Country Lane

New work finished today.

Title: Country Lane
Soft Pastels
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale:

Retiring A Faithful Friend

This afternoon I sadly said goodbye to a constant companion of many years.  No matter what the hour was this friend was always there, ready to go to work with paint or pastel. It bore it scars bravely; but today I decided it was way past time to let this old friend retire gracefully into my rag pile. Yes, rag pile, as the old friend I am discussing is/was my trusty, old paint shirt.  It will continue on for a while cleaning my hands, then it will be a final farewell as it goes to the garbage bin.  Its replacement has a long way to go to live up to my old stand by.
Goodbye old friend.

Christmas Sale

Christmas Sale now going on.

More 31 in 31 Photos

I keep forgetting to add the photos of what I have been playing around with for the 31 pastel paintings in 31 days.  Here are a few more.
I won't have 31 done in 31 as I took a few days off for a sore tooth and then a sore mouth after I had it extracted and a few other things got in the way of painting.  I have one started of some Mandarin Ducks that I probably won't get finished by the 31 st as I will be busy this weekend.  Oh well, it was a fun challenge and I enjoyed it.

 Monochrome - 3 values of blue

Colour Triad - dark value purple, mid
value green, light value peach

Monochrome Pink - 3 values of pink

Max the cat, I worked on this one for a couple of days.  Max is sold.

Cherry

Daisy, this was actually a card that I did for my sister

Poppy

This one was an experiment using different mediums to create a more textured paper to work on.  I later scrubbed it off and re did a different one on the same paper, as I didn't like it.

This is what I did on the above one after I scrubbed it off. This is sold.

Coneflowers.

I'm Back

I know I haven't blogged since June; but then I hadn't painted anything since June.  Some where along the way I lost my muse and my motivation and my art materials languished in their respective areas.
Last week I saw on a Pastel site that I follow that they were going to do a 31 in 31 challenge.  The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea.  I didn't sign up on the site; but I did sign up in my head.  I challenged myself not to finish 31 paintings in 31 days; but just to do some type of artwork everyday for 31 days and to loosen up my work.
So far, so good I have actually sat down and worked at something for the last few days.  These first 3 days I worked on 10 x 8 inch size; but I think I will downsize to 7 x 5 inches as the larger size is taking up too much of my day time wise.
So here are the first 3 days results. I wonder how the next 28 days will go.

Day 1:
Title: Fall is Here
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches

Day 2:
Title: Sunset
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches

Day 3:
Title: Solitude
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches

Water Lily 1

I felt like getting away from the animals and landscapes for a change and decided to do a Water Lily.  Thanks to Kay Davis on the Photos for Artists FB page, for use of her photo for a reference.

Title: Water Lily 1
Soft Pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper
Size: 12 x 9 inches
For Sale

Elephant

A friend of mine loves Elephants and as her birthday was coming I thought I would do one for her in pastel.
Hope that she liked it.

Title: Elephant
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches

A Couple More Pastels

I am still playing around with my pastels, I have been busy and the pastels are an easy medium to work with when you just have bits and pieces of time to play.
I do have an oil on the go also; but it is just in the beginning stages.
I have another pastel done; but cannot post it at the moment as it is a gift for someone, so will post it later.

A big thank you to Andy Goodson for giving me permission to use his photo for reference for the painting of Little Swan Valley.

Title: Little Swan Valley
Soft pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper.
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches,mounted on foam board, unframed
For Sale

Untitled
Soft pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches,mounted on foam board, unframed
For Sale

That's it for today, have a lovely Sunday. I hope it is a nicer day weather wise where ever you are.

Art Show And Sale

I attended an art show and sale in a neighbouring town this weekend.  It was a very well organised event with lots of great artists showing their work.  A good experience.
I took a few general photos.

What Have I Been Doing?

Lately I have had the urge to play around with my pastels more, so have been doing a few smaller ones.  Here they are:

1: Untitled
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, oval mat
Sold

2: Untitled
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale

3: Spring Time
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale

4: Echoes Of The Past
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale

5: Still Winter
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 8 x 10, matted to 11 x 14 inches
For Sale

6: Untitled

Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper

Size: 6 x 4, matted to 10 x 8 inches

For Sale

Baby Elephant 2

A customer saw the baby elephant I had done and wondered if I could do one for her; but with the trunk in a little different position.
I got it done and she seemed happy with it when she picked it up.

Here it is:

Title:  Baby Elephant 2
Soft pastels on Canson Mi Tientes pastel paper
Size: 7 x 5 inches, matted to 10 x 8 inches
Commission piece, sold

Some More Finished Pieces

I have been lazy posting some of the pieces that I have finished so here we go.

Untitled
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale:
  

Untitled
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale:

Title:  Winter Sunset
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted
Size: 20 x 16 inches
For Sale:

Title:  Tangleflags 2, The Lonely Sentinel
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted
Size: 12 x 9 inches
For Sale:

Title:  Autumn Forest
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 10 x 8 inches, matted to 14 x 11 inches
For Sale: Sold

Tangleflags

I was going through some of the older photos that I took quite a few years ago and happened to come across a couple that I thought I would like to paint.

Tangle flags is an area near to Lloydminster, it is a pretty area and we enjoyed our day.  We also happened to see a Badger hiding in the grass that afternoon.

I finished this one today, so here it is:
Title: Tangleflags 1, Lunch Time
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted, ready to hang
Size: 12 x 9 inches
For Sale

What I Am Working On

I am working on a couple of oils at the moment; but nothing is finished as yet. As these are just works in progress I didn't worry about getting great photos of them.
The first one is a 20 x 16 inch gallery wrap canvas, working in oil.

The second one is a 12 x 9 gallery wrap canvas, in oils also.
This is from a photo I took years ago, 2004, so it is not the best picture to work from; but I really liked the area we were at.  It is around the "Tangleflags" area close to Lloydminster. A very scenic area if you like to take photos.  The day we were wandering around there we saw a badger and of course, gophers and many birds.  The old school is still there as well as a church, or were there in 2004 anyway.  We haven't been back since so I am sure there have been some changes.

Tiger 2

I decided to try another tiger, this time in pastels.

Title: Tiger 2
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 8 x 10 inches, matted to 11 x 14 inches
For Sale  SOLD

The Marsh

This time I did a small pastel landscape, just as a change.  I really enjoyed doing it and think I will be doing more of them.
It is already on the way to the new owner.

Title:  The Marsh
Soft pastels on Canson pastel paper
Size: 8 x 10, matted to 11 x 14 inches, unframed
For Sale  SOLD

Wolf

I decided to do another wolf, this time in pastels.

Title:  Wolf
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 8 x 10 inches, matted to 11 x 14 inches, unframed
For Sale SOLD

Baby Elephant

Title:  Baby Elephant
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 5 x 7 inches, matted to 8 x 10 inches, unframed
For Sale:
The actual painting is lighter than the photo which  turned out dark for some reason.

I finally took a better photo of this little guy.
SOLD

Misha The Wolf

My first wolf ever.  

Title:  Misha The Wolf

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted

Size: 9 x 12 inches

For Sale

Lynx

I really enjoy doing animals in soft pastel, it seems like I can get the fur looking softer in pastel than I can in oils.

Title:  Lynx
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 5 x 7 matted to 8 x 10 inches
For Sale SOLD

Cricket

Well, here is another pastel painting, soft pastel on Canson pastel paper.  As always I enjoyed doing this dog, love the animals!
Title: Cricket
Soft pastel on Canson pastel paper
Size: 8 x10 matted to 11 x 14 inches, unframed
For Sale SOLD

Fajir

I can now post a photo of a commission painting that I did before Christmas for a lady.  She managed to get together with her friend and says that she is happy with the painting of her horse.  I am very glad that she likes it.

So here is the painting.

Title: Fajir
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted
Size:  11 x 14 inches
Commission/SOLD