Conception Harbour

I wandered around Conception Bay yesterday.  The sun was hot and the wind strong with the tail of Earl creating white caps on the water in open areas.  In sheltered areas, the sun was hot enough to singe you in minutes.

There are a number of tiny villages on the edges of Conception Bay, some that I hadn't even heard of like Kitchuses.  The view was beautiful and almost like another world at times.  Some of the sheltered coves were meccas for yachts and sailing boats along with the mix of small fishing vessels.

A little brick coloured dory caught my eye as it sat in shallow water almost on the beach.  This is the result in oils on 5 x 7 canvas panel.   This is available for purchase here.  Just click on the Under $50 tab at the top of the page to view it and more pieces.

Waterford River I

Waterford River I

5 x 7  oils

I was up very early this morning, unable to sleep so I started another in the series of hidden river paintings that I am working on.

This is a glimpse of the Waterford River that flows directly into St. John's Harbour.  As it nears the harbour, there are several foot bridges that cross it, allowing pedestrian traffic across and the river widens and slows until it reaches the dry dock and disappears underneath into the harbour water.

I liked the mix of industrial and natural elements in the image, as well as the light of a cloudy day reflecting on the water.  The painting is 5 x 7 on canvas panel and painted in oils.

Weekly painter

And an update of the completion of this little painting.

This piece is available for purchase on my 'Under $50' page of this blog.  Just click on the link at the top of the page to find it.

I hope to produce at least one or more 5 x 7 paintings each week to add to my general body of work for sale.  I don't dare move to a daily painter mode as I know it would be the downfall of me with so many other things on my plate right now.  So right now I'll be the Weekly Painter or perhaps Bi-Weekly Painter.

I pulled out some oils tonight and did the start of a  view of Rennies Mill River that wends its ways through the city before emptying into Quidi Vidi Lake.  Right now its not much more than base values on canvas but the bed is calling me and tomorrow I'll finish it off and move on with other projects. I had done this view in pastel in July but I liked the lighting and view and wanted to see how it would take to oils.   

I'm considering a starting a newsletter, but I want to consider it carefully to ensure that it has longevity, readability and readership before I invent time and resources into producing a professional HTML version.  I know I had discussed this previously and at that time I was not at a time or place where it was possible for me to use that tool.  I think now I'm moving into a space where I think that I can and that it will be useful to provide a wider audience for my work.   Watch this space for more details...

Whelks

I found a number of whelk shells on a beach the other week.  I hadn't seen them in numbers or larger sizes previously. They were near a fish plant so I presumed they were probably part of a test fishery.  I took them home and let them steep in some water with bleach more to get rid of the strong smell than to whiten them.  I guess leaving them in the sun in the greenhouse would have worked too but I wanted to speed up the process.

The white shells are now rather like casts and perfect for drawing.  Examined closely they seem to have the start of coral growing on them, or perhaps its simply a layer of shell that is sloughing off naturally.  Whichever the case, it gives an interesting effect and texture to the shell.

I played around with the blank shell canvas with the idea in my head that these shells could make interesting decorations.  I added watercolour washes of quinacridone gold and red to the shell then touched indigo and turquoise to the edges to enhance the texture.  I like the matte finish but it likely will need to have a coat of varnish of some kind to protect it. 

Potential for Christmas tree ornaments perhaps.  I'll work on a hanging mechanism next then see how it balances. 

This was all done under the watchful gaze of Tripod, so during the news, I sketched him.