Monarch of the Forest

This is a giant, multi-stem sugar maple tree on the top of Foley Mountain. My Brother Jim owns about 400 acres of prime Canadian shield and he looks after the trees and creatures contained therein... The large sugar maple is one of those creatures. He has transplanted some of the genetic offspring of this tree to around his home... hoping they would do as well as the monarch. I felt that this deserved a portrait for lots of environmental reasons. Some of the branches twist back and forth like gray rat snakes. I am not done the painting but am concerned about killing it with a thousand strokes of the brush... one has to know when to stop...

"Gone To Church"

Another look back at the past at Bedford Mills. Looking back, the past seems kinder and gentler but that could just be the rose coloured glasses as well. The church is in great repair and even has a commemorative plague. Oils on medium burnt sienna oil tinted foundation on commercial canvas - 16 X 20 (inches). I decided not to submit this to the Arts and the Arch 2012 Juried Art Exhibition... who knows?

"Home Sweet Home"

This is just one example of the structures along Summers Road north of Lyndhurst. This was home to a family for at least a few generations. It doesn't look like much now but in its prime, it must have been nice.The trees and shrubs have taken over what used to be a lawn. The windows and doors have a rakish droop to them. There is almost no trace of paint to show that at one time, somebody cared. This is the cycle of life applied to homes and families... Oils on medium burnt sienna oil tinted foundation on commercial canvas - 16 X 20.

This plus the two previous Blogs will be submitted to the Arts and the Arch, Juried Art

"Home Sweet Home"

"Bedford Mills"

This is the restored grist mill in Bedford Mills on the Perth Road just south of Westport. It shares the same name as the town in Frank Capra's movie "It's a Wonderful Life". It certainly is...

http://arabellacanadianlandscape.ning.com/profile/PhiltheForecasterChadwick?xg_source=profiles_memberList
I have embarked on an adventure in the Arabella Canadian Landscape Contest. Nothing ventured - nothing gained. Now that I finally have time to paint after 36 years of meteorology, I plan to paint up a real storm. Time will tell weather I can find the pigment to do the landscape justice!

Spring Reflections

With spring one day away, I had some time to paint after a frustrating day of missed calls and no responses from people who should respond. I channeled my frustration into a positive experience. I let myself and the paint fly. I hope it was successful. It was a beautiful day and that is all that really mattered. A muskrat came up close behind me. I also took a paddle in Margaritaville to inspect the ice and the shoreline. The ducks, geese and eagles kept me company over the water. The bluebirds, red-wing blackbirds and robins kept me company over the land.

So I was really reflecting on the day and the soothing effects of the water as well as the enduring nature of the forest. Nature is the one true constant in life and it is priceless.

Long Reach March

Late afternoon and I wanted to paint. There was a slight easterly breeze inflow to the approaching low. Temperatures were around plus 2 Celsius. The combination of wind and temperature were just fine especially with the breeze to my back. I set up looking down Long Reach from the down side of Jim Day Rapids. I was attracted by the colours of the trees and water. The ice along the shore was pretty rotten and had a steely gray look. My good friend Jim came by to talk "loons" and that actually let the dark colours tack up. I was able to finish the piece before it got dark.

Jim Day Reflections

An approaching winter storm had generated overcast altostratus skies and a raw easterly inflow to the low. The associated leading edge of the warm conveyor belt (the deformation zone) was already east of Singleton. I tried to paint in a sheltered location out of the wind - overlooking Jim Day Rapids. It was not the temperature of minus 2 Celsius but the wind that made the difference in comfort level. My hands got really cold so I reverted to gloves to finish the painting. The oils were also getting surprisingly thick and pasty. The thicker texture is part of the joy of plein air painting.

I love the reflections in the dark water and the way the ground water ice has formed from the cracks in the Canadian shield. It is paradise indeed - albeit a bit chilly at the moment. A pair of bald eagles kept an eye on my progress - at least at the start. The eagles left for the other edge of the property and more suitable game to hunt.

Singleton Ice

This is the view looking southerly across Jim Day Rapids. The ice was really solid and provided a level area to pace back and forth as I painted and picked my colours. The wind picked up and it got decidedly chilly. I had to retreat to the home to warm my hands. The paint also got rather pasty but that adds to the plein air effect. As always, I was interested in the shapes and colours of snow, ice and water - all H2O. I didn't want to get bogged down in busy details while still hoping to capture the essence of the scene. Ice makes a multitude of colours especially at the water's edge.

The patch of cirrostratus on the western horizon was a harbinger of the approaching winter storm. Snow and freezing rain would certainly force me to paint inside on Wednesday.