Dragon Boats, Bayfront Park - Sold

Dragon Boats, Bayfront Park

Last week my plein air group painted at Bayfront Park in Hamilton.  It was a busy day at the boat launch area, with people coming and going all afternoon.  A lot of people were out for a light stroll along the path and a family of swans swam by.  An idyllic summer afternoon.   The dragon boats are almost always moored alongside the dock by the boat launch ramp.  I thought since there were only two dragon boats, (usually there are a lot more), it would make a simple little painting.

Doing the Walk

Doing the Walk, 24x24 oil

I love visiting farmers markets and being able to get fresh picked fruits and vegetables.  The other day there was a local farm tour.  We were able to visit private farms and watch them at work and sample the produce.  One farm we visited was called ManoRun Organic Farm.  We were given a tour of the farm and an explanation of the goals for the farm etc.  I love that you can actually buy into the farm and get a share of what they have to offer.  Another farm was Lots'a Hostas and Jerry's Berries.  Of course I picked up a hosta, a staple in most gardens around here, so easy to care for and look great in any garden.  In the pouring rain we also managed to pick a few raspberries, yum!

'Doing the Walk' was inspired by my visit to The Royal Winter Fair last November.  I've always been captivated by farm life.  When I was a child my grandparents had a small farm outside of Toronto.  Being a city kid, it thrilled me to visit them.  Beside the chickens, cows and the vegetable garden was a pear orchard.  The ultimate playground for me was being able to climb the trees to get to the crunchy unripe fruit.  I still prefer my pears that way.  

The Two Sisters - Sold

Time flies when you're having fun!  I can't believe it's almost a month since my last blog post.  This past spring was a busy time for me.  One commission I had was to paint the portraits of two sisters.  Since I was going to be painting from photos, I chose ones where the girls were smiling.  It's funny how we're conditioned to smile when put in front of a camera.  I thought it would be nice to paint smiling portraits, although harder, it's a rare opportunity.  When painting from life a person can only hold a smile for so long before the cheeks start to quiver and the face loses it's expression.  I'm pleased with these portraits, I smile every time I see them.

A week ago, I got back from a road trip out to Alberta.  My husband and I drove through the northern states in the USA to Montana, then up to Canada, to visit some friends in Alberta.  We drove back across the prairies to Ontario.  I had prepared and packed my art supplies, ready to paint up a storm.  I knew we would spend a lot of time driving, but wow!  We saw a lot, did a bit of hiking and touristy stuff, and camped on the nicer days, but I only managed to do a few sketches.  I did take thousands of pictures though, and painted a couple of times with my friend in Alberta.  It was a fun trip!