Fall Light

Fall Light 24x24x1 1/2 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped canvas SOLD

This painting is a commission I received just prior to Christmas.  I painted a smaller version of this 3 years ago.  My style has changed quite a bit since then so it was a challenge.  I am always up for a challenge and it was a good way to end the year.  Lots of splashes and drops of paint.  Layers and layers.

Blessings for a great New Year.

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Ewe Who

Ewe Who  Oil on Linen Gallery Wrapped Canvas  Sold

This is a "Black Sheep" version of some ewes I did a few years back.  Lots of fun.

Blessings for a great New Year to come.

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Echo of Colors

Echo of Colors 12x12x 1 1/2 Acrylic on Canvas SOLD

This is an acrylic painting with many splashes of color. The vibrancy is in the many layers of transparent paint and medium.  I haven't painted in this manner for some time so it has been an interesting exercise.

Blessings for a great day.

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Bouquet

Bouquet 12X12 Acrylic on Canvas  $150

I am revisiting a technique I haven't used for almost three years.  I realize that I haven't really painted with a brush for a considerable period of time.  I have mostly used palette knives and other implements that go with oil and oil wax combinations.

I am glad I can still do this.  Its quite a brain challenge.

The colors are cheerful, happy and hopefully will make someone very happy.

Blessings for a great day.

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Gray Day

Gray Day Encaustic on Mat Board 5X7

Day two of playing with encaustics.  I started this one with india ink.  Included is watercolor, pastel, india ink, oil sticks and encaustic wax.

The day outside was gray so I used Payne's Gray.

Blessings for a great day.

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Bits and Pieces

Bits and Pieces Encaustic Wax painting 5X7

This is my first go at painting with encaustics.  

I used archival mat board and of course I had to stray from the ordinary by starting on black instead of white.   Quite a challenge.  When I am painting the colors are clear and beautiful and then as it cools it gets WAXY!  Of course.

The biggest learning is that when I am watching instructions from the United States I need to remember that they are talking Fahrenheit and not Celsius!  That's pretty obvious but it just didn't occur to me until I saw the wax starting to bubble.

Oh dear!

Maybe I shouldn't admit that kind of an error.

Every mistake is a lesson learned.

I should be smart pretty soon.

Blessings for a great day.

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Fall Sky

Fall Sky 10X10 Acrylic on Watercolor Paper $100

This is an intuitive painting done using layers of paint, molding paste, rubbing alcohol and varnished so that it may be framed in a standard 10X10 frame without needing to use glass.

Blessings for a great day.

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Coastal

Coastal 7X7 Acrylic on Watercolor paper 10X10  $50

This is a more traditional painting done mostly with a palette knife on watercolor paper. I taped the  paper on a 10X10 square so that the image would fit inside the frame without needing a mat. This image appears blue in the white border but it really is white.  You can see the tree reflections in the water.  That is molding paste.

This painting would be a suitable gift for someone that has a more traditional taste.

Blessings for a great day.

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Starry Night

Starry Night 11 1/2X 10 1/2 acrylic on watercolor paper $100

I don't know about you but for the last month or so the sky has been beautiful with the moon and stars shining through.  I often wake up during the night and when I gaze out and look at the beautiful light generated by the moon and stars I wonder how a person could go about capturing the impression.

That is what I am doing here.

Hope you like it.

Blessings for a great day.

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Winters Day

Winters Day 10X10 Acrylic on Watercolor Paper  $100

Painted to fit into a standard 10X10 frame.  It will be varnished so that no glass is required.

Blessings for a great day.

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Warm Waters

Warm Waters 10X8 oil and CWM on wood cradle board$75

Painted on the sides so that no frame is required.

Valley

Valley  Oil on Arches Oil painting paper.  Image 5x7 in a white mat 8x10 $40

This painting is in a white mat so that you may place it in a standard 8x10 frame.

The painting is done on Arches oil painting paper which is meant to take the paint and remain archival.  

Blessings for a great day.

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Coastal

Coastal  image size 6 1/2X8 oil on painted wc paper $50

This is the image shown with the painted paper.  I took the photo on the floor which is the warm orange brown that you see along the edge.

The paper was treated with gesso and then there is a coat of gesso and a bit of acrylic paint which is where the warmth of the paper comes from.  From there I have painted with oil and cold wax.  The whole painting was done using a palette knife.

Fall Light

Fall Light 5 7/8"x7" Oil on Paper $50

This piece is in a 10X10 Black Matt so that it will fit a standard size frame.

It's that time of the year when the intense colors disappear and all those beautiful blues and grey appear.  This painting is done on Arches Oil painting paper made specifically for oil paint.  It is lovely to paint on and makes it light for shipping.

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends south of the border.  I hope its a time of good visits and of course good food.

Blessings for a great day.

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Blue III

Blue III 11"X10" acrylic and watercolor on paper $100

This is a mixed media piece done loosely and feeling on gessoed and acrylic coated paper.

Its a nice mood piece for the season.

Blessings

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Blue II

Blue II 9"X6" Acrylic and Watercolor on Paper $35

This is the partner for the one posted yesterday.  They were fun to do.

Blessings

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Blue

Blue , 9X6" Acrylic and Watercolor on Watercolor Paper $35

I am working on many paintings at the same time.  Some are very large 4 foot by 6 foot.

They take time so once in a while I think it is fun to take a break and do something a little more immediate.  I've done a group of tree paintings using a variety of mediums - acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink, and molding paste.  My intention had been to make them into small cold wax paintings but I was having fun doing these flowing trees and stuck with that.

They will frame very nicely into a standard 8X10 frame if they have a mat around them.  

I have a partner for this one posting tomorrow if you are wanting a pair.

Blessings for a great day.

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Pear

Pear 8x8 oil on 1 1/2" gallery wrap canvas

Painted on the sides so that no frame is required.

Signed on the back.

I thought it would be good to go back to some of my all ways and see how my method and ways have changed.  This one was done almost exclusively with a palette knife.  It is oil and will take a bit of time to dry.

Blessings for a great day.

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Art Card

Art Card

I have been on a great course.  iPad use for artists.  Quite the mind bender.  My poor brain hurt on the second day but got very excited on the third.  The technology was wonderful and I am trying to work out how I can use it in my art.

Decided to sit down and do a funny art card as something totally different.  I usually make a batch of christmas trees and christmas themed cards at this time of the year.

Blessings to all

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Full Circle Revisited

Full Circle Oil and CWM on wood cradle 10X10  $100

I had to add more color to this.  Couldn't help it. It really needed more.

I have an open studio this weekend so life is busy.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Morning revisited

Morning 8x8 Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  $75

This was one of my 30 day painting challenge paintings.  I wasn't satisfied with it.

Now its fine.  I am going to paint over my name.  It attracts too much attention.

Blessings for a great day.

Red Sky Revisited

Red Sky 8X20 Oil on Panel $160

I have made a few changes that I believe improve this painting.  I lightened the light area slightly and added a little more of the sky color to the water.  

Not touching it again.

Blessings for a great day.

Cast Shadows

Cast Shadows  8X10  Oil and CWM on wood cradle board $75

The tittle comes from the shadows the thick paint cast.  It is a good representation of how much paint is on the board.

I think I am going to be moving on to Fall subjects and getting ready for a Studio tour Oct 16,17 and 18.

Gorgeous weather, busy life.  Cant ask for more.

Blessings for a great day.

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work in progress

Work in Progress 22X28  Oil and CWM on Wood Panel

Day 30 of 30 day challenge.

I have many plans for today and don't know if I will get my little painting finished so I decided to post this on on our final day of the challenge.

Its been quite a learning experience.

Thanks for being a part of it.

Blessings for a great day

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Red Sky Oil Painting

Red Sky Oil Painting 8X20  On panel $150.

This panel was floating around so I thought it would be fun to do a wide landscape.  When I put the third coat of gesso on I used Holbein's red oxide gesso.  I then started painting the scene and really liked the red gesso.  Of course I couldn't just leave the gesso as it was.  Even if I did like it I had to duplicate the color in oils.    So here you have it.  I rather like the mood of this.

Blessings for a great day.

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Ocean View

Ocean View Oil Painting 9X12  on Arches Oil Painting Paper $100

Day 28 of the 30 Day painting challenge.

Today my challenge was to do a painting without yellow or orange in it.  Didn't quite make it but almost.  I had to put a touch of transparent orange along the shore.

The painting was done on Arches Paper made specifically for oil paint.  No gesso required.  This is my first time using this paper.  It is awesome.  It has a unique smooth surface to paint on.  When the painting is dry it can be framed as you would any other painting.  You would just need a backing for it.  Standard size so no problem finding a frame for it.

The paint is THICK.  The whole thing was painted with a palette knife.

Blessings for a great day.

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Light

Light  10X10 Oil and CWM on Gallery Cradle Board  $100

Day 27 of the 30 Day painting Challenge

I started this one with molding paste, gel with tiny beads and charcoal.  At one point I was ready to toss it and start on another when I thought line might just make the difference.  It tells the story.

Blessings for a great day..

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Morning

 Morning 8X8 Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas $75

Painted on the sides so that no frame is necessary.

Day 26 of the 30 Day painting challenge.

One of my big challenges for this is photographing the art work.  I tried to photograph this one yesterday but it was sunny and because I used gel medium it is very shiny meaning there were white spots all over.  I even tried inside the garage where the light was reflecting off the garage door but to no avail.  White spots everywhere. So this morning, (very appropriate I thought given the title), in my pajamas I am out on our deck before the sun is hitting the deck trying again. Its fairly close.

Its sunny again today but I am painting with cold wax today.  That gives a matt finish so its better to photograph.  So much to learn.

Blessings for a great day.

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Full Circle

Full Circle  10X10 Oil and Cold Wax Medium on Wood Cradle  $100

Day 25 of 30 Day Painting Challenge

Sometime I come full circle and so does my Art.  Seemed like an appropriate title for this one.

Playing with my Cold Wax.  Waiting for more to arrive so I go between that and my oils.

Blessings for a great day.

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Contemporary Abstract

Contemporary Abstract  22X28  Mixed Media on Wood Panel

Day 24 of 30 Day painting Challenge

I am not sure that this painting is finished yet.  I may try putting a coat of cold wax on it to see if that makes it finished.  I love the strength and subtleties all together.  Most of the painting is acrylic and then I have added coats of oil in cold wax medium.

I painted all day yesterday on a large canvas which today is going in the garbage.  Sometimes that is the best.  Start fresh on something else.  This painting is one that I had put aside because I hadn't decided if it was finished.

Blessings for a great day.

Bente

Warmth of the Day

Warmth of the Day 8X10 Oil on Canvas  $75

Day 23 of 30 Day Painting challenge.

I like the simplicity of this.  Our skies may be grey but they give such warmth. We need to have warmth.  At least I do.

On the subject of the 30 day challenge.  It really is a challenge.  I am working on half a dozen large pieces and I am doing these small ones as well. It would be nice if the 20 stroke painting challenge worked on a regular basis.  The object of that is you plan your painting so that the whole thing is done in 20 strokes.  No more.  So one stroke may be a large streak across the canvas with one pure color.  No stopping in between to fill up your brush.  So the strokes need to be thought out ahead of time.  But all in all the exercise should not take more than half an hour.

Good luck with that.



Blessings

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Wilderness

Wilderness 15X30 Oil on Canvas  $450

Progression

Progression 8X10 Oil on gallery wrapped canvas $75

Continuing on my theme to Abstraction I have simplified the colors and the composition.  I rather like it.

Blessings for a great day.

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Fall Approaching

Fall Approaching 8X10 Oil on Canvas $75

Day 20 of the 30 day Challenge

I have been working on some pretty strong paintings, color wise that is.  The photo you see above is the atmosphere on our beach these days so I thought it would be a good idea to calm it down and see if I could get the feel of what's happening outside.  I don't want to paint a grey painting.  That doesn't seem to be in my character.

Below

The first image you will see below is the start of the painting day.  Note the coffee within arms reach!

Very important.  Palette all set out.  At the end of the day the palette is a total mess. 

Below that is the larger painting that I am working on.  At this stage it is not working. Seems to be chopped in half diagonally.  This is proven by the bottom image.

This image is from an app I use on my IPad called Value Viewer.  I take a photo of what I am working on and then I can check the value.  This one was checked as a Notan. There are 3 options.  You can see what I mean about it being cut in half diagonally.  I have worked on it quite a bit since this was taken and we will see if I made it better or worse.  And so it continues.

Blessings

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Contemporary Landscape Painting

Outreach III 8X8 Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas $75  Painted on the sides so that no frame is needed.

Day 19 of 30 Day Challenge

I am still working on the same composition and natural colors.  This time I thought I would use a square format.  I really like squares.  With this one being small it was a challenge to paint the story around the edges without getting paint all over me.

For the texture I tried something different.  It actually found me.  When I put the palette knife down and then lift straight up I got an interesting texture.  Again one I will use again.

This painting a day challenge is just that.  It forces me to be out there painting no matter what my other schedules are and low and behold I learn a lot along the way.

This one is signed at the back.

Blessings

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Contemporary Painting Outreach II

Outreach II Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas 8X10 $75

Day 18 of 30 Day Challenge

I am working on the same basic composition.  In this one I am using colors more close to nature.  I have angled the horizon and it  works for me.  All along I have tried to be accurate with the horizon line and here it seems to work great.

I am using my palette knives only and some of the interesting effects are from adding medium to it so that the paint isn't so thick.  Then I lightly touch the surface at an angle with the effect showing on top.  I will be using this again.

Blessings

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Outreach

Outreach 8X10 Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, $75

Painted on the sides so that no frame is necessary

Day 17 of the 30 Day painting challenge

This is one of a number of paintings where I am working on a variety of ways of painting the same subject Abstractly.  It is a palette knife painting with a lot of texture and flow.

Blessings

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Sunrise

Sunrise 11X14 Oil on Ampersand Gesso Board  $150

Day 16 of the 30 day challenge

Here we are with the color red.  I swear I need to take a photography course just so I can learn how to photograph red and turquoise.  I have yet to do that successfully.

I am playing with the combinations of mediums and oil and layering them.  On this one I wanted to have the initial image show through yet have the glow of the light.  I felt that a lot of medium would give me this result.  I also actually used Cadmium Orange.  I have had this one tube of Cad Orange for years and rarely use it.  Mixing red and yellow together usually gets me what I want.  I used both Nuptial Red and Quin Red.

Its pretty strong.  I agree.  So is the Sun.

Blessings Bente

Day 15

Day 15

Oil and CWM on Wood Panel

I think this is an example of too much texture.  It is done on a wood board that I prepared prior to my trip to the valley.  They tell me you can salvage these but I am thinking not.

Oh what to do.  I think I will follow my Mothers advise.  NEXT.

Summer

Summer  Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  14X11 $300

Day 14 of 30 day Challenge

In keeping with the 30 day challenge I am on the road today so I am posting this painting.  It is in keeping with the spirit of what I have been doing and rather than have nothing for this day I am posting this one.  The theme is simple yet the composition is strong along with the colors.

Blessisngs for a beautiful day

Bente

Contemporary Oil and Cold Wax Painting

Crevice  10X12 oil and CWM on board $100

Day 13 of 30 day challenge

This painting is many layers of paint with the streaks of color radiating from the top being an example of scratching back into the board to bring out some of the layers underneath.  This is a learning process that will likely take years but one I am enjoying.

Contemporary Night Light Scene

Contemporary Night Light Scene 22X28 Oil and CWM on Wood Panel, Framed $650

Day 12 of the 30 Day Challenge

This painting was also juried in to the Federation Show that will be  held at Place des Arts in Coquitlam.

Coastline

Coastline 30X36 Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Day 11 of the 30 day challenge

The top image is Coastline that has been accepted into the Juried Fraser Valley Chapter of The Federation of Canadian Artists.  The Show is going to be held at Place des Arts in Coquitlam.

The bottom image is the same painting when I was about to give up.  I knew the bottom portion needed a darker value and I was to the point of "what have I got to lose?"  I turned the painting upside down.  Added some earth red and some transparent thalo turquoise and I went at it.  Then I turned it the right way up and mixed up some white and medium and went at that.  I knew the top portion was way too busy.

After that the waiting game started. It was quite fascinating to watch.  I knew the turquoise was transparent but when I put it on initially it looked black.  As the days went by the colors underneath started showing through and by day 10 Eric and I looked at each other and were amazed. The color turquoise like the color red is very difficult to photograph so all the nuances of color are not apparent in the photo here.  There are many delightful variations to look at.

The moral of the story is don't give up.

This was a large painting for sure but I was ready to put a knife through it and say "Next?"And look what happened instead.

Blessings everyone

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