Garden Reflection, Photograph

A slight departure for this blog. Here is a reflective photo of y favourite Chinese garden.

Autumn Poplars. Acrylc 18 by 24

Autumn is a subtle season in Vancouver, no flaming maples or hillsides ablaze with color. But it is still beautiful, with soft golds and greens blending against a pale sky.

Carmanah Point, Acrylic, 24 by 36

The Carmanah Valley is one of the most inspiring places I have ever been. From the rocky and mist shrouded shores in Pacific Rim National Park to the verdant green rainforests of the upper valley it is truly an inspiring place.

This image is taken looking across to the Point in the distance with the wild Pacific crashing on the jagged rocks.

Hagia Sofia Acrylic 48 by 36

Turkey was a fabulous country with inspiring architecture, and no buildings were more awesome than this one, built at the height of Byzantine power. I don't usually do paintings with such involved architectural drawings, but based on this one, I think I'll do more.

Rocks and Arbutus, Arylic 24 by 18 inches

This painting was a challenge for me. At the end of the first day of work I was ready to throw in the towel. But I persevered and I quite like the results.

Abstract study, Acrylic 14 by 18

I had some time att the co op and found this battered up canvas so in the spirit of creativity I did an abstract piece.

Blue Kootenay Study, Acrylic 16 by 20 inches

I quite like how this study turned out.  Getting the soft and misty look was a challenge with quick drying acrylics.

Point Atkinson Light Acrylic 30 by 40 inches

I was in a bold mood today and did this one right from the reference photo (taken this spring at Light House Park) without any preliminary sketches or underpainting.  It turned out quite well I think.

Mount Steele, Acrylic 24 by 30

The Coast Mountains are a very challenging subject to paint, the greens of the foreground trees are rich and varied, as are the colors of the cliffs.  Contrast this with the misty blue of the distant mountains and you have an exciting and interesting subject.

Whistler Mist Watercolor and ink 15 by 22 inches SOLD

Black and white paintings can be quite a challenge.  This was the first in a series of Whistler views that captured the fleeting qualities of mist on the mountains.

Walter Watercolor 15 by 22 inches

This painting is from a few years ago but it is one of my favourites.  Black bears are incredible animals: smart, cunning and so close to human.

Rain Forest Playground Acrylic 36 by 24

I love walking in the rain forest.  The light slanting through the canopy high above my head creates a mystical pattern on the forest floor.  This painting is an attempt to capture the magic and glow of a rain forest.

Sundown Creek 24 by 18

Sundown Creek is a wonderful babbling rushing stream in the upper Elaho Valley.  Not even the extensive logging in the area can destroy its beauty.

Springtime Aspen 1 24 by 18

Another in my Aspen series.  This one is of a forest in the vibrance of spring.  For me, spring greens are the most challenging to get to look natural.

Arbutus Autumn 24 by 18 inches-SOLD

Arbutus trees are an amazing subject to paint.  Their twisted trunks are full of texture and color.  I never tire of painting them.

Wildflower Meadow 18 by 24 inches

Alpine meadows can have an almost abstract  feeling about them, with random bursts of colour on a green field.

Misty Forest 24 by 36 inches

Mist is a very challenging subject to paint, especially when it weaves and twists through tree trunks.

Moonrise Over Hollyburn 24 by 18 inches

Sometimes everything is just perfect.  The moon rising over the cedar trees and the sun sparkling on the fresh snow just begged to be painted.

Cinnabar Meadow 18 by 24 inches

Another painting from the magical South Chilcotin.  These wonderful meadows are located above Cinnabar basin, and stretch for miles.

Co op AGM

Artists Helping Artists is a wonderful Art Co op in Burnaby.  The AGM was today.  Now I am not a huge fan of meetings, but this one was a lot of fun and now I am on the board of directors.  Here is my art set out in the lot to welcome everyone.

Eldorado Morning Light 24 by 36 inches

The South Chilcotin mountains of BC are an undiscovered painter's paradise.  The mountains glow with a rainbow of colors when hit by the morning light.

Ponderosa Pine 24 by 30 inches

The ponderosa pines of the Stein Valley are magical and powerful trees.  They seem to reach for the sky and pull the sun down into the valley.

October Aspens 4 30 by 48 inches

The largest image so far in the Kootenay Aspen series, this one was a heck of a lot of fun to paint.  I was taken back to the lovely afternoon spent with my wife at Beaver Lake.

October Aspens 3 30 by 24 inches

The vibrant Kootenay aspens glow in the late afternoon sun.  This is the third in the series.  I was fascinated by the way the sun caught and played with the delicate aspen leaves.

Waves, Roberts Creek 30 by 40 inches

I have always been fascinated with waves, their movement and pulse.  They almost have a heart beat.