"Garden bench" Finnerty Gardens oils 6x8

A most daunting place to paint - Finnerty Gardens. Not because it's pretty but the artist is surrounded by plants at every turn. So I chose to paint like a millionaire with thick, juicy paint.

Press the image for a closer view (careful it's wet)

Canadian anti-spam law

From now on I need your consent to keep sending you my occasional Blog like this. Do nothing to stay on my list or send me an email ronjbw@gmail.com with UNSUBSCRIBE either in the subject line or within the message. No problem. Meantime, here's my American grandchild at seven in Pelindaba's lavender field.

"Copper kettle, copper bowl" oils

I'm preparing for Moss Street TD Paint-in open air exhibition to take place here in Victoria BC on July 19th, 2014.

Some 35-thousand people are expected to come looking at the art - 'tis very exciting for us artists on Vancouver Island.

Here's the companion piece - "Copper Bowl" (courtesy of the Warren Family) 6 x 8.

Press the images for a bigger view

I'm in a Lavender mood

Want it? Put the title of the painting in the SUBJECT line and make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

press each image for a bigger view

"Monet's Trees" homage oil 11x14

.

Monet's Trees - I kept my scene loose and sketchy, much like Monet would have done.

Want it? Make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

"Sig" pastel portrait

'Hard to believe, Sig was a Canadian pilot for the RAF when he was twenty - that's seventy years ago! He still looks good and is a marvellous artist.

"Vern" Goward House Portrait Painters

Vern the husband of one of our artists, sat for the portrait group today.
I used pastel pencils, and after tea, I did a quick half profile.

Press the images for bigger views

"Dinghy and draglines" oil 8x10

In the wild west the steeds used to wait patiently outside the saloon. Now-a-days the yachties drag their tenders above the highwater mark, thus my title - dinghy and draglines.

I've said it before, next to the shape of a woman a hull is almost perfection.

Want it? Put the title of the painting in the SUBJECT line and make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

Hit the image for a bigger view

"Mike" portrait sitter

Mike sat for the Goward House Portrait Painters this week - the deal is that you sit for free but at the end of the three-hour session you get to take home the portrait of your choice - with about a dozen artists painting!

Hit the image for a bigger view

"Elk Lake" oil 10 x 20

Often what you leave out can make or break a painting. I left a single tree out (it was one third in from the right) and the composition just looked out for itself.

Also, it painted itself pretty much - it was finished within two hours, leaving us time to walk along the water's edge a little ways. There were many Alfrescoes out this morning, I'd say about 30 to 40 (there are 80 artists on the email list).

Hit the image for a bigger view

"Sheldon" Goward House Portrait Painters

Sheldon sat for us today, and the dozen or so artists loved him. He sat still and was nice and chatty with them at the tea break, making many friends I believe.

And YES, they made the Biblical reference...but who wouldn't?

I did a pastel yet I was happier with the pencil profile that I sketched after tea.

Hit the images for bigger views

My Hero! A selfie by Sargent

John Singer Sargent this is his selfie which he painted in 1906. This man has inspired countless brilliant artists. Some critics find him too clever by half but if you've ever struggled with a brush you'll know that THIS is the man!

Hit the image for a bigger view

"The Rock" acrylic 11x14 plein air.

I believe this rock is "erratic" or at best "eccentric" because it is not local to the area - it's as tall as a six-foot person and HEAVY. It could have been deposited on Mount Doug beach fifteen-thousand years ago during an ice age.
The yellow-green is seaweed found here at low tide. The mountain creek meets the sea where my seabirds are feeding on something.
Click for a bigger view.

"Boathouse" pastel 10x12

Happy day - I went painting with Delia Sansom and Ken Faulks today.
Pastels were my choice. Ken did oils and Delia gouache.

Why Faces and Hands are tough

There's always something a little wrong with a portrait. Even Sargent told his sitters "you can always fix it when you get it home." And, "a portrait is something a little wrong with the mouth." Faces are tough because everyone knows when a portrait is off. Especially a sensitive artist like me. So I battle to get the likeness and I'm still intent on improving. Hands are tough too. My hero John Singer Sargent solved his problem by painting hands like flowers.

Check out my portraits too, many of which can be found by scrolling down this my blog. Thanks for your compassionate ear. Ron

"Marcela" drawings at Goward House

Marcela sat for the 17 portrait painters today. I did three drawings - she liked this first one, graphite pencil and white on grey Sennelier paper.

(Then I did a quickie with Conté which I gave to a fellow artist in the group),

and finally I did Conté washed with watercolour which I enjoy because it's quick, sketchy and colourful...

Here's my photo of the sitter:

Three in three hours. I use various media, what works for one sometimes benefits my home medium which is OIL.

Hit the images for bigger views

"Lord Mike and Lady Linda" acrylic wash and blue pencil 12x16

We Goward House Portrait Painters were treated to two professional models today - Mike and Linda took the trouble to play dress-up for us. Mike wanted the tapestry of the Virgin in the background (laugh out loud). It was a tall order trying to get all three elements into the painting but I used blue pencil and acrylic wash to nail it within the two-and-a-half hours.

Whew.

Click the painting for a bigger image.

"Gregg Eligh" oil 12x12

Gregg Eligh came and sat for us at Goward House Portrait Painters today. What a fun guy - Gregg is a pro photographer who works with models (hullooo) and advertising execs - he knows his stuff. Apart from that, he is a drummer in an old guys rock 'n roll band. My impressionist portrait of him did not phaze him in the least, even though as a photographer he is accustomed to working with razor sharp pixels. In fact, I think he may like the novelty of seeing himself in choppy brushwork.... Hit the image for a bigger view

"The Warrior, West Bay Marina" oil 8x10

It has Disney-like proportions, sooo cute!
I stumbled across this lil' cutie at West Bay Marina this morning, I parked myself on a cooler box on the floating deck and nailed the beauty with oils within an hour.
Fun, fun, fun.
Hit it for a bigger image

"Totem - by Chief Hunt" oil 6x8 plein air

We painted at Government House in Victoria BC - it's so neat that we are allowed to wander through the grounds so freely. After three hours al fresco work we gathered under the pavilion for the show and tell - my friend sat on my wet 6x8 which I had parked on a bench, leaving a nice reverse impression on his jacket! In fact it improved the my painting by softening the edges, so I guess it's a collaboration! Some other friends urged him to frame the jacket and asked me to SIGN it! Hahahaha...lol.

Hit the image for a bigger view