Monday, October 26, 2009

Autumn Colours?

Once more I must apologize for being so late with this blog. I was in Manitoba since the middle of September and am not great with a laptop. Anyway, we went to Manitoba for two reasons: One, to visit old friends and relatives and two, to paint the usually great fall colours. The first was successful but fall colours did not materialize. Here's the reason: Manitoba had an extremely rainy summer followed by a hot, hot Sepetember. The leaves were green on green on green. When I arrived some were just beginning to show a few warm colours until a severe -10 degrees celsius hit the area as well as a snowfall of about 10 centimetres to break the ice! The leaves fell to the ground green!

We stayed on a farm along the Whitemouth River, a delightfully scenic spot. The Canada geese were everywhere, since this is one of their major flyways. These sketches were done along the river and one in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, my old stamping grounds. The river here was lined by huge old Oak trees. Sketching them was pure pleasure. The scene with the barn was typical of the area. Farmers here are like people everywhere, loving to live along the river.

Trails ran through the local park with crops still dazlingly green through the trees. The Whiteshell sketch was a quickie done from my van to avoid a biting wind with zero temperatures. I will work up all these sketches into larger pieces, using them as a guide for further exploration. The lake scene done from the van, for example was a roller coaster in values, dark and stormy one minute and bright several minutes later. I liked the dark water the best with highlights of strong sunlight on the waves. ASlthough this sketch is very different from that I will use it to give me the inspiration I need to follow through with a final knockout painting!
Be back soon, since I will have more time when I'm home and in my studio. Hasta la vista!