Back in the Studio

As mentioned earlier the weather in the field proved to be uncooperative and intermittently unpleasant with gusting winds...rain and cold. During times such as these my strategies change...as do my expectations for finishing work as much as usual.

I try to work quickly to capture the essence of design in the subject first... and colour to a lesser degree.I am happy to come away with a well defined "map"on which to build detail and mood either at a time later in the day...or as it would happen this time...in my studio where I wasn't fighting the changing light and the elements.

In the "sketch" version of "The Watcher" you can readily see that I have roughed in the most dynamic lines and blocks of colour...but that the overall mood or feeling of the painting is dark and rather lifeless. Despite this obvious disadvantage.. I felt original excitement and was able to step into the piece again in the studio with the same energy and optimism as I had on location.

In the reworked version...you can see that I added brightness to the overall colour patterns and changed areas such as the sky and grassed areas to add sparkle and interest. I also dropped in areas of dark to add contrast to the new lights. I feel that the new painting...does in fact carry forward the strong elements from the earlier "rough" sketch. I am pleased with the overall success of both sessions. I think the success of this exercise speaks strongly to support the value of painting on location...even in inclement times. "Eighty percent of success is in just showing up"! (Woody Allen)

Autumn...a time for Reflection

Autumn...for "Me"...has always served as a time for reflecting back...and ahead. The decrease in human activity on the back roads, lakes and rivers affords "Me" places to retreat to for spiritual renewal and inward thought. Some call this meditation...others contemplation...call it what you will. To "Me" it is simply a "zone" where the Self can be "One" with Creation.

The richly coloured backdrop of colour....the scent of the brisk morning air... laden with ripening frost-touched plants and the Silence create a Space not unlike the inner sanctum of any cathedral I have visited. To be "alone"... truly alone in this space is not melancholic...not despairing...but rather euphoric...uplifting for my Soul. I never fail to return renewed and enriched...positive about my own life and the blessings which are mine. In the "hurly-burly", competitive world we are forced to live in... we often forget our blessings...common everyday things such as the f-words.Words like freedom...family...friends and fortune (not to be confused with money).

My annual foray...or retreat into Algonquin Park is simply a pilgrimage for "Me" to be alone and to give thanks for these blessings from my Creator....who DOES liveth in these wild spaces. When I am there in this space with its creatures and cycles of life..."I" am simply "One". My painting takes "me" deeper and completely into this meditative state. Time and earthly care have no place or governance over my life here. Though the time is short for Autumn...my visit and at some point even my own "Being"...in the scheme of things..."I feel no evil"...and "it restoreth my soul". Just blurred mouthed words to many...but deeply felt and understood within "Me".

And on this our Thanksgiving weekend... "I" wish all my family,friends and visitors to this site... many Blessings... and a Happy Thanksgiving! Good painting!

Cheers!
Bruce

Back from The Algonquin Adventure!

The Park was afire with colour...and besieged by busloads and carloads of camera-toting "leaf lookers" all along Highway 60 which runs west to east across the breadth of the Park.It can be annoying and distracting...even dangerous for the artist...if you paint within sight of the highway. I don't! Thirty years of dealing with this phenomenon has taught me to seek out "less obvious" and less travelled areas of the park to set up shop ...and to find the space and solitude I seek in going there.

The weather was intermittently cold and rainy over the four days we were there and yours truly had the chest cold he had just gotten rid of revisit with a vengeance on day two. I stayed with it...Cold FX...Buckley's Flu Combo and Vicks VapoRub added to my kit.I managed to complete a 16x20 inch sketch and another 2ox24 inch canvas....and gathered lots of reference material to carry me through the winter months in the studio. So a profitable and enjoyable foray...despite the weather and health hurdles.

We enjoyed an interesting encounter with a black bear on Opeongo Road who was busy stuffing his face and stomach in preparation for the long months of hibernation facing him and his kind. He seemed completely oblivious to our presence...and I felt honoured and privileged to share his space and to watch his behaviours. I learned a lot about him. I wondered if he learned anything about me...or if he even cares to wonder.He used his paws in such a human way ...stripping of berries in a way not dissimilar to my own way of picking blueberries.

I spent the day in the studio...under the lights in my cosy studio...reworking a sketch...while the wind and rain drummed on the windows. It felt good warm...with less cold...to be back home...and to have these "moments" to reshape and play with to my heart's contentment.The joy of painting outdoors...brought indoors to savour and reflect upon one more time!!

This short season of blazing colour will be short this year...so I'll be "out there" again tomorrow.Stay tuned!
Good painting to all!
Bruce

Algonquin Bound!

Tomorrow morning Deb and I leave for Algonquin Park. At 5:50 am our van will be headed north somewhere between here and Dwight...the West gate entrance to the Park. I hope to get one sketch in before I drop off my four pieces for the annual Mystery in the Park juried show at the Visitors' Centre at 2pm.

We will meet up with our friends David and Diane Kay and will spend time painting and enjoying our evenings together catching up.Apparently the colours are almost full...early for sure...and the weather forecast includes cloudy and rainy periods. That never has impeded having a good time...or making paintings for "Me". AS Woody Allen once quipped: "Showing up is 80 percent of success"!....and ain't that the truth! One can find any number of reasons not to face adversity or less than perfect opportunities in life...but from my own experiences...my greatest growth and success has come out of these challenging situations.

In any event...look for the work that I hope to complete in my next posts and on our web site www.thepaintboxgallery.ca .....soon to be updated! I am including the final version of the demo started at Geneva Park. It is final...I have signed it!
Good painting to all!
Cheers!
Bruce

La Berceuse d'Automne-Autumn's Lullabye

Today is officially the first day of Autumn! Summer has fled. Sugar maples have already begun to show their first flashes of change and the last wildflowers of the year...goldenrod and New England Asters dominate the meadows and roadsides of the Oro-Medonte. Flocks of noisy geese...now restless are spending longer daylight hours feeding in harvested grain and cornfields in readiness for their long trek southward.

Human activity has changed as well. A local farmer was over at the Hillsdale Auto Centre.... a hub of tuneup activity...with his John Deere-driven snow blower to ready it for the customary thirty inch snow "drops" that this area frequently receives throughout the winter. Moose hunters have their rifles sighted up, their bull tags in pocket and are readying their trailers, ATVs and canoes for their annual forays into their Northern camps.

Outdoor painters like myself have pulled out the dormant rich cadmium reds, yellows and oranges reserved for this time of year...along with long underwear, heavier socks, shirts,vests and jackets to provide the comfort necessary when the mercury dives overnight...and usually without warning.Canvases are toned...hiking boots are "Dubbined"...rain slickers are relocated. Algonquin Park beckons for me personally...it is close to me geographically....but more importantly...it is closer still to "Me"....Spiritually. I have made this pilgrimage annually for over thirty years. This experience never fails to leave "Me" uplifted...and in awe of the marvellous beauty of this part of Canada.

This High Holiday period...loosely wrapped around our Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend celebrations is both brief and tumultuous. Like squirrels and chickadees...I will be "out there"...(collecting my winter stores)...of sketches and digital references to carry "Me" through those long...grey winter months. But mostly...I will be savouring and giving thanks...for another opportunity to join in.

"I am blessed"!

Much Peace and good painting...all!


PS If any of my nine students are reading this blog... please take note! My directions NOT to simply copy the sketch were not for your ears...or considerations alone. As you can see from the finished product arising from my unfinished demo layin... "there are no sacred cows"! Risk change and work intuitively! You'll be surprised how much stronger and creative the Right Side of the brain can be in your painting process... when "You" bravely dismiss the Left... or at least demand that it takes turns! Hope you enjoy this! I did...in the "doing"!

Geneva Park Weekend, Orillia Ontario

I spent the past weekend with the East Central Ontario Association of Artists in this wonderful YMCA retreat and conference facility located on the shores of beautiful Lake Couchiching. I had been asked to present an oil painting workshop for this year's gathering last spring and had accepted because my name had been brought forward by my long-time friend and mentor Poul Thrane.

I must admit that teaching...anything since I have retired from my active elementary career of nearly thirty years is something I seldom wish to be involved in. It is not that I feel I am unable...or even unwilling to share my ideas...but rather, that I wish to make use of these "golden years"...or the autumn years of my own life to create...and to expand my own search for my "True Self".So much of my earlier time and energy was given unconditionally...and without any regret... to all of the children I faced over the years...and to the needs of my family and my profession.

This weekend's highly positive response to my workshop has led "Me" to the realization that my need to find my "Self" can indeed be accomplished by being in contact with and sharing my time to create Self-discovery for my Self and "Others" at the same time. It was uplifting spiritually...for EVERYONE...my Self included... to bask in the warmth of creating...laughing...sharing meals and time together.It has made "Me" rethink my future plans ...to provide(reasonable) blocks of my schedule to offer my services in this manner without feeling that I am short changing myself of valuable time to work on my own.

The focus of my workshop was: Super Size Me!...designed to encourage students to risk moving from smaller formats... to using a good field sketch to create a much larger and challenging studio piece. In this workshop,I introduced the goals and format by completing a one and a half hour demo/question and answer session from an 8 x 10 sketch panel to create a 24 x 30 inch canvas.Though I offered a "guided" passage using my own examples...I offered and encouraged participants to set their own courses.They did so bravely...and wisely. Each chose to follow their own painting theme. Many brought along their own digital images...so it was easy for us to discuss the merits of their "possibilities" and to choose one that best reflected and supported the strong interest and necessity to work from a subject exhibiting strong form, contrast and design elements to assist in treating the initial start broadly...most importantly...without attention to detail.

I introduced a simplified "grid" which was placed on top of the sketch and used willow charcoal to make a drawing on the acrylic burnt sienna toned canvas.This allowed students to create a free,loose...and easily correctable drawing...or "foundation" before commencing to "block in" the major large shapes,or masses of general colour. This stage was easily accomplished by all within the first half hour of the first two and one half hour session together.By lunch break time all had successfully reached the important preliminary laid in or blocked in stage.

After lunch everyone settled into their own "zones"...leaving me to visit each person often... either by request...or just to encourage or offer a second view point.By the session's conclusion...all had satisfying and exceptional canvases well underway...and a few even to completion.Those individuals already had another subject in mind for Sunday morning's short and concluding session and were busy toning the next canvas to get a head start.Talk about growth and enthusiasm!!!

During the evening "walk-about"...an after supper opportunity to visit the other sessions being offered... our session won rave reviews for our collection of fine work. How much more rewarding can praise and encouragement be... than to receive it from your peer group and fellow artists!

On Sunday we critiqued each other's work and the value of what each had discovered about their own work and processes. Each of us went our ways...sad to have the experience come to an end...but excited and enriched by our sharing...enthusiastic to dive into our own daily creative lives!

In closing ...I wish to offer my thanks to the ECOAA for this opportunity...the YMCA staff who made our time at the facility so pleasant and carefree...and most especially...very special thanks to each of my nine fellow artists who CHOSE to share "The Boathouse Studio" with "Me". My deepest thanks for making Geneva Park 2009such an enriching and truly unforgettable experience!Good painting!

Much Peace!
Bruce

Happy Birthday Andyrewster!!!!

I am dedicating this post this evening to my eldest son Andrew...a creative...gifted...intellectual and sensitive young man
who continually makes me proud to call "Him"...Son! We have shared many adventures together over our lifetimes, but the adventures that draw us forever together are each of the six canoe trips we made out into our beloved Thousand Islands on the beautiful St Lawrence River.

We camped,canoed,explored and painted together over the entire breadth of this magnificent waterway, sharing the beauty,sunsets, starry night skies and solitude as Father and Son in a very profound and lasting manner. Those memories will remain vivid within "Me" until my dying day...precious and indelibly etched into my soul.

He is at present,in the process of completing his Masters Degree Programme of Studies at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto,in the field of Biochemistry and Genetics.Despite towering over me now...we still share hugs ....laughs...and good times together...when he has time available from his and my own very busy lives.

I am blessed to have "Him" at my side...blessed to watch him grow into a solid,contributing individual who will leave his own mark on the world..... a better place because of his humanity and "Good Heart! Happy Birthday "River Boy"....from your ol' "River Rat" Dad XXXXXOOOOOXXXXX