Spring Grasslands - Landscape Oil Painting

Spring Grasslands - 6x6" Oil on panel

The result of a recent drive around rural Ontario. Barns of all shapes intrigue me. They are disappearing. Some of my favourite painting subjects have fallen down, which makes me sad.

Misty Morning - 12 x12 Landscape Oil Painting

Misty Morning — 12x12 Landscape Oil Painting

I'm working towards looser paintings. I am inspired by other artists who do loose paintings in an easy, seemingly, effortless way. I admire their fearless painting style. This painting is a scene from Leith at the church where Tom Thomson's grave is located.
A mist was hovering over the field in the distance.

Early Spring 10 x 8 Landscape Oil Painting

Early Spring 10 x 8" landscape oil painting on panel

March can be a dreary month but fortunately I find that subtlety of colour in landscapes really appeals to me. The red barn adds a lot of vibrancy and interest to this painting. It's sitting next to a fairly neutral field that is waiting to come to life when warm weather arrives.

The dormant grass has a faint cast of green and is ready to burst forth with life when warm sunny spring days come.

I posted this on instagram but something was nagging at me until I added more colour and thicker paint to the field in the foreground. Now I'm happy. The thick paint and variances in the colour of the paint creates another layer of depth. At the same time the difference in colour is subtle.

Out to Pasture - landscape oil painting 16x10

Out to Pasture 16 x10" Oil on Panel

Fall painting of a barn and a cow grazing in the field. I used a lot of paint on this one to achieve texture and colour. A local barn with the sun about to set.

Wintergreen 12x12 Landscape Oil Painting

Trees reaching towards the sky on a bright winter day. The shadows on the snow is made up of many colours. Thick paint and texture create interest in this 12 x12" painting on gallery depth panel.

Red Roofs - Landscape Oil Painting

Red Roofs 12 x 12 Oil on Canvas

Cold days with dark snow filled clouds appeal to me, especially if the colour red is involved. These barns have stood the test of time through a century of all weather conditions and farmers working in and around them.


My goal right now is to create small paintings for galleries in the area that are carrying my work. In the summer and fall, I'll be in more art shows than last year.

Chicken Little - 6x6 oil painting on panel

Chicken Little - 6x6" oil on panel

I saw this chicken and her friend while I was out for a walk a few years ago. I had the foresight to take a photograph of them and I'm very happy I did. They were both standing in great chicken poses, which I captured in one photograph. I find it hard to get animals to pose in just the right way. It happens by chance mainly. I'll probably paint her friend also.

In Berkley 6x6" Landscape Oil Painting

In Berkley 6x6" Landscape Oil Painting on panel

SOLD

This barn fascinates me. Every time I drive by it, it looks different. This is the second time I've painted it. In each season and time of day, it changes. Unfortunately it's roof has holes in it and the foundation is probably giving way. So I'll paint it while I can, until it gets taken down or it falls down.

I'm getting ready for a show in Owen Sound this weekend. It's a three day show which starts on Friday. The Fine Craft Christmas Show & Sale at the Harmony Centre.

Black Barn 12 x 12 Landscape Oil Painting

Black Barn 12 x 12 oil on canvas

SOLD

While driving around from place to place, I often see barns that I would like to paint. This one caught my eye. It's simple classic lines were irresistible. I was quite surprised and delighted that it sold so quickly.

Barn in Autumn - Landscape Oil Painting

Barn in Autumn 6x6" Landscape Oil Painting

SOLD

This barn is in the Beaver Valley and has a unique roof. I like the colouring of the trees and the asters growing in the field. I'm working on some paintings for fall shows that are coming up.

Barn in Early Evening - Landscape Oil Painting

Barn in Early Evening 6x6" landscape oil painting on panel

SOLD

I'm getting ready for The Art Map Open Studio Weekend event at my studio coming up September 30, Oct 1 & Oct 2 from 10-5 pm. I'm painting a bunch of new work for the event. I'll have small pieces and large pieces. There are 22 studios and galleries participating in this event. Visit the event web page for maps and addresses. I'll also be at the Art Crawl event on Sept 24 from 6-10 pm. I'll be in front of Graphic Wear House on Hurontario Street in Collingwood.

The lighting on this barn makes it even more interesting. The shadow on the barn comes from a large tree on the right which is for the most part is not in the painting.

Barn in August - Landscape Oil Painting

Barn in August - 6x6" Landscape Oil Painting on cradled panel.

This is a barn that I pass by often. It's located on Hwy 10 south of Markdale. On the right side of the barn is a view of hills and trees that stretches for miles. I love the layers and different colours that appear at certain times of the year. This view looks different again since I painted it. The golden field is now grown back very green.

I will be at the Thornbury Farmers' Market on Sunday September 11 for their Art & Authors day.

Village Barn - Landscape Oil Painting

Village Barn - 6 x 6" Landscape Oil Painting

This is a painting of a small barn near a village close to where I live. I love barns, especially small barns. This one turned out well. I'm quite happy with it.

Aura of Autumn - Landscape Oil Painting

Aura of Autumn 48 x 24" Landscape Oil Painting

Sometimes when I choose a subject and begin painting, I wish I hadn't picked the subject. This one was worrying to me, I thought I wouldn't be able to execute the trees in a way that I would be happy with. There were a lot of trees. I'm quite pleased with the way this painting turned out. The trees look good and they are faded back just a bit to show that they are in the background. I like the colours too. They look bright and interesting, close to the actual scene.

Canola Field - Landscape Oil Painting

Canola Field - 6x6" Oil on cradled wood panel

SOLD

Painting is providing me with a much needed break from work at the moment.

The setting sun is lighting up the side of the barn and small sheds in this painting. I love canola fields. They provide an opportunity for more more colourful paintings. I find that I enjoy painting these small 6x6' panels. They can be completed fairly quickly, which is a good thing right now.

Sometimes the photograph doesn't show the true qualities of the painting. This one is very close.

These wood cradled panels are first sealed, then primed with 2 coats of gesso, then 2 coats of burnt sienna. This one is .75" deep.

Pastoral by Design, Landscape Oil Painting

Pastoral by Design 6x6" Oil on cradled wood panel

SOLD

I love barns and simple rural images with trees and sky. What more can I say. This barn is close to where I live and I was driving past it almost daily for a time. It's simplicity interests me.

Almost Home - Landscape Oil Painting

Almost Home 12 x 10" oil on wood panel

On the way home from Collingwood on a sunny day, I noticed the cloud formations and fall colours. I love texture and bold strokes of colour. I primed the panel, then painted with two coats of gesso and a coat of raw sienna. Then roughly draw the image on the panel then paint it.

Standing Tall - Landscape Oil Painting

Standing Tall - Oil on 10 x 8" panel

I'm getting ready for several art shows this summer and fall. I need to get a lot of painting done.

Birches are fascinating trees and look great in a painting. Many people like birch trees. These birch trees are near Big Bay looking toward the other side of the bay. I love the fact that the trunks are so high and the leaves are concentrated at the top, like lollypops.

Autumn Clouds - Landscape Oil Painting

Autumn Clouds - 10 x 8" Landscape oil painting on panel

Clouds are fascinating to me, especially the big clouds with dark billowy sections. They really add to the overall composition of the painting. Clouds are a challenge to paint, and I keep being drawn to paint them.

The sides of this panel are painted raw sienna, and look like unpainted wood. It looks like a block of wood on the sides. It gives the painting an interesting unique look. 

This is a view from the road from Scenic Caves Road to Ravenna, in Grey County. This is a road that I've travelled on often in recent times. There's always wonderful views to see. 

I'm enjoying my time on this road.

In the Pasture - Landscape Oil on Canvas

In the Pasture -  60 x 30" Oil on Canvas

I was driving on the back roads of Grey County when I came across this scene of a maple tree with holstein cows laying underneath it. It was one of those moments when you have to stop and take a photograph.

The tree was huge with a very large trunk and long branches. It must be very old.

I like to paint scenery as it is without much editing. A few cows were removed from the final composition and moved over slightly. Deciding on the final arrangement of the cows was the most difficult part of the painting process. The leaves on the ground were painted individually with many different colours making up the final composition.

This is the second large painting over 48" that I've done and I'm enjoying the process.

This painting is at the Matilda Swanson Gallery in Clarksburg, Ontario.