Very excited to announce here a new art show at 'The Barn' co-op between Meaford and Thornbury!
Not long ago I was asked to fill in for the spring to summer art display at the Barn.  Because this was a last minute replacement with no lead in time, this proved to be quite a challenge.  I quickly determined that I could not give up enough work to fill the considerable space available for art display in the Barn myself.  An alternative solution came to me which was a group show consisting of some artist friends I have accumulated over my considerable time as a professional artist.  Some are illustrators, some fine artists, some work realistically, some impressionistic in style, but each is a serious artist living and working in Southern Ontario who's' work I had come to greatly admire.

Putting together is a big undertaking (who knew?) and combined with the difficult weather Mother Nature has thrown our way this spring,  getting everything up and all the details checked off is still underway but the finish line is clearly in sight!

Running till the end of June, this unique collection of artists, (most who have never even met each other)and their respective work, showing in this wonderful space which includes an organic grocery, yoga studio, juice barn and lounge, massage room and gift store,  is a very special collection that will be well worth the trip to see.  All works are available for purchase and range from very small affordable pieces right up to large impressive original paintings.  Don't miss it!

As an admirer and companion to many adog, I have come to realize that they show their true self when in the environment that they love most.  For these 2 formidable yet friendly beasts, that would clearly be out in the woods behind there home on a crisp winter day with lots of deep fresh snow to revel in.  My focus with the painting was to try and communicate some of that obvious joy these two shared with us while hiking and exploring the winter wonderland.

With one more coat of varnish to come on the frame, this substantial commissioned work is finally reaching the time where it will be hung in the client's home.  With the painting I utilized an unusual arrangement of the horse and riders within the format, a landscape style, which was deemed most suitable to the wall spaced the painting would ultimately reside on.  The balance of the piece is resolved by having the trunk of the great white pine leaning out to the edge of the frame opposite the riders.  Lots of complimentary colours also at play here to keep the eye moving around the image and make the colours and shapes 'pop'.  Looking forward to hanging this in its new home and hearing the comments to follow

My painting workspace can at times be quite become quite cluttered, with paints, brushes, sample pieces, sketches and books competing for the best locations.  One of the books most frequently open for study and inspiration is a big hard cover book about the Group of Seven painters, which includes Tom Thomson.  Within that treasure of wonderous beauty are a number of paintings that feature a stark young red maple sapling against a northern backdrop.  While working away at this painting, I studied those works intensely and decided that this piece was to be 'my red maple painting', hence the name.  
Complimentary colours are lend a striking vibrancy to any work and they play a significant role in causing the work to 'pop'.
Framed painting is available for purchase at the Kilby Gallery in Clarksburg Ontario.

It is not unusual for me to take a painting so far, then put it aside for an undetermined period of time.  This pause may be caused by a concern for the direction a piece is moving in, or not moving in, or perhaps something new(er) has pushed its way to the main stage of my focus, or many other reasons and excuses really.
With this work, which was started but not completed almost a year ago, I was caught between 2 different styles of finish and attention to detail and decided it best to leave it alone for a time.  Jump forward to this winter, and there was this half finished painting that still held lots of promise in my eyes, but needed to be brought to some form of completion.  And here it is.
An early snow while the fall colours are still strong in the woods, on a bright sunny day, is a rare and miraculous visual treat as seen here, lots of different colours from the palette played a role.  Painting is 60' x 30' and is currently available for purchase at the Kilby Gallery.  For further details contact the Kilby Gallery at 519 372 7971 or donk@rogers.com 

After a commission is finished and framed and the client is happy, the painting leaves the gallery for its' new home.  Its always great to see how and where they end up, hopefully in a place that will allow easy viewing and really set off the room, as it appears with the above painting.  The work, which was a suprise Christmas gift, is 62" x 28" and seems to fit in the room quite nicely! 

At the top of my painter heros list would have to be Andrew Weyth, the late great 'rural realist' painter whos' riveting images struck a powerful chord with so many.  Besides his haunting and unconventionally beautiful images, I am also influenced in were he sourced his subject matter.  Everything he painted seemingly could be found within a walking distant from his two homes.  The variety and depth he was able to mine from this limited world is truly amazing, and inspirational.  

Just behind my home winds a little creek that twists and turns impossibly as it passes through our farm.  Every bend affords a new painting possibility, this one is viewed from a little foot bridge and is usually accompanied by the sound of the water running over the rocks under the bridge.
The frame was chosen to highlight the bit of colour found in the painting and is constructed from  reclaimed lumber,  measuring 51" by 33". This new work is currently  available for purchase at The Kilby Gallery .

Around here people wait anxiously for the cold and snow to come but during the time before its arrival there is a period of transition, marked by grey skies, rainy days and conditions that send most indoors in search of heat and comfort.  For me, that time also has become an exciting period to paint.  The sombre limited colour palette puts the focus on composition  with the  monochromatic quality lending a sense of what makes black and white images so intriguing.  Good rubber boots, warm toques, gloves and windproof jackets are all it takes to make venturing out during this time of transition in relative comfort, something myself and Brownie do every day, looking for the next striking image to appear.

This new piece was commissioned as a Christmas Gift from a husband to his wife who grew up in nearby Meaford and remembers that time very fondly.  Viewed from the nearby Niagara Escarpment, Meaford lies mostly hidden in a continuous forest of trees up to the winding shore of Georgian Bay.  It was decided that the painting would show the town in the height of falls brilliant and varied colour palette.  The unusual weather patterns that unfolded this year resulted in a spotty fall for colours but artists equipped with the power of the brush can help out where needed.  
A large painting, 62"x28", there was lots to see and include and I spent a lot of time studying some of the masterpieces found in my trusty Group of Seven art book, to see how the colours of fall can be portrayed.

There is little to compare with the unabashed beauty of a fall sunset when Mother Nature turns up the brilliance dial!  I'll admit its a bit overwhelming to a painter who typically paints with a restrained colour pallete, but I am always drawn to a challenge and here is what came out.  
The fall always goes by too quickly for me and the few leaves still clinging on suggests that the Autumn days are numbered for this year.
With handmade frame this painting measures 21"x27" and is currently available for purchase, online or at the Kilby Gallery in Clarksburg Ont.

Very happy to post up this recently completed painting commissioned by friends Gord and AnneMarie.  This project began with a visit to the home, not far from here. Immediately I was struck by the charm and beauty of the place and the challenge of coming up with the best view to depict the farm and its surrounding landscape.  Heightening this task was a large knoll, or hill situated almost directly in front of the place.  In the end we decided to incorporate this feature prominently in the painting, which allowed a great view back into the rolling fields located at the rear of the property.  The lovely restored farmhouse and barn are part of the scene but became a piece of the scene rather than the primary focus of it.  Numerous visits to the place allowed me to witness it in the glow of late day sun, which is how it is shown in the painting.
​The final size of the piece is 32" x 62", which includes the frame, made from local reclaimed timber.