Have started a new piece today that I'm excited about. 30 x 40 so it's a pretty big one. I hope this painting lives up to it's promising start. Sometimes by the end, I kill the excitement in the effort to get it right. Probably a great little metaphor for life there .

People have questioned me about painting blocks. This summer there have been a few spells of them for me. Usually I avoid the studio for few days and then start to feel very weird so I get back in there and try to paint. Even if I just go in and underpaint a canvas or organize my storage or go through my reference, I find it helpful to get me started again.

I'm going through a period of extreme discontentment with my work right now. Not a comfortable place to be but it happens. If the latest painting works it will help but I think I need to go back to learning. Read a little more, maybe take a workshop.

Am reading Richard Schmid's book right now- his old one called "Everything I know About Painting". I find it funny that he has since written a new book. Anyway, it's a great book and very inspiring. He is such a genius painter that one might feel like just hanging up the brushes but he is definitely worth checking out f you don't know him. Reading about his process is interesting for me because it is so different than mine.

Here's my best Monet impression. "Lily Pond" 30 x 36" acrylic

I've been exploring Pitt Meadows a bit lately. It's on the other side of the river from us and is now readily available thanks to the new Golden Ears bridge. It's a beautiful area with an extensive network of dikes, rivers and lakes.

This image is typical of the area. 24 x 18" oil. Haven't thought of a name for the painting yet. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Studio Friends

I had a fun day today and also learned something. My sister Suzanne is staying with me for a few days. She needs to paint because she has a show coming up. So this afternoon, she, our good friend Judy, and I, all painted in my studio

We put on some music and the paint started to fly. I finished one and made a good start on a new big one. It was so energizing to have company in the studio- I'm definitely going to do it more.

I started this painting about 8 months ago. First in acrylics and then I overpainted it in oils. It just never came together although there were bits of it that I liked. It sat in a corner of my studio until today when I felt like having another crack at it.

I think it's ok now- I feel much more comfortable with it. I don't know why I could resolve it today after all this time. The temperature change in the sky is new and that made a big difference.

"Lions Gate" 24 x 36" oil

I started this piece last weekend at a paint-out in the garden at the Birthplace of BC Gallery.

Good thing I like painting grass! The challenge to to make it look like I painted all the grass without painting all the grass.

Beach Bird 20 x 30" acrylic

Alan and I will be in West Van this Saturday for the annual Plien Aire paint-out at Ambleside Beach. Come say hi if you're in the neighbourhood.