Tag Archives: Ontario

Recent Paintings

08 Wednesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Acrylic, Art, Flowers, Landscape, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Ojibway, Plein Air, Snow, Windsor, Winter

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Just a quick update.  To view availability and prices click on the image.  Direct inquiries to PaintPleinAir@gmail.com

Last Snow, Ojibway Park 12 x 9 oil on Ampersand Art Supply gessobord. $350
In the Pink 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand Gessobord, $275
Hands Across the Water, 24 x 48 Acrylic on Canvas. Sold at Nancy John’s Gallery Juried Exhibition 24×48
Kicking Back, 11×14 oil on Ampersand Art Supply​ gessobord. $425.
Guard House at the Navy Yard, Oil on Ampersand Art Supply gessobord 9×12 $350
Pensioner’s Cottage in the Spring. Oil on Ampersand Art Supply gessobord 9×12 $350. — at Navy Yard Par
Corner Gas” 8×10 oil on Ampersand gessobord. $275. $25 from the sale of this painting will go to CTMHV.

Wishing You all a Happy Holiday!

13 Sunday Dec 2015

Posted by in Art, Gimp, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air, Snow, Still Life, Windsor, Winter

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MacDonald Merry Christmas2015- gif made by Elizabeth from her original painting The Clark Cabin

Here’s wishing all my family and friends a very Happy Holiday and Blessed New Year.

Elizabeth

 

News

 

Weather

I’ve managed to get out every week to paint, except for this week.  I scheduled a paint out at Willistead for Monday, but the fog had other ideas.  Many of our group members are from the county.  The last thing I want is for someone to drive in that mess.  It looks like December’s weather is going to continue to make things difficult for painting outdoors.  We can paint in most weather, however, rain is a pain!

Heritage Villiage

I’m happy to say we did get out and paint in the first snow of the year.  We went to the Transportation Museum and Heritage Village.  They were decorating the museum and village for Christmas. We had planned on a group breakfast in their 50’s inspired diner.  Little did we realize that they had changed the diners hours for the winter.  How disappointing! However, the kitchen staff was there cooking up lunch for the volunteers, so they kindly opened up just for us.  We were blessed!

I painted a wee log cabin that day.  It was originally owned by the Clark family.  They were some of the original settlers in Essex County.  The family still lives in the area, as do many who were granted land by the Crown.  I went to school with the descendants of the family who lived in this tiny home.  I had no idea that was the name of the cabin until someone mentioned it on Facebook. Funny thing, my maiden name is Clarke. Call me silly, but it made my day.

snow, oh no!

It was a chilly day, and while I was painting it started to snow.  Regular oil paints would not be budged in this weather, but I paint with water soluble oils, and they don’t like to get wet!  Like the Richard Harris song, you don’t want to leave the cake out in the rain.  I had to quickly turn the painting upside down.  I ran off to get my van and umbrella to try to shelter my work from the snow.  I did manage to continue painting in spite of the snow.  I wanted to complete it on site.  Almost all of my work is done entirely on location.  I live in a very tiny house, and as a result I have no indoor studio space.  The great outdoors in my studio.

Experiments

I made the painting into a holiday gif, that you can see above.  That was NOT easy!  I had to learn how to do it.  I looked up the tutorials online and worked on it for days, in a free program called The Gimp.  The Gimp is much like Photoshop.  I struggled with the tutorials, and it just was just not working.  Eventually, just did it my own way.  Guess what, it worked!  You can see the original painting without the snow below, and soon on my available paintings page.

Limited Palette

On The Clark Cabin painting, as well as many of my paintings, I used a limited Palette.  On the Clark Cabin palette included:  Yellow Ocher, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow Light, Quinacridone purple, a dab of Cadmium red on the bow, and Titanium White.  I’m sure those strange colour names can be a bit confusing; artist quality colours are generally named for their ingredients.

New Habits

A limited palette is a challenge many artists impose on themselves.  The goal is to see how well you can mix colour.  For Plein Air Artists, the less paint you have to carry in your gear, the better.  A back pack can get heavy very quickly.  If you are flying with your gear you really have to watch your luggage weight.

I’ve taken up this challenge many times.  I’ve not always recorded what paint I used.  I’m embarking on a new habit of photographing my palette before and after the finished painting.  A three colour plus white is the ultimate limited palette.  This palette usually includes some form of the three primary colours of Red, Yellow and Blue, but there are many shades, and hues of these three colours and knowing how to work with them is the challenge.

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In the slideshow above you can see the limited palette I used on the painting, Malden Hiltop, along with an on location sight size photo.  Sight size is another very common method of painting which I will cover in a future article.

Recent work

Other painting locations last month include: Studio, still life Pear Study, Lakeside Park in Kingsville, and McAuliffe Park, in Tecumseh.  (Click on any image to see details.)

Pear Study, Still life, Oil on 4″ x 4″ x 1″ gallery wrap stretched canvas. Limited pallette, 3 primaries and white. $75. no frame required
Noon Sun at Lakeside 5 x 7 Oil on Ampersand Museum Gessobord $175 framed
Shagbark Hickory Afternoon Shadows; McAuliffe Park, Tecumseh 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand Museum Gessobord $275 framed
Clark Cabin, Heritage Village 11 x 14 Oil on Ampersand. $425. framed (Donation given to Heritage Village upon sale.)

Once a Month Blogger? I’m dreaming!

04 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in Art, Landscape, Landscape, Life and Family, Oil painting, Ojibway, Watercolour

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Warning!

Long, but interesting post follows, get a cup of coffee, glass of wine, or maybe even a seven course meal!

Small me1

Eight weeks, YIKES!

Back in August I decided to blog only once per month, but I’m not so sure if this is going to work.  Is waiting making the process more difficult?  I think it is.  Is it a bad thing to only post once a month? There are a few con’s to waiting:  I will have even longer gaps in keeping people informed on my artistic escapades.  My posts will be more like a novelette! Getting things together is a whole lot harder as well.  I’ve worked on this post off and on over the last 24 hours, probably more once I finally hit that publish button.  I hear that you really need to update more often.  But, living life is a big priority for me, so maybe I can just re-blog something from the past?  That seems so lazy somehow.  I doubt I will will ever be comfortable with rehashing old news.  Forcing myself to blog once a week and giving a monthly recap via my new email newsletter, might be the best way to lessen my work load.  If you’d like to sign up for my mothly newsletter please do so at this link:  http://eepurl.com/bvLs1j

The other thing that keeps me hopping is running the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists group.  I keep up the website, Facebook group and page, and the weekly emails.  This group keeps me, and other wonderful artists painting.  Without this group I’d be less motivated to put brush to canvas.  Painting en plein air is not only artistic, it’s social.  The public is always welcome to join us on location to watch or even paint with us.  It’s free!  Yes, you heard right, no charge!

So, enough with my woes!  Here’s what’s been happening in my world in the last (Egad!) eight weeks!  OH!  and two very important events for you!

EVENTS:

 

On NOW – Plein Air Show at the Mudpuppy

mudpuppy

Google street view Mudpuppy Gallery

I have four paintings in this Plein Air Show.  Opens on Wednesday, September 30th and runs until Sunday October 25th.
Reception  will be Sunday, October 11th from 2 – 4 pm.

Address (link to google map provided:
264 Dalhousie St.
Amherstburg, Ontario N9V 1W7 Canada

Hours of operation:
OPEN
Wednesday – Saturday
12pm – 6pm

Closed
Sunday – Tuesday

Phone:
519-890-6421

Email address:
mudpuppygallery@gmail.com

Future event: 

 

ARTILICIOUS – Fundraiser for the Kidney Foundation

Poster - finalI am participating with two tables of my art at this event.  Come to Caesars Windsor on November 3rd, from 5 pm until 8 pm, and see my new work, sample some yummy goodies, and help support the Kidney Foundation.

Sample unique and delicious food from at least 20 local eateries, shop local artisan booths just in time for the holidays, enjoy a selection of pastries, a McCafe coffee and much more! Tickets are $20 in advance at www.kidney.ca/WindsorEssex, or at Nancy Johns Gallery (4755 Wyandotte St. E., Windsor), and $25 at the door. Children 10 and under are free.

Like us at www.facebook.com/ArtiliciousWindsor for updates on featured restaurants, artists and donors!

Artilicious is proudly sponsored by Caesars Windsor, Infiniti of Windsor, Riverview Steel, AM 800 CKLW, Eyes on Windsor, Biz X magazine, Windsor Police Services, Unifor Local 444 and McCafe.

Past events:

 

Doors Open Event, Navy Yard,  Sept. 26 & 27

townofamherstburg_quarterv_winaug15-01Invited, with my group to participate in this event.  We had a wonderful weekend.  The weather was spectacular!  Costumed reenactors roamed the park, and even shot off a cannon.  The blasts made me jump every time!  I took a short video of the firing of the noon gun.

 

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River Canard Park  Paint out Sept. 14th

When our group paints at special weekend events we usually don’t paint on Mondays.  I’d had a busy weekend at the hawk Festival.  But, it was such a beautiful day!  Wendy called me at 8:00 a.m.  “Wanna go painting?”  Yep, I could not resist!  We decided on River Canard Park.  Then I quick put out an email, and Margaret managed to join us too.  This is why I love our group.  We keep each other hopping!

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Festival of Hawks, Painting Demo. Sept. 12-13 & 19-20

Our group was invited to participate by painting on location at the Hawk Fest.  This festival is a two weekend event where the ERCA, Essex Region Conservation Authority, bands and releases Hawks and other migratory birds.  Our region is a major flyway for many species including the Monarch Butterfly.  I was told that there were about 500 butterflies resting at the waters edge ready to take off across lake Erie.  I was so busy I didn’t get a chance to go see them.  Maybe next year!  I did however see a few flitting by as I painted.  Below are some photo’s of the event along with a video of a hawk being released.

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It’s always wonderful to receive a verbal thank you, but when you receive a great thank you letter it just makes your day.

Greetings Elizabeth,

I wanted to extend a huge thank you (and your crew of artists) for your attendance as demonstrators at this year’s event.

Over the two weekends in September, we welcomed well over 2,000 visitors to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area. That was in no small part due to the efforts of the many volunteers, vendors and educators that made this year’s festival possible.

Demonstrators like you play a crucial role in striving towards the goals that the Essex Region Conservation Authority has set out. Your presence at Hawk Festival was greatly appreciated as we engage citizens young and old in the natural environment. While Holiday Beach is world-renowned in the birding community, it’s important to engage the community and make sure it’s a top destination for locals and visitors alike. You and your crew of artists were a unique and interesting addition to this year’s festival, demonstrating both amazing artistry and appreciation of the natural environment.

Personally, as it was my first year with ERCA and first ever experience at Hawk Fest, I was astounded at the positive energy and fantastic attitude of everyone involved, and I look forward to working with everyone again in the future.

Please feel free to add your feedback to our event evaluation survey. We’re always looking to improve upon our events and your comments are of great value in achieving that. You can find the survey at this link, which you can share with anyone who attended the festival. http://goo.gl/forms/knhqG99HhJ

Please pass along this message to your fellow artists. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Alex Denonville
ALEX DENONVILLE
Events Planner
Community Outreach Services
Essex Region Conservation Authority
360 Fairview Avenue West, Suite 311 , Essex, ON. N8M 1Y6

~Used with permission.

Labour Day Paint out Sept 7 Ojibway

Every Monday we paint on location and we don’t normally take holiday’s off.  On labour day we painted at Ojibway Park.  There were quite a few visitors to the park on this lovely afternoon.  It actually was a very warm day.  The Ojibway nature centre is the hub of one of the most endangered wild areas left in Essex County.  Many are trying desperately to save the area around this tiny woodland.  It is my hope that it will be preserved.  I have a policy that with the sale of any painting from my Ojibway series, I will donate $25. to the activity program that is operated out of the nature centre.

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Malden Park West Paint out Monday, August 31st

Malden Park is a 175-acre park features the highest hill in Essex County. Naturalized biking and cycling trails wind up and down the hills and through paved and wood chipped trails.  This beautiful park is a wonderful spot to paint in, and is also close to the Ojibway conservation area.  This Monday the group met at this park.  Some met on the West side, where I was located and others met on the East side where there is a pond, and the welcome centre.

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Escape to Michigan!

Trailer & Tahquamenon Falls

After the Paint Dexter event I decided that because I was already in Michigan I might as well head up to our trailer.  I am fortunate to have a get away place on my brother’s property in Prescott, Michigan.  We have a 1976 31 foot vintage Air Stream Land Yacht travel trailer.  She’s in fairly good condition, but needed a bath badly.  There is a large oak tree that drops black sap all over it.  My brother recently acquired a power washer, so I worked on my baby for three days!  She still needs to be polished, but not this year!  Ouch were my muscles sore.

I love our trailer.  But, my red neck neighbors not so much.  There is a tree on their property that they started to cut down.  I suspect they stopped when they realized it was going to fall ON my trailer.  But… then they LEFT the tree half cut!  I need to get my trailer moved, as they are not responding to our pleas to get the tree down safely.  So, hopefully next week we will get it moved.  Just need someone who has a vehicle to help us pull it out of harms way.

Before & After Cleaning the Airstream

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The trip was not all work though.  My sisters (in-law) and I took an overnight trip to the upper peninsula.  We stayed at Blaney Lodge, and took off early the next morning to explore Tahquamenon Falls.  I did a quick watercolour sketch of the falls.  It was not easy as people were jostling to get a view of the falls.  I tucked myself into the corner of the guard rail, trying not to hog the premium viewing space.  Later we stopped at Whitefish Point Light Station.  There was a very windy beach, and it was pretty cold.  While my sis-in-laws toured the lighthouse, I found a sheltered spot on the beach and painted a quick sketch of a mother and daughter rock hound duo.

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August 17-22 Paint Dexter. 

Wow!  This seems like ages ago!  Once again Dexter proved to be a wonderful experience.  There were 70 participating artists.  That’s a LOT of artists!  This year the organizers split the categories into professional and emerging artists.  This would give the emerging artist a better opportunity to gain experience.  I entered the professional catagory.  But, for me it’s not all about the competition, it’s about meeting and interacting with the townspeople while you paint their local landmarks.  The person that I’m competing against is myself.  I go into this type of event because it challenges me to give my very best.  Winning an award is a bonus.  If you are so lucky to catch the judges eye.  This year I didn’t catch his eye, but I did catch the eye of two collectors.  Two paintings out of the three I was able to submit sold.  I painted a total of 6 paintings at this event.  Painting this many in a short period of time is good practice.  Painting under pressure is also good practice.  Here are some of my paintings from the Dexter event.

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All done!

So, there you have it.  What I’ve been up to over the last eight weeks.  I’m off again to Michigan to visit family and celebrate Thanksgiving with a Fall Colour Tall Ship Cruise out of Bay City, Michigan.  Stay tuned for more fun!  Living the Dream!

Historic Gibson Gallery

19 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Art, Event, Exhibition, Flowers, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air

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The Gibson Gallery 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand gessobord $275. framed.

The Gibson Gallery 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand gessobord $275. framed.

Painting the gallery on location .

Painting the gallery on location .

Say hello to my latest plein air piece.  This is the lovely Gibson Gallery located in Amherstburg, Ontario.  My group, The Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists group exhibition “Painted on Location in the Great Outdoors.” is currently on display there until August 2nd.  This painting will be one of over 35 paintings featured in my solo exhibition at ArtSpeak Gallery in Windsor, Ontario.  This exhibition opens on Monday July 20th, and runs to Saturday July 25th.  ArtSpeak Gallery is located in the historic neighborhood of Walkerville.  It is my extreme pleasure to be showing my work in the gallery during the 13th annual Art Walk & Rock Festival.  This festival is one of two annual art walks, and by far the best attended.  There will be dancing in the streets to the rock bands. and foodies in the cafe’s sampling local wine, and craft beer.  An event not to be missed!

…This former Michigan Central Railroad Station, ca. 1896, has been renovated to its original Romanesque glory featuring towering ceilings, hardwood floors and beveled glass windows. A full season of exhibits showcasing Essex County artists, traveling exhibits from Ontario museums and galleries and an unique Artisan Shoppe make this heritage building a vital center for the visual arts, offering art and craft lessons, an artist guild and three needle art guilds. A railroad museum, featuring artifacts and memorabilia, is housed in the attached caboose. ~Gibson Gallery

Solo Show Windsor & Region Arts Council, Art Speak Gallery during the Walkerville Art Walk & Rock

Solo Show Windsor & Region Arts Council, Art Speak Gallery during the Walkerville Art Walk & Rock

One Tree Three Times

18 Saturday Jul 2015

Posted by in Acrylic, Art, Botony, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Ojibway, Plein Air, Trail, Watercolour, Windsor

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I’ve actually painted this old willow more than three times.  I’m continually drawn to it.  It’s tenacity to remain upright no matter how much the storms and age try to take it down, intrigues me.  With broken limbs, and burled trunk she sprouts new leaves every spring.  Each time I set up in front of her, I study her many bruises.  I think how much we also get bruised and battered in life.  Hopefully, we hang in there like this strong tenacious willow.

She is respectfully known as “The Grandmother” by the Ojibway natives.  She resides at the beginning of the northern trail at Ojibway Park.  She, maybe broken, but her spirit is strong.  No one who passes by, can ignore her.  This park is currently threatened on all sides by urban sprawl.  Stand tall Grandmother.  Stand your ground.  Speak of all that you’ve seen in your long lived years.  Speak to the world a wise word of warning.

Genesis 1: 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.  ~NIV

God help us.  What have we done?  Forgive mankind for our disrespect of your precious gifts.  I pray it’s not too late.

 

Battle Scarred, Image size 7 x 10 1/2 Watercolour Framed $125.

Battle Scarred Two. 12 x 16 Acrylic on Canvas $150.

Battle Scarred Two. 12 x 16 Acrylic on Canvas $150.

Rain on Me, Painted en Plein Air in the rain at Ojibway Park 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand panel$275 framed. (On display at Arts Council July 2015)

Rain on Me, Painted en Plein Air in the rain at Ojibway Park 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand panel$275 framed. (On display at Arts Council July 2015)

Dylan Thomas, 1914 – 1953

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

A Few Paintings I Missed.

17 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in Art, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air

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Chance Encounters of the Marine Kind at Gil Maure Park, LaSalle, On. 9 x 12 Oil on Canvas panel. $350 framed.

Chance Encounters of the Marine Kind at Gil Maure Park, LaSalle, On. 9 x 12 Oil on Canvas panel. $350 framed.

Through the Ravine at Ann's 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand panel$275 framed.

Through the Ravine at Ann’s 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand panel$275 framed.

Shores of Tecumseh, Lake St. Clair. 9 x 12 Oil on Panel $350. framed.

Shores of Tecumseh, Lake St. Clair. 9 x 12 Oil on Panel $350. framed.

One thing preparing for a show will do for you is get you organized.  Seems that these paintings were not on my blog.  I seemed to have missed one from Fall, Winter, and Spring.  So here you go, enjoy!

July is Crazy! Especially this year!

17 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in Art, Exhibition, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air, Windsor

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So many things happening this month.  Oh the EXCITEMENT!!  I’m finally having my first solo exhibition!  Next week should be quite interesting.  Over a year ago I booked our local Art’s Council.  I actually booked last week, but they called me and said they had to move me one week ahead, did I mind.  Actually, I did mind as there was another event that I like to attend every year,  Explore the Shore.  Moving the date would mean missing that weekend.  There were no other openings, so I had to take it or loose out on the gallery all together.  Little did I know what would happen.

Every year the neighborhood of Walkerville has an Art Festival.  I happen to live in this great historic neighborhood.  This is a pretty exciting weekend.  They close down the streets.  Rock bands play, patio’s fill up and there is a great deal of excitement.  You never know what weekend they will choose.  Well, what made this so exciting is that my show just happens to be running during on the weekend of this great event!  I did not plan this, but mind you, I had hoped.  This means that the traffic in the gallery will be quite high.  So, think of me next week, and come visit me at the Artspeak Gallery.  My show runs from July 20th until July 25th.

ArtSpeak Gallery,
Arts Council Windsor & Region
1942 Wyandotte Street East
Windsor ON N8Y 1E4

Solo Show Windsor & Region Arts Council, Art Speak Gallery during the Walkerville Art Walk & Rock

Solo Show Windsor & Region Arts Council, Art Speak Gallery during the Walkerville Art Walk & Rock

So what else is happening?

As you may or may not know, I run the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists group.  We have a solo show in the lovely town of Amherstburg at the historic Gibson Gallery.  The show has 12 fantastic artists participating in it.  The work is simply phenomenal.  Our opening was a great success with a full house.  We have been asked to hold the show over to August 2nd, and we are planning a closing reception on that Sunday afternoon.  So if you missed the first reception, you have the opportunity to attend the 2nd.  Join us from 2 until 5 at the Gibson Gallery in Amherstburg, On.

 

the Gibson Gallery
Fort Malden Guild of Arts & Crafts
140 Richmond Street
Amherstburg, ON N9V1G4

 

Month long Windsor & Essex County Group exhibition at the Gibson Gallery in Amherstburg.

Month long Windsor & Essex County Group exhibition at the Gibson Gallery in Amherstburg.

Lavender Festival

29 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in Art, Event, Landscape, Landscape, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air, Uncategorized

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The Lavender Festival was a two day event.  Our group was supposed to paint on location in the lavender beds on Saturday, but mother nature decided to dump torrential rains on us once again.  Will it ever end?!  I know California could really use some of this rain.  Fortunately, Sunday was a much better day.  It was a bit windy, but their were bright fluffy clouds, and beautiful sun.

Serentity Now! 9 x 12 Oil on Ampersand Gessobord $350 framed

 

Pelee Island Plein Air with Friends

27 Saturday Jun 2015

Posted by in Art, Botony, Flowers, Hike, Landscape, Landscape, Nikon D90, Oil, Oil painting, Photography, Plein Air, Portrait, sunset, Uncategorized, ViewNX

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It was my first trip to Pelee Island, Canada’s most southern Post. I am so blessed to have good friends. My Plein Air group the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists is chock full of wonderful people.  I could not be more grateful.  One of our members and incredible artist Vera Graham, invited the group to spend the night at her cottage.  Two of us, Kathy Hudak and I, were able to take advantage of her generous offer. 

A large backhoe barely fits in the Jiimaan hold.

A large backhoe barely fits in the Jiimaan hold.

It was an early day Monday.  We had to be at the Leamington dock by 9:00 to board the Jiimaan Ferry to the island.  It’s amazing what this vessel holds!  A huge backhoe on a trailer bed, large trucks, a garbage truck, a cherry picker lift, and many other smaller vehicles. 

 

 

Life jackets ... check Life boat ... check

Life jackets … check
Life boat … check

It was a full and heavy load.  The ferry listed on the Port side from the incredible weight of the trucks.  I’m sure she was never in any danger of capsizing, but I was very grateful for calm seas.    Just to be sure I made note of the life jackets and lifeboat locations! 

 

 

 

Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage!

Once we’ve boarded we headed up to the deck to watch the boat leave the harbour.

The one and a half hour cruse was pleasant.  The brisk breeze was refreshing.   I could hardly contain my joyous anticipation of what the two days ahead would hold for us.

 

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OOps!  We got into a bit of trouble.  We walked down a set of stairs into a restricted area.  Well they didn’t have any signs, and the steps were not roped off!  How were we supposed to know?  The equipment was just so COOL!

OOps! Ship's hand chased us out of here, but not before I got this great photo of a huge winch. They need better signage!

OOps! Ship’s hand chased us out of here, but not before I got this great photo of a huge winch. They need better signage!

We reach the Island docks.

We reach the Island docks.

First order of business snacks! Chips, salsa and Pelee Island WINE!

Relaxing on the beach.

Relaxing on the beach.

Then off to paint.

Vera’s Refuge 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand Gessobord $275.
Painting Vera’s Refuge on the East Beach, storm incoming

 

The rest of our 2 day painting holiday was filled with a great beach bonfire, nighttime thunder storms, hiking on the beach, hiking in the woods, sack lunch at the winery, snacks at the cottage,  and good friends.

Chairs positioned to catch the last rays of the day.

Chairs positioned to catch the last rays of the day.

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Monday’s sunset is an incredible light show.

Monday’s sunset is an incredible light show – looking west
Monday’s sunset is an incredible light show – looking east
No trip to the cottage is complete without a good campfire. One on the beach is the best!

No trip to the cottage is complete without a good campfire. One on the beach is the best!

 

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Tuesday’s tour of the island saw that Monday night’s storms flooded much of the farmland.

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A walk through the forest at the south west end of the island.

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The southern most tip of Canada, which is the south west tip of Pelee Island.

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The harbour lights signal we are home again.

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DSC_9600A beautiful end to a wonderful 2 days.  Sunset on the north shore of Lake Erie.

Published Again!

25 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by in Art, Oil, Oil painting, Plein Air, Publications, Snow, Windsor, Winter

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Earlier this year the University of Windsor Alumni Magazine contacted the Alumni and asked them to submit articles for publication.  They published my article in its entirely.  I guess that makes me a published writer now?

My article published on the UofW alumni page June 26th, 2015 http://www.uwindsor.ca/e-soca/23/visual-arts-alumni

My article published on the UofW alumni page June 26th, 2015 Article source http://www.uwindsor.ca/e-soca/23/visual-arts-alumni

Or read it here or go to the source:

Elizabeth Gaye MacDonald, BFA ‘01March2ndPainting at Ann D
I’ve had a wonderful 2014, and 2015 looks to be a great year as well.  I am an extreme plein air painter, currently working in oil.  Extreme, in that I paint in all weather, even sub zero temperatures.  There are no bad weather days, only bad clothing choices.  I make sure I dress for the weather.  I rather paint in cold weather than in extreme heat.  You can always dress warm.  My dream is to paint in remote areas.  However, getting to these areas is a challenge, due mainly to the cost of an expedition of this sort.  The biggest cost is camping gear, canoe/kayak, and 4 wheel drive transportation.  The other challenge is convincing my loved ones that this type of extreme expedition is safe.  There are many dangers in the wild.  I grew up extreme camping with my family.  I don’t live in fear of the wild.  I embrace it.

What is Plein Air Painting?
It never surprises me when people ask me what I mean by Painting en Plein Air.  En Plein air is a French expression which means “in the open air”, and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. I often think that many know to whom I’m referring when I mention Canada’s plein air “Group of Seven.” The reality is that many haven’t any idea what or whom I’m talking about. Happily, Plein Air Painting is currently celebrating a revival around the globe.  Just do a Google search on Plein Air Painting and you will get over 3 million hits, and the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists won’t be very far down the first page.

Plein air painting is not easy, but it is extremely rewarding. First off, being outdoors, in itself, is the best reward.  When painting outdoors, you learn to work quickly.  Light and shadow are constantly changing. You can’t chase the light, you must make a decision on when to capture that one moment in time.  The artist must always be aware of where the sun will be at any point during the day.  How will the sun affect the scene?  Then again, you might be painting at night or on a cloud covered day where shadows are scarce. That’s when Plein air gets really interesting.  What effect does the available light have on the scene?  Can you recreate the mood? Cloudy days are difficult, night time is near impossible.  How do you even see your canvas at night? I have a head mounted LED light that helps me to see the canvas.

You maybe a studio painter and think that Plein Air painting is not for you.  However, the act of painting from life outdoors will improve your studio work. I must warn you that painting outdoors from life may just spoil you from ever painting from a photograph again. The experience becomes a memory not soon forgotten. Ask anyone in our and they will tell you that there is no greater joy for us, then when we are able to paint outdoors.  But, introducing others to painting en Plein Air is a joy in itself.

2014 – 2015Kenneth Cadwallade President Oil Painters of America and Elizabeth quick paint 2nd place Win at Dexter Mi 2014
2014 gave me the opportunity to paint in some great locations.  In August, I painted at the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival.  This is one of many week-long painting competitions available throughout the U.S.  There are a few in Canada, but nowhere near as many as in the states.  There were two categories judged during the Dexter event.  The judge for the Dexter Plein Air Festival was internationally acclaimed artist Kenneth Cadwallade, current President of Oil Painters of America.  The first category was for work completed on location during the week, the second category was a quick paint.   The artists had 3 hours to paint, frame and submit their work for judging.  The quick paint is nerve wracking, but I thrive under pressure.  It forces me to transcribe what I see as quickly as I can.  Painting quickly tends to loosen my touch, and I record only what is necessary.  Because I paint outdoors regularly, I feel I have an advantage others less practiced artists.  To my joy, I placed 2nd in this category.  I also sold all 5 paintings that I produced during this event.  I am looking forward to participating at the event again in August of 2015.

In addition to the Dexter event, I spent the month of September painting in Seattle, Washington.  I had the opportunity to paint with many different Washington based artists.  There is camaraderie amongst Plein Air Painters.  The common bond of painting outdoors joins us across miles, generations and social stature.  Another significant event in 2014, is that my work was featured on the cover of the publication Important World Artists vol 1 https://wwab.us/shop/publications/important-world-artists/  In 2015, I was accepted as an associate member of the Oil Painters of America.

Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society Windsor & Essex County Plein Air ArtistsWECPAAlogo

In 2009 I co-founded, and run the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society.  We’ve recently changed our name to the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists.   We have missed only a couple of weeks in the last year, due to rain.  I’ve even managed to paint in the rain under the shelter of a plein air umbrella.  Please feel free to visit the group website:  https://wepleinair.wordpress.com/  Here you will find a blog post for every outing we’ve done since September 2011.  The full list of outings dating back to 2009 can be found on our Facebook group here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/WindsorEssexPleinAir/events/?past

About the group
Our group, The Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society, was established in 2009, and is devoted to educating and promoting plein air painting. The core members of the group have painted together since the mid 1990’s. We meet weekly on location, usually on Mondays, at various locations throughout Windsor, and Essex County. The group is open to anyone, and is free to join.  For more information email:  PaintPleinAir@gmail.com

Twitter:  @PaintPleinAir
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/photographerpainterprintmaker