Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

Coming and Going

Day 30 of the 30 in 30


The last day of the challenge. This coming and going is 

about beginnings and endings. How there are no endings as 

things end they begin again. This has been a wonderful

 journey and I am happy to have shared it.


Sunday, September 29, 2013

Ripples

Day 29 of the 30 in 30


Only 1 more day. What I am going to do with myself. 

With each ending there are beginnings. I wanted to keep it simple.

 This is of a beautiful beach with miles and miles of beach it is so

 atmospheric when the morning fog starts to burn off. It seem fitting

 as the 30 in 30 draws to a close. These paintings are soon to be

 available through my new website that I am finalizing now.

 Don't things take much longer than you anticipate.


Saturday, September 28, 2013

Tartan

Day 28 of the 30 in 30

Only 2 more days left and how many have seen. 

Sometimes it feels like no one sees or very few.

 I was asked if it was a plein air painting. Well I love the 

idea of plein air not so much the practice. I prefer to work from

 what  actually is  in front of me but it takes me too long to set up.

 It is like when you see this really great pastural scene of cows grazing.

 You get your easel out, your paint, pallet and brushes, then place

 your board. Then you look up and all the cows have gone home.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Chilly Pepper

Day 27 of the 30 in 30


3 more days this process has been expansive and I may even miss the challenge.

It has been a busy month. It has been wonderful to hear from people following.

Getting out of the comfort zone and stretching those creative muscles.

I have liked the sharing and learning which is something I will continue.

My website is almost complete so these will be available soon.


Thursday, September 26, 2013

Next Wave

Day 26 of the 30 in 30


Not many to go now only 4 days left. I have enjoyed being

 pushed to produce one a day. It stops that inner critic from 

saying it is not ready or good enough. It's that sort of ready or 

not this is what I did today. In the area of choosing what to paint;

 it cleans up the design because you only have a limited time.

 For me it has helped to think of these as sketches ;like a comfortable

 plein air painting. No bugs and no sunburn and no travel and setup.


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Wind Blown

Day 25 of the 30 in 30


I saw this guy in cold February winter escaping from the wind.

This is a Cormorant and I had never been this close before and was surprised by the size.

He stood an impressive 3 feet tall with big webbed feet that were 5 inches in length.






Resting the Dogs

Day 24 of the 30 in 30


It's all about the questions and not so much the answers. I have been trying to

 think of interesting questions to ask fellow bloggers to try to get to know

 them better, that is what I have been pondering all day. Where they get their 

inspiration, what are their interests. Do family friends and real life contribute

 to their creative process and in what way. Are they social extravert thinkers

 or do they need solitude to create. Are they fans of children's animated movies,

secretly. What were they taught as a child that they know as an adult is silly 

and can't believe they thought was true.

 I think I have some questions.

Stay tuned.


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sky Pair

Day 23 of the 30 in 30


I am a day behind still working on the website. 

I liked the idea of the boat flying and the reflection of the sky being more important.

I revisited this from a painting I did in watercolour.

It is interesting how we see things different with the passage of time.


Monday, September 23, 2013

Shade

Day 22 0f the 30 in 30


It's a big old tree In the middle of a very old graveyard and it sits

over looking back harbour of Chester Nova Scotia. I like graveyards not in a morbid way

I just like the quiet peace and beauty of them. This one I was stuck by this wonderful 

huge tree that seemed to embrace its flock and how it over looked this view

of the Atlantic.

I was busy putting more entries in the website and I did a progression of

 how I did this painting. I just need to figure how to make a slideshow video.


Saturday, September 21, 2013

Harry's Pearls

Day 21 of the 30 in 30


Keeping with a theme these are a mariner's string of pearls. 

I am trying to keep it simple and more graphic.

The air conditioner got put away for another year and did a little fall cleaning.

The place has been over taken with paintings drying.




Friday, September 20, 2013

Crew

Day 20 of the 30 in 30 


And a scurvy lot too. Hanging out and tell tales, fish tails.

I have been working on my website all month.

 Mostly it is getting organized and figuring where things should go.

I want it to be easy to navigate and useful. 

I have finally started putting paypal up so now things can actually be purchased.

They are now available and I hope this can help anyone that had an interest.

I am not complete yet but the 30 in 30 I have done.



Thursday, September 19, 2013

A Bite

Day 19 of the 30 in 30


Must be hungry. Well it's noon and there are nice places to eat.

When you were in school were you told not to use photos? 

I was and I use photos but loosely all the time.

 I may change things up and nothing seems sacred.

 I will move this here and that there. Colour and values aren't safe either.

 For me it is about the story and I am the author; some invented , some real.

 I am the creator of my own visual world. Makes me feel a little powerful.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Assembly

Day 18 of the 30 in 30


Last winter  I saw a Cormorant up close . He had been sheltering from a cold bitter wind on the

 shore rocks. I was able to be about 4 feet away and he was huge about 3 feet tall with feet that

 were 4 or 5 inches. I had no idea that they were so large. When you see them they are at a 

distance. Here it was on my morning dog walk; they were gathered on a loose float in the 

middle of the marina.I have wanted to do a painting of them since first seeing one up close,

 but their colouring isn't very inspiring.  Now I thought I would give it a try.



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Zebra

Day 17 of the 30 in 30


Do you remember jumping in every puddle after a rain. Going down the street and hitting evert one and 

the more splash the better.   Enjoying the reflections in them that is how I was feeling with this.

A little lost in the pattern.


Beginnings

Day 16 of 30 in 30 


I once was told that you either have to do landscape or people not both by the judge of a juried show.

Since then I have tried to stay away from it in a misguided way of conforming. Well the truth is I love

 figures in landscape, cityscape, rainscape, seascape any type of scape. I have made a note to self not to

 enter juried show unless I know what the judges philosophies about what they like. Listening to my

 own heart and what speaks to me.


Monday, September 16, 2013

Harry's Jewey

Day 15 of the 30 in 30


On Saturday I started giving my dog a bath. It took me all day. First I had to catch him, He loves this 

game and then I brush him then I catch again to walk him to calm him down before I wash him. When

 we come home I need to catch him to wash him while he tells me how unreasonable I am being. He

 does not like being washed and tells me about it, so making it  take longer. When done I wrap him in a 

heated towel then he runs around barking to be chased and play fetch Lewey style. Lewey style is he

runs after the ball and barks until I throw it , which again requires me chasing him with the ball in his 

mouth. After an hour or so he is dry enough to brush out again and start giving him a cut. He has one 

side done now and it is a work in progress. About Harry's Jewel I just thought the boat's red liner 

looked jewel like and I thought the owner would think so too.


Clear?

Day 14 in the 30 in 30



It has been raining on Friday only as it can in the maritime and it put in mind that I wanted to do a

 rainscape. I have wanted to do one for a while because I like the abstract quality of the scene. The tittle

 of "Clear?"is a dig at the weathermen here. When I first moved here 11 years ago I would listen to the

 forecast and would be assured of being dressed wrong for whatever was forecasted. They say sun or

clear and it would be raining.

http://dayledodwellfineart.weebly.com/clear.html

Friday, September 13, 2013

Amegos

Day 13 of the 30 in 30 


Thirteenth day and friday the thirteenth

Maybe this double bad makes it lucky at lease that is my hope.

My day started with a power out for a few hours

due to the lastest hurricane that was down graded to our rainy day.

Well I was able to do it and that is what is important.


Thursday, September 12, 2013

High T

Day 12 of the 30 in 30


What happened to brunch or high Tea or high tee if you are a golfer?

I remember when that was a main thing I did was eat these mini meals at pretty picturesque places.

Now  they are more for looking at than eating at, which is much better for the waist line.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Green Beans

Day 11 of the 30 in 30


I guess I must be hungry but it reminds me of of pods of beans. 

It is Lundenburg dorys as I am living in Nova Scotia.




Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Glitz

day 10 of the 30 in 30

A little still life to get back to simple.

 Leslie Saeta had done some ornaments and I loved the idea.

Stripes with Fries

Day 9 of the 30 in 30

I had finally got caught up when this one didn't work right off the bat. 

Finished it off on day 10.

It is a scene in Mahoney Bay Nova Scotia and I was hungry.

Buds

Day 8 of the 30 in 30

When I was painting this I was remembering John Singer Sargent or at lease the feel.

They are in long grass not a garden and in play clothes and not dressed up.







Chris Cross

Day 7 of the 30 in 30

Walking my dog down by the waterfront with the gang. All going in different diretions, some wanting to play or some wanting treats and  one just a little nervous.



Red Bandanna

Day 6 in the 30 in 30



This is the love of my life and his red bandanna his signature piece.

Ice Cream



Day 5 in the 30 in 30

Why I think of George Seurat I don't know but that was the inspiration for this painting.

Holy Mackerel

Day 4 in the 30 in 30.

The Mackerel has been running and the fishermen have been taking them in. On my dog walks there has been an increase of people fishing off the pier over the last 2 years. It has become quite the social  activity with families and all ages and shapes and sizes.

Reveal

Day 2 of the 30 in 30.



With the idea of keeping it simple The fruit are revealed from the tissue. I always liked how when you get expensive fruit it is wrapped like a present. I was also thinking how the pears seem to be calling the apple out.

These are available at http://dayledodwellfineart.weebly.com/30-in-30.html

Present

This was done for day 1 of the 30 in 30 challenge . Leslie Saeta's Challenge 30 paintings in 30 days http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.ca/. She had also done a present and I thought that was a perfect subject matter to begin. The purpose for me is to simplify. Doing as many painting in such a short time span forces you to keeping it as simple as possible.

All the paintings will be available at my website http://dayledodwellfineart.weebly.com/30-in-30.html

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Fun Sguared

These are words to live by A scene I came across while down on Halifax waterfront. Playing in a fountain that intermittently shot water up. Day 3 of the 30 in 30 challenge.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Boat Walk



To use rubbers or not?

 When painting of course, as the pigments are so toxic. Well I for one had never really thought of wearing gloves but the question was posed and it made me think. Well maybe I should. If I did I think only one would be necessary as only one hand is wiping. Finger painting isn't my style but then I think of the old masters. I don't remember seeing them wearing gloves especially latex gloves. Then there is an issue with wearing latex for long periods of time. So hot and sweaty and it really puts a damper on that loving feeling. If anyone reads this I would really like to hear your thoughts.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Shore Morning


The same morning on the other side of the street was one of my favourite homes.

 It is a work of art in itself.

 It has been lovingly been restored by its owner.

 It was Spring and the foliage wasn't fully out.

 The foreground bushes were a lovely warm red that brought out the burgundy inner trim on the windows.

Shore Coach

There is this wonderful coach house on Shore Drive near where I live.

 The light this one morning was just amazing.

 It sits in front of the main house and speaks of a more gracious time of horse and carridge.

 My goal was to capture the light.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

AHA moment

Italians Europeans do know how to live. The streets where light is bouncing off the walls and glass reflecting. The tight narrow lanes, the windows arbitrarily placed on the sides of buildings by the fancy and amusement of the builder. Doors of different shapes and sizes artfully arranged. 

AHA Four Some

Have you ever noticed that the more things change the more they stay the same? Where are their iphone ears? This could have been their grand parents or their great grand parents enjoying a little shade and a little companionship on a sun soaked Italian day. Why rush sit down awhile enjoy life, life is short.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Four Some Aha

A couple of weeks ago Leslie Saeta went on vacation with her family in sunny Italy. You may know Leslie from her weekly radio blog show 'Artists Helping Artists' or 'AHA' for short. It is one of my favourite shows that I make a point of to listen to every week. It is co-hosted by accomplished and talented artists as guests to add their unique spice and flavour to this savoury show. I take notes and learn many great tips and important information that is extremely useful. When Leslie went on vacation she sent her listeners via facebook pictures of her trip to use in our paintings. For me this was wonderful for a couple of reasons. I would get to experience Italy through another artists eyes and see which photos she would use for her own work.
Leslie is an excellent pallet knife artist. Her work is bright, colourful and tastey. Happy, elegantly direct and minimal are words I would use to describe her work and approach. So when I was choosing what photo to use I was living a little vicariously through her.
My focus was to simplify and play with colour. The photo was used as a starting point not the destination it was the feel of a beautiful Italian day beside the water. 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Flight



This is a student on a maiden flight. an acrylic on canvas 11"x14".

Part of the dancers series.

The intent was to be a casual observer of unposed grace.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Focus



This is a first of a series of pole dancers.

 I always loved Degas's dancers.

The veiwpoint is of a casual observer.

The focus is of beauty and movement.

I wanted to dignify and not objectify.

The Dancer is focusing in as she starts her dance.