First Plein Air of 2014

This 8 x 10 oil was painted in June of the inner harbour on Wards Island, part of the Toronto Islands in Lake Ontario. This was at a paint out sponsored by the Ontario Plein Air Society (OPAS).

I wasn't particularly happy with the sky when I brought it home. Lately I have been painting the trees before painting the sky which allows me to control the edges there, getting both soft and hard which helps to connect the two; adding depth and avoiding a "pasted on" look. As I am new to doing it this way it is easy for the situation to get out of control. So I waited for it to dry a bit and then repainted the sky area back in the studio.

First Painting - Summer 2013

This 8 x 10 painting, titled "Urban Geometry'" was done in early summer. I had seen this view of the overpass where the Don Valley Parkway meets the Gardner Expressway from one of the bike paths that follow the Don River north of Lakeshore several years ago. This summer I went back to find the same view, but was unable to find it due to the fact that the bike path had been diverted in the meantime. To get to this place, I left the path as it crossed some railway tracks (partially seen on the left) and walked up this road until I was satisfied with the scene. Having set up and happily painting for a while a private security car approached up the road and asked what I was doing. I explained and showed him my painting and then said "I am on private property aren't I." He answered yes and then asked how long I thought I was going to be. I replied another 15 mins. and he said "Well I'll be back in a bit and you'll be gone" and drove off. So I finished the painting, packed up and left.

Winter Painting

This was my first (and so far only) winter plein air painting. It was painting on a warm and sunny day in March of last year. I am standing on a frozen pond created by an abandoned beaver dam in a park in Scarborough. So I am at a beaver pond within the city limits of Toronto. The painting below is no great shakes, but the location is pretty amazing so that is why I have a picture of my easel first this time.

Quietly flows the Don

This is a view of the Don River here in Toronto that was painted on a very hot day in early June. I remember that I set up on the river bank on some rocks in the shade and painted for about one and a half to two hours and when I finished I suddenly felt how hot it was; I hadn't noticed it while I was painting.

This has a drawing and sort of a block-in in red, which I don't usually do, but I tried it here. I think it adds an extra feeling of the hot weather.

This painting sold at my studio tour (Beach Studio Tour) in October.