75 miles away from Cattle Point in Victoria BC, San Juan island is seven miles ... and so on.

Did you know that if you CLICK on the image you can see a bigger version of it? Then hit your BACK button to return here

House in the Woods - oil on board 11 x 14

It is good to be out painting en plein air again. The location is the Esquimalt lagoon at the water side of the Royal Roads University property, (near the boathouse). One of my fellow artists remembers attending parties in this military house when she was a child.