The End of the Road

The End of the Road, 10x8 oil

Yesterday, late afternoon I went out to paint.  It's a wonderful time to be painting outside.  Everything becomes richer in colour as the sun gets lower in the sky.  This is a pretty spot to paint, at the end of Spring Garden Road by the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario.  It's the home of all sorts of birds.  As I was painting, two blue herons landed on the path but quickly headed on, not even enough time to grab my camera unfortunately.  In the water to the left there was an assortment of waterfowl, ducks, geese and swans.  I did manage to get the seagull as it so kindly sat and posed for me. (Can you see it?)
I believe this is my last posting for August as I am gearing up for doing '30 Paintings in 30 Days' in September.  It's a wonderful challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta.  If you visit her blog you'll be able to see all the artists doing this challenge.  I'll be posting my paintings here as well as on her blog.

Dancer's Feet - Sold

Dancer's Feet, 8x8 oil

The agony of the feet!  Dancing certainly takes it's toll on the feet.  Probably the hardest working part of a dancer's body. 
Another foot painting to add to my collection.  This one will be added to the Footnotes Show on Spring Garden Rd in Burlington until September 18.

Oakville Harbour - Sold

Oakville Harbour, 10x8 oil

Oakville Harbour Marina, on a beautiful August day.  This may look like a quiet summer day at the marina, but in reality there was a constant flow of boats moving in and out of the marina as I painted.  Most of this painting was done on location, but I did the final touches when I got home.  There is so much to paint at a marina that it's hard to decide what to choose.  I'll have to come back again for sure!

Hot Summer Day, Bronte Beach

Hot Summer Day, Bronte Beach, 10x8 oil

It's days like this we dream about on those cold gray winter days.  I painted this about a week ago on location in Bronte.  It was such a beautiful day I actually painted two paintings in the same location, but facing the opposite direction.  Behind me is the Oakville Harbour Marina.  I'll post that one next time.

July Paintings 2013

Well we're now a week into the 8th month of the year.  Four months until Christmas?  Wow, I can't believe it!  I don't know if it's just the Canadian in me, but I'm already looking forward to the cooler autumn days, with pumpkins and scarecrows everywhere, and rolls of hay scattered on the farmer's fields.  Maybe it's because the sunflowers are in bloom and the tall stalks of corn remind me that there is only a month or so left of summer.  Hmmm, I better get out there and paint!

In September I'll be participating in the "Painting a Day Challenge", (like I did in January this year).  I've got to get prepared, maybe plan a weekly theme.  I'm not sure how I should approach it yet.  I found in January, each painting I did brought ideas for my next painting.  However I approach it, I definitely need to clean my studio and get organised before I start the challenge.

Water's Edge

Water's Edge, 20x16 oil

There's nothing like walking on the beach at the end of the day, with the sun setting and the shadows going on forever.  You can see a few sailboats as they head into shore, and although you may not be on vacation, you feel as though you are enjoying a little bit of paradise so close to home.

Footnotes Reception

The reception for my ongoing show, Footnotes, was not only successful, but a lot of fun! Despite the soaring temperature, the gallery was full of people.  It was truly a family affair with Andy, my husband playing his tunes outside under the tent while my daughters were serving wine to friends and family.  A huge thank you to Teresa Seaton for inviting me into her gallery!

Full Stop - Sold

Full Stop, 8x8 oil

Skateboarding could be a theme for an entire series of paintings.  At the moment though, this will be the last skateboarding painting, and probably the last painting to add to my upcoming show starting this Thursday.  I'm really enjoying this foot theme though, (there are so many possibilities), so this won't be the last 'foot' painting! 

Need for Speed - Sold

Need for Speed, 24x12 oil

Sometimes walking just isn't an option, especially when you have a set of wheels! Being able to get to your destination with a breeze in your face is the ideal way to travel on a sizzling hot summer day.  I have never tried skateboarding, but it looks like a great way to travel.  You don't have to find a parking spot for it or worry about locking it up, you just pick it up and carry it.

After the Recital - Sold

After the Recital, 12x12 oil

I love to see the items that create the art, especially for dance. When seen during the performance, the costume and shoes become part of the dancer, transforming her into something imagined.  After the recital, these items seem to be ghosts of their former self.  Unanimated, seemingly to be waiting for the next magical time when they will dance again.

June Paintings 2013

June Paintings 2013

Happy July!  Happy Canada Day!
I'm looking forward to another month of painting and my upcoming show, 'Footnotes'. The opening reception will be on July 18. I'll post the invitation soon.
Have a wonderful day and enjoy the festivities!

Summer Festival

Summer Festival, 60x20 inches, oil

This time of year is so much fun!  Everyone is out celebrating life.  Enjoying the beautiful weather in the company of  hundreds or even thousands of people.  There is a feeling of joy and expectation in the air, as the mass of people move together toward the bright white tents, smells of tempting fried foods and perhaps even rides and a show or two. 

Rain Boots on the Beach - Sold

Rain Boots on the Beach, 20x16 oil

A month ago or so, I took my niece and her son to the beach.  This little guy loved playing with the water and sand, but his favourite thing was his rain boots.  As soon as he put those boots on there was no stopping him, literally.  The simple joys of being a toddler.

A Day in the Vineyards

A Day in the Vineyards, 12x9 oil

Last weekend I headed out to Niagara-on-the-Lake for a plein air painting workshop with Joseph Peller.  I had an amazing time!  The group and I were treated to some amazing food and wine, but the best part was our instructor, Joseph Peller.  Not only is he a wonderful teacher, but a very gracious host.  The first day we painted at Peller Estates Winery, with Joseph doing a demonstration in the morning, and the second day was at Hillebrand Winery.  What a wonderful way to spend a weekend! 

Strappy - Sold

Strappy, 8x8 oil

I was trying to think of what to write about these shoes, but they really speak for themselves.  They are absolutely gorgeous, but not mine.  They are my daughter's shoes.  Something to wear when a statement must be made.  You have to learn how to walk all over again when wearing these, (and have a strong back).  I have a similar pair, but the heels are half the height and twice the width. Actually, the only thing the same is that they are black and shiny sandals!

Pier 4, Hamilton - Sold

Pier 4, Hamilton, 8x8 oil

Yesterday I went to Pier 4 in Hamilton to paint.  Apparently the weather forecast said it was supposed to rain in the afternoon.  I headed out around noon, just as the clouds were heading in.  Luckily the looming grey clouds turned into fluffy white ones...perfect for my painting!

The Odd Couple - Sold

The Odd Couple, 12x12 oil

No matter how much I try to be organized, somehow every once in a while a sock will go missing.  I don't know how it happens but it's something that is guaranteed to happen.  When my daughters were little, they used to like to wear mismatching socks for the fun of it.  Seems like a good idea to me.

The Dilemma - Sold

The Dilemma, 24x20 oil

What do you do when you drop your favourite toy and the floor is soooo far away.  Watching little children figure out how to solve a problem can be quite amusing, at least until they become frustrated and start crying.

Sand Between the Toes - Sold

Sand Between the Toes, 8x8 oil

The other day, the day that was nice, warm and sunny, (unlike today), I went to the beach with my niece and her son.  Purely for research of course.  Camera in hand, I shot a zillion photos for reference.  My niece spent most of her time running after her 2 year old son.  After a couple of hours it wasn't only the toddler who was ready for a nap.

Favourite Flip-flops - Sold

Favourite Flip-flops, 8x8 oil



I like my flip-flops! I'd wear them everywhere if I could! I even knit a pair of socks with the big toe separated, (like mittens with a thumb), just so I could wear them in the cooler temperatures.

In this painting, I challenged myself with the shadow stripes coming across the flip-flops. I like that it creates a graphic playful painting.

May Paintings 2013

May Paintings 2013
by Helen Griffiths

Creating a collage of the paintings done each month is a great idea.  It helps me to reflect on my choices made on subject matter, colours etc., as well as making me accountable for my time.  I used to wonder why I was always so busy but didn't have much to show for it by the end of the month.  Now I find I am creating goals and arranging my time accordingly.  Years ago when I used to work freelance, I was organised and had my time predetermined by the jobs ahead of me.  The difference now is that I'm creating the jobs, I am the boss of me!  :)

Planning Ahead - Sold

Planning Ahead, 6x6 oil

The season of abundance has begun.  Every year I fill my garden with beans, tomatoes and lettuce.  This year I added broccoli and jalapeno peppers.  I love being able to go out to the garden and pick what I need.  My main competition is the rabbits.  We built a raised garden to keep them away...it worked for a while.  The larger rabbits figured it out and one day I saw one sitting there in the middle of my garden.  Luckily our dogs love being outside, so my garden is protected by them a lot of the time.  We did have a cherry tree, but we were never able to get to the cherries before the birds did.  Luckily, we can buy freshly picked fruits and vegetables as well as baked and canned goods from local farmer's markets.

Tipsy Cherries - Sold

Tipsy Cherries, 6x6 oil

My plan for this month was to not paint food, but I set up this still life and started painting it before I realised that I was painting food.  I was attracted to the deep rich red of the fruit and the long stems.  I think I have a few cherry paintings ahead of me.

Ed #2

Ed #2, 8x8 oil

 Last Thursday evening we were setting up for the show that was on Friday night. We also had Ed the model posing for us again. By the time I had finished hanging all my paintings, I had an hour to paint. Talk about speed painting! Luckily it was Ed, he is such a good model! He even managed to hold a smile, which is extremely hard to do!

The show on Friday evening was a lot of fun! We had a constant stream of people coming in (despite the rain), and my husband Andy enjoyed playing his songs for us!

Thriving - Sold

Thriving 18x18 oil

Yes, I painted a picture of the dandelion. This is one of many that I spent removing from my garden one Saturday afternoon not too long ago. As I was carefully trying to remove the whole plant, including the root, I was wondering what is it about these plants we dislike so much. Dandelions just grow without any effort on our part. Why don't we just fill our lawns with them and forget about trying to grow the ever elusive grass, that needs so much maintenance and care year after year.

Upper Gamma Portrait Painters Show, Hamilton Art Crawl

This week I have been preparing for Friday May 10 Art Crawl in Hamilton.  This is the first show this group is putting on, so it's pretty exciting!  I've been digging up some of my older paintings from about four years ago. I'm surprised how many I have!  Of course they're not all worthy of being in the show, in fact some belong in a bonfire.
We decided to call ourselves the 'Upper Gamma Painters' because we're on the third floor (Upper) and the sign on the building is 'Vasco da Gamma...'.  My husband will be playing some music on and off during the evening as well.  You can see him pictured above with the guitar. 
The address of the show is:
175 James St N, Hamilton, Ontario, 3rd floor, (near Acclamation Bistro).
The show runs all evening, 7 - 11 pm.

The Only Path

The Only Path, 12x9, oil

It was a perfect day today to be outside painting.  By the time I arrived at my painting location, it was mid-afternoon and the sun was shining brightly.  On days like this everything looks beautiful, and it's so hard to decide what to paint.  I love this view of the winding pathway with the shadows of the trees crisscrossing along the way.

February Blues

February Blues, 36x48 oil

This is a painting from a couple of years ago, that has never left my studio.  One of my first larger sized pieces.  I love this painting.  It was originally painted 'en plein air', (8x10 inches), on Valentines day.  I called it February Blues because of the beautiful blue colours of the shadows, sky and the frozen lake in the background.  I also love this painting because it brings back memories of when I was painting the small sketch outdoors; my husband was texting me about our plans for the evening, being Valentines Day.  I smile every time I look at this painting :)

Ed

Ed, 8x8 oil

The model last night for my portrait painting group was Ed.  He's a professional model that I've painted many times over the years.  He is such an excellent model!  It's quite funny, I've recognized him in paintings in various art shows that I've been to as well.  Unfortunately I only had a couple of hours to paint this otherwise I would have liked to do a larger full figure painting.

April Paintings 2013

April Paintings 2013

Happy May Day!  Magnolias are in bloom! 

Well here are my paintings for April.  I haven't been as productive as the first few months of the year, although I have a lot ideas in the works, with each week being a theme.   I'm not sure if I can work that way but I'm going to give it a try for a bit and see how it goes.

 

Mom & Dad

Mom & Dad, 18x24 oil

Well here's the portrait of my parents that I have been working on over the past few weeks. I've noticed that the photo is distorted so I'll have to re-take it. I'm very pleased with it... I hope they like it too.
Friday May 10 is the Hamilton Art Crawl.  The group that I paint portraits with on Thursday nights will be having a show for the evening and my husband Andy Griffiths will be the musical entertainment.  I think it'll be a fun evening!  If you happen to be in town, it's at 175 James St N, 3rd floor, Hamilton, Ontario.

First Position

First Position, 24x12 oil

Back to basics for my daughter. I asked her to pose for me in her old beat-up ballet slippers. She was into ballet for years and was a beautiful dancer.  You can tell she was a ballet dancer by the way she moves so gracefully.  When she gave it up and moved on to other interests, everything was packed away.  We searched everywhere for her pointe shoes without success, probably packed away in a box somewhere with various costumes. 

Shelling Beans - Sold

Shelling Beans, 6x6 oil

I'm back! Not that I went anywhere, I just haven't had much time to paint lately. One time-consuming yearly event is mainly to blame...taxes.  Gathering receipts and all that pertinent information that suddenly has become very important.  I'd rather be painting!!! Maybe that's why I chose to paint these fava beans, somehow they remind me of counting pennies.

Simply Sweet - Sold

Simply Sweet, 4x4 oil

I found these amazing strawberries the other day.  I thought they would be great with some chocolate, but after tasting them, decided that they really didn't need anything at all. 
Today is the first day of the silent auction at the Dundas Valley School of Art.  It runs until Saturday April 13. The live auction is on the evening of the 13th.  I'll be heading over there sometime to see all the wonderful work that is on display and perhaps bid on a painting or two.  It's really a popular event.  I went to it last year to check it out and headed home with a few pieces of pottery.  Some of my artist friends who have been submitting work into this auction every year told me that I should give it a try.  I did, and have 4 pieces of art in it this year!  It's great exposure for the artists and 50% of the sales goes to help fund the school.

Pieces of Pear

Pieces of Pear, 4x4 oil

I'm really having a lot of fun painting these 4x4 inch panels.  Currently I am working on a larger portrait of my parents together (18x24), so painting these little panels gives me a refreshing break.

Snack Time

Snack Time, 4x4 oil

I was about to eat this apple, but thought it would make a nice little still life sliced up horizontally like this. A perfect subject to paint on my new 4x4 painting panels that I picked up the other day.

Missing You Already

Missing You Already, 12x8 oil

Wish I could say this is a plein air painting, but the wind is blowing outside and snow has been falling off and on all day.
Whenever I go anywhere, there are images that I see that capture my eye and my heart. On the lucky days I'll be out there with my paints, but a lot of the time I just have my phone or maybe my camera. I have so many photos filed away on my computer with images that I would have loved to paint, but are long forgotten.  I started digging through them today, and painted this scene that was captured last summer during my holidays in Newfoundland.

March Paintings 2013

March Paintings 2013

Well here is my collection of paintings for March.  Hopefully with spring here, warm weather will arrive soon and I'll be able to paint outside more often...en plein air!

Monkey Business - Sold

Monkey Business, 22x14 oil

When I was a very young child, I used to imagine that all my toys came alive once I was asleep.  If I were to imagine what my mischievous sock monkeys were up to when I was out of the room, I think they would be up to no good!  When I suddenly would turn on the lights, this is what I would find.

Seeing Stripes

Seeing Stripes, 6x6 oil

I recently read a book called "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern. Everything in the circus is black and white. It inspired me to pick up this back and white striped material and include it in a painting. It was fun to paint, seeing how the stripes move through the glass, but I was going a bit crossed eyed by the end!

Hard Boiled - Sold

Hard Boiled, 6x6 oil

Easter is just around the corner and I've got eggs on my mind.  When the kids were little, it was a big affair in our house to decorate eggs. A couple of weeks before Easter, I would drain the eggs through little holes and then we would take all day to create our masterpieces, (yes, me too). Then they would be proudly displayed on a decorative plate until Easter. 

Mom

Mom, 6x6 oil

Here's a little 6x6 of my mom. I love my mom and her big beautiful smile! You can't help but smile back, no matter how you are feeling.

Cherry on Top - Sold

Cherry on Top, 6x6 oil

While painting this cupcake, I kept imagining little hands reaching up to grab a taste of this enticing treat.  I recently went to my niece's son's birthday party. He just turned two years old. The simplest things put a wonderfully big smile on his face. I brought home one of the cupcakes from his party, but it flipped upside down during the drive home.  I scraped off half the icing and tried to repair it, but I definitely was not able to reconstruct it, so I painted this one instead, (although his cupcakes looked very different from this one).
So if it's my niece's son, does that make me a grand-aunt? If so, I think I'll just stick with aunt.

The Old Mandolin - Sold

The Old Mandolin, 8x10 oil

There's an antique/old junk store my husband and I drop into once in a while, just to see what interesting items we can find.  One time we found this old mandolin. It's not playable at all, and is a bit rough around the edges, but it looks beautiful. 
Recently I bought a CD; 'Kevin Breit & the Upper York Mandolin Orchestra'. Of course I had to play the CD while I was painting the mandolin.  It really gave me appreciation for the instrument and seemed to bring it alive!

Dad

Dad, 6x6 oil

My parents live a couple hours drive away, so I don't get out to see them as much as I would like.  When we went out to visit them in February, I took a few photos for the sole purpose of painting their portraits.  I would like to do a larger painting of the two of them together, but I thought I'd start small, just to practise. 

Hope you like it Dad!, Mom, your next!

Citrusy Scents - Sold

Citrusy Scents, 8x8 oil

Lemons, limes and oranges, a fun painting to do! This is the third painting of this 'series'. The other two are 'Ample Apples', and 'Plate of Peppers'. I will be submitting these into a show that will be at a gallery in Hamilton at the end of the month. I'll tell you more about it at a later date.

I don't know how much painting I'm going to get done this week, it seems that I've come down with the flu! I thought it had passed me by, but here it is. I usually go out painting Monday afternoon, but today I think I'll take a nap.

Half Cup of Milk - Sold

Half Cup of Milk, 8x8 oil

The other day I made some banana chocolate chip muffins. I was thinking how nice the measuring cup would look in a painting, an item that is hard working around here but seldom ever appreciated. This is my ode to the humble measuring cup!

Balanced - Sold

Balanced, 6x6 oil

Sometimes, it's not about the cupcake!  A glass of cold milk, so refreshing, can only add to the enjoyment of anything that it accompanies.

February Paintings 2013

My collage of February paintings. I cheated a little, including March 1st painting so that there would be an even number. Wow, time flies! The first two months of the year are already gone! There are a few submissions that I am working towards, so this month is going to be a busy one.

Over the last few days I've been preparing for a show that I'm in this coming Thursday, 'An Evening of Art and Music'. It's at a local Burlington recording studio called Btown Sound. I've never done anything like this before, but it sounds like it could be an interesting evening.

White Gerbera - Sold

White Gerbera, 6x6 oil

Gerberas are one of my favourite flowers.  I tend to bring it home more often than any other flower.  It seems so sturdy and strong, as if it will last forever.  I've had this one for a couple of weeks now, waiting patiently to be painted.  I think it's a good subject to start a new month with.