"Inferno"

"It is Not all Black and White #4"
"Inferno"
Acrylics on canvas 

14" X 18"

We are in the Middle of the Summer, here in Southern Alberta.
Summer in Canada means forest fires all through out the North and far North.
For that fact any well forested area is prone  to fire.
The Lightning, combined with the heat, dry conditions all contribute to this devastating phenomena.

I grew up in Northern Manitoba, Canada, and we were all aware of the impact these fires would 

have on our lives.
We were all aware that every able bodied man would (and usually was) conscripted to fight them.

Todays painting depicts such a thing.
I hope I have represented both the devastating effects of fire as well as the hope for rebirth after the burn is done.
I will post photos of this canvas in order of preparation and progress.

Initially, I had no idea of the best way to paint fire of any type.
I had never even attempted to do this before so it was a learning thing for me every step.

I knew that yellow and red made orange, and that brown added would add distance to the flames.
This painting was done with six colours.
(All Golden Acrylic fluid)
Hansa Yellow
Yellow Oxide
Quintacridone Nickle Azo Gold

Pyrrole Red
Bone Black 

and
Van Dyke Brown.
Initially, I lay out drops of the colours in a circle on my Pallette

and dipped a very large fine haired brush in them.
I then dabbed the tip of the brush on paper towels turning the brush every time I blotted it

and mixed the colours randomly that way.
I achieved this effect on the canvas with my loaded brush.

The top left corner was scumbled Brown with carbon black, this gave me a perspective point.
I then followed with a very basic outline of my main trees drawn on the canvas with a
Watercolour pencil.
(I love watercolour pencils for drawing ideas on my canvas' as the marks wash off so easily.)

Then I focused on the fire burning actively in the background

 

 from there it was just a matter of how I wanted to proceed.

I began to shape and form the trees that would frame the approaching fire.

With this done I refined the trees and foreground, and began to add the darkness
in the area of the viewers eyes.
and I finished it off.

I would like to thank the many photographers that posted Fire images to the internet.
They were invaluable and I am sure I could not have done this without their daring
and astounding works.
This painting is a compilation of many images, and for that I am grateful.
A side note:  I have never liked working on a smooth canvas, so as is with most of my painting I had
prepared the canvas initially with a layer of Goldens regular Gel, and gessoed over that.
The canvas is intentionally Not smooth.

All comments and inquiries welcomed.
~~Kathleen

"Night Skies!"

(Almost done, clean up the snow and get rid of bottom branch)

As some of you that follow this blog are aware.....

I have no formal training in art, or  or the use of paint.
I have learned from some very knowing people on line, discussions with other Artists

and

the wonderful site "Youtube."

I have learned a lot of things by trial and error.
Surprisingly, a lot by error.

When I entertain a new idea, or dredge up an old idea that seemed impossible at one time,

I begin with trying to figure our what I want to achieve, and how to paint it.
I wonder if it is to be "Mixed Media" or just plain old Acrylics on canvas.

 And,

I wonder if I can actually achieve the desired effects with my limited knowledge.

 I grew up in Northern Canada.

not way far North, but far enough that
the lake was pristine,

the stars gleamed at night
and the water was pure.

I grew up with fireflys

rainbows

huge Spruce trees

and on the shores of one of the largest lakes in the world.

But most of all,
I grew up with
"The Northern Lights"
They were magical  as they danced across the night skies.
They were, to me, a  magical world where everything was perfect.
All the while never being aware I was, at the time,

 surrounded by perfection.
But I was young, and dreams are for the young.

Now in my 70th decade, 

I am still as enamored with the Northern Lights as I was as a little girl.
As an artist, I have often wished I could paint them

to show the world their Majesty and Beauty.
How to do it?
What did I have to do to achieve the desired effect?

So, I started at the beginning.
There are Scientific terms and a proper way to do everything.
But I am not a Scientist, and I am not trained in Painting.
I prepped the canvas with Black Gesso

and over that a healthy coat of Anthraquinone Blue.
then with the two colours.
Goldens Fluid Tourquise Pthalo Blue (green shade)  

and 

Goldens Fluid Hansa  yellow (medium)

I began.

I prepared washes of both colours and started quite a few times

 but could not get the "Dance" like movement I was looking for.
until I accidentally knocked a brush out of the pot and onto the canvas.
as the wide (dry) brush fell it swiped across a wet yellow line and feathered it!
My goodness, answers come in the strangest ways.
So from there on in, I stroked/feathered.

I stroked and feathered for almost 20 hours and got it.
Yeppers it looked like the night sky of my youth.
I have included a series of progressive photos below to show how I proceeded.
The snow and tree were the last things to go in, but I knew how to do a tree & snow so they were not a big deal to me LOL.
What is a big deal, is that the Northern Lights still mesmerize me.
They are still Magical

and

I still glow within when ever I stand outside and watch them.
(For those of you that have never seen them, The Northern Lights can be seen in Both Winter and Summer.)
I just opted to make this a Winter scene.

"Progression"
 The only two colours/brushes I used on this painting
(Excluding the tree/snow)

first attempt (Not good at all)

Kind of what I want, but no movement

And just after the brush fell!

Coming to life
Added the tree line
(Cleaned  up the snow and added the tree just after this was taken.)

The final painting.
The colours in this one are just impossible to capture straight on.
The true depiction of colour is in the  photo above.

The importance of grief.

"Sorrow"
Acrylics and mixed media on canvas
12" X 14"
SOLD


I have been working with trees for a while now.

As most of you know my love affair with trees started a lifetime ago 

and

now I am portraying them in ways that are special to me.
Trees are life.
And what about death?
How do trees signify that?
What role do they play into our sorrow?

Many plant a tree in honour of a deceased loved one.
The symbolism of these trees

has served us well as we watch them grow tall and strong.
I see a tree as a place where one can collect thoughts.

Under which we can cry and vent our frustration at the brutal

finality of
Death.

A place of calm where we can try to sort out a troubled soul.

Recently I have had two friends that have lost 

to death

younger members of their families.
One to an accident

and

another to illness.
I say to them;

If you have a young member in your family, or a young child that is near to you,
Hug them and tell you that you love them.

Look at the parents and thank them for allowing their children to be a part of your life.


Life is to be treasured 

and`

 we, (as we age) understand how precious youth is.

How wonderful it is that  children make our world.


For you that will not hear the laughter again I weep.


But I tell you now, that the time your family and friends had with them
while they were alive helped make this world a beautiful place, 

and

 we will be forever grateful.
They will always light up our hearts with beautiful memories.


Rest in Peace

(Apologies,
My camera is broken, so until it is replaced, I am using my IPad as a camera.  Not the best choice, but for now
it will have to suffice)
~~Kathleen

My Love affair with trees.

I have long had a strong love affair with trees. I love looking at them, I love walking anywhere near them.

I love their shapes and colours.

To me they are so representational of all life.

When I began painting I was not so aware of this love, but eventually I realized that it goes way back many years.

The very first painting that I thought of as "Professional" quality was of a stand of Lodgepole Pines.

Personally it is probably my favorite painting of all time because it was my "First" that was, in my mind perfect.

Over the years since this painting I have painted trees in many shapes/styles and forms.

Needless to say trees are never the same,

the light in an hour can change the appearance of a tree.

so I present to you a few of the trees I have painted over the years......

"Lodgepole Pines"

12" x 18"
Acrylics on canvas board

This painting is unique in that one of these pined has a curved base.

Lodge pole Pines are quite unique to the Prairie areas of Canada
They (for the most part)
Grow straight and very tall.
For centuries the original Native Canadians,

and later settlers used them as the center beam for their homes.



 ~~

"Willow Bay"
12" x 18"

acrylics on canvas.
SOLD

Birch and Poplar trees by Lake Manitoba




~~
"A study in Blue"
Acrylics on Masonite
18" x 24"

 

A challenge from a friend that I could not paint a realistic painting using only blue/white and black.

~~

"Manitoba Morning"

12" x 18"

Acrylics on Canvas
SOLD

Sunrise from a friends Kitchen window.

(Commissioned)

~~

"The Way to the Lake"

12" x 12"

Acrylics on canvas

Again near Willow Bay in Manitoba, Canada

~~

"After the fire"

12" x 18"
Acrylics, Gold leaf and Mixed media
on canvas

A few years back a beautiful and very old 

stand of Spruce trees were destroyed by a forest fire

 alongside Highway # 6 in Manitoba, Canadas  North.

Amazingly after 15 years they are almost back to where they stood  years.

~~

 "The Old Railway"
12" x 18"
Acrylics/metal leaf & mixed media"
on Canvas
SOLD

A grown over escarpment where a CNR
spur line once existed
(near Moosehorn and Spearhhill Manitoba)

~~
"Miyajima Island Hot Springs"
24" x 24"
Acrylics  and mixed media
on Masonite.

painted from a wonderful photograph  taken by a friend when he visited Japan

~~

"Fourteen Trees on a  River Walk"
12" x 18"
Acrylics on Canvas
SOLD

Over Wintering,  a stand of newly planted trees.
Along Nosecreek park walk way
Airdrie, Alberta, Canada.


~~
"Moonlight in Manitoba"
 12" x 12"
Acrylics on canvas.
SOLD

The old road that my Dog Ben and I would walk in the evenings.

Just outside McCreary, Manitoba.

~~

As you can see I have represented trees in my art, in many ways.

I have used Acrylics and Molding paste, and Metal leaf
Every painting is very unique from the others, and usually they stand alone as a work of art.
The latest two Paintings I have done are actually a complimentary set.
I will not go into great detail about them as they are highlighted in the post just
before this one.

Later all
~~Kathleen

"Summer Sunrise"

"Summer Sunrise"

12" x12"

Metal leaf &

 Acrylics on canvas
SOLD

Well, not easy, but I think I captured this one in the manner I wanted.
Photographing any work with Metal leaf is so hard.
(Actually the colour is represented much better in the second Photo below.)
In reality this is a painting that gleams and changes with the passing of time daily,
making it quite unique.
The molding paste on this one was much thicker in the Leaves.

This presented a real challenge.

getting the edges painted in and the "Variegated Leaf"
on top took a long time.
Over all I am quite pleased with how it ended up.

As it is it is a very nice companion work to
My last work.

Both works are seasonal, and compliment each other and the Seasons they represent.

Comments and critiques on these paintings

(as well as any here in my blog)

are welcomed.
Please say hello after you are finished reading here.
I would so like that
~~Kathleen