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.

Plien Air paintings

I painted these little field studies from life this morning at Derby Reach Park near Fort Langley. They are both 8 x 10 ".

I have lots to learn about painting plien air but I have learned to keep it very simple for now. It' definitely a great exercise to help sharpen the paintings skills and I hope to get out and paint in the great outdoors a lot more this summer.

Here's a few photos from my recent trip to Thormanby Island. I came home with about 350 images so more island paintings will be coming up. The weather was perfect and my friends Pete and Jeannie were kind enough to take me around in their boat so I could get some shots from the water.

Recent news:

I have a photo spread of my paintings in Avalon magazine.It's available at Chapters, among other places, if you want to have a look. Avalon is a gorgeous magazine, full of art, photography, travel, architecture and fashion.

Registration is now open for my fall weekly classes. www.artists.ca for info or check my website.