Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Spring has Sprung!

"The Gathering"- Opeongo Road - oil on canvas 12x10 inches


"Winter Waning... in Algonquin Park" - oil on panel 20x24 inches



"Melt Water Reflections Along the Madawaska" - oil on canvas 16x20 inches



"Madawaska Relics" -oil on panel 16x20 inches



Morning... and Fog-shrouded Islands at Rockport



Golden Goose at Dawn


Rushing Water at O'Hara 's Mill, Hastings, ON



Well... Spring has indeed arrived in full dress over these past three days! The above average temperatures for March have the entire human and animal world... "a-flutter!" Flocks of newly arrived American Robins... the honorary ambassador for Spring in these parts... along with Red Winged Blackbirds and Canada Geese fill the Spring air with ribald tunes of male rivalry, as each species claims its territorial space and enters into the annual rituals of mating. Even the small amphibians that fill each large puddle or brackish backwater and swamp have begun their nightly serenade... living up to their title as night "peeper- a joy to the ear!

Once winter-silenced creeks and streams are now raging torrents of foaming cascades and fast-moving dark waters... running towards the larger rivers and lakes. Beavers are busy everywhere building and repairing their large dams beaten down by the fury of this new water deluge... busy trimming saplings and even larger trees to be used in their engineering projects to shore up their dams.


Beside the house and in the garden... the daffodils are now fully bloomed... pansies as well. The tawny grass... and fields are revealing a prelude to their summer greens already. All of the trees have budded and the Oro hills have shifted to their traditional pinkish red dress... and the softwoods are displaying their catkins. I cut sprigs of pussy willows to place in a bouquet for my daughter Lisa. The maple syrup run is finished for certain. The temperature today of 19C is the highest ever recorded for this date. As welcoming and warming as it may be to the winter wearied body... it remains troubling to the mind... that such severe change has occurred almost overnight!


Children have shed their winter layers and are arduously pumping their bikes all over the village once again. Young teenagers clad in tees.. flip-flops and shorts are either skate boarding... or strolling back and forth through the village... hand-in-hand with their "spring squeeze." Is the human response to Spring's arrival much different than the rest of the animal kingdom? I think not! HA HA!! Spring has simply... quite suddenly sprung up everywhere... and with it a spirit of renewal... Love and ...Hope!


We are busy into the packing... getting ready for the quickly approaching moving date. I am off to Algonquin Park next weekend to help my friend David Kay with his Spring Paint Out in the Park Group... and will contribute an evening demo on Saturday evening. Looking forward to a paint with David and the twenty-three fellow plein air enthusiasts. Still some snow in the woods and sheltered places there to add some interest to the spring painting.


This will be my absolute last "spring fling"... en plein air... until Rockport is all in place. I was down to Rockport for the weekend to make final arrangements and arrange for material deliveries with the fellow we have contracted to convert the 24x30 foot garage into our gallery space. I have the new brochure which I designed and a new sign back from the printer as well. Those important checks are now off the "to-do-list"... so things are well underway at both ends!


These jpegs illustrate some of the sure signs that spring has indeed arrived in Rockport... and what Algonquin will look like next weekend! These paintings were from last year's Spring foray! Stay tuned...


Wishing you all... Good Painting... and a Happy Spring!!

12 comments:

  1. Hi Bruce, we're having the same high temperatures here; it certainly does put a "spring" in everyone's step doesn't it?

    I hope you enjoy your Paint Out and that this weather holds for your moving day.

    All the best,
    Keith

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  2. Hi Keith!... We do deserve to have that "spring back in our step" don't we ? Winter is long... without light... and confining no matter where one lives, or the severity. It fetters the spirit!

    I WILL enjoy the Paint Out... no matter the weather... I'll be in the Park... my moor and crag country... and with kindred spirits! HA HA!!

    Moving day is rapidly arriving and we are almost to a comfort level where things will simply take their own path.

    We have sold a good number of paintings during our sale here... less to pack... carry and worry about. So an unexpected success there as well!

    Thanks for dropping by and for your support Keith! Happy Spring... and sunny days to you and your wife!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  3. Good to hear from you Bruce I was wondering how the packing was going. Spring certainly is here at last and with it all the beauty that fills nature. Your paintings are lovely. All the best for your paint in weekend. take care.

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  4. Hi there Caroline!... Thanks for your welcome visit... for your concerns and best wishes!

    We are indeed very busy with moving preparations and resolving details that will enable us to lift anchor and land in Rockport with as few hitches as possible!

    I'm sure looking forward to the Algonquin Paint Out next weekend and hope to come home with some new sketches to fill the many holes that our moving sale has created (thankfully)in our inventory at the Gallery!

    Fingers crossed for some good weather like this week's!

    Good painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  5. Hello Bruce and thanks for your comments and for looking at my blog. Always good to make contact with a fellow painter. Spring has arrived here too in the heart of france, yesterday it must have been in the high 20's very unusual I guess, but glad of it as the Winter this year seems to have been so long and cold and GRAY! thats the worst. I'll be checking out where you live and work and visiting your blog to see how the year progresses. Happy Spring and enjoy the painting weekend.

    best wishes from France...

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  6. Good Morning Nigel... in France!... So nice to have you aboard! Always great to make new painter friends who have a passion for plein air painting!

    Winter has been very unruly and unusual acting all over the planet this year. Ours has been less severe and with much less snow and hard cold than usual... but the length of darkness and dreariness seems always too long for me personally. I like those other aspects of winter and truly look forward to painting outdoors all winter long.

    Look forward to future "conversations" and sharings with "You."

    Good painting and Happy Spring to you Nigel! Thanks for visiting!
    Warmest regards...and best wishes back to you from Canada,
    Bruce

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  7. Ah yes, Bruce...Spring is indeed arising, stretching, and yawning off the long sleep! Your paintings pay great homage to her.
    Hope your move/transition goes smoothly.

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  8. Hi there Dean!... Thank you for visiting and for your... as always... encouraging comments!

    Spring has really parachuted into our region dramatically... lilacs are leafed out already and I saw ornamental cherry trees... bloomin blooming! Can you believe that?????

    And yet the wind has come up tonight as I write... and the temperature has again dropped down again below the freezing mark. Strange!

    The move is coming along nicely... Deb has really done a great job packing up the breakables... and I have been packing up my library of books and have been on the "burn committee" in the backyard... putting unnecessary old papers up in smoke. Surprised at home much paper comes with small business over couple of decades!

    Good Painting... and Happy Spring to you Dean!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  9. Dear Bruce,

    Wonderful post and lovely paintings. What an exciting time for you and Deb. New beginnings both in nature and your up and coming move.

    All the best to you both,
    Joan

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  10. Dear Joan!... Thanks for visiting and for your enthusiasm, support and good wishes!

    The move is exciting and a very late in our lives opportunity for both a new adventure ... and a completion of the circle for both of us!

    I always hoped that I would finally end up back in this very special place to end my journey... for it certainly forms the very core and essence of who "I' am... spiritually and artistically!

    We are greatly blessed to have been offered this once-in-a-lifetime gift... completely from out of the blue! We intend to work hard... paint harder... but play a lot together as well... with our now nearby families!

    Good Painting and Happy Spring to You and Mike!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  11. Good Morning Chesterbrook Academy!... Thanks for your encouraging words regarding the post... and the art!

    I truly... and equally enjoy the contents and particularly the unique approaches to sharing the making of art with children that I find at your site!

    We are kindred spirits for certain! Keep up the good work!

    Good Painting to all there at Chesterbrook!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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