 The Kelowna Painters Studio Society, a group of twelve local artists is pleased to present the 3rd Annual "Art in the Garden" This show and sale of original art work by members will be held rain or shine. Please join us for wine and cheese and leisurely stroll though the art filled orchards and gardens. Date: Saturday, August 9th Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Location: Pleasant Pear Orchard, 2379 Rojem Road, Kelowna. Click here for map. A portion of all sales will be donated to the Kelowna Food Bank. I hope you can attend and look forward to showing you my latest work!. 
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 Just Hangin', 7" x 12.5" For the last year, I have been investigating a different method of creating an image. It is called Ink Resist and it makes you paint the image in the opposite way from normal. After creating a drawing on a heavy duty piece of watercolour paper, I mask out what ever parts of the image that I don't want to become black. I use white gouache to do the masking. Then I flood the whole image with india ink. Once that has dried, I take it to the kitchen sink and wash it off. The gouache lifts, taking the india ink in those areas off. The resulting image is somewhat unpredictable and has an interesting graphic nature similar to print making. I then complete the image using watercolour. I find I am enjoying the risky process. To finish off, I mount the watercolour paper on a cradled panel. Here is a more detailed description of the process:
 I will be participating in a new art show that will hopefully become an annual fixture in the Okanagan. It runs the weekend of April 26th and 27th, Saturday, 11-5 and Sunday 11-4 at Mount Boucherie Secondary School, West Kelowna.
This will be the First Annual Okanagan Rotary Art Show. It is being organized by the Rotary Club of Westbank and Mount Boucherie Interact Club. Proceeds from the sale go to Hope Outreach in Kelowna to help homeless youth and Shelterbox Canada a Rotary supported charity that helps those caught in World Disasters. I will have quite a number of paintings on display including new and older work. I hope you can drop by the show and have a chat!  There is a great art event coming up in Kelowna on May 10th. It is presented by the Central Okanagan Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists.
The event includes an juried Art Show in the Galleria of the Rotary Centre for the Arts running from May 1 to May 31. An Inspirational Symposium will be held on May 10th. Symposium Itinerary: Morning Session - Guest Artists presentations followed by a panel style discussion with questions from the audience.
Noon - Award presentations for the Art Show. Afternoon Session - Guest Artists will demonstrate their work in separate sessions. Dennis Weber, SFCA, will host an open critique for Symposium attendees who wish to bring in a painting. This event is an excellent opportunity to interact with see how these professional artists create their paintings. I would highly recommend it to artists and art lovers alike. Tickets: $25 each,available at the RCA Box Office at 421 Cawston Avenue, Kelowna, by phone 250-717-5304 or on-line at www.selectyourtickets.com (Recommended to anyone with an interest in the Visual Arts). For more information, visit: http://centralokanaganfca.com/shows_exhibitions Many painters work on several paintings at once. Oil painters, in particular, will have more than one painting on the go at a time as the drying time of oil is quite slow. For some reason, I tend to work on one painting at a time, starting the next as its predecessor goes through its final evaluation and tweaking. When I work on more than one painting at a time, I seem to lose focus. Fortunately I work in acrylic so drying time is not an issue. Last month I had the pleasure of teaching some workshops here in Kelowna, BC and to be invited to do a demonstration of my underpainting technique to the Thompson Nicola Shuswap Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists at their meeting in Chase, BC. As a result of those demonstrations, I have 4 paintings in various stages of development in my studio. It took me a while to decide which painting to pick up. I decided to work on this painting. I had done the underpainting before going to Chase for the TNSC demo and had developed it during the 2 hour demonstration. 
 Looking at the painting, I generally like what I see. In particular, there is an area of blue tones in what could be the middle ground of the painting. I don’t remember intentionally creating a middle ground of trees behind and obscured by the foreground trees but I like the colour and the pattern it helps create. I want to expand that pattern into the two areas shown above. After the next painting session, I feel I am starting to get the atmosphere I want and some nice patterns in the background. However, the very light patches in the trees in the lower left of the painting are distracting and some areas are a bit busy. 
After refining it some more and emphasizing the atmosphere of the location (Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island), I think it is done! The name of this painting, “From the Dark Side” is about seeing the light from the dark side of the forest but it could also be a description of how the painting evolved from the dark forest to the light streaming through. I hope you enjoy it! 
From the Dark Side, 20" x 20", Acrylic, $400, Location - Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island, BC
 This year's theme for the Kelowna Art Gallery's Members Show is "Past to Present" and is explained as:
"What, or who has influenced your art? What was the catalyst for you becoming an artist? Is there an historical work of art that fascinates, or inspires you?" When I look through my Art History books or browse art images on the web, the paintings that recall being the first to make me want to paint were those of Tom Thomson (his painting, Jack Pine, above). I particularly feel moved by his studio pieces, with their strong Art Nouveau influence. When I look at my more recent work, I can definitely see an echo of his work. I am not sure, yet, if I will paint a piece for the Kelowna Art Gallery's show but the search into the past has already been a very rewarding one. After returning from 6 weeks in Manitoba, fishing and painting, I am busily painting for two upcoming events. I will be participating in the Artists in the Garden Art Show and Sale on Saturday, August 17th - 10 AM to 5 PM. This show is the second annual show presented by Kelowna Painters Studio Society. This year there will also be jewelry from Bling Jewelers and Coldstream Bead and Jewelry. Location: 5757 Upper Booth Rd North Kelowna BC (Click for a Google Map) I will be showing new work in both acrylic and pastel. Refreshments will be served and the event will take place rain or shine. The members of the Kelowna Painters Studio Society have chosen the Central Okanagan Child Development Association' Autism Program to support with a portion of all sales. The Central Okanagan Child Development Association (COCDA) is a registered charitable non-profit organization dedicated to serving children with exceptional developmental needs and their families in the the Central Okanagan. In addition to a portion of all sales, we will be raffling a painting (see above) with 100% of the proceeds going to this worthy program. For more information on COCDA, please visit their website.  Monarch Butterfly by Barb Hanington Painting Donated to CharityThe painting “Monarch Butterfly” (donated by Barb Hanington) will be raffled off at the “Artists in the Garden” show on August 17th. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Central Okanagan Child Development Association (COCDA).
If you can’t make it to the show but would like to buy some tickets ($5 per ticket or 3 for $10) just contact Kit by email or call 250-868-3525.  On Saturday, May 4 between 11 AM and 4 PM, the six wineries of Lake Country will be hosting the Scenic Sip event.
"Taste Lake Country" will be showcasing the award winning, diverse wines of this spectacular region. There will be wine tastings paired with food at each of the wineries. Tickets are $20 for all 6 wineries or $5 for individual wineries. I will be doing a demonstration painting at the Ex Nihilio winery and will have a few pieces of my work on display. I hope you can drop by and say hello! Recently, I was asked by Opus to assist Doug Brown of the Go! Okanagan TV show, in the painting of a plein air. The show was highlighting the Opus Outdoor Painting Challenge and outdoor painting in general. It was a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy the following video clips.  "From the Outside Looking In" I am pleased to announce that my painting was selected for the Second Place Award at the Sixth Annual Federation of Canadian Artists - Thompson Nicola Shuswap Chapter - Open Art Show.
The show opened at the Old Courthouse Centre for the Arts in Kamloops on Friday, April 19th and runs until April 28th, 2013. My thanks to the Executive of the TNSC for running such a great show! Further to yesterday's post. Here is the progression to the finished painting: 
Stage 4
The next day, when I looked at the painting, I decided to lighten the sky and the water. The bush that made a vague appearance in Stage 2 and 3 was eliminated. I started to suggest logs and stuff under the tree and continued to scumble paint on the sand in the foreground. 
Stage 5
Now things are starting to come together. I redefined some branches that got lost under foliage and used some more negative painting to bring the background mountains and the water through the trees. I am starting to think the very light water next to the tree is too light. 
Finished painting
This is the final painting. I adjusted values here and there and painted enough twigs etc. on the beach to make it read as sand. Now it is just up to my husband to give it a name!
I hope you enjoyed sharing in the progress of this painting! Feel free to leave comments and questions. Thank you to those who made it out to Opus in Kelowna on April 12, 2013 to see my presentation, the Power of the Underpainting. Here is the progression of the acrylic painting that I started during that demo. As promised, I will be posting photos of the painting as it develops. 
Acrylic Demo - Stage 1
When I got home I was quite pleased with the underpainting. I really liked the warm tones in the upper middle of the tree. I wanted to carry that colour elsewhere in the painting. I also felt that the dark area under the tree needed to come down further into the foreground to anchor all that bright foliage. I developed the foliage further, both with the warm colour, very cool (bluish) greens that I brushed on transparently and some brighter yellow greens. I added lots more tree structure (trunks and branches) varying the value from darker at the base of the tree to lighter and warmer towards the ends of the branches. 
Stage 2
I added the light in the sky and reflected it in the water. I used negative painting to develop the sky further, working around the branches and foliage. I also developed the foliage further using both bright and neutral colours. 
Stage 3
I step back at this point and check values. There is a light spot in the water that has to go. I develop the reflection of the branches in the water with a variety of blues from blue green to blue violet. Every time I get a chance, I scumble a bit more paint into the sand in the foreground. It is an easy way to build up the texture of the sand. At the end, a few brush strokes will pull that area together.
I take the time at this point (and use up paint on my palette) to paint the edges of the canvas. As I mentioned in the demonstration, I don’t frame my work. Continuing the image around the edges gives the painting a 3D look that many people like. Usually I do that as I am applying the underpainting and then I refine the edges towards the end of the painting. Check back soon for the completion of this painting.  Behind the Scene started out with an underpainting with a solid value structure and colours that interested me. If you have read any of my previous posts, you will know that I am a fan of the underpainting. The underpainting has been used for centuries to establish values and composition. In both pastel and acrylic, I find that building up a painting in layers, starting with the underpainting provides depth and allows for rich texture. I have also found that experimenting with colour in the underpainting can lead to a more expressive style of painting. On April 12, 2013, I will be a “Visiting Artist” at Opus in Kelowna. I will be doing a presentation on the power of the underpainting followed by demonstrations in both pastel and acrylic. I hope that you can join me. Click here for more information. Here is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation that I will be giving prior to the demos:
  Artists tend to be their own worse critics. It seems that few paintings measure up to the incredibly high standards we set ourselves. There is always that temptation to make changes.
I finished Misfit last week. But over the weekend, as I looked at it, the painting seemed a bit unbalanced. I did a bit of work on the source material in Photoshop and decided that adding another trunk on the left in the middle ground would improve the balance. Yesterday, I painted it in. But did I make the painting better? Did the original need improvement? You tell me. Please let me know if a) The painting was fine the way it was b) The change made the painting better c) The change made the painting worse I look forward to your comments! 
There and Back, 24" x 30", Acrylic, $600 - Location - all over Western Canada
Every year, the Kelowna Art Gallery holds a Members Show. And each year they come up with a challenging theme for the show. When I was reflecting on this year’s theme of Maps and Mapping, I began to think of the earliest maps that mankind used. These were basically images of landmarks that, if followed, led you to a specific location, perhaps for hunting or fishing. This led me to think of the annual journey that my husband and I take each spring to Northern Manitoba for fishing (and, of course, painting).  I put together nine pictures using Photoshop I decided to make a painting that would be composed of images from our journey to The Pas, Manitoba and back. I sifted through the literally thousands of pictures I have taken over the years and put together nine. Some of these images are actually paintings that I had already done. The images start in the Okanagan with the view of Duck Lake from Beaver Lake Road, then through the Rockies, across the prairies to Manitoba and a view of poplar trees screening a large lake. The central image shows that the fishing is good at sunset followed by another part of the lake where we have had great fishing. Then back through the prairies to the Rockies and home to the vineyards of the Okanagan.  Colour Study I did a pencil sketch, playing with the way I might tie these images together. It looked good so I proceed with a colour study, done in watercolour.
Pleased with the result, I decided to go ahead with a full painting (24” x 30”) in acrylic. The result is what I have come to think of as my Journey Painting. I hope you enjoy it.  Maude Roxby Boardwalk, 10.5" x 13.5", Pastel over Watercolour, Framed. Location - Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary, Kelowna, BC Last fall I joined the Kelowna Painters Studio, a group of artists that meet to paint on Wednesdays at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. It is a great way of exploring your creativity. Ideas pop up and fly around the room. Seeing how others handle a subject leads to more ideas of your own. This group has been in existence for 20 years! The membership has changed over the years but the core idea hasn't. This year we decided to hold a show to celebrate 20 years of artistic creativity. The show, entitled "Art at the Top of the World" is going to be held on August 11th from 11 am to 5 pm at the very elegant home of one of our members - Patty Feist. Wine and cheese will be served. For an invitation and map to Patty's, click here. As a way of giving back to our community, we are donating 20% of all sales for the day to the HeART Cart program at the Kelowna Hospice. In addition, I have donated the painting below to be raffled off, with 100% of the proceeds to go the the Hospice. (Click the painting for a larger version.) This painting was done "en plein aire" (which simply means it was painted on location). I started with a watercolour underpainting and then developed the painting further with pastel. It was early in the spring and the trees were just budding out.
I hope you can attend the event. If you can't and would like some tickets for this painting ($5 per ticket or 3 for $10) just contact me by email or call me at 250-868-3525. Hope to see you at the show!  My husband and I just got back from over six weeks camping and fishing in the lakes of Northern Manitoba. My husband is an avid fisherman and while I like fishing too, I take the opportunity while we are there to paint and photograph the incredible Canadian Shield landscape.  Between catching Walleye and Northern Pike, I sketched with ink and watercolour from the boat. We explored Cormorant Lake, Little Cormorant Lake and Frog Creek during our holiday (all of which are just outside of The Pas, Manitoba). There are many beautiful spots to paint on this water system.  I would start with a quick sketch in pen to place the major elements. Then I added watercolour to the sketch, sometimes using conventional brushes but more often just using a water brush. This handy tool has a barrel that you fill with water. It is great for quickly adding colour to a sketch. The amount of water in the barrel is enough to paint 1 larger or several smaller sketches. Between massive slabs of lichen covered rocks, trees, a wide variety of skies and beautiful reflections, there was more than enough to get my creative juices flowing. Most of my paintings were done in small watercolour sketchbooks. Everything I used was contained in one bag – sketch pads, drawing materials, watercolour palette and collapsible water container (there was no lack of water available for painting!). I find that painting on location gives me a much better appreciation of the landscape than simply taking photos to work from later. The act of painting on the spot forces you to summarize the scene – to get to the essence of the landscape. I took lots of pictures (over 4500!!) to refer to later but several of my small sketches will serve as the leaping off point for studio pieces next winter. Enjoy the paintings! Just click on any thumbnail to view a larger version.          At the Ingate, 20" x 20", Acrylic, SOLD For those of you who knew me during my equestrian career, you will be interested to know I have finally painted a horse!
For 20 years, I was a coach and trainer working with hunters and jumpers and their riders. I owned Sunridge Equestrian Centre here in Kelowna and the 24/7 schedule kept me from painting for nearly 18 years. Many young equestrians grew up in my barn, learning the fine art of navigating over a 1000 pounds of horse around a course of fences from cross-poles to 4 feet tall. We held shows there twice a year and many teenagers got their first job in my stable. I sold the barn in 2005 and retired from coaching in 2006. I miss the horses and the students but I do enjoy having the time to paint and travel. Many of my former students and their parents have seen me at the Lake Country Art Walk shows and asked if I had painted any horses. I must admit, I had been avoiding the subject. Horses to me are all individuals with their own unique personalities that must come out in a painting, just like a portrait. I flirted with the subject matter, including cows in several of my paintings over the last year. Then came the call. A good friend wanted me to paint a picture of her daughter and her horse as a surprise for her daughter (who is all grown up and married!). I agreed. It is good to step outside of your comfort zone as an artist and this was the push that I needed. For those of you who were at Sunridge in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, here is my painting called “At the Ingate”. See if you can figure out who it is and where it is! And yes, this is also my first self-portrait. Last fall I joined the Kelowna Painters Studio group, a group of artists that meets every Wednesday to paint and share ideas. Involvement in such a group of artists has been highly beneficial to me and has encouraged me to “spread my wings”, so to speak, as an artist. Several of the artists in the Kelowna Painters Studio start a painting on canvas that has been prepared with black gesso. Working on a dark surface fits right in with the “dark to light” working method of the oil or acrylic painter. You seem to pull out the lights and the brighter colours from the dark surface. I was interested in trying something similar but I am not a fan of black or of a single toned surface for my work, so I decided to take my current method of starting with an underpainting a step further. Rather than going for the local colour in the underpainting I decided to go to a darker colour. And rather than allow the underpainting to become too complex, I decided to go very broad brush with it.  First stage - Underpainting Using the reference material to suggest colours and patterns in the underpainting, I started this canvas with darker cool greens and lighter warm greens with some earth tones and lighter areas (still relatively dark) mixed in. As I brushed on the paint, I tried to allow underpainting to take on its own patterns of warm and cool, light and dark. I set the painting aside for a while to allow shapes and patterns to emerge. Then I went in with more colour, following the shapes of the branches and allowing the colours to break up areas even further. At this stage, I again set the painting aside where I could see it regularly.  Second Stage - developing patterns and colours I decided at this point that I needed to strengthen the pattern of the tree trunks. There were two dark trunks both leaning right that created a distracting movement in the painting. I changed the direction of one and put a foreground light coloured trunk on the right. Much better. Now, I reviewed the photo of the underpainting and worked with this as the reference. I continued to develop the foliage and “sky holes”.  Third Stage - develop the foliage and trunks Now the painting was almost done. I put it in the living room for a week to mull over. I decided I wanted to draw the viewer’s eye toward the trunks on the left as a secondary focal point. As the eye is drawn by increased contrast of lights and darks, I increased the backlight coming through the trees in this area. Below is the finished painting - Mysterious Light, 20" x 20", Acrylic, $350.  Finishing the painting - refining and balancing the composition  This summer I took the opportunity provided by the nice weather to get outside to paint. After wrestling with my very heavy pastel box and struggling with my rapid drying acrylics, I decided I needed a more suitable method to capture the great outdoors. The day after the Lake Country Art Walk Show, I was too tired to pack a lot of stuff so I took my watercolour palette and at the last minute, decided to throw in my pens and ink bottle. I immediately fell in love with this combination of media. Not long after, I decided to submit some work to the Lake Country Art Gallery for their annual Under 100 show. This show is limited to works under 100 square inches and priced at under $100. It's timing (just before Christmas) is no coincidence. This very successful show is an idea place to find that perfect gift for someone.  Little Wilderness, 6" x 8" Acrylic, $85 The plein aire works I had been creating were perfect. I also decided to do several small acrylics for the show (from the comfort of my studio).
I will also be exhibiting a number of these smaller paintings at the For the Sake of Art Almighty annual show at the Rotary Centre for the Arts on November 12 and 13. These works have been a lot of fun to do and I have learned a lot as well. I hope you can make it to one or the other show. If you make it to the show at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, stop by my booth and say hello! |
AuthorThe Okanagan provides inspiration wherever you look. I enjoy both painting on location and working in my studio. For more information contact me at kitbell@shaw.ca Archives
July 2019
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