7"X5" Acrylic on board

You can't trust the weather at this time of year. This morning was bright and clear and the sun made such pretty shadows on the fallen leaves. It kept diving back behind the clouds though so I had to snap a picture to try to freeze the moment. That is my only excuse for doing this one from a photo, as it is the view from my living room window at about 8:30 this morning.

10"X8" Oil on board

I have had rather an unproductive week so far so I thought I would dip into the archives again.

Shortly after we moved into this house the only art supply shop in town went into liquidation. Everything was on sale and I bought myself a full supply of oil painting materials. I had never really used oils before, not since paint-by-number days anyway and I loved them. After years struggling with watercolours I found them very liberating and I love the buttery texture and the way that one colour can be worked into another.

This was my first oil painting. My house before repainting the outside. For a glimpse of what it looks like with its new colour you can go here or here

5.5"X3.5" Watercolour on paper

I have always enjoyed painting the backs of houses. I did this one from a balcony, early in the morning while the light was still interesting. Unlike my other two Montreal allées (should it be ruelle? Maybe, but I am sort of committed to allée now) , this one was actually painted en plein air, using my little moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

5.5"X3.5" Pen & graphitint on paper

Sitting between Fort George and the Niagara River, this little stone house is nestled among some old overgrown apple trees. I am not sure of its history, I don't think it is privately owned any more, it may be used as offices for the Niagara Parks Department

5″X7″ Oil on panel

Here is the house accross the street. It is another of my almost plein air paintings, I actually sat just inside my front door. The house is now full of flies, how we suffer for art! I used my new cigar box pochade, for details see my other blog.

8″X6″ Oil on board

I have painted so many gloomy winter days recently, so when I woke up to brilliant sunshine and a fresh dusting of powdery snow, I thought I should redress the balance.
Shortly after we moved into this house I painted this same view in summer. It was a different colour then and still had the old aluminum storm windows. Now we have our handsome new/old wooden storms which are much prettier but I don’t have the shutters back up, because they haven’t been painted yet. Eventually the doors and shutters will be red.

7″X9″ Oil on board

This lovely home is the place we often stay in Montreal. As we didn’t go this year I used a picture from last Christmas. The house is about 160 years old and classic Quebec style.

4.5″X6.5″ Pencil on paper

Well the storm has hit. It is hard to tell just how much snow has fallen because it is very windy and there are deep drifts. This little house across the street has about 20cm (8″) on the porch but very little on the main roof. This is a sign of a poorly insulated attic. I did go to work today but came home early and drove very slowly, snow tires are a marvelous thing. I am now off for two weeks and hope to do some serious painting (or perhaps just frivolous painting but lots of it)!

My English readers will notice that “tire” is one of those words where we share our spelling with the Americans, unlike colour, centre etc. which my browser always puts a red line under.