The Lake

The Lake, acrylic 25 x 20 cm

Palette knife and three colors plus white. Used cobalt instead of ultramarine for a better water color and brighter greens.

The Sugar Maple

The Sugar Maple, acrylic 12" x 9"

I love how in the autumn some sugar maples have half of the rainbow of colors at the same time, from dark through chartreuse green, yellow, orange and bright red. Like a whole forest in just one tree.

This is another attempt with palette knife and reduced palette, though I did add cadmium red too. 

Cliffview Park

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to all!
Let there be sun and joy

Cliffview park, acrylic 12" X 9"

 Another attempt with a pallet knife, though I couldn't figure out how to do the water in that technique.

River

River - studies

 

Skyline

a study of the Toronto skyline

 

I can see the light

I can see the light, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

charcoal sketch

 Continuing with the same subject, which is quite rewarding, now that the leaves have fallen and the days  are getting cold and gloomy.

See the Light

See the Light 1, watercolor 20 x 10 cm

See the Light 2, watercolor 20 x 10 cm

See the Light 3, watercolor 20 x 10 cm

See the Light 4, watercolor 20 x 10 cm

Trying this subject with varied techniques, colors and moods to decide how to do a larger one.

Light in the Forest, charcoal sketches

Light in the Forest, the four small watercolors

 

Autumn Colors

Autumn Colors 1, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

Autumn Colors 2, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

Autumn Colors, charcoal sketches

 Many people tell me that with years past the winters become more and more unpleasant to them. I can't agree more! Another change I notice for myself, is that I have started to appreciate and enjoy the autumn more than I used to. This year the summer was nice and hot and the cool nights started steadily in September. Both required conditions for a magnificent display of autumn colors. 
This is passed now and the threes dropped their colorful attire, but there will be some Indian summer days to enjoy.

Industrial

Industrial, watercolor 28 x 25  cm

Inspired by the steel plant near Hamilton, a common site on the highway from Toronto to Niagara.

The River

The River 1, watercolor,  42 x 23 cm

source photo

Several interpretations of this photo that I took from the car while traveling in Cape Breton. I liked the directional clouds, but of course, didn't like the railings in the front. The beauty of painting, is that you can get rid of any unwanted objects and change things the way you like them.
Not having painted for a long time, it took me several attempts to get to the fresh look of the watercolor above.Then experimented with acrylics, with different colors, one with a palette knife only and the other with brushes.

The River 4, acrylic, 20 x 15 cm

The River 2, acrylic, 32, 24 cm

Cardinal

Cardinal, watercolor 30 x 22 cm

Cardinals are of the few birds brave enough to overwinter here in Ontario. It is definitely the most colorful one. Unlike the sparrows who have been frequenting my bird feeders this winter,  this bird seldom stays long enough to let me take pictures. But several days ago this flamboyant male cardinal was so kind to pose for over five minutes.

Cardinal, watercolor 22 x 30 cm

Another low tide

Low Tide 2, acrylic 35 x 28 cm

Tried in acrylics this minimalist scene, which I recently did in watercolor. Here is the watercolor from a few posts back:

Low Tide, watercolor, 26 x 20 cm

I quite enjoy painting in acrylic. It gives me more control as I can always go back and re-do or correct something. Although, control is what I want to try and loose, need to learn to let go, both in painting and in life...

Tidal beach

Tidal Beach, watercolor, 40 x 30 cm

Despite the obvious flaws of the depiction, I so enjoyed the process of painting it...

Low Tide

 

I am trying to snap out of the self  feeding inertia of not painting because I'm not in the mood and then feeling bad for not painting. These are a few watercolors I have done lately, of the tidal beaches at the west coast. 

The west coast

Two quick sketches done on location at the rugged beaches of the west coast of Vancouver island, near Tofino. Here I found very inspiring views. Endless beaches, which at low tide turn into smooth reflective surfaces. Wind-swept trees. Picturesque coves, Multitude of islands and rocks of all sizes sprinkled close to the shore. Every few steps you make, reveal a new scene.  

Light in the City

Street Festival, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

The restaurant patio, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

I have been awaiting these several days, free of tasks and stress. I'm glad we kept our schedule clean, with the only goal of doing nothing. It worked. I got the peace of mind I need to paint and have been doing that every day since Friday. I hope that everybody had the Christmas that they wanted!

Toronto City Hall

Old City Hall, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

New City Hall, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

Two more views from Toronto - the old and the new city hall - two buildings with completely different styles. These are very geometric and required a lot of precision and attention. Not the type of subjects that promote a free style. I feel like painting something more lose, in more forgiving shapes next time...

Streetcars

Toronto Streetcar 1, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

Toronto Streetcar 2, watercolor 40 x 30 cm

Toronto Streetcar 3, watercolor 30 x 40 cm

Despite having turned into a typical north american metropolis, with a dense downtown packed with high-raises, there are still some things that give Toronto character. One of these things are the red streetcars. They make a good painting subject, both with their color and the classic look. Have to paint them now, before the city decides to replace them with modern aerodynamic vehicles.

These three paintings are survivors. They were each in a different state of completion when the basement, where my studio is, flooded. For a while water was spraying all over them. Surprisingly, watercolors proved quite resilient, and after carefully drying them I managed to save them and complete them all.

Light on the path

The bicycle path 1, watercolor 20 x 22 cm

This is a country bicycle path, where we cycled on the weekend. Apparently, it was the light that captured my imagination in this view.

The bicycle path 2, watercolor 20 x 22 cm

Anniversary

Toronto's skyline 20 years ago, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

This summer marks twenty years since my husband and I came to Canada. I will always remember the first scary days, when I felt like we have landed on Mars and there was no way back. Now, twenty years later, this is definitely my home.

And here is how this home has changed too. The top view is the city skyline back then, as seen from the port. Below is how it looks now. In the last few years high-rises have been growing like mushrooms in downtown. Everything changes...

Toronto's skyline - now, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

Here is another version of the Flatiron building from the previous post. This one is done almost entirely with ultramarine, brown madder and raw sienna. I also changed slightly the composition and did it more loosely.

Toronto's Flatiron building 2, watercolor, 40 x 52 cm (n/a)