Floating Overhead - Landscape Oil Painting

Floating Overhead - 12x12 oil on canvas

I'm fascinated with clouds. Especially the swirly, billowy, storm clouds with dark shadows which are floating past with great speed. These clouds were floating close to my home and I couldn't resist taking a photograph and painting them.

Shadow Play - Landscape Oil Painting

Shadow Play 36 x 36" Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas 

When I was deciding on the subject matter for this painting, I was drawn to this image over and over again. It was the shadows in the snow that fascinated me. I love the colour that shadows cast on snow on a bright and cold winter day. 

I can visualize this painting looking fantastic hanging over a fireplace.

For quite a while I've been posting small paintings and I admit that most of my paintings have been small ones. I've been asked if I paint larger paintings. My focus is going to be on larger paintings with a few small ones in between. I'm very happy with this painting. I hope you enjoy it too.

In progress photos

I numbered the trees to keep track of them.

Mixing colours on my palette

More progress

Along Country Roads - Landscape Oil Painting

Along Country Roads 12 x 12" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas.

SOLD

I was drawn to this image by the clouds and shadows. It's raining in the background. The clouds are moving across the sky, casting shadows on the ground. The sun is shining on the trees at the back of the fields.

The more I look at this painting the more I like it. It has been sold to an appreciative art lover.

Old Barn with a View - Landscape Oil Painting

Old Barn with a View 12x12 Oil on Panel

SOLD

This is the third painting of this barn that I have done. Each time I've painted it from a different angle and in a different season.

I'm drawn to this barn because it sits on a hill with a wonderful array of colour in the background. Layer upon layer and hints of different types of landscape. There are bushes, fields and more tree rows and fields. Each layer is different and each is a different colour. I find that fascinating. Autumn provides  a variety of colour in the rural landscape which I find interesting.

This painting is at the Hanover Saugeen Artist Store currently.

Long Shadows - Landscape Oil Painting

Long Shadows 8x10 oil on gallery depth cradled panel

I love texture especially when it becomes part of the image.

I enjoy taking photographs from the car as my husband is driving. I like the random images that result from trying to capture something in an accidental manner. Occasionally I get images that appeal to me as painting subjects and most of the time not. This image appealed to me because of the long shadows on the farmer's field, the colour of the shadows and shed combined with the soft green of the grain growing there.

Early Spring in the Valley - Acrylic Landscape Painting

Early Spring in the Valley 6 x 6" Acrylic on cradled panel.

SOLD

This is a barn close to where I live. I drive past on a regular basis and have seen it in all seasons. I find it to be a compelling subject. The willow trees growing near the barn hide part of it and other out buildings. The red colour, stands out against the bare purple trees growing on the hill behind the barn, creating a wonderful backdrop. The clouds in the sky create a highlight in the right place which gives it further appeal.

This is an acrylic which I don't normally use to paint with. When I'm in a hurry and need a painting to dry quickly, I'll use acrylics. I much prefer oils.

I find that my camera's photos tend to make the blues look more exaggerated. I've tried to tone it down a bit in the photo but it's still looking very blue.

The Birches - Landscape Oil Painting

The Birches, 12 x 12" oil painting on canvas

SOLD

I finally broke down and painted birch trees. I resisted painting birch trees since a lot of artists do this subject matter. However, these trees have light colour bark with intriguing patterns and I find that an irresistible subject for a painting. I decided to paint one small canvas and take it from there to decide if I want to continue with any more paintings. I have not come to any conclusions at this point. I've been told by another artist that birches are over. Time will tell.

My goal when painting is to apply the paint thickly. I love the texture of thick paint and the role that the texture adds to the overall painting.

Update: I sold this painting. I may do more. Honestly I do like birch trees.

Tangle - Landscape Oil Painting

Tangle 30 x 40" Oil on Canvas

I am grateful to have two paintings accepted in the juried show "Canadian Spirit: People, Places and Icons", taking place at the Owen Sound Artists' Co-op. The show runs until September 30, 2012. The co-op is at 279 - 10th Street East, in Owen Sound.

Tangle and Cypress Lake are both landscapes of local subjects in oil. I find myself fascinated by light appearing through the branches of trees. The interplay of light and colour is very interesting to me.

Update: this painting is currently at the Matilda Swanson Gallery in Clarksburg, Ontario.

The Old Barn Landscape Oil Painting

The Old Barn - 6 x 6" oil on cradled panel

SOLD

Fall colours fascinate me and this barn stood out in this setting because of the neutral colouring in the autumn landscape I couldn't resist painting it.

The foreground seemed to be a challenge since it is green and I tend to mix greens too bright. So I found it hard to tone it down. I'm happy with the final result.

November in the Country - Landscape painting

November in the Country 

6 x 6" Acrylic on Gessoboard

SOLD

Living in a rural area can be so inspiring. This painting was done along with some others from a series of photographs that I took in the area where I live. As someone described it as "drive off the road beautiful". I find myself stopping to take photographs while I'm going to an appointment or meeting with someone.

This is an old empty and unused barn on a rural road. There was no snow yet so the grasses were soft shades of gold.

Country Road - Fall Landscape Original Oil Painting

Country Road 6x6" Oil on panel

SOLD

This is my latest small painting, oil on cradled panel, 3/4" profile. I enjoy doing these small 6 x 6s. I try not to include too much detail and just let it happen. First I painted the panel burnt sienna. When it's dry I sketched out a few lines to indicate where the main sections were on the panel. Then I went ahead and painted the sky, trees and field in the foreground. 

I like the combination of colours of the dried grasses and brush, the bare trees in the background, the olive green cedars and blue green spruce. Some yellow leaves are still clinging to a few of the trees. I find myself really attracted to the colours of the fall. Even though the majority of the leaves have fallen there is still a lot of colour in this location.