 | It was very warm and humid by the river but it was a fun day to be outside painting. I was with Harvey Walker and Scott Rubie beside the Horseshoe Rapids on the Gull River. A group of very courageous paddlers were having a blast running through the rapids and entertaining us while we worked. This painting is 24" X 18" and was a huge challenge because of the size. I was struggling to keep the paint on my palette moist and workable. I went through a lot of paint but I feel that it was worth it. I'm happy with this one |
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All the paintings below were done on this retreat. The first is an old tree behind the Snow Owl Cabin where we stayed. The second is at the 53 Km marker on the highway in the park. The third is the crazy spring flow in the Oxtongue Rapids just outside the park. Next is a painting painted at the same location that it is believed that Tom Thomson painted his painting "Northern River. I rushed this one because there was an approaching storm. The board walk is on the Spruce Bog Trail. Again, I rushed to beat the impending rain and this time it came. The last image is of Harvey Walker. He is painting under the overhang of the porch and I was under my umbrella. I am proud to be a part of this group cannot wait to paint with these guys again .
I went to Eagles Nest Park and met up with Kathy Haycock. We hiked down a trail to the valley floor and found ourselves in a very wild and tangled wetland. Kathy very carefully walked down an old closed trail to get a more open view. I elected to paint the trail climbing up around a rock outcrop. We both struggled and got frustrated by the mess of trunks, branches and shrubs. As is often the case we both liked what the other managed to produce but we were both unhappy with our own.
In hindsight I discovered that Kathy actually came to paint the Eagles Nest Vista. Oops! Sorry! I was outside painting in good company so I was happy. At least until we had to cart everything back up to the parking lot.
I haven't been motivated to paint much since the death of a very dear artist friend and mentor about 18 months ago. Debbie told me the only valid excuse, in her mind, for me not doing more work around the house was if I was busy painting. I got painting. I decided to go back to my original joy. Watercolours. I had forgotten how much fun it was watching paint flow to places that you didn't think that you wanted it or accidental blooms that formed because you had too much water on your brush. With watercolour I can blame the paint for mistakes. I don't have to take ownership of the looseness.
Can it really be a year since I last posted in my blog. A very busy year culminated with the sudden loss of my very dear friend and mentor, Catherine Gibbon. I have been a bit overwhelmed and my art suffered. It is time to wake up and make time to work.
I worked on this 20"X24" painting for a full class (about 5 hours) and put it away for two weeks. It was close but it still needed some work. I brought it back to class and put in a few more hours on it. I am really excited about this one. These aren't masterpieces but I have made the jump to painting larger from my sketches. I have always found the idea intimidating however I can now see me spending a lot of time in my studio at the lake.  Go home to a new home. We are moving. Debbie and I are moving into my family home near Bancroft, Ontario and the thought of having a studio, albeit small, with a view of the lake has me energized. I was starting to feel like I was in a rut. I am getting better but I am doing the same thing over and over. A new home in a new environment seemed the perfect time to rethink what I am doing. I have taken Laurie Wonfor Nolan's abstract class a couple of times and she has inspired me to paint big and to think of composition in abstract terms. I have wanted to do some large pieces from my sketches so I enrolled in her open studio class to get help.
I am excited and encouraged by this result. It was thrilling to be using a big brush and full arm movements while I painted it. I am not sure that it is finished but I will put it aside for a week or so and look at it fresh. This painting is 24" by 30" acrylic on stretched canvas.  |
John ChristieI am an artist who works almost exclusively from life. Either in front of a sitting model or outside at my easel or better yet sitting on a rock during a canoe trip. 
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