Before and After

I took a Facebook workshop last summer in Toronto.  They told us that if there was a disaster, world event, famous person's death...something big going on.....that it was insensitive to post la..la..la and just ignore it.  Well, that may be true to a point.  However, as our ongoing situation doesn't show any signs of letting up soon, I think we all appreciate some other things to distract us....and entertain us.   And since it's time for another blog, I thought that I would do just that!

I paint in a somewhat realistic style.  It's what I like.  It's what I'm comfortable with. It's the type of art that appeals to me the most when I see other artist's work.  I paint from photographs.....mostly all that I have taken myself.  A watercolour teacher that I had several years ago was very strong on that point.  Nothing to do with copyright etc, but she felt that if you take the picture, you know the place....you know the feel....you know what's just outside of the picture....you probably remember the day...and the weather.  And it's way more comfortable to me than even thinking about painting outside.....in the sun...with the bugs....nope.  Not going there. 

A few weeks ago, I was looking through my photo reference box and recognized some of the photos that I had painted several years ago.  Since I also have photos of all my artwork, I was able to match them up.  It was interesting to see the ones that I painted closely to the photo (some argue that is not painting, just copying....I don't agree, but I'm not going there right now ;) ).....and the ones that I change.  I do often change the seasons, especially in house portrait commissions.

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This photo was taken on Niska Rd in Guelph beside the Speed River.  It was an early Sunday morning after a snowfall.  I remember how quiet it was...no one around.  The sun was just starting to shine on the trees, giving them a golden glow.  I think that I captured that feeling

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This late afternoon visit to Crieff Hills Community in Puslinch didn't give a very well lit photograph.  But it was enough to make a painting of a setting sun and........a spring day!  Two for one.

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These beautiful red poppies were waving in the breeze at my mother-in-law's house on the shores of Georgian Bay in Meaford.  I used the largest flower as my focus, and my secondary flower was from another photo same time.  I chose to make the background yellow, which has turned out to be quite interesting, with just a hint of other poppies in the background.  I felt the yellow in the photo, and emphasized it.

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I can't honestly say where this is, or whether it is my photo, or my friend Elaine's.  We often shared photos, along with Shirley at our weekly painting sessions.
I wanted the barn to be more on the right 1/3 of the painting, so used masking tape to block it out.  Again, not a very nice day for the photo, but I can feel a warm sunny day in early fall.

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On another cold January Sunday morning several years ago, after a new snowfall, my husband and I went for a drive looking for shadows.  We found some on the part of Fife Rd outside of Guelph just west of Wellington 32.  I loved the shadows.  I called this one "Leftovers".  I enjoyed it for several years on my wall in a dark brown frame. (I often switch up favourite paintings before they're sold and enjoy them on my walls)  PS It's still for sale (matted for 16x20 frame)  ;)

So these are just a few samples of the Before...and ....After.  Sometimes my paintings look like my reference....and sometimes they don't.  I never know where I'll find inspiration.....or how I'll end up using it.   I just know that there is no shortage of it!