Life as we know it...is BUSY.

I have been busy with art classes and applying what I have learned to my painting. Here is the last few paintings fresh of the easel.

 Alberta Wildrose
12*12inches
on Canvas
Sold
In this painting I was applying the color theory I learned in an art class with Tammy Taylor. And I think it worked well. It has enough tonal and hue value to make it interesting.

Brown-Eyed Susan
1*2 Feet
Oil on Canvas

In the Brown-Eyed Susan I applied the color theory I learned from Sharon Hazen. I was also introduced to complex composition called the Golden Means.I had fun with it.
These paintings were painted with a brush in stead of a painting knife. I figured out a way to keep my brushes useful without spending a lot of time cleaning them. Cleaning brushes are my nemesis.

I also signed up for The Whyte Ave Art Walk again this year. Can not wait!

Untitled African Landscape

(Untitled)
24*48"
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas



So how long does it take to paint a landscape?

Well, very, very long if you decide to attempt a more realistic landscape painting for the first time. And to make it even more of challenge, paint it on a 2*4 feet canvas. So, I started this painting last spring (May/June) and after quite a bit of repainting and some more layers. Some technique building such as painting clouds, trees and grass. It is done.

But I do not know what title to give it? If you look at the landscape, it is a picture of Wildebeest migrating at sunset. When you look at the clouds, you will notice that they look like clouds that hang around after a thunder storm. So imagine that there was a late afternoon thunderstorm. The wildebeest waited it out and now that it has cleared, they are moving on in the last few minutes of sunlight. The sun is very low. It is reflecting yellow on the bottom of the clouds and shiny reflections of the side of the trees and wildebeest. Now you know the setting and maybe you can help me to title it by leaving a comment.

Thank you so much for looking at my art and if you leave a comment thank you again. This painting is done. What a relief!

Chickadee and Willow

Chickadee and Willow
Oil on Wrapped Canvas
63" by 23"



As we are all eagerly waiting for spring, the first clue that it is coming, is the color change in the willows. It turns from a bland grey, to blazing red and sometimes yellow. To me it is just the prettiest sight! It promises that spring is on its way! But do not be fooled. These willows can bloom in temperatures as low as -25C. It is almost as if they are saying: " I have been waiting long enough for spring. It is - 25C, I do not care! I am blooming!" So even if they are promising spring it can still get pretty cold. I think that is pretty amazing.

Another thing that is really cool about nature in Central Alberta is the fact that the Chickadees stick around summer and winter. It can be -30C and these little birds will be flying around outside, when most other birds have left. Their little chirps are heard through the cold snowy days to remind us that all is well.

So here is my tribute to the Willow and the Chickadee. May the willow tease our visual senses soon!
And may the Chickadee, keep on chirping to bring life to our ears!

Happy New Year (by the way)

:)

Oregon Grapes AKA. The amazing "Blue Berry" Painting

Oregon Grapes
Oil on Canvas
3*4' (yes, feet)
$450.00

As previously mentioned in my Art Walk Wrap Up Post that this painting drew a lot of attention. And was known as the Blue Berry Painting. I just nodded and said "yes". (It is not polite to correct people when it is obviously blue and have berries on it.:) Maybe a British Columbia crowd would have gotten it right of the bat.)

Well, let me explain. This painting has been hanging on my wall for a couple years now and it never quite worked. I did not like the background so before Art Walk decided that enough was enough, I am tired of looking at this thing on my wall. It needs to be fixed!

So then Viola! I repainted the background by looking at the original picture again. And then everything just fell in place.

What is so unique about this painting is the color use. Here I had to make the blue grapes pop out to the fore ground and make the red stem recede in the background. So what is so special about it? Well, blue is a cool color and usually recedes or pull back in to the painting. In contrast red a warm color usually pop out of the picture and I had to reverse it. To explain better you can look at this post where I was also playing with color temperature goofiness.

Last but not least, here is a picture of blue berries on the bush for future reference ;)

Butterfly and Brown Eyed Susan

Butterfly and Brown Eyed Susan.
Oil on Canvas
16*20"
Sold

This was the painting I was working on at Art Walk. My neighbor was watching as I painted and really enjoyed it. She just had to have it.:)
So, if you like it and wanted something similar please do not hesitate to speak up. I will gladly paint something similar for you.

(I apologize for the quality of the picture. My camera died and all that I had to my disposal was my Phone Camera)

Wrap-Up Whyte

So the Whyte Ave Art Walk was this past weekend. Like I said before, there were over 300 Artists, the event ran for three days and one basically need all three days to check out all the artists. In the picture above you can see my display of art. I was on a corner of a street just off of Whyte Ave. This means that people could check out my art all the way from across the intersection. And my "Blue Berry Painting" as almost everybody called it was drawing a lot of attention.

On Saturday every 20 minutes was heard something like "Wow! Look at those Blue Berries!" More about this amazing painting later... 

My Black and White Photographic prints drew some attention as well.. Every body that I discussed them with agreed that there are something mysterious about hand printed Black and Whites. The subject matter of my Prints were not necessarily something the patrons identified with (South African Landscape) but they appreciated them.

In short I think that Art Walk was great experience. I got to meet more artists, learn more about what kind of art interests people. And got a lot of exposure. I think you will see me at the Art Walk again next year. But in a more shady spot.

Thank you to all of those who organized this event it was very well organized. I am impressed. And thank you to all of those who came out to appreciate art. And naturally a big thanks to my support system of lovely family and fabulous friends!

Marika

Whyte Ave Art Walk 2012

Come see me at the Whyte Ave Art Walk. You will be able to find me and my art next to Continental Treat (105str) on Friday and Saturday. I will be showcasing my florals, some fruits, some trees and my Black and White Photographic prints.

This year there are 380 artists participating. So when you make it out, be prepared with a good pair of walking shoes and water!

Come on out for a great day!

Update

Hey. I am still here. Very busily painting in preparation for the Whyte Ave Art Walk in three weeks! Time has gone by so quickly. I must admit that the super nice weather we have been having has been a distraction.

So what have I been painting? Well, I have been trying to paint more representational, that would mean less abstract. And to make it even more challenging I am painting a Landscape!

So hold on to your seats. Soon I will post the Landscape that have been keeping me busy.
Till Later!
M

A Special Commission

26*26"
Oil on 2 Inch profile wrapped canvas

A friend had asked me to paint vintage cars for her boys' bedroom. So she forwarded a link to some colour schemes that she really liked and we had the boys pick their vehicles and colours. I also placed each boys' name in the license plates to personalize it more.

Here you can see that I painted the sides of the paintings in a deep blue. These paintings have a presence and do not require any framing.
How refreshing it was to paint something with perspective again. Wow!

Now off to build a truck load of canvasses for The Whyte Ave Art Walk!

Abstract Birch Trees

Abstract Birch Trees
39*41"
Oil On Canvas



Here I have used the same trees that I have used in the Ndebele Inspired Birch Trees, I was trying to bring in more true Ndebele forms. So what I did was I added the diagonal lines on the left side and painted a black border around the painting, I also added more white lines as seen in Ndebele paintings.

So the result: to me it looks more like a cartoon forest with a barber shop on the side. ;) What I do like about it, is the energetic colours and the fact that this time my trees unmistakeably look like trees. Unlike here where someone had said that it almost looked like somebody's spine.
I also love to play with warm and cool colours. As we all know cool colours seem to pull deeper into the painting where as warm colours seem to pop out in to the forefront. Here you can see how I joked with it and painted the tree that is furthest away red and the tree closer blue. You can see, if you can find more examples of my colour temperature goofiness in other paintings.

I believe that my exploration of Ndebele painting is done for now.  Next I am working on a special commission and then for more....you will have to wait and see!

Night of Artists Onoway

Here is an image of my booth at the most recent Night of Artists In Onoway. It was a very successful evening with lots of art curious patrons coming to see my work. People mostly commented on my colour use because it is so bright. Other more painting experienced patrons noted that my application of paint on to my canvas is unusual and a lot of them have not  heard of painting with a painting knife before.
Other found my Ndebele inspired work very interesting, but people preferred my florals especially the sunflowers and the Protea painting.
For me the night was very enriching. I was able to connect with other artists and talk art jargon. I also picked up on a few more art tips on how to present my paintings more professionally.
So what is next?
Well, I am signed up for Whyte Ave Art Walk this year that is a three day ordeal. I am very excited for the opportunity.

Ndebele Inspired Birch Trees

Oil on Canvas
20*30"



This is a painting of Birch trees. What I really like about Birch Trees are the knobs, old branches and scars that turns black on the smooth whitish bark and the lines that develop around these "marks of age". As you can see I have moved away from my traditional style of almost realistic florals but is now moving more towards abstract and geometric forms inspired by the Ndebele paintings.
I have always found their paintings very appealing due to the bright colour use. If you have not noticed, I thrive on vibrant colour!

So why use Ndebele paintings as inspiration?
See every artist is influenced by everything they see, I wish to call this my visual vocabulary. The Ndebele tribe lives in the Pretoria region where I used to live and I use to see ladies wear blankets and beads with bright coloured geometric forms. Thus, it is part of my visual vocabulary.
Currently I am residing in Alberta where I see plenty of Birch and Aspen trees. Birch trees happens to be my favourite :). So now I have combined my visual vocabulary on one painting.
Birch trees through African eyes.

If you are intersted in Ndebele Paintings aswell here is a very informative link.

http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/wallpainting/ndebele.htm

Here is a picture of a birch tree forest. It is not the picture  I used as reference in the painting, but here you can see the light color bark and the black spots and lines. You can also see that they grow in "waves" sometimes.

Rose Arrangement

Rose Arrangement
Oil on Canvas
16*20"

Marsh Marigold Buds

Marsh Marigold Buds
Oil On Gallery Wrap Canvas
16*20



100% of this painting will be donated to Ratanak and Place of Rescue, in Cambodia. Their primary purpose is to prevent and protect children from the horrors of human trafficking.

Through the Open Door Art Exhibition will be held from March 3 -31, with an opening reception March 10th at the  Mad Platter Bistro, 20 McLeod Ave, Spruce Grove.

I  chose to paint Marsh Marigold buds. These flower buds are the fruit of the mother plant and are being protected by leaves. As the buds grow bigger into flowers the mother plants’ leafs opens to let them bloom.  The connection here is to protect the young, life is precious and everybody has a right to a fair chance.  Children need protection and guidance to grow and bloom. Victims of human trafficking need so much more, but there is still hope for them to bloom with the help of Ratanak and Place of Rescue.

Gladiolus

Gladiolus
Oil on Canvas
30*20"
 Sold

Sunflower Color Celebration

Sunflower Color Celebration
13*13 (on 1inch profile, this means it can stand on its own and does not need framing)
Oil on Canvas with Painting Knife.
$125/sold

I enjoy painting sunflowers from my garden! It is actually amazing to see that there are some left; the squirrels ate them when they were small. Then we had a windstorm and they were blown over and started growing like vines. One is completely horizontal and still flowering. They had to overcome one more challenge: then the neighbors' horse found that if he stretches his neck just so, that he can help himself to a tasty treat.
I was very wise to plant plenty.

Sunflowers in Fall colours

Sunflowers in Fall colors
13*13
Oil on canvas (1" profile) This means it stands on its' own; does not need framing.
$125/sold
We are experiencing the prettiest fall that I can remember thus far. Inspiration was the fall colors this year and the sunflowers in my garden.

Birch Tree

Birch Tree
16*20"
Oil on Canvas (Framed)

Sunflowers: Study

11*14"
Oil
Painting Knife on Canvas
NFS

Landscape Abstract

Landscape Abstract
16*20"
$150

 Who said an artist can't interpret the object? Who said colors  have to be realistic? This landscape painting is about the paint, the push and pull of warm vs cold colors and texture. Inspired by Henry Matisse a painter of the Fauvist Group in the early 1900's.  

Here is a description of Matisse's painting style in the Open window, Collioure 

 Matisse
Open Window, Collioure
1905


" In Open Widow, Collioure behind the free, spontaneous expression, one feels the invisible organic reality of nature, balanced against the demands of pictorial science"